By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Kennett Square Mushroom Festival
One statement that always applies in Kennett Square is — “There’s a fungus among us” – and it’s never more evident than on the weekend after Labor Day each year – the weekend for the annual staging of the Mushroom Festival.
After three decades, anniversaries begin to take on a special significance. This weekend marks the 37th anniversary of the annual Mushroom Festival in downtown Kennett Square (http://mushroomfestival.org).
Now in its fourth decade, the annual party is expected to draw thousands of festival fans and mushroom lovers. Some of the main attractions are the Amateur Mushroom Cook-off, an Antique and Classic Car Show and the Mushroom Eating Championship.
On September 10, the festival gets underway at 10 a.m. with the opening of the Street Fair and the Growers’ Exhibit.
The National Fried Mushroom Eating Championship is scheduled for 2 p.m. Contestants will be competing for a $1,000 prize by eating the most fried mushrooms in eight minutes. The world’s record is 11.5 pounds.
Live entertainment will be provided by Miss Maggie Sings, Jack Marshall, Maggie Spike, The Dan & Dan Band, Just A Bit Outside, the Steve Liberace Trio and Andrew Lipke & The Azrael String Quartet.
Battle of the Brandywine reenactment
On September 10 and 11, the Chadds Ford Historical Society (Barn Visitors Center, 1736 Creek Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.chaddsfordhistory.org) will be hosting a battle reenactment allowing visitors to take a historical journey back to September 11, 1777, when the British army engaged Washington’s troops at Chads’ Ford.
For the first time in its long history, the Chadds Ford Historical Society will host a colonial-centric day and battle reenactment complete with a battlefield encampment, military drills, and mock skirmishes.
The Battle of Brandywine was the largest single-day battle of the American Revolution. On Sept. 11th, 1777, an estimated 30,000 American and soldiers with the Royal Army reconvened in Chadds Ford which was a crossing along the Brandywine
River.
This event, which will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days, is designed to be part colonial festival and part “living history” since it will feature not only authentic 18th-century reenactors, but also colonial craft demonstrators and military encampment activities (1777 style).
Visitors can enjoy traditional festival food such as funnel cake and barbecued turkey legs from local food vendors, such as Fletcher’s Kitchen and Floga Bistro, as well as wine and beer from the Chadds Ford Winery, Kennett Brewing Company and Deer Creek Malt.
They also will be able to explore the grounds and see such tasks as beer making, candle making, tape weaving, chair caning, portrait painting, woodcarving, printing, blacksmithing, and cooking over an open fire.
Entertainment activities include the sounds of an 18th century dulcimer, colonial dancers, and live music by the Rockdale Boys.
Continental armies from the 1st Delaware, 2nd Pennsylvania, 6th Pennsylvania, and 1st Maryland regiments as well as those from the Kings army and loyalists to the crown of the 43rd Regiment of Foot, Von Wreden’s Jaegars, 1st New Jersey Volunteers, and the Queen’s Rangers will take part in skirmishes and firing demonstrations.
Guests can experience the sights and sounds of a booming cannon and musket fire. Skirmishes take place at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. in the open fields behind the historical society’s headquarters.
The firing demo will take place at a 1:30 p.m. utilizing muskets and cannon. Attendees can observe reenactors load, prime, and fire these weapons and learn about the drilling, training and military techniques used at that time and speak with the reenactors following their drills.
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children (ages 7-17).
On September 10, it’s time for the 14th Annual Caln Community Day (Municipal Park, Thorndale, http://www.calntownship.org/community-day.html).
The event will be held in Municipal Park and on G.O. Carlson Blvd in Thorndale on Saturday from 3-8 p.m.
The popular annual fair will feature vendors, food and a wide array of family activities including a mini golf course, moon bounces, a pie-eating contest and a bubble station. Live entertainment will be provided, and the grand finale will be a spectacular fireworks show sponsored by Arro Consulting.
The Ninth Annual Covenanter Scottish Festival & Highland Games (1199 Valley Road, Quarryville, www.covenanterscottishfestival.com) are scheduled for September 10.
The Covenanter Scottish Festival, which runs from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., will feature Highland Games, Solo Piping Competitions & Highland Dance Competitions. Last year, 65 athletes competed in the Games last year and a larger number of competitors are expected this year.
Competition will feature nine events: Open Stone, Braemar Stone, Light Weight for Distance, Heavy Weight for Distance, Light Hammer, Heavy Hammer, Weight for Height, Caber and Sheaf.
The festival also offers Scottish entertainment, heritage events including sheep herding, Scottish food, Scottish Clans & much more.
Admission is $15 with children (12 years & under) admitted free.
