By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Mushroom Festival
One statement that always applies in Kennett Square is — “There’s a fungus among us” – and it’s never more evident than on the weekend after Labor Day each year – the weekend for the annual staging of the Mushroom Festival.
After three decades, anniversaries begin to take on a special significance. This weekend marks the 38th anniversary of the annual Mushroom Festival in downtown Kennett Square (http://mushroomfestival.org).
Now in its fourth decade, the annual party is expected to draw thousands of festival fans and mushroom lovers. Some of the main attractions are the Amateur Mushroom Cook-off, an Antique and Classic Car Show and the Mushroom Eating Championship.
On September 9, the festival gets underway at 10 a.m. with the opening of the Street Fair and the Growers’ Exhibit. The festival will run until 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.
The National Fried Mushroom Eating Championship is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on September 10. Contestants will be competing for a $1,000 prize by eating the most fried mushrooms in eight minutes. The world’s record is 11.5 pounds.
Live entertainment will be provided by Tommy Froelich Band, Swamp Ash, Angelee, Josh Komorowski, Jack Marshall, 3 O’Clock High, Devin Canfield, All the Living and All the Dead and Andrew Lipke & The Azrael String Quartet.
On September 9, it’s time for the 15th Annual Caln Community Day (Municipal Park, Thorndale, http://www.calntownship.org/community-day.html).
The event will be held in Municipal Park in Thorndale on Saturday from 3-8 p.m.
The popular annual fair will feature food vendors, dance performances, a roaming magician, bounce houses, face painting, art show, caricatures, introduction to pickleball and more than 70 vendors and exhibitors.
Live entertainment will be provided by Roger That, and the grand finale will be a spectacular fireworks show.
The annual Christiana Heritage Days (Christiana Heritage Days | Discover Lancaster) will be held on September 9 from10 a.m.-5 p.m. and September 9 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. It is free, family friendly, and open to the public.
The annual event is designed to highlight the rich history of Christiana including Victorian Culture and Industry, and Christiana’s historical influence in 1851 as the “First Battle of the Civil War.”
The Christiana Resistance, a slave rebellion that took place in Christiana on September 11, 1851, when a slave owner came from Maryland to retrieve what he deemed to be his property. The black community took a stand and refused his demands.
With the black residents receiving help from their Quaker neighbors, a confrontation ensued which ended with the death of the slave owner. About 40 people – both black and Quaker – were arrested and held for trial on the charge of treason. A team of lawyers, led by Congressman Thaddeus Stevens of Lancaster, came to their defense and won.
There will be a wide variety of activities throughout both days with most activities taking place on the grounds of the William P. Brinton House, which is located at 17 Green Street, Christiana. The building was once owned by the Brinton family members, who were stationmasters on the Underground Railroad.
10th Annual Covenanter Scottish Festival & Highland Games
The 10th Annual Covenanter Scottish Festival & Highland Games (1199 Valley Road, Quarryville, www.covenanterscottishfestival.com) are scheduled for September 9.
The Covenanter Scottish Festival, which runs from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., will feature Highland Games, Solo Piping Competitions & Highland Dance Competitions. Last year, more than 60 athletes competed in the Games last year and a larger number of competitors are expected this year.
Competition will feature nine events: Open Stone, Braemar Stone, Light Weight for Distance, Heavy Weight for Distance, Light Hammer, Heavy Hammer, Weight for Height, Caber and Sheaf.
The festival also offers Scottish entertainment, heritage events including sheep herding, Scottish food, Scottish Clans and much more.
Admission is $15 with children (12 years & under) admitted free.
Historic Odessa Brewfest
Brews in a festive outdoor setting can be found at the Historic Odessa Brewfest (202 Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, http://www.odessabrewfest.com).
The 10th Annual Historic Odessa Brewfest, which is being presented by the Historic Odessa Foundation and Cantwell’s Tavern, is slated for September 9 from noon-6 p.m.
America’s thirst for ale and beer began with the earliest colonists who made it a priority to first build a brewhouse on the site of their new settlements. As drinking water was avoided like the plague, beer was a major dietary staple in the colonies, consumed by everyone from cradle to grave.
