By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Winterthur Point-to-Point Races
This weekend has a trio of events which are traditionally party time events – celebrating Mexico for Cinco de Mayo, cheering with friends while watching the Kentucky Derby on television and enjoying a day at the races at Winterthur Point-to-Point.
There will be a bustle of activity this weekend on Kennett Pike just a few miles south of Kennett Square at Winterthur (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-888-4600,www.winterthur.org) with the staging of the annual Winterthur Point-to-Point Races — an event that has become one of premier attractions in the Brandywine Valley each year.
This year’s 47th annual staging of the event is scheduled for May 4 from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Alison Hershbell Pony Races is scheduled for noon and the Parade of River Hills Foxhounds at 12:30 p.m. followed by the George A. “Frolic” Weymouth Parade of Antique Carriages at 1 p.m. and the Stick Horse Races (ages 4 and under) at 1:30 p.m.
The Point-to-Point features a variety of cross-country equestrian events. The main events are the steeplechase races. The races, which are on a course just over three miles long, include eight fences that are jumped 17 times.
Post time for the first steeplechase event is the Isabella du Pont Sharp Memorial Maiden Timber Race at 2 p.m. — after the National Anthem sung by Miah Wallace at 1:50 p.m. The Point-to-Point’s other featured races will be the Winterthur Bowl at 2:30 p.m., the Vicmead Plate at 3 p.m. and the Middletown Cup at 3:30 p.m.
The full-day event will also include all of its other traditional annual features such as the pony rides, food tents, the traditional opening ceremony with the bagpipers of the Delaware State Police Pipe Band and the legendary “Tailgate Picnic Competition.”
Video link for Point-to-Point — https://youtu.be/dLPom4ZRk6I.
Tickets are $60.
A “Cinco de Mayo Festival” will be presented by Casa Guanajuato (www.casaguanajuato.org) on May 4.The festive event will start at noo0n at 600 S. Broad Street in Kennett Square.
Cinco de Mayo (“Fifth of May” in Spanish) is a holiday celebrating the day the Mexican army defeated France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War in 1862.
Casa Guanajuato’s celebration of Cinco de Mayo, which has been an annual area event since 2005, is a great way to honor and showcase the art, music, traditions, and humanity of the Mexican community in Kennett Square and surrounding areas.
The free, family-friendly event features authentic Mexican Foods, tacos, ice cream, and other snacks.
There will also be local vendors selling authentic Mexican, Guatemalan, and Venezuelan clothing and other arts and crafts
Live entertainment will be provided by local bands and dance troops, including Danza Tenochli, Tonantzin Yaotecas, Mini Chinelos, Sonido Tsunami MX., Mariachi Flores and Grupo Pasion Musical.
A special event in downtown West Chester this weekend will be the May edition of First Friday.
This will be a special First Friday because it features the West Chester Spring Gallery Walk. The popular annual event will be held on May 2 from 4-8 p.m.
There will be a festival atmosphere along the streets of West Chester when area businesses feature pop-up gallery shows for local artists while several West Chester galleries will host their own art reception events.
This event celebrates the thriving community of artists and galleries that make Greater West Chester their home. Multiple galleries combine with additional “one-night-only” show hosts throughout the downtown business area to showcase some great local Chester County artists.
Attendees can discover stunning artwork, connect with fellow creatives, and find the perfect piece for their home.
Presented by Founders Brewing Co. and hosted by Downtown West Chester, this evening is free and open to the public with free, on-street metered parking starting at 4 p.m.
Phoenixville First Fridays (http://www.phoenixvillefirst.org) are returning this month from 5:30-8:30 p.m. with May 2 as the opening event.This year, First Fridays will operate within the weekly Bridge Street open-air closure to create an ambiance of a night market all along Bridge Street.
During the months of May, October, and November, Main Street will be closed in addition to the open-air closures taking place on Bridge Street.
There will be live musicians placed throughout downtown on Bridge and Main Streets, and handmade craft vendors and artists displaying and selling their art in the Main and Bridge Street parking lot.
Coatesville’s First Friday (downtowncoatesvillepa.com) is scheduled for May 2 from 5-9 p.m.
This First Friday is a monthly celebration showcasing Downtown Coatesville’s thriving businesses, diverse culture, and rich history.From May to October 2025, First Friday will be staged along First to Third avenues with art, activities and community fun.
