By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
The Chester County Old Fiddlers’ Picnic
There are some events in the area that have been around longer than all but a few of Brandywine Valley’s most elderly citizens.
This week, there is a music festival that has been around for 95 years, an event that is celebrating its 77th anniversary this year and a folk festival that is turning 57 in 2025. There is also a folk/music festival which is celebrating its 35th birthday and a tour series that is in its 31st year.
Oh yeah – there is also the Kutztown Fair which is in the middle of celebrating its 154th anniversary.
The countdown has begun.
One of Chester County’s most popular annual events is edging closer to the century mark – just four years away.
The Chester County Old Fiddlers’ Picnic (Hibernia County Park, off Route 340, Wagontown, 610-383-2812, www.chesco.org/parks), which is scheduled for August 9, is celebrating its 96th anniversary this year.
Known originally as the “Chester and Delaware Counties’ Old Fiddlers’ Picnic,” the event began at Crystal Springs Park outside Parkesburg and later moved to Lenape Park, which is located just south of West Chester. When Lenape Park closed in 1980, Chester County Parks and Recreation offered to sponsor the Picnic at Hibernia County Park.
This year’s edition of the festival will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with Open Stage registration beginning at 9 a.m.
Beginning at 10 a.m., a constantly changing lineup of individuals and groups will take the stage and perform for the audience. Solo acts are allotted 10 minutes on stage while groups get as much as 20 minutes to perform.
The primary source of live entertainment will be the sounds emanating from the stage but there will also be plenty of other musical offerings throughout the park — especially Fiddlers’ Field.
In the wooded areas near the stage, there will be impromptu jams taking place throughout the day.
Musicians of all ages are invited to stroll along the lane and join in with other musicians to make fresh, live music of their own.
Guided tours of Hibernia Mansion, the 19th century Ironmasters’ home will be available at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. A donation of $3 per person is requested for the tour.
There will also be a large number of vendors with crafts, beverages and food items such as BBQ, sandwiches, ice cream, fries, funnel cakes, smoothies and more. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged. Tents, canopies and alcohol are prohibited.
There will be free admission and free parking. The rain date for the event is Sunday, August 10.
The Goschenhoppen Folk Festival (Henry Antes Plantation, Colonial Road, Upper Frederick Township, 215-234-8953, www.goschenhoppen.org) visits the past but also has a long history of its own. This year, the popular annual event celebrates its 57th anniversary.Attending the Goschenhoppen Folk Festival is like taking a trip way back in time — back to the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Goschenhoppen Historians presented the inaugural Goschenhoppen Folk Festival in East Greenville 53 years ago and it has steadily evolved into a cherished summer tradition in eastern Pennsylvania.
The festival, which honors the oldest existing Pennsylvania German community in the United States, maintains a strictly traditional atmosphere. There are no amusement games or rides, no commemorative t-shirts or beer mugs, no modern snacks, no ATM machines and no Wi-Fi.
This year’s festival, which is being held August 8 and 9, will feature several hundred craftsmen presenting live demonstrations of more than 150 skills of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Dressed in authentic costumes of the periods (many of which are loaned from the Historians’ extensive wardrobe), the participating artisans use authentic tools in recreating traditional home skills, trades, pastimes, foods and folk music.
The Historians also display the area’s largest collection of traditional foods, crafts, trades, music and folk itinerants.
There will be a variety of old-fashioned foods and Pennsylvania Dutch meals available for purchase at the festival — everything from full dinners to chow-chow and from red-beet eggs to faschnachts (doughnuts served with molasses).
The list of tasty beverages for sale includes raspberry shrub, lemonade and birch beer.
The 2025 Goschenhoppen Folk Festival, which has been honored as one of the premier non-commercial folk festivals in the country, will be staged on Friday from noon-8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Henry Antes Plantation.
Admission is $15 for adults ($22 for a two-day pass) and $4 for children (ages 6-15).
The Kutztown Fair (450 Wentz Street, Kutztown, kutztownfair.com), which is running through August 9, is a champion of longevity.It was back in 1905 that the Kutztown Fair Association was created, and the fairgrounds were moved to the current site.
