(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Christmas arrives in Victorian Cape May with great fanfare during Holiday Preview Weekend in Cape May, November 19-21, presented by Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture). The preview includes a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, food events at local restaurants, Trolley Tours, and more.
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony: Santa Claus, himself, flips the switch and illuminates the huge evergreen Christmas tree on the grounds of the historic 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St. during the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Saturday, November 20, from 5:00pm to 7:30pm. Visitors of all ages are invited to this annual tradition outdoors on the grounds of the estate, a thrilling start to the holiday season, presented by Cape May MAC and sponsored by Sturdy Savings Bank. Visitors are invited to bring canned goods and non-perishable food items for collection during the evening to donate to the Cape May Community Food Bank, which helps feed needy families in the community, and stop by the Toys for Tots table to help support this worthy cause.
Returning this year is the Atlantic Brass Band performing holiday favorites. The 35-piece Atlantic Brass Band, based at Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., is an award-winning, authentic British-style brass band of international acclaim. They have entertained countless 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 5:00pm. Santa will hit the switch on the huge Christmas tree on the estate at 7:00pm from the outdoor stage and Mrs. Claus will read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
The 1879 Physick House Museum is authentically decorated for a Victorian Christmas during the holiday season and visitors on Saturday, November 20 can step inside the museum for a self-guided Physick Estate Christmas Tour, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm.
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 Dept. 56 Dickens Village, model trains, vintage Christmas family photos, toys and much more. Admission is free.
Food Events: It’s easy to have fun with friends during Brunch & Bingo at the Beach 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 Aleathea’s Restaurant, the Inn of Cape May, 7 Ocean St., all while enjoying a delicious brunch on Saturday, November 20 at 9:30am.
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. Vintage is dog- friendly, has plenty of outside seating and take-out is available. Parking is free. Vintage is open Fridays-Sundays for dinner, Saturday, Sundays for brunch (except December 24, 25). 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 Museum Shop stocked with maritime accessories and lighthouse memorabilia. Open Friday, November 19-Sunday, November 21, noon to 4:00pm.
Follow the light of the full moon on a rare nighttime climb up the 199 cast iron spiral staircase steps to the top of the Cape May Lighthouse. Lighthouse Full Moon Climb Friday, November 19, 7:00pm to 9:00pm. You’ll experience a nighttime view nearly 156 feet above the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Interpretive panels located at landings along the way tell stories of Lighthouse Keepers, the surrounding area and how the lighthouse functioned historically.
The 1859 Cape May Lighthouse is a state historic site and the third beacon on this site. Still an active aid to navigation, it was restored and is maintained by Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture). Since it opened to the public in 1988, more than 2.5 million visitors have climbed to the top, but far fewer have climbed at nighttime.
Trolley Tours: Listen to dramatic tales of Christmas woe featuring Victorian ghosts, 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, Friday, November 19 and Saturday, November 20 evenings of Holiday Preview Weekend.
The best way to see Cape May’s Christmas lights is on board a heated trolley during Holiday Lights Trolley Rides. Ride through Cape May’s Historic District and see cheerfully decorated inns and homes as guides talk about Victorian Christmas traditions and play Christmas music. Rides last about 30 minutes and depart from the Washington Street Mall Trolley stop, at Ocean Street, the evening of Saturday, Nov. 20 during Holiday Preview Weekend.
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.
Museum Shops: 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 holidays, including jewelry, teapots, books, and more at the Carriage House Museum Shop. There are selections for youngsters as well, including children’s books, toys, dolls, puzzles and games. 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 Cape May Diamond jewelry, 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.
Masks or facial coverings are required on all trolley and indoor tours; limits on admissions will be managed to comply with COVID-19 restrictions and CDC guidelines.
Schedules are subject to change. Please visit capemaymac.org for the most current schedule.
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. Cape May MAC membership is open to all.
Photo by Joseph Evangelista/courtesy of Cape May MAC
