What To Do: Country music takes center stage at Ludwig’s Corner

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

Summer may be winding down but the selection of special events all around the area is showing no signs of slowing down.

The Citadel Country Spirit USA (Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds. 5 Nantmeal Road, Glenmoore, countryspiritusa.com) will run from August 27-29 and feature a huge array of country stars.

Citadel Country Spirit USA is a great American festival experience, a three-day country music spectacular where like-minded country music enthusiasts come together for a live country music celebration.

Held at Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds, a picturesque 33-acre site located in the countryside of Philadelphia, the festival features 20 live acts on two stages. While music is the main attraction, festivalgoers are treated to an array of activities and fanfare a wide selection of food vendors, restaurants, libation establishments and lounges for socializing and having fun.

In its first two years, Citadel Country Spirit USA earned resounding accolades from fans, sponsors and community partners. Hosted by the Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau (CVB), approximately 40,000 fans from across the country have attended the festival. For the third consecutive year, a portion of all ticket sales will be donated to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), a

Your headliners are Brantley Gilbert, Miranda Lambert and Chris Young. Heralded as a Great American Festival Experience, Citadel Country Spirit USA features 20 country music acts performing live music on two stages – 14 nationally recognized artists on the GMC Sierra Stage and popular up-and-comers on the Citadel Rising Star Stage..

The Eagleview Summer Concerts on the Square at Eagleview Town Center (Wharton Boulevard, Exton, www.ineagleview.com) will fill the air with good music on August 31 from 7-9 p.m.

The free show, which is being presented by Point Entertainment, will feature the legendary Rebirth Blues Band along with Lula Wiles.

There are two good destinations in Lancaster County this weekend.

One of the most popular late-summer events in southeastern Pennsylvania will take place this weekend in Lancaster.

The 2021 New Holland Summer Fest (New Holland Community Park, 400 East Jackson Street, New Holland, 717-669-1400, http://nhsummerfest.org) will be held August 27 and 28 and will feature the “Pennsylvania State Championship BBQ Cook-Off.”

New Holland Summer Fest is a National KCBS Certified Barbecue competition. Each year 72 teams from around the country descend upon New Holland Community Park for a weekend of competition and fun.

The Grand Champion automatically receives an entry to the American Royal Contest in Kansas City, Missouri.

The barbecue competition is a major drawing card, but the event also has all that you would expect from a country fair — food vendors, children’s activities and souvenir concession stands.

For the kids, there will be face painting, “Tag-Along,” a clown teaching how to make animal balloons and “Kid’s Q” where they can learn how to barbecue.

The family-oriented event and the Friday evening concert are free and open to the public. All proceeds from the weekend’s activities benefit Garden Spot Fire Rescue Co. and the New Holland Community Park.

Another popular event just a few miles from New Holland is the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (Mount Hope Estate and Winery grounds, Route 72, Cornwall, 717-665-7021,www.parenfaire.com).

This year’s 41st annual staging of the event, which bills itself as “the most wondrous event in all the Knowne World”, is running now through October 31. 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, the Faire presents a themed weekend. On August 21 and 22, it will be Grand Opening Weekend.

Visitors can join the Shirefolk and beloved Majesty, Queen Elizabeth Regina Glorianna, as the festival swings wide the Castle Gates and kicks off its 41st glorious season of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.

Each weekend, the Faire gas a themed weekend. This week, it is “Pyrate Invasion” on August 28 and 29.

There comes a time in most lives when the need to raise the Black Flag arises. At the Faire, you can let out a hearty “ARRR” and allow your inner pyrate to set sail for the Shire of Mount Hope.

Special activities include Pyrate Invasion Daily Writ (Revels Schedule & Shire Map), Pyrate School for Nipperkins and Nipperkins Treasure Hunt.

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 following is the description of the 2021 scenario — England has finally established a colony in the New World. Sir Walter Raleigh, one of Elizabeth’s favorite privateers and newly appointed Governor of Virginia has made Mount Hope a key trade port, and the Shire has never been so prosperous.

Of course, where there’s money to be made, there will be people who want that money. The Earl whose lands Mount Hope sits upon has suddenly taken interest in the shire which he once left alone.

Now he’s come to collect his share of the bounty and perhaps set up a more permanent residence with little care if he displaces some peasants along the way.

Will Her Majesty intervene? Will the Shire ever be the same? People will become heroes, heroes will be made legends, and legends will be proven real.

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 beverage.