The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance
The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance debuted in 1997 and is an invitation-only event that assembles one hundred of the most interesting and significant automobiles based on a featured automobile marque, vehicle type or coachbuilder and motorcycle marque or class each year. The event was also the first nationally recognized concours to feature motorcycles on the show field and is the only such event to feature horse-drawn coaches and carriages.
From September 9-11, the 25th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance will be held on the grounds of Radnor Hunt (826 Providence Road, Malvern, www.radnorconcours.org).
The featured automotive classes for 2022 are Cadillac, Cars from the Derham Body Company, Porsche 4 Cylinder 4 Cam Cars, Cars of Honoree Chuck Cantwell, Ferrari 75th Anniversary Display. The featured motorcycles classes are BSA and Motorcycles Made In America.
The event also includes horse drawn coaches and carriages which illustrate the evolution of wheeled transportation.
The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance features 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.
The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance debuted in 1997 and is an invitation-only event that assembles one hundred of the most interesting and significant automobiles based on a featured automobile marque, vehicle type or coachbuilder and motorcycle marque or class each year. The event was also the first nationally recognized concours to feature motorcycles on the show field and is the only such event to feature horse-drawn coaches and carriages.
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 offering specialized shopping for concours attendees.
Adult admission is $60 at the gate.
Proceeds from the event will benefit two local non-profit organizations; Thorncroft Equestrian Center and the local Boy Scout troops. The Thorncroft Equestrian Center in Malvern is committed to a mainstreaming approach for teaching horseback riding and to promoting the development of new and independent therapeutic riding programs, particularly for those with special needs.
Brews in a festive outdoor setting can be found at the Historic Odessa Brewfest (202 Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, http://www.odessabrewfest.com).
The Ninth Annual Historic Odessa Brewfest
The Ninth Annual Historic Odessa Brewfest, which is being presented by the Historic Odessa Foundation and Cantwell’s Tavern, is slated for September 10 from noon-6 p.m.
America’s thirst for ale and beer began with the earliest colonists who made it a priority to first build a brewhouse on the site of their new settlements. As drinking water was avoided like the plague, beer was a major dietary staple in the colonies, consumed by everyone from cradle to grave.
Brewfest attendees will be able to sample many of the best regional and national craft beers by more than 50 brewers, including Victory Brewing Company, Bellefonte, Big Oyster, Blue Earl, Brick Works, Crooked Hammock, Dogfish Head, Mispillion, Revelation, Stitch House, Lagunitas Brewing, Heavy Seas, Jakl Beer Works and Cigar City Brewing.
Locally sourced food will be available from Cantwell’s Tavern and Sweet Dreams Confections. Additionally, artisan vendors will be on site and live music will be provided by Spokey Speaky, Universal Funk Order, Ryan Batcher and The Sheehan Brothers.
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 1 p.m. All taps will close at 5 p.m.
The cost of the festival is $60 for general admission, $75 for VIP and $15 for designated drivers. Tickets buy an unlimited sampling of beer for the full duration of the event.
Now through September 11, the Broomall Fire Company is hosting its 2022 Carnival (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.
The carnival is scheduled to get underway on September 9 at 6 p.m. and run until 10 p.m. Hours for Saturday are 3-10 p.m. and then the event will be open from noon-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 11th Annual Pottstown Pet Fair 2022 (75 West King Street, Pottstown, www.facebook.com/funforyourpets) will take place on September 10.
The event, which runs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., will feature a gathering of animal rescues, pet-care businesses and animal wellness organizations for a day of fun and community fellowship in Pottstown’s Memorial Park.
Visitors to this pet fair will find information and giveaways from a number of local and regional rescues, many featuring animals looking for their forever-homes, as well as hand-crafted pet treats and toys for sale.
Admission is free.
Each September, “Pumpkinland” returns to Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com). “Pumpkinland,” which runs through November 7, 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.
There will also be “Harvest Hayrides” and “Autumn Moon Hayrides” starting later in September along with “Straw Bale Maze,” “Train Rides,” “Corn Maze” and “Pony Rides.”
Pumpkinland is open from mid-September through early November and takes center stage at Linvilla Orchards. Larger than life figures and scarecrows illustrate the legends and lore of the harvest season, featuring local history and some of the many stories of pumpkins and apples.
See our piles of pumpkins in all colors, shapes and sizes – more than 100 tons on display.
If you experience herpetophobia (fear of reptiles) or ophidiophobia (fear of snakes), you better stay away from the expo hall in Oaks this weekend.
However, if you’re into pet reptiles and snakes, then the place you want to be this weekend is the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Road, Oaks, 610-529-3614, phillyexpocenter.com).
On September 10, the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center will host the East Coast Reptile Super Expo featuring hundreds of live snakes and reptiles.
Many people think snakes and lizards are interesting creatures and maybe even fun pets to own. If you fall into this category, you should check out the show on Saturday. A wide array of reptiles will be on display as part of the popular exhibition, which is an annual event that is closing in on its silver anniversary.
