What To Do: Willowdale Steeplechase tops this week’s events calendar

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

The Brandywine Valley is known far and wide for being horse country. It has established its reputation as an area known for staging top-flight equestrian events.

This weekend, the spotlight will be on the Annual Willowdale Steeplechase (Steeplechase grounds, routes 82 and 926, Unionville, willowdalesteeplechase.org).

This year’s 33rd annual staging of the event will be held on May 9 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

The initial competition will be the “Jack Russell Terrier Races” at 10:30 a.m. followed by the “Pony Races” at 11:30 a.m.

The Willowdale Steeplechase is a first-class steeplechase course that features an uphill approach to the fences. This encourages less speed and more jumping and, as a result, causes less wear and tear on the horses.

The first of seven steeplechase races will begin at 1 p.m. and the racing is scheduled to end between 4:30 and 5 p.m. Gates will close at 6 p.m.

This year’s Willowdale Steeplechase has several beneficiaries — The Stroud Water Research Center and The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine at New Bolton Center.

Tickets are $60 at the gate.

The Yellow Springs Art Show (Art School Road, Chester Springs, www.yellowsprings.org), which is one of the longest-running art shows in the state, is celebrating its 53rd anniversary in 2026.

The Yellow Springs Art Show got its start back in 1973 as a free event featuring a variety of artists displaying their work on clotheslines.

It has changed immeasurably since then and has become one of the largest and most prestigious annual art shows in the Delaware Valley.

The show is still free and open to the public. The popular annual event now features close to 200 participating artists — including many artists who are new to the show this year.

The show is running now through May 10 in Historic Yellow Springs Lincoln Building. Show hours are from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.

The 2026 Yellow Springs Art Show will have on display more than 3,000 pieces of fine art in a wide range of media and styles – oils, watercolors, bronze sculptures, pastels, landscapes, still life, three-dimensional works, seascapes and abstract.

All proceeds benefit arts education, environmental protection and historic preservation of the 300-year-old village of Historic Yellow Springs.

One of the more energetic traditional springtime events in Pennsylvania Dutch country is the Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association’s annual “Spring Stream Up” (Rough and Tumble, 4977 Lincoln Highway East, Kinzers, 717-442-4249,www.roughandtumble.org).

“Spring Steam-Up” is looked at as a special event each year at Rough and Tumble — a time to get the steam engines out of hibernation and fire them up. It is also a time for the plowing to begin.

“Spring Steam-Up” will run now through May 9 from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. One of the highlights will be sessions of “Plowing with Steam and Gas Tractors.” This activity will be held only if weather is favorable to plow.

There will be a variety of displays featuring steam engines, gas engines, steam tractors, gas tractors and antique cars. Also featured will be a model shop, a sawmill, two steam trains and blacksmithing demonstrations at the museum’s blacksmith shop.

“Tractor Games” are scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m. The “Garden Tractor Pull” and the “Children’s Pedal Tractor Pull” will be held on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Tickets for “Spring Stream Up” are $10 for adults and $5 for children (ages 6-12).

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum (2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster, 717.569.0401, www.landisvalleymuseum.org) is holding its 36th annual Herb & Garden Faire on May 8 and 9.

Landis Valley is transformed into a gardener’s paradise at this annual sale.

With more than 80 vendors of heirlooms, natives, and other hard-to-find varieties as well as herbal skin care products, garden art, and jewelry spread out over the historic village area of the site, it’s a delightful shopping experience that’s quickly becoming a Mother’s Day weekend tradition.

Visitors can also grab a bite from the Faire’s food vendors, listen to beautiful music, or tour gardens run by the museum’s Heirloom Seed Project.

The Herb & Garden Faire will run from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. both days. No pets are allowed.

Admission is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, $10 for youth (ages 6-11) and free for ages 5 and under. Tickets will be available at the door.

The 12th Annual Philadelphia Fleadh (www.PhillyFleadh.com) will be held on May 9 at 4666 East Bristol Road in Feasterville.

Voted one of five most authentic Irish destinations in America by Good Morning America, The Philadelphia Fleadh is a Celtic music and dance festival with 13 bands, traditional music sessions, Celtic Flame’s Feis at the Fleadh, dance performances, and a Ceili.

