What To Do: The last big weekend of summer beckons

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

Summer 2025 seemed to zip by more quickly than summers in recent years.

Whatever caused it, summer came and went with rapid speed.

Hard as it is to believe, we’ve arrived at Labor Day Weekend — the weekend when summer unofficially draws to a close.

Even though the official end of summer arrives later in the month (September 22 is the autumnal equinox when fall officially begins), summer is already over for some because the new school year has already begun.

One thing that will never change about the Labor Day Weekend is the longevity of the annual events staged on the last holiday weekend of the summer.

Many of the area’s annual Labor Day Weekend events have been held continuously for 40 years or longer.

The Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show (Routes 100 and 401, Bucktown, 610-458-3344, www.ludwigshorseshow.com) is in elevated status near the top of the list of the Chester County’s longest-running annual Labor Day Weekend events.

The show, which is held at Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds, has passed its diamond anniversary. The 2025 edition of the show, which is the 82nd annual staging of the event, will be held August 30-September 1 at its long-time site in the northern part of Chester County.

The three-day event will feature a variety of fun activities. Families can enjoy rides, vendors, face-painting, hayrides, live music, games, food concessions and children’s games. There will also be a large number of booths with representatives of groups that are involved in the preservation of open space.

The very first Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show was staged in 1943 as a small show to raise money for local scout troops. It featured just 88 horses. Now, it is a very large show with over 400 horses competing for three days in both hunter and jumper classes.

The featured equestrian event is the Lexus Jumper Mini-Prix competition. Other competitions will feature dressage, cones and cross country — and more than $3,000 in prize money.

The horse show features a number of special events including a country fair, a carriage parade, pie-eating contests, a costumed pet parade, Creepy Crawlers Big & Small, a “Mounted Parade of Hounds,” the Thorncroft Mainstreamers, hayrides, an antique tractor show, Silkie’s Farm Alpacas, “Pioneer Games” and amusement rides.

The show will run from 8 a.m.-dusk each day. Tickets are $10 a carload.

There is a festival in northern Delaware that sailed past the century mark more than a decade ago.

It’s the Arden Town Fair (The Village of Arden, 2126 The Highway, Arden, Delaware, 302-475-3126, www.ardenclub.org) which is celebrating its 117th anniversary this year. It will be held on August 30 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

The well-attended holiday event has many popular features such as delicious homemade baked goods, the Library Gild’s used book sale, more than 120 vendors of handmade crafts and jewelry, children’s games and rides and the antiques and collectibles market with more than 50 dealers.

Other attractions at the fair are the food court, pony rides, the dunk booth, booths selling plants from the Gardeners Gild, dance demonstrations, the popular Beer Garden with continuous live entertainment and the Holistic Expo at the Buzz Ware Village Center.

The Fair’s lineup of live music in the Shady Grove this year includes Diamond State Concert Band, Skyler Cumbia & Sam Nobles, Bullette, Hoss/Boggs, The Brandywine Riders, Carly Simmons, Last Northern Tribe and The Sugar Maples.

The event features free admission and free shuttle buses from the Hanby YMCA Camp.

Cirque Italia hasn’t been around for decades, but it does draw from circus traditions that date back well over a century.

This weekend, the Exton Square Mall (260 Exton Square Parkway, Exton, cirqueitalia.com/Water-Circus-Gold) is hosting “Cirque Italia Water Circus: Gold” from August 29-31.

Vivid, dramatic and entirely European, Cirque Italia is known for its jaw-dropping acrobatics, immersive visual storytelling and animal-free performances.

The traveling troupe’s Water Circus transforms the big top into a shimmering futuristic water fountain, featuring a dazzling 35,000-gallon water stage and plenty of laser-lit aquatic twirling.

The show will include jugglers, high-flying acrobats, a Wheel of Death contortionists, and other impressive feats of human artistry.

The circus’ stage holds 35,000 gallons of water and features a dynamic lid which lifts 35 feet into the air, allowing water to fall like rain from above as fountains dazzle below.

This incredible show takes place under “Grande Tenta” — the circus’ majestic white and blue big top tent which came all the way from Italy.

Cirque Italia is a European style circus show with no animals and a Las Vegas style water show. It’s a water spectacular similar to a smaller-scale Bellagio fountain show.

With more than 30 artists, chosen in rigorous auditions from around 25 different countries, Cirque Italia delivers high-end entertainment at an affordable cost to nearly two million people in about 50 cities each year.

This incredible show takes place under “Grande Tenta” — the circus’ majestic white and blue big top tent which came all the way from Italy.

