THIS WEEKEND: Irish Festivals, Car Show, & More!

Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out some of the fun going on at the shore!

Irish Fall Festival
Friday-Sunday, September 18th to 21st from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Where: Old New Jersey Ave, North Wildwood

The largest Irish Festival on the East Coast takes place along Olde New Jersey Avenue and surrounding pubs in North Wildwood! This four-day event celebrates Irish heritage with dancing, music, food, vendors and crafts. 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily with bus service offered throughout island. Other festival activities include a golf tournament, Irish dance lessons, 5K run & 1 mile walk, pipe exhibition, Irish music concert, Catholic Mass, and it concludes with a parade on Surf Avenue from 26th to Spruce and Olde New Jersey Avenues. For more info call 800-IRISH-91 or visit http://www.CMCAOH.com.

Boardwalk Classic Car Show
Friday-Saturday, September 18th to 20th
Where: Wildwoods Boardwalk, Wildwood

Start your engines and cruise on down to the Wildwoods for one of the most exciting car enthusiast weekends at the Jersey Shore. It’s the 8th Annual Classic Car Auction and the 21st Annual Boardwalk Classic Car Show the weekend of Sept. 18 – 20, hosted by Wildwood Motor Events and sponsored by the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority.

The 8th Annual Classic Car Auction kicks off the weekend Sept. 18 at the Wildwoods Convention Center, where an impressive and intriguing variety of luxury and exotic cars, muscle cars and classic cars still in existence today will be on display for previewing and auctioning.

The 21st Annual Boardwalk Classic Car Show will be set in motion Sept. 19 and Sept. 20 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. daily. The weekend will take spectators back in time to experience the craftsmanship and beauty of hundreds of restored classic cars displayed on the world-famous Wildwoods Boardwalk. Prizes will be awarded to the Top 40 cars and one car will be selected as Best in Show. Admission is free to spectators.

Stone Harbor Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Classic
Thursday, September 18th from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: The Stone Harbor Golf Club – 905 N Rte 9, Cape May Court House

The Cape May County Chamber of Commerce will hold the Annual Golf Classic Sept. 18 at The Stone Harbor Golf Club. This scramble formatted event will begin at noon with a shotgun start featuring a “tasting on the tees” dining arrangement directly following the Chamber’s Monthly Business Meeting. The course will feature four contests including Closest to the Pin, Hit the Boat, Hole-in-One and Player’s Long Drive. Check-in and warm ups begin at 11:30 a.m.

For more information or to register as a player or sponsor, contact the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce at 465-7181 ext. 104 or visit the Chamber’s Golf event web page at www.capemaycountychamber.com/golf.

Steers and Suds – 2014 Dining Series
Thursday, September 18th from 5 to 9 p.m.
Where: Ebbitt Room – 25 Jackson St, Cape May

The Ebbitt Room at The Virginia Hotel in Cape May invites you to discover the extraordinary flavors of the seasons’ best with its 2014 culinary dining series lineup featuring all that Cape May has to offer—from the land and the sea.

The series will conclude with the “Steers and Suds” dinner, hosted together with Cape May Brewery on Thursday, September 18th. This dinner will feature grass-fed beef from the Rosenkranz Farms in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The organic beef will be cooked and seasoned to compliment the various taste profiles of the locally crafted beer. The beef has a true free range flavor that pairs well against the hops in the beer. Different beers have flavor progression, just like wine, each course will play against those flavors harmoniously.

To reserve the Dining Series or any one of the dinners above, call 609-884-5700. Seating is limited and reservations are required.

8th Annual Irish Festival
Friday-Sunday, September 19th to 21st
Where: The LaCosta Complex – JFK Blvd and Landis Ave, Sea Isle City

Sea Isle City’s 8th Annual Irish Festival Weekend will take place at the LaCosta Complex, JFK Boulevard and Landis Avenue, Friday to Sunday, Sept. 19-21. The yearly Celtic celebration, which is once again being co-sponsored by LaCosta Lounge and KIX-McNutley’s, will feature plenty of live Irish music, dancing, an Irish Vendor’s Market, great food and countless festival-goers wearing green.

Sea Isle’s 2014 Irish Weekend will begin at 5 p.m. Sept. 19, when the Irish band West of Galway takes the stage at LaCosta’s outside deck. At 7 p.m., The Insiders will perform under LaCosta’s Festival Tent, and later Blackthorn will perform between 9 a.m. and 1 a.m. at LaCosta’s main Lounge.

Irish Weekend will kick into high gear at 10:00 a.m. Sept. 20, when the festival’s Irish Vendors Market opens along JFK Boulevard (west of Landis Avenue). The market, which will run throughout the day, will feature a bevy of Irish collectibles, fashion apparel, crafts and “must have” green items. In addition to an expansive selection of Irish-themed merchandise and imported goods, the market will also feature food vendors offering many tempting selections.

