By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Gay Street Open-Air Market
August has arrived and that means it’s time for country fairs, festivals, outdoor concerts, big top circus shows and nature-related events.
West Chester will be in celebration mode all weekend.
You can double your pleasure and double your fun tonight in West Chester.
It’s Friday and that means the Gay Street Open-Air Market is open.
It’s Friday August 2 and that means it’s a First Friday.
On the First Friday of each month, Downtown West Chester presents a rotating schedule of free community events, exclusive sales and extended evening hours at many retail businesses — and free street-level, metered parking after 5 p.m.
During the summer, Downtown West Chester hosts a Summer Concert Series on the First Friday of June, July, August, and September. Different bands will perform at the Historic Courthouse and the Jack Loew Plaza from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Tonight’s featured band will be The Jimmy Mac Band & The Attic Dwellers. On September 6, live music will be provided by The Jonathan Ragonese Quartet & Grecia, Nielands, and Windish
For more info, visit https://www.downtownwestchester.com/…/summer-concert…/.
The Gay Street Open-Air Market will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through September 29.
The Open-Air Market gives residents and visitors more space to shop, eat, and explore the town.
Four blocks of Gay Street are closed to vehicles every weekend, so everyone can partake in al fresco dining and shopping.
The streets are closed from roughly Friday at 8 a.m. to Monday at 8 a.m.
This event is rain or shine. Shopping/dining in the street will most likely be unavailable until the bad weather passes, but Gay Street will remain closed.
For more info, visit https://www.downtownwestchester.com/openairmarket/.
Oxford is also celebrating First Friday with the “Hometown Harvest First Friday.”The event, which is also billed as the Hometown Harvest First Friday & Tractor Parade,” will take place on August 2 from 5-8 p.m.
The event, which is presented by Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. (oxfordmainstreet.com), will be focused on farm-to-table agriculture and how important farmers are to our daily lives.
According to Oxford Mainstreet, Inc., “The Oxford community is steeped in a rich history of farming and agriculture, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring that to the heart of downtown Oxford with our second annual Hometown Harvest.
“We will also be featuring our popular tractor parade that kicks off at 5:40 p.m. and is followed at 7 p.m. by a Hay Bale Throwing Contest located at the entrance of Locust Street.”
Phoenixville First Friday
Phoenixville First Fridays (http://www.phoenixvillefirst.org) are back in 2024 with celebrations from 5:50-8:30 p.m. every inaugural Friday of the month.
This year, First Fridays will operate within the weekly Bridge Street open-air closure to create an ambiance of a night market all along Bridge Street.
There will be live musicians placed throughout downtown on Bridge and Main Streets, and handmade craft vendors and artists displaying and selling their art in the Main and Bridge Street parking lot.
Lancaster’s popular First Friday (http://www.visitlancastercity.com/first-friday/) is an arts extravaganza that runs from 5-9 p.m. on August 2.
Visitors to downtown Lancaster will have the opportunity to discover innovative exhibitions, performances and perhaps a few surprises as they walk the streets lined with trees and distinctive architecture.
This weekend’s event will include the First Friday Trolley which will be free to the public every First Friday of the month now through October.
The trolley will make stops within the Arts District Loop. Along the route you can find art galleries, shops, restaurants, bars, and more.
Non-traditional boutiques and excellent restaurants complement the art galleries, artisan studios, museums, performing groups, professional theater, symphony orchestra and art college.
Another First Friday event this weekend will take place in Old City Philadelphia (230 Vine Street and locations throughout Old City Philadelphia, 215- 625-9200,www.oldcitydistrict.org).
On the first Friday of each month — year-round — Old City’s galleries, studios, shops and restaurants open their doors for First Friday, in an epic exhibition of the neighborhood’s vibrant arts scene.
Old City Arts Association launched First Friday in 1991 to introduce Philadelphia to the improving neighborhood and the artists and designers who were bringing it back to life.
Two decades later, Old City is a nationally recognized arts destination, named in 2013 as one of the country’s top ArtPlaces by the ArtPlace Foundation.
On the first Friday evening of every month, the streets of Old City fill with art lovers of all kinds who wander among the neighborhood’s 40-plus galleries, most of which are open from 5-9 p.m.
Some of the area’s annual events such as the Goshen Fair and Das Awkscht Fescht have been around for a long time — a really long time.
One of the best — and longest-running – fairs is the annual Goshen Country Fair (Goshen Fairgrounds, Park Avenue, East Goshen, 610- 430-1554, www.goshencountryfair.org).
