Official summertime is on the horizon, and the shore is already in full swing with a number of family festivals, cultural celebrations, and even a few competitive sporting events. Check out some of the thrilling events the first days of June have to offer here:
Dr. Physick’s 159th Birthday Party
Thursday, June 5th from 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Emlen Physick Estate – 1048 Washington St, Cape May
Join the Friends of the Physick Estate and celebrate the 159th birthday of Dr. Emlen Physick, Cape May’s illustrious Victorian citizen, on the grounds of the 1879 Physick Estate. Watch a challenge croquet match between the Friends of the Physick Estate and Friends of the Cape May Lighthouse. Wear your summer whites and root for your favorite players! For more information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org
Wonder’s Birthday Bash at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier
Thursday, June 5th from 6 to 10:30 p.m.
Where: Gillian’s Wonderland Pier – 6th St & the boardwalk, Ocean City
Celebrate Wonder Bear’s birthday! All rides will be only one ticket and at 9 p.m. see a birthday bash fireworks show. Rides open at 6 p.m. and Wonder Bear will be available all night for photos. Celebrating 83 years on the Ocean City Boardwalk!
Cape May Music Festival Concert – Bay-Atlantic Symphony
Thursday, June 5th from 8 to 10 p.m.
Where: First Presbyterian Church of Cape May – 500 Hughes Street, Cape May
June 5 at 8 p.m., led by principal conductor Jed Gaylin, the Bay-Atlantic Symphony performs a program of music with organ accompaniment featuring organist Marvin Mills entitled, “Nocturnes, With All the Stops”. The program includes Alexander Borodin’s Nocturne; Joseph Rheinberger’s Concerto No. 1 in F-major, The Romantic; Franz Josef Haydn’s Organ Concerto in F-major; and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Serenata notturna. The Bay-Atlantic Symphony has been the Festival Orchestra since 2003. General admission is $25, seniors $20, and students $10.
34th Annual South Jersey Shark Tournament
Friday, June 6th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: South Jersey Marina – 1231 New Jersey 109, Cape May
The Richest Shark Tournament in New Jersey! For more information, visit sjmarina.com or call 609-884-2400.
Art & You at the Park & Zoo
Saturday-Sunday, June 7th & 8th from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Cape May County Park and Zoo – 707 North Route 9, Cape May Court House
The Cape May County Division of Culture & Heritage and the Cape May County Park and Zoo and the Zoo Society are sponsoring a new event, “Art & You at the Park & Zoo,” June 7 and 8. Over 400,000 visitors came to the Cape May County Park and Zoo last year. This is an opportunity to tap into that audience and showcase your work.
“Art & You at the Park & Zoo” will be a non-juried art show and sale. Any artist or artisan may reserve a display space and show and/or sell their works of art. One of the missions of the Division of Culture & Heritage is to promote our local arts and history organizations and our local artists. Since we appreciate how difficult it can be to get the public to visit you, we hope we can get a new audience to appreciate your work. The show will be located in the courtyard directly adjacent to the entrance to the zoo, so most visitors to the park will pass by the show.
Kayak Rally
Saturday, June 7th from 9 a.m. to noon
Where: Fisherman’s Memorial, Cape May
Kayak Rally is a fundraiser for the Cape May Dragon Boat Festival. This is just for fun, no race timers. We will have a few prizes, so don’t miss your chance to have fun & support a great festival. Meet at Fisherman’s Memorial at the Cape May Harbor.
West Cape May Strawberry Festival
Saturday, June 7th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Wilbraham Park – Broadway and Sunset Blvd, West Cape May
The annual West Cape May Strawberry Festival will be held this year on June 7, 2014 with a raindate of June 8. Admission is free. This much anticipated rite of spring is sponsored by the West Cape May Business Association and features 90 plus vendors selling such items as strawberry t-shirts, strawberry pottery, strawberry stained glass, strawberry jewelry, strawberry smoothies, strawberry crepes, strawberry vintage items and this year for the first time Cape May Brewing Company will be offering strawberry beer! Of course the stars of the show are the fresh picked Jersey strawberries, strawberry plants and strawberry shortcake. The strawberry shortcake booth is co-sponsored with the March of Dimes and raises much needed funds for children and families.
There will be entertainment all day starting with Bill Bittman on the steel drum from 9-11, Robyn Hippel and Amy Hufana from 11-1 and the Calamity Janes from 1-5 p.m. The crowning of the 2014 Strawberry King and Queen will take place on stage at 3 p.m. Get your Strawberry on! For more information, call 609-884-9325.
Lower Township Celebrates World Oceans Day
Sunday, June 8th from 10 a.m.
Where: Higbees Beach and Sunset Beach, Lower Township
June 8 is a yearly global celebration of oceans to raise awareness in keeping our oceans clean and water life protected. Activities presented globally give people opportunities to make a difference in their own communities to protect our living waters of the planet, including rivers and streams that lead into oceans and bays, where the fresh waters meet the salt water. Schedule of events:
At 10 a.m., boaters will launch from Higbees Beach at the Canal. Meanwhile, activities begin at Sunset Beach by the shipwreck awaiting boaters to arrive. Next, boaters will arrive on the beach greeted by conch shell horn blowing, drumming and dance. At 5 p.m., those in attendance will be invited to enjoy a Community Dinner at Good Earth Organic Eatery. Finally at 9 p.m., the Oceans Day drum circle at bonfire will commence at Sunset Beach Sportsman’s Club. Bring your drums and great ideas for keeping our waters clean!
Escape the Cape Triathlon & Aquabike
Sunday, June 8th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal – 1200 Lincoln Blvd, Cape May
DelMoSports, Lower Township and the Cape May – Lewes Ferry announced that the East Coast’s premier, one-of-a-kind sporting event, The Escape the Cape Triathlon & Aquabike, returns for a second season along the Jersey Shore on June 8. The Cape May-Lewes Ferry’s Terminal is expected to host 1,500 triathletes, their families and friends for this momentous endurance event. Just like last year’s inaugural event, the races will start aboard a Cape May – Lewes Ferry vessel in the Delaware Bay.
People may register for the event at www.escapethecape.com. Athletes will board the ferry and journey out into the Delaware Bay where they will jump off into the waters to begin the race. The event will consist of three separate races taking place simultaneously. The Sprint Triathlon consists of a .35 mile swim, 10 mile bike, and 5k run. The International Triathlon will consist of a 1 mile swim, 20 mile bike, and 5 mile run, and the International Aquabike consisting of a 1 mile swim and 20 mile bike only.
In partnership with the Escape the Cape Triathlon, the Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) Aviation Museum’s Runway 5K & 1 Mile Fun Walk will take place on a runway at the Cape May Airport on June 7, 2014. Early registration is highly recommended. The race will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. For more information about the Aviation Museum, please visit www.usnasw.org.
For more information about these, and other community events, see the Herald’s online calendar.
Be sure to visit DoTheShore.com for more information about entertainment happenings and nightlife.