The event, which will run from 11 a.m.-8 p.m., will feature food, spirits and merchant vendors along with a kid’s zone with bounce houses, face painting and balloon animals and much more.

Some of the featured acts this year are No Irish Need Apply, The Natterjacks, Birmingham 6 Farewell The John Byrne Band, The Shantys, and Bogside Rogues.

Admission is $25.

Starting this weekend, Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) has several special activities going.

“Noir Noir: A Speakeasy Experience” will be held on Friday evenings in May from 6-9 p.m.

Visitors can enjoy specialty cocktails and light bites in the hidden wine cellar as they step behind the scenes at the Friday-night speakeasy, tucked inside our historic wine cellar.

Inspired by the glamour and intrigue of the 1920s and 1930s, this intimate pop-up experience transforms the West Tank Room into a moody, art deco–inspired lounge complete with themed music, vintage touches, and low-lit ambiance.

Guests are invited to enjoy a rotating menu of specialty cocktails crafted with locally sourced spirits and Chaddsford wines, available exclusively during speakeasy hours.

A limited selection of bar bites will also be available. Themed attire is encouraged but never required.

There will also be “Mimosa Mixer Tastings” from May 2-17.

Guests can celebrate the flavors of spring with a lively and refreshing Mimosa Mixer Tasting at Chaddsford Winery.

This guided, seated experience invites guests to explore a curated flight of seasonal mimosa creations, each paired with a delicious cheese board.

“Live on the Lawn” will be held on Saturdays and Sundays from May 2-September 27 from 2-5 p.m. each day.

This is a brand-new outdoor music series featuring local talent, great wine, and relaxed vibes every summer weekend afternoon.

Visitors can bring a blanket, grab a glass, and kick back to the rhythm of live music on the scenic Vintner’s Lawn.

Each weekend showcases a rotating lineup of regional musicians and your favorite Chaddsford wines.

There will be Chaddsford wines by the glass or bottle, frozen wine slushies, fresh and seasonal mocktails, a rotating selection of Pennsylvania craft beer and an expanded, in-house food menu, including weekly pizza specials.

In 2026, America turns 250, and Philadelphia is throwing the ultimate yearlong celebration.

After all, we’ve been first in freedom, first in innovation and first in fun for 250 years.

52 Weeks of Firsts (www.visitphilly.com/52-weeks-of-firsts) is a yearlong, citywide celebration honoring Philadelphia’s legacy of innovation produced by the Philadelphia Historic District 250th Committee.

Not only was Philadelphia the birthplace of the country, but it was also the backdrop for many other marvels.

To honor these groundbreaking inventions and firsts, the Philadelphia Historic District is holding a year’s worth of free events to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.

52 Weeks of Firsts shines a light on different Philly-born Firsts each week through a series of free public events called Saturday Firstivals — held every Saturday of 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in more than a dozen neighborhoods.

Firstival: Saturday May 9 will focus on “First Mother’s Day: 1908.”

The nation’s very first public Mother’s Day celebration took place right here at Wanamaker’s Department Store, honoring the women who do it all.

The event will be held May 9 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Historic St. George’s Museum & Archives, which is located at 326 New Street in Philadelphia.

Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) is celebrating the opening of the 2026 “Festival of Fountains” this weekend.

The daily fountain performances are the stars of the Main Fountain Garden experience.

Enjoy the thrill of what 1,719 jets can do—from spinning and dancing to music, to soaring as high as 175 feet—with daily performances.

The schedule for May 8 through August 27 is Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 11:15 a.m. and 1:15, 3:15 and 5:15 p.m. and Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays at 11:15 a.m., 1:15,  3:15, 5:15 and 8:15 p.m.

At night, illuminated fountain performances offer a spectacle unlike any other. Water in all shapes, sizes, and heights combines with music and infinite colors.

The accompanying music this weekend is “Thank You For the Music” on May 8, “Brat Pack Soundtrack: Music from the 80s” on May 9 and “Let’s Get Loud” on May 10.

On May 9, Longwood will celebrate “World Topiary Day” along with gardens around the globe.