The fair, which is celebrating its diamond anniversary (75th) this season, will run from now through August 3 at the Goshen Fairgrounds, which are located just off West Chester Pike three miles east of West Chester.
The free family-oriented event is held each year as a benefit for the Goshen Fire Company. It will open at 6 p.m. on Friday and at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
This is an authentic down-home country fair with all the agricultural events found at most traditional country fairs, including livestock competitions each night at 6 p.m.
The fair will also feature competitions for pies, vegetables, jams and jellies, specimen flowers, bread, cookies, flowering houseplants, cakes, flower arrangements, and candy. Nightly attractions include live music performances, tug-of-war competitions and pie-eating contests.
The schedule for live music includes Chester County Lawmen on August 2 and Southern Edge Band on August 3.
You can also take a trip back in time by attending Das Awkscht Fescht (Macungie Memorial Park, Main Street, Macungie, 610-967-2317, www.awkscht.com) — an event that is easy to enjoy and difficult to pronounce.
Das Awkscht Fescht, which is celebrating its 61st anniversary this year, runs from August 2-4 in Macungie, a small town just south of Allentown. It is billed as one of the largest antique and classic car shows in the country with over 3,500 cars on display.
The popular annual event takes its name from “Der Augscht”, which is the Pennsylvania Dutch word for “August.” Das Awkscht Fescht, which is held the first weekend of August each year, is a traditional summer festival with a full roster of family fun events.
This year’s feature car is the Corvette.
There is a completely different car show each day. August 2 features the Variety Show with thousands of pre-1991 automobile models along with a variety of classic tractors, trucks and motorcycles.
On August 3, the spotlight will be on the Antique and Classic Car Show with more than 1,200 antique cars, classic automobiles and sports cars. On August 4, the event is the Special Interest Car Show featuring 35 car clubs with more than 800 vintage autos.
There will be a variety of kids’ shows and activities including jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, clowns and a special creative activity and display center. Kids of all ages will enjoy the Antique Toy Show, which is held at Eyer Middle School, and Toy Town, which is staged outdoors.
Other attractions include daily bingo sessions, picnics in the park, a playground, a huge public swimming pool, an arts and crafts show featuring over 120 artisans and an “Antique Auto Flea Market.” There will also be fireworks spectacular Saturday at 9:30 p.m.
Admission to the festival is $10 for adults and free for children (15 and under).
Another top attraction in the Lehigh Valley is Musikfest.
Bethlehem’s Musikfest (downtown Bethlehem, 610-332-1300, www.musikfest.org) is a special event — an event that is more than just another popular summertime festival in the Lehigh Valley.
Over the years, Musikfest has established itself as one of America’s top annual music festivals an event that offers big name headliners as well as a wide variety of folk, rock, pop and ethnic music acts.
It also sports some impressive numbers.
The festival, which is celebrating its 34th anniversary this year, features free music performances on most of its indoor and outdoor stages.
Musikfest, which is running now through August 11, presents more than 300 live musical performances and draws over one million people to the Lehigh Valley every August.
The main concert stage at Musikfest is the Sands Steel Stage which features national touring acts with tickets required for all shows.
The following is this year’s main stage schedule most notable headliners – Sugar Ray on August 2, Slash with ZZ Ward on August 5, Lynyrd Skynyrd on August 7, Black Eyed Peas on August 9, and ZZ Top with Foghat on August 11.
There will also be a multitude of free concerts but Musikfest is much more than just festival offering a wealth of music.
It also features interactive arts and theater activities for children along with a large number of concessions offering a wide array of food and beverage treats.
The Delaware River waterfront hosts a number of cultural celebrations this summer during the PECO Multicultural Series. This weekend, the focus is on the culture of the African continent.
On August 4, the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing (201 South Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, www.delawareriverwaterfront.com) will be the site of the ACANA African Festival at the Great Plaza.
The annual outdoor concert, which will run from 2-8 p.m., brings artists, groups, and dance troupes from around the African continent to perform in a free event.
The festival provides a wide range of African entertainment, from traditional dance performances to modern Afropop and reggae musical performances. The family-oriented event also features African food vendors, as well as sales booths with traditional and modern clothing, arts and crafts.
One of the event’s highlights will be a performance by Awilo Longomba, the godfather of modern African music. Longomba is a Congolese soukous singer, composer, drummer, songwriter, dancer, and producer.
O.K. – maybe you’re looking for something fun to do this weekend, but you want something other than a carnival, a fruit festival, a historical event or a train ride.
Here’s an event you can check out that is definitely different.