Also featured will be live entertainment, downtown shops and local vendors and food and drink specials at restaurants and food trucks.
Oxford will celebrate “Oxford Cinco de Mayo First Friday!” (oxfordmainstreet.com) on May 2 from 5-8 p.m.
Visitors are invited to “Come downtown, support local businesses, and kick off your Cinco de Mayo weekend with a night full of fun, flavor, and fiesta vibes!”
Oxford will kick off its First Friday season with street vendors, delicious food, live music by DJ Flash and a special performance at 6:30 p.m. by Casa Guanajuato Danza Tenochtli.
Lansdale’s 14th First Friday season (http://www.discoverlansdale.org/) gets underway on May 2 “Raining Cats and Dogs,” pet-themed fun, new sensory-friendly features, and fan-favorite festivities such as food trucks and live music.
Every FF this year will spotlight themed nonprofits and organizations keyed to the theme.
May’s First Friday theme is “Raining Cats and Dogs,” and Home At Last Dog Rescue, Stray Cat Blues, and Envi Rescue and Animal Sanctuary will be featured.
Lancaster’s popular First Friday (http://www.visitlancastercity.com/first-friday/) is an arts extravaganza that runs from 5-9 p.m. on May 2.
Visitors to downtown Lancaster will have the opportunity to discover innovative exhibitions, performances and perhaps a few surprises as they walk the streets lined with trees and distinctive architecture.
This weekend’s event will introduce the First Friday Trolley which will be free to the public every First Friday of the month from May through October.
Guests are invited to join the staff this Friday for the first ride. The trolley will make stops within the Arts District Loop. Along the route you can find art galleries, shops, restaurants, bars, and more.
Non-traditional boutiques and excellent restaurants complement the art galleries, artisan studios, museums, performing groups, professional theater, symphony orchestra and art college.
Another First Friday event this weekend will take place May 2 in Old City Philadelphia (230 Vine Street and locations throughout Old City Philadelphia, www.oldcitydistrict.org).
On the first Friday of each month — year-round — Old City’s galleries, studios, shops and restaurants open their doors for First Friday, in an epic exhibition of the neighborhood’s vibrant arts scene.
Old City Arts Association launched First Friday in 1991 to introduce Philadelphia to the improving neighborhood and the artists and designers who were bringing it back to life.
Two decades later, Old City is a nationally recognized arts destination, named in 2013 as one of the country’s top ArtPlaces by the ArtPlace Foundation.
On the first Friday evening of every month, the streets of Old City fill with art lovers of all kinds who wander among the neighborhood’s 40-plus galleries, most of which are open from 5-9 p.m.
Malvern Business (www.malvernbusiness.com/springonking) will present “Spring on King” on May 3 on King Street in downtown Malvern.
The celebration will run from noon-6 p.m. along King Street from just east of Ruthland Avenue to just west of Powelton Avenue. There will also be a “Concert in the Park” in Burke Park.
There will be live music along King Street, a half-dozen food trucks and a beer garden.
Activities include face painters, balloon artists, tie dye station, flower crown workshop, bubble party, sidewalk art, John Lennon inspired “Malvern Wish Wall” and a City of Elderly Love “Pet Rescue Meet & Greet.”
The “Concert in the Park,” which runs from 4-6 p.m. and is free, will feature BritishMania.
“Sheep and Wool Day” at Springton Manor Farm (860 Springton Road, Glenmoore, 610-942-2450, www.chesco.org/ccparks) is an event that has become a popular annual spring tradition in Chester County.
This year’s “Sheep and Wool Day” is a free family event that will be held on May 3 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Visitors will be able to observe demonstrations of sheep shearing along with weaving and spinning demonstrations.
The well-attended annual event will also feature a crafts area with family games, wagon rides, farm displays, artisan displays, kids’ crafts and period games and more than 20 food and craft vendors.
Visitors can also check out the young animals in Springton Manor Farm’s Great Barn and tour the Agricultural Museum to learn about seasonal tools used on Chester County farms from the 1700s to the 1900s.
Items for sale by craft vendors include jewelry, bird houses, soaps and lotions, felt and wool products, jellies, photography, tote bags and more.
Parking will be at Springton Manor Elementary School. Free buses will be provided. Handicap parking will be available at the Farm.
