By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
The weather looks very iffy with forecasts of rain changing every few hours but still threatening each day of the weekend.Outdoor concerts and events will be in a “wait and see” situation.
Ethnic festivals, on the other hand, are a “go” no matter what — especially because so many of them are indoor/outdoor events. More importantly, when Egyptians, Lebanese or Greeks have plans to party, they’re going to party
If it’s Greek food and music you’re looking for, you’re definitely in luck.
The Grecian Food Festival at St. Sophia Church Grecian Festival (900 South Trooper Road, Jeffersonville, 610-650-8960, www.saintsophiachurch.org) is running now through June 1.
The 2025 Greek Festival at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (808 North Broom Street, Wilmington, 302-654-4446, www.holytrinitywilmington.org) opens on June 2 and runs through June 7.
The list of main dish items at St. Sophia’s festival has a wide variety of meat and vegetable items. Chicken Oreganato is Grecian-style chicken roasted with a mixture of lemon, oil and oregano, while souvlaki is grilled pork tenderloin marinated with special herbs.
Gyros are pita sandwiches featuring a spice-infused ground beef-and-lamb mixture that is grilled, sliced fresh and served with tzatziki (cucumber and yogurt sauce), tomatoes, onions and olives.
Pastitsio is a macaroni dish with braised ground lamb and beef that is topped with béchamel sauce and baked. A similar entrée is mousaka, which features layers of eggplant, potato, ground lamb and beef, which is then baked and topped with a light béchamel sauce.
Saganaki is a dish with seared vlahotiri cheese that is flamed with brandy and lemon and served fresh. Greek Salad, which is always a favorite, includes lettuce, feta cheese, tomatoes, Greek olives, oregano, salt, onion, cucumbers tossed in a light olive oil dressing.
Other selections that can either be a main meal or a side dish are tyropita, which is a Greek-style cheese pie in a crispy phyllo crust; spanakopita, which is a tyropita that has spinach added; and Dolmades, which are rice and meat wrapped in grape leaves.
The menu at St. Sophia’s also includes a fried calamari dish with fresh lemon, and patates tiganitres, which are deep-fried potatoes that have been lightly seasoned with Greek herbs and spices and topped with feta cheese.
For dessert, it’s impossible to go wrong with any of the traditional Greek pastries. The most well-known Greek dessert is baklava, which is made with multiple layers of thin buttered phyllo dough cooked with walnuts, spices and honey syrup. Kataifi features shredded wheat with chopped nuts and honey syrup.
Loukoumades, the Greek version of doughnuts, are deep-fried and dipped in honey with a dash of cinnamon. Floyeres is a baked dessert prepared with thin layers of buttered pastry sheets, almonds, spices, and honey syrup. Galaktoboureko is a custard dessert baked between carefully placed pastry sheets and covered in syrup.
Karidopita is a moist walnut cake with spices and syrup. Kok, which is the Greek version of Boston cream pie, is a chocolate-covered cake that is filled with custard. Diples are crunchy treats featuring crisp folds of thin rolled pastry dough that are deep fried and topped with syrup, cinnamon and nuts.
Greek cuisine also includes a variety of mouth-watering cookies including melomakarona (oval cookie dipped in honey and rolled in nuts), kourabiedes (butter cookie served with confectioner’s sugar), paximadia (zwieback-type cookie that is baked then sliced and toasted in the oven), koulourakia (butter cookie that is twisted, basted with egg yolk and baked.)
Greek American groups from the Delaware Valley will play popular Greek songs and standards and theer will be performances of traditional Greek folk dances. The festival also features a taverna – a bistro-style site for dancing and drinking.
Other attractions are Greek grocery stores and sales booths with items such as Greek music, icons, custom-made jewelry, leather goods and fabric. There will also be a variety of children’s activities.
The Greek Festival at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church runs through June 8 and is free and open to the public.
The list of main dish items at Holy Trinity has a wide variety of meat and vegetable items. The menu is almost identical to St. Sophia’s.
Greek American groups will play traditional and modern Greek songs and there will be performances of traditional Greek folk dances. The festival also features an outdoor taverna, Greek grocery stores, and sales booths with items such as Greek music, icons, custom-made jewelry, leather goods and fabric. There will also be a variety of children’s activities.
There will also be a Greek Festival in Philly at St. George Cathedral (256 South Eighth Street, Philadelphia, saintgeorgecathedral.org).
