By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Blobfest
The word “unique” is one of the most misused words in the English language – right up there with “literally.”
“Unique” means “being the only one of its kind.” It is a very demanding qualification – a very specific qualification.
The annual BlobFest in Phoenixville definitely qualifies as unique.
In the entire world, there is just one BlobFest and it’s held every year right here in Chester County.
“The Blob” is a low-budget horror film that was filmed at the Colonial Theatre and other locations around Phoenixville in 1958. The movie, which starred a very young Steve McQueen, has evolved over the years into a full-fledged cult classic.
“Blob” fans from all around the globe will be heading to Phoenixville to participate in the Annual BlobFest.
The Colonial Theatre (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-917-1228, www.thecolonialtheatre.com) will host the BlobFest with a variety of special events now through July 13.
The BlobFest is not only unique, but also old. The event is celebrating its 26th anniversary this year.
On July 11, it’s time for the re-enactment of the “Running out of The Colonial” scene. The dress code is billed as “creative” so that the scene will look just like it did when that classic scene was filmed here many years ago.
The festival will get underway Friday at 6 p.m. with the Blobfest 2025 Stage Show and Run Out.
The stage show will feature an appearance from Baltimore-based horror host
Aurora Gorealis of Shocktail Hour, live music, Shorty’s Short Film Contest, and an audience re-enactment of The Blob’s famous ‘run out’ scene.
The Colonial Theatre’s “Blob Ball” is the final part of Friday’s festivities. Guests can dance to live music and dress up like it’s the 1950s. Tickets are $25.
There’s also an additional Run-Out scheduled for Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. — providing fans another opportunity to get in the spirit of “Blobfest.”
Screenings of the original and Spanish-dubbed versions of “The Blob” and other horror movies will be presented throughout the weekend.
Aided by an $8,000 grant from PECO, the Colonial will offer fully funded, free tickets to all screenings of “La Masa Devoradora,” the Spanish-language version of “The Blob.”
Another weekend highlight is the “Blobfest Street Fair” from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. on July 12 along Bridge Street. It features bands and DJs, a costume contest, vendors, the highly popular “Fire Extinguisher Parade” and the Family Fun Zone with activities suited for kids ages 2-12.
There will also be a Blobfest merchandise tent where visitors can purchase Blobfest memorabilia.
DJ Jholi will join the street fair performance lineup with a Latin dance party geared to getting participants pumped for the 6:30 p.m. screening of “La Masa Devoradora.”
The Eighth annual Blobfest 5K, 10K and Half Marathon races are scheduled for Sunday morning.
From July 15-19, the Malvern Fire Company Fair (Monument Grounds, Monument Avenue, Malvern, 610-647-0693, http://www.pa-carnivals.com) will be held from 6-10 p.m. each night.The free Malvern Fire Company Fair features rides, games and fun for the entire family and discount ride coupons will be available at local merchants.
Guests can ride an unlimited number of rides at the 2025 Malvern Fire Company Carnival for just $30 per person per day when purchased online.
This annual fire department fundraiser features rides for all ages by Houghton Enterprises, plenty of delicious food and treats, carnival games & prizes, fire truck rides, and more.
Fireworks will be held on July 18 at 9:30 p.m.
The Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Association (1326 Pottstown Pike, Glenmoore, ludwigshorseshow.com) will hold its Fifth Annual Ludwig’s Corner Carnival now through July 12 at the show grounds in Glenmoore.
Enjoy rides and amusements by Houghton Enterprises, delicious food, a beer garden, and various vendors. The carnival runs Friday from 6-10 p.m. and Saturday from 4-10 p.m. Parking on-site is a $5 donation per vehicle.Levante Brewing and Epicurean Garage will offer handcrafted brews & cocktails for those 21+.
SALT Performing Arts princesses will meet and greet kids Friday and Saturday and School of Rock Downingtown will perform Saturday.
Ride tickets are $1.25 per ticket, or $25 for 24 tickets with each ride taking multiple tickets.
All proceeds benefit the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Association.
This Saturday, it will be time for the annual Blueberry Festival at Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com). The free festival will be held July 12 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Linvilla’s grounds in Media.
The festive event will feature children’s entertainment, costumed characters, live music, ice cream sundaes, and blueberry treats.
Festival Treats include a refreshing Blueberry Frozen Lemonade, a Blueberry Apple Cider Slushy, a savory Blueberry Goat Cheese Salad, and the indulgent Blueberry Smash Sundae, featuring Old Fashioned Blueberry Pie, homemade blueberry compote, creamy vanilla soft serve, and a delectable sugar cookie.
The host for the Blueberry Festival will be Silly Joe, who will offer music, fun and games for kids of all ages.
