By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
FamilyFest
There are many special events this weekend. Some are outdoor only events, some are indoor only events and some are a mixture of the two.
With rain in the forecast for every day this weekend, it is imperative to check the weather news (and maybe stick your head outdoors) prior to heading to many of the outdoor events (even though some will be held rain or shine).
If there is a hot air balloon, a blimp, a helicopter or a giant condor in the sky above you, it’s almost a certainty that you’re going to look up.
If it’s a helicopter, the audio part emphasizes the visual part as it attracts your attention. When there is a chopper flying overhead, it is virtually impossible to resist a skyward gaze.
If you want to see helicopters flying above, just head to the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center (1220 American Blvd., Brandywine Airport, West Chester, 610-436-9600,www.helicoptermuseum.org) when it celebrates its annual event “Family Fest”
The 2023 “FamilyFest,” which is the museum’s annual celebration of family and fun, will take place on June 24, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Helicopter rides will be available from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on a first come, first served basis at $100 per person. Visitors must be checked in by 2:45 p.m. to guarantee a flight.
The event will have vendors, food trucks, exhibits, drones, R/C helicopters, and much more. There will also be a classic car and motorcycle show that offers a Fan Favorite competition featuring prizes for the top three.
The cost is $20 per person, ages five and above. “FamilyFest” will be held rain or shine. No refunds or vouchers for admission tickets. Helicopter rides will be refunded or honored on another scheduled ride day in 2023 in the event that the helicopters are unable to fly.
Canal Day
The Schuylkill Canal Association’s Canal Day has evolved into one of the area’s traditional early summer events — an event that is always staged on the last Sunday in June.
Mont Clare, which is located just across the Schuylkill River from Phoenixville, will be hosting its 40th Annual Canal Day on June 25.
Canal Day will run from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Lock 60 and in St. Michael’s Park (Mont Clare, 610-917-0021, http://www.schuylkillcanal.org).
The one-day festival, which is free but has a $5 parking fee.
The festival will have food vendors, kids’ games and crafts, “Canal Stories and Songs,” a kids’ fishing derby and face painting.
Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, www.philadelphiazoo.org) is bringing more than 100 award-winning craft beers, seltzers, ciders, delicious local food trucks and live music to its 42-acre campus for the best beer festival of the season. Summer Ale Festival presented by Constellation is the only beer celebration in the region set among big cats, great apes and other incredible animals.
Summer Ale Fest is happening June 24 from 7-10 p.m.
This year’s brewery lineup includes local favorites like Victory Brewing Company, Evil Genius Beer Company, River Horse Brewing Company, Iron Hill, Conshohocken Brewing Company, Wissahickon Brewing Company and more. For the freshest food for purchase, local food trucks The Fabulous Fig, Bonjour Creperie, The Munchy Machine, Calle Del Sabor and more will be set up around the Zoo for every appetite.
The live music lineup includes the return of indie surf rock band Dry Reef and Philadelphia’s own Mr. Hollywood DJ who are sure to keep guests grooving.
In addition to offering a special night of memories at one of the region’s most unique attractions, the event raises money to support the Zoo’s mission to create joyful discovery and inspire action for animals and habitats.
Tickets are $75 for general admission and $45 for non-drinker admission. Early access and general admission tickets include free parking and a complimentary shuttle to and from 30th Street Station. For tickets and more information, visit www.philadelphiazooevents.com. Summer Ale Fest is limited to those 21 or older with valid identification. Event is rain or shine.
Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival
The annual Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival will be held now through June 25 at the Wayne Art Center (413 Maplewood Avenue, Wayne, www.wayneart.org).
“En plein air” is the act of painting outdoors. This method contrasts with studio painting or academic rules that might create a predetermined look. The practice goes back for centuries but was truly made into an art form by the French Impressionists.
The Wayne Art Center Annual Plein Air Festival Collectors’ Preview Party & Sale is scheduled for May 12 from 6-10 p.m. Fresh off the easel, more than 250 works adorn Wayne Art Center’s walls opening night, as patrons enjoy an evening of fine art, heavy hors d’oeuvres, open bar, and live music, while experiencing the artists’ individual interpretations of life and landscapes.
The 15th Annual Wayne Art Center Plein Air Festival will feature 32 juried, nationally recognized and emerging artists who have come to Wayne to capture the cool atmosphere and ephemeral, lush greens of spring in the Delaware Valley.
As one of the premier plein air events in the country, Wayne offers the unique opportunity to showcase work created during the festival in spacious, light-filled and state-of-the-art galleries during an exhibition that hangs until June 25.
As part of Historic Philadelphia’s anniversary 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 13, 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 $22 for adults ($25 on Saturday and Sunday), $20/$23 for youth, and $14 for children.
