What To Do: ‘Three Kings Day’ at Kimmel

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

The list of holiday celebrations in November and December – a wide array of activities and special things to do – was enormous.

Now it’s January and the list looks like it has been decimated by outside forces.

Fortunately, the Kimmel Cultural Campus (Broad and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, www.kimmelculturalcampus.org) has a lot of venues and a lot to offer.

The Kimmel Cultural Campus is presenting the touring Broadway musical “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations” now through January 21 (Academy of Music), a “Three Kings/Dia de Reyes” celebration on January 6 (Commonwealth Plaza), an “All Mozart” concert by the Philadelphia Orchestra from January 5-7 (Verizon Hall), “Ballet X” on January 6 and 7 and a concert by Maria Włoszczowska on January 9 (Perelman Theater).

“Three Kings/Dia de Reyes” celebration will start at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

“Three Kings Day” at the Kimmel Center it’s a free event that celebrates a meaningful holiday in the Hispanic community and provides an opportunity for all residents in the city to participate in this tradition.

Attendees will enjoy an evening of fun activities and surprises such as Mexican hot chocolate, traditional “Rosca de Reyes” bread, the reenactment of the tale of the Three Kings, and the breaking of piñatas for the youngest family members.

Rosca de Reyes is an oval-shaped pastry traditionally eaten to celebrate Three Kings Day, known as “Día de Reyes” in Spanish, and celebrated on January 6 in Mexico.

The holiday is sometimes referred to as the Twelfth Night because it falls twelve days after Christmas, but is also known as Epiphany, and marks the day the Wise Men or Magi, Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar, are believed to have visited the Christ Child. On this day, Mexican children receive gifts from the three kings, sometimes placed in shoes that the children have left out overnight and placed hay in as a gift of food for the kings’ animals.

“Rosca” means wreath and “Reyes” means kings, so a direct translation of Rosca de Reyes would be “Kings’ Wreath.” The sweet bread is shaped in the form of a wreath and usually has candied fruit on top, and a figurine of a baby baked inside (now made of plastic but previously they were porcelain or tin).

This special treat is often simply called “Rosca.” The traditions surrounding this sweet bread are similar to the custom of eating King Cake in New Orleans during Carnival season.

In Mexico, it is customary for friends and family to get together on January 6 to eat Rosca, usually accompanied by hot chocolate or another warm drink such as coffee or atole. Usually, each person cuts their own slice and the one who gets a piece of Rosca with the baby figurine is expected to host a party on Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas), which is celebrated on February 2.

On that day, the traditional food is tamales. In recent times, bakers tend to put several baby figurines in the Rosca, so the responsibility for making (or buying) the tamales can be shared among several people.

The symbolism of the Rosca de Reyes speaks of the Biblical story of Mary and Joseph’s flight to Egypt to protect the infant Jesus from the slaughter of the innocents. The shape of the Rosca symbolizes a crown, in this case, the crown of King Herod from whom they were trying to hide the infant Jesus. The dried fruit placed on top are jewels on the crown. The figurine in the Rosca represents baby Jesus in hiding. T

On January 6, there will be a free Three Kings and Three Queens Day Celebration – “Toys & Tales: A Three Kings & Three Queens Day Celebration for Kids” at Taller Puertorriqueño (2557 North Fifth Street, Philadelphia, 215-423-6320, tallerpr.org). Taller Puertorriqueño’s El Día de Reyes comes to el Barrio on January 6 with live music, gift giving, and a parade.

This is the final weekend to catch a popular holiday attraction at the Brandywine River Museum of Art Route 1, Chadds Ford 610-388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org).

The museum is celebrating the Brandywine Railroad with its special annual train display now through January 7.

A holiday favorite since 1972, the Brandywine Railroad features trains running on 2,000 feet of track and contains more than 1,000 pieces, including locomotives, passenger and freight trains, and trolleys that pass through a small village, a farm, factories, a drive-in movie theater and even a carnival.

A dazzling array of both toy and scale model trains can be seen chugging through the varied scenery, including those made by Lionel, Williams, Atlas, Mike’s Train House, K-line and others. Interactive components are also incorporated into the display to allow for further engagement.

The Brandywine Railroad holiday train display is included in the cost of general admission, which is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (65 and older) and $8 for children (ages 6-18).

