HOLIDAY PREVIEW WEEKEND less audiences since 1984. The band won the 2017 U.S. Open competition and is a three-time champion in the North American Brass Band Association competition. A longtime Cape May favorite, the band is comprised of professional musicians, professors, educators and community members. The concert begins at 5 p.m. Santa will arrive to hit the switch on the huge Christmas tree on the estate at 7 p.m. from the outdoor stage. The 1879 Physick House Museum is authentically decorated for a Victorian Christmas during the holiday season and visitors on Saturday, Nov. 18 can step inside the museum for a self-guided Physick Estate Christmas Tour, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for free! The wonders of the season are on display in An Old-fashioned Christmas Exhibit in the Carroll Gallery at the Physick Estate’s Carriage House. Stand beneath the boughs of a giant Christmas tree! This exhibit features holiday traditions through the years that bring to life a child’s Christmas fantasy, complete with a delightful Dept. 56 Dickens Village, model trains, vintage Christmas family photos and much more. Admission is free.
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1) um Shop stocked with maritime accessories and lighthouse memorabilia. Open Friday, Nov. 17-Sunday, Nov. 19, noon to 4 p.m.
Trolley Tours
What was that shadow? Was it the undead of Cape May’s past wandering their beloved haunts? You might scoff, you might shudder, but rest assured: on board a trolley with an experienced guide you will begin to wonder what’s beyond when you board the Ghosts of Cape May Trolley Tour and hear the tales of hauntings unearthed in Cape May by renowned psychic medium and author Craig McManus. Begins and ends at the Ocean Street Trolley Stop on Friday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Food Events
It’s easy to have fun with friends during Brunch & Bingo at the Inn of Cape May and enjoy time away from the holiday to-do list. Play a little bingo, enjoy a fashion show by Lace Silhouettes/Cotton Company and compete for some great prizes at the Inn of Cape May, 7 Ocean St., all while enjoying a delicious brunch on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 9 a.m. Vintage Restaurant, on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, offers an eclectic menu for brunch and dinner. Call 609– 224–6064 for reservations and takeout orders or visit OpenTable.com. To view the menu, click here. Vintage is dog-friendly, has plenty of outside seating and take-out is available. Parking is free. Vintage is open Friday-Sunday for dinner, 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sundays for brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., during Holiday Preview Weekend. Reservations are highly recommended.
Cape May Lighthouse
Climb the 199 steps of the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse to the watch gallery for a panoramic view of the Jersey Cape and Atlantic Ocean. For those who choose not to climb, the Oil House contains a fully accessible Visitors’ Orientation Center and a MusePage 6 • HOLIDAY 2023
decorated inns and homes as guides talk about Victorian Christmas traditions and play Christmas music. Rides last about 30 minutes and depart from the Ocean Street Trolley stop, the evening of Saturday, Nov. 18, at 6:15 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
Museum Shops
Work on your holiday gift-giving list during Holiday Preview Weekend at Cape May MAC’s two museum shops: the Carriage House Museum Shop at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., and the Cape May Lighthouse Museum Shop, at the Cape May Lighthouse, 215 Lighthouse Ave. Cape May MAC’s Museum Shops are fully accessible and open for extended hours throughout the holiday season and offer museum-quality gift ideas for the Cape May lover, including jewelry, silk scarves and ties, tea, books, Cape May apparel and more at the Carriage House Museum Shop. There are selections for youngsters as well, including a curated selection of children’s books, toys, clothing, and plush toys. You can also delight the lighthouse lover on your holiday list with a gift from the Cape May Lighthouse Museum Shop. Here you’ll find toys, books, and clothing for fans of the lighthouse. Parking is free at both locations. Proceeds from both of Cape May’s museum shops benefit Cape May MAC’s historic preservation efforts. Visit the Online Museum Shop and shop at your leisure no matter where you are!
Boat Tours
Santa arrives! He is the guest of honor at the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Physick Estate each year.
Listen to dramatic tales of Christmas woe featuring Victorian ghosts during Holiday Preview Weekend, told by a member of the East Lynne Theater Company, on this ride along the historic streets of Cape May. You’ll be happy you live now, not then, on the Ghosts of Christmas Past Trolley Rides, offered Saturday, Nov. 18, at 7:45 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. The best way to see Cape May’s Christmas lights during Holiday Preview Weekend is on board a trolley during Holiday Lights Trolley Rides. Ride through Cape May’s Historic District and see cheerfully Cape May MAC
Cape May Whale Watcher Captain Jeff and his seasoned crew take you into the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean on the Whale & Dolphin Watching boat tour. The Delaware Bay Estuary has a unique confluence of fresh and saltwater that makes for a nutrient-rich area teeming with life and conducive to whale and dolphin activity. Unlike other areas, where the whales are a great distance from shore, Cape May is situated such that many of our sightings are within the Delaware Bay or within 10 miles of land. Marine biologists, naturalists and whale lovers enjoy Cape May because the ride time to sightings is shorter. The excursion is fully narrated by your captain who will point out local history along with many types of marine life. Offered Nov. 17-19 at 1 p.m. during Holiday Preview Weekend. Click here for more information. -- SK
www.capemaymac.org