Manuel Rebecchi, Cirque Italia’s owner and founder, has a deep-seeded history in the circus industry. His late aunt, Moira Orfei, ran one of the largest circus shows in Europe.

When Rebecchi came to the states several years ago, he wanted to create something special and memorable. He was actually inspired to create the water stage while drinking a bottle of water one day.

Video link for “Cirque Italia Water Circus: Gold” — https://youtu.be/TWRFIhHzAWA.

Ticket prices start at $15.

Back to the “Oldies But Goodies” with events like Duryea Day and the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival.

Having been around for more than a half-century, Duryea Day has established itself as one of Boyertown’s most popular annual events.

This year, Duryea Day (Boyertown Community Park, Second and Madison streets, Boyertown, 610-367-2090, www.boyertownmuseum.org) is celebrating its 59th year with another top-flight “Antique and Classic Car Show.”

The one-day event, which is hosted by the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles, serves as a showcase for antique and classic cars and trucks of all types.

This year, it will be held on August 30 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the scenic park in downtown Boyertown.

Duryea Day was created as a tribute to local automobile pioneer Charles Duryea, who started building automobiles in Reading more than a century ago. Duryea was making automobiles long before most people in the area had even seen a car.

A Labor Day Weekend tradition, the “Antique and Classic Car Show” draws exhibitors from all over the Mid-Atlantic region with an amazing array of collector cars, antique trucks, hot rods, vintage motorcycles, custom cars and special interest vehicles.

Visitors have the opportunity to get up-close looks at a number of automobiles they probably have never seen before — cars made by long-defunct companies such as Franklin, Winton and Peerless. There will also be displays of timeless classics like the Ford “Model T.”

The auto show will feature awards in the following categories – Antique Pre-War Car, Antique Post-War Car, Antique Commercial Truck, Street Machine, Antique Pickup Truck, Street Rod, Antique Motorcycle and Antique Sports Car.

In addition to the car show, Duryea Day also features live entertainment, food and beverage vendors, a 50/50 drawing, a “car corral” and an auto flea market. There will also be a variety of entertainment and special activities for children.

Admission to Boyertown Park for Duryea Day is $10 for adults and free for children (ages 6-12).

Visitors to Duryea Day can take advantage of complimentary admission to the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles. A special trolley will make continuous loops between the park and the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles until 4 p.m.

The Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival (Salem County Fair Grounds, Route 40, Woodstown, New Jersey, 302-321-6466, www.delawarevalleybluegrass.org) has also been on the Labor Day Weekend schedule for a long, long time.

This weekend, the highly popular annual music event, which runs from August 29-31, will celebrate its 53rd anniversary. The festival will feature three days of old-time music – the kind of music that takes you back to a bygone era and makes you feel good.

The event was first held on Labor Day Weekend in 1972 in Glasgow, Delaware and was known as the Delaware Bluegrass Festival. It remained in Delaware through 1989 and moved to its current location in 1990.

Live music at this year’s festival will start on August 29 with The Del McCoury Band, Danny Paisley &
The Southern Grass, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Dom Flemons and Lonesome River Band.

The lineup for August 30 features Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Appalachian Road Show, East Nash Grass, The Malpass Brothers and Foghorn String Band.

On August 31, live music will be provided by Authentic Unlimited, J2B2 – John Jorgensen Bluegrass Band, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, Country Current, Martha Spencer & the Wonderland Band and Kids’ Academy.

Ticket prices start at $60.

Another really, really old annual event in the area is the Labor Day Volksfest at the Cannstatter Volksfest Verein (9130 Academy Road, Philadelphia, http://cannstatter.org/).

Held every year since 1873, the Cannstatter Volksfest is the nation’s oldest German festival and one of Philadelphia’s longest-running Labor Day Weekend events.

The 153rd annual staging of the festival, which is running from August 30-September 1, features tasty German food items such as Weisswurst, Bratwurst, Leberkaese, Heisser Leberkäse, Kartoffel-Salat, Schnitzel, Maultaschen, Spätzle, Pflaumenkuchen, Zwetschgenkuchen and, of course, Frankfurters.

One of the most popular sites at the fair will be the biergarten which will have an attractive variety of great-tasting German beer on tap.

The Volksfest is a family-oriented event that has amusement rides, games and an array of activities for every age group. There will be German music and dancing, souvenir booths, German traditional singing and vendors with German clothing.

The Volksfest will have live music each day with a roster of acts that includes GTV Almrausch Schuplattlers, Altweibermühle (Old Ladies Mill), Don Bitterlich, Die Heimatklaenge and MountainXpress.