Glen Foerd (5001 Grant Avenue, Philadelphia, www.glenfoerd.org) has a very special event this weekend.

After a year-long restoration project, Glen Foerd’s 121-year-old pipe organ will come alive again on January 6, when Mark Loria, principal organist for the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul, commemorates the occasion with a free live concert performance.

Loria will perform works by Bach, Buxtehude, Florence Price, Nico Muhly, and others. The celebration will commence with a toast, opening remarks about the history of residential pipe organs, and a retelling of the dramatic circumstances of the family that brought this organ into existence in 1902.

The exquisite pipe organ is nestled in the grand stair hall of the Gilded Age mansion on the Delaware, ornamented by carvings of winged cherubs and floral garlands. Powered by a motor in the basement, the organ resonates beautifully in the adjoining art gallery and speaks to all parts of the home.

It was built in 1902 by Philadelphia’s one-time C.S. Haskell company and installed in the Main House by industrialist Robert Foerderer, who had the custom organ built for his wife Caroline, an accomplished organist; he did not live to hear her play it.

The concert event on January 6 is open to all, music fans, and history buffs alike. Heidi Weinstein Malloy, of Glen Foerd’s Lily P.A.D.s program, will be hosting a drop-in craft activity for young children in the dining room throughout the event, for a family friendly experience. Unlike typical recitals where audiences remain seated, attendees are invited to explore the many floors and rooms of the house while they enjoy the pipe organ music. Seating will be available in the art gallery and first floor.

Glen Foerd is an 18-acre public park and historic site located along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Built in 1850 and enlarged in 1902-03, the estate—consisting of historic gardens, an Italianate-Classical Revival style mansion, and multiple additional structures—was saved from potential development through the activism of dedicated neighbors in 1983.

Today, Glen Foerd focuses on welcoming a diverse community through a wide array of programs for all ages. As one of the only cultural sites located in Northeast Philadelphia, a rapidly changing area of the city, Glen Foerd aims to connect audiences from different backgrounds by offering unique and affordable experiences to engage with the arts and the environment.

The Glen Foerd Pipe Organ Grand Opening & Recital will be held on January 6 from 1-2:30 p.m.

This month’s edition of First Friday Lancaster (https://visitlancastercity.com/first-friday) will run from 5-9 p.m. on January 5 in downtown Lancaster.

The event will present attractive exhibitions at art galleries, artisan studios and museums.

Featured attractions will be “We the People First Friday at the Ware Center (42 North Prince Street, Lancaster), “First Friday at the Lancaster Science Factory” (454 New Holland Avenue, Lancaster), and “Farewell to the Organ” at First Reformed Church (40 East Orange Street, Lancaster).

If you’re a handyman and are interested in repairing, refurbishing or upgrading your home, then plan a visit to the Greater Philadelphia Spring Home Show this weekend at the Valley Forge Casino Resort (1160 First Avenue, King of Prussia, 888-433-3976, www.acshomeshow.com).

The annual show, which is produced by American Consumer Shows, will open on January 5 and continue through January 7. Show hours are from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.

The event is geared for homeowners in all stages of remodeling, landscaping and decorating their homes. Visitors to the show will be able to check out new products and receive expert advice from professionals. The show’s “Kitchen Showcase” features the latest styles and trends installed by knowledgeable, professional, local contractors.

At the popular annual event, homeowners will find a wide array of ideas and inspiration for enhancing their home’s functionality, aesthetic appeal, comfort and overall value. The show offers hundreds of exhibits featuring product demonstrations, sample displays of interior and exterior vignettes and a wide variety of related merchandise.

There will be exhibitors representing a huge range of categories, including architects, masonry, lighting, painting, roofing, floors, air conditioning, lighting, home theaters, financing, appliances, plumbing, heating, paving, waterproofing, siding and even spas.

The event features free admission and parking.

The “Wine, Cheese & Honey Pairings at Penns Woods” at Penns Wood Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, 610-459-0808, http://www.pennswoodswinery.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 four 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.

Tickets cost $40 per person and reservations are required.

How would you like to get rid of your Christmas tree in a sustainable and extremely adorable way?

A great way is to gift it to a goat.

