By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Philadelphia Flower Show
There is no need for anyone around here to suffer from winter doldrums. The entertainment/activity schedule features many attractive events in a variety of genres including the final weekend of the Philadelphia Flower Show, Charter Day celebrations, St. Patrick’s Day parades and an array of family-friendly expos.
There already have been crocus and daffodil sightings in local outdoor gardens. But if you’re in the mood for lots of flowers, all you need do is make a visit to this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (12th and Arch streets, Philadelphia, 215-988-8899, phsonline.org/the-flower-show) which runs through March 12.
The PHS (Philadelphia Horticultural Society) Philadelphia Flower Show is the nation’s largest and longest-running horticultural event and features stunning displays by the world’s premier floral and landscape designers. Started in 1829, the Show introduces diverse plant varieties and sustainable garden and design concepts.
Usually, when events have to be moved, they move indoors because of inclement weather. In 2021 and 2022, the Philadelphia Flower Show had to move – outdoors because of COVID restraints.
Held indoors once again after two years in FDR Park, the Philadelphia Flower Show returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center with the theme “United by Flowers.”
Visitors can expect breathtaking displays by the world’s premier floral and landscape designers, as well as musical performances from a slate of hand-picked artists.
This year’s event also features some of the largest gardens in its history, with floral scapes that range in size from 2,200 to 2,900 square feet.
The show, which is presented every year by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and celebrates its 194th anniversary in 20233, treats visitors to a spectacle of floral displays in every size, style and shape imaginable.
The show will feature 10 acres of exhibition halls with floral displays and vendors and provide visitors with all new interactive experiences. This inviting part of the show will feature garden trends, chats with experts, and hands-on learning sessions for gardeners to become even greener.
Guests are encouraged to enhance their Flower Show visit each day with other popular experiences, including Flower Show Guided Tours in the early morning. The Flower Show also features an exciting competition that brings together thousands of plant lovers who compete in hundreds of categories.
The show’s biggest attraction each year is the massive “Marketplace” featuring over 150 vendors from all over America and several European nations. They will be selling flowers, orchids, floral-inspired furniture, sheds, artwork and unique garden-related crafts and supplies.
Throughout the week, hundreds of gardening experts will provide learning opportunities in the Lecture Series.
Be prepared for large crowds during the weekend hours. If you want a more leisurely visit, plan to visit the show during the week. Also, take public transportation if possible. Vehicular traffic in the area is frequently a nightmare and parking lots tend to fill up early even though they are charging exorbitant fees.
Tickets for the Philadelphia Flower Show start at $29.99.
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (300 Gap Road, Ronks, 717-687-8628, www.rrmuseumpa.org), has a special event this weekend that is both fun and educational — “Reading on The Rails.”
“Reading on The Rails,” which will be held on March 9, is geared for youngsters. Kids pick up their very own cardboard suitcase and use it to travel from story to story. They can collect a sticker after each story and create their own suitcase design with stickers, crayons, sparkles and other trimmings. As an added attraction they will receive a little gift to put inside their suitcase (while supplies last).
Stories will take place at 10:30, 11:15 and 11:45 a.m. and 1:15, 2, and 2:30 p.m. among the historic trains in Rolling Stock Hall.
Some of the featured readers will be Kristin Fernitz (Director, Strasburg Heisler Library), Patrick Morrison (Director of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania) and Juliette O’Connor (educator at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania).
Tickets are $10 for adults (ages 12-64), $9 for Seniors (65+), $8 for Youth (ages 3-11) and free for Children (ages 2 and under).
The venue will celebrate the 343rd birthday of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with free admission to the Museum. The Charter Day special is scheduled for March 10.
Brandywine Battlefield Park
The Brandywine Battlefield Park will open for its 2024 season just in time to celebrate Charter Day on March 10.
The park’s website offered this invitation — Join us for our annual kickoff to the season — Charter Day — where we celebrate Pennsylvania’s 343rd birthday with free admission. Visit and learn about William Penn’s Charter for Pennsylvania with historical interpreters, demonstrations, and more!
The free event will run from noon-3 p.m. on March 10,
Pennsbury Manor (400 Pennsbury Memorial Road, Morrisville, 215-946-0400, www.pennsburymanor.org) is celebrating Charter Day on March 10 from 1-4 p.m.
The free program at Pennsbury Manor includes exhibits, Living Theater presentations, blacksmithing, beer brewing, joinery, hearth cooking, and more. A wonderful display of 17th-century foods will be offered by the cooks, who will be on hand to explain the process of open-hearth cooking.
