By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Mushroom Festival
There is a saying in southern Chester County that goes — “There is a fungus among us.”
That saying is never more evident than in Kennett Square on the weekend after Labor Day each year – the weekend for the annual staging of the Mushroom Festival.
After three decades, anniversaries begin to take on a special significance.
This weekend marks the 41st anniversary of the annual Mushroom Festival in downtown Kennett Square (http://mushroomfestival.org).
Now in its fifth decade, the annual party is expected to draw thousands of festival fans and mushroom lovers.
Some of the main attractions are the Amateur Mushroom Cook-off, 9/11 Tribute Fire Truck Show, the State Street Festival and the Fried Mushroom Eating Championship.
On September 12, the festival gets underway at 10 a.m. with a Children’s Magic Show, the opening of the Culinary Stage, Mushroom Growers Exhibit, Kids Zone and Music Stage.
The festival will run until 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.
The National Fried Mushroom Eating Championship is scheduled for noon on September 13. The contestants will be competing for prize money by eating the most fried mushrooms in 12 minutes.
Live entertainment will be provided by Corey Glover & Vernon Reid Acoustic Duo, Kid Davis & the Bullets, Steve Liberace, CICCO, Riko and Whaler Collective, The Holy Smokers, Damselfly and The Nicely, Sparre and Hawkins Orchestra.
Festival admission is $5.
On September 12, it’s time for the 18th Annual Caln Community Day (Municipal Park, Thorndale, http://www.calntownship.org/community-day.html).The event will be held in Municipal Park in Thorndale on Saturday from 3-8 p.m.
The popular annual fair will feature food vendors, dance performances, a roaming magician, bounce houses, face painting, an art show, caricatures, introduction to pickleball and more than 70 vendors and exhibitors.
Special activities will be bingo hosted by the Rotary Club of Thorndale-Downingtown, face painting, free Mini Golf, Bounce Obstacle Course, Inflatable Axe Throwing, Touchdown Challenge and “Pumpkin Toss,” Bingo (courtesy of the Rotary Club of Thorndale-Downingtown), adoptable dogs from To Love a Canine Rescue, Interactive Robotics Demonstrations by FTC 7244 – Out of the Box Robotics, a demonstration from Lupo Taekwondo, and a special visit from Pikachu and Mario.
The 13th Annual Covenanter Scottish Festival & Highland Games (1199 Valley Road, Quarryville, www.covenanterscottishfestival.com) are scheduled for September 12.
The Covenanter Scottish Festival, which runs from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., will feature Highland Games, Solo Piping Competitions & Highland Dance Competitions.
Last year, more than 60 athletes competed in the Games last year and a larger number of competitors are expected this year.
Competition will feature nine events: Open Stone, Braemar Stone, Light Weight for Distance, Heavy Weight for Distance, Light Hammer, Heavy Hammer, Weight for Height, Caber and Sheaf.
The festival also offers Scottish entertainment, heritage events including sheep herding, Scottish food, Scottish Clans and much more.
Admission is $22 with children (12 years & under) admitted free.
Gay Street, West Chester
The Gay Street Open-Air Market in West Chester (www.downtownwestchester.com/openairmarket) gives residents and visitors more space to shop, eat, and explore the town.
Four blocks of Gay Street from Matlack Street to Darlington Street are closed to vehicles every weekend, so everyone can partake in al fresco dining and shopping.
The streets are closed from roughly Friday at 8 a.m. to Monday at 8 a.m.
This event is rain or shine.
Brews in a festive outdoor setting can be found at the Historic
The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance debuted in 1997 and is an invitation-only event that assembles one hundred of the most interesting and significant automobiles based on a featured automobile marque, vehicle type or coachbuilder and motorcycle marque or class each year.
The event was also the first nationally recognized concours to feature motorcycles on the show field and is the only such event to feature horse-drawn coaches and carriages.
Now through September 13, the 29th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance will be held on the grounds of Radnor Hunt (826 Providence Road, Malvern, www.radnorconcours.org).The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance features three days of activities beginning with the Friday evening barbecue, followed by the always popular road rally through the scenic countryside of Chester County on Saturday morning, culminating in a catered lunch.
The Saturday evening “Black Tie Gala, Silent Auction and Art Show Preview” is the prelude to the main event, the Concours d’Elegance on Sunday.