The Yellow Springs Art Show (Art School Road, Chester Springs, www.yellowsprings.org), which is one of the longest-running art shows in the state, is celebrating its 52nd anniversary in 2025.
The Yellow Springs Art Show got its start back in 1973 as a free event featuring a variety of artists displaying their work on clotheslines.
It has changed immeasurably since then and has become one of the largest and most prestigious annual art shows in the Delaware Valley.
The show is still free and open to the public. The popular annual event now features close to 200 participating artists — including many artists who are new to the show this year.
The show is running now through May 11 in Historic Yellow Springs Lincoln Building. Show hours are from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.
The 2025 Yellow Springs Art Show will have on display more than 3,000 pieces of fine art in a wide range of media and styles – oils, watercolors, bronze sculptures, pastels, landscapes, still life, three-dimensional works, seascapes and abstract.
All proceeds benefit arts education, environmental protection and historic preservation of the 300-year-old village of Historic Yellow Springs.
On May 3, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present “City Nature Challenge.”
“City Nature Challenge” is an annual initiative that invites people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities.
Guests can join with naturalists, hobbyists and professionals as they learn how to identify species in the cemetery and arboretum.
The event will also feature ID app tutorials, interactive games, basic exploration of taxonomy and classification, snacks, and conversation about the importance of biodiversity and environmental literacy.
“City Nature Challenge” will run from 1-3 p.m. at Laurel Hill West Conservatory (340 Belmont Avenue, Philadelphia).
On May 3, one of Montgomery County’s most popular historic sites will celebrate the arrival of May.
Pottsgrove Manor (100 West King Street, Pottstown, 610- 326-4014, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) is hosting a Colonial May Fair on Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
The event will feature 18th-century entertainment, including May Pole Dancing Milkmaids’ Garland Dances. The list of hands-on activities includes trap-ball (a predecessor of baseball), colonial toys and games, fortune-telling, a kid-sized Maypole, beanbag toss games, churning butter and free spring-themed make-and-take crafts.
Visitors will also be able to tour the manor house which features the early Georgian architecture that was popular with wealthy English gentry during the mid-18th century. It was built in 1752 for John Potts (ironmaster and founder of Pottstown) on a 1,000-acre plantation.
Admission to the event is free but there is a $4 suggested donation.
The Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library (115 High Street, Odessa, Delaware, www.corbitcalloway.lib.de.us), the oldest free library in Delaware, will present its 12th annual “MayFest in Odessa” on May 3.
MayFest in Odessa” will feature crafters, vendors, food, games, inflatables, and prizes for kids. There will also be live music, a petting zoo, train rides, wandering costumed characters, a large book sale sponsored by the Friends of The Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library group, and a raffle with more than 100 prizes.
Admission to MayFest is free, and tickets for special amusements will be sold separately. CCML’s signature fundraising event, which last year drew more than 4000 people, is held on the first Saturday of every May.
The event, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature a raffle offering more than 100 prizes.
The fun-filled day benefits CCML’s summer reading program, which helps prevent the “summer slide,” and provides a multitude of enriching educational and cultural activities for youth of all ages.
Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.
Known in the 18th-century as Cantwell’s Bridge, Odessa played a vital role in commercial life along the Delaware River as a busy grain shipping port.
Today, visitors can stroll along tree-lined streets and admire examples of 18th- and 19th-century architecture in one of the best-preserved towns in Delaware. They can also tour a remarkable collection of antiques and Americana preserved in period room settings and quaint exhibits.
Historic Odessa is open to the public from March through December, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. The site is also open Monday by reservation.
On May 3, the Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Willowdale Day.”
The event, which runs from noon-6 p.m., is a festive pre-race celebration in honor of the winery’s partnership with Willowdale.
Visitors will be able to enjoy a day of wine and community, including a limited-edition wine cocktail, “The Thoroughbred, 10% of all sales donated to Willowdale’s charitable mission and Derby-inspired fun.
Whether you’re a racing fan, a wine lover, or just in it for the hats, Willowdale Day is the perfect kickoff to the spring social season.
No tickets are required. Just come ready to toast to a great cause.
Harvest Ridge Winery (1140 Newark Road, Toughkenamon, www.harvestridgewinery.com) will present “Small Bites Pairing” on May 4.