The Philly Goat Project’s annual Christmas Tree-Cycle festival/fundraiser (www.phillygoatproject.org) returns with three events this month where you can donate your tree to local goats to enjoy. The first two are at The Farm at Awbury Arboretum and the last will be at Laurel Hill West Cemetery. The family-friendly events, which start this weekend, run from noon-2 p.m. all three days.

On January 6 and 14, the event will be held at The Farm at Awbury Arboretum (6336 Ardleigh Street, Philadelphia) and January 20 at Laurel Hill West Cemetery (225 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd).

The event features free s’mores, hot cocoa and all the goat cuddles you want. There is a suggested donation of $20 per Christmas tree which helps support community programs. And you don’t need a tree to join in the fun.

The roster of holiday events was like a blazing bonfire up until two weeks ago. Now, it is like a firepit with just a few burning embers.

For those who like to extend their holiday season (and probably still have their Christmas lights shining at home), there are still many holiday events on the calendar.

Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) is heading into the final week of “A Longwood Gardens Christmas.”

The festive holiday display at Longwood Gardens, which is running now through January 7, features spectacular lights, lavish decorations, holiday music and colorful displays featuring thousands of brilliant poinsettias, brightly decorated trees and fragrant flowers — all inside the heated Conservatory.

This holiday season, experience a radiance of retro, a bevy of bright, and numerous nostalgic moments with us. Marvel at playful trees draped in throwback baubles to shimmering tinsel to childhood-favorite toys. Stroll through a fab, festive holiday party scene decked out in mid-century magic. Reminisce amid a vintage Christmas street scene, make new merry memories amid dazzling, vibrant light displays—including some super-sized surprises—and revel in the retro fun at every turn.

There will be towering trees adorned in amber to fiery red tones, flickering flame lanterns, and an inviting mountain retreat, complemented by icy-hued plantings, a “frozen” succulent fountain, and a refreshing alpine waterway that is the ultimate winter wonderland.

The colorful annual event, which appeals to the entire family, also has a lot of outdoor attractions such as fountain shows and nighttime light displays. Longwood’s Christmas celebration also includes a wide array of seasonal music — holiday concerts, organ sing-alongs and carillon performances.

When darkness arrives at Longwood, a night-blooming garden of more than a half-million lights strung on close to 100 trees with approximately 40 miles of wire comes to life. A carillon with 62 cast bells plays holiday music every half hour during daylight hours. Longwood’s Open Air Theatre fountains dance to holiday music each half hour — temperature permitting.

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.

Visitors to “A Longwood Gardens Christmas” can also check out Longwood’s Garden Railway — a whimsical display set into motion with G-scale model trains. This is the 18th year that the railway has delighted visitors with special water features and custom trains traveling in and out of bridges and tunnels.

Admission to Longwood Gardens is $30 for adults, $27 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and college students, $23 for active and retired military and $16 for youth (ages 5-18).

One of the best holiday events in the area is the annual “Yuletide at Winterthur.” This year’s 40th annual staging of the event, which runs through January 7 at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, www.winterthur.org).

Visitors can revel in the beauty and warmth of the holidays and explore treasures of Christmases past with displays of holiday traditions from the 1800s to the early 20th century, including displays of: the earliest types of colorful lights decorating house exteriors; the du Pont family holiday celebrations; and the evolution of Christmas trees over the decades from the 1880s to 1960s.

This year’s Yuletide Tour features custom fashion by local designers Shawn Pinckney and Asata Maisé Beeks, whose creations reflect the history of Winterthur and the design sensibilities of Henry Francis du Pont and Ann Lowe. The house will be decorated in all its finery with our signature traditions, including the show-stopping Dried-Flower Tree, plus artistic Christmas trees inspired by Ann Lowe gowns.

New this year is a large-scale gingerbread version of Enchanted Woods, made by Bredenbeck’s Bakery of Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania. Visitors will also enjoy an outdoor light display, including a 15-foot decorated Christmas tree. The miniature doll house and other holiday favorites will also return.
One of visitors’ favorites every year is the 18-room dollhouse mansion created by designer and philanthropist Nancy McDaniel over a period of 30 ears. It features amazing intricate details in each room and is even decorated for the holidays.