On August 4, Glen Foerd (5001 Grant Avenue, Philadelphia, https://www.glenfoerd.org/events) is presenting an “Animal Bone Identification Workshop.”
Participants will be able to get up close and personal with some animal bones.
They can learn about the wide range of animals that call this area home and how to identify them.
In an interactive activity, participants can dissect owl pellets — or indigestible parts of an owl’s diet, including feathers and bones –and then compare different species’ skeletons to better understand adaptions.
The event, which will get underway at 11 a.m., is free and open to the public.
Glen Foerd is an 18-acre public park and historic site located along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Built in 1850 and enlarged in 1902-03, the estate, which features consisting of historic gardens, an Italianate-Classical Revival style mansion, and multiple additional structures, was saved from potential development through the activism of dedicated neighbors in 1983.
Today, Glen Foerd focuses on welcoming a diverse community through a wide array of programs for all ages. As one of the only cultural sites located in Northeast Philadelphia, a rapidly changing area of the city, Glen Foerd aims to connect audiences from different backgrounds by offering unique and affordable experiences to engage with the arts and the environment.
On August 4, Arasapha Farm (1835 Middletown Road, Glen Mills, Arasaphafarm.com) will present its “Fifth Annual Car, Truck, Tractor, Big Rig & Motorcycle Show.”
All vehicles are invited to participate in the event which runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
There is a $20 per vehicle fee and no pre-registration.
Gates open at 8 a.m. and registration ends at noon.
Dash plaques will be given to the first 100 vehicles and handmade trophies will be awarded to title winners.
There will also be a DJ, food trucks, 50/50 raffle, and a flea market featuring a wide array of vendors.
The event features free admission for spectators.
Monster-Mania Con 59 will be held now through August 4 at the Doubletree By Hilton (2349 Marlton Pike West, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, monstermania.net).
One of the nation’s premier horror film conventions, Monster-Mania Con features an impressive list of celebrities who will be appearing this weekend, including William Shatner, Juliette Lewis, Clive Barker, Robert Englund, Melissa Barrera and Doug Bradley.
Visitors to the convention will be able to meet the stars, get autographs, browse vendor rooms and enjoy films and special events all weekend long.
Activities get underway at 4 p.m. on August 2 and at 10 a.m. on August 3 and 4.
Admission is $35 each day.
Hagley Museum and Library (Route 141, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org) will host “Summer Nights at Hagley” on August 7 from 5-8 p.m. – and every Wednesday evening through August 28.
Visitors to Hagley can enjoy an after-work hike or a picnic along Brandywine Creek’s most beautiful mile on summer Wednesday evenings from June through August.
It is a family event featuring summer fun in a beautiful outdoor setting. Guests can bring a picnic to enjoy at Hagley’s picnic pavilion on Workers’ Hill or at a picnic table along the Brandywine.
Dogfish Head craft beer and Woodside Farm Creamery ice cream are also available for purchase. You are welcome to bring your own food to “Summer Nights at Hagley,” but outside alcohol is strictly prohibited.
Admission is $5 per person and free for Hagley members and children five and under. Please note that this event is weather-dependent.
Hagley is the site of the gunpowder works founded by E. I. du Pont in 1802. This example of early American industry includes restored mills, a workers’ community, and the ancestral home and gardens of the du Pont family.
High on the bank of the Brandywine River overlooking the original powder mills, E. I. du Pont, founder of the DuPont Company, built his home.
For almost a century the Georgian-style home and surrounding complex of buildings and gardens served as the center of family and business life. Five generations of du Pont family members lived in the house since its completion in 1803, each leaving their mark.
Today you will see it much as it was when the last family member lived there, filled with furnishings and collections of American folk art, alongside treasured family pieces and items brought with the family from France when they left in 1799.
Additionally, there will be a “Walking Tour” on August 5 at 11 a.m.
With the “Walking Tour,” participants can walk through history during an in-depth, 90-minute guided tour each Monday morning from March through December. This week’s topic is “What’s for Dinner? A Tale of Two Gardens.”
Admission is $20 for Adults, $16 for Seniors (62+) and Students, and $10 for Children 6-14.
A popular event in Delaware this weekend is “Steamin’ Days” at Auburn Heights Preserve (3000 Creek Road, Yorklyn, Delaware, 302-239-2385, http://auburnheights.org) on August 4.
Visitors are encouraged to climb into an antique automobile or board one of the trains and experience what it was like to travel at the turn of the 20th century. They can also tour the magnificent 1897 mansion that was home to three generations of the Marshall family.