According to the winery’s website, “Good things come in small bites! Enjoy a fun lineup of wines paired with tasty snacks from our very own kitchen — thoughtfully crafted to bring out the best in every sip.”
Tickets are $25 for the event, which starts at 1 p.m.
On May 2, Harvest Ridge Winery will host “Live Music with A.J. Love” at 4:30 p.m.
On May 3, the winery will host “Live Music with Five Foot Nuthin’” at 4:30 p.m.
Tulip season has arrived, and you can see the colorful flowers in home gardens all around the area.
If you want to see an amazing amount of the bulbs which have come to life this spring, you can enjoy the spectacle of thousands of brightly colored tulips at “Spring Blooms” at Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000,www.longwoodgardens.org).
One of Longwood’s most popular annual special events, “Spring Blooms” is running now through May 12.
Right now, the “star” bloom is the tulip.
Longwood Gardens celebrates spring with thousands of tulips beautifully displayed along its Flower Garden Walk. Tulips are organized into 15 divisions based on flower shape and origin. “Big Love” is a Darwin hybrid tulip. This division has cup-shaped flowers on tall, strong stems and is one of the most popular tulip types.
Some of the other showcase blooms this week are Magnolia, Tower-of-Jewels, Double Daffodil, Fritillary, Japanese Flowering Cherry, Virginia Bluebells and Compact Korean Spice Viburnum.
A new attraction this year is Longwood Gardens’ “Science Saturdays” series.
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.
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).
Another venue where you can enjoy flowers up close is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).
This is a special weekend at Tyler – the weekend for the Arboretum’s “2025 Plant Sale.”
This special fundraiser, which will be open to the public on May 3 and 4, helps care for the precious natural lands, trails, and gardens at Tyler Arboretum.
It features wide plant choices in an outdoor venue, knowledgeable staff and volunteers, and ample parking.
Event hours are from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. each day.
The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend also features the “Saturday Wildflower Walk: Spring Edition” on May 3 at 1 p.m.
At the “Saturday Wildflower Walk,” wildflower expert Dick Cloud will lead an informative two-hour hike that will take visitors 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. The guide will be Dick Cloud.
Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $18 for adults (ages 18-64), $15 for Seniors (65+) and $10 for children (ages 3-17) and Military with valid ID.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (Station Avenue, Oaks, 800-677-4677, www.phillyexpocenter.com) will host two interesting events this weekend.
The East Coast Reptile Super Expo featuring hundreds of live snakes and reptiles will be held on May 3.
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 — children (under five) admitted free.
On May 2 and 3, the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center is hosting the Americana Indian Show.
American Indian art is always a popular motif for home decorating is American Indian art — especially artwork produced in the American Southwest. This weekend, you can find a lot of examples of this art style at the Americana Indian Art & Jewelry Show on Oaks.
The show provides an excellent opportunity to look at artifacts and other items related to the history of Native Americans. The show is presented by the Americana Indian and Western Gallery and admission is free.
The Americana Indian and Western Gallery had its beginning in 1947 when its founder Lee Anderson attended school on a Navajo reservation and worked after school for his uncle in the trading post. The family collected American Indian art such as Navajo rugs, pottery, baskets, and other Indian and western items.
Anderson’s sells Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, and Santo Domingo jewelry, as well as Navajo rugs, Hopi and Zuni kachinas, baskets, pottery, art and collectibles. One of the most respected Native American art dealers in the United States, Americana Indian Shows brings thousands of items direct from the Southwest to the show attendees.
Show hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on May 2 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on May 3.
There are several good reasons to visit Delaware this weekend.
This Saturday, the Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard (1124 East Seventh Street, Wilmington, Delaware, www.kalmarnyckel.org) is beginning its 2025 season of live sails.
Sailing season returns with river cruises in Wilmington and tall ship sails in Historic New Castle. Tickets for day sails plus private ship rentals are now available.
Visitors can celebrate the opening of the Kalmar Nyckel’s sailing season with free Kalmar Nyckel deck tours from noon-4 p.m. on behalf of Noramco, free Maritime Outdoor Adventure Course activities all day, free tours of the Copeland Maritime Center museum and free admission and parking.
The ship is a beautiful recreation of the original Kalmar Nyckel, which was built in Holland in the 1620s. Her main mast is taller than a 10-story building, and she carries 7,600 square feet of sail area and six miles of rigging.
