What To Do: Chadds Ford Art Show takes center stage

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times

High quality art shows dot the event calendar throughout the year in this area and one of the earliest entries in the annual schedule is slated for this weekend.

The 68th Annual Chadds Ford Art Sale & Show will be held March 24 and 25 at the Chadds Ford Elementary School (3 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford).

Founded in 1949 by Betsy Wyeth, the popular Chadds Ford Art Sale & Show features works by over 70 professional artists from the Brandywine Valley and beyond.

Artists showcase a variety of works to satisfy every taste and budget. The “Featured Artist” is Len “Leonardo” Garon and the “Donating Artist” is Jacalyn Beam.

The “Opening Night Complimentary Reception & Sale” will be held on March 24 from 7-10 p.m. and feature live music and complimentary hors d’oeuvres from prominent local restaurants and food service businesses. Many of the participating artists will be available to sign or personalize their work.

The “Art Exhibit & Sale” will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on March 25. Special attractions include live music and a raffle drawing at 3 pm. All proceeds support educational enrichment programs at Chadds Ford Elementary School.

There will be an impressive array of exhibits and vendor displays of interest to homeowners at the annual Spring Delaware Home & Garden Show.

Sponsored by the Homebuilders Association of Delaware, the show will be presented March 25 and 26 at the 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.

One of the show’s highlights will be an attraction billed as “Live Butterfly Encounter” presented by Rick Mikula.

For more than 35 years, Mikula has been delighting audiences of all ages with his humorous and offbeat way of looking at butterflies. In this interactive exhibit, visitors encounter live butterflies, and learn how to raise butterflies and moths at any time of year by using simple, recyclable, household items.

Hours for Spring Delaware Home & Garden Show are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $5 at the door.

In Montgomery County, the Cabin Fever Craft Show is being held at Moland House Historic Park (1641 Old York Road, Warminster, 215-850-1888, http://craftsatmolandhouse.com) now through April 11.

More than 50 talented local crafters will offer pottery, floral arrangements and wreaths, primitive items, garden decorations, wall decor, rustic and country crafts, baskets, scarves, fabric bags, jewelry, edible goods and more.

The Moland House was once the headquarters of General George Washington. Today, the house has been converted to a shop which features hand-made crafts. The Moland House is open for guided tours every second and fourth Sunday from 1-4 p.m.  

Show hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays. The $1 admission fee benefits the Moland House Restoration Project.

The Bucks & Montgomery County Home Show will be held from March 24-26 at the SMG SportsPlex (654 York Road, Warminster, 888-560-3976, www.acshomeshow.com).

The well-received annual springtime event is geared for homeowners who are interested in remodeling, landscaping and decorating their homes. It features hundreds of exhibits with merchandise, product demonstrations and sample interior and exterior vignettes.

Visitors to the show will be able to check out new products and receive expert advice from professionals. The event is a prime source of information to help people enhance the comfort, functionality, aesthetic appeal and overall value of their homes

The list of exhibitors includes contractors, landscapers, architects and interior designers. There will also be manufacturers’ representatives who will be presenting samples of products and offering ideas to spark inspiration.

Exhibitor categories include kitchens, bathrooms, windows, roofing, siding, general contractors, landscaping, gutters, solar decks, dormers, sunrooms, awnings. basement systems, countertops, doors, flooring, and pavers.

The expansive list also includes waterproofing, generators, HVC, outdoor lighting, plumbing, garage doors, painting, tile and marble, security systems, appliances, electrical services, energy conservation, fireplaces, insulation, and hot tubs.

The show, which features free admission and free parking, will be open from 11 a.m-8 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m., on Sunday.

On March 25 and 26, the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society and the Philadelphia Mineralogical Society is presenting its “37th 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 a fluorescent minerals room, lapidary and jewelry displays, educational materials, door prizes and a food and beverage concession. There will also be a special exhibit by the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences.

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.