The event also includes Motorsport Park, providing local marque car clubs the opportunity to gather in an exclusive parking area close to the show field entrance on Sunday, as well as a Cars & Coffee gathering on Saturday concurrent with the road rally.
The Marketplace area features a variety of both automotive and non-automotive merchants offering specialized shopping for concours attendees.
Adult admission is $85 at the gate.
Odessa Brewfest (202 Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, http://www.odessabrewfest.com).
The 13th Annual Historic Odessa Brewfest, which is being presented by the Historic Odessa Foundation and Cantwell’s Tavern, is slated for September 12 from 1-5 p.m.
America’s thirst for ale and beer began with the earliest colonists who made it a priority to first build a brewhouse on the site of their new settlements. As drinking water was avoided like the plague, beer was a major dietary staple in the colonies, consumed by everyone from cradle to grave.
Brewfest attendees will be able to sample many of the best regional and national craft beers by more than 50 brewers.
Locally sourced food will be available from Cantwell’s Tavern.
Additionally, artisan vendors will be on site, and live music will be provided by Chorduroy, Spokey Speaky, Bruce Anthony and The Sheehan Brothers.
All attendees have access to food and merchandise vendors, live bands, sponsor tables, and more during the entire event. Doors open at noon for the VIP Tasting and the regular fest is slated to start at 1 p.m. All taps will close at 5 p.m.
The cost of the festival is $60 for general admission and $15 for designated drivers. Tickets buy an unlimited sampling of beer for the full duration of the event.
“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.-1 p.m. in more than a dozen neighborhoods.
Firstival: September 12 will present “Firstival: First Continental Congress: 1774.”
Before there was a nation, there was a meeting. The First Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia to hammer out unity and independence, setting the stage for the next Congress, where that very famous declaration was signed.
The design for the sculpture features Patrick Henry speaking to John Adams and John Morton, the representative from Pennsylvania who would later provide the swing vote that allowed the state to vote in favor of the Declaration of Independence.
The back of the sculpture shows a map of the 13 colonies along with a reworking of Ben Franklin’s “Join, or Die” snake that was published in The Pennsylvania Journal after the First Continental Congress.
The final figure is Charles Thomson, a Philadelphian who was secretary of the Continental Congress as well as being a defender of the rights of Indigenous people and one of the designers of the Great Seal of the United States.
The event will take place at Carpenters’ Hall, which is located at 320 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.
The annual Brandywine Festival of the Arts (North Park Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-363-5955, www.brandywinearts.com) has been one of the most popular late-summer events in northern Delaware for a long, long time.
The 66th annual two-day staging of the arts-and-crafts festival is slated for September 12 and 13 at its usual location in Brandywine Park’s Josephine Gardens along the banks of the Brandywine River in Wilmington.
As always, the festival is a juried event that brings more than 250 artists and crafters from more than 15 states to Josephine Gardens to exhibit and sell their work.
The list of featured categories includes mixed-media, clothing, bears, stoneware, watercolors, lamps, ironwork, herbs, bonsai, wood type, glass, acrylic, weaving, stenciling, pastels, scarves, etchings, photography, sculpture, jewelry, raku, and leather.
There will also be vendors offering a wide variety of food items at the festival, which is scheduled to run from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets are $5 for adults with children (under 12) admitted free.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, phillyexpocenter.com) will host the “Retro Con: Retro Toy & Gaming Show” on September 12 and 13.
“Retro Con: Retro Toy & Gaming Show” is a toy show that’s dedicated to all things retro. The event’s spotlight will shine on the toys from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s – and more.
Retro Con is pop culture and memorabilia show catering to anything considered “retro” — especially the 80’s – things like Transformers, Star Wars, GI Joe, Ghostbusters, He-man, and classic video games.
There will be more than 200 tables of collectibles and art for sale, as well as special guests, video games, a costume contest, raffles, a trivia contest, panels, replica props, and much more.
The show will run from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $20.
Now through September 13, the Expo Center is also hosting the Dream Asia Food Fest.
This is a three-day celebration of Asian culture, cuisine, creativity, and community. Dream Asia Festival brings together flavors from across Asia, live performances, immersive activities, and one of the largest Asian street-food lineups in the region.
There will be more than 80 food vendors featuring authentic Asian street food from East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia.
There will also be more than 30 merchandise and anime vendors with collectibles, handmade goods, fashion, art, and lifestyle items.
