What To Do: Mushroom Fest and Chadds Ford Days kick off fall

Also: Barclay Friends Gardens and Radnor Concours D’Elgance & more

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times

Kennett Square and mushrooms are linked together so much that it would seem fitting if the Kennett High sports teams were nicknamed the Mushrooms instead of the Blue Demons. Kennett Square is even billed as “The Mushroom Capital of the World.”

Kennett Square and its surrounding area has  been one of the top mushroom growing areas in the nation for decades. Pennsylvania produces almost 75 per cent of all the mushrooms grown in America. More than 50 per cent of the state’s mushrooms come from southern Chester County.

The fungus known as the mushroom and the mushroom-growing industry in the area is celebrated by Kennett Square each year when it presents its eagerly-anticipated annual Mushroom Festival (various locations in Kennett Square and surrounding area, 610-925-3373, www.mushroomfestival.org).

This year, the Mushroom Festival, which is scheduled for September 12 and 13, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a number of special events. State Street becomes “Mushroom Boulevard” for two days and hosts a street festival with over 200 vendors.

The festival will be held from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on September 12 and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on September 13.

Admission is $2 for anyone age 12 or older. Proceeds from the sale of the admission wristbands goes toward the Mushroom Festival’s grant program. Last year the Mushroom Festival gave $80,000 to 47 non-profit organizations.

The Mushroom Festival is a rain or shine event. In severe weather some events may be canceled or rescheduled. Updates, when possible, will be made to the website.

The festival officially runs on Saturday and Sunday but events actually get underway on September 11 with a “Community Parade,” which has a 6 p.m. kick-off at Willow and State streets, and an event that is billed as “Dining and Dancing in the Streets.” This year’s theme is “We Remember.”

The 2015 Old Fashioned Carnival, which takes place at 600 Broad Street, runs Friday from 6-10 p.m., Saturday from 3-10 p.m. and Sunday from 1-6 p.m.

The long list of festival activities includes “Amateur Mushroom APPETIZER Cook-Off,” children’s entertainment and street fair rides, an “Antique and Classic Car Show,” a “Mushroom Growers Exhibit” (including mushroom harvesting demonstrations), a “Culinary Tent,” a 5K “Mushroom Run” and two-mile “Mushroom Walk,” the “Cute-As-A-Button Baby Photo Contest,” the “Soup and Wine Fest,” a “Remote Control Air Show”, a “Mushroom Judging Contest” and the “Fried Mushroom Eating World Record Contest.”

Live music will be performed on September 12 by Angelee, Born Sisters, Angela Sheik, and Gretchen Emery and Dirty Boots. Performers schedule for September 13 are Andrew Lipke and The Azrael String Quartet, Hot Breakfast and Hell Saddle.

There are two things that you can count on to happen the weekend after Labor Day — the weather will be very hot and sunny and the Chadds Ford Historical Society will be hosting its annual event known as Chadds Ford Days (John Chads House, Route 100, Chadds Ford, 610-388-7376, www.chaddsfordhistory.org).

This year, the well-attended festival, which will be held on September 12 and 13 in the meadow behind the CFHS building on Route 100 in Chadds Ford, will feature an art show and a craft show with over 60 traditional artisans selling their wares. There will also be a variety of colonial craft demonstrations presented each day.

Festival attendees will be able to watch Revolutionary War re-enactments by The 2nd PA Regiment of the Continental Line, get a libation at a colonial tavern, watch a puppet show and take tours of the John Chads House and the Barns-Brinton House — both of which date back to the early 1700s.

The outdoor event, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, also features food booths presented by local restaurants, Colonial demonstrators, children’s activities, an antique car show and live musical entertainment.

There will be also be a full slate of live music both days featuring Hake and Jarema Duo, The Sermon, the Steve Liberace Band, McGraw & McLaughlin and Steppin Razor.

Tickets are $5 for adults with free admission for kids and dogs and free parking.

The annual Brandywine Festival of the Arts (North Park Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-363-5955, www.brandywinearts.com) has been one of the most popular late-summer events in northern Delaware for a long, long time.

The 55th annual two-day staging of the arts-and-crafts festival is slated for September 12 and 13 at its usual location along the banks of the Brandywine River in Wilmington. Tickets are $5 for adults with children (under 10) admitted free.

As always, the festival is a juried event that brings more than 200 artists and crafters from more than 15 states to Brandywine Park’s Josephine Gardens to exhibit and sell their work. The list of featured categories includes lamps, ironwork, herbs, bonsai, wood type, glass, acrylic, weaving, stenciling, pastels, scarves, mixed-media, clothing, bears, stoneware, watercolors, etchings, photography, sculpture, jewelry, raku, and leather.