Also included is entry to the Marshall Steam Museum, which features the world’s largest operating collection of Stanley steam cars along with a 1930s working Lionel electric train display, a hands-on engine display, kids’ activities and exhibits and the Museum Gift Shop. Self-guided experiences will be available along a designated route to ensure one-way paths and proper spacing.
Free popcorn may be enjoyed by all visitors during “Steamin’ Days” events and Woodside Farm Creamery will be on-site with delicious ice cream available for purchase. A food truck will also be on-site at “Steamin’ Days.”
Activities run from 12:30-4:30 p.m.
Another event this weekend which looks back to a bygone era is being presented by Pottsgrove Manor (100 West King Street, Pottstown, 610-326-4014, http://montcopa.org/index.aspx?nid=930).
Every Saturday in August, Pottsgrove Manor is presenting “Open House Days.”
Visitors can see something new every Saturday as Pottsgrove Manor highlights items from the collection and welcomes Living History activities throughout the day. They will be able to discover the ins-and-outs of 18th century items with the curator and learn about the trades and skills of the past with living history interpreters.
Pottsgrove Manor’s staff and living history volunteers will demonstrate 18th-century trades, crafts, and pastimes. Many of the audience-friendly events are interactive.
This event also features free admission with a $2 suggested donation.
On select Saturday and Sundays now through July 30, the Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) is presenting
“Wine Down” on Thursday and Fridays now through September 2 from 5-8 p.m. each night.
9, 2023
“Wine Down” will feature live music on Thursday evening and Quizzo trivia games on Fridays.
In addition to wine available by the glass, there will be food items available for purchase.
Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodswinery.com) is presenting a summer music series.
The winery will open at 11 a.m. each day and have matinee performances of live music.
There will be music by Ashley Sweetman on August 2 from 5-7 p.m., Greg Jones on August 3 from 2-5 p.m. and Jeff Kessler on August 4 from 2-5 p.m.
As part of Historic Philadelphia’s celebration at Franklin Square (200 Sixth Street, Philadelphia, www.historicphiladelphia.org), the organization is illuminating the park with its annual “Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square.”
Now through August 18, Franklin Square will come alive every night with its Chinese Lantern Festival featuring more than two dozen illuminated lanterns – all constructed by lantern artisans from China.
Chinese-inspired performances will take place in Franklin Square twice nightly. Performances, which celebrate Chinese performance art and entertainment, are 30-minutes long and are scheduled for 7 and 9 p.m.
Festival hours are 6-11 p.m. Admission is $25 for adults ($28 on Saturday and Sunday), $23 /$26 for youth and seniors, and $16 for children.
Schuylkill Banks Riverboat Tour (www.schuylkillbanks.org/events/riverboat-tours-1) presents “Secrets of the Schuylkill” now through October.
The boat ride is a one-hour family-friendly tour of Philly’s second biggest river featuring sights such as Bartram’s Garden and Fairmount Water Works.
Riders can discover the Hidden River on a fun and educational riverboat tour while seeing spectacular views of Philadelphia.
They can also learn about the past, present, and future of the tidal Schuylkill River and its impact on Philadelphia on a one-hour Secrets of the Schuylkill tour which costs $25 for adults and $15 for children (age 12 and under).
Tours depart from the Walnut Street Dock, under the Walnut Street Bridge, east bank of the Schuylkill River. Tours are scheduled for August 6 at 1 and 3 p.m. and August 10 at 5:30 and 7:15 p.m.
On August 5, Kitchen Kettle Village (3529 Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse, www.kitchenkettle.com) will host “Yummie’s Birthday Party” beginning at 9 a.m.
Kitchen Kettle Village is inviting everyone to come party in Lancaster County with Yummie, the gingerbread man and all his crazy friends.
Kids of all ages will enjoy this birthday bash for Yummie, the Kitchen Kettle Village mascot. They can join the village’s overstuffed gingerbread mascot and a few mascot friends – including Cylo from the Lancaster Barnstormers, as they celebrate a truly scrumptious day in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
The free event features live entertainment, a “Fun Zone” and singing, dancing and birthday treats.
Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.
Odessa is one of Delaware’s most historic sites.
Known in the 18th-century as Cantwell’s Bridge, Odessa played a vital role in commercial life along the Delaware River as a busy grain shipping port.
Today, visitors can stroll along tree-lined streets and admire examples of 18th- and 19th-century architecture in one of the best-preserved towns in Delaware. They can also tour a remarkable collection of antiques and Americana preserved in period room settings and quaint exhibits.
Historic Odessa is open to the public from March through December, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. The site is also open Monday by reservation. General Admission: Adults, $10; Groups, Seniors, Students, $8; and Children under six are free.
