What To Do: January means Orchid Extravaganza at Longwood

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

If you ask Siri to name the largest family of flowering plants in the world, she/he/it would quickly come up with the answer.

The largest family of flowering plants in the world is the orchid — a flower that is acclaimed as one of the most beautiful, delicate and graceful flowers in the world. The Royal Botanical Gardens of Kew list over 20,000 accepted species with about 800 new species added each year. Additionally, horticulturists have more than 100,000 hybrids and cultivars.

Every year when January arrives, Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) celebrates the ultra-popular plant during “Orchid Extravaganza” — an annual event that opens this year on January 19 and continues through March 24.

The celebration of the orchid species features thousands of orchid blooms along with a variety of displays and special exhibits throughout its four-acre conservatory. “Orchid Extravaganza” will also feature stunning displays of orchids in planting beds, containers and innovative exhibits.

As one of the first plant collections at Longwood, orchids have held a place of distinction since 1922. The site’s talented horticulturists celebrate the beauty and variety of orchids with an artful display that includes a towering 12-foot-tall archway, a spectacular orchid curtain, and hundreds of vibrant Vanda orchids adorning the Silver Garden.

Approximately 5,000 colorful orchids hang from baskets, create inspiring arrangements and adorn unique forms throughout “Orchid Extravaganza.” Those who visit the floral extravaganza in March will have the opportunity to see Longwood Gardens’ rare sky-blue poppies in bloom in the Conservatory during Longwood’s inaugural Winter Blues Festival.

Another attraction is “OrKid Days,” which are scheduled for January 21, February 18 and March 9. Each “OrKid Day” includes a kids’ performance, craft sessions and orchid-related games.

Video link for Orchid Extravaganza — https://youtu.be/p-RHNIuf-Ts.

Admission to Longwood Gardens is $23 for adults, $20 for seniors and $12 for students.

On January 19, the Brandywine River Museum (Route 1, Chadds Ford 610-388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org) is looking winter right in the eyes and responding with a festive outdoor event.

From 1-3 p.m., the museum along the banks of Brandywine Creek is hosting an event called “Arctic BBQ.”

Visitors are invited to shake off the winter blues at this Saturday’s “Arctic BBQ.”

Participants undaunted by the weather can roast marshmallows by the fire, have a snowball fight in the Museum Courtyard, search for snowmen along the River Trail and make-&-take a crafty winter creation.

If a chill sets in, visitors will be able to warm up under the museum’s heated tents where there will be delicious BBQ by the Millstone Café available for purchase. There will also be a hot chocolate bar hosted by Chadds Café.

The event is free and open to the public.

On January 19 and 20, the Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Winter Wine-derland.”

The event, which runs from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. each day, is an outdoor winter festival featuring traditional cold-weather activities such as ice carving and fire pits.

Visitors will be able to sample Chaddsford’s exclusive YAAIMH coffee blend produced by Herman’s Coffee as well as the ““Niagara Falls Ice Luge,” which is described as the best way to enjoy an extra-cold shot of the winery’s award-winning Niagara wine. “Specialty Cocktails” will be “Maple Bourbon Mulled Wine” and “Amaretto Sleigh Ride.”

There will be live music each day from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. with Phase 2 on Saturday and Colin and Drew on Sunday.Participating food trucks are I Don’t Give a Fork and Milk+Sugar.

Every Friday and Saturday in January, the Chaddsford Winery will present “Murder Mystery Night – Pirates Revenge” from 6:30-9 p.m. each night.

Here is the scenario as posted by the winery – “There’s been a swashbuckling murder aboard The Presage. We’re settin’ out to find that scallywags, and when we do – they’re gonna walk the plank!

“There are two ways you can help us crack the case — uncover clues to pinpoint the murderer and motive or locate the hidden treasure. Along with a salty evening of mystery and suspense, you’ll enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and, of course, a booty of Pennsylvania wine. Share this killer experience with your best mates – and don’t forget to dress the part in your torn and tattered pirate threads.”

Along with an exciting evening of mystery and suspense, visitors can enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and an array of Chaddsford Winery wines.