The festival is running now through June 1 –11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday.
There will be traditional Greek food dishes, live music, vendors and church tours at the free festival.
This is the time of the year when there are ethnic food festivals almost every weekend.
This weekend’s schedule has two other interesting options — St. Maron’s Lebanese and Middle East Cultural Festival (10th and Ellsworth streets, Philadelphia, http://www.saintmaron.org) and St. Mary Coptic Church of Delaware’s Egyptian Festival (644 Otts Chapel Rd, Newark, Delaware, stmaryde.org).
St. Maron’s Lebanese Festival, which runs now through June 1, offers a wide array of tantalizing Middle Eastern dishes such as kibbe (bulghur, minced onions and finely ground lean beef or lamb), baba ghanoush (eggplant mixed with onions, tomatoes, olive oil and various seasonings) and tabbouleh (vegetarian dish with bulgur, tomatoes, finely chopped parsley, mint, and onion).There will also be hummus (food dip made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic) and freshly cooked shish kabobs and chicken kabobs. A kabob is a Middle Eastern dish featuring pieces of meat, fish, onions and peppers grilled on a skewer).
Other attractions at St. Maron’s free festival will be folkloric exhibits, arts and crafts booths, hookahs, children’s games, a performance by St. Maron’s Dabke Troop, cash prize raffles and live music by Meesha Dance and Said Abi Akl & Band.
St. Mary Coptic Church of Delaware is holding its popular annual Egyptian Festival on Saturday and Sunday.
The Coptic Church was established in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by St. Mark the Evangelist in the city of Alexandria around 43 A.D. The church adheres to the Nicenen Creed.
Fewer changes have taken place in the Coptic Church than in any other church in both ritual and doctrine aspects. Additionally, the succession of the Coptic Patriarchs, Bishops, Priests and Deacons has been continuous.
This weekend’s festival will feature such Egyptian delicacies as kofta kabob, falafel, lamb shish kabob, kobaeba, shepherd’s pie, moussaka and gyro sandwich.
There will also be sweet treats such as babousa, baklava and konafa with nuts.
Also featured at the festival will be an Egyptian gift shop, Christian items and kids’ games.
Hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. both days. Admission is free.
It’s time once again for the Ladybug Music Festival (Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, https://theladybugfestival.com) – a free festival held on Market Street in downtown Wilmington.The popular annual event will be staged on May 30 from 5-10 p.m.
The 2025 festival will feature more than 30 different female-fronted bands, duos, and singer-songwriters performing simultaneously at seven venues around the 500 block of Market Street.
The Main Stage at the Queen will feature Margaret Glaspy, Martha Wash, KOSER, AE the Cool and Wendy Logan Band.
Merchant Bar will present Meghan Cary, Rebecca Berlin, Jess Meilman and Roberta Faceplant.
The Crown at the Queen will host Belle Shea, Kelsey Blackstone, Mollie Edsel and Jennifer Silva.
The Knights Bar at the Queen will have Jessica Woodlee, Miss Mandy & The Somethings, Kim McClay and Joy and the Wildfire.
The Quoin Rooftop will feature Jenni Schick, Lucy Isabel, Lauren Wanamaker, Christine Bile and Corin Diaz.
The lineup for Huxley & Hiro is Gillian Krystal, Rachel May, Christine Irizarry and the Foolhardy, Marguerite Breane and Strays & Misfits.
The Olympia Room at the Queen will present Eljuri, Chelsea Reed and The Fairweather Band, The Wild Hymns and Lily Enos.
The Ladybug Music Festival is a celebration of women in music taking place annually in both Wilmington and Milford, Delaware. Started in 2012 by Gable Music Ventures, the idea was to offer an alternative to the Firefly Music Festival that was focused on local independent artists, and free for the community to attend.
The Summer Sounds Concert Series at Spruce Street Harbor Park (301 South Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, www.delawareriverwaterfront.com/places/spruce-street-harbor-park) is being held on select Saturdays throughout the summer.
Doors open at 6 p.m., and showtime is 7 p.m. All ages are welcome. The concerts are free and open to the public.
On May 31, the concert will feature rock veterans Rubblebucket with Miss Cantaloupe as the opening act.
“Candlelight Under the Stars with Joe Grasso” will be held May 31 from 5-10 p.m. at the Candlelight Theatre parking lot (2208 Millers Road, Wilmington, Delaware, candlelighttheatredelaware.showare.com).
