What To Do: Ride the rails with the Easter Bunny

Anime in Lancaster, Wine Trail and Wyeth exhibit enjoy final weekend

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times

Easter is just a week away and that means that the Easter Bunny’s appearance schedule is shifting into high gear. He will be at “Easter Egg Hunts” all around the area and he will be participating in a variety of special events.

In Milwaukee, which is a town known for its abundance of beer lovers, the Easter Bunny will a special brewery tour guest at one of the city’s brewing companies. He will also be the special guest at an underwater Easter Egg Hunt in Plainfield, Indiana. And, visitors to Palm Springs, California have the opportunity to see a skydiving Easter Bunny.

When the Big Bunny visits this area, he usually restricts himself to more conventional events and easier interaction with his fans. One activity that is always a hit with youngsters is a ride on an excursion train with the Easter Bunny.

The West Chester Railroad (Market Street, West Chester, 610-430-2233, www.westchesterrr.net) is running a special Easter Bunny Express on March 28 and 29 and again on April 4. Trains will depart from the Market Street Station at noon and 2 p.m. and from the Glen Mills station at 12:45 p.m.

Entertainment on the trains will be provided by banjoist Greg Wright and Friends along with the Easter Bunny, who will be giving treats to all the kids. Adult fare is $22 while children (ages 2-12) get to ride for $16 and toddlers (ages 9-23 months) are $6.

The Easter Bunny will also be down in Delaware for trips on the Wilmington and Western Railroad (Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport-Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-998-1930, www.wwrr.com) on March 28 and 29 and April 3 and 4. On the special trains, the big bunny with the big ears will visit with all passengers and pose for pictures.

Departure times are 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. and fares are $18 for adults, $17 for seniors (ages 60 and older) and $16 for children (ages 2-12). As an added attraction, every child on the excursion trains will receive a special treat from the Easter Bunny.

The New Hope and Ivyland Railroad (32 West Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its annual Easter Bunny Express on March 28, 29, 30 and 31 and April 1-5 with departures at 11 a.m., noon, 1,2,3 and 4 p.m. each day.

The Easter Bunny is going to ride onboard the train where he will visit with each child, hand out special treats and pose for pictures. Coach tickets are $28.95 for adults, $26.95 for children (ages 2-11) and $11.95 for toddlers (under 2).

At the Strasburg Rail Road (Rt. 741 East, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com), the special Easter Bunny Train will be running April 3, 4 and 5 with departures starting at 11 a.m. each day.

The Easter Bunny will meet and greet all the kids on each train and have a special treat for all of them. Coach fares are $17 for adults, $11 for children (ages 3-11) and $3 for toddlers (under 3).

Video for Strasburg Railroad’s Easter Bunny Train — https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pu1iz-wsAHc.

The Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad (717-944-4435, www.mhrailroad.com) will be running its Easter Bunny Express on March 28 and 29 and April 3 and 4 at 1:30 p.m. each day.

Fares for the ride are $16 (ages 12 and older), $11 (ages 2-11) and $3 (under age 2 and on lap). The Easter Bunny will have a sweet treat for every child. Reservations are recommended.

Now through April 4, there will be a special event called “Hayrides to Bunnyland” at Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com).

The “Hayride to Bunny’s House” features a ride in a hay-filled trailer that travels around Linvilla’s grounds and eventually arrives at the house of Linvilla’s Easter Bunny.

Upon arrival, the big, happy rabbit emerges from his house to pose for pictures with his guests.There is a storytelling session, tours of the bunny’s home and seasonal treats for all visitors.

“Hayrides to Bunnyland” run every 15 minutes from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. from March 28 until April 4. Tickets, which are $8 per person, can be purchased in the Garden Center.

Linvilla Orchard’s “Fore! The Planet” is a highly interactive and playful museum exhibit created by the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. This exhibition, which is open until April 4, pairs important environmental issues with the fun of miniature golf.

It features 18 unique educational holes on a variety of topics — butterfly metamorphosis, a tropical rainforest, evolution, dinosaur extinction, food chains and more. Kids of all ages can enjoy playing miniature golf while learning about our environment on every hole.

The mini-course is open daily from 9 a.m. -5 p.m. Tickets are $6.95 (ages 11 and over) and $4.95 (ages 10 and under).

People in Lancaster are used to seeing Amish people — the “Plain People” who always dress in black or plain dark colors.

This weekend, the residents of that city will get to see the exact opposite — the “Outrageous People” who dress like comic book heroes, aliens and Anime figures.

