Cape May Harbor, as seen from the three-story O’Neill Tower at the Nature Center of Cape May, will be the focus of activities for Harbor Fest 2008 on Saturday, June 21 in Cape May

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; 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 Bonfire 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. Delaware Ave. 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 capemaychamber.com.

For slip reservations and boating specific information, contact the dock master at South Jersey Marina, 609-884-2400.