To learn more about Sea Isle City’s 8th Annual Irish Weekend, phone (609) 263-3756, email lacostalounge@comcast.net or visit www.lacosta-seaisle.com.

Wildwood Crest Seafarers’ Celebration
Friday-Saturday, September 19th & 20th
Where: Centennial Park, Wildwood

The Borough of Wildwood Crest hosts its annual Seafarers Celebration Sept. 19 and Sept. 20 – a yearly end-of-summer festival set to take place at both Sunset Lake and Centennial Park in Wildwood Crest.

The Wildwood Crest Seafarers Celebration kicks off Sept. 19 with live music at 7 p.m. at Centennial Park, located at Fern Road and Ocean Avenue, featuring Big House, one of the more popular dance/pop/party bands in the Delaware Valley. A spectacular beachfront fireworks display will follow the show at 9 p.m. The rain date for the fireworks display is Sept. 20 at 9 p.m. in the same location. Bring a blanket or chair to enjoy this great free event for the entire family!

The celebration continues Sept. 20 with a street festival along Sunset Lake on New Jersey Avenue between Rambler Road and Miami Avenue. This is one of the signature annual events of Wildwood Crest, a day-long street festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring dozens of craft and food vendors, family entertainment, live music, children’s activities including karaoke, pony rides, face painting, magic show, moon bounces, pie-eating & bubble gum blowing contests, and much more.

For additional information about the Seafarers Celebration, visit www.VisitWildwoodCrest.com or call 609-523-0202.

31st Annual Cape May Beachfront Run
Saturday, September 20th from 8:30 a.m.
Where: Convention Hall – 714 Beach Ave, Cape May

There’s no time like the present to sign up for the 31st Annual Cape May Beachfront Run to be held Sept. 20. The run features, certified two-mile and five-mile courses along the beautiful Cape May beachfront. Runners have access to three rest stations (stocked with bananas and bottled water) before and after both races. All runners receive t-shirts, and both races award overall and age-group trophies as follows: for the 5 miler, the first three men, first three women, first three in age groups and the team title; for the 2 miler, the first male, first female, and top two in age groups.

Both the 2 miler and the 5 miler start and finish at Cape May Convention Hall beginning with the two-mile at 8:30 a.m., an out-and-back course with the turnaround point just beyond Pittsburgh Avenue. The five-mile starts at 9:15 a.m., following the completion of the two-miler.

Early registration is $23, and day of race registration is $28. For information call Cape May Civic Affairs at 609-884-9565 or pick up race registration forms at Cape May Convention Hall. Runners can also register online at www.discovercapemaynj.com.

Talk Like a Pirate Day
Saturday, September 20th from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Cape May Court House Library – 30 W. Mechanic Street, Cape May Court House

The Cape May County Library invites children and their families to celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day Sept. 19. The all-day event will be held at the Main Branch of the Library located at 30 W. Mechanic Street in Cape May Court House.

Kids of all ages and their families are invited to celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day at the Court House Library. We will have a variety of pirate-themed activities for children. This is an all day event, stop by the children’s area anytime between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to join in the fun. Registration is not required for this event. For additional information please contact the Children’s Room at (609) 463-6354 or visit online at www.cmclibrary.org.

Fall Migration Festival
Saturday-Sunday, September 20th & 21st from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Wetlands Institute – 1075 Stone Harbor Blvd, Stone Harbor

Sitting in the heart of the Atlantic Flyway, thousands of birds make their way across the Cape May Peninsula every fall. In a single day one can go from spotting a Peregrine Falcon flying low along the salt marsh to watching flocks of White-winged Scoters migrate along the ocean front. In an effort to spread the word about this incredible time of year, The Wetlands Institute will be hosting a Fall Migration Festival. Visitors of all ages will be able to see, explore, learn, and enjoy! We’ll have guided viewing of migratory birds from the Institute and on Seven Mile Island, and much more!

Savor September Food and Wine Festival
Saturday, September 20th from noon to 9 p.m.
Where: Stone Harbor Shopping District – 96th St, Stone Harbor

The Chamber of Commerce sponsors Stone Harbors ‘Savor September’ 3rd Annual Food and Wine Festival. Join in the fun at this town-wide celebration of best of the area! For more information, call (609) 368-6101.

7th Annual “Music for the Heart”
Saturday, September 20th from 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: Music Pier – Moorlyn Terrace & the Boardwalk, Ocean City

“Music for the Heart” features a night of song and dance to benefit the American Heart Association. Come and see the stars of tomorrow making a difference today! Join us for a fun filled evening. Tickets cost just $10. For ticket information, call Chris at (609) 653-4677.

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 dining, shopping, activities, entertainment happenings and nightlife.