There will also be vendors offering a wide variety of food items at the festival, which is scheduled to run from 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.

Live entertainment will be featured both days. Musicians performing at the festival are IVA, Giana Lynn, Hanna Paige, Jason Ager, Jahiti, Jayplayers, Jessica Graae, Robbie Kumalo, Kalai King and Couple Days.

This is the perfect weather for drinking beer — and also the perfect weather to stage a brewfest. Fortunately for all you beer lovers out there, there is a great local festival focusing on beer in this weekend –the Historic Odessa Brewfest (202 Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, http://www.odessabrewfest.com).

The Second Annual Historic Odessa Brewfest, which is being presented by the Historic Odessa Foundation and Cantwell’s Tavern, is slated for September 12 from 2-6 p.m.

There will be an array of tasty locally-produced food served at Cantwell’s, which is a farm-to-table gastropub. The cheese boutique Middletown’s Fromage will have plates of cheeses that will be paired with different styles of beer and wine.

More than 45 local and national breweries are participating, including Downingtown’s Victory Brewing Company, Oskar Blues Brewery, Twin Lakes Brewing Company, Dogfish Head Brewery, Brooklyn Brewery, Evil Genius Beer Company, Troegs Independent Craft Brewery, Wolaver’s Fine Organic Ales and Seattle’s Elysian Brewery.

Last year, Odessa Brewfest participants got to enjoy beer from New Belgium, a Colorado brewery only just now finally hitting the Philadelphia-area market. This year, Brewfest patrons will get an even rarer treat. The Odessa Brewfest will be one of the very first places in the state to make available beer from California’s legendary Firestone Walker.

Firestone Walker, brewed in Paso Robles, CA, makes award-winning ales in the classic English tradition using a unique linked-barrel fermentation system. Firestone Walker is a three-time Great American Beer Festival and four-time World Beer Cup award winner. 

The Odessa Brewfest has also announced that Coney Island Hard Root Beer will be at the festival in 2015. This new style of beer has swept the country and the event organizers say they are excited to have it as part of the line-up. 

Coming in at 5.8% ABV, hard root beer is a delicious new twist on an old favorite. Called the “next big thing in craft beer” by Fortune Magazine, hard root beer brings all the flavor of root beer, with a kick.

All attendees have access to food and merchandise vendors, live bands, sponsor tables, and more during the entire event. Doors open at noon for the VIP Tasting and the regular fest is slated to start at 2 p.m. All taps will close at 6 p.m. General admission tickets are $50.

One of the nicest events in late summer in the area is the annual Barclay Friends’ Secret Gardens of West Chester and Plant Sale (locations in downtown West Chester, 610-696-5211, www.bf.kendal.org). It was formerly known as the Barclay Friends’ Festival of Gardens.

This event is a garden tour that features a variety of scenic gardens created by residents of West Chester Borough. Held in different sections of the Borough of West Chester each year, the Festival of Gardens is annual event that benefits the Barclay Friends’ Horticultural Therapy program.

This year, the 11th Annual Festival of Gardens will be held on September 12 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The tour will visit a variety of private gardens in the borough of West Chester. During the tour, local artists can be found working in many of the gardens.

Garden Tour participants will also have the opportunity to view Barclay Friends’ gardens and attend a plant sale at Barclay Friends. The plant sale of uncommon plants will be held at Barclay Friends from noon-4 p.m. Refreshments will be served by Barclay Friends family members.

Tickets are not required for the plant sale and refreshments. Tour tickets are $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the event.

Now through September 13, the Broomall Fire Company is hosting its Carnival 2105 (Malin Road and West Chester Pike, Broomall, 610-353-5225, http://www.broomallfirecompany.com/pages/carnival.html) — an old-time country fair put together by Majestic Midways.

The event features free admission but there is a cost for the rides. Individual tickets $1.50 each and are sold in quantities of two tickets. Riders can purchase a block of 24 tickets for $25 or a block of 54 tickets for $50.

The carnival is scheduled to get underway on September 11 at 6 p.m. and run until 11 p.m. Hours for Saturday are 3-11 p.m. and then the event will be open from 1-6 p.m. on Sunday.

Majestic Midways, which is based in York, has been providing amusement rides and games for carnivals for 105 years. Some of the company’s more popular rides are Ring of Fire, Century Wheel, Kite Flyer, Raiders, Monkey Mayhem, Super Shot and Himalaya.