Start time for the event is 5 p.m. with the opening act scheduled to go on at 5:30 p.m. followed by Joe Grasso & the Ramblers from 7-10 p.m.
There will be a Beer Garden with food and drinks available for purchase. The event is “BYOC” (Bring your own chair).
Tickets are $25 with proceeds to benefit the Candlelight Theater. Each ticket purchased includes a raffle ticket for two tickets to Candlelight Comedy Club, or two Tickets to a Main Stage Show.
You still have a few days left to catch one of the area’s top festival events — the Devon Horse Show (Lancaster Avenue, Devon, 610-688-2554, www.devonhorseshow.org), which is one of the oldest events of any kind in the state.
The Devon Horse Show
The Devon Horse Show is and always has been special.
More than just another annual equestrian event, it is a family event that spans generations and traditionally marks the start of summer. It is a place where attendees go as much to see and be seen as to watch horses compete — a sporting event and a tradition-based social event.
No-one on earth right now is old enough to have attended every edition of the Devon Horse Show.
The 2025 show, which is running now through June 2, is the 129th Annual Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.
The Devon Horse Show began in 1896 as a one-day show with 28 classes. By 1914, it had grown immensely and had become the largest outdoor horse show in the country — a distinction it still holds.
In 1919, it was decided that a “Country Fair” should be held in conjunction with the horse show and that the event should benefit Bryn Mawr Hospital.
In 2010, the Devon Horse Show became just the fourth American horse show to be honored with the designation as a USEF Heritage Competition.
More than 3,000 horses are entered in the Devon Horse Show in over 30 divisions and more than 200 classes with prize money totaling over a quarter of a million dollars. The equestrian competition reaches its peak the final few days with the Devon Grand Prix and the Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake.
The Country Fair offers concessions featuring lemon sticks, cotton candy and buckets of fudge. Other main attractions at the fair are the garden café, sales booths featuring antiques, toys, hand-crafted items, Devon Horse Show souvenirs and over 30 other shops with jewelry, art, clothes and equestrian-related items.
Another popular family attraction is the Midway with its huge Ferris wheel, old-time carousel and wide array of amusement rides and games — plus kid-favorite goodies such as popcorn, cotton candy and funnel cake.
A special attraction will be appearances by the Budweiser Clydesdales. A great American tradition celebrating their 91st Anniversary, the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales are scheduled to appear again here at Devon on May 31.
Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for children (under 12) and seniors (over 65).
On June 1, Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be hosting the “Ambler Symphony Concert on the Lawn.”
The annual concert will start at 5 p.m. on the front lawn of the historic mansion.
Under the musical direction of conductor Jack Moore, it promises to be an enjoyable evening of music for all ages.
Visitors are invited to bring the family, chairs and a picnic. Craft beers from Round Guys brewery will be available for purchase to people aged 21 and over with valid ID.
Admissions is $5 for adults with children aged 12 and under admitted free.
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.
On June 1, the Upper Main Line Memorial Association will sponsor the 157th Annual Memorial Parade (www.malvernmemorialparade.com) in the Borough of Malvern. The parade, which is held every year on the Sunday after Memorial Day, will start at 1:30 p.m.
Founded in June 1869, the parade is recognized as the oldest continuously held Memorial Parade in America. The parade is expected to include at least eight bands including military color guards, military and antique vehicles, floats, fire trucks and a few special surprises.
After the Parade on Sunday, the 209th Memorial Ceremony will take a moment to remember and pay tribute to those who have defended our freedom.
All of the events take place in Memorial Park on Monument Ave. in Malvern. In the event of rain, there is no rain date for the parade or any of the activities.
The Paoli-Berwyn-Malvern Chapter of the Lions Club will be in the park collecting used eyeglasses and hearing aids. Visitors can drop off their unused glasses at the Lion’s Club stand.
The Clover Market (600 South Broad Street, Kennett Square, theclovermarket.com) will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on May 31.
The “Market,” which welcomes dogs, kids and friendly pets, will feature more than 100 curated vendors with antique, handmade and vintage goods.
The free event also features food and drink trucks, live music and free family-friendly crafting activities.
Reusable shopping bags are encouraged.
Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodswinery.com) will present “Live Music on the Lawn” every weekend in May and June.
Adam McCue will perform on May 31 from noon-4 p.m.
Joe Vandetty will perform on June 1 from noon-4 p.m.