Brewfest attendees will be able to sample many of the best regional and national craft beers by more than 50 brewers, including Victory Brewing Company, Bellefonte, Big Oyster, Blue Earl, Brick Works, Crooked Hammock, Dogfish Head, Mispillion, Stitch House, Lagunitas Brewing, Heavy Seas, Jakl Beer Works and Cigar City Brewing.
Locally sourced food will be available from Cantwell’s Tavern and the Ashby Hospitality Group.
Additionally, artisan vendors will be on site and live music will be provided by Spokey Speaky, Bruca Anthony, Magical Mystery and The Sheehan Brothers.
All attendees have access to food and merchandise vendors, live bands, sponsor tables, and more during the entire event. Doors open at noon for the VIP Tasting and the regular fest is slated to start at 1 p.m. All taps will close at 5 p.m.
The cost of the festival is $60 for general admission and $15 for designated drivers. Tickets buy an unlimited sampling of beer for the full duration of the event.
The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance debuted in 1997 and is an invitation-only event that assembles one hundred of the most interesting and significant automobiles based on a featured automobile marque, vehicle type or coachbuilder and motorcycle marque or class each year. The event was also the first nationally recognized concours to feature motorcycles on the show field and is the only such event to feature horse-drawn coaches and carriages.
From September 8-10, the 26th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance will be held on the grounds of Radnor Hunt (826 Providence Road, Malvern, www.radnorconcours.org).
The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance features three days of activities beginning with the Friday evening barbecue, followed by the always popular road rally through the scenic countryside of Chester County on Saturday morning, culminating in a catered lunch. The Saturday evening “Black Tie Gala, Silent Auction and Art Show Preview” is the prelude to the main event, the Concours d’Elegance on Sunday.
The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance debuted in 1997 and is an invitation-only event that assembles one hundred of the most interesting and significant automobiles based on a featured automobile marque, vehicle type or coachbuilder and motorcycle marque or class each year. The event was also the first nationally recognized concours to feature motorcycles on the show field and is the only such event to feature horse-drawn coaches and carriages.
The event also includes Motorsport Park, providing local marque car clubs the opportunity to gather in an exclusive parking area close to the show field entrance on Sunday, as well as a Cars & Coffee gathering on Saturday concurrent with the road rally. The Marketplace area features a variety of both automotive and non-automotive merchants offering specialized shopping for concours attendees.
Adult admission is $80 at the gate.
Proceeds from the event will benefit two local non-profit organizations; Thorncroft Equestrian Center and the local Boy Scout troops. The Thorncroft Equestrian Center in Malvern is committed to a mainstreaming approach for teaching horseback riding and to promoting the development of new and independent therapeutic riding programs, particularly for those with special needs.
The 12th Annual Pottstown Pet Fair 2022 (75 West King Street, Pottstown, www.facebook.com/funforyourpets) will take place on September 9.
The event, which runs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., will feature a gathering of animal rescues, pet-care businesses and animal wellness organizations for a day of fun and community fellowship in Pottstown’s Memorial Park.
Visitors to this pet fair will find information and giveaways from a number of local and regional rescues, many featuring animals looking for their forever-homes, as well as hand-crafted pet treats and toys for sale.
Admission is free.
On September 9, the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center will host the East Coast Reptile Super Expo featuring hundreds of live snakes and reptiles.
Many people think snakes and lizards are interesting creatures and maybe even fun pets to own. If you fall into this category, you should check out the show on Saturday. A wide array of reptiles will be on display as part of the popular exhibition, which is an annual event that is closing in on its silver anniversary.
One of the show’s main attractions is a sales exhibit area featuring many vendors with live reptiles, amphibians and arachnids as well as food items, supplies, books, cages, and related accessories.
Some of the featured vendors are AZO Reptiles, Rose’s Reptiles, Darin’s Toybox, Blake’s Exotic Reptiles, Dower Reptiles & Rodents, Reptile Kingdom, DHA Pythons, Gecko Haven, Hunger Reptiles, Jungle Emporium, Delaware Turtle, Just Lizards, Outback Reptiles, RKZ Rodents. Monstar Reptiles, Turtle to Turtle, and Delaware Valley Herpetarium.