The 36th Annual Clifford Brown Jazz Festival will be held in Rodney Square (11th and Market streets, Wilmington, 302-576-3095, www.cliffordbrownjazzfest.com) now through June 24.
The free festival started earlier this week with internationally acclaimed vocalist Angelique Kidjo, Monty Alexander’s Harlem Kingston Express, Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Ensemble and Marquis Hill Quartet.
Acts performing on June 24 will be Clifford Brown Festival Orchestra, Mark Guiliana, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, Jason Moran and Harlem Hellfighters and Kamasi Washington.
This weekend, the Mount Hope Estate & Winery (Route 72, Cornwall, 717-665-7021, www.PaRenFaire.com) will host its Annual International Celtic Fling and Highland Games at the winery’s fairgrounds in Cornwall. The event will be held June 24 and 25.
The Celtic Fling will also feature a variety of Celtic music acts including Burly Celts, Albannach, Brother Angus, Enter the Haggis, Hold Fast, House of Hamill, Screaming Orphans, Syr, Rover’s Way, Seasons, Rogue Diplomats, Quittapahilla Highlanders, Poehemia, Killaine Saints and Michael Darcy & The Atlantic Tramps.
The festival, which celebrates traditional and contemporary Celtic heritage, features the music, food and culture of all the Celtic nations — Welsh, Cornish, Manx, Bretons, Galicians/Asturians and, of course, Irish and Scottish.
Attractions this year include more than 50 musical performances, competitions and demonstrations, a full slate of live entertainment and the Ceilidh (grand finale of music and dance).
The competitive Highland Games focus on traditional competition events such as “Tossing the Caber”, “Weight for Distance”, “Hammer Throw” and “Putting the Stone”. There will also Irish dance competitions.
For the thirsty and the hungry, there will be more than 20 feast kitchens featuring a culinary tour of the Celtic Nations with traditional items. Some of the Celtic delicacies available for purchase at this weekend’s festival will be Highland Honey Mead, Scotch Eggs, Tiger Pie, Shepherd’s Pie, Haggis, Cottage Pie, Irish Potato & Leek Soup, Boxty and Corned Beef and Smoked Cabbage.
In addition to the 100-plus resident Renaissance Faire shops, there will be booths presented by more than 50 guest artisans and merchants with a wide array of unique items from imported Irish wools and Scottish tartans to Celtic souvenirs.
The event runs from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday with tickets priced at $31.95 for adults and $13.95 for children (ages 5-11).
On June 24, one of the first celebrations of summer will be the Ice Cream Festival at Rockwood Park (4651 Washington Street Extension, Wilmington, Delaware, rockwood@nccde.org).
Unlike the Rockwood Ice Cream festivals in pre-pandemic days, this pared-down version of the Ice Cream Festival is a low-key one-day event. Guests are invited to bring picnic lunch, chairs and blankets to relax outdoors at beautiful Rockwood Park.
The festival will feature the shops of First State Flea Market, live music by local acts, a Beer & Wine Garden and, of course, a lot of ice cream.
The festival, which runs from 1-9 p.m., has a huge selection of treats – Woodside Farm Creamery, Cinnamon Bun Exchange, Dino’s Ice Cream Truck, Kona Ice, UDairy Creamery, Madi LLC, The Ice Cream Shoppe, Paleteria Y Neveria Tocumbo, Marvelicious Water Ice, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Crossan Kettle Corn, Cup R Cone, Fusco’s Water Ice, LaBamba Ice Cream and Snacks, Nellie’s Waffle and Ice Cream, Funtime Entertainment and Wafflin Joe.
Live music will be performed by Ty Mathis, Nic Snow, Fuzaholics, Howl Train, What the Funk, Ran’D Shine Magic Show, Jungle John’s Balloon Show, Ran’D Shine Roving Magic and Jungle John’s Reptile Show followed by a fireworks finale.
Tickets are $5.
On June 24, Philadelphia-based nonprofit Cool Cars for Kids (CCfK), Inc. will bring together families of children with rare birth diagnoses and classic car enthusiasts who share a common passion and appreciation for the one-of-a-kind.
The Sixth Annual Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance (http://www.coolcarsforkids.com/concours.html) will take place at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum (6825 Norwitch Drive, Philadelphia) from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
The Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance will include an invitation-only assembly of classic automobiles and race cars; professional judging and awards presented for historical accuracy, technical merit, and style.
This year’s Concours named “Porsche-delphia” will showcase an invitation-only assembly of Porsches as well as other American and European classic and historic automobiles!
In addition to an invitation-only assembly of Porsches as well as other American and European classic and historic automobiles, there will be a large selection of vehicles as part of the corral and rally.
The Grand Marshall is Luis Da Silva Jr. of the “Fast and Furious” movies. There will also be a panel discussion with Porsche experts Jack Atkinson, Prescott Kelly, and John “Woody” Woodard that will be moderated by Harry Hurst and video interviews with race-car drivers David Donohue and Hurley Haywood, and renowned Porsche consultant Alwin Springer.