The Brandywine Valley has quite a few museums and tourist sites that provide residents and tourists ideal opportunities to spend leisure time — and you can maximize your effort if you take advantage of the 2024 Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport.
The cost is $49 for an individual pass and $99 for a family pass (for up to five family members).
The Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport is good for one-time admission to Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley’s top attractions now through October 31.
A family pass, which includes one-day admission to each of 12 sites, can bring a savings of over $200 for the holders — especially since many of the participating institutions have regular admission fees in double figures.
The list of locations covered by the Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport includes Longwood Gardens, Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, Brandywine River Museum, Delaware Art Museum, Delaware History Museum, Hagley Museum and Library, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Nemours Mansion & Gardens, Read House and Garden, Mt. Cuba Center, Rockwood Museum and Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library.
For more information, call (800) 489-6664 or visit www.visitwilmingtonde.com/bmga/.
Nemours Estate (1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware, nemoursestate.org) has come alive with its magnificent gardens.
Originally constructed in 1910, Nemours Mansion is one of Delaware’s grandest buildings and includes the largest formal French garden in North America.
Nemours Estate comprises an exquisite, 77-room Mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.
Nemours was the estate of Alfred I. duPont. Alfred Irénée du Pont was an American industrialist, financier, philanthropist and a member of the influential Du Pont family.
He named the estate Nemours, after the French town that his great-great-grandfather represented in the French Estates General. While looking to the past and his ancestors for inspiration, duPont also ensured that his new home was thoroughly modern by incorporating the latest technology and many of his own inventions.
The Gardens are one of the estate’s prime attractions.
The two elk at the top of the Vista are the work of French sculptor Prosper Lecourtier (1855–1924), a specialist in animal figures. Lined with Japanese cryptomeria, pink flowering horse chestnuts and pin oaks, the Long Walk extends from the Mansion to the Reflecting Pool.
The 157 jets at the center of the one-acre pool shoot water 12 feet into the air; when they are turned off, the entire “Long Walk” is reflected in the pool. The pool, five and a half feet deep in its deepest section, holds 800,000 gallons of water and takes three days to fill. The Art Nouveau-style, classical mythology-based “Four Seasons” around the pool are by French-born American sculptor Henri Crenier (1873–1948).
The entrance is located on the campus of Nemours Children’s Health, follow signs for Nemours Estate.
Admission to Nemours is $23 for adults, $21 for seniors and $10 for children.
Visiting Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, www.longwoodgardens.org) is a real treat at any time during the year but especially sweet during the summer when the grounds are filled with vibrant colors produced by a variety of flowers.
Longwood Gardens is one of the best outdoor attractions in the area, one of the best family attractions in the state and one of the best gardens attractions in the country.
There are times when even the very best can get better.
Each of the six districts has a distinct personality.
Chimes Tower District — A stunning hillside of rare, expertly edited plants, a historic bell tower anchored on a 50-foot waterfall, and award-winning trees beckon, all within view of the majestic Main Fountain Garden.
Conservatory District — Considered the centerpiece of Longwood Gardens, stunning 19th-century architecture works in harmony with a perpetual flower show under acres of glass. Explore dazzling displays and otherworldly plant species through a series of breathtaking rooms.
House & Theater District — Developed with the specific purpose of display and performance, experience a vista to the early days of Longwood, taking in views that Pierre and his family enjoyed more than a century ago, including Peirce’s Park and Peirce’s Woods.
Lakes District — Open vistas, rolling green lawns, sparkling water, and splashing fountains recall a European holiday from days gone by, reminding us of the joy of fresh air, a nice walk, and an exquisite view.
Meadow & Forest District — The expansive landscape of the Meadow and Forest District harmonizes the best practices in ecological restoration with garden design—showcasing horticultural excellence and beauty while prioritizing plant and animal communities.
Main Fountain Garden District — The classical gardens and grand theatre of this district have captivated guests for more than 90 years. Inspired by Pierre S. du Pont’s travels to Europe’s great water gardens, world’s fairs, and expositions, the Main Fountain Garden highlights horticulture, engineering marvels, and the beauty of exceptional design.
Longwood’s summer schedule features Main Fountain Garden Performances through October 27, Illuminated Fountain Performances Thursdays-Saturdays through October 26, Festival of Fountains through October 27, Fireworks & Fountains Shows on select dates through October, Open Air Theatre Fountain Shows daily through November 10, and Festive Fridays on August 16, September 20 and October 18.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $32 for adults, $28 for seniors and college students, $23 for active military and $17 for youth.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is a great summertime destination.