For 34 years prior to that there were annual fairs held on grounds located on the south side of Kutztown in an area bounded by Whiteoak Street and Baldy Street.
Those fairs were organized and conducted by the Keystone Agricultural and Horticultural Society.
The current fair has everything you’d expect from a country festival — food, music, animals, crafts, contests and rides.
Gates open at 4 p.m. today and 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Tickets are $12 for adults and children over 36 inches.
Children under 36 inches are admitted free.
The “2025 Town Tours and Village Walks” (www.chescoplanning.org/Historic/TownTours) program has returned for its 31st year with the theme of “Untold Stories.”
This year’s programs will focus on people and places that are not the economic or social elite, war heroes, or celebrities.
The featured sites will represent the everyday citizens and places of Chester County that are the foundation of our history and heritage.
Featured sites include those connected to the Underground Railroad, the shift workers of our industries, educators, farmers, Revolutionary War soldiers, and more. Some of the sites featured this year include Barnard Station in Pocopson, Coatesville’s business district, charcoal production sites at Warwick County Park, and more.
The programs are free and held weekly, on Thursdays, now through August 21 at locations throughout Chester County
The event for August 14 will be “Hopewell Furnace NHS.”
The event will be a walk through the heart of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site.
For the decades the furnace operated, many people provided the labor and materials for its operation. The tour will focus on the lesser-known people that called the Furnace their job and home.
It will look at Colliers that made the charcoal, the drovers that shipped raw materials and finished goods, the school that served the village, and the families that lived there.
The Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association’s annual Thresherman’s Reunion, which is billed as “The Most Complete Steam & Gas Show in the East,” has become a cherished tradition in Pennsylvania Dutch country. It is not only a “complete show,” it is an old show — one of the oldest continually running events in the state.
This year’s Thresherman’s Reunion, which is being held from August 13-16 at the Rough and Tumble site (4977 Lincoln Highway East, Kinzers, 717-442-4249, www.roughandtumble.org), is the 77th annual staging of the event.
The daily schedule starts with breakfast at 7 a.m. at the R&T Multi-Purpose. The day’s activities include a saw mill in operation, a “Pageant of Threshing”, a shingle mill in operation, a “Parade of Power” and threshing machine demonstrations.
There will also be displays featuring steam traction engines, antique tractors, threshing machines, Hit & Miss Gas engines, two steam railroads, shingle mill, large gas engines, model engines, sawmill, barker fan, stone crusher, antique cars, stationary bailers, antique wagons and the “Stationary Steam Engine Museum”.
Daily tickets for the Reunion are $15 for adults and $10 for children (ages 6-12).
Bethlehem’s Musikfest (downtown Bethlehem, 610-332-1300, www.musikfest.org) is a special event — an event that is more than just another popular summertime festival in the Lehigh Valley.Over the years, Musikfest has established itself as one of America’s top annual music festivals an event that offers big name headliners as well as a wide variety of folk, rock, pop and ethnic music acts.
It also sports some impressive numbers.
The festival, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, features free music performances on most of its indoor and outdoor stages.
Musikfest, which is running now through August 10, presents more than 300 live musical performances and draws over one million people to the Lehigh Valley every August.
The main concert stage at Musikfest is the Sands Steel Stage which features national touring acts with tickets required for all shows.
This year’s main stage schedule has Third Eye Blind on August 8, Jordan Davis August 9 and The Black Keys on August 10.
There will also be a multitude of free concerts, but Musikfest is much more than just festival offering a wealth of music.
It also features interactive arts and theater activities for children along with a large number of concessions offering a wide array of food and beverage treats.
Anson B. Nixon Park (405 N Walnut Rd, Kennett Square, www.ansonbnixonpark.org) will celebrate the heart and soul of American music with the Second Annual Roots and Blues Festival on August 9.
The festival will be a one-day celebration of down-home blues, funky grooves — and local culture.
The family-friendly event is a natural attraction for music lovers of all ages to enjoy live performances by several top-tier blues acts.