The East Coast Reptile Super Expo, which is always a well-attended event, will run from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. this Saturday. Tickets are $10 with children (under five) admitted free.
Another event at the Expo Center this weekend will be the Retro Con: Retro Toy & Gaming Show on September 9 and 10.
“Retro Con: Retro Toy & Gaming Show” is a toy show that’s dedicated to all things retro. The event’s spotlight will shine on the toys from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s – and more.
Retro Con is pop culture and memorabilia show catering to anything considered “retro” — especially the 80’s – things like Transformers, Star Wars, GI Joe, Ghostbusters, He-man, and classic video games.
There will be more than 200 tables of collectibles and art for sale, as well as special guests, video games, a costume contest, raffles, a trivia contest, panels, replica props, and much more.
The event will also have gaming systems set up – systems such as the classic NES & Saga — for fans to play.
The show will run from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $20 on Saturday and $18 on Sunday.
On September 9, “Wings N’ Wheels” will be held at Wings Field (1501 Narcissa Road, Blue Bell, https://angelflighteast.org).
The event, which runs from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., is a family-fun day of wings, wheels and aviation history including unique displays of vintage and military aircraft, new planes and classic and antique cars. Sightseeing flights, great food, music and a variety of children’s activities will also be featured.
Admission for adults is $10 while children’s tickets are $5. Parking is free. All admissions fees are tax-deductible and will directly support the mission of Angel Flight East.
Angel Flight East facilitates free air transportation for seriously ill patients who require medical treatment far from home and delivers supplies to disaster areas and reunites families in desperate times.
On September 9, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will host “Market of the Macabre.”
Visitors will be able to peruse a curated collection of unusual antiques, assorted oddities, vintage items, artwork and handmade wares at this outdoor market of the macabre. Taking place in the most fitting of venues — a 182-year-old Victorian cemetery — the event allows visitors the opportunity to explore their morbid curiosity as well as Laurel Hill’s scenic grounds and rich history.
Special activities at the market, which will run from noon-5 p.m., include live performances by Tiffany Tung and Circuitous Situationship , Mini tours of the cemetery and a Meet & greet with the Pennsylvania Bat Rescue’s educational bats.
Drinks (soda, water, beer, wine, cocktails) will be available for purchase from East Falls Beer Garden and food items will be offered for sale by Lil’ Yenta’s Bakery featuring New York-style Jewish comfort food.
Tickets are $10.
The annual Brandywine Festival of the Arts (North Park Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-363-5955, www.brandywinearts.com) has been one of the most popular late-summer events in northern Delaware for a long, long time.
The 63rd annual two-day staging of the arts-and-crafts festival is slated for September 9 and 10 at its usual location in Brandywine Park’s Josephine Gardens along the banks of the Brandywine River in Wilmington. Tickets are $5 for adults with children (under 12) admitted free.
As always, the festival is a juried event that brings more than 250 artists and crafters from more than 15 states to Josephine Gardens to exhibit and sell their work.
The list of featured categories includes mixed-media, clothing, bears, stoneware, watercolors, lamps, ironwork, herbs, bonsai, wood type, glass, acrylic, weaving, stenciling, pastels, scarves, etchings, photography, sculpture, jewelry, raku, and leather.
Beth Palser of Chester County has been named the featured artist for the 2022 festival. Palser has received more than 50 awards, including some from national organizations, during her career. She describes her work, characterized by hard-edged brush strokes, as “graphic realism.”
There will also be vendors offering a wide variety of food items at the festival, which is scheduled to run from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.
The West Chester Railroad (www.westchesterrr.net) is running its “Summer Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through September 18. 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).
When summer winds down, it means that the area’s many ethnic festivals are looming on the horizon. This weekend, the list of options includes Indian, German, Mexican, Lebanese, Latin American and Polish.
Kerala Association of Delaware Valley (KADAVU) is issuing an invitation to all to participate in the Onam 2023 Celebration which is scheduled for September 9 at West Chester East High School (450 Ellis Lane, West Chester, www.kadavu.org).
