CAPE MAY — Summer bursts with flavor in Cape May, the nation’s first seaside resort at award-winning wineries, restaurants and special events sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). Celebrate the freshness of summer with some exciting new food, beer and wine events now through Sept. 8, and enjoy some traditional favorites.
Enjoy gracious, yet casual, dining at the Carriage House on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. at the Carriage House Café & Tearoom, with an a la carte menu that includes signature sandwiches, salads, and tea sandwiches, as well as homemade soups and quiche, a kids menu, plus an Afternoon Tea Luncheon featuring loose tea service with teas from the House of Tea in Philadelphia. New menu item in 2016: Kobe beef sliders! If you have a busy schedule, everything is available for takeout, too. Open daily from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. For reservations, call (609) 884-5111.
Enjoy fresh hot coffee, cappuccino, espresso and other delicious morning beverages at Carriage House Coffee, along with bread and breakfast pastries by LeBus, available for easy and convenient takeout on the patio of the Carriage House Café & Tearoom, at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. New in 2016: Breakfast sandwiches! Parking is free. Offered every morning 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For information, call during regular business hours: (609) 884-5111.
Don’t miss what CBS NY named one of New Jersey’s Top Five Summer Festivals: the 5th Annual Craft Beer & Crab Festival on Saturday, Aug. 6 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. This all-day festival presented by MAC and sponsored by PNC Bank with major funding by Gold Coast Production Management, Nobil Food Services and Longport Media, raises funds for MAC’s year-round educational programs and is MAC’s biggest event of the year. It features local craft beers to wash down favorite summer picnic foods including steamed crabs, crab cakes, pulled pork sandwiches and more, along with food trucks serving up delicious festival fare. But it’s not just for grown-ups; there are family activities in separate areas and live music all day on the outdoor stage. Families will enjoy the Give & Take Jugglers, crafts vendors and more. Admission to the grounds is free. There will be a charge for food, beverages and some activities. Bring home a commemorative pint glass or T-shirt. A free trolley shuttles between Washington Street Mall and the Estate from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (until 8 p.m. back to Mall).
Breakfast is included with two new kids events at the Physick Estate this summer: Kids Art Parties and Breakfast in Neverland. Do your children love to draw, color or paint? Bring your aspiring Picassos or O’Keefes to this summer’s Kids Art Parties at the Carriage House Café & Tearoom at the Physick Estate, where professional art teacher Juliana Jost will help them create a masterpiece. Painting supplies and a continental breakfast are included. Offered Wednesdays, July 6-July 13 and July 27-Aug. 31 at 9 a.m. $50 for one adult and one child. To register, visit www.artpartyink.com.
Bring your youngsters to Breakfast in Neverland at the Carriage House Café & Tearoom, 1048 Washington St., where they will meet characters from the storied Neverland, including Peter Pan, Captain Hook and some lost boys, and enjoy stories and other children’s activities. Admission is $15 per person. Offered at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, July 20 and Tuesday, Aug. 9.
At Cape May’s oldest hotel, The Chalfonte, build up your appetite for their famous Southern Fried Chicken dinner by learning why it’s “where the South meets the North,” with Chalfonte’s Civil War Dinner Package. In a room filled with Civil War artifacts, hear the fascinating story of how the Chalfonte blends its Northern roots (built by Cape May’s Civil War hero, Colonel Henry Sawyer) with its 20th century operation by the daughter of a Confederate cavalry general who served under Robert E. Lee. Tickets are $25 per person and are available at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth.
Jazz and brunch come together with champers during Champagne Jazz Brunch at Aleathea’s, featuring Mary Lou Newnam, saxophone, clarinet and flute, and Sonny Troy, guitar. Linger over a Sunday morning brunch buffet and a glass of bubbly at Aleathea’s Restaurant at the Inn of Cape May, 7 Ocean St., as you listen to live jazz from The Great American Songbook. Offered from 10 a.m. on Sunday, July 10 and Aug. 14. Free parking is available. Advance reservations are recommended. Limit 50. Admission is $35 and includes brunch and music.
The beauty of the lighthouses of Delaware Bay is best experienced at sunset, and the Sunset Lighthouse Cruise, an evening boat trip aboard the Spirit of Cape May, lets you view three of them. Along with hearing about their history from the captain and former lighthouse keepers, you will enjoy hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar is also available. $35 adults, $20 children. Fridays, July 8, July 22, Aug. 5 and Aug. 19. Departs from the Miss Chris Marina at 6:30 p.m. Co-sponsored by the Cape May Whale Watcher and the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). Purchase tickets in advance at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth at Ocean Street or the Hill House office or the Carriage House Visitor’s Center at the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., during hours of operation.
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. For information about historic accommodations, contact Cape May Historic Accommodations at www.capemaylodging.com.