The 2025 festival features a powerhouse lineup of regional blues favorites — Brother John, the Dukes of Destiny, Mikey Junior, Street Beans, Stevie and the Bluescasters and James Day & the Fish Fry.
Tickets for the Festival, which runs from 11:45 a.m. until dusk, are $40 and $45.
On August 8, Linvilla Orchards (137 W. Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com) will host its annual Peach and Sunflower Festival from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
More than 5,000 plants and eight different varieties of Sunflowers have been planted on the farm and now are creating a magical and breathtaking experience.
The day will be filled with Sunflower Selfies, Pick Your Own Peaches & other fresh fruits and vegetables, Hayrides, Face Painting, Train Rides, Fishing, Music, Games and more.
On August 10, Arasapha Farm (1835 Middletown Road, Glen Mills, Arasaphafarm.com) will present its “Sixth Annual Car Show.”
All vehicles are invited to participate in the event which runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
There is a $20 per vehicle fee and no pre-registration.
Gates open at 8 a.m. and registration ends at noon.
Dash plaques will be given to the first 100 vehicles and handmade trophies will be awarded to title winners.
There will also be a DJ, food trucks, 50/50 raffle, and a flea market featuring a wide array of vendors.
The event features free admission for spectators.
Hagley Museum and Library (Route 141, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org) presents a special event called “Science Saturday” on August 10.
Visitors of all ages are invited to discover solutions to science and engineering challenges. Science Saturdays are drop-in activities, so visitors are free to stop by at any time during the event hours – noon-4 p.m.
The program on August 9 will be “Science Saturday: River Rangers.”
Participants will be able to learn how to gauge the health of our local waterways by observing the variety of critters living in and around it.
Visitors of all ages are invited to discover solutions to science and engineering challenges. This is a drop-in activity and is included in admission.
Hagley will also host “Summer Saturdays at Hagley Museum on August 9 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
The featured attraction will be “Painting on the Brandywine.”
Participants can paint a watercolor scene of the beautiful Brandywine. Supplies will be provided.
Additionally, there will be a “Walking Tour” on August 11 at 11 a.m.
With the “Walking Tour,” participants can walk through history during an in-depth, 90-minute guided tour each Monday morning from March through December. This week’s topic is “Workers’ World.”
Hagley Museum and Library is the site of the gunpowder works founded by E. I. du Pont in 1802. This example of early American industry includes restored mills, a workers’ community, and the ancestral home and gardens of the du Pont family.
High on a bank of the Brandywine River overlooking the original powder mills, E. I. du Pont, founder of the DuPont Company, built his home. For almost a century the Georgian-style home and surrounding complex of buildings and gardens served as the center of family and business life. Five generations of du Pont family members lived in the house since its completion in 1803, each leaving their mark. Today you will see it much as it was when the last family member lived there, filled with furnishings and collections of American folk art, alongside treasured family pieces and items brought with the family from France when they left in 1799.
Admission is $20 for Adults, $16 for Seniors (62+) and Students, and $10 for Children 6-14.
The Schuylkill Banks Riverboat Tour (www.schuylkillbanks.org/events/riverboat-tours-1) presents “Secrets of the Schuylkill” now through October.
The boat ride is a one-hour family-friendly tour of Philly’s second biggest river featuring sights such as Bartram’s Garden and Fairmount Water Works.
Riders can discover the Hidden River on a fun and educational riverboat tour while seeing spectacular views of Philadelphia.
They can also learn about the past, present, and future of the tidal Schuylkill River and its impact on Philadelphia on a one-hour Secrets of the Schuylkill tour which costs $25 for adults and $15 for children (age 12 and under).
Tours depart from the Walnut Street Dock under the Walnut Street Bridge on the east bank of the Schuylkill River. Tours are scheduled for August 17, 21, 24 and 28 There will also be tours on September 14 and 28.
There are also numerous kayak and moonlight kayak tours scheduled throughout the summer.
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.
Guests are invited to visit the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden (Lansdowne Drive and Horticultural Drive, Philadelphia, www.japanesehouse.org) on August 9 for the 2025 “Obon Lantern Floating Ceremony – Mukaebi.”