The family-friendly activities feature celebrity guests, a Car Corral behind the Museum for local car enthusiasts, food and specialty vendors and access to the Simeone Museum’s permanent collection of classic automobiles and race cars. The Simeone Museum was named Number Two of the top 100 classic car collections in the world by The Classic Car Trust.
Cool Cars for Kids, Inc. is a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, Pa. that brings together families of children with birth defects and classic car enthusiasts who share a common passion and appreciation for the one-of-a-kind. Funds raised from this unique partnership will directly forward its mission by supporting local and national charities – including The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia – to deliver care and support to children and families who struggle with the medical complexities associated with rare diagnoses.
General Admission is $25. Students and children under 18 will be admitted free.
This weekend, the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, 484-754-3976, http://toomanygames.com) will present the “Too Many Games Expo.”
The festival, which runs now through June 25, is targeted for anyone interested in gaming — from Magic the Gathering and Pokemon card competitions to the vast world of video game consoles.
There will be all types of video gaming tournaments including Mario Kart 8, Mortal Kombat X, Super Smash Bros, Warlords and Pokémon Oras.
There will also be live music all three days. Some of the featured acts will be Rex Viper, Tiko, Super Monster Party, and Psychostick.
Visitors to the event are encouraged to dress up as their favorite characters for a chance to win prizes and to get their outfit on a Cartoon Network commercial.
Ticket prices start at $40.
The American Swedish Historical Museum (1900 Pattison Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-389-1776, www.americanswedish.org) is so celebrating Midsommarfest on June 24.
In Sweden, Christmas is the most important holiday. Midsommar is the second most important holiday in the Swedish calendar.
The midsummer party in Sweden involves flowers in your hair, dancing around a pole, singing songs while drinking unsweetened, flavored schnapps and eating a lot of pickled herring.
The holiday was originally a pagan festival celebrated in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Midsommar was “likely related to ancient fertility practices and ceremonies performed to ensure a successful harvest.”
When Christianity arrived in the region, Midsommar had to adopt a new meaning and one within the context of the new religion. It was then attached to the birthdate of John the Baptist.
The American Swedish Historical Museum’s Midsommarfest, which starts at 4 p.m. on Saturday, features live traditional folk music by the Last Chance duo and maypole dancing. There will also be crafts and games for the kids.
Visitors can purchase flower crowns, Swedish foods, and refreshments – and check out the Museum’s Swedish used book sale and Mormor’s Attic Shop, filled with second-hand treasures.
Midsommarfest runs rain or shine and includes general admission to the museum. Tickets for Midsommarfest, which are available at the door, are $5 for adults. Children (12 and under) are admitted free.
The 2023 Manayunk Arts Festival (Main Street, Manayunk, http://manayunk.com/) will take place on June 24 and 25 in the heart of Manayunk along Main Street.
The Manayunk Arts Festival draws upwards of 200,000 attendees every year and is one of the largest outdoor arts festivals in the region.
The art show part of the event will showcase top-flight artists from around the country. Hundreds of respected local artists join with the national artists to sell handmade items of all sorts.
The two-day event will also feature crafts, food and music.
As an added attraction, there will be a wide variety of vendors specializing in fiber, glass, metal, wood, photography and other media.
The festival’s hours are Saturday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
On June 24 at 7 p.m., Fort Mifflin (Fort Mifflin and Hog Island roads, Philadelphia, 215-685-4167, www.fortmifflin.us) will host a special event called “Open Investigation Evening—A Haunted Fort Mifflin Event.”
Haunted Fort Mifflin invites guests to get into the “spirit” at the Haunted Open Investigation Evening.
Participants can join the Fort’s friends from Paranormal Peaches to explore the history and hauntings of the site. They can spend the evening enjoying investigating the deep dark corners of the Fort.
The event is appropriate for both experienced and novice paranormal investigators with special access to areas not open to the general public.
Guests can bring their own equipment or just use a cell phone and flashlight. Experienced investigators will be on hand to assist them and review evidence. Advance purchase is required.
Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and veterans and $4 for children (ages 6-12).
Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present another “Sacred Spaces & Storied Places” tour on June 24.
This walking tour provides a wonderful overview of Laurel Hill West’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.
“Sacred Spaces & Storied Places” is the perfect introductory tour that provides an overview of Laurel Hill West including its architectural artistry, stunning trees and horticulture, and the stories of residents that encompass diverse and fascinating Philadelphia history. Experienced tour guides offer visitors a unique perspective as no two tours are the same.
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.
This weekend’s Tour Guide is Joe Lex.
Tickets, which must be purchased in advance, are: $15/General Admission, $13/Seniors (65 & up) and Students with ID, $7.50/Youth (6-12), and $0/Child (5 & Under). Youth and children must be accompanied by an adult.
