What To Do: Weaving around the world

Also: Gilbert & Sullivan come to Longwood Gardens

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times

For the next few weeks, Historic Yellow Springs (Art School Road, Chester Springs, 610-827-7414, www.yellowsprings.org) is hosting a special event — a very special event — called Camphill World Wide Weave Exhibition.

This is the first time the exhibition, which is running now through July 6 in the Lincoln Building Galleries, will be in the United States and will be exhibited only here and in New York.

The World Wide Weave, an international textile project and exhibition, originated in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2015 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Camphill program 1940-2015.  The exhibit includes 75 wall hangings of weaving, tapestry, felting and other techniques. 

The pieces have been created by 65 textile workshops in 19 countries worldwide including India, Vietnam, Scandinavia, Russia, the southern tip of Africa and North America including Vancouver.  The exhibit has been seen in 20 locations in public buildings, art galleries and museums in the UK and Ireland and elsewhere in Europe.

The World Wide Weave project is here to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Camphill Movement in North America and especially the Kimberton Hills community in southeastern Pennsylvania.

The exhibition, which is free to the public, is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday.

In addition to its month-long “Summer Spectacular” in June, Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) is hosting a special live production by the Savoy Company on June 11 and 12.

The Savoy Company, which is the oldest amateur theater company in the world, is dedicated solely to the production of the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. This weekend’s performances will feature “Pirates of Penzance.”

As a young boy, Frederic was apprenticed to a band of pirates through a mistake made by his nursemaid, Ruth.  Now 21 years-old, he disavows the pirate life forever.  Resolving to lead a blameless life henceforth, Frederic takes his leave from the Pirate King and company.  On the beach he encounters many beautiful and proper young maidens, all daughters of the Major-General Stanley.

It is love at first sight for the handsome Frederic and the beautiful Mabel, the eldest daughter.  The pirates determine to wed all the other daughters!  The Major-General tells a story which saves the day, but by night he is tormented by his tale of untruth.  Just as Frederic is ready to lead the Police Sergeant and his officers to subdue the pirates, he is presented with an unforeseen paradox that would make him the slave of duty.

“The Pirates of Penzance,” relying on comedic good-humored satire, pokes fun at many things Victorian:  the nouveau riche, the army, the police, marriage, and one’s own sense of duty.  It features some of the most memorable Gilbert and Sullivan songs including “Poor Wand’ring One,” “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General,” and “Hail Poetry.”

“The Pirates of Penzance” is billed as a rollicking pirate tale suitable for audiences of all ages.

The performances at Longwood Gardens’ Open-Air Theatre begin at 8:30 p.m. each night. Tickets are $29 and the ticket price includes all day admission to Longwood Gardens.

Hagley Museum and Library (200 Hagley Creek Road, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org), the site of the former DuPont Powder Mill, offers a wide array of special events for visitors every summer.

There will be two different walking tours this weekend — “What’s for Dinner? A Tale of Two Gardens” on June 12 and “Rocks and Roll Mills” on June 11. Each tour will leave twice — at 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m.

“What’s for Dinner? A Tale of Two Gardens” will visit two very different gardens — one fed the du Pont family and the other DuPont Company workers in the 1800s. This tour explores the cultural and economic factors influencing the architecture, produce, and the philosophies of each garden.

On the “Rocks and Roll Mills” tour, visitors will explore the geology of the Brandywine Valley and its impact on the milling industry — and take home a piece of Delaware Blue Rock as a souvenir.

Both tours involve walking on uneven ground.

On June 11 from 1-4 p.m., Hagley will present “Science Saturday:Tumbling Towers.” At this event, visitors will learn how buildings are designed to survive earthquakes.

Admission to Hagley is $14 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, $5 for children (ages 6-14) and free for children (age 5 and under).

The Brandywine River Museum (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-2700, http://www.brandywinemuseum.org) will present its annual Bonsai Show on June 11 and 12.

Members of the Brandywine Bonsai Society will display an outstanding selection of bonsai (ornamental trees and shrubs whose growth is trained using an ancient Japanese craft). The members will demonstrate handling techniques and answer questions regarding the care of bonsai.

The event will be held in the Brandywine River Museum’s Courtyard from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. both days.

To treat your taste buds, head south to Wilmington, Delaware. Every year, Wilmington is home to a pair of huge ethnic food festivals — the Greek Festival at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (808 North Broom Street, Wilmington, 302-654-4446, www.holytrinitywilmington.org) and St. Anthony’s Italian Festival (St. Anthony of Padua Church, 901 North DuPont Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-421-2790, www.stanthonysfestival.com).

The Greek festival, which is running through June 11 and is free, features all the traditional favorites from that country including mousaka, pastitsio, tyropita, gyros, chicken and orzo, Greek salad and souvlaki as well as variety of sweet treats including baklava, katifi and an array of special cookies.