This year’s talks are “Collecting Fossil Plants in the Coastal Desert of Peru and Interpreting Paleoclimate” by Dr. Hermann Pfefferkorn (March 25, 11 a.m.) and “Carnivorous Dinosaurs: Fierce, Fast, and… Feathered?!?!,” by Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. (March 24, 2:30 p.m.).

Dr. Holtz is the author of the award-winning “Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-To-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages.”

His talk this weekend will shed light on carnivorous dinosaurs with bird-like characteristics.

T. rex and Velociraptor are two of the most famous dinosaurs, but are just part of the great diversity of the Theropoda, or carnivorous dinosaurs. Theropods were the top predators on land from 200 million years ago until the great extinction at the end of the Cretaceous.

New fossils have shown how strange and wonderful these creatures could be — from tiny gliding Yi to finbacked fish-eating Spinosaurus to plant-eating Therizinosaurus. And these new fossils have shown that many of these dinosaurs were covered by fuzz, or even feathers — and that today’s birds are the living part of the carnivorous dinosaur family tree.

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).

If you’re looking to physically challenge yourself this weekend, there’s an event in Philly waiting for your participation – the 11th Annual Philadelphia “Fight for Air Climb.”

The race is scheduled for March 25 at 8:30 a.m. at Three Logan Square (1717 Arch Street, Philadelphia, http://action.lung.org, 610-941-9595).

Standing 739 Feet, Three Logan Square is one of Philadelphia’s landmark skyscrapers. The 57-story red granite tower is located in the heart of Philadelphia’s Central Business District and boasts a significant skyline presence.

“Fight for Air Climb” participants will race up 50 of the 57 floors. When they finish the uphill run over 1,088 steps, they will experience what it is like to live with lung disease. “Century Climbers” are even bold enough to take on the stair climb twice!

Participation in the event will raise lifesaving funds to provide education, research and advocacy to our community.

Participants are required to pay a registration fee and raise a minimum of $100. If you can’t climb but want to participate, you can register as a virtual climber.

Money raised at the Climb allows the American Lung Association to fund lung research, programs for lung disease for adults and children, tobacco prevention and cessation programs, advocate for clean and healthy air (indoors and outdoors), and more.

After the climb, friends, family, participants and sponsors are invited to the City Tap House (3925 Walnut Street) for awards and celebration. Participants will receive complimentary food and drink specials.

On March 24, Citizens Bank Park (1 Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, https://www.paspiritsconvention.com) will host the American Whiskey Convention.

Participants will have the opportunity to sample some of the best whiskey and spirits in the world at the special event located in the home stadium of the Philadelphia Phillies.

On Friday evening, the American Whiskey Convention will be held in Citizens Bank Park’s Hall of Fame Club with VIP admission at 5:30 p.m. and general admission at 6:30 p.m. The event ends at 9 p.m.

The American Whiskey Convention is billed as “A Grand Tasting Event By Whiskey Lovers, For Whiskey Lovers.”

The popular annual event will provide whiskey aficionados with the finest selection of American ryes, bourbons, wheat whiskeys and single malts under one roof. It also features exhibits by distillers, special activities, discussion forums and special guest speakers.

VIP tickets are $150 and general admission tickets are $100 – both of which include a commemorative Glencairn tasting glass. Designated driver tickets are $50.

Be Beautiful Expo, which will be held March 25 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, paconvention.com), is the largest expo for women of color in Philadelphia.

Boom 107.9, WNBR 100.3 and Praise 107.9 welcome those of all ages to the Pennsylvania Convention Center for a day of music, empowerment, shopping and fun.

This one-day event features more than 200 marketplace vendors, celebrity workshops and live performances from some of the Tri-State area’s top music, beauty, fashion and lifestyle experts.

The Expo will present informative panel discussions such as “Breaking Into the Music Industry” moderated by Dyana Williams; “Legal Matters: Know Your Rights” led by My Philly Lawyer, Dean Weitzman, Esq; and “Marriage Beyond the Vows” by Pastor Marcos Mercado.

