Recent Happenings

RECENT HAPPENINGS Late Summer/Early Fall Wrap-Up

Harvest Brew Fest was the first big event of the Fall season. We had a perfect day for it - sunny and pleasant – and a perfect crowd as well. Director of Special Events and Visitor Services Janice Corkery made sure the estate was crammed with crafts and collectibles vendors. We had a great array of food trucks and local breweries and Volunteer & Membership Engagement Sara Kornacki had lined up an enthusiastic crew of volunteers to assist our guests. Fat Mezz attracted a great crowd all afternoon and we also had the Mystery Circus to entertain the wee ones. Here’s a special shout-out to all our wonderful volunteers.

The September/early October calendar was full of other events as well. We were able to squeeze in three Brunch & Bingos at Bella Vida, all sold-out events. Our staff actors were busy with Murder Mystery Dinners. The two events at the Chalfonte Hotel, featuring the mystery Off to the Races by Jacki Fazio, were also hot tickets.

This year, a Private Homes Tour was one of the highlights of Victorian Weekend. Tour-goers were treated to an up-close and personal tour of four private homes on one of the most glorious afternoons of Fall. Cape May Winery offered a wine tasting in the Gazebo as an added bonus. Our thanks to the homeowners who generously opened their homes to guests. The same day, we debuted Cape May’s Forgotten Sports History Trolley Tour. The tour featured a look at 150 years of the activities that drew visitors to Cape May beginning with Ellis Hughes’ advertisement for sea-bathing in the Phila-

Photo by Susan Krysiak

This year’s Lessons of History speaker Dr. Steven David, left, shown here with moderator and Lessons of History Chair Dr. Myles Martel, answers questions from members of the audience after his talk Oct. 9.

delphia Aurora in 1801. Sunday morning began bright and early with the traditional

Victorian Weekend Crafts & Collectibles

Show on the estate grounds. On Sunday, we also hosted the 10th anniversary edition of Lessons of History Distinguished Lecture Series. This year’s topic, Is War with China Inevitable? was very timely and our speaker, Dr. Steven David, gave an excellent historical overview and then offered his own opinion. Our thanks to Myles Martel and 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. the Lessons of History Team, who are hard at work selecting a speaker and topic for 2023.

We take our Halloween Happenings seriously here at Cape May MAC. Early in September IT Director Cathy Baldacchini was busy organizing Scarecrow Alley to set the stage and Eunice Hudzik installed our Dept 56 Halloween Village on the entry porch of the Physick House so we were ready for guests. Our visitors had a wide variety of themed tours to choose from. This year’s version of Phantoms of the Physick Estate featured the Spellbound Sisters, a new immersive performance piece. Graveyard, Ghosts & Mansion Tour was a sell-out each time it was offered. Ghostwriter Craig McManus made his annual visit and led several Ghost Walks and conducted a Seance in the Physick House. And of course, the Ghost Trolley Tours and Historic Haunts Tours were especially popular during the Halloween season. It was a complete menu for those who like things that go bump in the night.

The Cape May Lighthouse had a full dance card, too. In addition to daily tours, we offered a Full Moon Climb and participated in the Annual Lighthouse Challenge of New Jersey. This event brings hundreds