Observed every August, Obon is a Buddhist festival welcoming home one’s ancestors.
Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia continues this important Shofuso tradition, to light lanterns and float them on Shofuso’s pond for Obon.
This night of remembrance and commemoration is dedicated to those no longer with us. Each registered participant will be able to choose if they would like to launch floating lanterns on Shofuso’s pond or simply observe the serenity of the experience.
Obon is a series of summer events in Japan based on Buddhist and ancestral worship that enshrine and celebrate the spirits of ancestors.
Typically, people return to their hometowns to celebrate Obon each year. Families gather, clean their graveyard and the shrine in their house, and light lanterns to welcome the spirits home.
Mukaebi is the welcoming fire and opening night of Obon.
After the spirits spend a few days with family, the Bon-Odori dancers form a circle under the lanterns to guide the spirits back to the otherworld. This is the Okuribi, or culmination of Obon when the ancestors are sent back to the spirit world.
The event on Saturday will start at 7:30 p.m.
The Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Wine Down” on Fridays now through September 2 from 6-9 p.m. each night.
Each session of “Wine Down” will feature Quizzo trivia games and there will be “Happy Hour Specials” from 5-7 p.m.
The event features seasonal wine slushies, PA craft beer, fresh mocktails, and the winery’s newest wine releases.
In addition to wine available by the glass, there will be food items available for purchase.
Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodswinery.com) is presenting a summer music series.
The winery will open at 11 a.m. each day and have matinee performances of live music.
There will be music by Ashley Sweetman on August 8 from 5-7 p.m., Joe Vandetty on August 9 from 2-5 p.m. and Nicole Zell on August 10 from 1-4 p.m.
You can get a look back at another era by attending an event called “Mill Demonstration Day” which will take place on August 9 at Mill at Anselma (1730 Conestoga Road, Chester Springs, 610-827-1906, http://anselmamill.org).
Visitors to the Mill will be able to meet Anselma’s miller and hear him talk about how the gears work and what they do. There will also be interesting technology tours that focus on how different parts of the 275-year-old mill work.
Additionally, there will be special interactive activities for the children — including learning how to sift flour. Kids will also have the opportunity to operate a pump on a smaller water wheel.
The event will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors (60 and older) and children (ages 4-14). Children (under 4) will be admitted free.
If you’re a fan of classic cars, you might want to check out the annual New Hope Car Show (New Hope-Solebury High School, Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-5665, www.newhopeautoshow.com) on August 9 and 10.
This year’s show celebrates the Volkswagen Bus.
Featured vehicles include Senior Cars, Vintage Antique, Cars of the 20s-30s, Cars of the 40s-50s, Cars of the 60s, Cars of the 70s, Cars of the 80s, Alfa Romeo, Antique Motorcycles, Antique Trucks, Austin Healey, BMW, Corvair, Auburn/Cord/Duesenberg/Pierce-Arrow/Packard, Corvette, Datsun/Nissan, DeLorean, Foreign Exotic, French Connection, High Performance Production, Historically Preserved Original, Jaguar, Lincoln Continental: Lincoln, Continental, Zephyr, and Lotus.
The huge line-up also includes Mercedes Benz, MG, Military Vehicles, Model “A” Fords, Model “T” Fords, Morgan, Mustang, Porsche, Professional Specialty Cars, Racing Cars-Domestic, Racing Cars-Foreign, Rolls-Royce/Bentley, Shelby, Specialty Class Cars, Studebaker, Thunderbird, Triumph, TVR, Viper, Volkswagen, and Woodies.
Because the show is conducted on school grounds, consumption of alcoholic beverages and the use of tobacco products in any form are strictly prohibited at all times.
Admission to the show is $10. Children under 12 accompanied by an adult are free as are active-duty military and their dependents. Parking is free.
Downtown Lititz Second Friday will be celebrated on August 8.
Downtown Lititz turns it up a notch on the second Friday of every month, all year long. The shops are open later — many with special offerings and entertainment.
Ample parking is available on the streets and in various lots.
The Lititz Rotary Craft Show, which is billed as one of the largest craft shows on the East Coast, will be held on August 9 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Visitors will be able to explore a variety of products and shops along Main and Broad Streets in downtown Lititz.