There will also be a variety of motivational sessions as well as presentations such as “High Heels In High Places” with actress Vivica A. Fox; “The Black Love Experience” featuring editors from Essence Magazine and “Turn Your Side Hustle Into Your Main Hustle,” which highlights entrepreneurs from across the country who have successfully turned ideas into hustles and hustles into multi-million dollar businesses.

As an added attraction, Dr. Ian Smith and BOOM 103.9’s Hala Maroc will be onstage at the Expo to talk about fitness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in 2017.

Interesting specialty pavilions will also be onsite, including a “Man Cave,” kids’ pavilion, beauty lounge, auto zone, and health-and-wellness area.

The Expo will run from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on March 25. Admission is $15.

This weekend, the spotlight will be on orchids with two special events devoted to the beautiful and very fragrant flower.

One is the “Orchid Extravaganza,” which is running now through March 31 at Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) and the other is Southeastern Pennsylvania Orchid Show at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, 484-754-EXPO, http://www.phillyexpocenter.com).

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Orchid Show, which is running now through March 26, is largest show and sale of its kind in the Northeast.

With its mission to promote and support the enjoyment of orchids and protection of their habitat, this show features beautiful exhibits, education, quality vendors, guided tours, and more.

There will be free guided tours where visitors can get answers to questions such as “What is an orchid?,” “Where do orchids come from?” and “Can I grow that one at home?”

Show hours are noon-6 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults and free for children (under 12).

The celebration of the orchid species at Longwood Gardens features approximately 4,500 orchids in bloom along with a variety of displays and special exhibits throughout its four-acre conservatory. There are displays of orchids in planting beds, containers and innovative exhibits.

As one of the first plant collections at Longwood, orchids have held a place of distinction since 1922. Longwood’s talented horticulturists celebrate the beauty and variety of orchids with an artful display that includes a towering 12-foot-tall archway, a spectacular orchid curtain, and hundreds of vibrant Vanda orchids in the Silver Garden.

As an added treat, Longwood Gardens has blue poppies for you to check out.

Once considered a myth, blue-poppies (Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’) are alive and thriving at Longwood Gardens. These spectacular flowers—which are native to the high elevations of the Himalayan Mountains—reside in the Conservatory where temperatures are kept cool to make the plants comfortable during their flowering season.

At Longwood, the horticultural experts force the blue-poppies to flower every year in March. This cultivar, ‘Lingholm’, produces large flowers that are four-inches in diameter on average. The substantial petals are a mesmerizing deep sky blue color.  When under stress, the plant may show a mauve tint.

Blue-poppies are infrequently cultivated outside their native habitat. Given the right conditions, however, they can thrive in gardens located in the northern regions of the U.S. and Europe.

Admission to Longwood Gardens is $23 for adults, $20 for seniors and $12 for students.

On March 25 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., there will be a “Spring Scavenger Hunt” at Upper Schuylkill Valley Park (1600 Blackrock Road, Royersford, 610-948-5170).

The park guides have issued an invitation for people to come to the park and help them welcome spring.

Visitors can wander along the pathways of the site while learning fun and interesting facts about springtime from the park’s resident creatures that they encounter along the way.

Because most of the activities are outdoors, the event, which has a “suggested donation” of $2 per person, will be held “weather permitting.”

Another family-oriented activity on March 25 will take place when Pottsgrove Manor (100 West King Street, Pottstown, 610-326-4014) hosts an event called “We Breakfast Deliciously” from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Pottsgrove Manor exemplifies the restrained elegance of early Georgian architecture popular with wealthy English gentry during the mid-18th century.

Built in 1752 for John Potts, ironmaster and founder of Pottstown, the mansion was situated on a nearly 1,000-acre plantation, which by 1762 included the town of “Pottsgrove.”

A successful ironmaster and merchant, Potts was appointed Justice of the Peace and Judge on the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. He was elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly from both Berks and Philadelphia Counties.

Saturday’s event takes a look at Potts family activities. Before they could get up and proceed with the daily tasks, the Potts family would likely have enjoyed a tasty breakfast.