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) is presenting its “Summer Splash” now through September 3.
There’s nothing like summer at Sesame Place Philadelphia! It’s a great time to have fun and cool off with splashy water attractions like the Bert & Ernie’s Splashy Shores and the new tropical themed land, Big Bird’s Beach.
Other attractions are The Count’s Splash Castle and Big Bird’s Rambling River, Captain Cookie’s High C’s Adventure, Elmo’s Flyin’ Fish, and Oscar’s Wacky Taxi Roller Coaster.
Visitors can dance and sing along at Sesame Place’s exciting character dining experiences and shows including the new “Welcome To The Party!” stage show debuting on June 24.
As always, a major highlight is the spectacular Sesame Street Party Parade which will have everyone dancing in the street.
Summer is perfect for meeting your favorite furry friends and taking bright, beautiful pictures with them. The park also has exciting shows, special events, parades, dance parties, character dining experiences, and other surprises lined up to give visitors even more ways to connect.
Ticket prices for Sesame Place start at $42.99.
This weekend, there will be an Auburn Heights Mansion Tour at Auburn Heights Preserve (3000 Creek Road, Yorklyn, Delaware, 302-239-2385, http://auburnheights.org).
On June 23 the event, which gets underway at 1 p.m., focuses on the stately mansion, which is one of the best examples of a Queen Anne style Victorian mansion in Delaware.
The mansion is the former home of the Marshall family whose legacy of industry and innovation filled the home with the antiques and furnishings there today. Visitors will get to explore two floors of Auburn Heights with a small group.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children. Parking is available in the event lot on Creek Road across from the mansion.
On June 29, the site, which features the Marshall Steam Museum and the Auburn Heights Mansion, is hosting another Mansion Tour at 1 p.m.
The historic site is also presenting “Behind the Scenes Mill Tours at Auburn Valley” on June 24 at 1 and 3 p.m.
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 June 25, 28 and 30.
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.
There will also be “Breakfast with the Giraffes” sessions on June 24 and 25 at 8:30 a.m. each day.
Visitors are encouraged to rise and shine for the most important meal of the day and share it with the Zoo’s three towering giraffes.
After enjoying a delicious outdoor breakfast buffet right next to the giraffes, participants will be able to enjoy an exclusive giraffe feeding.
Prices start at $134.95 for a table of four.
Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodsevents.com) is presenting a “Vineyard Tour” on June 24.
Visitors can experience a 45–60-minute, grape-to-glass educational tour of the vineyard. They will have the opportunity to stroll through the vineyard learning the ins and outs of the winery’s viticulture practices. The overall vineyard experience provides insight and appreciation for the art of grape growing and winemaking.
Vineyard tours are $10 per person. This experience begins promptly at 4 p.m. Children and pets are not permitted during this tour.
Vineyard tours are completely weather dependent and subject to cancellation. In the event of inclement weather, Penns Woods reserves the right to cancel the tour and a full refund will be given or the tour can be transferred to another date.
The winery will also present “Live Music on the Lawn” – just as it has every weekend in June.
The schedule for June 24 at Penns Wood Winery features Greg Jones from 2-5 p.m.
The schedule for June 25 features Allison Landon from 2-5 p.m.
The roster of acts scheduled for July includes Jason Ager, Bill Hake, Hanna Paige (July 4), Greg Jones, Paul Wilkinson, Allison Landon, Chris Despo and Jason Ager
A sweet place to enjoy flowers in bloom is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).
The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend features a “Saturday Wildflower Walk” and a “Bluebird Nesting Box Tour” on Sunday.
“Saturday Wildflower Walk” will be held on June 24 from 1-3 p.m.
Visitors will join wildflower expert Dick Cloud on an informative two-hour hike that will take them through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside. The focus will be on wildflowers of late spring and early summer.
There will also be a “Bluebird Nesting Box Tour” at 1 p.m. on June 25.
For more than 50 years, volunteers at Tyler Arboretum have been monitoring the nesting activities of the Eastern Bluebird. This is a family-friendly tour to share this tradition.
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.
There are many other sites where nature’s glory is on display.
Wawa Welcome America kicks into high gear next weekend but also has an attractive option this upcoming week – “Wawa Welcome America Free Museum Days.”
During the 16-day Wawa Welcome America celebration, 35 Philly institutions offer free (or pay-what-you-wish admission).
The participating venues are: Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1700 W. Montgomery Avenue; The Print Center, 1614 Latimer Street; Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Avenue; Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, 640 Waterworks Drive; Historic Rittenhouse Town, 208 Lincoln Drive; Wyck Historic House and Garden, 6026 Germantown Avenue; Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S. Independence Mall East; Stenton, 4601 N. 18th Street; Masonic Temple, 1 North Broad Street; Science History Institute, 315 Chestnut Street; The Rosenbach, 2008-2010 Delancey Street; Paul Robeson House & Museum, 4951 Walnut Street; John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, 8601 Lindbergh Boulevard; and Historic Strawberry Mansion, 2450 Strawberry Mansion Drive.
