What To Do: get out there and enjoy summer festivals

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times

This is the time of the year for outdoor festivals. Every summer, this area is a hotbed for festivals — blueberry festivals, peach festivals, county fairs, firemen’s festivals, state fairs and plain old country fairs.

If you enjoy country fairs, you can also check out the 89th Annual Kimberton Community Fair (Kimberton Fairgrounds, Route 113, Kimberton, 610-933-4566, http://kimbertonfair.org) which is running from July 24-29.

The Kimberton Community Fair, which was first staged in 1929, is one of the oldest community fairs in the state — and one of the last “free admission” fairs operating in the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs. The Kimberton Fair is a “free admission fair with parking by donation.”

As always, the fair offers a huge array of free attractions — a festive midway with amusement rides, live entertainment shows, nightly contests, exhibit buildings and livestock displays.

The fair will be held at the Kimberton Fairgrounds on Route 113 approximately one mile south of Phoenixville. The non-profit event, which lists the volunteer Kimberton Fire Company as its beneficiary, attracts over 60,000 people each year.

There are competitions in “Youth” and “Adult” categories for sewing, needlecraft, arts and crafts, vegetables, horticulture, herbs, hay and grain, photography, honey and maple syrup, baking, homemade wines and beers and furniture-making.

There will also be open class and 4-H competitions for “Dairy Cattle,” “Dairy Goats,” “Breeding Sheep” and “Market Steer” livestock. Competitions will be staged nightly.

One of the special attractions this year is an exhibit featuring Suri Alpacas — a rare type of alpaca that represents only about four per cent of the world population of alpacas.

The exhibit is being presented by Suri Farm, ltd. from Myerstown. Representatives from the Farm will bring the alpacas Tuesday through Saturday and will also answer questions about the Suri breed, their fleece and the focus of the farm.

Other special attractions are daily performances by Kountry K-9 Show and appearances by the Phillie Phanatic and Pennsylvania State Fair Queen Darby Kasper.

The Kimberton Fair is a “rain-or-shine” event – more or less.

According to the event’s website, they never officially “close” the fair as a result of rain because they must remain “open” to adhere to Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture operating guidelines.

The indoor attractions stay open even in inclement weather but the festival may shut down any amusement ride if the weather causes safety issues.

On July 22, Linvilla Orchards (137 W. Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com) will host its annual Corn & Blackberry Celebration. Emcee Adam Monaco will kick off the event and get everyone energized for a day of all types of fun family-oriented games — including a Dunk Tank.

There will be live music provided by Ants on a Log. There will also be special appearances by Officer Offbeat, Handyman Rob, Patrol Dog and Little Yellow One-Eyed Dude.

Additionally, Roasty Toasty will be doing his thing from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. – serving up fresh-roasted corn on the cob brushed with butter and sprinkled with your choice of seven different seasonings.

The schedule features a full slate of family-oriented activities throughout the day including appearances by costumed characters, pony rides, face painting and a crafts area. And, visitors can pick their own blackberries, corn and other fresh fruits and vegetables starting at 9 a.m.

Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org) will present a “Making Insects: A Guide to Restoring the Little Things that Run the World” on July 23 from 3-5 p.m.

The special activity is being presented as part of Tyler Arboretum’s summer exhibit “David Rogers’ Big Bugs.”

Participants will be able to enjoy a talk, a walk, and a reception with noted entomologist, Dr. Doug Tallamy of the University of Delaware as they learn about the little things that run the world – bugs.

Some of the topics touched upon will be:

Did you know that globally, insect populations have declined 45% since 1974?

Did you know that a world without insects is a world without humans?

How do we build landscapes that support the pollinators, herbivores, detritivores, predators, and parasitoids that run the ecosystems we depend on?

Tallamy will discuss the many essential roles insects play and describe the simple changes we must make in our landscapes and our attitudes to keep insects on the ground, in the air and on our plants.

Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $11 for adults, $9 for seniors (65 and older) and $7 for children (ages 3-18).

The hit musical “Beauty and the Beast” is a show that appeals to audiences young and old.

Fans will have a chance to see a live performance of the show by visiting Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) this weekend or next weekend when Brandywiners, Ltd. performs the award-winning musical in Longwood’s beautiful Open Air Theatre.

Every summer, the company presents a large-scale musical production at Longwood Gardens and contributes the proceeds to cultural, educational and civic causes throughout the Delaware Valley.

This summer, the Brandywiners, Ltd. present the Tony award-winning musical “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” the classic French fairy tale which teaches the importance of looking for the heart in others. Performances are set for July 27-29 and August 3-5.

“Beauty and the Beast” is a tale that has been loved by generations, a tale that tells of the adventure, courage and intelligence of a young woman determined not to let society define her and her discovery that the grumpy beast isn’t such a monster after all.

