Lunch & Learn Series
Bring a bag lunch and learn during these informative talks on popular topics of history, culture, science and the arts. Lunch & Learn programs are offered both LIVE at the Cape May Lutheran Church Hall, 509 Pittsburgh Ave., Cape May, and by ZOOM. You may bring your lunch and beverage but no food or drink is provided. The hall is accessible and free parking is available. No registration is needed if you plan to attend in person.
2024 schedule and lecture topics listed below.
From Carols to Cats: Worldwide Christmas Celebrations
December 18th: 12 pm
MAC Curator Ben Ridings explores how different cultures around the globe celebrate this joyous season through unique customs, from Germany’s Christkindlmarkts to Mexico’s vibrant Las Posadas. Discover the rich tapestry of traditions that unite us in the spirit of Christmas across continents and centuries.
The Presidential Inauguration: the History and Preparation of the Events
January 15th: 12 pm
Rick Sasse will explore the evolution of our presidential inauguration from the first one to the present. He will also give us an overview of the TV and in-person coverage of the events coming up on January 20, 2025.
The Black Churches and the Negro Spirituals in Cape May
February 5th: 12 pm
Learn about the rich history of the three Black churches and their social, political, and spiritual roles in Cape May’s once large and vibrant black community. Our presenters are original church members Lynda Towns and Jacqueline Hogan.
The Harlem Renaissance
February 19th: 12 pm
Music, art, literature, dance, and other highlights of African American culture flourished in Harlem, a city within a city, between World War I and the beginning of the Great Depression. Margaret Montet discusses how this movement eventually went mainstream, influencing American culture at large.
The Cape May Music Festival: Not Just Plug & Play
March 5th: 12 pm
An impressive amount of time and work goes into putting on our Cape May Music Festival each year for over 35 years. Cape May MAC’s Director and CEO Jody Alessandrine hosts a panel of the festival’s conductors and staff that will illustrate how the magic of presenting 15 concerts in less than a month comes to life.
Telling Your Story On Stage
March 19th: 12 pm
Using the tools of the theatre like sets, lights, costumes and a written narrative, Producing Artistic Director Roy Steinberg of Cape May Stage will identify how a story can be told for a desired effect. Slipping on a banana can be a comic moment – or a tragedy if it is you who breaks your hip!
Past Lectures
Marvels and Missteps: Medicine During the Victorian Era
Presented by Ben Ridings
04/19/23
The Impact of Immigration on America
Presented by Ted Bryan
03/15/23
Yes, nice Victorian women DID use that 4-letter word: MATH
Presented by Dr. Donna Szemcsak
03/01/23
Why Does Modern Art Look So Weird?
Presented by Dr. John Curtis
02/15/23
The Maritime History of Cape May
Presented by Mal & Dottie Knapp
02/01/23
The Stories behind the Mother Goose Rhymes
Presented by Maryetta Dorricott of the Endicott Reardon Family Museum
01/18/23
A History of New Year’s Resolutions
Presented by Mary Stewart
01/04/23
A History of Christmas Carols
Presented by Brenda Leonard
12/21/22
Nonprofits: They’re Not all the Same!
Presented by Jody Alessandrine
12/07/22
A Closer Look at Veterans Day
Presented by Mike Urbanski
11/16/22
“The Lenape Nation and the Virtues of the Seven Grandfathers”
Presented by eri Hislop, also named Xeli Otaesak Pilsit Xkw, of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania
11/02/22
“Discovering Cape May’s Role in the Underground Railroad”
Presented by Theodore Bryan
10/19/22
Victorian Email: And Other Communications in the Late 1800s
Presenter: Ben Ridings, Cape May MAC Curator
10/05/22
Two Women, Two Worlds
Presented by Mary Stewart
09/21/22
“Six Centuries of Cello “
Presented by cellist Brenda Leonard
09/07/22
“Vintage Tweets: Suffrage Era Postcards”
Presented by Carol Crossed
08/17/22
“What does a Symphony Conductor Do Besides Wave a Baton? “
Presented by Jed Gaylin of Bay Atlantic Symphony
08/03/22
“Impressionist Art: How Do You Paint Light?”
Presented by John Curtis
07/20/22
“History of Independence Day”
Presented by Mary Stewart
07/06/22
“Tools of the Trade”
Presented by Ben Ridings
06/16/22
“Let’s Play Ball: A Century of Baseball History.”
Presented by Mary Stewart
05/18/22
History of Gardens from Eden to Present
Part 1
Presented by Elan Zingman-Leith
04/20/22
Emerald Cape May
Presented by Ben Ridging
03/16/22
Shocking Secrets of Victorian Christmas
Presented by Elan Zingman-Leith
12/15/21
A History of Thanksgiving in America
Presented by Mary Stewart
11/17/21
Guardian at the Point – Life as a Cape May Keeper
Presented by Ben Ridings
10/20/21
History of Bicycling
Presented by Tom Carroll
9/22/21
A Feeling of Community
Presented by CCA, Hope Gaines and Rachel Dolhanczyk
6/16/21
The Roaring Twenties
Presented by Mary Stewart
5/19/21
The Great Fire of 1878
Presented by Ben Ridings
4/12/21
The First Ladies Part 2
Presented by Mary Stewart
3/17/21
The Doo Wop Experience
Presented by Mike Urbanski
2/12/21
The Presidents in Cape May
Presented by Ben Ridings
1/21/21
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS: Decking the Hall
Presented by Mary Stewart
12/16/20
YULETIDE AUTHORS: How Charles Dickens & Washington Irving Transformed Christmas
Presented by Ben Ridings
12/9/20