Also: take a trip around the world without leaving the Delaware Valley
By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times
The Devon Horse Show is one of the area’s most anticipated equestrian events, running now through Sept. 14.
There is never a shortage of events on Chester County annual schedule of equestrian events. They usually start when the weather gets warm and end when the temperatures drop in late autumn. With the 2014 schedule winding down, one of the final events on the calendar is slated for this weekend — but it may be one of the most anticipated, with many local competitors.
Now through September 14, the Devon Horse Show (Lancaster Avenue, Devon, 610-525-2533, www.devonhorseshow.net) is hosting the Devon Fall Classic Festival — an annual fall event that is very popular — and free.
Equestrian competition highlights are High Junior-A/O Jumper and Open Speed Stake on September 12, SJHF High Junior – A/O Classic and $25,000 Devon Fall Classic on September 13 and Low Adult Classic, High Adult Classic, Low Children’s Classic, High Children’s Classic, Pony Jumper Classic, Low Junior Classic and Low A/O Classic on September 14.
The festival part of the event features the Midway with a variety of amusement rides. There will also be pony rides, a petting zoo, amusement games, specialty shops and boutiques, the “What a Good Dog” contest and a special plant sale on Sunday at 5 p.m.
Live entertainment will be provided by Kirsten Sowers, Ben Arnold and Concrete Charlie on September 12, Blues Uprising, Dan Kaufmann, Cosmo, Doug Hill, Dave Sanders and Tim Carney on September 13 and Hey Fever on September 14.
The venerable family car is the focus of a classic car show — The Hagley Car Show, Sept. 14, just down Rt. 52 from Kennett Square in Delaware
One of the most popular annual events at the Hagley Museum and Library (Route 141, Wilmington, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org) is the Hagley Car Show. The historic site, which is located in Delaware just a few miles south of Kennett Square, will host its 2014 Car Show on September 14 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Each year, the show focuses on a different topic. This year’s 19th annual staging of the show has “Are We There Yet?” as its theme and features “The Family Car.”
Visitors to the show will be able to browse through more than 500 antique and restored cars that date from the early 1900s-1980s. The show features vehicle parades, motoring music, video and go-kart racing and a festival food court. Activities are on Hagley’s upper property.
Wristbands purchased at the Car Show will be $10 for adults and $5 for children (ages 6-14). Admission is free for Hagley members and children five and under. The event will be held rain or shine. Visitors are instructed to use Hagley’s main entrance off Route 141.
Linvilla Orchard’s Pumpkinland opens Sept. 13.
September 13 is the opening day for “Pumpkinland” (Linvilla Orchards, 137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com). “Pumpkinland,” which runs through October 31, features fairy tale characters from nursery rhymes along with a huge scarecrow and a really tall storybook.
Other activities include train rides, a straw bale maze, hayrides, pick-your-own apples and pony rides. Another attraction, which runs from September 26-October 30, is “Hayride to the Witch’s House.” Admission is free and hayrides are $9 per person. There will also be “Harvest Hayrides” and “Autumn Moon Hayrides” starting later in September.
The focus will be on LEGO® creations at a special event this weekend at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, 484-754-EXPO, http://brickfestlive.com). From September 12-14, the expo hall in Montgomery County is hosting Brick Fest Live.
Brick Fest Live is a fan festival for LEGO® enthusiasts of all ages. Visitors will be able to check outrageous creations made entirely of LEGO® bricks and see how these little plastic bricks inspire the imagination.
The list of special attractions includes the “Brick Zone” (where you can let your imagination run wild and free build anything you desire), the “Brick Derby,” the “Brick Theater,” a gaming area, the “Brick Wall,” “Brick Golf” and an area of mosaics.
Sessions are scheduled from 4-8:30 p.m. on September 12 and from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 3-7:30 p.m. on September 13 and14. Tickets for Brick Fest Live are $22.
The Liberty Pro Rodeo runs now through Sept. 14 in Plymouth Meeting.
In the western part of the United States, rodeos are fairly common. You’re sure to find plenty of rodeo action taking place every weekend. But, in the eastern part of the country, live rodeos are few and far between.
If you want to catch a live rodeo performance locally, you’re in luck. Now through September 14, the Liberty Pro Rodeo is being staged on the grounds of the LuLu Temple (5140 Butler Pike, Plymouth Meeting, 800-898-LULU,http://libertyprorodeo.com).
The 26th Annual Liberty Pro Rodeo features professional rodeo cowboys and cowgirls from all over the country competing in their respective events including bull riding, barrel racing and saddle bronco riding.
At this year’s rodeo, competitors from the national level as well as those from the local First Frontier circuit will compete for thousands of dollars in prize money. The gates open at 6 p.m. and the rodeo gets underway at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the gates open at 12:30 p.m. and show time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Live entertainment will be presented each day beginning with a performance by Kelsey Coan on September 12. The entertainment schedule also features the George Spicer Band on September 13 and Sara Spicer on September 14. As an added attraction on Sunday, the 4-H Mounted Drill Team will be performing at 1:30 p.m. on September 14.