George, The Magician! will be performing his amazing Bubble Magic Show at 11 a.m. Following the magic, the Manatawny Creek Ramblers will perform a mix of bluegrass and indie folk music at 1 p.m.
Two rounds of our pie eating contest will crown Linvilla Champions. Ages 13-17 and Ages 18 and up can compete in a timed Blueberry Pie eating challenge. The winner in each category will be awarded a prize and more importantly have bragging rights for life. Registration for the contest starts at noon. The first 10 people to register will be accepted in each age category.
On July 13, Highland Orchards (1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Road, West Chester, www.highlandorchards.net) will host its annual “Blueberries, Bluegrass, Beers & BBQ Festival.”This family-friendly event, which starts at 11a.m., will feature food trucks, beer, wine & spirits, kids train, goat feeding, farm tours (weather permitting), and berry picking.
The Bakery and Market will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. with fresh, local produce, pies, donuts, fudge, homemade brittle, and many local favorites.
There will also be live music by the Moondawgs from 1-4 p.m.
This is a free event.
The Shady Grove Music Fest will be held on July 12 in Arden (2126 The Highway, Arden, Delaware, ardenconcerts.com).
The event will feature a full day of live music from noon-8:30 p.m.
Last year, the Shady Grove Music Fest, which is held outdoors, was cancelled because of heavy rainstorms.
This year, the popular annual music event returns this Saturday with performances by Grace Vonderkuhn, Death by Indie, Cherry Park, Kilynn Lunsford, Emmett Dreuding, Powerhouse of the Cell, Region, Ritter Lane, and Red Smith.
Meals will be for sale at Lower Gild Hall along with beer and wine.
Attendees should bring a chair or blanket for seating. Festival rules are no pets and no BYOB.
Tickets are $29.
On July 13, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds will perform in concert on the Shady Grove Stage at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $32.
The intriguing Paranormal Cirque (https://paranormalcirque.com), which is intended for a mature audience, is in the middle of a month-and-a-half visit in the area.
The are four tour stops – two down (Lancaster and Lehigh Valley) and two to go (Pottstown and Dover, Delaware).
The circus visits Pottstown this weekend with performances at the Philadelphia Premium Outlets now through July 13. It wraps up its visit in Dover from July 18-20.
Shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on July 11, 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. on July 12 and 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. on July 13.
The Big Top’s stop in Pottstown will be at Philadelphia Premium Outlets, which are located at 18 Lightcap Road.
When the circus visits Delaware, it will take up residence in the parking lot at the Dover Mall, which is located at 1365 North Dupont Highway in Dover.
Paranormal Cirque will expose audiences to a unique creation of combined theatre, circus, and cabaret with a new European style flare.
This innovative horror story, which is presented in true circus style under a Big Top tent, features different shades of sexy and an incomparable storyline. Audiences likely will find it difficult to separate reality from illusion at this show as they fall into a parallel world and end up surrounded by monstrous creatures with hidden talents.
Currently, Paranormal Cirque has three tours running – Paranormal Cirque, Paranormal Cirque II and
Paranormal Cirque III. The tour visiting our area is Paranormal Cirque III
Paranormal Cirque’s “Clown Castle” (also known as the Big Top) presents a mesmerizing effect while hosting a two-hour hypnotizing and enchanted show.
A careful casting selection has united the best artists from all over the world.
Under this Clown Castle, the black and red big top tent, there are aerial acrobats, illusionists, freaks, mysterious creatures and all the elements that make one think of a “normal” circus – but this one is not “normal.”
A new show with breathtaking implications always poised between fun and the most uninhibited fear that will transport you to a dark world inhabited by creatures with incredible circus art abilities.
A crazy yet fun fusion between circus, theatre, and cabaret in perfect harmony with the evolution of a show that brings you back to when we dream … and when we had nightmares and fantasies.
Video link for Paranormal Cirque — https://youtu.be/locxFnh5UR8.
Ticket prices start at $20.
As part of Historic Philadelphia’s anniversary celebration at Franklin Square (200 Sixth Street, Philadelphia, phillychineselanternfestival.com), the organization is illuminating the park with its annual“Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square.”
Now through August 31, Franklin Square will come alive every night with its Chinese Lantern Festival featuring more than two dozen illuminated lanterns – all constructed by lantern artisans from China.
In addition to the gorgeous light installations, visitors can enjoy live cultural stage performances, see the choreographed fountain light show in the historic Rendell Family Fountain, taste expanded food and drink options including Asian cuisine and American comfort food, drink a toast at the Dragon Beer Garden, and shop for Chinese folk artists’ crafts created on site as well as Festival-themed merchandise.
Guests can also play Philly Mini Golf and ride the Parx Liberty Carousel at a discounted rate. A portion of the proceeds from the festival benefits Historic Philadelphia, Inc. for the programming and care of this important public space and its many year-round free events.