St Patrick’s Day is approaching so break out the green and get ready to party.
Even though next weekend (March 17) is officially St. Patrick’s Day, this weekend also features some St. Patty’s Day celebrations.
There are a pair of local St. Patrick’s Day Parades scheduled for this weekend – Philadelphia and Wilmington.
Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Dating back to 1771, the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade (www.philadelphiastpatsparade.com) is one of the city’s longest-running traditional events. It is also one of the oldest parades of any kind in the nation.
It will be held on March 10 from 11:15 a.m.-3 p.m.
A procession of drummers, dancers, various performers and Irish bands will move down JFK Boulevard alongside floats decorated in honor of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint.
The parade will begin at 16th Street and JFK Boulevard. The highly entertaining annual event is free for spectators.
Prior to the parade, Saint Patrick’s Church (20th and Locust streets) will celebrate with a “Commemorative Parade Mass.” The Mass will begin at 9:15 a.m. Prior to the Mass, at 9:00 AM, the Procession of the Grand Marshal and the Board Members will be led by the Emerald Society Pipe Band.
There is a local connection to this year’s parade in Philly.
The Parade Mass celebrated by Archbishop Nelson Perez and Chaplain Father Kevin Gallagher, procession led by Joe Tobin and the Philadelphia Emerald Society Pipe band, Bishop Shanahan High School Choir and Cantor Karen Boyce McCollum.
One of the best events is the ICCD (Irish Culture Club of Delaware) St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Wilmington.
Traditionally, the parade is on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, unless the holiday falls on a Saturday. Then it’s staged the weekend before.
Even though St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, the annual parade down King Street will not be held the day before. Bucking tradition, it will be held this Saturday – March 9.
As always, the parade starts at noon at Fourth and King streets and ends at St. Patrick’s Church at the intersection of 14th Street and King Street.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, phillyexpocenter.com) is presenting two very different events this weekend.
Some of the Philadelphia Eagles’ standouts from the Super Bowl LII season along with the club’s legendary coach Dick Vermeil will be autograph guests this weekend’s Philadelphia Sportscard & Memorabilia Show, which is running from March 8-10 at the Greater Expo Center.
The show will feature dealers from all over the country who will be selling a wide array of sports-related items such as game-used equipment, autographed balls, posters, magazine, game programs and autographed pictures – and plenty of Philadelphia sports memorabilia. Visitors can also find a huge selection of collectors’ supplies including protective sheets, binders, ball protectors and display cases.
Another major focus of the show will be trading cards — especially baseball cards. Show attendees will be able to find everything from ultra-rare vintage Honus Wagner and Babe Ruth cards to the latest releases. All sports will be represented, including football, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, wrestling, Olympics and UFC.
Show hours are 3-8 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday.
Admission to the show is $10 on Friday and $15 on Saturday and Sunday. Children (10-and-under) are admitted free with a paying adult.
If you’re a pet owner or just a lover of pets in general, there’s an event for you this weekend at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. From March 8-10, the huge convention hall is hosting the Greater Philadelphia Pet Expo.
The Expo features a huge number of vendors offering virtually everything pet-related including pet food, supplies, training, pet hospital information, treats and lodging. There will also be booths operated by humane groups and rescue services.
The line-up of special attractions includes “Rabbit Hopping,” “Fletcher the Highland Cow,” “Luring 101,” “Parties by Parrots,” “Dynamo Disc Dogs,” “Piggyvilla,” “Neverland K9 Dog Training Demonstration,” and the “International Cat Association Show.”
Admission is $13 for adults and $5 for children (ages 4-12). As an added attraction, Friday night is “Family Night” with all children under 12 admitted free.
Monster-Mania Con 58 will be held now through March 10 at the Doubletree By Hilton (2349 Marlton Pike West, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, monstermania.net).
One of the nation’s premier horror film conventions, Monster-Mania Con features an impressive list of celebrities who will be appearing this weekend, including John Cleese, Katey Sagal, Sam Raimi, Jon Lovitz, Michael Ironside, Jane Levy, Michael Gross and Tom Atkins.
Visitors to the convention will be able to meet the stars, get autographs, browse vendor rooms and enjoy films and special events all weekend long.
Activities get underway at 4 p.m. on March 8 and at 10 a.m. on March 9 and 10.
Admission is $35 each day.
