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Cape May
Inaugurates Harbor Fest on June 21
On Saturday, June 21, the City of
Cape May will host Harbor Fest 2008, the first of what promises
to become an annual celebration of seafood and song, the sea, its
culture, its economy, and its ecology. Picturesque Cape May Harbor will
provide the setting for Harbor Fest with water taxi rides, a junior
fishing contest, Coast Guard rescue demonstrations, and kayak eco-tours.
Land based activities will take place along Delaware Ave. near the
Nature Center of Cape May.
Harbor Fest activities at the nature center will include a street
fair with handmade items, local artists, and other vendors; fresh
seafood; a beer garden; live entertainment; a “scallop cook-off” between
Cape May’s top chefs; marine science educational displays; book
signings; Harbor Safaris; birding programs for boaters and bathers; and
nature walks and talks. A special Paddle for a Purpose Kayak &
Canoe Regatta to raise funds for local Coast Guard children
to attend nature center summer programs will depart from the nature
center at 1:00 p.m. The nature center is located at 1600 Delaware
Ave.
The
Rutgers Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences located next to the
nature center will be open with marine science exhibits and events, such
as fish printing with the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research
Reserve, and oyster research activities with Project PORTS (Promoting
Oyster Research Through Schools).
The Cape May “Skimmer” tour boat will
serve as Harbor Fest’s water taxi, which along with trolley
service provided by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts will ferry
festival-goers between sites around the harbor, including the nature
center, the Fisherman’s Memorial, Harbor View Park, and Schellenger’s
Landing at the Lobster House.
Harbor
Fest will open Friday evening, June 20, at 7:00 p.m. with a Blessing
of the Waters Memorial Service and the laying of a wreath at the
Fisherman’s Memorial, located at the end of Missouri Ave., on Cape May
Harbor. A Summer Solstice Campfire with story telling, song fest,
and marshmallow roasting will follow at the Nature Center of Cape May.
Since its inception as a whaling
village in the 17th century, Cape May’s economy and culture
has been linked to the sea. But with the promise comes a challenge.
Harbor Fest is intended to heighten awareness and appreciation of this
fragile resource.
Harbor
Fest is sponsored by many Cape May community organizations, including
the City of Cape May, the Greater Cape May Chamber of Commerce, the
Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts, the Nature Center of Cape May, Rutgers
Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, and South Jersey Marina.
Financial support for the festival has come from Atlantic Capes
Fisheries, Inc., Canyon Club Resort and Marina, the Cape May Seafood
Association, Sea Tow, South Jersey Marina, and the Whale’s Tale.
Harbor Fest
activities will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The block of
Delaware Ave. in front of the nature center will be closed to traffic
during the event. Additional information about the festival and
suggestions on where to park is available by contacting the Greater Cape
May Chamber of Commerce, 609.884.5508, or via the web at
www.capemaychamber.com. For slip reservations and boating specific
information, contact the dock master at South Jersey Marina,
609.884.2400.
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A special fund has been created called the
Path to Discovery. This "Buy a
Brick"
campaign is targeted for our new children's garden.
Click Here to download
a brochure (in PDF format).
Environmental Experiences For Students