Chinese-inspired performances will take place in Franklin Square twice nightly. Performances, which celebrate Chinese performance art and entertainment, are 30-minutes long and are scheduled for 7 and 9 p.m.
Festival hours are 6-11 p.m. Admission is $25 for adults ($28 on Saturday and Sunday), $23/$26 for youth, and $10 for children.
Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, laurelhillphl.com) will present “Hot Spots and Storied Plots” on July 12 at 10 a.m.
In life and death, we all have stories to tell, and what better place to hear tales of wonder than Philadelphia’s most famous home of the dead?
This introductory tour provides an informative overview of Laurel Hill East’s long history, which includes many marble masterpieces, stunning views, and legendary stories that afford the cemetery its WOW factor.
An experienced graveyard guide will offer genuine perspective on beautiful art, scenic nature, and fascinating history.
The tour guide on Saturday will be Linda Blowney.
Tickets for the event are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and $7.50 for youth (ages 6-12).
On July 12 at 6 p.m., Fort Mifflin (Fort Mifflin and Hog Island roads, Philadelphia, 215-685-4167, www.fortmifflin.us) will host a special event called “Haunted Open Investigation Evening.”
Participants can join the Fort’s friends from Paranormal Peaches to explore the history and hauntings of the site. They can spend the evening enjoying investigating the deep dark corners of the Fort.
The event is appropriate for both experienced and novice paranormal investigators with special access to areas not open to the general public.
Guests can bring their own equipment or just use a cell phone and flashlight. Experienced investigators will be on hand to assist them and review evidence.
Tickets are $70.
This weekend, the Mount Hope Estate & Winery (Route 72, Cornwall, 717-665-7021, www.PaRenFaire.com) will host “Blues & Brews” from noon-3 p.m.
Guests can savor the taste of a summertime Maryland feast without the drive: Hard Shell Crabs, Steamed Shrimp, BBQ Pork, Potato Salad, Coleslaw, Garden Pasta Salad, Hush Puppies, Fresh Fruit, and Dessert.
The summertime feasting favorites will be accompanied by Swashbuckler Beers, Mount Hope Wines and Lancaster County Ciders set with a backdrop of live music by Jimmy Blue and the Jilted Playboys.
Beer from the Swashbuckler Brewing Company will round out this summertime feast. All the amazing food you can eat, unlimited drinks, and live music with one admission ticket.
Ticket prices are $64.95 for adults and $22.95 for children.
The Kalmar Nyckel is holding public sails this weekend from its home port of Wilmington.
The cruises will depart from the Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard (1124 East Seventh Street, Wilmington) on July 12 at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and July 13 also at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
For two decades, the Kalmar Nyckel, which has its home base in Wilmington, has been hosting riders all over the world – especially in Delaware.
A ride on the Kalmar Nyckel is totally different from most tourist water rides. The ship is a beautiful recreation of the original Kalmar Nyckel, which was built in Holland in the 1620s. Her mainmast 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.
Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.
Odessa is one of Delaware’s most historic sites.
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. General Admission:
Adults, $10; Groups, Seniors, Students, $8; and Children under six are free.
The Brandywine Valley has quite a few museums and tourist sites that provide residents and tourists ideal opportunities to spend leisure time — and you can maximize your effort if you take advantage of the 2023 Brandywine Treasure Trail 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 the 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.
For more information, visit www.visitwilmingtonde.com/bmga/.
On select Saturday and Sundays now through July 27, the Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Reserve Tastings – Summer Sips.”
The winery staff is matching the intense heat and bold flavors of the season with exciting, crushable combinations. From delicious textures to a diverse range of fruity, floral, and herbaceous flavors, they are keeping visitors fresh and cool with these carefully curated, summer-approved pairings.
The winery’s trained staff will guide guests through a pre-selected tasting of five widely diverse wines from across the winery’s portfolio alongside artisan cheeses and other accoutrements.
During this intimate and educational 60-minute experience, they will discuss topics such as grape growing conditions at partner vineyards and the onsite winemaking process from production to aging and bottling.
The “Pairing Line Up” is Greeting Wine: ’23 Sparkling White; ’23 Chardonnay with Fresh Chevre and Basil-infused Olive Oil; ’24 Dry Rosé: Redux with Valley Milkhouse’s Honey Bell Cheese and Honey; ’21 Artisan Series Cabernet Franc with Goat Rodeo’s Hootenany Cheese and Blackberry Preserves; and White Sangria with Mango Salsa.
Reserve Tastings are $35 per person and offered only on select Saturdays and Sundays. There are three seatings per day – noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Advanced reservations are required and are non-refundable.
Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodswinery.com) is hosting a “Music Live in the Vineyard” today now through Sunday.