Other attractions include interactive games, competitions, and family-friendly entertainment all weekend.
The entertainment schedule features K-STAR Circus: A Kung-Fu Journey, Fetch the Fun Dog Show, DJ & Live Music, Cultural Performances, K-pop Random Dance Play, Cosplay Contest, Squid Game Challenge and Karaoke Contest.
Family activities include Kids Activity Zone, Exotic Birds, JDM Car Expo, Bouncy Houses, Henna Art and Petting Zoo.
Tickets are $20 with kids 10 & under admitted free.
When summer winds down, it means that the area’s many ethnic festivals are looming on the horizon. This weekend, the list of options includes German, Lebanese, Latin American and Polish.
The 89th Annual Oktoberfest will be held on September 12 at the Vereinigung Erzgebirge (130 Davisville Road, Warminster, http://veclub.org/oktoberfest).
The event, which runs from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., will features German beer and food along with music by German-American bands.
There will also be a wide array of family activities including a moon bounce, arts and crafts, face painting, hayrides, an obstacle course and a full slate of soccer games.
Live music will be performed by Die Heimatklänge and The Philadelphia German Brass Band.
Admission is $10.
If you’d like to sample dishes from Lebanon such as shawarma, kefta kabob, kibbe balls and hummus, then you need to visit the Saint Sharbel Annual Lebanese Festival which is running now through September 13 at Saint Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church (3679 Providence Road, Newtown Square, www.stsharbelpa.org).
Some of the other food items will be beef kabobs, chicken tawook, falafel, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, stuffed grape leaves and Lebanese and Middle East desserts and pastries.
The Lebanese Festival will have live music and dance, and food and drinks. The featured performer will be Chadi Namath.
Feria del Barrio (http://feria.tallerpr.org), which is one of Philadelphia’s largest celebrations of Latino arts and culture, will take place on September 13 from noon-5 p.m.
The free, all-ages event, which is celebrating its 42nd anniversary this year, features top-flight Latin acts. Visitors can enjoy Latin music and dancing, Latin American food treats and vendors with handmade arts and crafts for sale.
The feria features a lineup of talented artists from various countries, including Los Pueblitos, Bachata Tropical, Tino Serrano y Orquesta Salsa Dura accompanied by Angel Rios, Segunda Quimbamba, Son Colombia Las Américas and Kulu Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble.
The popular annual festival will be held along the sidewalks of the historic Centro de Oro neighborhood on North Fifth Street between Huntingdon and Somerset streets.
The 60th Annual Polish Festival the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa (654 Ferry Road, Doylestown, 215-345-0600, www.czestochowa.us) is being held now through September 7 and again on September 12 and 13.
Visitors to the festival will be able to feast on such Polish delicacies as kielbasa, pierogies, placki, holubki and chruschicki. There will also be several beer booths on the grounds.
The festival will feature rides, games, a “Polish Wedding & Dozynki,” “Medieval & WWII Polish Living History Groups” and a full slate of Polish music and polka bands.
Admission to the festival is $15 per person.
There is another reason to make Doylestown a destination this weekend.
On September 12 and 13, the downtown area of Doylestown will be the site of the 37th Annual Doylestown Arts Festival (www.doylestownartsfestival.com, 215-340-9988).
It will be a weekend of original arts and crafts, live music and diverse food. The two-day festival features more than 160 artists showcasing their creative works. Selections include paintings, photography, jewelry, wood and metal work, furniture, pottery and more.
There will be several stages of live music and various activities featured throughout town. A variety of dining options are available at the festival’s food court and at the restaurants that line the streets.
The annual festival features free admission.
Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Live on the Lawn” now through September 27 and “Friday Night Wine Down” now through September 25.
“Live on the Lawn” is a brand-new outdoor music series featuring local talent, great wine, and relaxed vibes every summer weekend afternoon.
“Friday Night Wine Down” offers fun games, drink specials, and extended hours on Friday evenings.
The laid-back, laugh-filled series features Quizzo trivia with fun themes and great prizes; seasonal wine slushies, PA craft beer, fresh mocktails, and the venue’s newest wine releases; and delicious bites from the winery’s new, in-house food menu including specialty weekly pizzas.
Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodswinery.com) is presenting a summer music series.
The winery will open at 11 a.m. each day and have matinee performances of live music.