The West Chester Railroad (610-430-2233, www.wcrailroad.com) is running its “Summer Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through September 21 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 New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Grapevine Express” on August 9 and 10 at 5 p.m. each night.
Riders are invited to take part in a romantic “Wine and Cheese Excursion” and enjoy fine gourmet cheese, artisan crackers, meats, fruit, and our featured local wines. Additional Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic beverages are also available onboard.
Wine and cheese will be served to passengers as they travel along the same railroad line passengers did when it was built in 1891 connecting New Hope with Philadelphia. The journey travels through the beautiful hills and valleys of Bucks County, along once vital waterways and streams and across numerous trestle bridges.
The excursions will take place aboard one of the railroads lavish early 1900’s first-class parlor cars.
Tickets are $99 (Ages 21 and older only).
On August 9 and 10, the Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Secret Valley Expedition” at noon on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The tourist rail line’s two-hour expedition into Berks County features rides on meticulously restored century-old rail cars and visits to one of the most scenic and historic regions in the northeast.
This weekend, the Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Wine & Cheese Train” on August 8 and 9 at 4 and 6 p.m. each night and on August 10 at 5 p.m.
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 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.
This popular train is available on select Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the season. Tickets are $79.
If you like to look at model railroad layouts in addition to experiencing live trains, 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 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).
On August 10, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillphl.com) will present its “Annual Car & Hearse Show” starting at 10 a.m.
Mohnton Professional Car Club (MPCC) welcomes owners of any and all hearses, ambulances, flower cars, limousines, and other funeral service vehicles to participate in its Annual Service Car and Hearse Show, appropriately taking place on the grounds of Laurel Hill East.
This car show is unlike any other.
Vehicles will be on display until 4 p.m. and festivities will be taking place throughout the day.
Event entry is free and open to the public.
The Cemetery will also present “Hot Spots & Storied Plots” on August 9 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.
Mike Lewandowski, an experienced graveyard guide, will offer guests an insightful perspective on beautiful art, scenic nature, and fascinating history.
The expansion of Fairmount Park in the 1860s prevented further growth of Laurel Hill East, and in 1869 Laurel Hill West Cemetery was established just across the river in Bala Cynwyd. This walking tour provides a wonderful overview of Laurel Hill West’s long and colorful history, including its architectural artistry, stunning trees and horticulture, and the stories of residents that encompass diverse and fascinating Philadelphia history.
This weekend, Glen Foerd (5001 Grant Avenue, Philadelphia, https://www.glenfoerd.org/events) is presenting its “Second Saturday Guided Tour.”
Visitors can get insight into the rich history of Glen Foerd with a guided tour of the Main House and grounds. This engaging and relaxing walk will provide insight into local history while connecting guests to the natural space of the Delaware River watershed.
They can learn how this area of Philadelphia has developed from the Lenape to the Gilded Age and get a glimpse of the two families that called Glen Foerd home from 1850 to 1971.
Tickets are $10 for the event which will run from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Glen Foerd is an 18-acre public park and historic site located along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Built in 1850 and enlarged in 1902-03, the estate, which features consisting of historic gardens, an Italianate-Classical Revival style mansion, and multiple additional structures, was saved from potential development through the activism of dedicated neighbors in 1983.
Today, Glen Foerd focuses on welcoming a diverse community through a wide array of programs for all ages.
Every Saturday in August, Pottsgrove Manor is presenting “Open House Days.”
Visitors can see something new every Saturday as Pottsgrove Manor highlights items from the collection and welcomes Living History activities throughout the day. They will be able to discover the ins-and-outs of 18th century items with the curator and learn about the trades and skills of the past with living history interpreters.
The themed Open House Days are: August 9 – Blacksmithing demonstrations with P.C. Janusz Historical Blacksmith; August 16 – Historic foodways demonstrations; August 23 – Music from the 18th century with musician Betsy Chapman; August 30 – Colonial fun and games!
Pottsgrove Manor’s staff and living history volunteers will demonstrate 18th-century trades, crafts, and pastimes. Many of the audience-friendly events are interactive.