Brandywine Valley has quite a few museums and tourist sites that provide both residents and tourists with diverse ways to spend leisure time.
You can take advantage of these options with the 2025 Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport (www.visitwilmingtonde.com/passport/).
The cost is $49 for an individual pass and $99 for a family pass (for up to five family members).
The Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport is good for one-time admission to Wilmington and Brandywine Valley’s top attractions now through October 31.
A family pass, which includes one-day admission to each of 12 sites, can bring a savings of over $200 for the holders — especially since many of the participating institutions have regular admission fees in double figures.
The list of locations covered by the Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport includes Longwood Gardens, Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, Brandywine River Museum, Delaware Art Museum, Delaware History Museum, Hagley Museum and Library, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Nemours Mansion & Gardens, Read House and Garden, Mt. Cuba Center, Rockwood Museum and Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library.
A sure sign that summer is just around the corner is the opening of the “Festival of Fountains” at Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, www.longwoodgardens.org).
The “Festival of Fountains” opened for the season on May 9 and will run until September 28.
Longwood Gardens’ Open Air Theatre and Italian Water Garden fountains will spring to life, as will the Square Fountain, Round Fountain (Flower Garden Walk), Sylvan Fountain (Peirce’s Park), and Children’s Corner fountains.
The season of renewal and growth has started. Millions of tiny geophytes begin the season, blanketing Longwood’s vistas with sweeps of spring-has-sprung color.
Dancing fountains, performances under the stars, and beautiful gardens make the Festival of Fountains at Longwood Gardens magical. The spectacular celebration of music, light, water, and nature includes distinctive garden experiences indoors and out.
Before the fountain performances, guests can sit under the stars and enjoy live music and refreshing brews and pub fare in Longwood’s Beer Garden. Other dining options at Longwood are 1906 Fine Dining and The Café.
As the season unfolds, flowering trees delightfully punctuate the landscape, radiant tulips stretch toward the sun, and the delicious fragrance of wisteria floats along the breeze.
Visitors can also enjoy special exhibits at the Orchid House.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $35 for adults, $31 for seniors and college students, $26 for active military and $20 for youth.
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 acclaimed collection highlighting the diverse stories of inventors from all walks of life.
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).
Thursdays through Sundays, Rockwood Park & Museum (4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, Delaware, 4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, www.newcastlede.gov/431/Rockwood-Park-Museum) is presenting “Self-Guided Museum Tours.”
Visitors will be able to explore the grandeur, history and beauty of Rockwood Mansion, home of the Shipley, Bringhurst and Hargraves families for 120 years. This tour emphasizes the magnificent mansion interiors and stories of the families that lived there.
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.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) has attractions both indoors and outdoors going on right now.
There seems to be no end to what’s in bloom — and in almost every corner of the garden.
White flowers of kousa dogwoods, deutzias, and mock oranges invite you to visit Sycamore Hill. Visitors can wander the garden paths to discover the delicate beauty of pink mountain laurels and pale Pink Leda roses at the Bristol Summerhouse.
In Azalea Woods and Enchanted Woods, look for the flowers of martagon hybrid lilies opening. A few late-flowering peonies can be found in the Lower Peony Garden, while ferns cover the shady March Bank.
Admission to Winterthur is $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and students and $8 for children.
On June 1, the Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights Preserve (3000 Creek Road, Yorklyn, Delaware, 302-239-2385, http://auburnheights.org) is presenting “Steamin’ Day at Auburn Heights.”
The site, which features the Marshall Steam Museum and the Auburn Heights Mansion, focuses on steam power when it presents “Steamin’ Days,” which run from 12:30-4:30 p.m.
General admission tickets are $15 (13 and older) and $10 (age 12 and under). “Mansion Add On” tickets are $8 and $4.
Also included is entry to the Marshall Steam Museum, which features the world’s largest operating collection of Stanley steam cars along with a 1930s working Lionel electric train display, a hands-on engine display, kids’ activities and exhibits.
Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.
At the beginning of March, Historic Odessa reopened for spring tours and celebrated the beginning of its 2024 season.
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.
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.
T
he 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.
Admission to Chanticleer is $15 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) is located on a wooded promontory overlooking the Delaware River.
It 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.
Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the summer.
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.
A comfortable way to sit back and enjoy the colors of spring is to take a ride on a tourist rail line train.
The West Chester Railroad (610-430-2233, www.wcrailroad.com) is running its “Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through September 82 at noon each day.
