{"id":4864,"date":"2015-07-10T08:00:01","date_gmt":"2015-07-10T12:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=4864"},"modified":"2015-07-11T09:44:33","modified_gmt":"2015-07-11T13:44:33","slug":"what-to-do-fun-events-with-regional-flare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=4864","title":{"rendered":"What to do: Fun events with regional flare"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff,<\/strong> Staff Writer, The Times<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The word \u201cunique\u201d is used incorrectly most of the time. It means \u201cone of a kind\u201d — that there is nothing else like it.
\nThe annual BlobFest in Phoenixville is unique — in the correct sense of the word. In the whole world, there is just one BlobFest and it\u2019s held every year right here in Chester County.<\/p>\n

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Horace Pippin self portrait<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThe Blob\u201d is a low-budget horror film that was filmed at the Colonial Theatre and other locations around Phoenixville in 1958. The movie, which starred a very young Steve McQueen, has evolved over the years into a full-fledged cult classic.<\/p>\n

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\n\u201cBlob\u201d fans from all around the globe will be heading to Phoenixville to participate in the16th Annual BlobFest. The Colonial Theatre (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-917-1228, www.thecolonialtheatre.com) will host the BlobFest with a variety of special events from July 9-12.<\/p>\n

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\nOn July 10, it will be time for the re-enactment of the \u201cRunning out of The Colonial\u201d scene. The dress code is billed as \u201ccreative\u201d so that the scene will look just like it did when that classic scene was filmed here many years ago.<\/p>\n

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\nAs usual, tickets for the screening have sold out already. But, people are invited to still come to Phoenixville to watch the \u201cRunout\u201d spectacle at approximately 9 p.m. On July 11, the \u201cBlob Street Fair,\u201d which begins at 11 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m., will feature live music, food booths, a \u201cFire Extinguisher Parade,\u201d roving entertainment, a costume contest and an array of special guests including Ricou Browning, The Patient Creatures, Ghoul A Go-Go, Mr. Lobo and Dixie Dellamorto.<\/p>\n

 
\nKris Yeaworth, who is the son of \u201cThe Blob\u201d director Shorty Yeaworth, will be the special guest inside the theatre on the third floor. With your purchase of a ticket, you can stop by and meet these folks, get autographs and tour the theatre.<\/p>\n

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\nOther activities on July 11 include screenings of \u201cThe Blob\u201d and \u201cCreature from the Black Lagoon\u201d at noon and 3:45 p.m. and the twin bill of \u201cThe Blob\u201d and \u201cAbbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein\u201d at 8 p.m. On July 12, there will be an encore screening of \u201cThe Blob\u201d in a double feature at the Colonial Theatre at 2 p.m. The other featured movie will be \u201cThe Ghastly Love of Johnny X.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\nThere is another special event this weekend that focus on dead characters and spooky stories. On July 11 at 11 a.m., Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present a program called \u201cThe Hot Spots and Storied Plots.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\nThose who dare are invited to join Laurel Hill Cemetery guide Nancy Wright for an informative overview of Laurel Hill\u2019s long and colorful history.<\/p>\n

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The tour will include many of the marble masterpieces, stunning views and legendary stories that make the cemetery a special location. The walking tour will depart from Laurel Hill Cemetery\u2019s Gatehouse entrance at 3822 Ridge Avenue promptly at 11 a.m. Tickets are $8 and there will be free parking in the lot across the street from the Gatehouse. \u201cThe Hot Spots and Storied Plots\u201d will be presented on fourth Fridays, January through November; and second Saturdays, May through October.<\/p>\n

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\nListening to live music under the stars is an excellent way to spend a warm summer night and \u201cFriday Night Lights at Natural Lands Trust\u2019s ChesLen Preserve\u201d is a great way to do it.<\/p>\n

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\nOn July 10 from 8-11 p.m., ChesLen Preserve (1199 Cannery Road, Coatesville, 610-486-6288, www.NatLands.org) will host a special event known as \u201cFriday Night Lights at Natural Lands Trust\u2019s ChesLen Preserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\nThe once-a-year event will feature live music by Black Horse Hotel and New Sweden, complimentary adult beverages from Victory Brewing Company and Borderland Vineyard and an assortment of \u201csweet and savory snacks.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\nAnother attraction will be stargazing with Chesmont Astronomical Society, the Chester County Astronomical Society and the Delaware Astronomical Society and sunset socializing around a crackling fire at the Preserve in Unionville.<\/p>\n

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\nVisitors are requested to bring their own blanket or camping chairs, and wear sturdy shoes for the uneven ground. No dogs or coolers will be permitted.Tickets are $25 and advance registration required.<\/p>\n

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\nThe 1,263-acre ChesLen Preserve is one of the largest private nature preserves in southeastern Pennsylvania. It features sweeping agricultural fields, densely wooded stream corridors and rare serpentine barrens. There are many points on the property from which visitors can gaze for miles in any direction and see virtually no signs of modern development.<\/p>\n

