Best of Cape May 2026 Voting Is Now Open

Issue #776

August 13, 2026

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In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather 

🏖️Best of Cape May 2026 Voting Is Now Open  

🛦Wildwoods Air Show to Combine High-Flying Performances With 9/11 Tributes

🌉 Major Route 50 Detour Coming to Upper Township This Fall

Cape May Local Scoop’s Events Are Sponsored By: Cape May Antique Center

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

 August 13

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Best of Cape May 2026 Voting Is Now Open 

For more than two decades, CapeMay.com readers have helped decide which local businesses, attractions and experiences deserve to be called the Best of Cape May.

The annual Best of Cape May poll is back for 2026, with voting open through August 24.

CapeMay.com launched the readers’ poll in 2005 with just 20 categories. Longtime favorites such as coffee and ice cream remain part of the competition, while the poll has expanded over the years to include shopping, leisure activities, music, attractions and more detailed categories highlighting Cape May’s dining scene.

Organizers estimate the ballot takes about 10 minutes to complete. Participants are asked to nominate one business in each category they choose to answer. Every vote can make a difference, as some categories have been decided by only a handful of votes.

Voting opened August 1 and closes August 24, 2026. Each person may submit the form once, and ballots must include votes in at least 10 categories to be accepted. Only nominations submitted through the official form are eligible.

Voters should select only one business per category. Entries containing multiple businesses in the same field may be discarded, and nominations must be relevant to the category. Participants are also encouraged to vote only in categories where they have firsthand knowledge.

If a voter cannot remember the exact name of a business, organizers will accept identifying details such as its location or a recognizable element of its logo. Those descriptions can be credited when they clearly identify a single business, but ambiguous descriptions cannot be counted.

Entries are reviewed by hand, and submissions that do not follow the rules or raise concerns about the integrity of the results may be removed.

This year’s voting comes as Cape May continues to welcome changes across its tourism and hospitality scene. Among the notable developments for 2026 are a redesigned Carney’s, new management at Peter Shields Inn, the arrival of wellness spa The Rise and the opening of Surfside Grill at 730 Beach Avenue.

The poll also gives visitors and residents an opportunity to recognize the broader experiences that have made Cape May a popular Jersey Shore destination. The city is known for its Victorian architecture, Cape May Lighthouse, birdwatching and fall hawk migration, Sunset Beach and its Cape May Diamonds, as well as seasonal celebrations including Oktoberfest and Victorian Weekend.

The Best of Cape May is ultimately a community-choice contest, giving people with firsthand experience of the city a chance to recognize the restaurants, shops, attractions and businesses that make their visits memorable.

Voting in the 2026 Best of Cape May poll is available through CapeMay.com through August 24.

Wildwoods Air Show to Combine High-Flying Performances With 9/11 Tributes

The skies above the Wildwoods will roar to life in September when the Wildwoods Air Show returns for a weekend of military demonstrations, civilian aerobatics and special tributes honoring members of the Armed Forces and first responders. The 2026 Wildwoods Air Show is scheduled for Sept. 12 and 13, with aircraft expected over the resort ahead of the main performances as pilots prepare and practice. A practice day is also scheduled for Friday, Sept. 11.

The U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo Team is set to headline this year’s show, bringing one of the military’s most advanced fighter aircraft to the Jersey Shore. The scheduled lineup also includes the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing, with F-16 Viper flybys, as well as a classic MiG-17 and additional civilian aircraft, aerobatic performers and parachuters.

Spectators will be able to watch the aerial performances from beaches and boardwalk areas throughout the Wildwoods. The primary performance area will be over the Atlantic Ocean between Morey’s Mariner’s Pier and Adventure Pier.

This year’s event will carry additional significance as the nation commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and observes the America 250 celebration.

Organizers are planning an expanded Tribute to the Armed Forces recognizing active-duty military personnel, veterans, first responders and their families. Commemorative elements are expected to include recognition ceremonies, military flyovers and a special performance.

With performances centered over the ocean, spectators do not need premium tickets to see the show. Visitors can find viewing locations along the Wildwoods' expansive beachfront and boardwalk, although areas near the center of the performance zone are expected to attract some of the largest crowds.

The Friday practice sessions may also provide visitors with an opportunity to see participating aircraft ahead of the weekend performances.

The Wildwoods Air Show runs Sept. 12-13, 2026. Additional information, performer updates and premium viewing details are available through the official Wildwoods Air Show website.

Major Route 50 Detour Coming to Upper Township This Fall

A major bridge replacement project on Route 50 is expected to bring significant detours and traffic delays to Upper Township this fall.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation is preparing to replace the aging Cedar Swamp Creek Bridge, a roughly 65-year-old span along one of Cape May County’s key transportation and coastal evacuation routes. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2026.

Cape May County commissioners have approved a detour plan that will redirect traffic around the work zone while the bridge is replaced.

Under the plan, southbound Route 50 traffic will be directed onto Tuckahoe Road, also known as County Route 631, before turning onto Tyler Road, County Route 616, and reconnecting with Route 50.

Northbound traffic will follow the reverse route, using Tyler Road and Tuckahoe Road before returning to Route 50.

The detours could create substantial congestion on local roads that already handle steady traffic.

Tuckahoe Road is a major connection between Route 50 and Marmora and provides access to shopping centers, gas stations and other businesses. It also carries significant traffic headed toward Ocean City, particularly during the summer.

Tyler Road is a smaller rural route linking Tuckahoe Road with the southern portion of Route 50. Both roads generally have one travel lane in each direction, raising concerns about backups once Route 50 traffic is diverted onto them.

Motorists should prepare for longer travel times and heavier congestion beginning as early as October or November.

The Cedar Swamp Creek Bridge replacement was announced earlier this year as part of a broader effort to modernize aging transportation infrastructure in South Jersey. The new bridge is expected to provide a more reliable crossing along a route that is important for residents, visitors and emergency evacuation traffic.

Drivers who regularly use Route 50, Tuckahoe Road, Tyler Road and Route 9 should monitor transportation updates as construction approaches and allow additional travel time once the detour begins.

Which historic hotel in Cape May served as the "Summer White House" for President Benjamin Harrison?

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 Answer to the August 12th Trivia Question

What is a popular annual event held in Cape May that celebrates a vegetable?

A) Tomato Festival
B) Lima Bean Festival
C) Cabbage Festival
D) Corn Festival

Answer: B) Lima Bean Festival

Cape May is known for its Lima Bean Festival, celebrating this vegetable with various activities and contests Yes, we also have a Tomato Festival but the tomato is classified as a FRUIT!​

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