Tickets for the Brandywiners, Ltd. production include admission to Longwood Gardens beginning at 9 a.m. on the day of performance as well as a spectacular fountain display immediately following the show. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students (ages 13-21) and $15 for children (ages 12 and under).

Outdoor concerts in the summertime are always fun — as long as the weather doesn’t get brutally hot. There are several established series in this area that always provide great outdoor shows.

The Eagleview Summer Concerts on the Square at Eagleview Town Center (Wharton Boulevard, Exton, www.ineagleview.com) will host Melodime and Deadfellow on July 25, Fastball and The Mallett Brothers on August 1.

The season’s schedule also includes Incendio and Katie Frank on August 8, Trout Fishing in America and Dana Louise & The Glorious Birds on August 15, Ian Foster, Harrow Care and Conrad Kendall on August 22 and Southern Avenue and No Good Sister on August 29.

Upper Merion’s annual “Concert Under the Stars” series (Upper Merion Township Building Park, 175 W. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, www.umtownship.org, 610-265-1071) is celebrating its 33^rd anniversary this season.

On July 23, the series will present Hoots and Hellmouth with special guests Dan Rooney and Allison Pierce and The Sherwood Brothers with special guest Ernie & Neal on July 30.

The schedule for August features the season finale with Craig Bickhardt Family and Friends Festival featuring Craig and Aislinn, Jesse Terry with Michael G. Ronstadt, and Tommy Geddes & Tom Hampton on August 6.

If you want to hear top-flight female music acts such as Angela Sheik, Nadjah Nicole and Nalani & Sarina play in a small, comfortable setting where their performances are upfront and accessible, you can do it on July 20 and 21 at the Sixth Annual Ladybug Music Festival (theladybugfestival.com).

The free event, which will be held in the 2^nd & LoMa neighborhood along Market Street downtown Wilmington, is a block party that will run each night from 5-10 p.m. and feature 40 talented music acts — all female.

This year, Third Street and the outdoor courtyard of Del Tech will also have vendors and live music. The music will begin around 5 p.m. and will be nonstop on multiple stages until 10 p.m.

Some of the other featured acts slated to play the 2017 Ladybug Festival are Meghan Cary, Mean Wendy Band, Sweet Leda, Halo Quartet and Desert Sharks.

The Bryn Mawr Twilight Series at the Bryn Mawr Gazebo (9 South Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, http://www.brynmawrtwilightconcerts.com) will feature Lisa Willson Vocal Academy on July 21.

The 2017 schedule also includes Dar Williams w/Jonathan Doh

on July 22, and Artolerance Arab/Jewish Fusion Trio on July 29.

Fort Mifflin on the Delaware (Fort Mifflin Road and Hog Island Road, Philadelphia, 215-685-4167, http://fortmifflin.us) offers a variety of special events throughout the year. On July 22 and 23, the special event will be “World War II – Explore the Eastern Front! @ The Fort.”

The event will feature living history activities with soldiers and civilians, guided tours, “rifle” drills, a “grenade” toss, guided tours and a variety of other related activities.

“World War II – Explore the Eastern Front!@The Fort” will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (age 65 and older) and $6 for veterans (with ID) and students (age 12 and under).

On July 22, the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing (201 South Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, www.delawareriverwaterfront.com) will be the site of the annual Islamic Heritage Festival.

The 26th annual Islamic Heritage Festival kicks off with the Unity and Diversity Parade at 1 p.m. and then shifts to the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing at 2 p.m. The event will feature speakers, games for the whole family and a global open market bazaar.

Scheduled performers are Noorah Islam, the Universal African Drum & Dance Ensemble, Zaimah, Miss Undastood, Moses the Comic, the Poet MC and Seff Al-Friqi.

The event, which is part of the PECO Multicultural Series, is scheduled to run from noon-8 p.m.

One of the most popular annual events at the Landis Valley Museum (2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster, 717-569-0401, www.landisvalleymuseum.org) is “Civil War Days.”

The fun and educational event, which will be held on July 22 and 23, takes visitors back into an era when America’s northern states waged war with states from the south.

The museum’s grounds in Lancaster will be the site of a Civil War era village. Additionally, the site will host a large number of authentically dressed military and civilian re-enactors in a variety of roles such as merchants, members of aid societies, craftsmen and townsfolk.

Some of the featured activities are company drills, weapon firing demonstrations, musket drills and a cavalry demonstration. There will also be games and hands-on activities for kids, lectures, horse-drawn wagon rides and a Civil War fashion show.

Landis Valley Museum is a living history village dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting the history and culture of the Pennsylvania German community from 1740-1940. Admission tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $8 for youth (ages 3-11). Parking is free.