Admission is $10 for one day, $15 for two-day pass, and $20 for three-day pass. Children under 12 will be admitted free.

The 59th Annual Polish Festival the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa (654 Ferry Road, Doylestown, 215-345-0600, www.czestochowa.us) is being held from August 30-September 1 again on September 6 and 7.

Visitors to the festival will be able to feast on such Polish delicacies as kielbasa, pierogies, placki, holubki and chruschicki. There will also be several beer booths on the grounds.

The festival will feature rides, games, a “Polish Wedding & Dozynki,” “Medieval & WWII Polish Living History Groups” and a full slate of Polish music and polka bands.

Admission to the festival is $15 per person.

When it comes to festivals in North America, the Allentown Fair (17th and Chew Street, Allentown, www.allentownfairpa.org) is without a doubt one of the oldest – if not the oldest.

It’s an event that has been drawing large crowds ever since ’52 – that’s 1852.

The popular Allentown Fair was first staged in October 1852 when the Lehigh County Agricultural Society held its first fair. The huge annual fair in Allentown is still one of the state’s premier late-summer attractions.

Now known as “The Great Allentown Fair”, the 2025 edition runs now through September 1. It will be the fair’s 173rd anniversary this year.

The Allentown Fair is a fun-filled event that spans generations and appeals to people of all ages. The multi-day event at the Allentown Fairgrounds features thousands of farm, garden and home exhibits and competitions along with thrill rides, amusement games, variety acts, international food and some of the top entertainers currently on tour.

The Grandstand Stage’s 2025 schedule features Kane Brown on August 29, Ace Frehely, Great White and Quiet Riot on August 30, Gabriel Iglesias on August 31 and J&J Demolition Derby on September 1.

The fair’s list of daily entertainment attractions also includes Magic on the Farm, Scott Wagstaff Puppetry and Ventriloquism, Dialed Action BMX Stunt Show, FLIPPENOUT Trampoline Show, Glenn Miller—The BIG One Man Band, The Flying Wallendas, “Robinson’s Pig Paddling Porkers,” “Squawk! The Amazing Bird Show,” Moodonna, and “4-H Barnyard Zoo.”

As always, amusement games and rides are one of the fair’s main attractions. This year, the Great Allentown Fair will again feature thrilling rides and games of skill and chance presented by Powers and Thomas Midway Entertainment.

There will also be a wide array of agricultural competitions and exhibits each day at the fair.

Tickets are $10 for adults and children under 12 admitted free.

Another popular event just outside the Philadelphia Metro area is the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (Mount Hope Estate and Winery grounds, Route 72, Cornwall, www.parenfaire.com).

This year’s 45th annual staging of the event, which bills itself as “the most wondrous event in all the Knowne World,” is running now through October 26.

The festive annual event features authentic Elizabethan food and drink, traditional crafts from the guildsmen of yore and old-time games of skill — and a cast of hundreds of colorfully costumed re-enactors.

Every summer, the Faire, which takes place at Mount Hope Estate and Winery’s authentic 35-acre recreation of a 16th-century village in Olde England, features a new story from a different year of England’s past. This year’s Faire will take you back in time to the year 1558.

More than 70 shows are scheduled throughout each day on the Faire’s numerous stages.

Without a doubt, the most popular attraction is the Jousting Arena. Visitors to the Faire flock to Bosworth Field whenever it’s time for the Ultimate Joust. Peasants lead cheers for their favorite knights while musicians pound out a heart-thumping beat. The Master of the List announces the combatants and soon an encounter of royal proportions ensues.

The Faire offers a wide variety of activities for visitors, including listening to bagpipe music, checking out handsome Lords in their colorful silks, watching a jester’s acrobatics, learning how to juggle, being the recipient of a gypsy woman’s flirtations and watching the march of Beefeater Guards.

Guildsmen’s Way is the area that features a large variety of merchants and artisans, including jewelers, candle makers, potters, herbalists, leather smiths, clothiers, and pewter makers — all offering for sale and demonstrating their ancient wares.

And there are more than 20 Royal Kitchens located around the faire with menus featuring a wide variety of food and beverages.

Each week, there are themed weekends. On August 30 and 31, it will be “Heroes & Villains.”

In a world where the forces of light and dark battle, guests can join the Shire of Mount Hope in saluting all the Heroes of the Realm!

Single-day tickets are available at the gate for $34.95. For children (age 5-11) single-day tickets are available at the gate and online for $18.95.