“Rice Is Everything at Taller Puertorriqueño” (2600 North 5th Street, Philadelphia, tallerpr.org) is celebrating the final day of its current special exhibition — Dorcas Tang 邓佳颖: Los Paisanos del Puerto — Portraits of the Chinese diaspora community in Puntarenas, Costa Rica).
“Los Paisanos del Puerto” is Taller’s kaleidoscopic exhibit on the Costa Rican Chinese community.
This family-friendly event features food, conversations and art tours that delve into the space bridging Asian and Latino cultures.
Visitors will be able to explore the exhibit’s portraits, photo albums, archival images and oral interviews during a tour with Dorcas Tang herself.
They’ll also get a food presentation by chef Yun Fuentes of Bolo and enjoy food and refreshments with the other guests and artists. The event is free with RSVP.
Every Saturday and Sunday in March and April, the Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Reserve Tastings – Wine & Cheese.”
Guests will join the CFW Crew for an intimate and educational 60-minute experience in the Barrel Room. The trained staff will guide them through a pre-selected tasting of five widely diverse and award-winning wines from across our portfolio. The selections will be paired alongside seasonal local cheeses and other accoutrements to enhance your tasting experience.
The staff will also discuss topics such as grape growing conditions at our partner vineyards and the onsite winemaking process from production to aging and bottling.
The 2024 Pairing Line Up is ’22 Sparkling White paired with Éclat Blood Orange Pâte de Fruits, ’22 Dry Rosé: Redux paired with Fresh Chèvre with Local Spring Honey, ’21 Harbinger paired with Sea Salt Kettle-Cooked Potato Chips with Wild Mushroom Confit, Good Vibes Only paired with Noble Brie and Small Batch Sour Cherry Spread, and Revolution (the winery’s very first port-style fortified wine).
Reserve seatings are $35 per person.
This month, Penns Wood Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, 610-459-0808, Penns Woods Winery – HOME) is pairing wine and cupcakes.
Every weekend in March, visitors will be able to experience the winery’s highly anticipated annual pairing with out-of-the-box custom flavors developed in partnership with the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars winning shop Dia Doce!
Reservations are required to enjoy in person or you can order a Take Home Pairing Kit for a fun night in.
Tickets are $36.
The Strasburg Rail Road (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running a special train on Saturdays and Sundays in March – the “Wine & Cheese Train.”
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 6 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. We are 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 $65.
Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, 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 a popular ongoing attraction – “Nation of Inventors.”
Additionally, there will be two special events over the next few days “Science Saturdays” at 11 a.m. on March 9 and “Walking Tour” on March 11 at 11 a.m.
This edition of “Science Saturdays” has “Let It Grow” as its theme. In collaboration with Longwood Gardens’ Community Read, visitors will dive into the science of how gardens can affect our health.
With the “Walking Tour,” participants can walk through history during an in-depth, 90-minute guided tour each Monday morning from March through December. This week’s topic is “The Legacy of Louise du Pont Crowninshield.”
“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 is $20 for adults, $16 for students and seniors (62+) and $10 for children (6-14).
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) just opened its 2024 season. This weekend, Winterthur is kicking into gear with a special event called “Bank to Bend,” which will be held on March 9 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Visitors are invited to celebrate the early bulb display of the March Bank with a lecture and garden tours – guided and self-guided.
Celebrate the early-spring garden and bulb display on the beautiful March Bank with a day of events. The event takes its name from the du Pont family custom of walking the path from the March Bank to Magnolia Bend at this time of year looking for the first flowers in the garden.
This year’s featured speakers will be Keith Wiley, one of Britain’s most innovative designers who has taken naturalistic planting to a new level in his development of the Wildside Garden, and Ambra Edwards, an award-winning writer and garden historian.
Other special activities include a “Plant Sale” featuring rare and unusual plants from Edgewood Gardens and a “Guided Tour of March Bank.”
There will also be the “Director’s Garden Walk: Snowdrops and Other Minor Bulbs” on March 9 at 2:15 p.m.
Visitors can join Chris Strand, director of Winterthur, on a special walk highlighting interesting and seldom seen parts of the landscape. The walk is included with admission. Free for Members. In case of inclement weather, an update message will be left at 302.888.4915 approximately three hours before the walk.
Self-guided tours, plant sale, and guided garden walk included with the $20 admission fee. Lectures may be added for $20. Registration is recommended.
Another venue where you can enjoy flowers up close is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).
The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend features the “Saturday Wildflower Walk: Early Spring Edition”” on March 9 at 1 p.m.
