The popular Wings & Things Arts & Crafts Festival returns to the NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum on Saturday, June 28, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., transforming the museum’s historic World War II hangar into a vibrant celebration of creativity, community, and aviation history. This family-friendly event offers something for everyone. Visitors can enjoy live music by Radio Revolution, a wide variety of crafts and hands-on activities for kids and adults, including model airplane workshops, face painting, military vehicle displays, RC car racing, race car simulators, and war gaming hosted by the South Jersey Gamers Association. Funny Farm Rescue will also be on hand with a variety of rescue animals for guests to meet.
Aviation fans can explore the museum’s collection of more than 26 historic aircraft, including the recently arrived AV-8B+ Harrier II, on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum. A special fly-in appearance by Jeff Chorman in his T-28 Trojan is also planned, weather and maintenance permitting. Hot Rods at the Hangar, a staple of the festival, will showcase nearly 100 classic and modern cars, sure to thrill automotive enthusiasts. Visitors can also browse a curated selection of handmade goods from local artisans and vendors, featuring everything from jewelry and artwork to photography and pottery.
Food and drink will be available throughout the day, with local favorites from food trucks Hit the Road Jack, El Pueblo Taqueria, and Poppin’ Bob, along with refreshments in the Beer & Wine Garden. Inside the museum, guests can view a special exhibit of student artwork from NASW’s Soarin’ High Art Contest, which invited K–12 students to submit original works inspired by the theme “Things That Fly.”
New this year, the museum will host The Longest Yarn, a powerful traveling exhibit commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The 265-foot-long wool tapestry was knitted and crocheted by volunteers around the world under the guidance of historians and debuted in Carentan, France, in 2024. It will be on display at NASW through Labor Day. Admission includes full access to both the festival and the museum’s exhibits. Proceeds support NAS Wildwood’s ongoing mission to preserve and share the region’s rich aviation history. Wings & Things is made possible in part by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Cape May County Division of Culture and Heritage.
Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum is located inside historic Hangar #1 at the Cape May Airport. The site was formerly Naval Air Station Wildwood, which served as a World War II dive-bomber training center. The museum is dedicated to the 42 aviators who perished while training at Naval Air Station Wildwood between 1943 and 1945. Current museum hours are 10 am-4 pm daily. For more information, visit www.usnasw.org.