Founded in 2020 by Levens Hall and Gardens (Cumbria, UK) — home to the oldest topiary garden in the world — this annual May occasion recognizes the beauty, art, and joys of topiary.

Longwood, explore our Topiary Garden’s whimsical forms and get Visitors to Longwood Gardens can enjoy an up-close look at the 35 specimens throughout the garden.

Elsewhere at Longwood, early spring bulbs bring the season to life, followed by flowering trees bursting into bloom. Fragrance drifts on the breeze. Radiant tulips stretch towards the sky.

A featured attraction is Florida Flame Azalea (Rhododendron austrinum).

Florida flame azalea, is a deciduous azalea native to the southeastern United States. Blooming in early spring before the leaves emerge, its fragrant yellow to orange flowers are rich in nectar and attract a range of wildlife, including hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees.

As part of the Ericaceae family, it shares the acid-loving tendencies of other rhododendrons and azaleas. This species plays an important role in the development of modern deciduous azalea hybrids. Breeders have long used Rhododendron austrinum to introduce heat tolerance and vibrant yellow coloration into cultivated varieties, expanding the palette of garden azaleas well beyond their traditional hues.

Longwood’s selections of pastel-colored azaleas create dramatic sweeps of color amongst the trees in Peirce’s Woods.  It is well worth a stroll to experience the beauty and fragrance of these native treasures.

Other attractions in bloom are Carolina Silverbell, Blue Phlox, Fosteriana Tulip, Hoary Azalea, Cucumber Magnolia, Tower-of-jewels, Snowball Pincushion Cactus, Pineapple Guava, Dwarf Fothergilla, Throatwort and Ixia.

Inside Longwood’s Conservatory, visitors can check out the towering Clerodendrum schmidtii (chains of glory) as well as nearly 300 blooming orchids on display in the Orchid House.

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 $35 for adults, $21 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and $20 for youth (ages 5-18).

Another venue where you can enjoy flowers up close is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).

This weekend, Tyler is presenting a “Saturday Wildflower Walk.”

Visitors can explore the Arboretum with wildflower expert Dick Cloud.

Participants can slow down and look closely at what’s growing along meadows, wooded paths, and occasional streamside spots.

They will be able to enjoy the simple pleasure of seeing the landscape in detail and notice the Arboretum with fresh eyes and, in May and June, spot wildflowers of late spring and early summer.

The event will get underway at 1 p.m.

Admission fee is $18 per adult and $10 per teen (ages 12-17).

This Saturday, the Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard (1124 East Seventh Street, Wilmington, Delaware, www.kalmarnyckel.org) is beginning its 2026 season of live sails.

Sailing season returns with river cruises in Wilmington and tall ship sails in Historic New Castle. Tickets for day sails plus private ship rentals are now available.

On May 9 at 10 a.m., visitors can take a 1.5-hour Christina River cruise on Kalmar Nyckel, The Tall Ship of Delaware.

Adventure awaits when they come aboard the majestic Swedish flagship that founded the colony of New Sweden in 1638. They can haul lines, set sails, hear tales from the crew or simply relax.

The ship is a beautiful recreation of the original Kalmar Nyckel, which was built in Holland in the 1620s. Her main mast is taller than a 10-story building, and she carries 7,600 square feet of sail area and six miles of rigging.

The original Kalmar Nyckel was a Swedish-owned, three-masted armed pinnace that sailed from Goteborg, Sweden in November of 1637 and brought the first permanent European settlers to the Delaware Valley.

The new Kalmar Nyckel was constructed there and was launched on September 28, 1997. She was commissioned on May 9, 1998, and now serves as Delaware’s sea-going Ambassador of Good Will. She is a fully functional sail training vessel and has represented Delaware all over the country.

River Cruise tickets are $45/Adult and $25/Youth (12 and under).

This weekend, Rockwood Park & Museum (4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington,  Delaware, 4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, www.newcastlede.gov/431/Rockwood-Park-Museum) is hosting “Rockwood Guided House Tours.”

Visitors can explore the grandeur, history and beauty of the Rockwood Museum, home of the Shipley, Bringhurst and Hargraves families for 120 years, at their own pace.