Chanticleer (786 Church Street, Wayne, www.chanticleergarden.org), which just opened its 2023 season, is one of them.
The Chanticleer estate dates from the early 20th-century, when land along the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was developed for summer homes to escape the heat of Philadelphia. Adolph Rosengarten, Sr., and his wife Christine chose the Wayne-St. David’s area to build their country retreat. The family’s pharmaceutical firm eventually became part of Merck & Company in the 1920s.
The garden has evolved greatly since the death of the owner in 1990. As the home of the Rosengartens, Chanticleer was beautiful and green with impressive trees and lawns. Most of the floral and garden development you see today has occurred since 1990 — designed by Chanticleer staff and consultants.
There are seven horticulturists, each responsible for the design, planting, and maintenance of an area. The areas are continually evolving, each with its own feel, yet joined together as one complete unit.
The Teacup Garden and Chanticleer Terraces feature seasonal plants and bold-textured tropical and subtropical plants.
The Tennis Court, Ruin, Gravel Garden, and Pond Garden focus on hardy perennials, both woody and herbaceous.
Asian Woods and Bell’s Woodland are shady areas. The Serpentine celebrates the beauty of agricultural crops.
Admission to Chanticleer is $12 for adults and free for pre-teen children (12 years and under).
Andalusia Historic House, Gardens and Arboretum (1237 State Road, Andalusia, www.andalusia house.org) opened its gates for the 2023 season at the beginning of April.
Located on a wooded promontory overlooking the Delaware River, Andalusia has been a stately presence on this stretch of water, just north of Philadelphia, for more than 200 years. The ancestral home of the Biddle family, Andalusia is also a natural paradise of native woodlands and spectacular gardens that have evolved over time.
Placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1966, the Big House is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States.
Its surrounding gardens delight the senses all through the year, from the tumbling, brightly colored leaves of fall to the floral extravaganza of spring and the abundance and scent of summer.
Self-Guided Garden Tours will be available Mondays through Wednesdays from April 4-November 2 (excluding holidays) at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Picnics are allowed on the grounds (with have a “carry-in, carry-out” policy).
Access to the Big House is not included with this tour, which is $20 per person. There is no charge for children 12 and under.
Big House Tours with Garden Access will be available Mondays through Wednesdays from April 4-November 2 (excluding holidays) at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person. There is no charge for children 12 and under.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is always a special place to enjoy both history and nature.
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 $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and students and $8 for children.
Now through June 25, the Garden Bros Nuclear Circus will visit the area for a 25-performance run at Philadelphia Mills (1455 Franklin Mills Circle, Philadelphia, www.gardenbroscircus.com).
The 2023 tour features an all-new Garden Bros Circus show, which is billed as “The World’s Largest Circus Under The Biggest Big Top On Earth.”
This year’s show has blasted into the next generation of showbiz with breathtaking special effects, concert style sound and lighting and three rings bursting with excitement, laughter and memories that families will always cherish.
The very best performers from over more than 22 countries make up this action jammed, fast paced 100-minute performance in a theatrical European 5five-ring setting featuring the Crazy Cossacks Riderz, Human Slingshot, Wheel of Death, Human Cannonball, Motorcycles in the Sphere of Fear, Showgirls Hanging from their Hair, Olympic Gymnasts, the Funniest Clowns and Back Flipping Dogs as seen on America’s Got Talent.
Ticket prices start at $14.50.
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tour” on June 25.
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.
Visitors can participate by watching a short film and then taking a tour. Guided tours of the mansion will depart at 1 and 2:30 p.m.
Tour admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 65+) and for youth ages 6-17, and free 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.
On select Saturday and Sundays now through July, the Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Reserve Tastings – Summer Sips.”
The winery staff is matching the intense heat and bold flavors of the season with exciting, crushable combinations. From delicious textures to a diverse range of fruity, floral, and herbaceous flavors, they are keeping visitors fresh and cool with these carefully curated, summer-approved pairings.
The winery’s trained staff will guide guests through a pre-selected tasting of five widely diverse wines from across the winery’s portfolio alongside artisan cheeses and other accoutrements. During this intimate and educational 60-minute experience, they will discuss topics such as grape growing conditions at partner vineyards and the onsite winemaking process from production to aging and bottling.
The winery staff is matching the intense heat and bold flavors of the season with exciting, crushable combinations. From delicious textures to a diverse range of fruity, floral, and herbaceous flavors, they are keeping visitors fresh and cool with these carefully curated, summer-approved pairings.