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire Shire, Mount Hope Estate and Winery grounds, Route 72, Cornwall, 717-665-7021, www.parenfaire.com) is hosting its “Children’s Fantasy” on September12 and 13.

From 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. each day, the huge faire will be dedicated to youngsters. His Royal Highness proclaims a Faire weekend dedicated to its biggest fans — the young one. There will be two days filled with 16^th-century fun and frivolity for kids of all ages.

At “Cake with Queen Catherine,” kids can celebrate Her Majesty’s birthday by sharing her favorite pastry — cupcakes. At the Queen’s request, all young nipperkins are invited to have a delicious dessert with her and wish the Queen happy birthday face-to-face. Another popular attraction will be the “Four Corners Treasure Hunt” where kids search for pirate treasure.

Admission is $29.95 for adults. There will be free children’s admission for kids age 11 and under.

The weekend after Labor Day always features the Hay Creek Fall Festival at Historic Johanna Furnace (Route 10, Morgantown, 610-286-0388, www.haycreek.org). The well-attended Berks County festival, which is an authentic traditional arts and crafts show that is celebrating its 39th anniversary, is also an event that gives visitors a chance to have a look back at the area’s historical development.

This year, the festival, which runs now through September 13 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. allthree days, will have a number of special festival areas, including Charcoal Barn, Casting House, Festival Food Court (early American and contemporary), Early American Crafts, Engine and Mechanical Technology, a Civil War Encampment, Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration, Home Craft Marketplace and the Historic Joanna Furnace Iron Plantation Complex.

Festival attendees can shop in the Early American Crafts area for such items as fabrics, jewelry, folk art, pottery, woodworking, leather, dried flowers, woodcrafts, Windsor chairs, stained glass and hand-woven rugs. The Craft Market will feature handmade redware pottery, candles and hand lotions, gourd birdhouses, soaps, wooden toys and bowls, handbags from vintage fabrics, quilted items and unique jewelry.

The Mechanical Technology area presents vintage working equipment, including a model steam blower engine and a display of pedal tractors. Hundreds of antique cars, tractors, and hit n’ miss engines are on display and will parade the festival grounds throughout the weekend. There will also be daily demonstrations of sawmilling, shingle milling, grain threshing and water ram pumps.

Other activities include live entertainment, storytelling sessions, musical jam sessions and a variety of hands-on activities for children. This year’s roster of entertainers includes Marian Gehman, Randini the Remarkable, Cousin Jake and Friends, Damion Drego, Karen Ludwig, Randy and Josie Brendle, Steven Courtney, Matt Miskie, Chris Ivey, the Celtic Martins, Keith Brintzenhoff and Maggie Spike.

Tickets for the festival are $10 for adults and $2 for children (ages 6-12).

If you’re looking for a fun day of interesting and educational activities, head to Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia on September 12 to take part in the 2015 Pennsylvania Coast Day (Penn’s Landing, Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, 800-445-4935, www.delawareestuary.org).

The family-oriented event is slated to run from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the site along the Delaware River. The free event provides visitors with a variety of ways to experience Philadelphia’s main water tributary. Attendees can board the RiverLink Ferry for a free, round-trip tour of the Delaware River or get an up-close look at the river by paddling around Penn’s Landing in a kayak or swan boat.

There will also be a number of land-based activities including more than 20 interactive displays and children’s activities near the RiverLink Ferry terminal.

The list of attractions also includes Coastie the Safety Boat robot, remote-controlled model ship races, tours of the DELBAY oil-spill boat, face painting, arts and crafts and a “Photo Contest.” Visitors can even ride a free, round-trip shuttle to the Fairmount Water Works where they can Compete in the Philly Fun Fishing Fest early that morning and explore Schuylkill River and the historic Fairmount Water Works.

The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance encompasses three days of activities beginning with the Friday evening Barbecue, followed by the always popular Road Rally through the scenic countryside of Chester County on Saturday morning, culminating in a catered lunch. The Saturday evening Black Tie Gala, Silent Auction and Art Show Preview is the prelude to the main event, the concours d’elegance on Sunday.

This year’s event will feature Packard, Alfa Romeo and Classic Pickup Trucks in the automobile category, while BMW, Police Motorcycles and Land Speed Record Holders are featured in the motorcycle category. The event also includes horse drawn coaches and carriages which illustrate the evolution of wheeled transportation.The 19th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance is scheduled to run from September 11-13 on the grounds of Radnor Hunt (826 Providence Road, Malvern, www.radnorconcours.org).