Passengers can enjoy a relaxing 90-minute train ride from West Chester to Glen Mills and return on a warm summer afternoon. They can also pack a lunch to have during the excursion’s stop at the Glen Mills train station picnic grove.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children (ages 2-12).
The Strasburg Rail Road (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running a special train on May 30 and 31 and June — 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” boarding is 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.
Tickets are $79.
The New Hope Railroad (32 West Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Spring Excursion” on May 30.
Riders will embark on a two-hour round-trip through the vibrant landscapes of Bucks County on the New Hope Railroad Spring Excursion.
They can experience the unique beauty of the “New Hope Branch” route, adorned with wildflowers and fresh spring greenery, from the comfort of our vintage coaches.
This excursion is an ideal retreat for everyone, from photography enthusiasts and nature lovers to those seeking a peaceful getaway. Due to its popularity and limited seats, early booking is recommended to ensure your spot on this journey of rejuvenation and scenic splendor.
Tickets are $60 for adults, $58 for children (ages 3-11) and $12 for children (ages 0-2).
On May 31, The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running its “Princess Express” at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 and 3 p.m.
The tourist rail line posted this message – “You are cordially invited to the Kingdom of York for the Princess Express! Join us for a magical live show at the platform by your favorite princesses, and enjoy meet and greets, photo ops and prizes aboard your very own royal “coach”! We can’t wait to make your dreams come true aboard this enchanting excursion.”
Tickets are $29.99 for adults and $19.99 for youth.
If you enjoy walking around garden displays or if you like to look at model railroad layouts, then you should definitely check out the Garden Railway Display at the Morris Arboretum & Garden (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, www.morrisarboretum.org).
The ultra-popular Garden Railway Display has become a major summer attraction at The Gardens at Morris Arboretum. The 27th annual edition of the display opened in May 23 and will remain open until September 30.
This summer, Morris Arboretum will unveil a brand-new exhibition in its popular Garden Railway – “Garden Railway: World Pollinators,” part of its new summer-long exhibition, “Bees, Butterflies & Blooms: A Pollinator Paradise.”
As one of the largest outdoor miniature train displays in the United States, the Garden Railway will delight and amaze visitors of all ages.
The railway has a quarter mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with 15 different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under) and bustling model trains.
The buildings and the display are all made of natural materials – bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds and stones – to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with miniature rivers.
Philadelphia-area landmarks are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle. There is even a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall are made using pinecone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials and twigs as downspouts.
Visitors will be able to see miniature replicas of iconic structures at some of America’s most famous public gardens including the Climatron at Missouri Botanical Garden, Torii Gate and Pavilion at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Science Pyramid at Denver Botanic Gardens, and so much more.
Admission is $22 for adults; $20 for seniors (65 and older); $12 for youth (ages 13-17 or with ID), active military and retired military; and free for children (under 3).
A great place to enjoy flowers in bloom is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).
The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend features the “Saturday Wildflower Walk: Spring Edition” at 1 p.m. on May 31 and “Bluebird Nesting Box Tour” at 9:30 a.m. on June 1.
On Saturday, guests can join wildflower expert Joanne Landau on an informative two-hour hike that takes them through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside.
Although the focus is on plants, we will talk about whatever we might see while we are out. In May, we should see a large variety of spring wildflowers.
Sunday’s tour is more specific.
For more than 50 years, volunteers at Tyler Arboretum have been monitoring the nesting activities of the Eastern Bluebird. This is a family-friendly tour to share this tradition.
Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $18 for adults (ages 18-64), $15 for seniors (65 and older) and $10 for children (ages 3-17) and Military with valid ID.
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) will be presenting “Elmo’s Springtacular” every weekend now through June 16.
“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 it will time for “Abby’s Magic Weekend at Sesame Place!”
Abby Cadabby is hosting a magical weekend full of spellbinding tricks and spectacular illusions.
Visitors can poof into Sesame Studio for some special magic shows by magician Sam Sandler and keep an eye out for KooKoo the Cartoon Magician performing strolling magic throughout the park.
They can join Abby and her friends for the Fairy Friends Magical Dance Party and have their photo taken with their furry friends dressed in some magically themed outfits.
Guests can celebrate Sesame Place’s 45th Birthday and the opening of water attractions by diving into a sun-filled birthday beach party.
Ticket prices for Sesame Place start at $59.99.