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\nIn 2010, The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) designated portions of ChesLen Preserve — specifically the Unionville Barrens — as a \u201cPennsylvania Wild Plant Sanctuary.\u201d The program encourages the conservation of natural areas and native plants, and recognizes private landowners who serve as models of good conservation and stewardship of these special resources.<\/p>\n

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\nNow through July 11, the Malvern Fire Company Fair (Monument Grounds, Monument Avenue, Malvern, 610-647-0693, www.malvernfireco.com) will be held from 6-10 p.m. each night.<\/p>\n

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\nThe free event features rides, games and fun for the entire family and discount ride coupons will be available at local merchants. As an added attraction, there will be a gala fireworks display on July 10 at 9:30 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the fireworks extravaganza will be postponed to July 11.<\/p>\n

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\nOn July 12, the Brandywine River Museum of Art (1 Hoffman\u2019s Mill Road, Chadds Ford, 610-388-2700, http:\/\/www.brandywinemuseum.org) would like you to partake in a celebration of Andrew Wyeth\u2019s birthday. Wyeth was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century. A lifelong resident of Chadds Ford, Wyeth was born on July 12, 1917. He died in his sleep in Chadds Ford on January 16, 2009 at the age of 91.<\/p>\n

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\nEvery year, the Brandywine River Museum honors the life and legacy of Andrew Wyeth on the day of his birth by offering free admission. Visitors to the museum will have the opportunity to view a special exhibit that is closing next weekend.<\/p>\n

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\nNow through July 19, the museum is presenting \u201cHorace Pippin: The Way I See It.\u201d One of the leading figures of 20th-century art, Pippin is known for his insightful, expressive and bold paintings. The exhibition will examine the work of Pippin, a self-taught artist who remained independent-creating and upholding a unique aesthetic sensibility.<\/p>\n

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\nPippin vividly depicted a range of subject matter, from intimate family moments and floral still life to powerful scenes of war, history and religion. \u201cHorace Pippin: The Way I See It\u201d includes 65 paintings. The Brandywine River Museum of Art will be the only venue for this exhibition, the first major exhibition of the artist\u2019s work in more than 20 years.<\/p>\n

 
\nOn July 11 and 12, it will be time once again for the Hispanic Fiesta at Penn\u2019s Landing in Philadelphia (Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-922-2FUN, www.delawareriverwaterfrontcorp.com) — one of the oldest annual events in the Delaware Valley. This weekend, the tourist site along the Delaware River will host the 36th annual staging of the Hispanic Fiesta. Hours both days are 2-8 p.m.<\/p>\n

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\nTraditionally, the Hispanic Fiesta features authentic Latin American entertainment, crafts and cuisine. This year, the Hispanic Fiesta will present a wide selection of Latin music, including mariachi, salsa, bachata, merengue, samba, boleros and reggaeton. Live entertainment will be presented with Cintron Band on Saturday, and India with Sergio George, Michael Stuart, and Isidro Infante,\u00a0as the headline acts.<\/p>\n

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\nAdditionally, the Fiesta will showcase artisan crafts and authentic foods from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Colombia, and other parts of Latin America.<\/p>\n

 
\nThere will be two special events in the area this weekend to commemorate Bastille Day.
\nIn France, Bastille Day is a major holiday (\u201cFete Nationale\u201d) that is celebrated on July 14. The holiday commemorates the 1790 F\u00eate de la F\u00e9d\u00e9ration, which was held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille.<\/p>\n

 
\nBastille Day is also a major annual event at the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-236-3300, www.easternstate.org).<\/p>\n

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\nOn July 11 at 5:30 p.m., the site will host the \u201c21st Annual Bastille Day Celebration\u201d — a celebration that features The Bearded Ladies (an experimental cabaret troupe), food, kids\u2019 games, thousands of TastyKakes, jugglers, the singing of \u201cLa Marseilles\u201d and, starting at 5:30 p.m., the storming of a real Bastille.<\/p>\n

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\nThe troops will capture Marie Antoinette (whose own troops will be pelting the crowd with 3,000 packaged pastries from the prison\u2019s medieval towers). Ignoring her mocking cries of \u201cLet them eat TastyKake!\u201d, the mob will drag the monarch to a real, functioning guillotine, which was specially built for the occasion. Then, the crowd will decide her fate.<\/p>\n

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\nThe \u201ccompletely historically accurate\u201d reenactment of the storming of Bastille will be emceed by the voice of Paris herself, Edith Piaf, and will include appearances by Napoleon, Joan of Arc, Benjamin Franklin, and a six-foot French Baguette.<\/p>\n

 
\nTours of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, a 19th-century landmark which was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The prison was home to many of America\u2019s most notorious criminals, including Al Capone and Willie Sutton. Tours include the cellblocks, the central rotunda, the solitary exercise yards, and death row.<\/p>\n