One of the show’s main attractions is a sales exhibit area featuring many vendors with live reptiles, amphibians and arachnids as well as food items, supplies, books, cages, and related accessories.
Some of the featured vendors are AZO Reptiles, Rose’s Reptiles, Darin’s Toybox, Blake’s Exotic Reptiles, Dower Reptiles & Rodents, Reptile Kingdom, DHA Pythons, Gecko Haven, Hunger Reptiles, Jungle Emporium, Delaware Turtle, Just Lizards, Outback Reptiles, RKZ Rodents. Monstar Reptiles, Turtle to Turtle, and Delaware Valley Herpetarium.
The East Coast Reptile Super Expo, which is always a well-attended event, will run from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. this Saturday. Tickets are $10 with children (under five) admitted free.
The 2022 Phoenixville Soundbank Blues Revival will be held on September 10 at 119 South Main Street, Phoenixville.
The festival will run from 1-10 p.m.
The schedule for the 2022 festival is: 1 p.m., Veronica Lewis; 2:30 p.m., Billy The Kid & The Regulators; 4 p.m., Chris Antonik; and 5:30 p.m., Noah Witherspoon.
Tickets are $35.
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 62nd annual two-day staging of the arts-and-crafts festival is slated for September 10 and 11 at its usual location in Brandywine Park’s Josephine Gardens along the banks of the Brandywine River in Wilmington. Tickets are $5 for adults with children (under 12) admitted free.
As always, the festival is a juried event that brings more than 250 artists and crafters from more than 15 states to Josephine Gardens to exhibit and sell their work.
The list of featured categories includes mixed-media, clothing, bears, stoneware, watercolors, lamps, ironwork, herbs, bonsai, wood type, glass, acrylic, weaving, stenciling, pastels, scarves, etchings, photography, sculpture, jewelry, raku, and leather.
Beth Palser of Chester County has been named the featured artist for the 2022 festival. Palser has received more than 50 awards, including some from national organizations, during her career. She describes her work, characterized by hard-edged brush strokes, as “graphic realism.”
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 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.
Now through September 11, the Philadelphia Honey Festival (https://phillyhoneyfest.com/) will feature three days of free, bee-related activities at three locations in Philadelphia – September 9 at Glen Foerd on the Delaware (Grant Avenue and Minor Street, Philadelphia), September 10 at Wyck Historic House/Garden/Farm (6026 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia) and September 11 at Bartram’s Gardens (5400 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia).
The mission of the Philadelphia Honey Festival is to raise awareness about the importance of honeybees to our environment, our food supply and our economy, and to promote urban beekeeping and gardening.
The Philadelphia Honey Festival began in 2010 to accompany the placement of an historic marker honoring Philadelphia-born Lorenzo L. Langstroth. Well-known to beekeepers, Langstroth invented the first movable frame hive design based on the principle of “bee space.”
You can see the marker at 106 South Front Street in Philadelphia, his birthplace.
Visitors to the festival will be able to learn about the importance of bees in our ecosystem through honey extraction demonstrations, hive talks and other programming designed to explore at the hard-working insect that supports our food supply.
When summer winds down, it means that the area’s many ethnic festivals are looming on the horizon. This weekend, the list of options includes Indian, Lebanese, German, Latin American and Polish.
Kerala Association of Delaware Valley (KADAVU) is issuing an invitation to all to participate in the Onam 2022 Celebration which is scheduled for September 10 at Stetson Middle School (1060 Wilmington Pike, West Chester, www.kadavu.org).
Onam is the most famous festival in the state of Kerala, India. It is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm all over the state by Malayalees regardless of religion, caste, or creed.
Kadavu’s mission is to try to recreate the rich culture and pass it on to the local community. The event, which runs from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., showcases a new world of exotic tastes, exquisite cultural programs, and dances with exciting music beats.
One of the highlights will be the Onam Sadhya feast. Sadhya is a traditional Kerala meal, essentially vegetarian, served on a banana leaf. A typical Sadhya can have two to three dozen dishes, which may sometimes go up to 64.
The festival will also feature a special chenda melam performance by PA-NJ Vaadhyavedhi, disciples of Melakaratnam Kalamandalam Sri Sivadas Ashaan. A “Chenda Melam” means percussion using Chenda. The Chenda is used as a percussion instrument for almost all Kerala art forms like Kathakali, Kodiyattam, and Theyyam. Chenda melam has been the most popular form in Kerala for more than 300 years and is an integral part of all festivals in Kerala.
The Delaware Saengerbund’s Oktoberfest (Saengerbund festival grounds, 49 Salem Church Road, Newark, Delaware, www.delawaresaengerbund.org) is running from September 9-11.
