Your Backyard Tree Could Become the Star of Christmas at Congress Hall

Issue #836

October 11, 2026

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In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather 

 🎄 Your Backyard Tree Could Become the Star of Christmas at Congress Hall

  🚢Cape May–Lewes Ferry Adds $7 Fuel Surcharge, Raising Round-Trip Vehicle Costs by $14

 💍Fall Wedding Expo Returns to Wildwoods Convention Center Oct. 25

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

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

 October 11

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Your Backyard Tree Could Become the Star of Christmas at Congress Hall

Have a towering evergreen in your yard that looks destined for Christmas glory? Congress Hall in Cape May may be interested.

The historic seaside resort has launched its search for the Christmas tree that will become the centerpiece of its 2026 Winter Wonderland celebration.

Congress Hall is seeking a large, attractive evergreen from a family living within about a two-hour drive of Cape May. The selected tree will be removed from the property at no cost to the owners and transported to the resort by the Congress Hall team.

Once in Cape May, the tree will be installed on Congress Hall’s Grand Lawn and decorated with approximately 5,000 lights, transforming it into one of the signature attractions of the resort’s annual holiday festivities.

The family that donates the winning tree will also be invited to take part in the celebration. The donors will receive VIP treatment for Congress Hall’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 4, along with a complimentary overnight stay and a meal at The Blue Pig Tavern.

The annual tradition gives Congress Hall an opportunity to involve families from across the region in its holiday celebration while giving a tree from a local property a prominent place in Cape May’s Christmas festivities.

The Dec. 4 celebration is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. with live music on the Congress Hall Lawn. The Congress Hall Festival Choir will perform and lead a holiday sing-along beginning at 7:30 p.m., followed by the tree-lighting ceremony at 8 p.m.

Families interested in donating a tree have until Oct. 31, 2026, to submit it for consideration. Submissions should include information about the tree’s height and type, photographs and its location.

 

Cape May–Lewes Ferry Adds $7 Fuel Surcharge, Raising Round-Trip Vehicle Costs by $14

Motorists planning to travel aboard the Cape May–Lewes Ferry will soon pay more to cross Delaware Bay as ferry officials introduce a temporary fuel surcharge in response to rising diesel prices.

Beginning October 12, 2026, a $7 surcharge will be added to vehicle fares for each one-way crossing between Lewes, Delaware, and Cape May, New Jersey. That means drivers making a round trip will pay an additional $14 on top of regular ticket prices.

The surcharge will not affect passengers traveling without vehicles.

Officials with the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA), which operates the ferry, say the additional fee is necessary to offset increasing fuel expenses and continued uncertainty in energy markets.

According to ferry officials, fuel hedging contracts helped protect the operation from much of the financial impact of rising diesel prices throughout the summer. Those agreements allowed the ferry to manage expenses despite significant increases in fuel costs.

However, with the contracts expiring and diesel prices remaining elevated, ferry management determined that a portion of the increased operating costs would need to be passed along to motorists.

Heath Gehrke, director of ferry operations, explained that the decision followed months of efforts to limit the impact of higher fuel prices on passengers.

The surcharge is expected to remain in place through December 31, 2026, although officials could adjust the amount depending on market conditions.

The DRBA Commission established its vehicle fuel surcharge policy in February 2009, allowing ferry management to impose additional charges when marine diesel costs rise faster than the established eight-year pricing trend.

The last time the Cape May–Lewes Ferry implemented a similar surcharge was in April 2022.

Officials emphasize that the additional fee is temporary and will be eliminated if fuel prices return to previous levels.

The decision comes as diesel prices have climbed sharply nationwide. According to AAA figures cited in the announcement's news coverage, the national average reached approximately $6.285 per gallon, compared with $3.679 a gallon a year earlier.

Drivers making reservations should be aware that published ferry fares do not include the new fuel surcharge.

The additional charge will appear in the final reservation total, and applicable rates will be assessed when motorists check in at the tollbooth. Because fuel costs remain unpredictable, the surcharge could change before the end of the year.

Walk-on passengers will continue to pay regular passenger fares without the additional fuel charge.

The Cape May–Lewes Ferry operates year-round, providing an important transportation connection between southern Delaware and the southern New Jersey shore. Since launching service in 1964, the ferry has carried more than 50 million passengers and remains a major contributor to regional tourism and economic activity.

Fall Wedding Expo Returns to Wildwoods Convention Center Oct. 25

Engaged couples looking to check off their wedding-planning lists can meet dozens of industry professionals when the Fall Wedding Expo returns to the Wildwoods Convention Center on Sunday, Oct. 25.

Presented by Plan It Expo, the event is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. and will bring wedding vendors, tastings, special offers, giveaways and planning resources together under one roof.

Couples will have an opportunity to meet face-to-face with professionals representing many aspects of a wedding, including venues, photography, flowers, beauty services, entertainment, planning, cakes and catering.

The event is designed for couples at different stages of the planning process, whether they are newly engaged and beginning to compare options or putting the finishing touches on an upcoming celebration.

Food and cake samples will be available from participating businesses, while exhibitors will showcase wedding services, products and ideas. Attendees can also find expo-only promotions and opportunities to enter contests and giveaways.

O Secco Prosecco is scheduled to make a special appearance as a new Plan It Expo sponsor.

Another highlight will be the return of Plan It Expo’s Famous Cake Dive. Selected brides and grooms will search through a giant wedding cake for hidden prizes, with potential winnings including jewelry, honeymoon getaways and other wedding-related prizes.

Engaged couples attending the show can also receive Plan It CA$H to use with participating vendors. Organizers say eligible couples receive at least $100 in credits, with higher amounts available through certain ticket packages.

The Wildwoods Convention Center has become a regular destination on Plan It Expo’s wedding-show schedule, drawing couples from Cape May County, Atlantic County and surrounding areas.

By gathering a variety of wedding businesses in one location, the expo gives couples a chance to compare services, discuss their plans directly with vendors and potentially make progress on multiple parts of their wedding in a single afternoon.

The Fall Wedding Expo takes place Sunday, Oct. 25, at the Wildwoods Convention Center, 4501 Boardwalk in Wildwood. Tickets are available in advance online, with pricing varying by ticket type.

What historic mode of transportation once brought vacationers to Cape May in the 19th century?

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 Answer to the October 10th Trivia Question 

What tiny municipality borders Cape May and is home to Sunset Beach?

A) TheVillas B)LowerTownship C)Dennis D) Erma  Answer: Lower Township

Sunset Beach is in the township's Cape May Point-area section, not the Borough of Cape May Point.

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