Single-day tickets are available at the gate for $30.95. For children (age 5-11) single-day tickets are available at the gate and online for $15.95.

When it comes to festivals in North America, the Allentown Fair (17th and Chew Street, Allentown, 610-433-7541, www.allentownfairpa.org) is without a doubt one of the oldest – if not the oldest. It’s an event that has been drawing large crowds ever since ’52 – that’s 1852.

The popular Allentown Fair was first staged in October 1852 when the Lehigh County Agricultural Society held its first fair. The huge annual fair in Allentown is still one of the state’s premier late-summer attractions.

Now known as “The Great Allentown Fair”, the 2021 edition runs from September 1-6. It will be the fair’s 168th anniversary this year.

The Allentown Fair is a fun-filled event that spans generations and appeals to people of all ages. The multi-day event at the Allentown Fairgrounds features thousands of farm, garden and home exhibits and competitions along with thrill rides, amusement games, variety acts, international food and some of the top entertainers currently on tour.

The Grandstand Stage’s 2021 schedule features Toby Keith on September 2, Carrie Underwood on September 3, AJR on September 5 and Demolition Derby on September 6.

The fair’s list of daily entertainment attractions also includes Zuzu Acrobats, The One Wheel Wonder, The Flying Wallendas, “Robinson’s Pig Paddling Porkers,” The Puppy Pals Comedic Stunt Dog Show, Hot Diggity Dog, Moodonna, and “4-H Petting Zoo.”

As always, amusement games and rides are one of the fair’s main attractions. This year, the Great Allentown Fair will again feature thrilling rides and games of skill and chance presented by Powers Great American Midways.

There will also be a wide array of agricultural competitions and exhibits each day at the fair. Tickets are $8 for adults with children under 12 admitted free.

The Second Annual Berks Latin Fest will be held on August 28 at the FirstEnergy Stadium (1900 Centre Avenue,  South Reading

The popular annual event will run from 1-8 p.m.

The fair will feature food vendors, kids’ entertainment, music, street performers and other festival activities such as talent shows and a bouncy house.

The Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation at Ridley Creek State Park (3900 North Sandy Flash Drive, Newtown Square, http://www.colonialplantation.org/) will host a special event on August 28 called “Back to School Science Day.”

It’s a little known fact that colonial people experimented with science every day.

From making butter, to getting water from the well, to dyeing their clothes, every day was Science Day.

On August 28, visitors t the plantation can conduct their own scientific experiments — dye a piece of fabric using plants from our garden; churn butter and discover how baking is like chemistry; create and use simple machines to perform chores, learn how to harness a horse, make cider and more.

The hours for this event are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. with last admittance at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for seniors and children (ages 4-12).

Every Saturday in August, Pottsgrove Manor (100 West King Street, Pottstown, 610-326-4014, http://montcopa.org/index.aspx?nid=930) will be presenting “Open House Days-Historic Cooking and Collections Curiosities.”

Visitors will have the opportunity to see select 18th-century items from the Pottsgrove Manor collection up close and ask the curator questions. At the same time, summer treats will be being created in the site’s reproduction kitchen.

Visitors can return every week to see a presentation of something from Pottsgrove’s cook and its collections.  The first floor of the museum will be open for visitors to view at their leisure.

This weekend’s theme is “Historic Cooking, Ice Cream.”

This event features free admission with a suggested donation of $2 per person.

The latest edition of the “History at Work” series at Newlin Grist Mill (219 South Cheyney Road, Glen Mills, newlingristmill.org) is scheduled for August 28.

Visitors can get a closer look at trades of the 18th century in Newlin’s “History at Work” series.

Members of Newlin Grist Mill’s staff, volunteers, and outside artisans will demonstrate their crafts and talk with visitors about how different trades and skills were integral to life in colonial Pennsylvania and to the operation of Newlin Grist Mill.

In 2021, the program will take place on the last Saturday of the month now through October, 10am-3pm. Planned demonstrations include soapmaking in August, blacksmithing -in September and food preservation in October.

“History at Work” is free and open to the public of all ages.

Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Self-Guided Mansion Tour” on August 281.

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 p.m. The site closes at 4 p.m.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, guests will be able to tour the main floor of the mansion and summer kitchen areas only. Interpretive signage will be available including photos and text describing the other closed areas.

Tour admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 65+) and for youth ages 6-17, and fee for children under 5. Hope Lodge is a Blue Star Museum which means that active-duty military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve and their families, are admitted free for regular tours from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

A good location for a nature walk is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).