This event also features free admission with a $2 suggested donation.
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tour” on August 10.
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.
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 2025 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/.
Visitors have been flocking all summer to Kennett Square to enjoy the “Festival of Fountains” at Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, www.longwoodgardens.org).
The “Festival of Fountains” will run until September 28.
Longwood Gardens’ Open Air Theatre and Italian Water Garden fountains are popular attractions as are the Square Fountain, Round Fountain (Flower Garden Walk), Sylvan Fountain (Peirce’s Park), and Children’s Corner fountains.
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.
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.
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.
Admission to Nemours is $23 for adults, $21 for seniors and $10 for children.
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.
There will be several “Self-Guided Museum Tours of Rockwood” this weekend at Rockwood Park & Museum (4651 Washington Street Extension, Wilmington, DE, www.newcastlede.gov/431/Rockwood-Park-Museum).
Visitors can explore the grandeur, history and beauty of the Rockwood Mansion, home of the Shipley, Bringhurst and Hargraves families for 120 years.
These tours, which will be held on August 8 and 9 from noon-4 p.m. each day, emphasize the magnificent mansion interiors and stories of the families that lived there.
This self-guided alternative allows you to enjoy Rockwood your own way. This tour invites you to explore the first and second floors of the museum at your own pace. Additionally, staff and signage will be nearby to answer any questions.
Tours involves stairs. Reservations are suggested. Tickets for the self-guided tour are $10.
Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden (1829 East County Line Road, Villanova, stoneleighgarden.org/garden/home/) will present a “Home and Garden Tour” on August 9 at 10:30 a.m.
Formerly a Main Line country estate, Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden opened to the public in 2018.
Dazzling displays of native plants, ancient trees, landscape designs by the Olmsted Brothers, and myriad habitats are highlighted on this guided exploration of Stoneleigh.
This tour will highlight the transition from beloved family home to public garden through a guided exploration of breathtaking historical landscapes, majestic trees, and the more than 2,000 varieties of native plants.
Guests can learn how the staff created gardens that are beautiful, biodiverse, and beneficial to wildlife.
Tickets for the tour are $15.
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.
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).
On August 9, the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum (8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, www.fws.gov/refuge/John_Heinz) will present “Summer Wildlife Photowalk with Ned Levi.”
Wildlife Photowalks are designed to photograph all kinds of wildlife including birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, insects, wildflowers, etc., while learning how to do it well and avoid wildlife photography pitfalls.
A desire to make great wildlife images, and a good camera and lens are all that’s needed, though a lens with an effective focal length of at least 200mm to 300mm is very helpful.
This walk will begin at the Rt. 420 entrance parking lots. No registration required.
On August 10, there will be a “Bird, Butterfly, and Dragonfly Walk with Cliff and Nancy Hence.”
Visitors can take an educational walk with knowledgeable volunteers Cliff and Nancy Hence. They can discover the 300+ species of birds that use the Refuge during their migration routes – each week guarantee different species. Along the way, they will also be looking out for the many species of butterflies and dragonflies of the refuge.
Another venue where you can get close to nature 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” on August 2at 11 a.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.
Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $18 for adults and $10 for teens (ages 12-17) and Military with valid ID.
There are many historical/horticultural sites in the area which are great places to visit – sites with indoor options like historic houses and museums and outdoor options such as beautiful gardens and rewarding nature walks.
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.
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.
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).
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) is enjoying its 45th Birthday Celebration this year.
The park is adorned with colorful garland, bright balloons, fabulous birthday presents and more fun décor. The fantastic, new Sesame Street Birthday Parade makes its debut and this colorful and musical parade will get the whole family dancing with contemporary and classic Sesame Street tunes, show-stopping performances, and an interactive birthday song. Everyone can dance, groove and sing along at the Furry Friends Birthday Dance Party, enjoy a Birthday-themed story time and get one-of-a-kind photos with everyone’s furry friends in their fabulous new birthday attire. Everyone’s invited to help us celebrate 45 years of furry fun this year at Sesame Place.
Ticket prices for Sesame Place start at $42.99.
