Recent Happenings

RECENT HAPPENINGS Summer Wrap-Up

The Cape May Lighthouse has been a happening place all summer. It’s always our most visited site but every Wednesday, Director of Special Events & Visitor Services Janice Corkery and her staff filled the grounds with vendors and activities for Family Fun Days. Janice and crew were back on Sunday, Aug. 7 to celebrate National Lighthouse Day. In addition to crafts and yard games for kids, we hosted some scaly and furry friends, courtesy of our friends from the Wetlands Institute and the Cape May County Zoo. Mother Nature cooperated with us and treated visitors to four great nights for our Full Moon Climbs and Stairway to the Stars during the new moon (when the moon is barely visible, and its light doesn’t compete with the stars and planets). To cap off a perfect summer, the Lighthouse also hosted three wedding proposals!

We went back to our roots and added an Architectural Walking Tour to the summer schedule. It proved to be a popular addition to our walking tour roster, joining the Fisherman’s Wharf Tour and Painted Ladies, Porches and More Walking Tour, allowing visitors to see our charming town from three different perspectives.

The Craft Beer & Crab Festival was the central focus of our summer schedule. Preparations begin several days in advance and the excitement on the Estate is palpable when the tents go up and the beer trucks arrive. PNC Bank came back as the major sponsor and we were happy to have Hugh McStravick, their representative, in attendance. Other sponsors included Madison Resorts and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Sara Kornacki, Volunteer & Membership Engagement Manager, had her work cut out for her, recruiting all the volunteers needed for the event. This year we made what we thought were beneficial changes to the event – moving the date earlier into July, going with mostly food trucks in addition to steamed crabs, and minimizing the disruption from changing acts on the stage. It’s still hard to gauge what worked and what didn’t due to the extreme heat we all suffered through that day. On the bright side, the music was fantastic. Sean Preston and BOD of NYC delivered the goods. Details for the 2023 event are still to be determined.

This summer we had a first! We published our first children’s book thanks to curator Ben Ridings and marketing assistant Steven Olszewski. Dr. Physick’s “Dog Days of Summer” is a whimsical book for the wee ones that recounts the good doctor’s love of our furry friends. We held a book signing on Aug. 14 and welcomed a nice crowd and more than a few four-legged friends. Both Ben and Steven are excited about this project and are ready to collaborate on their next publication.

We continued music at the Estate with the Summer Solo Series, two concerts on the outdoor stage co-sponsored with Flight Entertainment. It was BYOB (bring your own blanket) for these up close and personal musical experiences with celebrated musicians. Aug. 11 featured Paul Cullen from the group Bad Company. Paul’s special show combined his love of food, wine, and music with remarkable stories of his life on the road as a rock & roll superstar!

World-renowned singer, songwriter

Photo by Susan Krysiak

“Clueless at the Physick Estate: The Exoneration” had a successful run this summer. This fall check out “Phantoms of the Physick Estate: Spellbound Sisters” for more mystery inside the Physick House Museum.

NEWSLETTER

Published by Cape May MAC, a not-for-profit corporation P.O. Box 340, Cape May, NJ 08204 • Phone: 609-884-5404 New Jersey Relay Center for TTY Customers: 800-852-7899 Web Site: www.capemaymac.org • E-Mail: info@capemaymac.org

Editor: Jody Alessandrine • Assistant Editor: Jean Barraclough Contributors: Sandra Adams, Sara Kornacki, Susan Krysiak, Anna Marie Leeper, Evelyn Maguire and Mary E. Stewart

OUR MISSION

Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture) 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. ---- v ----

OUR VISION

Preserving Cape May’s rich heritage and assuring its vitality through superior cultural programs and events

Cape May MAC’s public history programs are funded in part by the New Jersey Historical Commission in the Department of State.