The Delaware Saengerbund’s festival is a traditional Munich-style Oktoberfest featuring a wide array of tasty German food delicacies, including Bratwurst, Weisswuurst, soft pretzels, Rollmops (marinated herring served with rye bread), Kartoffelsalad (potato salad), sauerkraut as well as dessert items such as Torten and traditional plum cake.
On September 9, the opening parade will be held at 7 p.m. The lid-lifting event features the “Muenchner Kindl” (Munich Child — the symbol of the city of Munich) who is dressed in brown monk’s garb with golden stripes, similar to that of the Benedictine order (founders of the City of Munich).
The “Enzian Volkstanzgruppe”, the Bavarian dance group of the Delaware Saengerbund, will entertain throughout the three days of the festival.
When the EVTG is not dancing, German music will be performed. The Saengerbund’s Haus Band, the Enzian Musikanten, will open the festival each day with its performance.
There will also be concessions with an array of imported German gifts and souvenirs, as well as Oktoberfest souvenirs and Bavarian specialty clothes. Included in the admission price of $10 are unlimited free amusement rides.
Hours are 5-11 p.m. on Friday, noon-11 p.m. on Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday.
The 84th Annual Oktoberfest will be held on September 10 at the Vereinigung Erzgebirge (130 Davisville Road, Warminster, http://veclub.org/oktoberfest).
The event, which runs from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., will features German beer and food along with music by German-American bands.
There will also be a wide array of family activities including a moon bounce, arts and crafts, face painting, hayrides, an obstacle course and a full slate of soccer games.
Live music will be performed by Willi Aust, Don Bitterlich, The Bratwurst Boys and The Philadelphia German Brass Band.
Admission is $7.
If you’d like to sample dishes from Lebanon such as shawarma, kefta kabob, kibbe balls and hummus, then you need to visit the Saint Sharbel Annual Lebanese Festival which is running now through September 11 at Saint Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church (3679 Providence Road, Newtown Square, www.stsharbelpa.org).
Some of the other food items will be beef kabobs, chicken tawook, falafel, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, stuffed grape leaves and Lebanese and Middle East desserts and pastries.
The Lebanese Festival will have live music and dance, and food and drinks. The featured performer on Saturday and Sunday will be Georges Maalouf and Ensemble.
Feria del Barrio (http://feria.tallerpr.org), which is one of Philadelphia’s largest celebrations of Latino arts and culture, will take place on September 11 from noon-5 p.m.
The free, all-ages event, which is celebrating its 38th anniversary this year, features top-flight Latin acts. Visitors can enjoy Latin music and dancing, Latin American food treats and vendors with handmade arts and crafts for sale.
The headline act this year will be Ballet Folklórico Hermanos Ayala.
The popular annual festival will be held along the sidewalks of the historic Centro de Oro neighborhood on North Fifth Street between Huntingdon and Somerset streets.
The 55th Annual Polish Festival the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa (654 Ferry Road, Doylestown, 215-345-0600, www.czestochowa.us) is being held from September 4-6 and again on September 11 and 12.
Visitors to the festival will be able to feast on such Polish delicacies as kielbasa, pierogies, placki, holubki and chruschicki. There will also be several beer booths on the grounds.
The festival will feature rides, games, a “Polish Wedding & Dozynki,” “Medieval & WWII Polish Living History Groups” and a full slate of Polish music and polka bands.
Admission to the festival is $12 per person.
There is another reason to make Doylestown a destination this weekend.
On September 10 and 11, the downtown area of Doylestown will be the site of the 31st 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. The two-day festival features more than 160 artists showcasing their creative works. Selections include paintings, photography, jewelry, wood and metal work, furniture, pottery and more.
There will be several 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.
The weekend after Labor Day always features the Hay Creek 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 46th 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 11 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day, will have a number of special festival areas, including Charcoal Barn, Casting House, and Festival Food Court (early American and contemporary).
Other areas are 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.
Tickets for the festival are $10 for adults and $2 for children (ages 6-12).
If you’re looking for something very different to do on this late-summer weekend, consider attending the annual Whoopie Pie Festival at Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn (240 Hartman Bridge Road, Route 896, Strasburg, 717-687-8635, http://whoopiepiefestival.com).
The Whoopie Pie Festival, which is billed as “The Most Delicious Day in Lancaster County,” features more than 100 different Whoopie Pie flavors. It will be held this year on September 10 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
According to food historians, Amish women would bake these tasty desserts and put them in farmers’ lunch pails. When farmers would find the treats in their lunch, they would shout “Whoopie!” It is likely that the original Whoopie Pies were made from cake batter leftovers.
Scheduled events at the 2022 festival are Whoopie Pie Treasure Hunt, Whoopie Pie Race, Whoopie Pie Launch, Whoopie Pie Checkers, Whoopie Yell Off, and Amateur Whoopie Pie Eating Contest.