The 47th Annual Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival (www.longspark.org/art-festival) runs from August 29-31 at Long’s Park in downtown Lancaster (1441 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster).

The 37th Annual Heart of Lancaster County Arts and Crafts Show (www.hlcshow.com) is scheduled to take place on August 30 and 31 at Root’s Market (705 Graystone Road, Manheim).

More than 200 fine artists and artisans representing 30 states were selected through a juried process for inclusion in this year’s show at scenic Long’s Park, an 80-acre park in the center of Lancaster. All proceeds benefit the free Long’s Park summer entertainment series.

A large contingent of artisans will be selling their wares and demonstrating their crafts each day at Long’s Park. The show will feature an array of categories, including drawing, glass, paper, musical instruments, ceramics, leather, printmaking, wearable fiber, mixed media, precious jewelry, painting, metal, decorative fiber, photography, sculpture, toys and wood.

The “Susquehanna Style Bistro” at Long’s Park will offer guests a tasty selection of food from some of the region’s finest restaurants and caterers. The selection of salads, pastas, sandwiches, seafood and desserts will be complemented by a selection of fine wines, craft beers and special mimosas.

The festival will also present live entertainment all three days.

Festival hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets are $15 – free for those 25-and-under.

The Heart of Lancaster Arts and Craft Show is celebrating its 37th anniversary this year — and its 11th anniversary as a two-day event. This year’s show will feature a roster of more than 200 artists and fine craftsmen from all around the East.

This juried event features a wide variety of traditional, primitive, and contemporary art and crafts. Importantly, all the items on display at this show are hand-crafted by the artists. The event also offers an array of crafts demonstrations.

There will be vendors with a wide variety of food and beverage items at the event, which is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. each day.

One of the nicest attractions offered by the Heart of Lancaster Arts and Craft Show is free admission for all.

The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, phillyexpocenter.com) is hosting the ambitious Dream Asia Food Fest from August 30-September 1.

Dream Asia isn’t just a food fest– it’s a full-blown celebration of Asia’s rich and diverse cultures.

The event is transforming the Greater Philadelphia Fairgrounds into a different world with more than 90 Asian food vendors, live music and family-friendly fun — all with capped prices, so you can try more, spend less, and savor it all.

The wide array of food vendors will be serving up the best of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Bengali, Vietnamese, Filipino, Indian, and more.

The Non-Food Vendors will feature an assortment of handmade crafts, clothing, and culture-rich merchandise.

There will be live performances and various cultural acts happening all weekend.

There will also be interactive activities for all ages including tea ceremonies, lion dances, and hands-on workshops.

The Fair is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. each day.

Tickets are $12 with kids 10 and under admitted free.

Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) is celebrating the holiday weekend with a Labor Day Soirée on August 30 and 31.

Featured menu offerings are Cucumber Spritz (featuring Revivalist Gin and CFW Sparkling White) and White Sangria Wine Slushies.

The participating food trucks will be Natalie’s Fine Foods and Federal Donuts on Saturday and Mini Millie’s Pasta Cart and Cousins Maine Lobster on Sunday.

The live music schedule will feature Acoustic Keys from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday and Dan Rendine from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday.

Admission is free with only walk-in seating available.

Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodswinery.com) is presenting “Labor Day Weekend at the Vineyard” from August 29-September 1.

The winery is celebrating the holiday with a four-day weekend of live music, special drinks and incredible vineyard views.

Guests can kick off the weekend’s festivities on Friday at the winery’s “Yappy Hour” featuring great specials for you and your canine buddies.

Visitors can enjoy two special drinks throughout the weekend – “My Pup of Tea” (made with homegrown mint, fresh squeezed lemonade, black tea and Willow White, garnished with a dried lemon wheel) and “Tail Chaser” (a specialty mocktail with Swarmbustin’ Honey, fresh grapefruit juice, topped with ginger beer and a cube of crystalized ginger).

The live music schedule features Noah Richardson from 5-7:30 p.m. on Friday, Chris Despofrom 1-4 p.m. on Sunday and Bill Hake from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday and 1-4 p.m. on Monday.

The West Chester Railroad (www.wcrailroad.com) is running its “Summer Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through September 18.

There will be one excursion each day at noon.

Passengers can enjoy a 90-minute round trip train ride from West Chester to Glen Mills and return on a warm summer afternoon. Riders are invited to pack a lunch to enjoy during excursion’s stop at the Glen Mills train station picnic grove.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for children (2-12) and free for children (under two).

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 28 and 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.