The latter group of people will be in Lancaster to attend Zenkaikon, which is running from March 27-29 at the Lancaster Convention Center (25 South Queen Street, Lancaster, 866-503-3786, https://zenkaikon.com)

The stated mission of Zenkaikon is to promote knowledge and enjoyment of Japanese art, animation, and culture as well as science fiction and fantasy literature and films of all origins.

Zenkaikon was created in 2006 when two Philadelphia-area events merged — Kosaikon, an anime convention held at Villanova University, and Zentrancon, an anime and science fiction convention held on the University of Pennsylvania campus. In 2006, Zenkaikon held its first event at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia.

The convention, which is one of the most colorful and diverse events on the Lancaster site’s annual calendar, will be a celebration Japanese animation (anime), comics (manga), and pop culture.

This  year’s Zenkaikon features a wide variety of activities including anime and live action screenings, discussion panels, workshops, costume competitions, concerts by musical guests, game shows, video and table-top gaming, vendors and artists.

The roster of special guests includes Doug & Rob Walker, Greg Wicker, Kuniko Kanawa, Lauren Landa, Matthew Mercer, Richard Horvitz, Rikki Simons, Shadowbinders and Trina Nishimura. Live entertainment will be provided by The Ricecookers, Cosplay Burlesque and comedian Karl “Uncle Yo” Custer.

Some of the featured events at this weekend’s convention are Cosplay Masquerade, Anime Music Video Contest, Artemis, Artist Alley and autograph sessions. Other attractions are the “Dealer Room”, game shows, live action role playing, karaoke and an array of panels and workshops.

Zenkaiakon will be held March 27 from 10 a.m.-2 a.m., March 28 from 9 a.m.-2 a.m. and March 29 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets prices are $60 for “Three-day,” $50 for Saturday and Sunday combination and $25 for Sunday only.

There are several area events that require your immediate attention — specifically the Jamie Wyeth exhibit at the Brandywine River Museum of Art, the “Orchid Extravaganza” at Longwood Gardens, the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail’s “Barrels on the Brandywine” and Chaddsford Winery’s “Wine and Fondue” event.

If you’ve been thinking about visiting any of them but have been procrastinating, now is the time for action. Three will be gone after this weekend and the other will conclude on April 5.

The  “Orchid Extravaganza,” which is running now through March 29 at Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org), features approximately 5,000 orchids in bloom along with a variety of displays and special exhibits throughout its four-acre conservatory.

The orchid is one of the most beautiful, delicate and graceful flowers in the world. And, the orchid family is the largest family of the flowering plants. The Royal Botanical Gardens of Kew list over 20,000 accepted species with about 800 new species added each year.

There are displays of orchids in planting beds, containers and innovative exhibits. Admission to Longwood Gardens is $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $10 for students.

This is the last opportunity to take part in the “Barrels on the Brandywine” event presented by the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail (610-388-6221, www.bvwinetrail.com) — the last opportunity ever. This year marks the final staging of the annual March event.

The Brandywine Valley Wine Trail’s popular event will take place on March 28 and 29 from noon-5 p.m. each day. “Barrels on the Brandywine” passports are available at any of the Wine Trail member locations for $15.

The passports entitle holders to tour, taste and participate in activities at all four member wineries — Paradocx Vineyard (1833 Flint Hill Rd., Landenberg, 610-255-5684, www.paradocx.com), Black Walnut Winery (3000 Lincoln Highway, Sadsburyville, 610-857-5566, www.blackwalnutwinery.com), Kreutz Creek Vineyards (553 S. Guernsey Road, West Grove, 610-869-4412, www.kreutzcreekvineyards.com) and Borderland Vineyard (3000 Lincoln Highway, Sadsburyville, 215-236-9154, borderlandvineyard.com)

The Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) will present an event called “Wine and Fondue” on March 28 and 29. It will run from noon-6 p.m. on Saturday and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $20 for either cheese or chocolate or $35 for both. Space is limited so reservations are required.
Now through April 5, the Brandywine River Museum of Art (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org) is featuring a major retrospective exhibition of artist Jamie Wyeth that examines his distinctive approach to realism over the course of six decades.

The exhibit “Jamie Wyeth” includes more than 100 paintings depicting the landscapes of the Brandywine Valley and coastal Maine as well as family members and fellow artists. On March27 and 28, the museum is presenting a special attraction — “The Art of Jamie Wyeth Tour.” Tours will be offered at 10 and 11:30 a.m. and 1 and 3:30 p.m. (weather permitting).

A special attraction this weekend will be a “Jamie Wyeth Catalogue Signing” on March 28 from 2-3 p.m. for members and 3-4 p.m. for the general public. Wyeth will sign copies of the catalogue for his current retrospective exhibition.