As always, the rooms will be enhanced with the floral displays so essential to du Pont’s decorating, and with special Christmas trees inspired by the beauty of Winterthur’s gardens — including the popular Dried Flower Tree in the Conservatory.

Returning this year is a toy train display, featuring Standard Gauge toy trains. The display is presented by the Standard Gauge Module Association, whose members will construct the display at Winterthur. The display is open from 10:00 am–4:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, and Wednesday evenings in December, 5:00–8:00 pm.

Special holiday programs throughout the season include “Wonderful Wednesdays” in December, evening events featuring live jazz performances, caroling, and workshops. In addition to the Wednesday evening festivities, visitors can enjoy a live one-man performance of “A Christmas Carol” by Gerald Charles Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, wine and cocktail tastings, and family events with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

Timed Yuletide Tour reservations are required.

Admission to Winterthur is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and students and $8 for children.

“Holiday Magic” is in full swing at Riverfront Wilmington (Christina Riverwalk, Wilmington, Delaware, riverfrontwilm.com).

Riverfront Wilmington has always been one of the centerpieces of the greater Wilmington area during the holiday season with festive events and activities throughout the area.

The Riverfront Development Corporation of Delaware (RDC) has dramatically increased that presence with the introduction of “Riverbright Wilmington,” a full lighting of the Riverwalk and surrounding amenities.

At the end of November, the Christina Riverwalk was transformed into a walk-through holiday light display, with trees and archways wrapped in holiday lights, holiday décor throughout the area, and holiday-themed events throughout the season. The almost two-mile Riverwalk from Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park to the DuPont Environmental Education Center will be lit, offering guests a chance to stroll along the river and enjoy the festive display.

The illumination of the Riverwalk, which is running through January 7, creates a magical winter wonderland for all ages to enjoy.

As a special attraction, there will be a New Year’s Eve fireworks display on December 31 starting at 9 p.m.

The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Ave., Oaks, 484-754-3976, http://www.phillyexpocenter.com) is presenting LuminoCity (www.luminocityfestival.com) now through January 15 in the parking lot of the Expo Center.

This holiday season, LuminoCity brings you a world of magical light installations that come to life in Pennsylvania.

This year’s theme, “Golden Holiday” will deliver state-of-the-art production featuring art, light, and color in remarkable displays.

Visitors will enjoy the entire 45-minute walk and narrative journey while seeing the towering and twinkling LED sculptures. This Christmas light show is a celebration of the world and cultures around us.

LuminoCity was imagined through a desire to create unforgettable experiences. Using light and imagination, it explores concepts of transforming creative thoughts, inspired by the world around us, into illuminating works of light and color.

One of the highlights is a giant 50-feet lighted Christmas tree.

Ticket prices start at $29.

Now through January 6, the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, www.philadelphiazoo.org) will host LumiNature, a gigantic holiday season light experience that turns the entire Zoo into a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises.

The giant-sized holiday extravaganza will transform the entire Zoo into a nighttime winter wonderland. Guests will experience a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises. LumiNature will expand to feature 16 illuminated experience zones that will feature lively themed displays, newly enhanced installations and thousands of twinkling lights on a breathtaking journey celebrating the wonder of wildlife and the beauty of our planet.

Highlights this year include two brand-new illuminated zones, Shimmer River and LumiNature Lane, along with the return of fan favorites like Penguin Prismatic featuring a 40 ft. tall penguin glimmering with 40,000 lights, our iconic 25 ft. tall tree made entirely of 1,500 lit flamingo lawn ornaments and so much more.

At Shimmer River, take a journey through the jungle and enter a 100 ft. long tunnel filled with 4,000 lights, creating dynamic scenes from growing vines, to blooming flowers, multicolored kaleidoscopes and more.
LumiNature will feature more than a million lights and 10+ miles of power cord, 20 ft. tall coral reef and under the sea-inspired holiday tree featuring a giant sea turtle, sparkling waterfall and vine wall featuring 20,000 lights, 150,000 sparkling pink and aquamarine lights, 200,000 lights shining above the Septa PZ Express Train, over 1,500 illuminated flamingos and 200 illuminated penguins, 22 ft. tall butterfly tree covered in 4,000 butterflies, 20 ft. tall snake shimmering with 5,000 lights, 15 ft. tall blue gorilla wearing a glowing lei and 20 giant, floating jellyfish.

