Cape May’s 46th annual Victorian Weekend features tours and activities celebrating this National Historic Landmark City
Image by Cape May MAC
CAPE MAY — Cape May’s 46th annual Victorian Weekend, presented by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC), celebrates the city’s famous Victorian architecture and history with a long holiday weekend of house tours, walking tours, living history programs, food and wine events, a crafts and collectibles show, murder mystery dinners, a burlesque show, trolley tours and more, from Thursday, Oct. 4 through Monday, Oct. 8.
History Lovers
Attention history lovers! These special tours, activities and events during Victorian Weekend are perfect for those who love to explore the past:
Join us on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 4 p.m., as history professor, scholar and author Natalia Mehlman Petrzela presents “Women and Children First? #MeToo, #NeverAgain and The New Faces of American Activism”— the 7th Annual Lessons of History Distinguished Lecture Series — at Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Ave. Women and children, two segments often marginalized in American political discourse, are now leading nationwide conversations about gun control and sexual violence. From the ousting of sexual predators in the workplace to the outpouring of support for gun control by the survivors of the mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., American activism has powerful new voices and faces that are overwhelmingly young and female. Historically, women and young people have been grouped together as needful of protection and as less than full citizens. Our current moment witnesses a new era in which they are rightfully recognized as autonomous political actors shaping the national discourse. Join historian Natalia Mehlman Petrzela to better understand the historical roots of this transformative activism and its implications for our collective future. The lecture will be followed by a meet-the-speaker reception hosted at The Chalfonte Hotel, 301 Howard St. This lecture is co-sponsored by MAC and Martel & Associates (Myles & Leslie Martel). Tickets for this limited event are . Lecture and reception is . Students, teachers and active military .
The Carroll Gallery Exhibit, “Capturing Cape May’s Architecture: The Making of a National Historic Landmark,” tells the story of Cape May through the detailed HABS (Historic American Buildings Survey) architectural drawings from the 1970s that helped make Cape May what it is today. Exhibit Curator Karen Fox, author of The Chalfonte, provides visitors with a unique look at how a small band of preservationists not only saved Cape May’s historic buildings, but created a culture of the past that launched the city’s future. Free admission. Open daily, hours vary, during Victorian Weekend.
For those who want to know, “How’d they do that?” Behind the Walls & Under the Crawls Trolley Tour will show you. Cape May has one of the largest concentrations of 19th century wood frame structures (over 600) in the United States. Take a look at this National Historic Landmark city from a builder’s perspective; explore the technological advances of the era and learn how things really worked on this one-hour guided trolley tour. Monday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. Admission is adults, (children ages 3-12).
Join in the fun at the Carriage House Café & Tearoom during An Afternoon of Victorian Parlor Games. Play the parlor games Victorians played, including such favorites as “Charades” and “Pass the Slipper.” Victorian dress encouraged but not required! Limited to 35. Dessert is included with coffee or tea, and punch or beverage of your choice. adults, MAC members. Friday, Oct. 5 at 4:30 p.m.
From candles, grease and lard in simple lamps, to fantastic shale oil and kerosene chandeliers, advances in lighting during the 19th century were a technological revolution. Shining A Light on the Victorian Era with Brett Ewald brings to light anecdotes and highlights over a dozen antique hand blown and crafted sparking, miniature, finger and stand lamps, all of which brought grace and light to the Victorian boardroom and bedroom. Carriage House Café & Tearoom, 1048 Washington St. Sunday, Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. Admission is . Admission includes afternoon tea and program.
Historic Buildings & History Tours
Are you eager to peek inside some of Cape May’s glorious historic buildings? Victorian Weekend just for you:
New in 2018! Enjoy flavorful amuse-bouches, intensely flavored small plates, or hors d’ouevres, especially prepared for you during the new Taste Your Way Inn Tour, a self-guided walking tour, visiting several of Cape May’s renowned inns. Stunning architectural interiors will be on display as Cape May innkeepers’ share their famous hospitality. Saturday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m. adults children (ages 3-12).
Enjoy an entertaining and educational guided tour of Cape May’s only Victorian house museum, the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate at 1048 Washington St., during the Emlen Physick Estate Guided Tour, with the new 2018-19 tour theme, “That’s Entertainment!” Tours are offered daily with knowledgeable guides during Victorian Weekend; hours vary. Adult admission is , admission for children (ages 3-12) is . Independent explorers enjoy the Physick Estate Self-guided Tour. Spend time exploring the rooms and collections of the Physick House Museum independently with knowledgeable interpreters and volunteers available to answer questions. In some rooms you will meet a member of the Physick family or domestic staff, who will discuss the “hows and whys” of the objects found there. New in 2018! Self-guided audio presentation available. Adult admission is , admission for children (ages 3-12) is . Combine a house tour with a guided trolley tour of Cape May’s Historic District with a Combination Trolley/Physick Estate Tours which leaves from Washington Street Mall Information Booth. Admission is for adults, for children (ages 3-12).
