HOLMES AND WATSON INVESTIGATE ‘THE JACKSON STREET TERROR’ DURING A WEEKEND OF MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE IN VICTORIAN CAPE MAY

Cape May, New Jersey - Cape May’s grand Victorian homes provide the back-drop for three days of intrigue, suspense, clue searches, and live performances in honor of the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, during Sherlock Holmes Weekend, Friday, November 2-Sunday, November 4.

New this year is the optional event “A Recipe for Mystery” Dinner on Saturday, November 3rd at 6pm at Aleathea’s Restaurant, 601 Beach Drive. Join playwright John Pekich and the members of the Holmes Weekend cast as they discuss what makes a good mystery. This is a limited event not included in the full package. The cost of the dinner is $30 per person.

The full weekend begins on Friday, November 2nd with an 8:30pm welcoming reception at the Savannah Key Restaurant in the Marquis de Lafayette Hotel, 501 Beach Drive. Meet Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John Watson, and the cast of players in a theatrical performance that sets the scene for the weekend mystery, “Sherlock Holmes and the Jackson Street Terror.”

On Saturday, November 3rd, from 1pm to 3pm, a “Search for Clues” Tour through several of Cape May’s finest Victorian homes, allows participants to check out crime scenes, interview suspicious characters and form their own theories to solve the mystery. Maps and clue sheets are provided to everyone taking part in the tour. The “Search for Clues Tour” is also offered as a separate event to the public.

At 3:30pm on Saturday, weekend participants gather and compare notes. Everyone meets at the Savannah Key Restaurant, 501 Beach Drive in the Hotel Marquis de Lafayette, for Holmes camaraderie and exploration of possible solutions. See how you fare, as the mystery starts to unravel.

On Sunday, at 11:30am, after a hearty brunch at Savannah Key Restaurant, Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and the cast join participants to crack the case and help the solution take form. Grand prizes will be awarded to those who demonstrated the highest level of mastery in the Search for Clues tour. Everyone who returns clue sheets is eligible for prizes and you need not be present to win.

This event, sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC), is offered twice a year, in March and in November. The next Sherlock Holmes Weekend is planned for March 8-10, 2002.

The mystery weekend events cost $80 a person and $150 for couples. The full weekend package includes Welcoming Reception, Search for Clues tour, performances and Sunday lunch. Overnight accommodations are not included in these package prices. The Search for Clues Tour on Saturday, November 3rd, is offered as a separate event for $15, with tickets available the day of the tour at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth.

New in 2001! Convenient overnight packages that include accommodations and two night’s dinners at Cape May restaurants, as well as all mystery weekend events, are available for as little as $249 per person. Call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, ext. 185.

The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) is a nonprofit multi-faceted cultural organization. In addition to preserving and interpreting Cape May’s acclaimed Victorian heritage, MAC also fosters the performing arts. MAC membership is open to all. For more information or to make reservations for Sherlock Holmes Weekend, contact MAC at P.O. Box 340, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ 08204-0340, or call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, or visit us on the Internet at www.capemaymac.org