The “Pairing Line Up” is Greeting Wine: 2021 Sparkling White, 2022 Vidal Blanc with Goat Rodeo Chevre, 2022 Cabernet Franc with Hudson Valley Camembert with Blueberry Basil Jam, Good Vibes Only with Eclat Chocolate’s Tahitian Vanilla Truffle and Niagara with Gemelli Gelato’s Pear Gelato.
Reserve Tastings are $35 per person and offered only on select Saturdays and Sundays. There are three seatings per day – noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Advanced reservations are required and are non-refundable.
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 2023 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/.
Hagley Museum and Library (Route 141, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org), a 230-acre historical village on the site of the original du Pont Company gunpowder mills in northern Delaware, has opened a new attraction – “Nation of Inventors.”
“Nation of Inventors” celebrates the American spirit of ingenuity by taking visitors on a journey from the early years of the patent system, in the 1790s, through the “golden age” of American invention, in the late 1800s. The exhibit features more than 120 patent models from Hagley’s unique collection highlighting the diverse stories of inventors from all walks of life.
Patent models are scaled representations of inventions and were part of the patent application process for nearly 100 years. “Nation of Inventors” showcases patent models representing innovations in a variety of industries from transportation and manufacturing to food preservation and medical devices.
In the exhibition, visitors will enjoy engaging experiences around every corner, testing their knowledge of innovation and hearing personal accounts from inventors.
The patent models in “Nation of Inventors” were created between 1833 and 1886. “Nation of Inventors” not only features patent models submitted by inventors from the United States, but also models from inventors in England, France, Ireland, Russia, and Spain, demonstrating an international interest in America’s intellectual property system.
“Nation of Inventors” includes patent models from well-known inventors and companies like Ball (Mason Jars), Jim Beam, Bissell, Corliss, Steinway, and Westinghouse. The exhibit presents important topics and timely themes including women inventors, Black inventors, immigrant inventors, improvements in urban living, and the ways Americans learn about and understand progress and change.
“Nation of Inventors” is located on the first two floors of Hagley’s Visitor Center. Visitors can plan to spend about 30 minutes on their self-guided tour of the exhibition.
Admission to Hagley Museum is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and $6 for children (ages 6-14).
The newest exhibition at the Brandywine Museum of Art (1 Hoffman Mill Road, Chadds Ford, brandywine.org), “Andrew Wyeth: Home Places,” opened a few weeks ago and will run through July 13.
This exhibition is a presentation of nearly 50 paintings and drawings of local buildings that inspired Wyeth time and again over seven decades of his career.
The artworks in this exhibition are drawn exclusively from the nearly 7,000-object Andrew and Betsy Wyeth Collection of the Wyeth Foundation for American Art, now managed by the Brandywine. Many of these pieces have never before been exhibited, offering a first glimpse at a significant treasure trove that will shed new light on the collaborative creative process of Andrew and Betsy Wyeth.
“Andrew Wyeth: Home Places” shares the story of a remarkable immersive and intensive artistic practice that ranged across the full array of media Andrew Wyeth practiced. Over the course of a long and diverse career of many chapters, Wyeth repeatedly depicted a small group of historic houses in the vicinity of his hometown of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.
In these weathered buildings others might have overlooked or even scorned in the face of gentrification and commercial development of the region, Wyeth found layers of emotion and association. These structures—both venerable and vulnerable in a changing Brandywine Valley—served as a means of pursuing his abiding attention to that which lies beneath the surface of things.
Through living in this landscape his whole life, he engaged in an artistic practice of uncommon focus over an extended timescale, coming to know deeply the evocative buildings in a radius of just a few square miles and rendering them in an astonishing variety of compositions, handlings and approaches. As Wyeth said, “You can be in a place for years and years and not see something, and then when it dawns, all sorts of nuggets of richness start popping all over the place. You’ve gotten below the obvious.”
Among the previously unexhibited works on view are the charming early oil “The Miller’s Son,” painted when Wyeth was just 17 years old, and the stunning watercolor “Noah’s Ark Study” made at age 87—both depicting the same property, Brinton’s Mill.
That the Wyeths came to own and restore this property for use as their primary residence is among the many contributions of Betsy James Wyeth, whose distinct role in stewarding historic properties in Pennsylvania and Maine, which informed her husband’s painting practice, is a key context of this exhibition.
The Museum just posted this on its website — Please note: During the month of June there will be several gallery closures as we prepare for our next exhibition, “Joseph Stella: Visionary Nature.” During this time, we will be offering half-price admission.
Museum admission is $18 adults, $15 seniors (65+), $6 children (ages 6-18) and students with ID and free for children (ages five and under).
Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, www.longwoodgardens.org) is inviting visitors to enjoy the beauty of late spring.
The “Festival of Fountains” opened for the season on May 11 and will run until September 24.