Take a guided tour of the Emlen Physick House that focuses on the mechanical systems that made things run during the Nuts & Bolts Tour of the Physick Estate. Plumbing, heating, construction, lighting and more will be discussed during the tour. Friday, Oct. 5 at 11:15 a.m. for adults, for children (ages 3-12).
Get into the “spirit” of things on a guided tour of the historic (some say haunted) Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., during Historic Haunts House Tours. These tours include a discussion of Victorian spiritualism, and are offered Friday through Sunday, Oct. 5-7, at 7:45 p.m. Admission is for adults, for children (ages 3-12). Combine this tour with the Ghosts of Cape May trolley tour during the Historic Haunts Combo Tours, offered at 7:15 p.m. for adults, for children (ages 3-12).
Cape May has connections to the Underground Railroad and this trolley tour tells the local stories of those dangerous days. During the Underground Railroad Trolley Tour Saturday, Oct. 6 at 10:15 a.m., hear how legendary anti-slavery fighter, Harriet Tubman, walked these streets, as did businessman and former slave, Stephen Smith, whose railroad cars carried hundreds to freedom. Co-sponsored by the Center for Community Arts and MAC. Includes a guided tour of the Owen Coachman house (a historic free black’s house). Admission is .
The “Naughty” Side of the Victorians
Kick off Victorian Weekend at Nauti Spirits Distillery with Victorian Vices at Nauti Spirits, an entertaining, illustrated talk on Thursday, Oct. 4 at noon, presented by Elan Zingman-Leith, about Victorians’ “naughty” side. You’ll travel by MAC trolley from Cape May’s historic district to the distillery and enjoy a box lunch. After the talk, bartenders will give a cocktail demonstration at the bar. Admission is and includes trolley transport, program and box lunch. Beverages are available at additional cost.
Transport yourself to a time when entertainment was theatrical, sassy, and teased the imagination during An Evening of Burlesque: Spectacular Burlesque Extravaganza Thursday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. Experience this modern take on classic burlesque, rooted in Victorian vaudeville, presented by The Salty Sirens, at The Chalfonte Hotel, 301 Howard St. Admission is . Reservations are encouraged. Light fare and beverages are available at additional cost; program is for mature audiences. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Co-sponsored by MAC, The Chalfonte Hotel and The Salty Sirens.
To drink or not to drink, that is the dispute between saloonkeeper Patrick Collins and Jennie Wales, staunch advocate of the temperance movement, during this Temperance Debate at Cape May Brewery! Hop on board the MAC trolley Saturday, Oct. 6 at 4 p.m. and join Cape May’s Victorian man about town, Dr. Emlen Physick, as he attempts to maintain decorum during this dramatic and spirited, very Victorian, debate at the Cape May Brewery. Admission includes a boxed dinner from the Carriage House Café & Tearoom. Admission is and includes program and dinner. Beverages available at additional cost
Food, Wine, Beer & Spirits
Enjoy dining events during Victorian Weekend that celebrate the Cape May region’s delicious wines, beers and famous restaurants:
Laugh along with friends as you play a little bingo, enjoy a fashion show by Lace Silhouettes/Cotton Company and compete for prizes, all during Brunch, Bingo & Lace. Admission includes brunch at the Inn of Cape May, 7 Ocean St. Admission is .
Increase your knowledge of wines during the Cape May Wine School: The Fantastic Wine of Tuscany, on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. Learn about Italy’s favorite grape, Sangiovese, and taste the delicious different wines of this famous region. Led by Luca Cimmarotta from Opera Wine Imports, this themed class will help refine your palate. Presented by the Washington Inn, 801 Washington St. Admission . Call The Washington Inn directly at 609-884-5697.
The scene and the table are both set for the Murder Mystery Dinner “An Evening to Die For,” written by Jacklyn Fazio, a mystery that will stimulate your imagination and satisfy your craving for a good whodunit. In pursuit of a lucrative business opportunity, a young man informs his wife that they will be leaving the country. Friends and family gather for a goodbye party, but travel plans abruptly change when someone drops dead. There are plenty of possible motives among the suspects. Can you figure out who committed the act, how they did it and why? Enjoy a four-course dinner at Aleathea’s Restaurant, the Inn of Cape May, 7 Ocean St., as you interact with the cast of likely suspects and the mystery unfolds around you, on Saturday, Oct. 6 and Sunday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. adults, children (ages 3-12).
Enjoy gracious, yet casual, dining at the Carriage House Café & Tearoom on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. 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 a Classic Tea Lunchone and Afternoon Tea Luncheon featuring loose tea service with teas from the House of Tea in Philadelphia. If you have a busy schedule, everything is available for takeout, too. Open daily during Victorian Weekend from noon to 4 p.m. For reservations call 609-884-6064.
Taking a Walk around Town
Cape May is a delightfully walkable city. Walking gives you an up-close view of Cape May’s architecture and charm during Victorian Weekend:
Walk the haunted streets of historic Cape May with your guide, famed psychic medium and ghost writer Craig McManus, who will talk about the houses where he has sensed paranormal activity, during the Ghost Walk with Craig McManus, on Friday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Admission is per person.