Greek-American groups from the Delaware Valley will play popular Greek songs and standards. Other attractions at the free festivals are Greek grocery stores and sales booths with items such as Greek music, icons, custom-made jewelry, leather goods and fabric. There will also be a variety of children’s activities.

The St. Anthony’s Italian Festival, which opens on June 12 and runs through June 19, features cafes, carnival rides, live Italian music and amusement games. This festival is more than just a carnival with rides and food. It also is an educational experience with a focus each year on a different cultural region in Italy.

In 2016, the festival will focus on the Abruzzo region. Many members of the St. Anthony’s community, and many Italian-Americans in the Delaware region, trace their origins back to the Abruzzo.

The festival has become famous for its array of tasty Italian food. Visitors will be able to enjoy such taste treats as spezzato, pizza, sausage and peppers, panzarotti, porkette, clams and spaghetti, pasta fagioli, pizza frita, meatball sandwiches, mozzarella sticks, calamari rings, spaghetti dinners and fresh espresso and cappuccino.

There will be live Italian music every night.

There is a $5 admission fee for all visitors ages 14-61. Seniors (age 61 and older) and children (age 13 and under who are accompanied by parent or guardian 18 or older) will be admitted free.

Another food-based festival this weekend is the annual Strawberry Festival and Flea Market. The event will be presented by the Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area (204 Church Street, Phoenixville, 610-935-7646, hspa-pa.org) on June 11.

Festival hours are listed as 10 a.m.-3 p.m. but activity will really get underway with the opening of the flea market at 8 a.m.

The actual Strawberry Festival, starts at 10 a.m. and features strawberries, ice cream and cake. There will be performances by a clown from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. along with live music provided by Ted the Fiddler.

As an added attraction, the Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area Museum will be open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

When the weather gets warm, the entertainment calendar sees a spike in outdoor music events.

Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) will host Gregg Parker’s “Hall of Fame Petition Drive, Benefit, and Food Bank Drive” in honor of Harry Chapin.

Parker will be performing Chapin’s music exclusively to benefit The Harry Chapin Foundation and Chester County Food Bank. Admission to the event is free, and all wine and food purchases are pay-as-you-go.

Attendees are invited to sign the petition to get this legendary artist inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and then enjoy a live performance of Chapin tunes, along with award-winning Chaddsford wines and food from Pizzaria Pronto.

Guests who make a food or monetary donation will receive 20 per cent off bottle purchases. Most needed donations of nonperishable food items are peanut butter, whole grain pasta, rice, whole grain cereal, canned tuna and chicken, canned vegetables and canned fruit.

The 16th Annual State Street Blues Stroll (www.statestreetblues.com) will be held along State Street in Media on June 11 from 6 p.m.-1 a.m.

Some of the headline acts at the 2016 State Street Blues Stroll will be Danielle Miraglia, the Lonnie Shields Band, Blues Stroll All-Stars, Norman Taylor, Georgie Bonds Band, Steve Guyger & The Excellos,  Blues Brothers & A Sister, Dave Coppa, Daryl Davis, Roger Girke Band, James Day & The Fish Fry,  Randy Lippincott Trio, Sister Blue Duo, Johnny Never, Ben Tinsley & Dimitri Papadopoulos, Bruce Anthony, Brian Kors, Mike Mettalia & Midnight Shift,  Kim Trusty, Fred Miller Band, and Sister Blue.

annual Blues Stroll will be held along State Street in Media on June 11 from 6 p.m.-1 a.m. Tickets for the State Street Blues Stroll are $30. For additional information, call (610) 566-5039 or visit www.statestreetblues.com.

On June 11, blues will also be featured in the Lehigh Valley when Allentown hosts its “Ninth Annual Blues, Brews & Barbecue” (http://www.downtownallentown.com) three outdoor stages in the downtown area of the city.

The free event, which will run from noon-10 p.m., features Jarekus Singleton, Hadden Sayers, Clarence Spady, Todd Wolfe Band, Regina Bonelli, Steve Cal Band, The BC Combo, Doug Ashby, The Groove Merchants, Steve Brosky & Jimmy Meyer Trio, The Blues Professors and Friar’s Point.

 “Blues, Brews & Barbecue” also features delicious barbecue from all around the United States along with a wide selection of craft and domestic brews. Additionally, a number of local artisans will be selling their wares at the one-day festival.

Some of this year’s featured vendors are “Aw Shucks” Roasted Corn, Inc., Allentown Brew Works, Baby Got “Que,” Jerkies “Jamaican BBQ,” Meat Wagon BBQ, Parkway Caribbean, Atomic Hogs BBQ, Island in the Sun,   Bob-B-Q Sliders & Sides Truck, Grumpy’s BBQ, Danny’s Fine Foods, Fire & Spice BBQ and J&J Kettlekorn.