There seems to be no end to what’s in bloom — and in almost every corner of the garden.
The garden is a result of the artistic vision of its creator, Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969) and is surrounded by nearly 1,000 acres of meadows, farmland, and waterways.
The views in every direction are important to the whole. The paths are an integral part of the overall design, curving rather than straight, following the contours of the land, passing around trees, and drawing walkers into the garden.
Visitors can explore the garden on foot, or on a narrated tram ride (March-December).
Admission to Winterthur is $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and students and $8 for children.
The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum (8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, www.fws.gov/refuge/John_Heinz) will present “Birds, Butterflies, and Dragonflies Walk” with Cliff and Nancy Hence.
The event will be held on August 4 at 9 a.m.
Participants will discover the dragonflies and birds of the Refuge.
The walk will meet at the Visitor Center and be at a relaxed paced on flat surfaces.
Another venue where you can get close to nature is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).
The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend features the “Saturday Wildflower Walk,” on August 3 from 1-3 p.m.
At the “Saturday Wildflower Walk,” wildflower expert Dick Cloud will lead an informative two-hour hike that will take visitors through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside. These walks are for those who have a love of plants, their role in ecology, or for those who want to learn more.
Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $18 for adults (ages 18-64), $15 for Seniors (65+) and $10 for children (ages 3-17) and Military with valid ID.
Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, www.morrisarboretum.org) opening a new season exhibit in 2023 – “Bloomin’ Bubbles.”
Every Tuesday through August, Morris Arboretum is presenting “Bloomin’ Bubbles” from 11 a.m.-noon starting at the Azalea Meadow – weather permitting.
There are more than flowers in bloom this spring and summer at the Morris Arboretum. Visitors are invited to join the arboretum staff for “Bloomin’ Bubbles,” when the Azalea Meadow is transformed into a magical flurry of bubbles for children to play with, play in and pop before lunch.
The Morris Arboretum also is offering its “Garden Highlights Tour” this month.
Experienced guides will share both the history and current highlights of the Arboretum during a one-hour walking tour.
Tours depart from the Visitor Center at 1 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. These tours are small groups and space is very limited.
This reservation is good for admission to the Arboretum as well as for the tour itself. The tour is weather permitting. If the tour is cancelled, your ticket is still good for admission.
Another attraction at Morris Arboretum is the ultra-popular Garden Railway Display, which has become a major summer attraction at the site. The annual edition of the display will remain open until September 30.
This summer, the arboretum unveiled a brand-new exhibition in its Garden Railway – “Garden Railway: Dinos!”
With more than 15 different rail lines running along a third of a mile of track, visitors will enjoy a spectacular display of dinosaurs including Triceratops, and Velociraptor, as well as other Mesozoic creatures — all made out of natural materials such as bark, leaves, and twigs.
As one of the largest outdoor miniature train displays in the United States, the Garden Railway will delight and amaze visitors of all ages.
Admission is $20 for adults; $18 for seniors (65 and older); $10 for students (ages 13-17 or with ID), active military and retired military; and free for children (under 3).
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tours” on August 4.
Hope Lodge was built between 1743 and 1748 by Samuel Morris, a prosperous Quaker entrepreneur. Morris acted as a farmer, shipowner, miller, iron master, shop owner, and owner of the mill now known as Mather Mill. Hope Lodge is an excellent example of early Georgian architecture, and it is possible that Edmund Woolley, architect of Independence Hall, offered advice in building. Samuel Morris owned the estate until his death in 1770.
The site opens at 12:30 p.m. with self-guided tours starting at 1 and 2:30 p.m. The closes at 4 p.m.
Tour admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 65+) and for youth ages 6-17, and fee for children under 5. Hope Lodge is a Blue Star Museum which means that active-duty military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve and their families, are admitted free for regular tours from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com), a family-friendly amusement park in Langhorne, is hosting “Summer Fun Fest” now through September. Guests will be able to rock out with Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster and Count von Count.
There’s nothing like summer at Sesame Place. It’s a great time to cool off with refreshing (and splashy) water attractions for all ages, from Big Bird’s Rambling River to The Count’s Splash Castle. Find more fun in the sun with family rides like Captain Cookie’s High C’s Adventure and Oscar’s Wacky Taxi Roller Coaster.
Summer is perfect for meeting your favorite furry friends and taking bright, beautiful pictures with them. There also are exciting shows, special events, parades, dance parties, character dining experiences, and other surprises lined up to give you even more ways to connect.
Summer is perfect for meeting your favorite furry friends and taking bright, beautiful pictures with them. There also are exciting shows, special events, parades, dance parties, character dining experiences, and other surprises lined up to give you even more ways to connect.