Visitors will be able to access most of the museum’s major rooms on this self-guided tour. Also, staff will be nearby to answer any questions.

Tours are scheduled for 10 a.m. on May 8 and 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. on May 9.

Newlin Grist Mill (219 South Cheyney Road, Glen Mills, newlingristmill.org) will present its “1704 Mill Tour” on May 9 and 10.

Visitors can take a guided tour of the site’s 1704 water powered mill.

While the Mill is not currently operational, visitors on guided tours will get a rare opportunity to see the process of building a new waterwheel and waterbox.

Visitors must be on a guided tour to go inside the Grist Mill.

Cost is $10 for adults and $6 for seniors and children 12 and under.

The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum (8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, www.fws.gov/refuge/John_Heinz) will host three  “2026 World Migratory Bird Day Bird Walks.”

The first will be at 7 a.m. with Gregg Gorton. Gorton is the refuge expert on bird calls and songs and loves to share his knowledge.

A “World Migratory Bird Day Photowalk with Ned Levi” is slated  for 8 a.m.

Wildlife Photowalks are designed to photograph all kinds of wildlife including birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, insects and wildflowers.

The final event the day will be a “World Migratory Bird Day Bird Walk with Chuck Root and Emily Dodge” at 8 a.m.

Participants will be able to discover the 300+ species of birds that use the Refuge during their migration routes — each week guarantee different species.

Walk will meet by the Visitor Center and take place at a relaxed pace on flat surfaces.

The 2026 season has begun at Nemours Estate (1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware, nemoursestate.org).

There will be a “Guided Mansion Tour” on May 9 starting at 9:30 a.m.

Visitors can get a different perspective on Nemours through this guide-led tour of Nemours Estate’s Mansion.

There will also be a “Founding Fathers & Royas Tour” on May 10 at 9:30 a.m.

The entrance is located on the campus of Nemours Children’s Health — follow signs for Nemours Estate.

Originally constructed in 1910, Nemours Estate 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 and meadows.

Nemours was the estate of Alfred I. duPont.

The 2026 season is in full swing at Chanticleer (786 Church Street, Wayne, www.chanticleergarden.org).

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. Davids area to build their country retreat. The family’s pharmaceutical firm would become part of Merck & Company in the 1920s.

The Rosengartens hired architect and former classmate Charles L. Borie to design the house, which was completed in 1913. Landscape architect Thomas Sears designed the terraces as extensions of the house. A 1924 addition converted the summer home into a year-round residence and the family moved here permanently.

Rosengarten’s humor is evident in naming his home after the estate “Chanticlere” in Thackeray’s 1855 novel “The Newcomes.”

As the home of the Rosengartens, Chanticleer was beautiful and green with impressive trees and lawns. Most of the floral and garden development 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.

Admission to Chanticleer is $15 for adults and free for pre-teen children (12 years and under).

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, is presenting its “Nation of Inventors” exhibition.

Visitors can learn about the patent process and see examples of early American ingenuity in the “Nation of Inventors” exhibition.

“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” includes patent models from well-known inventors and companies like Ball (Mason Jars), Jim Beam, Bissell, Corliss, Steinway, and Westinghouse.

“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 $22 for adults, $18 for students and seniors (62+) and $12 for children (6-14).

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, www.ansp.org) has just opened a new exhibit – “Botany of Nations.”

Visitors can experience a groundbreaking exhibition that provides a new perspective on the legendary Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery.

Co-curated with Enrique Salmón, PhD, an ethnobotanist and author of IWÍGARA: The Kinship of Plants and People, and developed with contributions from Indigenous cultural historians, “Botany of Nations” offers a culturally layered view of the plants of North America.

Collected on the famous expedition, some of the oldest plant specimens in the country today are housed in the Academy’s own Lewis and Clark Herbarium.

Guests can learn how the Native Nations Meriwether Lewis met on the trail shaped America’s plant knowledge long before Western scientists claimed these “discoveries.”

Centering the voices of Native Nations who have protected and cared for the lands for thousands of years, “Botany of Nations” presents plants as portals to Indigenous storytelling and knowledge.