The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend features the “Blue Trail Tour” and “Saturday Evening Wildflower Walk” on August 28.

With 650 protected acres of beautiful woodland, seasonally charming meadows, and a lively program of seasonal events and activities, Tyler Arboretum is a delight for nature lovers, birders, botanists, and those who want rediscover the natural world.

Dating to 1681, making it one of the oldest public gardens in the United States, and home to eight generations of three families, Tyler Arboretum connects visitors to the region’s rich culture and history while preserving, developing, sharing, and celebrating Pennsylvania’s priceless horticultural heritage.

On the “Blue Trail Tour,” which runs from 10-11 a.m., guests might see totally white plants shaped like a smoker’s pipe, strange spider webs resembling slender tubes as they reach underground, and lengthy berms of soil purposely built generations ago near Rocky Run stream. Participants will pass fallen trees supporting an eco-community of life as they decay, and an open meadow full of summer wildflowers and insects.

“Saturday Evening Wildflower Walk,” which runs from 6-8 p.m., features wildflower expert Dick Cloud on an informative two-hour hike that will take guests through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside. These walks are for those who have a love of plants, their role in ecology, or for those who want to learn more.

Although the focus is on plants, Cloud will also talk about whatever else is seen on the tour. Walkers should wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring a camera and/or a wildflower guide, for this botanical-filled walk.

There will also be a Weekday Bird Walk on September 1 at 8 a.m.

Participants will join birders Sara Boucas-Neto, Chuck Root, Emily Dodge, and Dave Eberly on a Wednesday morning walk at Tyler. With acres of unbroken forest interior and extensive meadows, Tyler is recognized by the Pennsylvania Audubon Society as an “Important Bird Area.”

Walkers should bring their own binoculars and be prepared to walk on all types of surfaces. Walks are held rain or shine. The group leaves promptly from the parking lot at 8:10 am.

Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $15 for adults (ages 18-64), $13 for Seniors (65+) and $9 for children (ages 3-17) and Military with valid ID.

Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) is always a special place to visit – especially during the run of its annual “Festival of Fountains.”

The 2021 “Festival of Fountains” opened in May and is running through September 26.

Daily performances in the Main Fountain Garden will feature more than 1,700 spinning jets that spin dance to various music programs. These are no little jets as some shoot up as high as 175 feet in the air.

The 30-minute show is slated for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 9:15 p.m.

The Main Fountain Garden Show’s “Fountains Then and Now” show is a 12-minute fountain performance that begins with a touch of narrated history and concludes with dynamic choreography marrying music and the site’s newest fountain features.

These displays will be presented daily at 1:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. There will also be performances on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:15 p.m.

Another daily show in the Main Garden is “Classical, Jazz, and Hits of Today,” another 12-minue show but with a different musical style. These will be presented daily at 1:15 and 5:15 p.m.

The third show on the roster is “Fountain Refresher,” which is billed as “a five-minute mix of music genres that teases the theme of that evening’s Illuminated Fountain Performance.”

These are scheduled for Thursday through Saturday now through August 28 at 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. and September 2 through October 30 at 6:15 p.m.

There will also be daily shows in the Open Air Theatre and the Italian Water Garden.

Featuring 750 jets in changing patterns, the Open Air Theatre comes alive with fountains set to music.

Since its 1914 Garden Party debut, this Italian-style outdoor theatre has expanded from its simple original fountains to the 750 jets that create the rainbowed curtain of water you see today, while playing host to more than 1,500 performances throughout the years.

To limit the spread of COVID-19, Longwood has made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend all ticketed concerts, fireworks shows and in-person continuing education classes. But live music can be heard in the Beer Garden, where live instrumental music from traditional Celtic tunes to Caribbean steel pan grooves sets the tone Thursday through Saturday evenings.

Beer Garden performances are scheduled through August from 6-9 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday evenings. They will also be held in September from 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The schedule for August is:

August 27
Ensemble Novo (Brazilian/Tropical Chill)

August 28
Conjunto Philadelphia (Traditional Cuban and Latin Jazz).

As always, admission by “Timed Ticket” — tickets issued for specific dates and times. Timed ticketing limits the number of people in the Gardens at any given time and allows guests to enjoy minimal lines and a better viewing experience.

You may enter the Gardens up to 30 minutes prior and 30 minutes after your designated time. Make every effort to arrive at your designated reservation time. Earlier or later arrivals may not be accommodated.

Video link for “Festival of Fountains” — https://youtu.be/AHsC2YuFerY.