The original Kalmar Nyckel was a Swedish-owned, three-masted armed pinnace that sailed from Goteborg, Sweden in November of 1637 and brought the first permanent European settlers to the Delaware Valley.
In 1986 a group of citizens established the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation to design, build and launch a replica of the Kalmar Nyckel at a shipyard adjacent to the original landing site.
The new Kalmar Nyckel was constructed there and was launched on September 28, 1997. She was commissioned on May 9, 1998, and now serves as Delaware’s sea-going Ambassador of Good Will. She is a fully functional sail training vessel and has represented Delaware all over the country.
Mt. Cuba Center (3120 Barley Mill Road, Hockessin, Delaware, 302-239-4244, www.mtcubacenter.org) is hosting “Mt. Cuba Garden History Tour” on May 3 at 11 a.m.
This tour covers the 90-year transformation of Mt. Cuba Center’s landscape from its beginnings as a private country estate to a public botanical garden.
Participants can learn about the many people, ideas, and ecologically inspired vision that have contributed to the design and evolution of the gardens over time.
The tour lasts one hour and is $7 in addition to admission — $20 for adults and $10 for children (ages 6-17).
On May 4 at 1 p.m., Rockwood Park & Museum (4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, Delaware, 4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, www.newcastlede.gov/431/Rockwood-Park-Museum) is hosting “Rockwood Paranormal Reveal.”
This program reveals the most recent paranormal happenings at Rockwood Mansion with photographic and video evidence, unexplained experiences, and answering questions about the paranormal.
The Rockwood Paranormal Experience Team will review various paranormal equipment which guests will use to investigate during the “Classic Paranormal Experience Program.”
The event is for Ages 16-and-up and tickets are $10.
The 2025 season is underway at Nemours Estate (1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware, nemoursestate.org). The entrance is located on the campus of Nemours Children’s Health, follow signs for Nemours Estate.
Originally constructed in 1910, Nemours Estate is one of Delaware’s grandest buildings and includes the largest formal French garden in North America.
Nemours Estate comprises an exquisite, 77-room mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.
Nemours was the estate of Alfred I. duPont.
Alfred named the estate Nemours, after the French town that his great-great-grandfather represented in the French Estates General. While looking to the past and his ancestors for inspiration, Alfred also ensured that his new home was thoroughly modern by incorporating the latest technology and many of his own inventions.
The Gardens are one of the estate’s prime attractions.
The 157 jets at the center of the one-acre pool shoot water 12 feet into the air; when they are turned off, the entire “Long Walk” is reflected in the pool. The pool, five and a “half feet deep in its deepest section, holds 800,000 gallons of water and takes three days to fill.
The Art Nouveau-style, classical mythology-based “Four Seasons” around the pool are by French-born American sculptor Henri Crenier (1873–1948).
Admission to Nemours is $23 for adults, $21 for seniors and $10 for children.
Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org), a 230-acre historical village on the site of the original du Pont Company gunpowder mills in northern Delaware, has a popular ongoing attraction – “Nation of Inventors.”
“Nation of Inventors” celebrates the American spirit of ingenuity by taking visitors on a journey from the early years of the patent system, in the 1790s, through the “golden age” of American invention, in the late 1800s. The exhibit features more than 120 patent models from Hagley’s unique collection highlighting the diverse stories of inventors from all walks of life.
Patent models are scaled representations of inventions and were part of the patent application process for nearly 100 years. “Nation of Inventors” showcases patent models representing innovations in a variety of industries from transportation and manufacturing to food preservation and medical devices.
In the exhibition, visitors will enjoy engaging experiences around every corner, testing their knowledge of innovation and hearing personal accounts from inventors.
“Nation of Inventors” is located on the first two floors of Hagley’s Visitor Center. Visitors can plan to spend about 30 minutes on their self-guided tour of the exhibition.
Admission to Hagley is $20 for adults, $16 for students and seniors (62+) and $10 for children (6-14).
The 2025 season is in full swing at Chanticleer (786 Church Street, Wayne, www.chanticleergarden.org).