At the “Saturday Wildflower Walk,” wildflower expert Dick Cloud will lead an informative two-hour hike that will take visitors through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside. These walks are for those who have a love of plants, their role in ecology, or for those who want to learn more.
Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $18 for adults and $10 for children (ages 3-17) and Military with valid ID.
Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) is celebrating the new year with one of its annual special events – “Winter Wonder.”
“Winter Wonder,” which runs now through March 24, celebrates the beauty of winter. It’s all about outdoor spacious, indoor oasis, and the power of story.
Outside, visitors can find a sense of peace and tranquility as they walk past textural grasses, seed heads and the dramatic silhouettes of trees that stretch up into the sky.
Inside, they can bask in a world of warmth that features an overhead garden of hanging baskets adorned with such vibrant beauties as jasmine, cape-primrose, and lipstick-plant.
Visitors will be able to enjoy a paradise of flowers and foliage, bursting with color — all in a beautiful indoor winter wonderland with a tropical twist.
Inside Longwood’s Conservatory, visitors can check out nearly 300 blooming orchids on display in the site’s Orchid House. There will also be rare blue poppies blooming in March but for only about 10 to 15 days.
Another popular attraction this year is Longwood Gardens’ “Science Saturdays” series.
Topics for Science Saturday events are “Managing Our Natural Lands” on March 9 and “Seed Science” on April 20.
Longwood custom grows a staggering 1,300 (and counting) types of plants each year for seasonal indoor displays and outdoor gardens … and each type has its own needs.
While Longwood’s team utilizes its horticulture expertise to grow this diverse palette of plants, its innovative greenhouses further the capabilities to grow them precisely and efficiently, all while attending to each plant type’s individual needs.
The gardens are open from Wednesdays through Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Friday, March 31. Hours change in the spring.
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.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $25 for adults, $22 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and college students, $18 for active military and veterans and $13 for youth (ages 5-18).
Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.
On March 1, Historic Odessa reopened for spring tours and celebrated the beginning of its 2024 season.
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.
From March 1-31, Historic Odessa presents “Women of Courage, Independence and Perseverance,” as it celebrates Women’s History Month.
“Women of Courage, Independence and Perseverance,” a special petite case exhibit in the Wilson-Warner House will be offered as part of the general tour. It will explore the lives of four extraordinary Wilson and Corbit women who exemplified perseverance and courage at a time when women faced many barriers to their independence.
“Under the Canopy: Animals of the Rainforest,” which will run now through September 2 at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, ansp.org), is an immersive exhibition introducing visitors to the fascinating world of rainforests and the animals that inhabit them.
You can learn about unique plants and rainforest ecology as you encounter a live sloth, boa constrictor and other animals that call these habitats home. You will see the importance of rainforests to the planet as you explore interactive discovery stations, dynamic displays and engaging programming.
Presented in English and Spanish, “Under the Canopy” will engage students of all ages, with accompanying curriculums on rainforests, water cycles, the science of diversity, deforestation and soil, how kids can save the planet and so much more. Hands-on interactives are complemented by life-size, climbable animal sculptures, including a gorilla, tortoise, crocodile, red-eye tree frog and Banyan tree.
All exhibits are included with the purchase of a general admission ticket.
Admission prices are — Adults (Age 13 and above), $22; Children (Age 2 – 12), $18.
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 March 8, the site, which features the Marshall Steam Museum and the Auburn Heights Mansion, is hosting the event which 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.
The tour will also be held on March 16
Tickets are $14 for adults and $7 for children. Parking is available in the event lot on Creek Road across from the mansion.
On March 9, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present “Hot Spots and Storied Plots” walking tour at 10 a.m.
In life and in death, we all have stories to tell, and what better place to hear tales of wonder than Philadelphia’s most famous home of the dead?
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. No two “Hot Spots and Storied Plots” are alike.
The Tour Guide will be Guenevere Eckert.
The Philadelphia Zoo has been a habitat for an amazing array of animals ever since its opening day in July 1874. Now, for the next two-and-one-half months, the Zoo will be home to a sextet of Trolls.
Now through April 15, the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia) is hosting the East Coast debut of Thomas Dambo’s “TROLLS: Save the Humans,” produced by Imagine Exhibitions. This represents the first-ever winter feature experience at Philadelphia Zoo.
The world’s leading “recycle” artist has created these six, folklore-inspired Trolls using repurposed wood. The Trolls are on a mission to inspire humans to take better care of nature. The Trolls, ranging up to 15 feet tall, will be located throughout the Zoo’s 42-acre campus.