Visitors will:

See 18th and early 19th century scientific instruments, original journals, maps and herbarium sheets that illuminate the role of natural science on the Corps of Discovery.

View Native American peace pipes as well as Corps of Discovery peace medals.

Navigate prairie, plains, plateau and Pacific coast landscapes within a model of the trail as you learn about the importance of plants such as tobacco and chokecherry through film, interactive media, cultural artifacts, sensory experiences and contemporary voices.

Watch a newly produced film about how Indigenous traditional land practices and cultural systems surrounding food provide contemporary solutions to today’s biodiversity and climate challenges.

Experience a native plant garden on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to learn how you can grow heritage plants that foster biodiversity.

Museum admission is $22 for adults, $19 for seniors and $18 for children (ages 2-12).

The Delaware Art Museum (2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware, www.delart.org) is currently featuring several new exhibitions.

“Living Indigenous,” which runs through August 23, celebrates the creative contributions of Indigenous artists living in and connected to Delaware, developed in partnership with the Nanticoke Indian Museum.

“Citizen Artist,” which is on display through July 19, coincides with the Semiquincentennial in 2026.

The “Citizen Artist” will meet a moment of national reflection with a celebration of artist workers in America.

“The People’s Gallery,” which runs August 7 through September 6, amplifies Delaware 250 by inviting up to 600 Delaware residents or DelArt Members to submit one work of art for exhibition in the Museum.

The Museum is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday and will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Admission is $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $6 for youth.

Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.

Historic Odessa just reopened for spring tours and celebrated the beginning of its 2026 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.

Andalusia Historic House, Gardens and Arboretum (1237 State Road, Andalusia, www.andalusiapa.org) has opened for its 2026 season.

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 — one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States — provides an unparalleled look into our nation’s past, while also offering a glimpse into the life of a family that helped to shape its future.

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 through November 4 (excluding holidays) at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m.

Visitors can stroll the spectacular formal gardens and native woodlands during a self-guided garden tour at their leisure and enjoy sweeping views from the banks of the Delaware River. Picnics are allowed on the grounds (with a “carry-in, carry-out” policy).

Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) started its season  of “Guided Mansion Tours” a few weeks ago.

This week, there will be tours on May 10 at 1 and 2:30 p.m.

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. all three days.

Tour admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 65+) and for youth (age 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.

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 $28.

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 $28.

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 $28.

Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the spring.

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.

Ticket prices start at $38.

Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com) will present “The Best of the Nest: Birdhouse Competition & Display” throughout its site.

“The Best of the Nest: Birdhouse Competition & Display” runs now through May 25 and showcases unique birdhouses designed and built by members of the public.

Guests are invited to vote for their favorite birdhouses in multiple categories: traditional, whimsical, Bucks County landmark, and natural habitat.

For this event, Peddler’s Village is proud to partner with the Bucks County Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Honey Hollow Nature Center.

By participating in this event as either a birdhouse creator or a visitor, you can support two local nonprofits. Creators can donate their birdhouses to a fundraising auction, and visitors can donate either directly or by “buying” additional votes for their People’s Choice favorites. Donations can be made and ballots can be obtained at the Visitor and Event Center on Street Road.

Fort Mifflin (Fort Mifflin and Hog Island roads, Philadelphia, 215-685-4167, www.fortmifflin.us) offers a variety of special events throughout the year. On May 9, the special event will be “Airplane Day.”

Visitors to the Fort will be able to watch planes from nearby Philadelphia International Airport as they ascend on take-offs and descend on landings — and find out why they built Fort Mifflin so close to a major airport.

Participants in the day’s activities will be able to learn the basics of flight, build their own gliders and explore the use of aircraft in warfare and anti-aircraft defenses. Fort Mifflin actually held anti-aircraft guns during World War II.

Visitors will be able to capture amazing photos of arriving aircraft on the “Sweet Spot” photo tours, complete the Spotters Guide to learn to recognize the unique paint and design on a variety of planes and listen to the pilots communicate with the control tower.

“Airplane Day” will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors (age 65 and older) and $12 for veterans (with ID) and students (age 12 and under).