Additionally, seasonal fare, strolling performers, hot chocolate and ever-warming adult beverages promise to additionally spark the holiday spirit.

Tickets start at $25 for adults and $20 for children.

Two historic sites in Montgomery County have their own holiday celebrations.

Pennypacker Mills (3 Haldeman Road, Perkiomenville, 610- 287-9349, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) is hosting “Victorian Holiday Tours” now through January 7 while “Twelfth Night Tours” at Pottsgrove Manor” (100 West King Street, Pottstown, 610-326-4014, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) will be held now through January 7.

For the next five weeks, Pennypacker Mills will offer free tours of the 18-century mansion used by General George Washington as temporary headquarters during the Revolutionary War. The home will be decorated for an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas and will feature the warm glow of oil lamps, festive decorations, and a candy-making demonstration.

The event at Pottsgrove Manor features an event based on history.

Visitors can witness the transformation of Pottsgrove Manor for the yuletide season and the traditions of an 18th-century Twelfth Night party. Twelfth Night marked the end of the Christmastide season, celebrated on Epiphany.

Guided tours of the manor explore all aspects of the festivities, from the intense preparations to the differences between the way elite families like the Potts and their household staff experienced the season.

Founded more than 50 years ago, Choo Choo Barn — Traintown U.S.A. (Route 741 East, 226 Gap Rd, Strasburg, 717-687-7911, www.choochoobarn.com) presents a 1,700-square-foot train layout featuring over 150 hand-built animated figures and vehicles and 22 operating trains. The majority of trains that are running in the display are “O Gauge” trains but there are also some HO Gauge trains as well as one N Gauge train.

Several of the original pieces and animations are still on the display today, including the ski slope, ski lodge and ice skaters, Dutch Haven, the Willows, the two-lane moving highway (in front of Dutch Haven), the farm with the tobacco barn, the Strasburg Fire House, the church beside Dutch Haven and a few other houses.

The layout features a special Christmas display now through mid-January. The homes and businesses along the tracks have been decked out with holiday trim. And there are 55 hidden Santas — one for each year the site has been open — located around the display for visitors to find.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children (ages 3 and under) at Choo Choo Barn — Traintown U.S.A.

“A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place” (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) is a festive, family-friendly celebration with everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends live and in-person at the amusement park in Langhorne.

The annual event, which runs through January 7, offers a wide array of family holiday activities.

Visitors to the park can sing along at three special Christmas shows and a spectacular music and light show at our giant 1-2-3 Christmas Tree, take a train ride tour through the Twiddlebugs’ Gingerbread Cookie Factory on the Sesame Place Furry Express, take part in the Neighborhood Street Party Christmas Parade, and have the opportunity to meet Lightning, the adorable reindeer from the movie “Elmo Saves Christmas.”

As an added attraction this year, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is spending the holiday season at Sesame Place. The lovable reindeer along with his friends Clarice and Bumble, will be available for photos with guests.

Tickets for “A Very Furry Christmas” start at $39.99.

A popular annual Philly holiday tradition can be found at the Rothman Orthopaedics Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, http://ccdparks.org/dilworth-park).

Back in November, some of Philadelphia’s favorite winter traditions return to Dilworth Park. Visitors of all ages can enjoy a dramatic seasonal transformation as fountains are replaced by the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Ice Rink and reindeer topiaries take up winter residence on the Greenfield Lawn.

In addition, a full lineup of free entertainment is featured, including the Deck the Hall Light Show, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market and Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Cabin.

Dilworth Park’s winter season began in November with the opening of the Wintergarden on the Greenfield Lawn and the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink and Cabin.

The Rothman Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park is an unparalleled entertainment experience on Philadelphia’s center stage in a wonderfully urban and unique setting. Open seven days a week, the rink offers wintery fun for all ages, with a full slate of programs.

Winter has arrived and the Blue Cross RiverRink (Delaware Avenue at Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-925-RINK, www.riverrink.com) has come back to life.

Unlike most of the suburban ice rinks, RiverRink features public skating. Ice skating is the only use of the ice. This winter, RiverRink takes the ice-skating experience on the Delaware River waterfront to another level by once again transforming the annual rink into a bona fide winter wonderland.