It’s Sesame Place’s birthday and the park is throwing a party full of furry fun now through August 6.
Visitors can celebrate with a special interactive Birthday Bash Dance Party, find all the party balloons in a fun, whimsical scavenger hunt, and take photos with their Sesame Street friends dressed in their birthday attire.
Special activities include “Birthday Character Meet & Greets,” “Furry Friends Birthday Bash Dance Party” and “Elmo’s Party Balloon Scavenger Hunt.”
Ticket prices for Sesame Place start at $52.99.
Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com) is celebrating its “Peach Festival” on August 3 and 4 and “National Peach Month” throughout August.
The “Peach Festival” is a peach lovers’ paradise with plenty of peachy treats, weekend entertainment, and scenic strolls through the Village’s summer gardens.
Visitors will be able to savor the flavors of all things peach from savory to sweet at the Village’s restaurants and weekend outdoor food tent all month long.
Fresh peaches, peach pies, and peach products will be available on Saturdays and Sundays in August.
During the month of August, visitors can savor peach-themed food and drink specials served every day in Peddler’s Village’s restaurants and eateries.
Peddler’s Village shops will be open until 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Admission and parking are free. The event will be held rain or shine.
Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the summer.
Participants can walk with tour guides from the grounds of America’s first White House, Congress, and Liberty Bell to homes and sites of Hamilton, Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and more than 10 other Founding-Fathers. The surprising dirt of espionage, murder, sexual license and blackmail highlight the secrets of 1776 with a ghost story or two along the way. This tour is highly researched. And your guide is a historian.
Tickets are $35.
Ghost Tour of Philadelphia (215-413-1997, www.ghosttour.com), Ghost Tour of Lancaster (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) and Ghost Tour of Strasburg (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) operate throughout the winter and offer an eerily entertaining evening of true ghost stories and real haunted houses.
The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, which is based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Philadelphia, PA.,” is a candlelight walking tour along the back streets and secret gardens of Independence Park, Society Hill, and Old City, where ghostly spirits, haunted houses, and eerie graveyards abound.
Participants can discover the ghost lore of America’s most historic and most haunted city with stories from the founding of William Penn’s colony to present-day hauntings.
The activity is open year-round – weekends, December-February; every night, March-November. Tickets are $24.
The Ghost Tour of Lancaster and the Ghost Tour of Strasburg are based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Lancaster, PA.”
Participants in the Ghost Tour of Lancaster explore the long-forgotten mysteries of one of America’s oldest cities, with haunting tales of otherworldly vigils, fatal curses, and star-crossed lovers. The tour provides the opportunity to experience 300 years of haunted history from the Red Rose City’s thorny past. Tickets are $20.
The Ghost Tour of Strasburg is a candlelight walking tour of the quaint and historic town of Strasburg in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Visitors will experience an entertaining evening with a costumed tour guide spinning tales of haunted mansions, eerie graveyards, and spirits that roam the night … in a town lost in time. Tickets are $20.
Wonderspaces at the Fashion District (27 North 11th Street, Philadelphia, philadelphia.wonderspaces.com) is an experiential, interactive arts venue.
Building on the success of annual pop-up shows in San Diego, and its first permanent location in Scottsdale, Arizona, Wonderspaces opened a 24,000 square foot gallery space in Philly a year ago.
Wonderspaces features 14 art installations that all play with the idea of perspective. The artwork ranges from an award-winning virtual reality short film about a dinner party-turned-alien abduction to a room where visitors digitally paint the walls with the movement of their bodies.
New artworks rotate every few months, creating an ever-evolving, year-round show.
Tickets are for entry at a specific date and time. Visitors are welcome to stay as long as they please during operating hours. The average time spent experiencing the show is 90 minutes.
A few installations contain flashing lights, images, and patterns that may trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. All visitors must sign a waiver prior to being admitted into the space. Adult supervision is required for visitors under 16.
The Elmwood Park Zoo (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) has several interesting events this weekend.
Elmwood Park Zoo’s Wine Safari, which will run from 6-9 p.m. on August 2, invites guests to sample delectable blends from local wineries as they stroll through the zoo at twilight.
Participants can enjoy wine by the glass and take advantage of bottle sales. There will also be food available for purchase from Tosco’s.
The event will also include special keeper talks, animal greets and a giraffe feeding.
Tickets are $59 for General Admission.
Guests can also celebrate Elmwood Park Zoo’s 100th Anniversary during its Centennial Saturdays, happening on the first Saturday of each month.
