THIS WEEKEND: Eco Fair, Spring Festival and More!

Eco Fair: Artful Living, Hand Made and Home Grown
Saturday, May 2 from 10am to 4pm
Where: WheatonArts, 1100 Village Drive, Millville
Produced in partnership with the Cumberland County Improvement Authority, this free “Community Open House” on May 2 showcases home grown native plants, herbs and berries, handmade items from New Jersey artists and craftspeople, wellness information and a variety of hands-on crafts and activities for families. Admission is free for all visitors throughout the day.

Captain Kidd Pirate Day
Saturday, May 2 from 11am to 1pm
Where: 26th and Boardwalk, Wildwood
The Captain Kidd Pirate costume parade begins on 26th & the Boardwalk at 11 a.m. The Treasure hunt follows at 19th & beach for children ages 12 and under. Prizes include cash, bikes, weekend stays, gift cards and more. To register for the parade only call 609.522.2955. Registration is not necessary to participate in the treasure hunt on the beach.

Beach Plum Farm Spring Festival
Saturday, May 2 from 11am to 5pm
Where: 140 Stevens Street, Cape May
Bring the whole family down to Beach Plum Farm for our second annual Spring Festival! Come and feast on roast lamb with farm fresh sides and sip on some local beer from Cape May Brewery. Don’t forget to pick up a signature Mason jar sweet tea while you’re here, and check out our piglets, chickens, honey bees and new ducks! You will even get the chance to meet “Blue the Pig!” Beach Plum Farm’s Spring Festival is a day full of family fun activities: hop on a hayride, go on a scavenger hunt through the farm, learn how to plant a flower in your own painted flower pot, and roast delicious s’more.

Second Annual Kentucky Derby Day Benefitting The Branches
Saturday, May 2 at 3:30pm
Where: Pembrook Farm, 1722 State HWY 47, Woodbine
Your $35 contribution gets you in the door where you can drink a Mint Julep in your own authentic Kentucky Derby 141 Derby Glass, watch the races on the big screen, and enjoy live music, great food, silent auction and cash bar. Derby attire can include your favorite hat, but wear flat shoes as the flooring of the indoor arena is clean sand and cloth. Hats hand made by Hat Trix (a few very creative women in the area) are available for sale at St. Mary’s with prices starting at $10.

Kentucky Derby Party
Saturday, May 2 at 4pm
Where: Elaine’s, 513 Lafayette Street, Cape May
“And they’re off!” On first Saturday in May, the world will be watching their favorite horses run for the roses in the annual Kentucky Derby. To be a part of the fun, Elaine’s Cape May is hosting a Kentucky Derby Event out on their lawn and inside Phinney’s Pub! Live Music will be played on the porch and Elaine’s will have several HDTVs ready for viewing the Derby and its festivities. Authentic Mint Julep cocktails will be served and several unique vendors will be participating. Elaine’s will even have a great prize for the winner of their “Run for the Roses” Best Hat contest! Be sure to wear your most fun Derby hat and colorful attire! Tickets include fun Southern foods and desserts and YES, you will even find Elaine’s delicious, homemade southern pecan pie! Live music and cash bar.

Derby Day
Saturday, May 2 at 4pm
Where: The Ebbitt Room, 25 Jackson Street, Cape May
Those looking for Kentucky Derby fun without taking the trip to Churchill Downs can head to the Ebbitt Room in Cape May. The afternoon affair will include muddled mint juleps and delicious light bites, fresh from Beach Plum Farm and inspired by traditional Derby dishes. Guests are encouraged to don their finest derby attire and dramatic hats. Right before the race, a rousing rendition of “My Old Kentucky Home” will take place…and then “They’re off!” A giant TV screen will broadcast a live showing of the race for all to cheer on their favorite thoroughbreds. Tickets can be purchased for $10 at the door and include passed hors d’oeuvres and a $20 dining voucher for the Ebbitt Room, which can be used at any time during the month of May.

Horseshoe Crab-a-Palooza
Sunday, May 3 from 12pm to 2pm
Where: Cape May National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, 24 Kimbles Beach Road, Court House
The Friends of Cape May National Wildlife Refuge will host a free family event focusing on the arrival of thousands of these spawning horseshoe crabs on Delaware Bay beaches and the shorebirds that depend on their eggs to fuel their migration to the Arctic. The program will offer expert speakers, crafts for kids, and a walk on Kimbles Beach to watch for horseshoe crabs as they come ashore with the tide.

For more information about these and other community events, see the Herald’s online calendar