Walk the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate on Sunday, Oct. 7 during the Victorian Weekend Crafts & Collectibles Show on the lawn at 1048 Washington St. Crafters and collectibles dealers from throughout the region will display and sell their unique and hand-made wares from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and free parking is available.
Build up an appetite with a walking tour of the Historic District, and then enjoy a Southern-style breakfast buffet at the historic Chalfonte Hotel, 301 Howard St. during the Brunch Walk on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 10:30 a.m. Admission is , for children (ages 3-12). The Historic District Walking tour is available for purchase separately subject to availability; admission is for adults, for children (ages 3-12).
Go on a clues hunt and discover answers to questions as you search the grounds of the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. during the Physick Estate Scavenger Hunt. Purchase a packet for that includes a clues sheet and ponder the answers as you explore the estate grounds as a family or group. Learn together about Cape May’s only Victorian House Museum — one of the best examples of Victorian Stick Style architecture in the country. Available daily, year-round. Costs per packet (only one packet is needed per family).
Discover the fun of exploring Cape May and uncovering its architectural elements from a kid’s perspective with the Cape May Family Treasure Hunt. Each treasure hunt packet is and contains a clues sheet and map that will take you on a self-guided discovery tour, set to your own pace (answer sheet also included). Only one packet needed per family. The packet is available daily in the Hill House office at the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., during regular hours of operation and at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth. The Cape May Family Treasure Hunt is co-sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) and Preservation New Jersey.
Trolley Tours
Take one of MAC’s regular trolley tours offered daily and experience the charm of the city’s Historic District during Victorian Weekend:
Get acquainted with Cape May on a trolley tour as knowledgeable guides present entertaining and educational stories about the nation’s oldest seashore resort during Historic District Trolley Tours. Offered daily; hours vary. Tours leave from the Washington Street Mall Information Booth, Washington Street Mall at Ocean Street. for adults and for children (ages 3-12).
Board a MAC trolley tour for a 30-minute evening ride through the haunted streets of Cape May during Ghosts of Cape May Trolley Tour. Recent paranormal findings of ghost writer Craig McManus come alive as your guide translates McManus’ spooky stories. Ride past the flickering gas street lamps, the haunted properties of Cape May and experience the spine-tingling tales exposed by McManus. Offered nightly; hours vary. for adults and for children (ages 3-12).
Discover points of interest, activities and special events sponsored by both MAC and other non-profit organizations throughout Cape May during the Welcome to Cape May Trolley Tour. It’s a perfect introduction to town. Offered daily, hours vary. for adults, for children (ages 3-12).
Headless photography? Electric corsets? Coffin torpedoes? During the Cape Mayhem Trolley Tour, a 30-minute trolley tours through the gas-lit streets of Cape May, explore some of these strange beliefs, superstitions, oddities, fads, curiosities and mysteries from the end of the 19th century — the Victorian era. Offered Thursday, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 5 at 7:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Admission is adults, children (ages 3-12).
Don’t be green with envy on the Mansions by the Sea Trolley Tour when you see how well the rich lived in the early 1900s in the most elegant part of town. You’ll see the broad streets and massive plots on Cape May’s east side on this trolley tour – an area marketed as “New Cape May” at the turn of the 20th Century. Today, new, beachfront second homeowners have continued the tradition, running the gamut from the mere wealthy to the fabulously rich. Offered Thursday, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 5 at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 6 at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 7 at 11 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Admission is adults, children (ages 3-12).
Equity Theater productions
Don’t miss these dramatic productions during Victorian Weekend:
East Lynne Theater Company presents “Silent Sky” — This entertaining and enlightening play tells the story of Henrietta Leavitt (1868-1921), the astronomer who provided the key to determining the size of the cosmos. In 1912, working at the Harvard College Observatory, she discovered that one could relate a star’s brightness cycle to its absolute magnitude. This was a valuable stepping stone for other scientists to later be able to measure the distance of stars, star clusters, and galaxies. “Silent Sky” is written by Lauren Gunderson, the most produced living playwright in America. Oct. 4-6 at 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m., during Victorian Weekend. For full performance schedule of Silent Sky, Sept. 19-Oct. 13, visit www.eastlynnetheater.org. First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes St. Admission: general, seniors (age 62+) or disabled, full-time students and military; children 12 and under free.
Cape May Stage presents “The Shuck” — Constance has spent her life on the deck of a workboat. When her troubled son is lost at sea, and her long-lost daughter suddenly decides to visit, she is forced to face the truth about her family and the secrets that broke it apart so many years ago. A world premier by a Cape May County native. Wednesdays through Saturdays, Sept. 19-Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. The Robert Shackleton Playhouse is located at the corner of Bank & Lafayette streets, Cape May.
All this plus historic sites and more available during Cape May’s 46th annual Victorian Weekend sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC), 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 Web site 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.
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