New Jersey Cape May fall festivals and seafood events

Autumn settles into Cape May with salty breezes, amber light, and an irresistible call to celebrate coastal harvests.

Visitors and travelers flock to the Jersey Cape in October, hoping to balance scenic strolls with fresh seafood, local craft stands, and vibrant seasonal festivals.

From oyster feasts to Victorian house tours, the lineup invites exploration and appetite alike. Let’s get to it!

Hawktober Seafood Fest & coastal flavors

One of the signature seafood events in mid-October is Hawktober Seafood Fest, typically held on Sunday, October 13. This event spotlights oysters, seafood steam pots, crab cakes, fish tacos, and more from local vendors like Sweet Amalia Oyster Farm and Topsail Steamers.

Live music plays all day, pairing tunes with sea flavors, while wine pairings and winemaker meet-ups bring a winery touch to the setting. Visitors can relax at the marina or waterfront venue while sampling the catch of the day. The festival makes for a concentrated taste of Cape May’s maritime culinary identity.

Because it falls mid-month, travelers can plan around it easily, combining it with other fall offerings. For seafood lovers especially, Hawktober is a go-to highlight.

Disclaimer: This photo is for representation only and does not depict the actual place.

Cape May Fall Festival & birding boom

From October 16 to 19, the Cape May Fall Festival, organized by New Jersey Audubon, draws birders, nature lovers, and curious travelers. The convention hall becomes a hub for exhibitors, optics brands, bird tour operators, and educational programming.

Keynote speaker Kenn Kaufman delivers a presentation on shorebirds; field trips, trolley walks, and boat excursions allow close encounters with migrating species. Locals and guests alike mingle over nature exhibits, purchase birding gear, and soak up autumn coastal ambiance.

Even for those less into birding, the Fall Festival offers access to educational talks, social events, and the pleasure of being part of a fall pilgrimage to the Cape. It’s an elegant complement to the food-centric happenings.

Victorian Weekend & historic house tours

Cape May’s long tradition of heritage celebration surfaces in Victorian Weekend, held October 10–13, 2025. The city becomes a living museum of turn-of-the-century charm, with house tours, vintage baseball games, walking tours, and costumed interpretation.

Tour goers walk through restored Victorian inns, guesthouses, and private homes, often meeting owners or innkeepers who share stories and design secrets. The event also includes guided walking tours of the historic district, shedding light on architecture, restoration efforts, and local history. Visitors can absorb both the fossilized and the lived-in past by wandering these preserved streets.

Because it bridges mid-October, Victorian Weekend offers a genteel contrast to rowdier festivals. It’s a great fit for those wanting history, décor fascination, and autumn elegance in one stretch of days.

Autumn Harvest Dinners at Beach Plum Farm

For a farm-to-table evening by the sea, Autumn Harvest Dinners at Beach Plum Farm run Friday and Saturday nights from September through November (including mid-October). The dinners highlight farm-raised meats, organic produce, garden herbs, and seasonal flavors in a communal, festive setting.

Guests dine family-style around long communal tables, often outdoors under the stars or in covered hoop houses. The farm encourages reservations early and is open to accommodating dietary needs upon request. Each dinner becomes a celebration of the Jersey Cape’s agricultural side, not just its seafood identity.

Though not a festival in the traditional sense, these dinners reward travelers who favor intimate, ingredient-focused evenings over large crowds. Pairing a farm dinner with a day’s exploration gives balance to a gastronomic itinerary.

Lima Bean Festival in West Cape May

Cape May’s quirky local tradition, the Lima Bean Festival, takes place in West Cape May on October 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event includes food (not only lima beans but broader fare), entertainment, vendor booths, and the crowning of a Lima Bean Queen.

Though the main ingredient seems humble, locals and visitors embrace the quirky fest with enthusiasm, enjoying live music, crafts, and the communal harvest spirit. The festival offers a flavor of small-town festivity amid seasonal change.

For travelers building a mid-October day, the Lima Bean Festival pairs well with seafood or historic events before or after, giving a local contrast to shorewide gatherings.

Avalon Arts + Seafood Festival & regional crossover

Just across the water in Avalon, New Jersey, the Avalon Arts + Seafood Festival brings fresh seafood, crafts, live music, and artistic vendors to Surfside Park. In 2025, it’s slated for October 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. as reported by local guides.

Though technically outside Cape May city limits, travelers often include Avalon in their broader Cape May Peninsula explorations. The festival blends coastal fare with artisan goods and musical ambiance in a beachside setting. Admission and parking are free with a rain date scheduled.

Because it occurs just before mid-October, it can anchor a weekend circuit that spans Cape May’s seafood and harvest offerings. It provides a tasty and artistic extension of the season’s calendar.

Disclaimer: This photo is for representation only and does not depict the actual place.

Tips for enjoying Cape May’s fall season

Reserve accommodations early, especially during Victorian Weekend and Fall Festival weekends. For seafood events like Hawktober, arrive midday to sample the best offerings before they sell out. Dress in layers; fall by the sea brings variable temperatures, especially in the evenings by the coast.

Combine events: for example, planarize a day with Lima Bean Festival, an afternoon historic tour, and a seafood dinner or farm dinner in the evening. Rely on Cape May’s event calendars (e.g., CapeMay.com, Chamber of Commerce, MAC site) for up-to-date changes. Book tickets for guided tours or dinners in advance when possible; popular slots can fill quickly.

Leave room in the itinerary for wandering: Cape May’s gardens, lighthouse climbs, wineries, and sunset walks reward spontaneous discovery.

TL;DR

• Hawktober Seafood Fest (Oct 13) – A seafood lover’s dream with oysters, crab cakes, fish tacos, wine pairings, and live music by the marina.
• Cape May Fall Festival (Oct 16–19) – Hosted by NJ Audubon, this birding festival features field trips, lectures, and nature exhibits for visitors and travelers.
• Victorian Weekend (Oct 10–13) – A heritage celebration with historic house tours, vintage baseball, costumed guides, and charming architecture walks.
• Beach Plum Farm Harvest Dinners – Farm-to-table communal meals under the stars featuring seasonal produce, meats, and herbs in a rustic setting.
• Lima Bean Festival (Oct 15) – A quirky West Cape May event with food, music, crafts, vendors, and even a Lima Bean Queen.
• Avalon Arts + Seafood Festival (Oct 11) – Regional crossover event with seafood, artisan vendors, and music by the beach in nearby Avalon.
• Traveler tips – Book lodging early, dress in layers, plan event combinations, buy tickets ahead, and leave time for Cape May’s spontaneous charm.

If you liked this, you might also like:

• New Jersey boardwalk adventures before summer ends
• New Jersey’s legal pirates: the Great Egg Harbor privateers

This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.