There will also be a number of concession booths with a wide array of carnival food, including funnel cakes, meatball sandwiches, hot dogs, cotton candy, ice cream, nachos and cheese, snow cones, pizza, walking tacos, popcorn, French fries, pickle-on-a-stick and soft pretzels. Tickets are $24 for adults and $12 for children (age 11 and under).
This weekend marks the inaugural fall staging of “Craft Philadelphia — Liberty Bell” (Sixth Street between Chestnut and Market streets, Philadelphia, 267.679.3121, http://www.craftphila.org). On September 13 and 14, a number of America’s top independent artists will have sales/demonstration booths set up on Independence Mall.
More than 70 local and national crafters will be presenting their handcrafted wearable, functional and decorative items. Shoppers will be able to talk with the artists directly. There will be items for sale in a wide range of categories from accessories to artwork to jewelry. The free show will be open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on September 13 and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on September 14.
Where in the world would you like to go?
You can take a trip to a variety of countries and experience their cultures and cuisines this weekend — and never have to leave the Delaware Valley.
One of the best ways to experience the wide array of distinct cuisines from around the world is to attend some of the ethnic festivals that are held in this area every year. Coming up are five very different festivals where you can enjoy authentic food in a party atmosphere.
Are you familiar with Serbian food?
Unless you grew up in Belgrade or the country that surrounds it, the answer to this question is “probably not.” There are no Serbian restaurants in the Delaware Valley and you could count the number of Serbian restaurants in New York City on one hand.
Fortunately, you can be introduced to Serbian cuisine and culture at the Serbian Food Festival which is schedule to run from noon-1 a.m. at Saint Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church (506 Stahr Road, Elkins Park, 215-782-8448,http://www.stnicholasphilly.com).
Visitors to the festival will be able to treat their taste buds to chevaps (ground meat sausage), muckalica (barbecued meat and vegetable stew), sarma (cabbage stuffed with meat), proja (Serbian corn bread), vesalica (grilled strips of pork loin), gibanica (savory cheese pastry) and palacinke (Serbian crepes).
If you like eastern European cuisine, you’ll also like St. Hedwig’s Polish Festival (Frawley Stadium parking lot, Wilmington Riverfront, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-594-1400 or www.polishfestival.net) whch is scheduled to run from September 15-20. The 57th annual staging of the festival is being held in the parking lot adjacent to the Wilmington Blue Rocks’ stadium along the riverfront.
Visitors will be able to feast on such Polish treats as placki (pancakes), pierogis (dough filled with cheese and/or potato, holubki (stuffed cabbage), kielbasa (sausage) and chruschicki (bow cookies).
The free festival will feature a full slate of live entertainment featuring Walt Wagner on September 15, the Mike Niemiec Variety Band on September 16, John Stevens’ Doubleshot on September 17, TKO Band on September 18, Crab Town Sounds on September 19 and the Golden Tones on September 20.
Dinner will be served Monday through Friday from 5-10 p.m. and Saturday from 3-10 p.m. Additionally, lunch will be served on September 19 and 20 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. each day. The Midway, which is a large midway with over 20 rides along with a variety of amusement games, will be open Monday through Friday starting at 6 p.m. each night and Saturday beginning at 3 p.m.
The 37th Annual Greek Affair, which opens at 11 a.m. on September 17 at St. Luke’s Greek Orthodox Church (35 North Malin Road, Broomall, 610-353-1592, www.st-luke.org), offers a wide array of tasty Greek main dishes, including moussaka (eggplant dish), souvlaki and shish-ka-bob (meat and vegetables on skewers), placki (fish), pastitsio (pasta dish with ground beef and béchamel sauce) and gyros (pita sandwiches).
Even tastier is the assortment of Greek dessert treats such as loukamades (fried dough balls with honey), baklava (phyloo, nuts and honey), galactaboureka (phyllo and pudding) and kataifi (shredded wheat and nuts) and kourabiedes (sugar-coated cookies).
Other activities at the free popular annual event are midway rides, vendors with crafts and Greek items, live music by Greek-American bands and folk dancing demonstrations. Additionally, the Taverna will be open from 9 p.m.-midnight on Friday and Saturday with music by DJ Kalo.
The 20th Annual Mexican Independence Day Festival (The Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-592-0410, www.mexicanculturalcenter.org), which features free admission, is scheduled for September 14 from 1-7 p.m.
The fiesta will include music, dancing, food, crafts and live entertainment for all ages. Special activities include a show of traditional costume, and entertainment programs featuring folkloric dance. Musical acts slated to perform include Alacranes Musical, Los Chavos de Tierra Caliente and La Conquistadora Banda Negal de Guanajuato.
India will be celebrated at another festival on September 13 — India Fest 2014 (Father Tucker Memorial Park, West Ninth and North Scott streets, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-494-1255, www.iaadelaware.org). The event is scheduled to run from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
It will feature classical and modern Indian dance performances, cultural exhibitions, vendors with a large array of Indian items and mouth-watering Indian food items such as tandoori chicken, nan (bread) and an assortment of curry dishes.
Special workshops will be presented throughout the day featuring a variety of topics — Yoga, Garbha (a dance style from Gujarat), Fashion, Kathak (storytelling dance) and Bollyfit (exercise dance). There will also be a charity fashion show in the evening.