The Chanticleer estate dates from the early 20th-century, when land along the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was developed for summer homes to escape the heat of Philadelphia. Adolph Rosengarten, Sr., and his wife Christine chose the Wayne-St. Davids area to build their country retreat. The family’s pharmaceutical firm would become part of Merck & Company in the 1920s.
The Rosengartens hired architect and former classmate Charles L. Borie to design the house, which was completed in 1913. Landscape architect Thomas Sears designed the terraces as extensions of the house. A 1924 addition converted the summer home into a year-round residence and the family moved here permanently.
Rosengarten’s humor is evident in naming his home after the estate “Chanticlere” in Thackeray’s 1855 novel “The Newcomes.”
As the home of the Rosengartens, Chanticleer was beautiful and green with impressive trees and lawns. Most of the floral and garden development you see today has occurred since 1990 — designed by Chanticleer staff and consultants.
There are seven horticulturists, each responsible for the design, planting, and maintenance of an area. The areas are continually evolving, each with its own feel, yet joined together as one complete unit. The Teacup Garden and Chanticleer Terraces feature seasonal plants and bold-textured tropical and subtropical plants. These areas change greatly from year to year. Non-hardy plants overwinter in greenhouses and basements.
The Tennis Court, Ruin, Gravel Garden, and Pond Garden focus on hardy perennials, both woody and herbaceous. The Tennis Court builds on the idea of foliar display introduced in the Teacup. The Ruin is a folly, built on the foundation of Adolph Rosengarten, Jr.’s home. It is meant to look as if the house fell into disrepair. The Gravel Garden is hot and dry, a touch of the Mediterranean in Pennsylvania. The Pond area is exuberantly floriferous.
Asian Woods and Bell’s Woodland are shady areas. The former features natives of China, Korea, and Japan; the latter, plants of eastern North America. The Serpentine celebrates the beauty of agricultural crops. The cut flower and vegetable gardens produce flowers for arrangements and food for the table.
Admission to Chanticleer is $12 for adults and free for pre-teen children (12 years and under).
Andalusia Historic House, Gardens and Arboretum (1237 State Road, Andalusia, www.andalusiapa.org) has resumed operations for 2025.
Located on a wooded promontory overlooking the Delaware River, Andalusia has been a stately presence on this stretch of water, just north of Philadelphia, for more than 200 years.
The ancestral home of the Biddle family, Andalusia is also a natural paradise of native woodlands and spectacular gardens that have evolved over time.
Placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1966, the Big House — one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States — provides an unparalleled look into our nation’s past, while also offering a glimpse into the life of a family that helped to shape its future.
Its surrounding gardens delight the senses all through the year, from the tumbling, brightly colored leaves of fall to the floral extravaganza of spring and the abundance and scent of summer.
Self-Guided Garden Tours will be available Mondays through Wednesdays through November 4 (excluding holidays) at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m.
Visitors can stroll the spectacular formal gardens and native woodlands during a self-guided garden tour at their leisure and enjoy sweeping views from the banks of the Delaware River. Picnics are allowed on the grounds (with a “carry-in, carry-out” policy).
“Elmwood Park Zoo” (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is celebrating its monthly edition of “Centennial Saturdays.”
Guests can join in the festivities as the zoo continues to commemorate its special milestone with a series of exciting events.
They can enjoy live entertainment, indulge in a delicious birthday treat, and be amazed by the zoo’s captivating animal shows.
As an added attraction, the first 100 guests will receive a special giveaway item.
Our Centennial Saturday events are free to attend with zoo admission, which is $26.95 for adults, $23.95 for children (ages 3-12) and $20.95 for seniors.
GoggleWorks Center for the Arts (201 Washington Street, Reading, https://goggleworks.org/), one of the country’s largest interactive art centers, will hold its Fifth Annual Spring Planter Sale on May 4.
The planter sale will take place on Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the new courtyard at GoggleWorks.
There will be an impressive array of locally made planters, birdhouses, and garden ornaments for purchase. Purchasers can choose a plant and either have it planted by staff and volunteers or they can pot their own plant.
There will be a kids’ table set up with art supplies to occupy the little ones while the big ones shop. Coffee and pastries will also be available to purchase.
The event features free admission and free parking.
On May 3, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present “City Nature Challenge.”
“City Nature Challenge” is an annual initiative that invites people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities.
Guests can join with naturalists, hobbyists and professionals as they learn how to identify species in the cemetery and arboretum.