Each year, the concours event, an invitation-only show, has a featured marque, a vehicle type or coachbuilder and a motorcycle make. The 2015 event will showcase the most interesting and significant Packard automobiles, vintage Alfa Romeo cars and classic pickup trucks built prior to 1970.

The event also includes Motorsport Park, providing local marque car clubs the opportunity to gather in an exclusive parking area close to the show field entrance on Sunday, as well as a Cars & Coffee gathering on Saturday concurrent with the road rally. The Marketplace area features a variety of both automotive and non-automotive merchants, and offering specialized shopping for concours attendees.

Video link for Concours d’Elegance —https://youtu.be/fddYTcsSLXU.

Proceeds benefit Thorncroft Equestrian Center in Malvern, PA. Adult admission is $40 in advance/$50 at the gate, and admission for youth (ages 12-18) is $25.Admission for children (under 12) is free with paid adult admission ticket.

Time is running out for visitors to Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) to enjoy “Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience” while the weather is still warm. The installation, which will be open through October 31, brings the garden to life after dark with colorful lights and moving images that are choreographed to music.

“Nightscape” will take place in various areas of the garden — Rose Arbor, Large Lake, Flower Garden Drive, Legacy Tree, Flower Garden Walk, Topiary Garden, East Conservatory and Silver Garden. The installation will be on view Wednesdays through Saturdays, and will open every day at sunset.

“Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience” was created by Philadelphia’s Klip Collective, a group known for its impressive installations at the Philadelphia Flower Show. Longwood will also host a variety of special events during “Nightscape,” including a new beer garden in collaboration with Victory Brewing Company.

The beer garden will feature a special and three beers on tap (including the new custom brew “Longwood Seasons: Summer Zest”). The beer garden will also be the site of live music every Thursday from 7-10 p.m. and feature a roster of performers that includes Angela Sheik (September 17, October 22), Marc Silver (October 8 and 15), Jon Dichter (September 24, October 29) and Dani Mari (October 1).

This weekend also marks the start of Longwood’s “Autumn Days,” an event that will open on September 12 and run through November 22. It’s the perfect time of year to take a nature walk in Longwood’s Meadow Garden, where visitors are surrounded by colorful goldenrod, native asters, and meadow grasses.

Starting in mid-October, the Conservatory hosts the site’s most horticulturally intense display– “Chrysanthemum Festival.” It features Longwood’s Thousand Bloom Mum, which is the largest mum in North America.

Video link for “Nightscape” — https://youtu.be/PtY-nRxWzhA.

Tickets are $27 for adults, $17 for students (ages 5-18) and free for children (ages 4 and under).

The Philadelphia Wine Fest, which is scheduled for September 11 and 12 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Road, Oaks, 609-888-3618, www.aarn.com), will showcase the finest wines from Pennsylvania wineries, with hundreds of delicious samples for visitors’ enjoyment.

Some of the wineries joining us are Boyd’s Cardinal Hollow Winery, Buddy Boy Winery & Vineyards, Kog Hill Winery, Nectar Valley Winery, Papa Joe’s Wine Cellar, Peace Valley Winery, Reece Winery, Stonekeep Meadery & Wine Cellars, The Vineyard at Hershey, and University Wine Company.

The festival will also have tasty food, extravagant chocolates, shopping areas and live entertainment. There will be Bottle Check so attendees can buy bottles of wine to take home and vendors will have it ready for pickup at the door when the buyers leave.

There will be three separate sessions — September 12 noon-3:30 p.m. and 4:30-8 p.m. and September 13 noon-4 p.m. Tickets are $35 for the first session, $40 for the second session and $30 for Sunday’s session.

Another special event is slated for September 11 and 12 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. It’s called Retro Con and it’s billed as “The convention for the retro in you.”

The two-day event features games, raffles, costume contests, retro tunes, a Cosplay photo booth, trivia contests, retro movie night, a sci-fi weapons display, panel discussions, a charity auction, a karaoke contest and more than 215 tables of retro fun.

There will also be a number of special guests including Michael Bell, Michael McConnohie, Doug Stone, Caseen Gaines, Jim Martin, Larry Kenney, Eric “The Smoke” Moran, Doug Walker, John Moschitta, Jr., John Broughton, James Rolfe and “Horror Host” Mr. Lobo.