Visitors will also be able to watch when the festival’s Whoopie Pie makers attempt to produce the “Largest Whoopie Pie Ever Made.” You might even see a Whoopie Pie that weighs more than you do. Past attempts have created a Whoopie Pie well over 250 pounds.
Other events throughout the day include Whoopie Pie making for kids, face painting and bounce house fun.
The event features free admission.
If you find yourself being affected by a full moon, you should consider attending a “Full Moon Tour” at the Wolf Sanctuary of Pennsylvania (465 Speedwell Forge Road, Lititz, 717-626-4617, http://wolfsanctuarypa.org).
The Sanctuary offers this tour once a month on the closest Saturday to the full moon. This month, the date is September 10, and the full moon is known as the Corn Moon.
Your guide will lead you and whoever you choose to bring with you around the entire sanctuary to view all of the wolves. They will stop for a few moments at each pack to introduce them and provide information on conservation and biology.
During Full Moon Fundraisers, you may bring chairs, blankets, non-alcoholic refreshments and snacks. Bring a flashlight as the tour will take place in the evening with limited light availability and you will be walking on uneven ground. Please avoid shining lights directly towards the wolves.
For teens and young adults visiting for the Full Moon Event, please bring proof of age – guests must be 16 or older for admission.
Face masks are encouraged, but visitors who have been vaccinated are not required to wear a mask for the outdoor portion of the tour. Face masks are still required by all visitors when inside the gift shop per COVID19 guidelines
The tour starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35.
The next “Full Moon Tour” this year will be Hunter’s Moon on October 23 followed by Beaver Moon on November 20 and Cold Moon on December 18.
Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (Mount Hope Estate and Winery grounds, Route 72, Cornwall, 717-665-7021, www.parenfaire.com).
This year’s 43rd annual staging of the event, which bills itself as “the most wondrous event in all the Knowne World”, is running now through October 30. The festive annual event features authentic Elizabethan food and drink, traditional crafts from the guildsmen of yore and old-time games of skill — and a cast of hundreds of colorfully costumed re-enactors.
Every summer, the Faire, which takes place at Mount Hope Estate and Winery’s authentic 35-acre recreation of a 16th-century village in Olde England, features a new story from a different year of England’s past. This year’s Faire will take you back in time to the year 1558.
More than 70 shows are scheduled throughout each day on the Faire’s numerous stages.
Without a doubt, the most popular attraction is the Jousting Arena. Visitors to the Faire flock to Bosworth Field whenever it’s time for the Ultimate Joust. Peasants lead cheers for their favorite knights while musicians pound out a heart-thumping beat. The Master of the List announces the combatants and soon an encounter of royal proportions ensues.
The Faire offers a wide variety of activities for visitors, including listening to bagpipe music, checking out handsome Lords in their colorful silks, watching a jester’s acrobatics, learning how to juggle, being the recipient of a gypsy woman’s flirtations and watching the march of Beefeater Guards.
Guildsmen’s Way is the area that features a large variety of merchants and artisans, including jewelers, candle makers, potters, herbalists, leather smiths, clothiers, and pewter makers — all offering for sale and demonstrating their ancient wares.
And there are more than 20 Royal Kitchens located around the faire with menus featuring a wide variety of food and beverage.
Single-day tickets are available at the gate for $31.95. For children (age 5-11) single-day tickets are available at the gate and online for $16.95.
On September 10, “Wings N’ Wheels” will be held at Wings Field (1501 Narcissa Road, Blue Bell, https://angelflighteast.org).
The event, which runs from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., is a family-fun day of wings, wheels and aviation history including unique displays of vintage and military aircraft, new planes and classic and antique cars. Sightseeing flights, great food, music and a variety of children’s activities will also be featured.
Admission for adults is $10 while children’s tickets are $5. Parking is free. All admissions fees are tax-deductible and will directly support the mission of Angel Flight East.
Angel Flight East facilitates free air transportation for seriously ill patients who require medical treatment far from home and delivers supplies to disaster areas and reunites families in desperate times.
For the next few months, the American Swedish Historical Museum (1900 Pattison Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-389-1776, www.americanswedish.org) is presenting an exhibit “Art for All: The Swedish Experience in Mid-America,” which just opened and will run through February 19, 2023.
“Art for All: The Swedish Experience in Mid-America” is an exhibition of paintings and sculptures by Swedish-American artists in the late-19th and early-20th centuries.
This colorful and emotive impressionist art reflects its own time, interprets nature and landscape, and is independent of artificial conventions while keeping Swedish folk traditions alive.