The music schedule features Bill Hake on September 12 and Adam McCue on September 13.
The weekend after Labor Day always features the Hay Creek Festival at Historic Johanna Furnace (Route 10, Morgantown, 610-286-0388, www.haycreek.org).
The well-attended Berks County festival, which is an authentic traditional arts and crafts show that is celebrating its 50th anniversary, is also an event that gives visitors a chance to have a look back at the area’s historical development.
This year, the festival, which runs now through September 13 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day, will have a number of special festival areas, including Charcoal Barn, Casting House, and Festival Food Court (early American and contemporary).
Other areas are Early American Crafts, Engine and Mechanical Technology, a Civil War Encampment, Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration, Home Craft Marketplace and the Historic Joanna Furnace Iron Plantation Complex.
Festival attendees can shop in the Early American Crafts area for such items as fabrics, jewelry, folk art, pottery, woodworking, leather, dried flowers, woodcrafts, Windsor chairs, stained glass and hand-woven rugs.
The Craft Market will feature handmade redware pottery, candles and hand lotions, gourd birdhouses, soaps, wooden toys and bowls, handbags from vintage fabrics, quilted items and unique jewelry.
The Mechanical Technology area presents vintage working equipment, including a model steam blower engine and a display of pedal tractors.
Hundreds of antique cars, tractors, and hit n’ miss engines are on display and will parade the festival grounds throughout the weekend. There will also be daily demonstrations of sawmilling, shingle milling, grain threshing and water ram pumps.
Other activities include live entertainment, storytelling sessions, musical jam sessions and a variety of hands-on activities for children.
Tickets for the festival are $10 for adults and $2 for children (ages 6-12).
The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (Mount Hope Estate and Winery grounds, Route 72, Cornwall, www.parenfaire.com).
This year’s 47th annual staging of the event, which bills itself as “the most wondrous event in all the Knowne World,” is running now through October 25.
The festive annual event features authentic Elizabethan food and drink, traditional crafts from the guildsmen of yore and old-time games of skill — and a cast of hundreds of colorfully costumed re-enactors.
Each week, there are themed weekends.
On September 5 and 6, the theme at the Faire will be “Wizardry Weekend.”
Mount Hope has gotten even more magical.
Are you visiting from the forgotten realms or maybe just need to refresh your stock of alchemical supplies? The gates of the shire are open to you.
Featured events are Nipperkin’s Costume Exhibition, Nipperkin’s Magic Mayhem Hunt and “You-Tried, Wizard Tournament.”
Every summer, the Faire, which takes place at Mount Hope Estate and Winery’s authentic 35-acre recreation of a 16th-century village in Olde England, features a new story from a different year of England’s past.
The year is 1567 and Queen Elizabeth is becoming ever more beloved by her people as each year passes. Having heard her father, Henry VIII, spin many tales about Mount Hope with all its joys and perils, she wishes to experience it for herself and has decided to make a visit to the Shire. With her, she brings along her favored Ladies, Sir Walter Raleigh, and her most favorite, Lord Leicester, Robert Dudley.
Mount Hope is wild with excitement to welcome Elizabeth and her Court and feeling that since the Shire is the place that ranked foremost in royal hearts for generations, who better to relieve the Queen of a burden that surely weighs on her heart and mind, namely, who shall be her consort?
As a woman, of course she must marry, and word on the Shire is that Dudley is vying for her hand, but not everyone is keen on that idea.
As far as Mount Hope is concerned, there could be no finer choice than for her to marry a good stout Englishman from the best Shire in the land.
And so, in true Mount Hope fashion, candidates are put forward, choices are made, sides are taken, conflicts, resolutions, and hijinks ensue.
More than 70 shows are scheduled throughout each day on the Faire’s numerous stages.
Without a doubt, the most popular attraction is the Jousting Arena. Visitors to the Faire flock to Bosworth Field whenever it’s time for the Ultimate Joust. Peasants lead cheers for their favorite knights while musicians pound out a heart-thumping beat. The Master of the List announces the combatants and soon an encounter of royal proportions ensues.
The Faire offers a wide variety of activities for visitors, including listening to bagpipe music, checking out handsome Lords in their colorful silks, watching a jester’s acrobatics, learning how to juggle, being the recipient of a gypsy woman’s flirtations and watching the march of Beefeater Guards.
