The James Supra Band will play at the Emlen Physick Estate in Cape May to kick off summer during the Cape May Hops Festival. Photo courtesy of James Supra.
CAPE MAY – Help kick off summer in Cape May with some blues, brews and BBQ during the new Cape May Hops Festival, Saturday, June 25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This all-day outdoor family festival on the beautiful grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., will feature local breweries, live music on the outdoor stage and food vendors serving up some tasty BBQ favorites, plus a crafts and collectibles show and kids activities.
Bring your own chair or beach blanket and celebrate the start of summer in the cool shade or under the warm sun for a great afternoon and evening of non-stop live musical performers. Musical headliner is the James Supra Band taking the outdoor stage at 3 p.m. According to music writer James Wood, a GuitarWorld and aXs.com contributor. James Supra has performed the blues with his own bands and with artists like BB King and Catfish Hodge for 25 years. “Supra’s harmonica playing is second to none,” says Wood, who adds that Supra has won the Best Harmonica Player Award 15 years in a row at the Lehigh Valley Music Awards, and was voted Best All Around Performer in 2013. James Supra and his band have wowed blues fans at North Wildwood’s Anglesea Blues Festival. Also entertaining at the estate will be Cape May favorites Gordon Vincent and the Overwhelming Everything, and Bluebone.
The Cape May Hops Festival is presented by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) and will feature craft beers from regional brewers including: Cape May Brewery, Rio Grande; Glasstown Brewery, Millville; Tuckahoe Brewery, Egg Harbor Township; and Slack Tide Brewery, Clermont, along with delicious BBQ foods from some of your favorite local vendors including: empanadas from Empanada Mamas, seafood chowders and soups from Captain Marriner’s, delicious BBQ from Joe Battle BBQ and crepes from Crespella.
The entire family will enjoy kid-friendly activities including lawn games, a bubble pond and more including acrobats from the Give & Take Jugglers Little Circus, who will delight and entertain throughout the day. Costumed historical characters will stroll the grounds and Alice in Wonderland characters will play croquet with mallets that look like flamingos!
Crafts and food vendors will offer gourmet and hand-crafted items for sale including jewelry, photography, plants and more. Specialty food vendors will include The Hangover Pretzel Company from Freehold and Jerky James Fine Meats from Northfield. The Cape May Hops Festival crafts & collectibles show is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and music, food and beer is offered 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Help kick off summer! It’s free to attend with varying costs for food, beer and crafts vendors.
The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the preservation, interpretation and cultural enrichment of the Cape May region for its residents and visitors. MAC membership is open to all. For information about MAC’s year-round schedule of tours, festivals and special events, call (609) 884-5404 or (800) 275-4278, or visit MAC’s website at www.capemaymac.org. For information about restaurants, accommodations and shopping, call the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May at (609) 884-5508 or visit www.capemaychamber.com. For information about historic accommodations, contact Cape May Historic Accommodations at www.capemaylodging.com.