For 29 seasons, Winterfest has been Philadelphia’s favorite Winter tradition on the Delaware River Waterfront, inviting visitors for a chance to indulge in flights of fancy under thousands of sparkling lights in a winter wonderland with spectacular views of the Delaware River. Cozy up in comforting warming cabins, firepit stations, boardwalk rides and games for the young and young-at-heart, delicious food and hot beverages, the signature holiday tree, and, of course, ice skating on our NHL-sized rink. Winterfest is a top destination for anyone looking to rekindle family traditions.

The Winterfest site is free to enter and open to the public. Amenities such as ice skating and cabin and firepit experiences can be reserved in advance. Winterfest is open seven days a week including holidays through March.

There are also a lot of ongoing non-holiday events in the area this weekend.

Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the winter.

Participants can walk with tour guides from the grounds of America’s first White House, Congress, and Liberty Bell to homes and sites of Hamilton, Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and more than 10 other Founding-Fathers. The surprising dirt of espionage, murder, sexual license and blackmail highlight the secrets of 1776 with a ghost story or two along the way. This tour is highly researched. And your guide is a historian.

Tickets are $35.

Ghost Tour of Philadelphia (215-413-1997, www.ghosttour.com), Ghost Tour of Lancaster (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) and Ghost Tour of Strasburg (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) operate throughout the winter and offer an eerily entertaining evening of true ghost stories and real haunted houses.

The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, which is based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Philadelphia, PA.,” is a candlelight walking tour along the back streets and secret gardens of Independence Park, Society Hill, and Old City, where ghostly spirits, haunted houses, and eerie graveyards abound.

Participants can discover the ghost lore of America’s most historic and most haunted city with stories from the founding of William Penn’s colony to present-day hauntings.

The activity is open year-round – weekends, December-February; every night, March-November. Tickets are $24.

The Ghost Tour of Lancaster and the Ghost Tour of Strasburg are based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Lancaster, PA.”

Participants in the Ghost Tour of Lancaster explore the long-forgotten mysteries of one of America’s oldest cities, with haunting tales of otherworldly vigils, fatal curses, and star-crossed lovers. The tour provides the opportunity to experience 300 years of haunted history from the Red Rose City’s thorny past. Tickets are $20.

The Ghost Tour of Strasburg is a candlelight walking tour of the quaint and historic town of Strasburg in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Visitors will experience an entertaining evening with a costumed tour guide spinning tales of haunted mansions, eerie graveyards, and spirits that roam the night … in a town lost in time. Tickets are $20.

“TreeTrails Adventures Trevose” (301 West Bristol Pike, Trevose, treetrails.com/trevose-pa) is an adventure park full of fun challenges for outdoor adventurers of all ages.

Participants can experience the rush of TreeTrails Adventures as they swing through the trees of the new adventure park. They will be able to discover the excitement of climbing and zip lining above the forest floor with family, friends, co-workers, or teammates.

The park, which is based at Phoenix Sport Club in Bucks County, offers two ways to experience climbing – TreeTrails Adventure Park and KidTrails Park. Young explorers can enjoy miniaturized courses in the adjacent KidTrails Park.

General Park Admission prices are: Main Park Adult Tickets (Ages 12+), $59; Main Park Youth Tickets (Ages 7–11), $51; KidTrails Tickets (Ages 4–7), $12.

Wonderspaces at the Fashion District (27 North 11th Street, Philadelphia, philadelphia.wonderspaces.com) is an experiential, interactive arts venue.

Building on the success of annual pop-up shows in San Diego, and its first permanent location in Scottsdale, Arizona, Wonderspaces opened a 24,000 square foot gallery space in Philly two years ago.

Wonderspaces features 14 art installations that all play with the idea of perspective.  The artwork ranges from award-winning virtual reality short film about a dinner party-turned-alien abduction, to a room where visitors digitally paint the walls with the movement of their bodies.

New artworks rotate in and out every few months, creating an ever-evolving, year-round show.

Tickets are for entry at a specific date and time. Visitors are welcome to stay as long as they please during operating hours. The average time spent experiencing the show is 90 minutes.

A few installations contain flashing lights, images, and patterns that may trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. All visitors must sign a waiver prior to being admitted into the space. Adult supervision is required for visitors under 16.