 
\nFollowing the beheading, local Fairmount restaurants will come alive with French-themed entertainment as well as food and drink specials, and the penitentiary will reopen for rare twilight tours at a discounted admission price (Adults, $10; students, seniors and children, $5).<\/p>\n

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Linvilla Blueberry Festival<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cBastille Day Celebration 2015\u201d (State Street, Media, 610-566-5039, VisitMediaPa.com) will be held on July 12 from 6-10 p.m.in the heart of downtown Media. The festival will have its own \u201cStorming of the Bastille.\u201d State Street will be closed to traffic and instead will feature art, music, dancing, theater, outdoor dining, plein air painters, crafters, abstract artists and crafters.<\/p>\n

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\n\u201cLe Village des Enfants\u201d will be open from 6-8 p.m. during Media\u2019s Bastille Day celebration at State Street and Veteran\u2019s Square. Children\u2019s activities include face painting, music, and lanterns (a traditional French symbol of Bastille Day). There will be a barricade just like the one at the Bastille made of boxes decorated by children.<\/p>\n

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\nOn July 11, Media will also host its \u201c2nd Saturday Arts Stroll.\u201d On the second Saturday of every month, more than 30 businesses on and around State Street in Media stay open late as part of a free arts event. From 6-9 p.m, shops, galleries and cafes host local musicians or display the work of local artists.<\/p>\n

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\nMedia will be a busy place all weekend. On July 12, the Eighth Annual Media Car Show will be held at State and Front streets from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The event will feature over 300 antique cars on display.<\/p>\n

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\nAll of Media\u2019s weekend activities will not take place in the center of town. One special event is scheduled for July 11 at Linvilla Orchards (137 W. Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com).<\/p>\n

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\nThis is the season to enjoy outdoor festivals celebrating fresh seasonal fruit — blueberry festivals and strawberry festivals in early July and peach festivals later in the month. This weekend, the blueberry is in the spotlight.<\/p>\n

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\nIn 1999, the United States Department of Agriculture in 1999 proclaimed July as \u201cNational Blueberry Month.\u201d To celebrate, Linvilla Orchards has been presenting its annual Blueberry Festival ever since. This year\u2019s festival is scheduled for July 11 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.<\/p>\n

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\nThere will be plenty of fresh blueberries that you can pick (starting at 8 a.m.) or purchase already picked. There will also be a wide array of freshly-baked blueberry treats available for purchase.<\/p>\n

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\nThe schedule features a full slate of family-oriented activities throughout the day including appearances by costumed characters, pony rides, face painting and a crafts area. Makin\u2019 Music will perform live and serve as host for the event.<\/p>\n

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\nThe roster of costumed characters participating in Saturday\u2019s event includes Blueberry Dog, Dr. Duck and Travelling Train. There will be games and contests including the \u201cFruit Monster Bean Toss,\u201d a \u201cHula Hoop Contest\u201d and the event\u2019s highlight — the \u201cBlueberry Pie Eating Contest\u201d at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n

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\nAnother interesting family event will take place on July 12 when the Grand Opera House (818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-652-5577, www.thegrandwilmington.org) hosts a special performance by Kidz Bop.<\/p>\n

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\nKidz Bop is a brand of compilation albums featuring kids performing contemporary popular songs. The albums are composed of popular hit songs that are popular several months ahead of each album\u2019s release. The songs are performed by kids and the lyrics are edited to be family-friendly. There are always four members of Kidz Bop. The cast turns over every three years and is replaced by a whole new freshly-auditioned quartet. The current line-up features Matt Martinez, Grant Knoche, Bredia Santaro and Ashlynn Chong.<\/p>\n

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\n\u201cKidz Bop features popular songs sung for kids by kids,\u201d said Chong, during a phone interview Thursday afternoon. \u201cI\u2019m 14, Bredia is 13 and the two boys are 12. We\u2019ve been together for about a year-and-a-half.<\/p>\n

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\n\u201cWe all auditioned ay the same time back in 2013. Thousands of kids auditioned and they took 12 finalists to Dallas. There, they taught us a couple songs. They wanted to see us dance and sing at the same time. You need a lot of energy for these roles.<\/p>\n

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\n\u201cWe started on the road early in 2014 in Richland, Washington and were out until December last year. Our final three shows were at Radio City Music Hall opening for the Rockettes. Now, we\u2019re on tour again. We do shows and we visit children\u2019s hospitals and medical centers.\u201d The four singer-dancers also visit the recording studio.<\/p>\n

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\n\u201cThere are more than 30 Kidz Bop albums and we\u2019re on our fifth album together,\u201d said Chong, a native of Los Angeles. \u201cActually, we\u2019re on our way to the studio here in L.A. to work on the album today.\u201d The Kidz Bop show at the Grand will start at 5 p.m. Tickets are $27.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times     The word \u201cunique\u201d is used incorrectly most of the time. It means \u201cone of a kind\u201d — that there is nothing else like it. The annual BlobFest in Phoenixville is unique — in the correct sense of the word. In the whole world, there is just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4864"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4869,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4864\/revisions\/4869"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}