Onam is the most famous festival in the state of Kerala, India. It is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm all over the state by Malayalis regardless of religion, caste, or creed.
Kadavu’s mission is to try to recreate the rich culture and pass it on to the local community. The event, which runs from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., showcases a new world of exotic tastes, exquisite cultural programs, and dances with exciting music beats.
One of the highlights will be the Onam Sadhya feast. Sadhya is a traditional Kerala meal, essentially vegetarian, served on a banana leaf. A typical Sadhya can have two to three dozen dishes, which may sometimes go up to 64.
The festival will also feature a special chenda melam performance. A “Chenda Melam” means percussion using Chenda. The Chenda is used as a percussion instrument for almost all Kerala art forms like Kathakali, Kodiyattam, and Theyyam. Chenda melam has been the most popular form in Kerala for more than 300 years and is an integral part of all festivals in Kerala.
The 85th Annual Oktoberfest will be held on September 9 at the Vereinigung Erzgebirge (130 Davisville Road, Warminster, http://veclub.org/oktoberfest).
The event, which runs from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., will features German beer and food along with music by German-American bands.
There will also be a wide array of family activities including a moon bounce, arts and crafts, face painting, hayrides, an obstacle course and a full slate of soccer games.
Live music will be performed by Willi Aust, Don Bitterlich, The Bratwurst Boys and The Philadelphia German Brass Band.
Admission is $7.
The Delaware River waterfront hosts a number of cultural celebrations this summer during the PECO Multicultural Series.
This weekend, it’s Mexico’s turn to be in the spotlight along the Delaware River.
Mexiavcan Heritage Day will be held on Brazilian Day will run on September 10 from 2-8 p.m. on the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing.
The event, which is part of PECO’s annual multicultural series at Penn’s Landing, will feature native food, cultural exhibits and live entertainment.
Visitors can join the celebration at this fun-filled festival featuring traditional Mexican artisan crafts, renowned performers from Mexico and the area, children’s activities, and much more. The traditional “Grito de Independencia” ceremony will be taking place on stage by the Consul of Mexico in Philadelphia, commemorating the beginning of the Mexican Independence movement that led to the building of the Mexican Nation.
If you’d like to sample dishes from Lebanon such as shawarma, kefta kabob, kibbe balls and hummus, then you need to visit the Saint Sharbel Annual Lebanese Festival which is running now through September 10 at Saint Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church (3679 Providence Road, Newtown Square, www.stsharbelpa.org).
Some of the other food items will be beef kabobs, chicken tawook, falafel, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, stuffed grape leaves and Lebanese and Middle East desserts and pastries.
The Lebanese Festival will have live music and dance, and food and drinks. The featured performer on Saturday and Sunday will be Georges Maalouf and Ensemble.
Feria del Barrio (http://feria.tallerpr.org), which is one of Philadelphia’s largest celebrations of Latino arts and culture, will take place on September 10 from noon-5 p.m.
The free, all-ages event, which is celebrating its 39th anniversary this year, features top-flight Latin acts. Visitors can enjoy Latin music and dancing, Latin American food treats and vendors with handmade arts and crafts for sale.
The feria is featuring a lineup of talented artists from various countries, including Bachata Chula from the Dominican Republic, Grupo Grufolpawa from Panamá, and Viva Vallenato from Colombia. The Puerto Rican diaspora will showcase acts such as Raíces Boricuas, Los Bomberos de la Calle, Foto y la Orquesta la única, Tino Serrano Orquesta la Dura. Other top acts will be El Hijo de Borikén and Piquete.
The popular annual festival will be held along the sidewalks of the historic Centro de Oro neighborhood on North Fifth Street between Huntingdon and Somerset streets.
The 57th Annual Polish Festival the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa (654 Ferry Road, Doylestown, 215-345-0600, www.czestochowa.us) is being held from September 2-4 and again on September 9 and 10.
Visitors to the festival will be able to feast on such Polish delicacies as kielbasa, pierogies, placki, holubki and chruschicki. There will also be several beer booths on the grounds.