The American Swedish Historical Museum is proud to present Art for All: The Swedish Experience in Mid-America, an exhibition of paintings and sculptures by Swedish American artists in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. This colorful and emotive impressionist art reflects its own time, interprets nature and landscape, and is independent of artificial conventions while keeping Swedish folk traditions alive.
This exhibition features many Swedish artists who studied and absorbed the democratic philosophies of “art for all,” espoused by Anders Zorn and the Artist’s League. These young artists immigrated to America to forge new career paths. “Art for all” became a catchphrase in Kansas by the 1930s, stemming from efforts of local artists to offer affordable paintings and prints so that every citizen could have original art in their own homes for a richly cultured way of life.
“Art for All: The Swedish Experience in Mid-America” was conceived and developed by the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery and the Hillstrom Museum of Art.
Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) is celebrating four decades of Pennsylvania wine. Since its founding in 1982, the winery’s portfolio has evolved through integral winemakers and key personnel with a mission to produce top-quality, locally rooted wines.
On Saturdays and Sundays in September, the first 100 guests on the property will receive a free Birthday Cake cookie from OsoSweet Bakery and a complimentary 2 oz. pour of ’19 Sparkling White.
Guests with an appetite can enjoy food truck fare from Common Good Pizza.
Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, www.longwoodgardens.org) is always a special place to visit – especially during the run of its annual “Festival of Fountains.”
The 2022 “Festival of Fountains” opened in May and is running through September 26.
This summer is even more special because of light. More specifically because of “Light: Installations by Bruce Munro,” which is artist Bruce Munro’s illuminating new installation at Longwood Gardens.
The exhibit had its debut two weeks ago and will be on view Thursday through Sunday evenings until October 30.
“Light” is an extravagant exhibit that includes eight installations comprising more than 18,000 glowing lightbulbs across Longwood’s outdoor areas and indoor conservatory.
From the luminous “Field of Light” stretching across the Large and Small Lake landscape … to a flamboyance of 1,000 flamingoes wading near the Chimes Tower … to an immersive sensory environment inspired by the Waterlily Display in the Exhibition Hall, the exhibit showcases eight installations spanning Longwood Gardens’ indoor spaces and outdoor vistas.
Daily performances in the Main Fountain Garden will feature more than 1,700 spinning jets that spin dance to various music programs. These are no little jets as some shoot up as high as 175 feet in the air.
The 30-minute show is slated for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 9:15 p.m.
The Main Fountain Garden Show fountain performance that begins with a touch of narrated history and concludes with dynamic choreography marrying music and the site’s newest fountain features.
These displays will be presented daily at 1:15 a.m., 1:15, 3:15 p.m. and 5:15. There will also be performances on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 6:15, 7:15 and 8:15 p.m.
The “Illuminated Fountain Performance” will be staged Thursdays through Sundays at 9:15 p.m.
Live music can be heard in the Beer Garden, where live instrumental music from traditional Celtic tunes to Caribbean steel pan grooves sets the tone Thursday through Saturday evenings.
Beer Garden performances are scheduled in September from 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
As always, admission by “Timed Ticket” — tickets issued for specific dates and times. Timed ticketing limits the number of people in the Gardens at any given time and allows guests to enjoy minimal lines and a better viewing experience.
You may enter the Gardens up to 30 minutes prior and 30 minutes after your designated time. Make every effort to arrive at your designated reservation time. Earlier or later arrivals may not be accommodated.
Video link for “Festival of Fountains” — https://youtu.be/AHsC2YuFerY.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $35 for adults, $32 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and college students, $27 for active military and veterans and $19 for youth (ages 5-18).
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 2022 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 more than $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/.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is featuring a Guided Exhibition Tour – “Jacqueline Kennedy and Henry Francis du Pont: From Winterthur to the White House” – now through January 8, 2023.
Visitors can explore the friendship between the First Lady and H. F. du Pont and their work to restore the White House in this guided tour of the special exhibition.
In 1961, an unusual partnership was formed when the youngest First Lady in American history, Jacqueline Kennedy, appointed a reserved octogenarian collector from Delaware, Henry Francis du Pont, to lead her project to restore the White House interiors. Du Pont brought credibility to Kennedy’s efforts and vision, and her enormous popularity lifted him onto the national stage and validated his life’s work.
Together, they transformed the White House from a mere public residence into a museum, and along the way, they engaged with some of the most celebrated interior designers of the 20th century.
For the first time, the story of this historic partnership will be told at Winterthur, the inspiration for Mrs. Kennedy’s project. Through artifacts, archives, and images, this exhibition will invite visitors to experience the behind-the-scenes collaboration between the two during this captivating period in American history.
Their partnership culminated in a televised tour of the White House, led by Jacqueline Kennedy, which became the most watched program in American history. The former First Lady will forever be remembered as the person who restored history and beauty to the White House.