Visitors to the mansion will be able to see what was on the menu as Pottsgrove Manor cooks prepare typical fare for an 18^th-century morning.

The “suggested donation” for the fun and educational event is $2 per person.

The 41st Annual Gap Fire Company Mud Sale & Auction will be held on March 24 and 25 at the Gap Fire Company (802 Pequea Avenue, Gap, 610-593-2480, http://www.gapfire.org).

The list of items that will be on the auction block includes antiques, nursery stock, lawn furniture, quilts, wall hangings, crafts, needlework, farm machinery and more.

The Gap Fire Company’s annual spring “Mud Sale” auction will be held on the fire company grounds on March 24 — starting at 5 p.m. for crafts and 6:30 p.m. for shrubbery and flowers.

The auctions on March 25 will start at 8 a.m. Approximate Sale Times are: 8:30 a.m., Crafts & Needlework, Antiques, Nursery Stock; 9:30 a.m., Lawn Furniture; 11 a.m., Quilts & Wall Hangings; 11:30 a.m., Farm Machinery; noon, Winross Trucks; and 1:30 p.m., Carriages.

For shoppers who get hungry, there will be Chicken Bar-B-Q, homemade soft pretzels, ice cream, strawberry pie, baked goods and other homemade food items.

The 2017 edition of the “Science is Amazing Festival” is scheduled for March 25 at the Lancaster Science Factory (454 New Holland Avenue, Lancaster, 717-509-6363, http://www.lancastersciencefactory.org).

The event, which will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., will feature free admission to all Science Factory exhibits and special science activities along with demonstrations and fun for the whole family.

Children age 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Special science demonstrations and activities will be presented by Science Factory volunteers, area schools, science clubs, universities and Lancaster youth organizations.

New for this year will be the “Mini Maker Fair” featuring Monoprice MP Select Mini 3D printers, Inventables Carvey 2.5D CNC machine, Make 717 custom LED Laser Cutter, Sherline 4400C Lathe and Brother SE400.

A returning fan favorite is the “Soldering Zone,” where participants ages 10 and older can make their own blinking LED pin.

If you’re in the mood to spend a little time outdoors as well as time indoors on March 24, you should consider a short drive westward to the edge of Lancaster County where you can “Celebrate Fourth Friday at the River Towns.”

The fourth Friday of every month is a special community celebration in the Susquehanna “River Towns” of Columbia, Marietta, and Wrightsville (http://parivertowns.com/).

Visitors are invited to come out on Fourth Fridays from 5-9 p.m. when restaurants, shops, and attractions open their doors to special events.

Participants can take a self-guided tour each month, and visit galleries, antique shops, specialty shops, and restaurants throughout the area. They will also have the opportunity to view exhibits from local artists and enjoy special promotions in these unique towns.

At 7 p.m. on March 25, it will be “Timberdoodle Time” at Green Lane Park (2144 Snyder Road, Green Lane, 215-234-4528).

Guests are encouraged to come to the park to witness the evening courtship flight of the American Woodcock in one of the bird’s favorite haunts.

Also known by such nicknames as “Bog-sucker” and “Labrador Twister,” this bird’s antics must be seen to be believed.

The ground may be muddy, so participants are advised to wear appropriate footwear — and bring a flashlight! Program participants and guides will meet at the flagpole at Walt Road Day Use Area.

The event is free and open to adults and children (age 9 and older).

If you’re looking for something different – something really, really different — to do this weekend, you could take part in the “Punch Needle Workshop” at Pennypacker Mills (5 Haldeman Road, Schwenksville, 610-287-9349).

Punch needle embroidery is worked on weaver’s cloth with a needle-like tool. Small loops are formed on the backside of the work surface, creating miniature works of art. Finished pieces resemble miniature hooked rugs and will fit an 8”x8” frame.

The event will be held on March 25 at noon. All materials are supplied and the fee for the workshop is $50 per person.