The first 100 guests will receive a special giveaway item.
Participants can enjoy live entertainment, capture memorable moments at our photo opportunities, indulge in delicious birthday treats and be amazed by captivating animal shows.
Treetop Quest Philly (51 Chamounix Drive, Philadelphia, www.treetopquest.com) is an aerial adventure park that will challenge you physically and mentally as you maneuver from tree to tree through obstacles and zip-lines. Once you’re equipped, they will teach you how to operate your equipment and you’ll be able to swing through each course as many times as you want for 2.5 hours.
Each participant is outfitted with a harness and gloves. Each course has a continuous belay system — a lifeline that is impossible to detach without a staff member. The activity is self-guided, and the staff is ready to assist when needed.
Gloves are required for our activity. During this time, we encourage participants to bring their own gloves to use while up in the trees, gardening gloves are perfect for this activity.
Ticket prices are $54.99, adults; $40.99, ages 6-11.
“TreeTrails Adventures Trevose” (301 West Bristol Pike, Trevose, treetrails.com/trevose-pa) is an adventure park full of fun challenges for outdoor adventurers of all ages that is open now and will run through November 26.
Participants can experience the rush of TreeTrails Adventures as they swing through the trees of the new adventure park. They will be able to discover the excitement of climbing and zip lining above the forest floor with r family, friends, co-workers, or teammates.
The park, which is based at Phoenix Sport Club in Bucks County, offers two ways to experience climbing – TreeTrails Adventure Park and KidTrails Park. Young explorers can enjoy miniaturized courses in the adjacent KidTrails Park.
General Park Admission prices are: Main Park Adult Tickets (Ages 12+), $66 and Main Park Youth Tickets (Ages 7–11), $58.
The West Chester Railroad (610-430-2233, www.wcrailroad.com) is running its “Summer Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through September 17 at noon each day.
Passengers can enjoy a relaxing 90-minute train ride from West Chester to Glen Mills and return on a warm summer afternoon. They can also pack a lunch to have during the excursion’s stop at the Glen Mills train station picnic grove.
Tickets are $22 for adults and $15 for children (ages 2-12).
Wilmington and Western Railroad (Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport-Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, www.wwrr.com) is running its “Yorklyn Limited” on August 4 with departures at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.
Riders can take a leisurely 1.5-hour round-trip ride up the Red Clay Valley to the Mt. Cuba Picnic Grove, where they can de-train to enjoy a half-hour layover along the banks of the Red Clay Creek to have a picnic or simply admire the natural surroundings.
For those who don’t want to get off the train at Mt. Cuba, they can remain onboard and travel further up the line through the communities of Ashland and Yorklyn. On the return trip, there will be a brief stop at Mt. Cuba to pick up the picnic passengers.
The “Yorklyn Limited” excursion is the re-branded name of the “Mt. Cuba Meteor” excursion.
These trips are powered by one of Wilmington and Western Railroad’s historic first-generation diesel locomotives.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $17 for seniors and $16 for children (ages 2-12).
The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Wine & Cheese Tasting” on August 3 at 5 p.m. and August 4 and 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.
Riders are invited to take part in a romantic “Wine and Cheese Excursion” and enjoy fine gourmet cheese, artisan crackers, meats, fruit, and our featured local wines. Additional Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic beverages are also available onboard.
Wine and cheese will be served to passengers as they travel along the same railroad line passengers did when it was built in 1891 connecting New Hope with Philadelphia. The journey travels through the beautiful hills and valleys of Bucks County, along once vital waterways and streams and across numerous trestle bridges.
The excursions will take place aboard one of the railroads lavishly appointed early 1900’s first-class parlor cars.
Tickets are $100 (Ages 21 and older only).
This weekend, the Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Wine & Cheese Train” on August 2 and 4 at 5 p.m. and August 3 at 5 and 7 p.m.
Passengers can enjoy the luxurious, climate-controlled first-class accommodations and a tasting of select wine, cheese, and crackers as they travel in style down the tracks from Strasburg to Paradise and back. The train departs at 7 p.m. and the total trip time is 45 minutes.
“Wine & Cheese Train” boarding is 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. Riders must be 21 or older and have their photo ID ready when they board.
Featured wines are carefully selected from Waltz Vineyards, and cheeses are paired accordingly. Beer and select non-alcoholic beverages are also available for purchase upon request. Riders can purchase a souvenir wine glass on board the train if desired. Glasses are $7 each.
In accordance with Pennsylvania law, alcohol is only served during the train ride. The rail line is not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages while the train is berthed in the station.
Tickets are $7