Longwood Gardens’ Open Air Theatre and Italian Water Garden fountains sprang to life, as did the Square Fountain, Round Fountain (Flower Garden Walk), Sylvan Fountain (Peirce’s Park), and Children’s Corner fountains.
Dancing fountains, performances under the stars, and beautiful gardens make the Festival of Fountains at Longwood Gardens magical. The spectacular celebration of music, light, water, and nature includes distinctive garden experiences indoors and out.
Iconic Illuminated Fountain Performances dance, soar, and delight in the Main Fountain Garden Thursday–Saturday evenings. New Illuminated Fountain Performances for 2023 include “Put Me In, Coach,” featuring a variety of sports-related tunes; “Rachmaninov: Power and Passion”; “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift; “Starman” by David Bowie; “To Infinity and Beyond” highlighting beloved songs from animated movie favorites; and “Where the Heart Is” a showcase of coming-home hits by the likes of Bon Jovi and Ed Sheeran. Illuminated Fountain Performances are free with Gardens admission.
Before the fountain performances, guests can sit under the stars and enjoy live music and refreshing brews and pub fare in Longwood’s Beer Garden. Guests can enjoy a variety of selections from Victory Brewing Company, including the Longwood Seasons series brewed with ingredients grown at Longwood. Regional artists perform live instrumental music, including Hawaiian-Inspired Steel Guitar from Slowey & The Boats, Jazz Age Blues from Drew Nugent & The Midnight Society, Traditional Cuban Son by Conjunto Philadelphia.
Select Fridays throughout Festival of Fountains bring extra family fun during Longwood’s “Festive Friday” theme nights. During these special evenings, enjoy themed fountain performances, concessions, entertainment, and more. Plus, every festive Friday brings the rare opportunity to climb to the top of the Chimes Tower for a stunning view of Longwood’s 62-bell carillon and the surrounding landscape.
The next Festive Friday on June 30 will have the theme – “Make Some Noise” — where keyboards will be set up around the gardens for guests to play from 5-8 pm.
Paying homage to the City of Brotherly, “It’s a Philly Thing” on July 14 highlights Longwood’s own collaboration with Victory Brewing Company and live music from Polkadelphia. “To Infinity and Beyond” on August 4 is sure to be an evening of fun for both the young and the young at heart when performers from the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts takeover the Pumphouse Plaza from 6–8 pm.
And, on September 15, the “I’m a Believer” theme for Festive Friday brings family-friendly magic with The Give and Take Jugglers in the Pumphouse Plaza from 5:30–7:30 pm. Included with Gardens Admission, visit Longwoodgardens.org for more information.
As the season unfolds, flowering trees delightfully punctuate the landscape, radiant tulips stretch toward the sun, and the delicious fragrance of wisteria floats along the breeze.
Visitors can also enjoy special exhibits at the Orchid House.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and college students, $18 for active military and $13 for youth.
On July 25, the Kennett Symphony will perform the season finale of its Masterworks Series at Longwood Gardens (1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square).
“Masterworks 3: Under the Stars” is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. at Longwood’s Open Air Theatre under the direction of conductor Michael Hall.
The Symphony’s website offered this invitation — Get ready to take in the sights of Longwood Gardens and the sounds of the Kennett Symphony. Waltzes and Galops abound as we present a collection of beloved light classical pieces including the sunny and delightful “Capriccio Italien,” the mercurial “Flight of the Bumblebee,” the heartfelt “Vocalise” as well as music from John William’s score to “Schindler’s List.”
The program includes Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Capriccio Italien,” Aram Khachaturian’s “Masquerade Waltz,” Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee” and “Russian Easter Overture,” John Williams” selections from “Schindler’s List,” Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Vocalise” and Dmitry Kabalevsky’s “Dance of the Comedians.”
The concert at Longwood Gardens will start at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $50 for adults and $10 for students (age 18 and under). The ticket includes access to visit Longwood Gardens during the day on the day of the concert.
Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.
The Historic Odessa Foundation is excited to be the northern Delaware venue for an exhibition of selected works by the beloved Delaware artist Jack Lewis (1912-2012). The exhibition entitled “Everyday Lives, Everyday People: The Work of Jack Lewis” is running now through July 2 in the Historic Odessa Visitors Center Art Gallery.
The selection of paintings by Jack Lewis comes from the Nancy and Russell Suniewick Collection on loan from the Rehoboth Art League. In 2021, the Suniewicks, long-time friends of Lewis, and the executive producers of “If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home Now: A Film About Jack Lewis and Bridgeville, DE,” donated an outstanding collection of 52 paintings and various documents of the late artist to the Rehoboth Art League.
The works from the Nancy and Russell Suniewick Collection date from the 1930s to 1980s, and include portraits, domestic and foreign scenes, and an important early self-portrait.
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.
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 $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $10 for children.