Their “restoration” of America’s most famous house became a history lesson for the country and awakened an interest in preservation and interior design that is still felt today.
Admission to Winterthur is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and students and $8 for children.
Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org) is hosting “Science Saturday: Egg Newtons” on September 10.
The activity, which runs from noon-4 p.m., takes a look at Newton’s laws.
Newton’s laws will be in full force as participants use an egg to demonstrate the principles of motion by protecting it from a crash.
Guests can check out the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science’s egg specimens and identify local bird eggs with a matching game.
They will also be able to meet some other egg-laying live Ambassador Animals and learn how their eggs are eggs-tra special!
Activities are included in admission and free to members. Admission to Hagley is: $15, Adults; $12, Seniors (62+) and Students; and $8, Children 6-14.
Another site with impressive gardens can be found just across the Pennsylvania-Delaware state line.
Nemours Estate (850 Alapocas Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, www.nemoursestate.org) is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Reservations are not required and there is no timed entry.
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 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, Alfred also ensured that his new home was thoroughly modern by incorporating the latest technology and many of his own inventions.
The Gardens is 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).
Admission to Nemours is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $10 for children.
The Delaware Art Museum (2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware, www.delart.org) is presenting “Indigenous Faces of Wilmington.”
Indigenous People have built vibrant and diverse cultures — safeguarding land, language, spirit, knowledge, and tradition across generations. This exhibit opens a dialogue to re-introduce, re-discover, and re-educate individuals about the vibrant and intersecting cultures of indigenous people in northern Delaware.
Exhibition photographer Andre’ L. Wright. Jr., who identifies his ancestry as Nanticoke, shares his vision for the exhibit. “Identity is how you and the world see you, and beauty is a combination of qualities that provide a perceptual experience. My heritage and lineage have given me the opportunity to share the story of authentic consciousness, narrative, and beauty of Indigenous People through the art of photography.”
Additionally, the Delaware Art Museum has a new exhibit that will run through September 11 – “Stan Smokler: Steel in Flux.”
The Delaware Art Museum celebrates the career of Stan Smokler with this Distinguished Artist exhibition. His celebrated found object, steel sculptures continue the trajectory of modernist abstraction.
Smokler completed his Master of Fine Arts degree at Pratt Institute in 1975, and he continued to work in New York on his own sculpture as well as in art conservation and interior design before relocating to the Brandywine Valley in 1999.
In addition to participating in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States, Smokler established his Marshall Bridge Workshop in 2004. The Workshop is an immersive training opportunity for artists of all levels interested in working with welded steel, and Smokler has been praised for his supportive approach to teaching.
“Stan Smokler: Steel in Flux” includes work from the late 1970s through 2020 along with several of the artist’s charcoal and pastel drawings of his completed sculptures. Examples of Smokler’s largescale work will be on view in the Museum’s Copeland Sculpture Garden with an extended showing through October 30, 2022.
With his commitment to exploring the possibilities of steel and mentoring students through his numerous Marshall Bridge workshops and years at the Delaware College of Art and Design, Smokler has guided the trajectory of contemporary abstract sculpture.
Admission to the Delaware Art Museum is $14 for adults, $7 for students, and $6 for youth (ages 7-18).
Historic Rock Ford (Rockford Road, Lancaster, www.discoverlancaster.com) is presenting a new exhibit “Long Rifles of the American Revolution: How Lancaster Craftsmen Helped Win the War.” The exhibit will remain open until October 30.
Historic Rock Ford is collaborating with guest curator John Kolar on the exhibit which will showcase approximately 30 rifles.
The rifles featured in the exhibit are being loaned by museums and private collectors from across the nation and will be used to describe the pivotal role played by the long rifle in winning American independence.
Visitors will be able to examine different rifles while also engaging in the story of the war by highlighting their use in several key battles including the siege of Boston, the battle of New York, Trenton, Saratoga, Kings Mountain and the Miller Block House as well as on the Frontier.
Admission to Rock Ford is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors and youth (ages 6-17).
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 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 in 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.
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 28.
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.
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.
Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present another “Hot Spots and Storied Plots” tour on September 10 at 10 a.m.
This tour provides an informative overview of Laurel Hill’s long history, which includes many of the marble masterpieces, stunning views, and legendary stories about Laurel Hill.
“Hot Spots and Storied Plots” is the perfect introduction for anyone who enjoys beautiful art, scenic nature, and fascinating history. An experienced graveyard guide will offer a unique perspective.
The expansion of Fairmount Park in the 1860s prevented further growth of Laurel Hill, and in 1869 West Laurel Hill was established just across the river in Bala Cynwyd. This walking tour provides a wonderful overview of West Laurel Hill’s long and colorful history, including its architectural artistry, stunning trees and horticulture, and the stories of residents that encompass diverse and fascinating Philadelphia history.