Guildsmen’s Way is the area that features a large variety of merchants and artisans, including jewelers, candle makers, potters, herbalists, leather smiths, clothiers, and pewter makers — all offering for sale and demonstrating their ancient wares.
And there are more than 20 Royal Kitchens located around the faire with menus featuring a wide variety of food and beverages.
Single-day tickets are available at the gate for $35.95. For children (age 5-11) single-day tickets are available at the gate and online for $18.95.
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.historichopelodge.org.) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tours” on September 13.
Hope Lodge was built between 1743 and 1748 by Samuel Morris, a prosperous Quaker entrepreneur. Morris acted as a farmer, shipowner, miller, iron master, shop owner, and owner of the mill now known as Mather Mill. Hope Lodge is an excellent example of early Georgian architecture, and it is possible that Edmund Woolley, architect of Independence Hall, offered advice in building. Samuel Morris owned the estate until his death in 1770.
The site opens at 12:30 p.m. with self-guided tours starting at 1 and 2:30 p.m. The event closes at 4 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.
Each September, “Pumpkinland” returns to Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com). “Pumpkinland,” which runs through November 7, features fairy tale characters from nursery rhymes along with a huge scarecrow and a really tall storybook.
Other activities include train rides, a straw bale maze, hayrides, pick-your-own apples and pony rides.
There will also be “Harvest Hayrides” and “Autumn Moon Hayrides” starting later in September along with “Straw Bale Maze,” “Train Rides,” “Corn Maze” and “Pony Rides.”
Pumpkinland is open from mid-September through early November and takes center stage at Linvilla Orchards. Larger than life figures and scarecrows illustrate the legends and lore of the harvest season, featuring local history and some of the many stories of pumpkins and apples.
There will be piles of pumpkins in all colors, shapes and sizes – more than 100 tons on display.
Additionally, this weekend, Linvilla will host its annual “Arts & Crafts Festival” on September 12 and 13 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. each day.
Live music will be provided by Manatawny Creek Ramblers and Lydia Blair on Saturday and Whiskey Trail and Chameleon on Sunday.
Not only does this popular event offer live musical performances, visitors will get a chance to shop for that specia find by browsing a variety of handmade wood crafts, jewelry, photography, candles and more.
Visiting Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, www.longwoodgardens.org) is a real treat at any time during the year but especially sweet during the summer when the grounds are filled with vibrant colors produced by a variety of flowers.
Longwood Gardens is one of the best outdoor attractions in the area, one of the best family attractions in the state and one of the best gardens attractions in the country.
The popular illuminated fountain shows are being held throughout the summer.
There are times when even the very best can get better.
Each of the six districts has a distinct personality.
Chimes Tower District — A stunning hillside of rare, expertly edited plants, a historic bell tower anchored on a 50-foot waterfall, and award-winning trees beckon, all within view of the majestic Main Fountain Garden.
Conservatory District — Considered the centerpiece of Longwood Gardens, stunning 19th-century architecture works in harmony with a perpetual flower show under acres of glass. Explore dazzling displays and rare plant species through a series of breathtaking rooms.
House & Theater District — Developed with the specific purpose of display and performance, experience a vista to the early days of Longwood, taking in views that Pierre and his family enjoyed more than a century ago, including Peirce’s Park and Peirce’s Woods.
Lakes District — Open vistas, rolling green lawns, sparkling water, and splashing fountains recall a European holiday from days gone by, reminding us of the joy of fresh air, a nice walk, and an exquisite view.
Meadow & Forest District — The expansive landscape of the Meadow and Forest District harmonizes the best practices in ecological restoration with garden designs showcasing horticultural excellence and beauty while prioritizing plant and animal communities.
Main Fountain Garden District — The classical gardens and grand theatre of this district have captivated guests for more than 90 years. Inspired by Pierre S. du Pont’s travels to Europe’s great water gardens, World’s Fairs, and expositions, the Main Fountain Garden highlights horticulture, engineering marvels, and the beauty of exceptional design.
Longwood’s summer schedule features Main Fountain Garden Performances through October, Illuminated Fountain Performances Thursdays-Saturdays through October, Festival of Fountains through October, Fireworks & Fountains Shows on select dates through October, Open Air Theatre Fountain Shows daily through November, and Festive Fridays one per month.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $38 for adults, $38 for seniors and college students, $29 for active military and $22 for youth.