The event will also feature ID app tutorials, interactive games, basic exploration of taxonomy and classification, snacks, and conversation about the importance of biodiversity and environmental literacy.
“City Nature Challenge” will run from 1-3 p.m. at Laurel Hill West Conservatory (340 Belmont Avenue, Philadelphia).
Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the spring.
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.
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tour” on May 4.
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.
Visitors can participate by watching a short film and then taking a tour. Guided tours of the mansion will depart at 1 and 2:30 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. 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.
Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, peddlersvillage.com) is hosting its “Strawberry Festival” on May 3 and 4 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. each day.
The weekend will include strawberry-themed food, beverages, live music, food trucks, kids’ activities, and shop specials. Peddler’s Village shops will be open until 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Admission and parking are free. The event will be held rain or shine.
Peddler’s Village is also presenting its ““The Best of the Nest: Birdhouse Competition & Display” throughout its site.
“The Best of the Nest: Birdhouse Competition & Display” runs from April 28 through June 8 and showcases unique birdhouses designed and built by members of the public.
Guests are invited to vote for their favorite birdhouses in multiple categories: traditional, whimsical, Bucks County landmark, and natural habitat.
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) will be presenting “Elmo’s Springtacular” every weekend now through June 15.
“Elmo’s Springtacular” at Sesame Place is filled with furry fun and exciting events – including an exciting line up of meet & greets, music, magic, pirate adventures, and fireworks.
This weekend will feature Baby Shark. Guests will be able to see Baby Shark, Pinkfong, and Bebefinn in a musical extravaganza, the Baby Shark Mini-Show.
They can also make a reservation to meet and take a photo with them at the Baby Shark Meet & Greets and purchase the Baby Shark VIP Dine to get a delicious buffet meal, a meet & greet with the characters, and reserved seating at one of the Baby Shark Mini-Shows.
Kids can enjoy an action-packed day with their favorites.
All activities will take place at Sesame Studio.
You can enjoy views of nature’s springtime bounty without having to drive or hike. All you need do is take a ride on a tourist rail line train.
The New Hope Railroad (32 West Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Mother’s Day Brunch Excursion” on May 3, 4, 10 and 11.
Treat Mom to something special this year — Mother’s Day Mimosa Brunch. While embarking on a tour of the quaint woodlands of Bucks County, guests will share “breakfast charcuterie” – a delectable smattering of fruits, bread, and goodies sure to sate your brunchtime cravings.
All guests ages 21 and older will receive their choice of Mimosa or Bloody Mary. Non-alcoholic refreshments are included. Additional bar service available.
First Class features a luxuriously restored, climate-controlled parlor car with original décor, including mahogany woodwork and period lighting.
Wooden tables and chairs accommodate groups of four, available on a first-come, first-seated basis.
The NHRR is also running another special train — “Grapevine Express” — on May 3, 4, 9, 10 and 11. Trains will depart at 5 p.m. each day.
Riders can choose premium parlor or lounge cars for an intimate one-hour (approximately) excursion through the wooded foothills of Bucks County. On the journey, they will be able to enjoy food and beverage service from the friendly and attentive parlor car attendants.
Each couple will receive an assortment of crudités, a lush charcuterie board, and a sweet treat to wrap up the experience. In addition, guests over 21 years of age will receive their choice of wine, beer, or whiskey flight from Bucks County.
The Strasburg Rail Road (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running a special train – “The Wine & Cheese Train.”
Passengers can enjoy the luxurious, climate-controlled first-class accommodations and a tasting of select wine, cheese, and crackers as they travel in style down the tracks from Strasburg to Paradise and back. The train departs at 6 p.m. and the total trip time is 45 minutes.
“Wine & Cheese Train” boards 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. Riders must be 21 or older and have their photo ID ready when they board.
Featured wines are carefully selected from Waltz Vineyards, and cheeses are paired accordingly. Beer and select non-alcoholic beverages are also available for purchase upon request. Riders can purchase a souvenir wine glass on board the train if desired. Glasses are $7 each.
In accordance with Pennsylvania law, alcohol is only served during the train ride. The rail line is not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages while the train is berthed in the station.
Departures are scheduled for May 2 and 3 at 4 and 6 p.m. and May 4 at 4 p.m.
Tickets are $70.