The festival will feature rides, games, a “Polish Wedding & Dozynki,” “Medieval & WWII Polish Living History Groups” and a full slate of Polish music and polka bands.
Admission to the festival is $15 per person.
There is another reason to make Doylestown a destination this weekend.
On September 9 and 10, the downtown area of Doylestown will be the site of the 32nd Annual Doylestown Arts Festival (www.doylestownartsfestival.com, 215-340-9988).
It will be a weekend of original arts and crafts, live music and diverse food. The two-day festival features more than 160 artists showcasing their creative works. Selections include paintings, photography, jewelry, wood and metal work, furniture, pottery and more.
There will be several stages of live music and various activities featured throughout town. A variety of dining options are available at the festival’s food court and at the restaurants that line the streets.
The annual festival features free admission.
The weekend after Labor Day always features the Hay Creek Festival at Historic Johanna Furnace (Route 10, Morgantown, 610-286-0388, www.haycreek.org).
The well-attended Berks County festival, which is an authentic traditional arts and crafts show that is celebrating its 48th anniversary, is also an event that gives visitors a chance to have a look back at the area’s historical development.
This year, the festival, which runs now through September 10 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day, will have a number of special festival areas, including Charcoal Barn, Casting House, and Festival Food Court (early American and contemporary).
Other areas are Early American Crafts, Engine and Mechanical Technology, a Civil War Encampment, Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration, Home Craft Marketplace and the Historic Joanna Furnace Iron Plantation Complex.
Festival attendees can shop in the Early American Crafts area for such items as fabrics, jewelry, folk art, pottery, woodworking, leather, dried flowers, woodcrafts, Windsor chairs, stained glass and hand-woven rugs.
The Craft Market will feature handmade redware pottery, candles and hand lotions, gourd birdhouses, soaps, wooden toys and bowls, handbags from vintage fabrics, quilted items and unique jewelry.
The Mechanical Technology area presents vintage working equipment, including a model steam blower engine and a display of pedal tractors. Hundreds of antique cars, tractors, and hit n’ miss engines are on display and will parade the festival grounds throughout the weekend. There will also be daily demonstrations of sawmilling, shingle milling, grain threshing and water ram pumps.
Other activities include live entertainment, storytelling sessions, musical jam sessions and a variety of hands-on activities for children.
Tickets for the festival are $10 for adults and $2 for children (ages 6-12).
Another popular event just outside the Philadelphia Metro area is the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (Mount Hope Estate and Winery grounds, Route 72, Cornwall, www.parenfaire.com).
This year’s 44th annual staging of the event, which bills itself as “the most wondrous event in all the Knowne World”, is running now through October 29. 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.
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. This year’s Faire will take you back in time to the year 1558.
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 $32.95. For children (age 5-11) single-day tickets are available at the gate and online for $16.95.
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tours” on August 28.
Hope Lodge was built between 1743 and 1748 by Samuel Morris, a prosperous Quaker entrepreneur. Morris acted as a farmer, shipowner, miller, iron master, shop owner, and owner of the mill now known as Mather Mill. Hope Lodge is an excellent example of early Georgian architecture, and it is possible that Edmund Woolley, architect of Independence Hall, offered advice in building. Samuel Morris owned the estate until his death in 1770.
The site opens at 12:30 p.m. with self-guided tours starting at 1 and 2:30 p.m. The closes at 4 p.m.
Tour admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 65+) and for youth ages 6-17, and free for children under 5.
Schuylkill Banks Riverboat Tour (www.schuylkillbanks.org/events/riverboat-tours-1) presents “Secrets of the Schuylkill” now through October.
The boat ride is a one-hour family-friendly tour of Philly’s second biggest river featuring sights such as Bartram’s Garden and Fairmount Water Works.
Riders can discover the Hidden River on a fun and educational riverboat tour while seeing spectacular views of Philadelphia.
They can also learn about the past, present, and future of the tidal Schuylkill River and its impact on Philadelphia on a one-hour Secrets of the Schuylkill tour which costs $25 for adults and $15 for children (age 12 and under).
Tours depart from the Walnut Street Dock, under the Walnut Street Bridge, east bank of the Schuylkill River.