From May through October, Rock Ford Plantation (881 Rockford Rd., Lancaster, 717-392-7223, www.rockfordplantation.org) is hosting “Second Sunday Living History Events” that include a guided tour of the mansion. Rock Ford Plantation focuses on life in the late 18th Century.

Rock Ford will be hosting special focus tours in lieu of its regular guided tours on the second Sunday of May through September.  Each of these special focus tours will highlight a particular aspect of 18th-century life.

Rock Ford Plantation is the preserved 18^th-century home of Edward Hand who served as Adjutant General to George Washington during the American Revolution.

The Plantation will present its “Stories-on-the-Porch” series every Wednesday now through August 17. A volunteer in period costume will read a story to children gathered on the porch of the Rock Ford Mansion.

Following the story, children will enjoy a game or craft and light refreshments. A parent or other responsible adult must accompany their child.  The suggested age range for this event is 3-7 years, but all are welcome.  In the event of rain, “Stories-on-the-Porch” will be held in the Barn.

Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (age 65 and older), $6 for children (ages 6-12) and free for children (under 6). All proceeds from the Second Sunday Living History Series will benefit the ongoing preservation and operation of Rock Ford Plantation.

On June 11, Fishtown FestivAle (http://phillybeerweek.org/events/fishtown-festivale, 215-739-9684) takes over Frankford Avenue in the Fishtown section of North Philadelphia with craft beer, DJs, food, games, vendors and more.

The festival will be serving up pulled pork sandwiches, soft shell crab sandwiches, potato salad, and corn on the cob under the tent at Johnny Brenda’s (1201 North Frankford Avenue).

And, the volunteer staff will be pouring craft beers, special punch and classic ales to help participants deal with the summer heat.

The line-up of participating venues includes Johnny Brenda’s, Frankford Hall, Fette Sau and a variety of bars, pubs and restaurants in the vicinity of Frankford and Girard avenues. The event is free and open to the public.

On June 12, the 41^st Annual Odunde Festival (215-732-8510, http://odundefestival.org) will be held from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. at 23rd and South streets in downtown Philadelphia.

Odunde attracts close to 500,000 people each year, covers 12 city blocks and is one of the largest African-American street festivals in the country. Its authentic African marketplace features vendors from around the world selling merchandise from many African nations, the Caribbean and Brazil.

The free festival, whose concept originates from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, West Africa, celebrates the coming of another year. One of the highlights each year is a colorful procession from 23rd and South streets to the Schuylkill River where an offering of fruit and flowers is made to Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of the river.

There will be continuous live music throughout the day. Some of the featured performers will be Biz Markie and the group Brand Nubian on the South Street stage. There will also be traditional African dance performances by the Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble.

The annual Philly Pride Parade and Festival (http://www.phillygaypride.org, 215-875-9288) takes place during International Gay and Lesbian Pride Month and features live music, DJs, food and drinks. The parade, which is scheduled for June 12, runs from the Gayborhood (13th and Locust streets) to Penn’s Landing.

The first gay pride parade took place in New York City, June 28, 1970, to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots (June 28, 1969), considered to be the beginning of the LGBT civil rights movement.  By 1972, many cities, including Philadelphia, were staging gay pride parades and festivals. 

From 1977-1987, there were no parades in Philadelphia.  In 1988, there was a spontaneous parade from the Gayborhood to a rally sponsored by the Lesbian and Gay Task Force in Love Park.  This parade was so successful that community leaders got together to establish an organization that would coordinate a gay pride parade and festival in Philadelphia every June. 

The parade starts at 11:30 a.m. at 13th and Locust Streets. The festival gates open at Noon at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing. The Parade reaches the Festival location at approximately 1 p.m. Admission fee is $15.

As part of Historic Philadelphia’s 10th anniversary celebration at Franklin Square (200 Sixth Street, Philadelphia, www.historicphiladelphia.org ), the organization is illuminating the park with its inaugural Chinese Lantern Festival.

Now through June 12, Franklin Square will come alive every night with 25 illuminated lanterns, handcrafted giant flowers, a three-story pagoda and a 200-foot-long Chinese dragon. All creations were constructed by lantern artisans from China.

Chinese-inspired performances will take place in Franklin Square twice nightly. Performances, which celebrate Chinese performance art and entertainment, are 30-minutes long and are scheduled 7 and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Festival hours are 6-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 6-10 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $17 for adults, $12 for youth, and $15 for seniors and military.

The Garden State Discovery Museum: (2040 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, 856-424-1233, www.discoverymuseum.com) is presenting a special program called “Fun & Fit Weekend” on June 11 and 12 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. each day. The children-oriented museum in South Jersey will have several special events happening all weekend long.

Cooper Children’s Regional Hospital will be having a “Teddy Bear Clinic.” Children can bring their favorite teddy bears or stuffed animals for Cooper Nurses to check out. The “Teddy Bear Clinic” will be open from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. both days.