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Cape May Point Arts & Science Center to Host Four-Day Plein Air Painting Retreat

Issue #686

May 15, 2026

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In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather

🎨Cape May Point Arts & Science Center to Host Four-Day Plein Air Painting Retreat

 🤠America 250 Tourism Push Brings George Washington to the Jersey Shore

✅Ocean City’s Unusual Seagull Solution Takes Flight Again This Summer

Cape May Local Scoop’s Events Are Sponsored By: Shop Local

👇 Here’s what’s going on in the Cape May Local Area👇  

 May 15

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Cape May Point Arts & Science Center to Host Four-Day Plein Air Painting Retreat

The Cape May Point Arts & Science Center will host a four-day Plein Air Landscape Painting retreat from May 19 to May 22, 2026, offering artists an opportunity to paint outdoors while exploring Cape May’s scenic coastal landscapes.

Scheduled daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the retreat will guide participants through several of the area’s most recognizable locations, including Cape May Point, The Cove, the Cape May Lighthouse and Sunset Beach. Artists will work directly from life, capturing seaside views and changing natural light in real time.

The workshop is open to painters working in oil, acrylic and pastel, with experienced watercolor artists also invited to participate. Instruction will center on the fundamentals of successful plein air painting, including composing strong outdoor scenes, adapting to weather and lighting conditions, and building an effective portable palette for fieldwork.

Participants will also receive demonstrations and lectures focused on painting materials, surfaces, mediums, compositional drawing techniques and color studies designed specifically for outdoor painting environments.

The retreat will be led by Joseph Sweeney, an accomplished landscape painter from Ardmore, Pennsylvania, with decades of teaching and exhibition experience. Sweeney earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Drawing from the Philadelphia College of Art and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Penn State University. Throughout his career, he has taught at institutions including the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the University of the Arts, Wayne Art Center, Woodmere Art Museum and Yellow Springs Studio. His artwork has earned numerous awards and is included in both public and private collections. The cost of the retreat is $400. On-site lodging is available through the Cape May Point Arts & Science Center for $150 per night, plus taxes and fees. Artists of all experience levels interested in expanding their plein air painting skills while enjoying Cape May’s coastal scenery are encouraged to participate. For registration or additional information, contact [email protected].

America 250 Tourism Push Brings George Washington to the Jersey Shore

 Per their website, Cape May County officials have launched a large-scale tourism campaign celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, using patriotic themes and humorous “Where’s George?” advertisements to attract visitors to the Jersey Shore throughout the summer season. The campaign, presented during a Cape May County Board of Commissioners caucus meeting, promotes all 16 shore communities under the slogan, “Celebrate America’s 250th in Cape May County. All Season Long. Every Shore Town. One Celebration.” A central feature of the campaign is the playful tagline, “George Washington crossed the Delaware, why don’t you?” Along with the slogan, the county will release “Where’s George?” ads depicting a George Washington lookalike surfing, relaxing on the beach and participating in classic shore activities. Officials believe the initiative could capitalize on an expected influx of visitors to the Greater Philadelphia region this summer for the FIFA World Cup, Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game and America 250 events. The Philadelphia region is projected to attract 3.5 million visitors, while the semiquincentennial celebration alone could generate a $2.5 billion economic impact. The county’s campaign focuses on travelers from Greater Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, the Baltimore-to-Washington corridor, Northern Virginia and Connecticut — representing roughly 30 million potential visitors within driving distance. The target audience includes families, couples and multigenerational travelers between ages 36 and 70. Marketing efforts will include broadcast and streaming television advertising, digital campaigns, geo-targeted mobile advertising at hotels and sports venues, billboards and public relations outreach. The campaign will intensify around Independence Day as part of a “Peak America 250” push. Cape May County is investing $107,671 toward the campaign, roughly 42 percent of its annual tourism advertising budget. Officials also announced nearly $250,000 in grants to support America 250 celebrations in each of the county’s municipalities, including parades, reenactments, fireworks and drone shows.

Ocean City’s Unusual Seagull Solution Takes Flight Again This Summer

Ocean City has continued its innovative bird-abatement program that uses trained birds of prey to control aggressive seagulls along the boardwalk, beaches and downtown district. The initiative began in 2019 after city officials and residents reported growing problems with gulls stealing food directly from tourists and families during the busy summer season. The city partnered with East Coast Falcons of Lodi, New Jersey, to deploy trained Harris’s hawks, falcons and Eurasian eagle owls throughout high-traffic public areas. Rather than harming the seagulls, the raptors rely on their natural predator presence to frighten gulls away from crowded locations and back toward marshes, bays and oceanfront feeding grounds. The falconry team now patrols daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with additional weekend operations before and after peak season. Handlers rotate the birds throughout the day to maintain a constant visible presence over heavily populated areas. Ocean City’s 2026 contract for the program totals about $370,000. City officials say the investment has been worthwhile because the initiative has significantly reduced aggressive gull behavior. The program has also become a unique attraction for visitors, with many tourists stopping to watch the falconers and their birds along the boardwalk.

Cape May, New Jersey, is recognized as the oldest seaside resort in the United States. In what year did Cape May first begin hosting vacationers from Philadelphia?

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 Answer to the May 14th Trivia Question

What is the significance of the Cape May Lighthouse in terms of its location?

A) It is the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey.
B) It marks the point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Delaware Bay.
C) It was the first lighthouse built on the East Coast.
D) It is located on the highest natural point in New Jersey.

Answer: B) It marks the point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Delaware Bay​ ​

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