The newest exhibition at the Brandywine Museum of Art (1 Hoffman Mill Road, Chadds Ford, brandywine.org), is “Treasures from the Family: The Gift of Betsy James Wyeth.”
Visitors can discover Betsy James Wyeth’s role as the curator and archivist of the Wyeth family’s rich history and collections in “Treasures from the Family: The Gift of Betsy James Wyeth.”
The exhibition consists of art and archival material from the major bequest she left to the Brandywine Museum of Art upon her death in 2020.
“Treasures” highlights paintings held by the Wyeth family, many of which were on loan to Brandywine for decades. In addition to these familiar paintings, other works in the bequest showcase moments in N.C. Wyeth’s career development such as a teenage self-portrait and his experiments with impressionist brushwork.
Admission to the Brandywine Museum of Art is $20 for adults,
$18 for seniors (65+) and $8 for children ages 6-18 and students with ID.
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 “Saturday Wildflower Walk” on September 12 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
On Saturday, guests can join wildflower expert Dick Cloud on an informative two-hour hike that takes them through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside.
Although the focus is on plants, the guide will talk about whatever participants might see while they are out.
Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $18 for adults (ages 18-64), $15 for seniors (65 and older) and $10 for children (ages 3-17) and Military with valid ID.
Newlin Grist Mill (219 South Cheyney Road, Glen Mills, 610-459-2359, www.newlingristmill.org) is holding its “1704 Mill Tour” on September 12 and 13 starting at 11 a.m. each day.
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.
There will be several “Self-Guided Museum Tours of Rockwood” this weekend at Rockwood Park & Museum (4651 Washington Street Extension, Wilmington, DE, www.newcastlede.gov/431/Rockwood-Park-Museum).
Visitors can explore the grandeur, history and beauty of the Rockwood Mansion, home of the Shipley, Bringhurst and Hargraves families for 120 years.
These tours, which will be held on September 12 and 13 from noon-4 p.m. each day, emphasize the magnificent mansion interiors and stories of the families that lived there.
This self-guided alternative allows you to enjoy Rockwood your own way. This tour invites you to explore the first and second floors of the museum at your own pace. Additionally, staff and signage will be nearby to answer any questions.
Tours involves stairs. Reservations are suggested. Tickets for the self-guided tour are $10.
On September 12, the Philadelphia Honey Festival (6026 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, phillybeekeepers.org) will feature a fun day of free, bee-related activities.
The mission of the Philadelphia Honey Festival is to raise awareness about the importance of honeybees to our environment, our food supply and our economy, and to promote urban beekeeping and gardening.
The Philadelphia Honey Festival began in 2010 to accompany the placement of an historic marker honoring Philadelphia-born Lorenzo L. Langstroth. Well-known to beekeepers, Langstroth invented the first movable frame hive design based on the principle of “bee space.”
You can see the marker at 106 South Front Street in Philadelphia, his birthplace.
Visitors to the festival will be able to learn about the importance of bees in our ecosystem through honey extraction demonstrations, hive talks and other programming designed to explore at the hard-working insect that supports our food supply.
If you’re looking for something very different to do on this late-summer weekend, consider attending the annual Whoopie Pie Festival at Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn (240 Hartman Bridge Road, Route 896, Strasburg, 717-687-8635,http://whoopiepiefestival.com).
The Whoopie Pie Festival, which is billed as “The Most Delicious Day in Lancaster County,” features more than 100 different Whoopie Pie flavors. It will be held this year on September 12 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
According to food historians, Amish women would bake these tasty desserts and put them in farmers’ lunch pails. When farmers would find the treats in their lunch, they would shout “Whoopie!” It is likely that the original Whoopie Pies were made from cake batter leftovers.
Scheduled events at the 2026 festival are Whoopie Pie Treasure Hunt, Whoopie Pie Race, Whoopie Pie Launch, Whoopie Pie Checkers, Whoopie Yell Off, and Amateur Whoopie Pie Eating Contest.
Visitors will also be able to watch when the festival’s Whoopie Pie makers attempt to produce the “Largest Whoopie Pie Ever Made.” You might even see a Whoopie Pie that weighs more than you do. Past attempts have created a Whoopie Pie well over 250 pounds.
Other events throughout the day include Whoopie Pie making for kids, face painting and bounce house fun.
The event features free admission.
“Elmwood Park Zoo” (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is presenting
“Art in the Park” on September 12.