The tour guide for this event is Alex Smallberger.
Tickets, which must be purchased in advance, are: $12/General Admission, $10/Seniors (65 & up) and Students with ID, $6/Youth (6-12), and $0/Child (5 & Under). Youth and children must be accompanied by an adult.
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.
This summer, giraffes at area zoos will have a variety of dining partners joining them for meals.
The Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, www.philadelphiazoo.org) has opened a new “Giraffe Feeding Encounter.”
Now guests can get up close to the zoo’s giraffe trio in this all-new feeding experience. “Giraffe Encounter” is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. daily.
General admission for the Giraffe Encounter is $6; Individual, Dual, Family, and Family Plus members is $5; and Family Deluxe and above is $4. Each guest gets one piece of browse to feed. Browse is vegetation, such as twigs and young shoots, eaten by animals. Depending on the day, guests can feed our giraffes acacia browse (which is what giraffes eat in the wild) or another variety like mulberry or honeysuckle.
Considered the tallest land animals in the world, male giraffes can reach up to 18 feet tall and weigh close to 3,000 lbs. Listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with scientists estimating there are fewer than 100,000 surviving in the wild, giraffe are affected by poaching and habitat destruction, with populations decreasing more than 40 per cent over the last three decades.
“Elmwood Park Zoo” (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is presenting several of its ultra-popular “Dog Days” over the next week.
The Zoo’s “Dog Days” event will be held on September 9, 11, 14 and 16 from noon-4 p.m. each day.
All guests visiting the zoo with a furry friend must complete an online waiver and submit required documents before visiting the zoo. You must upload a copy of your most recent veterinary visit, including proof of vaccine and heartworm test here. All items will be required for you to attend “Dog Days.”
Pricing is $10.95 per dog with each additional dog at $9.95. Regular zoo admission is required for all humans.
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 $55, adults; $48, ages 12-17; $38, ages 7-11.
“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.
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 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+), $59; Main Park Youth Tickets (Ages 7–11), $51; KidTrails Tickets (Ages 4–7), $12.
The West Chester Railroad ( www.westchesterrr.net) is running its “Summer Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through September 18. There will be one excursion each day at noon.
Passengers can enjoy a 90-minute round trip train ride from West Chester to Glen Mills and return on a warm summer afternoon. Riders are invited to pack a lunch to have during excursion’s stop at the Glen Mills train station picnic grove.
Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for children (2-12) and free for children (under two).
The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running three special excursions this weekend – “Glen Rock Express” on September 9 at 3 p.m., September 10 a 3 p.m. and September 11 at noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m., “Hanover Junction Flyer” on September 10 at 11 a.m. and “Old McDonald Express” on September 9 at 6 p.m. noon.
The “Glen Rock Express with No. 17” will take the train to Glen Rock with the William H. Simpson No. 17 (the rail line’s authentic replica steam locomotive) on a former Pennsylvania Railroad mainline that has been in operation since 1838. The ride follows the route of the original Northern Central Railroad through the scenic Heritage Rail Trail County Park.
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (Reading Outer Station, Reading, www.rbmnrr-passenger.com) is running “All Day Train Excursions” every Saturday and Sunday in September.
Passengers can take a train excursion through Pennsylvania’s beautiful landscape to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. They can board the train at the Reading Outer Station, Port Clinton Station, or Tamaqua Station.
During the trip, riders will see rolling farmland, beautiful mountains, glistening lakes, and small towns along the railroad’s mainline. The train will also travel through tunnels and over bridges — a highlight being the Hometown High Bridge.
Once the excursion arrives in Jim Thorpe, riders have more than 3.5 hours to explore the many shops, restaurants, and attractions before boarding the train for your return trip.
While in Jim Thorpe, they can also ride one of the rail line’s 70-minute Lehigh Gorge trains at a discounted rate.
Tickets for the all-day excursion are $39 from the Reading Outer Station and Port Clinton Station and $24 from the Tamaqua Station.
Wilmington and Western Railroad (Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport-Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, www.wwrr.com) is running its “Yorklyn Limited” on September 10 and 11 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).
On September 9, the Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Secret Valley Expedition Cigar Run” at 6 p.m.
The tourist rail line’s two-hour expedition into the Secret Valley features rides on meticulously restored century-old rail cars and visits one of the most scenic and historic regions in the northeast.
The railroad will be offering a lunch and dinner aboard the Secret Valley Expedition to all dining class passengers.
Additionally, and a la carte menu is available in all cars and all passengers have access to the open car for near 360-degree views of the Secret Valley.
The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Wine & Cheese Tasting” on September 10 and 11 at 5 p.m. each night.
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 $102.58 (Ages 21 and older only).
The Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Wine & Cheese Train” on September 10 at 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.
This popular train is available on select Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the season. Tickets are $50.