Admission to Longwood Gardens is $25 for adults, $22 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and college students, $18 for active military and veterans and $13 for youth (ages 5-18).

The Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, www.morrisarboretum.org) is offering its “Garden Highlights Tour” this month.

Experienced guides will share both the history and current highlights of the Arboretum during a one-hour walking tour.

Tours depart from the Visitor Center at 1 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. These tours are small groups and space is very limited.

This reservation is good for admission to the Arboretum as well as for the tour itself. The tour is weather permitting. If the tour is cancelled, your ticket is still good for admission. Another attraction at Morris Arboretum is the ultra-popular Garden Railway Display, which has become a major summer attraction at the site. The annual edition of the display will remain open until October 11.

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.

This year the tracks are surrounded by miniature replicas of “Wonders of the World.” Visitors will be able to see the Eiffel Tower, Hagia Sophia, the Egyptian Pyramids, the Wall of China and 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).

The Elmwood Park Zoo (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) has a variety of special activities coming up.

On August 28 and 29, the Zoo is presenting “Breakfast with the Giraffes.”

Guests can enjoy a delicious, socially distanced outdoor breakfast buffet, right next to the zoo’s three towering giraffes. After participants have cleared their plates, they will be invited to an exclusive giraffe feeding.

The breakfast will get underway at 8:30 a.m.

On August 27 and September 1 and 3, the Zoo is hosting “Dog Days.”

All guests visiting the zoo with a furry friend must complete an online waiver and submit required documents before visiting the zoo. You must upload a copy of your most recent veterinary visit, including proof of vaccine and heartworm test here. All items will be required for you to attend “Dog Days.”

The “Dog Days” event is slated to run from 1-5 p.m. It will also be held on selected dates throughout the summer.

Pricing is $10.95 per dog with each additional dog at $9.95. Regular zoo admission is required for all humans.

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) will host the latest edition of its “Mixers and Elixirs” on August 27.

“Mixers and Elixirs” will be held in a secret pop-up location on the Winterthur estate. Visitors will be able to see the storied grounds of Winterthur in a whole new way — with a featured cocktail, small bites, and live music.

“Margarita Madness” is the theme of this month’s event which will run from 5-7 p.m. on Friday.

Future dates and themes for “Mixers and Elixirs” are Nothin’ But Shrub, September 24; Bitter So Sweet, October 22; Sparkle and Fizz, November 26; and Cheers to the Holidays, December 17.

Tickets are $35 per person and include two cocktails of the month, small bites, live music, and garden access). $12 for designated driver and students ages 12-18 (includes one non-alcoholic beverage and small bites). Children under 12 are free.

Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org) is presenting a special “Cannon Firing Demonstration” on August 29 at 1, 2, and 3 p.m. in the Machine Shop area.

The family-oriented event is fun, loud, exciting and educational.

Cannon firings in the Hagley Powder Yards demonstrate how black powder was made and used.

The demonstrations, which take place next to the Millwright Shop, are included with site admission tickets — Adults: $15; Seniors (age 62 and up): $11; Students $11; Children 6-14: $6.

“Science Saturday” will be held on August 28 from noon-4 p.m.

Participants can learn about buoyancy, density, and how boats stay afloat. And they can build a own boat and test how much cargo it can hold.

Visitors of all ages are invited to discover solutions to science and engineering challenges at Science Saturday. Activities are included in regular admission and free for Hagley members. This is a drop-in activity.

On August 29, Hagley is presenting its “H2 Oh Waterpower Walking Tour” staring at 11 a.m.

In the H2 Oh! walking tour, visitors discover the evolution of waterpower at Hagley from the water wheel to modern waterpower and how the DuPont Company harnessed the power of the Brandywine to make black powder for more than 120 years.

It is a journey of innovation through the Hagley powder yards, including a stop at Hagley’s recently restored turbine bringing green energy back to the site. Included in admission and free for members. Reservations requested, call (302) 658-2400, ext. 261. Use Hagley’s main entrance off Route 141 in Wilmington, Delaware.

The Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Reserve Tastings – Summer Sips” on select Saturdays and Sundays in August.

Visitors are invited to join the winery’s staff for an intimate and educational 60-minute experience in the newly renovated Barrel Room tasting some of Chaddsford’s latest wine releases.

The trained staff will guide you through a pre-selected tasting of five widely diverse wines from across the portfolio.  The selections will be paired alongside local cheeses and other accoutrements to enhance your tasting experience.