Guests can enjoy live music, vendors, food, animal greets, student performances and art for the community. Zoo Brew Beer Garden will be open for guests 21+.
This event is free to attend with zoo admission.
Zoo admission is $14.95.
The Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is always one of the most popular spots around when it hosts “Day Out With Thomas.”
There is a mutual love affair between kids and Thomas the Tank Engine and it’s especially evident when Thomas gets up-close and personal with his fans during his visits to the Strasburg Railroad.
Every year, the steam locomotive named Thomas makes several visits to Lancaster County where he entertains enthusiastic children and their parents. The locomotive, which has its own PBS television series, will return to Strasburg for “Day Out With Thomas” now through September 13.
For more than 50 years, Thomas the Tank Engine and his Island of Sodor friends have been favorites of preschoolers and their parents. Based on “The Railway Series” (classic stories authored by a father who loved trains and wanted a shared experience with his son), “Thomas & Friends” has evolved into a rite of passage that inspires imagination.
Fans will be able to get personal with Thomas the Tank Engine, a full-sized operating steam locomotive who will be talking for the first time ever. And they will also be able to ride a train pulled by Thomas and meet the locomotive’s buddy Percy.
Tickets for “Day Out With Thomas,” which are $32, include the train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, as well as a variety of Thomas & Friends themed entertainment such as storytelling, video viewing, temporary tattoos of Island of Sodor friends and an Imagination Station.
The West Chester Railroad (www.wcrailroad.com) is running its “Summer Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through September 27.
There will be one excursion each day at noon.
Passengers can enjoy a 90-minute round trip train ride from West Chester to Glen Mills and return on a warm summer afternoon. Riders are invited to pack a lunch to enjoy during excursion’s stop at the Glen Mills train station picnic grove.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for children (2-12) and free for children (under two).
The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Wine & Cheese Tasting” on September 11 and 12 at 5 p.m. each night.
Riders are invited to take part in a romantic “Wine and Cheese Excursion” and enjoy fine gourmet cheese, artisan crackers, meats, fruit, and our featured local wines. Additional Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic beverages are also available onboard.
Wine and cheese will be served to passengers as they travel along the same railroad line passengers did when it was built in 1891 connecting New Hope with Philadelphia. The journey travels through the beautiful hills and valleys of Bucks County, along once vital waterways and streams and across numerous trestle bridges.
The excursions will take place aboard one of the railroads lavishly appointed first-class parlor cars.
Tickets are $99 (Ages 21 and older only).
If you like to look at model railroad layouts in addition to experiencing live trains, then you should definitely check out the Garden Railway Display at the Morris Arboretum & Garden (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, www.morrisarboretum.org).
The ultra-popular Garden Railway Display has become a major summer attraction at The Gardens at Morris Arboretum. The 26th annual edition of the display will remain open until September 30.
This summer, Morris Arboretum unveiled a brand-new exhibition in its popular Garden Railway – “Garden Railway: Dinos!”
With more than 15 different rail lines running along a third of a mile of track, visitors will enjoy a spectacular display of dinosaurs including Triceratops, and Velociraptor, as well as other Mesozoic creatures—all made out of natural materials such as bark, leaves, and twigs.
As one of the largest outdoor miniature train displays in the United States, the Garden Railway will delight and amaze visitors of all ages.
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 are made using pinecone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials and twigs as downspouts.
Visitors will be able to see miniature replicas of iconic structures at some of America’s most famous public gardens including the Climatron at Missouri Botanical Garden, Torii Gate and Pavilion at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Science Pyramid at Denver Botanic Gardens, and so much more.
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).
Treetop Quest Philly (51 Chamounix Drive, Philadelphia, www.treetopquest.com) is an aerial adventure park that will challenge you physically and mentally as you maneuver from tree to tree through obstacles and zip-lines. Once you’re equipped, they will teach you how to operate your equipment and you’ll be able to swing through each course as many times as you want for 2.5 hours.
Each participant is outfitted with a harness and gloves. Each course has a continuous belay system — a lifeline that is impossible to detach without a staff member. The activity is self-guided, and the staff is ready to assist when needed.
Gloves are required for our activity. During this time, we encourage participants to bring their own gloves to use while up in the trees, gardening gloves are perfect for this activity.
Ticket prices start at $47.
“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 price is $69.