“TROLLS” were created by artist Thomas Dambo, who currently lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark. Born in Odense, Denmark in 1979, Dambo’s mission is to create art that inspires people to explore, have adventures in nature, and show that recycled goods can be turned into something beautiful.
Dambo’s colossal troll sculptures range in height from 16-50 feet and ‘live’ as permanent or semi-permanent installations in parks, greenspaces, industrial parks, and in other site-specific locations around the world. Each folklore-inspired sculpture is imbued with expression and character and is built entirely from reclaimed materials.
Each Troll has a unique name and story. There are six Trolls who will be taking up residence at the Philadelphia Zoo through April 15.
They all believe rethinking how we live our daily lives will help save the planet for all animals, including humans, and they want to share their ideas. They want all humans to reduce trash, reuse everything, and recycle when they can. The Trolls believe that these actions and others to protect wildlife and wild places are important steps to help save the planet for all animals, including humans.
The exhibition is included in admission to the Zoo. Admission prices start at $19 for adults and children. Tickets are now available on philadelphiazoo.org.
If you’re looking for a fun family activity – an indoor activity unaffected by the weather — Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com) has something just for you — the miniature golf course “Fore! the Planet.”
Linvilla Orchard’s “Fore! The Planet” is a highly interactive and playful museum exhibit created by the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. This exhibition pairs important environmental issues with the fun of miniature golf.
It features nine unique educational holes — explore butterfly metamorphosis, a tropical rain forest, evolution, dinosaur extinction, food chains, and more. It’s perfect for kids of all ages. The entire family will enjoy playing miniature golf while learning about our environment – every step of the way.
The mini-course is open daily from 9 a.m. -5 p.m. through April 1. Tickets are $8.
“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.
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) may be closed for park rides and activities but there’s still furry fun to be had.
This weekend’s special event will be “Mardi Gras Celebration,” which will be now through March 17.
Visitors can let the good times roll at Sesame Place’s family-friendly Mardi Gras Celebration.
Guests can join in the festivities and celebrate by dancing along with special strolling entertainment, participating in the Mardi Gras Mask Scavenger Hunt, and much more. They also can enjoy Sesame Street-themed rides and attractions for guests of all ages.
The Sesame Street Mardi Gras Parade is a celebration with everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends dressed up and ready to shine, and features lively tunes, fancy dancing, and floats decked out in Mardi Gras colors of sparkly purple, green, and gold.
Visitors to Sesame Place can enjoy mouth-watering menu items made famous by the city of New Orleans like beignets and jambalaya.
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.
Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the winter.
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.
Blue Cross RiverRink (Market Street at the Delaware River, Philadelphia, www.riverrink.com) is a great place to enjoy a pleasant winter skate.
Unlike most of the suburban ice rinks, RiverRink features public skating. Ice skating is the only use of this ice rink.
This winter, RiverRink takes the ice-skating experience on the Delaware River waterfront to another level by once again transforming the annual rink into a bona fide winter wonderland.
For three decades, Winterfest has been Philadelphia’s favorite Winter tradition on the Delaware River Waterfront, inviting visitors for a chance to indulge in flights of fancy under thousands of sparkling lights in a winter wonderland with spectacular views of the Delaware River, complete with comforting warming cabins, physically distanced fire pit stations, games for the young and young-at-heart, delicious food and refreshing drinks, the signature holiday tree and — of course — ice skating on an NHL-sized rink.
Another ice-skating option in downtown Philadelphia is Center City Parks District’s Rothman Orthopaedics Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, http://ccdparks.org/dilworth-park).
It is an unparalleled entertainment experience on Philadelphia’s center stage in a wonderfully urban and unique setting. Open seven days a week, the rink offers wintery fun for all ages, with a full slate of programs.
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.
This week, Thursday will not just be another Thursday – it will be “π Day (Pi Day).”
Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π (pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14 (3/14 in the month/day format) since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant digits of π.
Celebrations often involve eating pie or holding pi recitation competitions. In 2009, the United States House of Representatives supported the designation of “Pi Day.”
Pi (often represented by the lower-case Greek letter π), one of the most well-known mathematical constants, is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. For any circle, the distance around the edge is a little more than three times the distance.
Rajveer Meena set the Guinness record of most π digits memorized when he recited 70,000 digits in 9 hours, 7 minutes, while blindfolded, on March 21, 2015. Meena is the officially recognized world record-holder by Guinness World Records.
The North American record for digits of π recited belongs to Upper Darby’s Marc Umile who recited 15,314 digits from memory in July 2007.