The “Menu and Pairing Lineup” features Captain Hook’s Charcuterie Board with Specialty Meats and Cheeses with ’17 Sauvignon Blanc, ’16 Harbinger, and Sangri-la Sangria; Bourbon Glazed Chicken Wings with ’16 The Red Standard and Sunset Blush; Red Beard’s Risotto Rice Balls with Roasted Red Pepper, Asiago, and Fresh Basil with ’16 Pinot Grigio and ’16 Traminette; Caribbean Coconut Shrimp Tacos topped with Coconut Chili Aioli and Caribbean Salsa with ’17 Presage and Chaddsford White; Main Deck Crabby Mac & Cheese with Fresh Lump Crab Meat with ’15 Artisan Series ‘sur lie’ Chardonnay; and Toasted Coconut Cream Parfait & Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Ganache and Rum-Soaked Raspberries with Warm Spiced Apple.

Tickets are $60, and reservations are required.

The “Wine, Cheese & Honey Pairings at Penns Woods” at Penns Wood Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, 610-459-0808, http://www.pennswoodsevents.com) provide a nice way for visitors to enjoy a winter weekend day.

Penns Woods Winery is joining forces with local cheese makers and local honey artisans to present exclusive pairings of wine, cheese and honey. The tastings will feature five premium Penns Woods wines, each paired with various cheeses and honey from local farms.

The mouth-watering tastings will be held every weekend in January from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays. As an added attraction, live music will be featured on January 19, 20, 26 and 27 from 2-5 p.m. each day.

Tickets cost $28 per person in advance and reservations are required. Cancellations must be made within 72 hours or ticket holders will be charged the full amount of the tasting. Reservations are made and kept on the hour.

“Grim Philly’s Nightmare Before Christmas Tavern Tour (856-829-3100, http://www.grimphilly.com) will be held January 18, 19, 25 and 26.

Participants will have the opportunity to toast with the ghosts of Christmas past while drinking in the yuletide spirits of grog and nog on this entertaining fact-filled tour.

The evening’s activities include trivia and drinking games for chances to win free beer, drink and/or food samples for all at each stop and a variety of drink specials.

Participants can relax in warmth enjoying authentic handmade Christmas beverages, snacks and prizes (included) as they learn a full range of the surprising histories of Yule, and Viking lore and Saturnalia — all which have worked their way in to our modern Christian celebrations including ideas of magick, gift giving…and origins in even infanticide and human sacrifice.

Guests will be able to revel in little known facts of our holiday past including the season’s pagan roots in Roman, Celtic & German traditions, while learning of medieval, and New World additions in mumming and mistletoe.

The tour price of $45 includes guided historic tour of “Grim” Philly, tavern admissions and two “Christmas Drinks.” The tours, which start at 6:30 p.m. on Fridays and 5 p.m., on Saturdays, will depart from 599 Market Street, Philadelphia.

There is a great event this weekend that will get kids’ creative juices flowing — Hagley Museum’s annual Invention Convention. This year, the popular family event will be held on January 20 and 21 at Hagley Museum (Route 141, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org).

Visitors to the Hagley Museum, a 230-acre historical village on the site of the original du Pont Company gunpowder mills in northern Delaware, will be able to learn about a different kind of survival.

Participants in Invention Convention will learn how to survive in outer space – what to wear, what to eat and drink, and how to keep fit in microgravity. They will be able to enjoy hands-on activities and learn fun facts about space travel.

Other activities include an interactive science fair, Tinkering Tables, and “Create-an-Invention” where creative participants can earn a Hagley Patent. To celebrate a job well done, a Hagley “patent” will be issued for every invention.

Invention Convention is being held in Hagley’s Soda House and Library, so visitors are instructed to use the Buck Road East entrance off Route 100. Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for children (ages 4-14).

The Delaware Museum of Natural History (4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, www.dmnh.org) is hosting a “Total Lunar Eclipse” presentation on January 20.

Visitors to the museum will be able to view the total lunar eclipse occurring the night of January 20. Delaware Astronomical Society members will be on site with telescopes for maximum viewing of this phenomenal event.

The evening begins with activities inside the Museum followed by timed presentations about the lunar eclipse. Afterwards, everyone will head outdoors to await first contact of the eclipse at 10:33 p.m. Totality, when the moon is completely blocked, begins at 11:41 p.m.

Participants are encouraged to dress for the weather. Telescopes and binoculars are strongly encouraged as there are a limited number of telescopes available for all participants.
Doors open at 8:30 p.m. DAS presentations begin at 9 and 9:45 p.m. followed by viewing the lunar eclipse in the Museum’s backyard.