A number of famous retro vehicles will be on display, including Notchback KITT, the Jersey General from Hazzard County,  a “Back To The Future Time Machine” replica, the hand-painted “Darth Bug,” the Ghosbusters New Jersey Ectomobile and the CT-V: Connecticut Mothership.

Ticket price at the door is set at $18 on Saturday and $15 on Sunday and includes a door prize raffle ticket good for the day of purchase. Children (12 and under) are admitted free when accompanied by paying adult. Hous are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. This will be a cash-only event, but an ATM is located in the show lobby.

September 12 is the opening day for “Pumpkinland” (Linvilla Orchards, 137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com). “Pumpkinland,” which runs through November 8, 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 25-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.

Now through September 13, 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, adding to its popularity is that it is an event that features free admission.

Equestrian competition highlights are High Junior-A/O Jumper and Open Speed Stake on September 11, SJHF High Junior – A/O Classic and $25,000 Devon Fall Classic on September 12 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 13.

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, Golia Vodka Bar Taste Testing and a special plant sale on Sunday at 5 p.m.

Live entertainment will be provided by in the Picnic Grove with Dave Saunders, Ben Arnold and Concrete Charlie Band on September 11; Hey Fever, Jeff Byrne, Cosmo, Doug Hill and Altogether Charley on September 12; and Dave Saunders on September 13.

We’re now entering the time of year when you can travel internationally without ever having to show a passport. All you need do is take a short drive to any of the many ethnic festivals that are looming on the horizon. This weekend, the list options includes Greek, Mexican, Serbian, Latin American and Polish.

The Fall Grecian Festival 2015 (St. Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Church, 900 S. Trooper Road, Jeffersonville, 610-650-8960, www.stsophiavf.org) runs now through September 13 with a wide array of tasty Greek treats such as souvlaki, shish-ka-bob, moussaka, pastitsio and gyros and baklava. Other activities include midway rides, vendors with crafts and Greek items and live Greek music.

The 21^st 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 13 from 2-8 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.

Entertainment acts slated to perform include Al-K-traz Musical, Diana Reyes, Rivales de la Sierra, Grupo de Danza Nuevo Mexico, Pedro Villasenor Mariachi, and Cenzontle Cuicatl.

Unless you grew up in Belgrade or the country that surrounds it — or if you’re of Serbian descent, you probably are unfamiliar with Serbian cuisine. 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.

However, you can get an introduction to the cuisine and culture of the eastern European country at the Serbian Food Festival which is scheduled for September 12 and 13 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).

The Latin American Cultural Center of Lancaster presents its Third Annual Latin American Festival September 12 at Lancaster’s Binn’s Park (North Queen Street, Lancaster, www.lancasterlacc.org).

The event, which will run from noon-9 p.m. is the original Latin American festival consisting of an entire day of music, dancing, culture and food with live entertainment from several Latin American countries.

The festival is suitable for people of all ages and attendance is expected to reach or surpass 10,000 people. The festival begins in Binn’s Park at noon with food and merchandise vendors set up along North Queen Street.

The special guest will be salsa singer Tito Rojas a.k.a “El Gallo Salsero.” In addition to  the live music from local and international talents, there will be face painting, piñatas and balloon twisting for the children.

The Latin American Cultural Center of Lancaster (LACC) is an established, non-profit organization that promotes the rich and diverse Latin American culture in Lancaster County. Admission to the festival is free.

The 50th Annual Polish Festival the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa (654 Ferry Road, Doylestown, 215-345-0600, www.czestochowa.us) is being held on September 12 and 13.

Visitors to the festival will be able to feast on such Polish delicacies as kielbasa, pierogis, placki, holubki and chruschicki. The festival will feature rides, games and a full slate of Polish music and polka bands.

The roster of live entertainers includes Dennis Polisky and the Maestro’s Men, Polka Family, DJ Joe Narodowski, Effect Band, Polish American String Band, Pectus, and T.K.O.

There is another reason to make Doylestown a destination this weekend.

On September 12 and 13, the downtown area of Doylestown will be the site of the 24^th Annual Doylestown Arts Festival (www.doylestownartsfestival.com, 215-340-9988).

It will be a weekend of original arts and crafts, live music and diverse food.

Hosted by Doylestown Alliance (DBCA) and presented by The Thompson Organization, the two-day festival features over 160 artists showcasing their creative works. Selections include paintings, photography, jewelry, wood and metal work, furniture, pottery and more.

There will be five stages of live music and various activities featured throughout town. A variety of dining options are available at the festival’s food court and at the restaurants that line the streets.

The annual festival features free admission.