On July 11, Rick Caldwell will perform from 5-7:30 p.m.
Noah Richardson will entertain visitors on July 12 from 2-5 p.m.
On July 13, Allison Landon will perform from 1-4 p.m.
The West Chester Railroad (610-430-2233, www.wcrailroad.com) is running its “Summer Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through September 22 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).
Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com) is presenting “Boogie with Scoogie Fun Run” on July 13.
The Village’s invitation reads – “Dust off your choice bellbottoms and your boss tie dyes! Dig up your grooviest 60’s & 70’s threads…
You’re about to experience the most righteous & far out event you’ve been to in a long time!”
The event, which is organized by Scoogie Events, will start at 9 a.m.
Scoogie Events creates fun, family friendly & community driven running events with a unique positive vibe unlike any other running event.
“Boogie with Scoogie Fun Run” will feature a half-mile kids’ run, Groovy 8K Race, Fab 5K run/jog and a two-mile run.
Elmwood Park Zoo (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is presenting “World Snake Day Featuring Phang” on July 16.
Guests can slither over to the zoo to celebrate World Snake Day with zoo staff and special guest, Philadelphia Union mascot Phang on July 16.
Phang will join the zoo’s educators for a special “Wild Encounter” all about the scaly reptiles of honor.
He will also be available for photo ops after the encounter.
This event, which runs from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., is free to attend with Zoo admission.
Zoo admission is $26.95 for adults, $23.95 for children (ages 3-12), $24.95 for students and $20.95 for seniors.
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 26th annual edition of the display had its official season opening in late May and now will remain open until September 30.
This summer, Morris Arboretum will unveil a brand-new exhibition in its popular Garden Railway – “Garden Railway: Dinos!”
With more than 15 different rail lines running along a third of a mile of track, visitors will enjoy a spectacular display of dinosaurs including Triceratops, and Velociraptor, as well as other Mesozoic creatures—all made out of natural materials such as bark, leaves, and twigs.
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 $20 for adults; $18 for seniors (65 and older); $10 for students (ages 13-17 or with ID), active military and retired military; and free for children (under 3).
A sweet 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: Summer Edition” at 11 a.m. on July 12.
On Saturday, guests can join wildflower expert Dick Cloud on an informative two-hour hike that takes them through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside.
Although the focus is on plants, Cloud will talk about whatever participants might see while they are out.
Tyler will also host a “Bluebird Nesting Box Tour” on July 13 at 11:30 a.m.
Guides will lead a walk through Tyler’s succession field and uncover the fascinating lives of Eastern Bluebirds. For more than 50 years, Tyler’s volunteers have cared for these iconic birds by monitoring their nesting boxes and now it’s your turn to join the fun!
On this family-friendly adventure, participants will get up close to the arboretum’s bluebird boxes and witness nature in action. They’ll have the opportunity to see brilliant bluebirds flitting about, discover active nests with delicate eggs, and maybe even spot fuzzy nestlings waiting for their next meal.
This program is a perfect outing for curious kids and nature-loving grown-ups alike.
Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $16 for adults (ages 18-64), $13 for seniors (65 and older) and $8 for children (ages 3-17) and Military with valid ID.
On July 11, On July 20, the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum (8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, www.fws.gov/refuge/John_Heinz) is presenting “Bat Night Walk.”
Visitors are invited to come to the nature site in Delaware County to learn about different bat species found on the refuge on this special twilight walk.
The Walk, which will run from 8-9:30p.m., is free and kid friendly.
On July 12, there will be a “Bird Walk” with Chuck Root and Emily Dodge as tour guides.
On July 13, there will be a “Bird Walk” with as Debbie Beer as the tour guide.
Each walk will run from 8-10 a.m.
Participants can take an educational walk with one of the refuge’s knowledgeable volunteers.
They’ll be able to discover the 300-plus species of birds that use the refuge during their migration routes. Each week guarantees different species.
Both walks will start at the visitor center and be at a relaxed paced on flat surfaces.
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.
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.
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tour” on July 13.
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.
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.
Treetop Quest Philly (51 Chamounix Drive, Philadelphia, www.treetopquest.com) is an aerial adventure park that will challenge you physically and mentally as you maneuver from tree to tree through obstacles and zip-lines.
Once you’re equipped, they will teach you how to operate your equipment and you’ll be able to swing through each course as many times as you want for 2.5 hours.
Each participant is outfitted with a harness and gloves. Each course has a continuous belay system — a lifeline that is impossible to detach without a staff member. The activity is self-guided, and the staff is ready to assist when needed.
Gloves are required for this activity. During this time, we encourage participants are encouraged to bring their own gloves to use while up in the trees. Gardening gloves are perfect for this activity.
Ticket prices are $64 for adults and $47 for youth (ages 7-11),