The Delaware Art Museum (2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware, delart.org) currently is featuring three exhibitions.
“Our Red Planet: Anna Bogatin Ott” is running now through July 16.
Ukrainian-born abstract painter, sculptor, and digital artist Anna Bogatin Ott captures the sublime in nature and the complexity of human existence. This exhibition showcases her most recent work, informed by NASA images from Mars and her meditations on the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
“My Life, My Voice: Occupying Spaces (La vida de uno y el lugar que ocupamos)” is running now through September 24.
Cesar Viveros is transforming DelArt’s Orientation Hall with a painted mural and a series of seven screen prints, commissioned by the Museum to accompany the exhibition Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection. Born in Mexico, Viveros is a renowned muralist, painter, screen-printer, clay and papier-mâché sculptor in the Philadelphia area, and a leader in the region’s Latino community and art world.
Viveros’ mural represents a bodega or tienda de la esquina—a typical corner store which serves as a daily point of encounter in Latino neighborhoods. His posters are based on conversations with members of the Hispanic American Association of Delaware and Los Abuelos, a senior group from the Latin American Community Center.
“Revision: David Meyer” is also running now through September 24.
Sculptor David Meyer uses various materials—flour, dirt, steel, or glass—to form objects that elevate our senses. For this large-scale installation, Meyer creates shapes derived from distorted photographic images. It is the moment of recognition that Meyer elicits in his sculptures.
Admission to the Delaware Museum of Art is $14 for adults, $7 for college students and $6 for youth.
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).
On June 25, the Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Sundaes on Sunday Train Ride” at 2:30 p.m.
The rail line will be serving up all the ingredients you need to make your own ice cream sundae.
The whole train gets an ice cream sundae.
As an added attraction, there will be an a la carte menu featuring light fare such as sodas from Reading Soda Works and light snacks.
Tickets for the railroad’s Coach Car, Garden Cafe Car and Dining Car are $35 for adults, $25 for children under 12, and $10 for toddlers. This is approximately a two-hour excursion.
Wilmington and Western Railroad (Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport-Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, www.wwrr.com) is running a special train on June 25 — the “Princess Express.”
On the “Princess Express,” five royal characters ride the train and join our guests for a regal experience through the Red Clay Valley.
On the June 25 excursions, the Island Princess, Archer Princess, Beauty, the Little Mermaid, and the Sailor Prince will ride the train.
Passengers can take a leisurely 1.5-hour round-trip ride up the Red Clay Valley to the Mt. Cuba Picnic Grove.
This departure is powered by one of our historic first-generation diesel locomotives.
Excursions depart at 12:30 and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $24 for seniors and $23 for children.
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 are rotated 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.
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.
Grim Philly will also be presenting “Serial Killers & Cemetery Tour” every Saturday at 2 p.m.
Participants will have the opportunity to experience unconventional sightseeing off the beaten path. They can enjoy Betsy Ross House, Christ Church, Elfreth’s Alley, and Benjamin Franklin’s Grave, together with tales of serial slayings and psychopathic killers like the Corpse Collector, Frankfort Slasher, and H.H. Holmes.
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 $18.
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 $18.
On June 29, Berks Nature (The Nature Place, 575 Saint Bernardine Street, Reading, 610-372-4992, https://www.berksnature.org) is presenting a “Native Fish Lecture.”
Berks County’s waterways are known for their fish and fish can tell us a lot about Berks County’s water. Learn all about our native, invasive, and stocked species of fish, how to identify them, where to find them, and what we can learn about stream health by studying these aquatic, finned friends.
The family-friendly event features free admission.
Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, www.morrisarboretum.org) will present its annual “Historic Springfield Mill Days” on June 25 from 1-4 p.m.
Morris Arboretum’s oldest architectural feature is the historic grist mill, dating back to 1761 and situated along the picturesque Wissahickon Creek.
On a guided interactive tour, visitors will be able to watch one-ton millstones grind corn kernels, observe 160-year-old machinery transport and sift ground corn to produce meal, and even grind their own flour on a pedal powered mill.
If you enjoy walking around garden displays or if you like to look at model railroad layouts, then you should definitely check out the Garden Railway Display at the Morris Arboretum.
The ultra-popular Garden Railway Display has become a major summer attraction at The Gardens at Morris Arboretum. The 23rd annual edition of the display has its official season opened in May and will continue until October 10.
The railway has a quarter mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with 15 different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under) and bustling model trains.
The buildings and the display are all made of natural materials – bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds and stones – to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with miniature rivers.
Philadelphia-area landmarks are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle. There is even a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall made using pinecone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials and twigs as downspouts.
This year’s theme — “America’s Roadside Attractions,” features miniature replicas of some of this country’s most iconic roadside attractions including Randy’s Donuts, the Jolly Green Giant, and the World’s Oldest Largest Pecan.
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).
