Bring the whole family to the Craft Beer & Crab Festival this Saturday, August 11th from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and experience what CBS NY named one of New Jersey’s Top Five Summer Festivals! Come to the beautiful grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate in Cape May for an all-day festival featuring local and regional craft beers to wash down favorite summer picnic foods.
Enjoy steamed crabs and other delicious summer treats including pulled pork sandwiches, French crepes, hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, cookies, soda and freshly squeezed lemonade. Cool off with ice cream and water ice. Try delicious craft beers from Cape May Brewing Company, Tuckahoe Brewing Company and Victory Brewing Company, from the Harrison Beverage 10-tap beer truck, or opt for light beer, hard lemonade or non-beer beverages.
Relax under the shade of the estate’s mature trees and listen to live blues, rock, jazz and soul music all day from bands on the stage near Hill House. Bring a lawn chair or spread out your beach blanket for a great afternoon and evening of musical performers including Reed’s Blues, The JL3 Band, New Pony, Dave Landry, the Kelly Carvin Band, and The Kruno Spisic Band.
Crafts and food vendors on the estate grounds will be selling hand-made and vintage items. There will be arcade games, pony rides and juggling from the Give & Take Little Circus, and much more. Admission to the grounds is free and free parking is available.
The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) is a multi-faceted non-profit organization that promotes the restoration, interpretation and cultural enrichment of greater Cape May for its residents and visitors. With a membership of more than 3,200, a paid staff of 160 and some 300 volunteers, MAC offers a year-round calendar of tours and special events that serves more than 300,000 people each year. Through its sponsorship of cultural and heritage tourism, MAC has helped transform Cape May from a “summer only” beach resort to the country’s leading Victorian theme destination.
MAC was formed in September, 1970, by a small group of Cape May citizens with the express purpose of rescuing the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, an 18 room mansion, from demolition. Their campaign to preserve not only the Physick Estate but Victorian architectural treasures throughout Cape May has played a vital role in revitalizing the nation’s oldest seaside resort.
During its heroic “pioneer” phase, MAC was staffed solely by volunteers, who repaired the roof, sanded and painted, reglazed windows and restored the grounds of the unique Stick Style mansion. Early fundraising efforts included guided walking tours of the historic district, interpreting Cape May’s Victorian heritage. Soon, trolley tours and historic house tours were added. Equally important, MAC’s founders launched a series of special events that are still celebrated: the Victorian Fair, begun in 1971; a Victorian Weekend instituted in 1973, always starting on Columbus Day Weekend in October; and since 1974, Christmas Candlelight House Tours, which put Cape May on the map as a major holiday destination.
Today, MAC is responsible for the coordination of favorite Cape May tours and activities such as Beachcombing at the Cove, Cape May Ghost walking and trolley Tours, Delaware Bay Lighthouse Adventures, Family Fridays at the Physick Estate, the celebration of National Lighthouse Day, and many more. Parents can take a relaxing break on MAC’s Happy Hour Trolley Tour. Take this guided trolley tour through West Cape May, then stop at the Seaside Cheese Company for a wine and cheese sampling.
MAC has most recently played a major role in the restoration and interpretation of the World War II Lookout Tower on Sunset Boulevard. The tower is now open to the public and includes a Wall of Honor recognizing local veterans.
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 Web site at www.capemaymac.org. For information about restaurants, accommodations and shopping, call the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May at 609-884-5508.
1048 Washington St., Cape May, NJ 08204
609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278
www.capemaymac.org