Admission is $10 – free for children (two and under).

If you find yourself being affected by a full moon, you should consider attending a “Full Moon Tour” at the Wolf Sanctuary of Pennsylvania (465 Speedwell Forge Road, Lititz, 717-626-4617, http://wolfsanctuarypa.org).

The Sanctuary offers this tour once a month on the closest Saturday to the full moon. This month, the date is January 19 and the full moon is known as the Wolf Moon. This is an event in which participants are invited to create their own experiences.

Instead of following a tour guide from pack to pack at a regulated pace that fits within a 45-minute time line, you get to go at your own pace from pack to pack. There is also the option of talking to a tour guide who is stationed at each pack. You can listen to what they have to say about the wolves when stopping at a station or you can ask questions.

With this tour, you move at whatever speed you find comfortable. If you get tired, you can go over and sit next to a roaring bond fire (weather permitting) and just relax. Visitors are requested to bring a blanket, a flashlight, a chair and maybe some hot dogs and marshmallows.

The tour starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, and no reservations are required. The next “Full Moon Tours” this year will be Snow Moon on February 16.

On January 20, there will be a “Nearly Full Moon Hike” from 1-4 p.m. at Norristown Farm Park (West Germantown Pike and Barley Sheaf Drive, 2500 Upper Farm Road,
Norristown, 610-270-0215, www.montcopa.org).

Norristown Farm Park has a variety of buildings and open fields that represent a diverse history of farming, manufacturing and institutional associations. The buildings date from the mid-18th century through the early 20th century and at various times were part of mills, a tannery, farms and the Norristown State Hospital.

The event, which starts at 5 p.m., provides visitors with an opportunity to be in the park past sunset. Participants will be able to view the winter landscape by the light of a nearly full moon on this evening hike.

Non-slip footwear is recommended. The hike will be about two miles. Participants in the eveny, which is free and open to the public, are instructed to meet in parking lot #5.

In 2017, the inaugural “Women’s March on Philadelphia” (http://www.womensmarchphl.com/) was staged with great results. The event is being celebrated for the third time this year with a theme of “We Shall Be Heard!”

The event will get underway at 10 a.m. at Eakins Oval with participants gathering to march down the Ben Franklin Parkway to the Philadelphia Art Museum.

At the conclusion of the march, there will be rally with a variety of speakers that represent all that the movement is fighting for.

Some of the topics that “We Shall Be Heard!” lists are — We shall be heard in our neighborhoods as we organize for action against gun violence, racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia. We shall be heard in the workplace where we expect equal pay for equal work and say #timesup to sexual harassment and assault. We shall be heard by the politicians who represent us on women’s reproductive rights including safe and legal abortion, low cost healthcare for all, free college tuition, lgbtq rights and anti-discrimination policies, a pathway to citizenship and immigration reform, protection for the right and the ability for all citizens to vote and climate change policy.

Anyone wishing to donate to the cause can do so at https://donorbox.org/women-s-march-on-philadelphia.

If you’re looking for a fun family activity – an indoor activity unaffected by the weather — Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com) has something just for you — the miniature golf course “Fore! the Planet.”

Linvilla Orchard’s “Fore! The Planet” is a highly interactive and playful museum exhibit created by the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. This exhibition pairs important environmental issues with the fun of miniature golf.

It features 18 unique educational holes on a variety of topics — butterfly metamorphosis, a tropical rainforest, evolution, dinosaur extinction, food chains and more. Kids of all ages can enjoy playing miniature golf while learning about our environment on every hole.

The first hole is “Butterfly Life Cycle” and players must putt through each stage of the colorful insect’s metamorphosis. The next five holes are titled “Seed Dispersal,” “Bat Sonar,” “Food Chain,” “Evolution of a Golfer” and “Backyard Explorer” followed by “Natural Selection” and “Predators and Prey.”

On the “Dinosaur Extinction” hole, players get to hit their balls toward the scientific theory of dinosaur extinction they find most plausible. The remainder of the thought-provoking holes are “Recycling,” “Water Pollution,” “Landfills,” “Wild Corridors,” “Bird Migration,” “Spawning Salmon,” “Alien Species,” “Population Threats” and “Rainforest Threats.”