The staff will also discuss topics such as grape growing conditions at partner vineyards and the onsite winemaking process from production to aging and bottling.

Reserve Tastings are $35 per person. There are three seatings each day – noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Advanced reservations are required and are non-refundable.

The “pairing lineup” is Greeting Wine: 2019 The White Standard wine spritzer with peach and fresh herbs; 2020 Sauvignon Blanc with Yellow Springs Farm Black Diamond; 2020 Dry Rosé with Birchrun Hills Farm Little Chardy and sour cherry pomegranate preserve; and 2020 Niagara Demi Sec with Gemelli’s Pear Sorbetto.

On August 28, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present “Sacred Spaces and Storied Places” at 10 a.m.

The expansion of Fairmount Park in the 1860s prevented further growth of Laurel Hill, and in 1869 West Laurel Hill was established just across the river in Bala Cynwyd. This walking tour provides a wonderful overview of West Laurel Hill’s long and colorful history, including its architectural artistry, stunning trees and horticulture, and the stories of residents that encompass diverse and fascinating Philadelphia history.

“Sacred Spaces and Storied Places” is the perfect introductory tour for anyone who wants to learn all that West Laurel Hill Cemetery has to offer. Experienced tour guides offer visitors a unique perspective and every Sacred Spaces tour is different.

The tour guide for this event is Nicole Tell.

A fun summertime family activity is taking a trip to the past by riding behind a vintage locomotive on a tourist rail line.

The West Chester Railroad (610-430-2233, www.westchesterrr.net) is running its “Summer Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through Sept 19. 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 have during excursion’s stop at the Glen Mills train station picnic grove.

Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for children (2-12) and free for children (under two).

Wilmington and Western Railroad (Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport-Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, www.wwrr.com) is running its Mt. Cuba Meteor excursion on August 28 and 29.

Passengers can take a leisurely 1½-hour round-trip ride up the Red Clay Valley to the rail line’s Mt. Cuba Picnic Grove, which includes a ½-hour layover to have a picnic or simply admire the natural surroundings. The Mt. Cuba Meteor excursion is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon outside with family or friends.

If you don’t want to get off the train at Mt. Cuba, you can remain onboard and travel further up the line through the communities of Ashland and Yorklyn. On the return trip, we’ll make a brief stop at Mt. Cuba to pick up the picnic passengers.

This event is powered by either our historic first-generation diesel locomotive, by our 1929 Pennsylvania Railroad Doodlebug railcar, or by one of the railroad’s antique steam locomotives.

The excursion will also run on September 4, 11, 18, 25 and 26 and October 2.

Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for children (ages 2-12) and $16 for seniors.

This weekend, the Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is celebrating one of its locomotives with a series called “611 at Strasburg: The Return of an American Icon.”

The Norfolk & Western Class J 611, a National Historic Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, is known as an engineering powerhouse of steam, technology, and near mechanical perfection.

The N&W Class J 611 is the sole survivor of 14 Class J steam locomotives designed and built by the Norfolk & Western Railway. The locomotive rolled out of Roanoke’s East End Shops in 1950. Its mission was to pull the Powhatan Arrow, a 15-car passenger train, from Norfolk, Virginia, to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Now, the powerful and sleek locomotive is running the rails at the historic Strasburg Railroad in Lancaster County’s scenic Amish Country.

Offered as part of the tourist railroad’s regular daily steam train service, N&W No. 611 J will be the motive power for the day’s main train on select days. She will pull 45-minute excursion rides to Paradise, Pennsylvania on the following days: September 4-6; September 24-26; and October 2 and 3.

Ticket prices range from $9.50-$45.

The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Wine & Cheese Tasting,” on August 28 and 29 at 5 p.m. each day. It will also run daily from September 3-6.

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 early 1900’s first-class parlor cars.

Tickets are $79.99 (Ages 21 and older only).

The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running special excursions this weekend called “The Great Southern Train Raid.”

It’s 1863 and the NCRR train is headed for Washington, DC. Rumor is that there’s gold on board. This could mean a train raid.

The Northern Central Railway invites everyone to ride the William H. Simpson No. 17, our replica steam locomotive, through the rolling hills of New Freedom. This will be an exciting weekend filled with adventure and suspense.

This excursion features the Union and Confederate armies skirmishing for control of the train . . . and the gold. (Caution: riders will experience the sights and sounds of gunfire during the ride.)

Tickets are $28 Adult; $18 Child (age 3-12); $5 Toddler (in lap).