Surveying the events scheduled in Cape May for the month of July is like walking through a candy store—take Cape May’s famous Fudge Kitchen, for example. Despite the glossy packaging, jars, boxes, pans of freshly whipped fudge, neon gummies of every sea mammal shape, chocolate covered anything and everything, and the sometimes too persistent advertisements, but in the purest form, fudge is fudge, chocolate is chocolate, and the fudge kitchen has some of the best around. In its purest form, despite all the hype, Cape May is just Cape May…but you know that’s all you need to have a great vacation.
   If you’re here for the Fourth of July, what would you do without fireworks? Well, Cape May is ready to put on a show. What could be better than enjoying an Independence Day celebration on the lawn of Congress Hall, to be followed at night by a glorious fireworks presentation framing the beach and the white-pillared icon of Cape May? The events at Congress Hall are always spectacular, and with free admission, there is no reason to miss out on this Technicolor show. Notable dates for other events at Congress Hall include the Half Moon Party on July 11^th from 8-11pm and the Bark at the Moon Party on July 25^th from 8-11p.m. Both events are free and open to the public, and a bit of a stylish dress would be to your advantage.
  The month of July means Cape May is kicking into high gear, and that means repetition. To cater to the most common form of vacation time (a week stay in a condo, bed and breakfast, or single family home), restaurants, bars, art shows, fishing marinas and children’s play groups provide fantastic events for not just any week, but every week. The most famous of these is the Ugly Mug’s Terrible Tuesday’s, happening, of course, every Tuesday night, with reduced price drinks and a promise of a great local scene. Cabanas, the bar on the corner of Decatur and Beach is joining the ranks this summer, hosting World Music Wednesdays with a promise of a new band every Wednesday night from now until the end of August.
   For kid’s weekly events you can look towards Cape May Kid’s Playhouse, every Monday and Thursday at Convention Hall co-sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) and the City of Cape May. Starting July 2^nd and continuing all the way through to August 13^th, the Cape May Kid’s Playhouse will open with Rich Lessig, an accomplished magician, and continue throughout the summer with a variety of comedy routines, jugglers, entertainers, and clowns. Shows will be hosted at 10a.m. and 7 p.m., with admission costs of $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 3-12. Any child under 3 will be admitted for free. On land, this looks like a great opportunity in case of a rainy day or particularly nasty sunburn, both cases where the beach does not sound like a good option and a weather-protected, entertaining, and kid-friendly event should be just the ticket, but the sea-bound might want to take a look at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry for a family-friendly alternative to the beach this July.
   Rock the boat has taken on a whole different meaning in Cape May this summer. The Cape May-Lewes Ferry will be hosting a variety of events, from providing education about sea life to free reggae and rock’n’roll entertainment. Marine Critters will depart every Monday and Thursday from Cape May once at 9:30a.m. and again at 1:00p.m., starting on July 9^th. Lighthouse Pete’s Family Fun Cruise will depart Cape May every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., and the main event of the summer, aptly named Rock the Boat, will depart every Friday night at 6:00 starting July 6^th and providing musical entertainment the entire family can enjoy. Every event hosted by the Ferry costs $17 per adult, $8.50 for children 6-13, and children under 6 are free.
  
   After the season-opening South Jersey Shark Tournament, the South Jersey Marina is ready to tone down the catches and heat up the competition. Smaller tasks, bigger prizes, fun in the sun…honestly the South Jersey Marina has so much to offer and at times feels like a separate island from Cape May. Perhaps it's because the Marina has two docks, one on either side of the bridge into Cape May. Perhaps it's because the fishermen have their local haunts and like to keep it traditional…but either way, catching a South Jersey Marina event is a prize winning catch indeed. The weekend of July 18-21^st will be the 6^th annual Mid-Atlantic Tuna Tournament, for those who enjoy “trolling” or “chunking” or maybe just standing on the dock and watching. Prizes will be awarded for bluefin or yellowfin tuna, and reservations are still being made for slips at the docks. The 18^th annual Ocean/Viking Showdown Sportfishing Competition, known as the “War of the Shore,” will take place July 11-15, a longer and more unique event than the South Jersey Marina usually hosts, but still a fun event to see. The Showdown is open to all Ocean or Viking owners, and includes four days of fishing, cocktail parties, and dinners for the captain, crew, and families. The South Jeresy Marina does a great job of educating their fisherman about the restaurants and hotel offers in Cape May, and Cape May provides the passersby who traffic the events throughout the summer, get hooked (metaphorically speaking) and return for years to come.
   Cape May is open. Come for the beach and relaxation, but don't be surprised if you come back for the events which make Cape May unique. All the parties, the restaurants, the cruises, the tournaments are personality perks to Cape May, but in the purest form, Cape May is just a great place to enjoy a week with your family and friends.