The mini-course is open daily from 9 a.m. -5 p.m. through March 31. Tickets are $6.95 (ages 11 and over) and $5.95 (ages 10 and under).

Every year, the Garden State Discovery Museum (2040 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, 856-424-1233, www.discoverymuseum.com) presents

special programs geared to inquisitive youngsters.

From January 19-21, the museum will host a program titled “Sounds of Science” from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. each day.

At this event, which is included in museum admission, the museum staff offers this invitation – “Come explore the sounds of science as we pop, pow, and fizz through how science is made!”

Next weekend’s feature event will be “Community Rocks!” on January 26. The kids rock band Community Rocks! Will perform a special show beginning at 1 p.m.

Other upcoming events at the Garden State Discovery Museum are a performance by the Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble on February 2 and the “PJ Masquerade Ball” on February 8.

Admission to the Garden State Discovery Museum is $14.95 for adults and children 12 months and over and $13.95 for seniors.

If you’re into hot cars, then cold days probably won’t slow you down and keep you from your date with all things motorsports this weekend.

The 33rd Annual Motorsports Race Car & Trade Show will run from January 18-20 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Road, Oaks, 609-888-3618, www.aarn.com).

The name of hits weekend’s show in Oaks is officially Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2019 Fueled by Sunoco Race Fuels and Distributed by Insinger Performance Race Car and Trade Show.

The huge annual event will feature close to 300,000 square feet of exhibition space devoted to auto racing, street rods and everything else related to motorsports. There will be hundreds of exhibits, a full schedule of informative seminars and personal appearances by a wide array of racing legends.

There will be more than 200 motorsports vehicles of all types on exhibit. Several area speedways will have displays at the show and offer a great opportunity for fans to meet some of their standout performers and pick up a schedule of motorsports events for the 2018 season.

More than 600 exhibit booths featuring 400-plus racing dealers, hardcore manufacturers of racing equipment and more will be part of the huge show, which is billed as the biggest and best of its type in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.

Show attendees will have the opportunity to meet and collect autographs from well-known figures in motorsports, including dirt Modified standouts Craig Von Dohren, Billy Pauch Jr. & Sr., Kevin Hirthler, Brian Hirthler and Davey Sammons.

Another annual fan favorite at the annual show is the Ms. Motorsports Pageant, which is scheduled for Saturday evening at7:30 p.m. As an added attraction, there will be autograph sessions with many of the contestants from recent years.

Show hours are 2-8 p.m. on January 18, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on January 19 and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on January 20. Tickets for adults are $15 daily or $30 for three-day pass. Tickets for children (ages 6-12) are $5 daily or $10 for three-day pass.

If you’re the type of person who likes working on small projects around the house and devoting time to home improvement, you should plan on attending the 38th Annual Philadelphia Home Show. The event is running January 18-20 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (12th and Arch streets, Philadelphia, 215- 418-2003, www.phillyhomeshow.com).

The well-attended annual show features a large number of exhibits representing the home renovation and decorating industry. Showcased products and services include roofing, windows, flooring, decking, landscaping, spas, contractors, designers, water, swimming pools, doors, gutters security systems, cabinetry, entertainment systems, appliances, furniture, vacuums and more.

The Main Stage showcases the latest furniture trends for 2019. Top designers like Matt Blashaw of HGTV’s “Yard Crashers” and Clint Harp, resident contractor on HGTV’s “Fixer Upper’s,” will take the stage to share insider secrets and expert advice for every home improvement project

Tickets are $13 for adults and $3 for children (ages 6-12).

The Philadelphia Comic-Con, which is scheduled to run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on January 20 at the Clarion Hotel Conference Center (76 Industrial Highway, Essington, 856-217-5737,www.philadelphiacomic-con.com), features comic books, trading cards and other collectibles — both modern and vintage.

The event, which has an admission fee of $3, also features a number of special autograph guests.

This Sunday, the guest artists are Bob Petrecca, a D.C. and Marvel artist and inker, and Paris Cullins, who is the artist for “Blue Beetle” and “Blue Devil.”

The popular collectibles event, which is the area’s longest running comic convention, will host dealers from all over the Northeast with sales booths featuring Gold & Silver Age comics, action figures, non-sport cards (including Topps “Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens”).