This event is free for members and included in Museum admission. Only Jamie Wyeth retrospective catalogues purchased from the Brandywine River Museum of Art shop will be signed (receipt must accompany previously purchased catalogues). No other items will be signed at this event. And, there is a limit of two catalogues per person.

This weekend also marks the opening of “Pointed Pens: Selected Cartoons from the Permanent Collection.” The exhibit will be unveiled on March 28 and run through August 23.

From the incisive political drawings of Thomas Nast to the maze-like contraptions of Rube Goldberg, cartoons have been drawing public attention to issues of the day through their comic wit and visual satire.

This exhibition features an attractive collection of over 30 works that were created between 1880 and 1945 and selected from the Museum’s expansive collection of American illustration.

It includes cartoons by some of America’s most famous illustrators of the late 19th  century and the early 20th century, including Oscar Cesare, Charles Dana Gibson, Rube Goldberg, John Held, Jr., Edward Kemble, Rockwell Kent, Orson Lowell, Rose O’Neill, Frederic Burr Opper and Thomas Nast.

Their drawings show a variety of styles and techniques that render incisive visual opinions about topical events, from political issues, business practices, and social morés, to even the act of viewing art.

The Brandywine River Museum of Art is open daily from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors (ages 65 and over), $6 for students and children (ages 6-12) and free for children (under six) and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art members.

There will be an impressive array of exhibits and vendor displays of interest to homeowners at the annual Delaware Home Show. Sponsored by the Homebuilders Association of Delaware, the show will be presented March 28 and 29 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront Chase Center on the Riverfront (815 Justison Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-678-1520, www.delawarehomeshow.com)

The expansive list of featured categories by exhibitors includes masonry, gutters, plumbing, solar products, security systems, kitchens, closets, lighting, spas, screens, cabinets, roofing, carpentry, home media, pools, concrete products, insulation, lighting, floors and fireplaces.

Additionally, a wide range of services will be represented at the two-day event, including painting, energy audits, pest control, remodeling contractors, lawn maintenance, refinancing, HVAC, cleaning services, landscaping, water filtration and tree services.

According to statistics, trade shows offer business owners the most effective way to meet new customers. As a result, show attendees have the opportunity to use the competition among vendors as a great leverage tool in getting good deals.

The 2015 edition of the annual Spring Indoor Craft & Art Show is scheduled to run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on March 29 at Penn State University’s Brandywine Campus (Route 352 and Yearsley Mill Road, Media, 610-915-2253).

The well-attended early-spring event, which is held each year in PSU Brandywine’s spacious Gym Complex, hosts a large number of crafters, vendors and regional artists. Visitors to the show will be able to shop for unique items in a variety of categories — with items in a wide range of prices.

The Penn State Brandywine campus offers plenty of free parking and easy access.

Gems can be high-priced items reserved for wealthy buyers but they also can be a whole lot more. Gems come in a wide variety of styles and price ranges. As a result, there are many beautiful stones that are both aesthetically pleasing and relatively inexpensive.

A wide variety of gems and jewelry as well as fossils and stones of all sports will be on display and available for purchase at a special event this weekend.

On March 28 and 29, the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society and the Philadelphia Mineralogical Society are presenting their “35th Annual Philadelphia Mineral Treasures and Fossil Fair” show and sale at the LuLu Shriners Temple (5140 Butler Pike, Plymouth Meeting, 610-828-9050, http://dvps.essentrix.net/fossilfair.htm).

The event will feature exhibits of outstanding specimens from society members’ personal collections. The event will also offer a variety of learning activities including a fossil dig for children, displays of local and regional finds and a mineral identification table.

Other special attractions include “Kid’s Corner” (with free mineral gifts), a fluorescent minerals room, lapidary and jewelry displays, educational materials, door prizes and a food and beverage concession.

Additionally, there will be a sales area featuring more than 30 dealers from around the country. These dealers will be selling fossils, minerals, crystals and jewelry from all over the world, along with books, decorative items and other merchandise.

As an added attraction on Saturday, there will be special talks presented on March 28.

Dr. Kenneth Lacovera, Associate Professor of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Sciences at Drexel University, will give a talk about the huge titanosaurian dinosaur that he discovered, Dreadnoughtus. Dr. Bretton W. Kent, author of “Fossil Sharks of the Chesapeake Bay Region,” will talk about “The Rise and Fall of the Neogene Giant Sharks”.

The Fair will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $5 for adults and $1 for children (under 12).