Also featured will be Japanese Manga, gaming cards such as Pokemon and Magic the Gathering, original artwork and all the latest issues of today’s popular comic book series.

The roster of top-flight vendors includes veteran dealers and relative newcomers. As an added attraction, there will be hourly door prizes beginning at 11 a.m.

Martin Luther King Weekend will be celebrated from January 19-21 at the Eastern State Penitentiary (2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-236-3300, www.easternstate.org) from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day.

Eastern State Penitentiary commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his 1963 Letter from Birmingham Jail with special readings from the landmark text and opportunities for visitors to respond to its relevance today.

The event examines the following questions — Why did the civil rights leaders of the 1960s choose jail time to demonstrate their plight? How did Dr. King’s letter, written in the margins of a newspaper and smuggled out of Birmingham Jail, create a pivotal moment in the American civil rights movement? If Dr. King were alive today, what issues would his letter address?

Professional actors will read excerpts from King’s letter three times a day on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. An informal Q&A moderated by a civil rights scholar follows each reading, giving visitors an opportunity to respond to the letter’s relevance today. The readings are free and open to the public, subject to availability.
In partnership with Art Sanctuary, children ages 7-12 and their families can create art in response to themes found in the letter and read stories about Dr. King’s life and legacy. Family activities are available on Monday, January 21, free and open to the public. No reservations required.

On January 19, the Franklin Institute (271 North 21st Street, Philadelphia, 215-448-1200, www.fi.edu) is celebrating the birthday of its namesake.

From 10 a.m.-3 p.m., the museum in hosting “Ben’s Birthday Bash” in celebration of Ben Franklin’s 313th birthday.

The Franklin Institute’s birthday bash for Ben promises to be a festive event featuring hands-on programming, science demos, and the debut of three Franklin-related artifacts from the Institute’s collections, that have never before been on public display.

Visitors to the Franklin Institute will be able to snap a selfie in front of the 20-foot Benjamin Franklin National Memorial, take part in hair-raising electricity experiments, and listen to the ethereal sounds of Franklin’s favorite musical instrument—the glass armonica.

Activities for The Franklin Institute’s birthday bash are free with general museum admission, which is $23 for adults and $19 for children (ages 3-11).

“Benjamin Franklin Tippler’s Tour” (Historic Philadelphia Center, 6th and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia, 215-629-5801, http://historicphiladelphia.org/tipplers-tour) will be held on January 18 and 19 and 20 starting at 5:30 p.m. each night.

The over-21 set joins a Colonial guide for the Tippler’s Tour with Ben Franklin. It is a rollicking pub crawl with stops for drinks and snacks at several Old City establishments.

Ben Franklin, the “Birthday Boy,” will join the tour along the way. He will hang around to chat with guests at City Tavern, the final stop, and to enjoy a Yards Brewing Company Franklin Spruce Ale.

The Chinese zodiac is a rotating cycle of 12 years in which each year is represented by a specific animal and its characteristics — rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

2019 is the “Year of the Pig” according to Chinese zodiac.

On January 19, there will be a special event in Philadelphia to welcome in the “Year of the Pig” when the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (33rd and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, 215-898-4000, www.penn.museum) hosts its 38th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration from 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

The popular annual event in Philadelphia will feature celebrations of Chinese culture and New Year traditions throughout the day with programs and activities for all ages, including children’s workshops, storytelling, cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts exhibitions and martial and healing arts demonstrations.

There will be dance performances, Chinese music demonstrations, a Falun Gong presentation, a Tai Chi workshop, a Kung Fu demonstration, a Family Zodiac tour and a Tangram Workshop.

The annual celebration will, as always, feature the “Lion Dance.” Liondancers and drummers begin inside at 4 p.m. and, weather permitting, wind their way outside for a firecracker finale.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for senior citizens, $10 for students and free for children (under 6).

The Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, which is running now through February at RiverRink (Delaware Avenue at Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-925-RINK, www.riverrink.com), is featuring a special event this weekend — the Fifth Annual Brewfest.

“Brewfest,” which is scheduled for January 19 and 20, features a variety of free events, including beer talks, instruction on home brewing and screenings of films and television shows that are considered “beer-centric.”

Unquestionably, the biggest draw will be generated by a number of regional breweries that will be giving out samples of some of their best beers – including Downingtown’s Victory Brewing Company.

The first session will feature Conshohocken Brewing Company, Victory Brewing Company, Yards Brewing Company and Evil Genius Beer Company on Saturday from 1-4 p.m. followed by Brotherton Brewing Company, Tröegs Independent Brewing, Cape May Brewing Co. and Conshohocken Brewing Company from 5-8 p.m.

There will be just one session on Sunday from 1-4 p.m. The featured brew manufacturers will be Dock Street Brewery, Wyndridge Farm, Twin Lakes Brewing Company and Sly Fox Beer.

Open seven days a week, the Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest is an immersive winter-themed experience with a popular bar and restaurant called The Lodge, winter beer garden-style landscaping, a brand-new light show, and a retail shopping experience from Art Star Gallery & Boutique.

The outdoor rink’s hours are 1-10:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 1 p.m.-12:30 a.m. on Fridays, 11 a.m.-12:30 a.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. on Sundays. Skating admission price is $3 and skate rental costs $10.

If you’re a fan of the cold-weather season, there’s a special event coming up that you’re bound to enjoy — the 2019 Lambertville-New Hope Winter Festival (Various locations around New Hope, Pennsylvania and Lambertville, New Jersey, 215-862-5067, www.Winterfestival.net).

The popular annual event is running from January 19-27 in the two towns which straddle the Delaware River in Upper Bucks County — New Hope in Pennsylvania and Lambertville in New Jersey. The festival’s organizers list two main goals — to provide a healthy cold-weather experience in their river town communities and to demonstrate that their diverse communities are alive and well in the winter.

The list of ticketed events includes “Fire & Ice Ball,” “Blues, BBQ & NFL Playoffs,” “Winter Festival Jersey Shore,” “Winter Festival Pub Crawl and/or After Party,” “Taste of Winter Fest,” “Concert & VIP Reception,” “Beef ‘n’ Brew,” “A Capella Extravaganza,” “Chili Cook-off,” “Winter Walking Food & Shop Tour,” and “​Inn to Inn Dinner & House Tour.”

The featured concert will be the “British Invasion” on January 25 at New Hope Winery (6123 Lower York Road, New Hope) featuring Peter Asher of Peter & Gordon along with Jeremy Clyde of Chad & Jeremy.

Artists will be presenting live sculpting demonstrations at three locations — Triumph Brewing Company (400 Union Square Drive, New Hope) on January 26, and Suez Water (11 Bridge Street, Lambertville) and River Cat Café (142 South Main Street, New Hope) on January 27.

“Reading Fire + Ice Fest” (http://www.readingfireandicefest.com), which is the flagship winter festival of Berks County, will return to downtown Reading for its fifth year in 2019.

Produced and organized by the Reading Downtown Improvement District, the festival will take place January 18 and 19. Festivities will kick off on January 18 in the 500 block of Penn Street at 5:30 p.m.

“Reading Fire + Ice Fest” will feature a variety of both indoor and outdoor activities, including a chili cook-off, Snowfall Ball, professional ice-carving competitions, fire performances, live music, pancake breakfast presented by Genesius Theatre, and concession stands. All outdoor activities will again be free, and the chili cook-off, Snowfall Ball, and pancake breakfast will have nominal entry fees.

The fire performers will be Madeleine Bell and Flame Nouveau.

The annual Ambler Restaurant Week is running from January 21-28. Ambler area restaurants will be offering enticing specials and prix-fix menus at 16 participating restaurants throughout the town.

The list of restaurants participating in Ambler Restaurant Week (www.amblermainstreet.org) include Cantina Feliz, Dettera Restaurant and Wine Bar, Bridget’s Steakhouse, Zakes Café, From The Boot, The Lucky Well, Saffron, KC’s Alley, Sweet Briar Café, Gypsy Blu, Costa Deli, Vida & Comida, and Pie and Plate Café.

Another culinary attraction is the Center City District Restaurant Week (http://www.centercityphila.org/life/RestaurantWeek.php) which runs fnow through January 25.

More than 120 restaurants in Rittenhouse, Midtown Village and Old City will be participating in this year’s event with discounted three-course meals during lunch and/or dinner. Lunchtime offerings featuring three courses cost $20 and three-course dinner meals will cost $35. These prices do not include alcoholic beverages, tax or gratuity.