What To Do: ‘Fall’ into fun fairs and festivals

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

We’re now moving into the season of fall fairs and food festivals.

The Chester County Restaurant Festival (Gay Street and downtown area, West Chester, https://westchesterpa.myrec.com/info) has been treating visitors to the borough with the opportunity to sample a wide variety of gourmet treats for more than 40 years.

This year, the free festival, which will be held on September 21 in downtown West Chester, is a party – a 44th birthday party.

Many of the area’s top restaurants — more than 50 altogether — will have booths where visitors can purchase samples of a mouth-watering array of culinary delights and gourmet food items. There will be more than 100 vendor booths featuring arts and crafts, three stage areas for live music and the “Beer and Wine Garden” where patrons can sit and relax with a pint of refreshing brew.

The Restaurant Festival will take place from noon-5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The layout is: Gay Street between Matlack and Darlington streets; Walnut Street between Market Street and Prescott Alley; High Street between Market and Chestnut streets; and Church Street between Market and Chestnut streets.

The 48th Annual Greek Affair at St. Luke’s Greek Orthodox Church (35 North Malin Road, Broomall, 610-353-1592, www.st-luke.org) is running now through September 21 — 4-10 p.m. on Friday, 11a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday and noon-8 p.m. on Sunday.

The free festival focuses on food — tasty Greek main dishes such as moussaka (eggplant dish), shish-ka-bob (meat and vegetables on skewers) and placki (fish) and Greek dessert treats including baklava (phyllo, nuts and honey) and kataifi (shredded wheat and nuts).

Other activities at the free popular annual event are midway rides, vendors with crafts and Greek items, live music by Greek-American bands and folk dancing demonstrations. Additionally, the Taverna will be open from 9 p.m.-midnight on Friday and Saturday.

The Delaware Saengerbund’s Oktoberfest (Saengerbund festival grounds, 49 Salem Church Road, Newark, Delaware, www.delawaresaengerbund.org) is running from September 19-21.

The Delaware Saengerbund’s festival is a traditional Munich-style Oktoberfest featuring a wide array of tasty German food delicacies, including Bratwurst, Weisswuurst, soft pretzels, Rollmops (marinated herring served with rye bread), Kartoffelsalad (potato salad), sauerkraut as well as dessert items such as Torten and traditional plum cake.

On September 19, the opening parade will be held at 7 p.m. The lid-lifting event features the “Muenchner Kindl” (Munich Child — the symbol of the city of Munich) who is dressed in brown monk’s garb with golden stripes, similar to that of the Benedictine order (founders of the City of Munich).

The “Enzian Volkstanzgruppe”, the Bavarian dance group of the Delaware Saengerbund, will entertain throughout the three days of the festival.

When the EVTG is not dancing, German music will be performed. The Saengerbund’s Haus Band, the Enzian Musikanten, will open the festival each day with its performance.

There will also be concessions with an array of imported German gifts and souvenirs, as well as Oktoberfest souvenirs and Bavarian specialty clothes. Included in the admission price of $10 are unlimited free amusement rides.

Hours are 5-11 p.m. on Friday, noon-11 p.m. on Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday.

On September 20, the Marcus Hook Preservation Society is presenting its 17th Annual Pirate Festival from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at 4 East Delaware Street in Marcus Hook (http://www.marcushookps.org/piratefestival.php).

The festival on Saturday includes a full pirate encampment with period tents, demonstrations and pirates showcasing their wares, firearms, cannons and beer making.

The park area will feature games, food, live pirate music, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, crafters, beer garden and more. All funds raised during this event go towards the ongoing restoration project of the historic Plank House, aka “Blackbeard’s Mistress’ House.”

The Marcus Hook Preservation Society are the owners and caretakers of this one-of-a-kind plank log house.

There will also be a 15th anniversary concert from 5-7 p.m. featuring Big Package.

Whether you’re a faerie, pirate, gnome, princess, super hero, troll or kid, you are invited to enjoy games, stories, enchanted crafts, costume parades, and children’s museum tours at the Faerie Festival at Rockwood Museum and Park (4651 Washington Street Extension, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-395-5652, http://www.nccde.org/737/Faerie-Fest).

The event, which will be held on September 21 from noon-4 p.m., also features food trucks, merchants selling festive wares, and visits from special guests such as the Fairy Queen and other magical surprise guests!

Free activities include face painting, bubbles, bounce house, art on the rocks, story time, museum tours for children, costume parades, crafts, and performances by the First State Ballet Theatre, Drama Kids Delaware, Delaware Children’s Theater, Wilmington Drama League and music legends Pieces of A Dream.

Each September, “Pumpkinland” returns to Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com). “Pumpkinland,” which runs through November 2, features fairy tale characters from nursery rhymes along with a huge scarecrow and a really tall storybook.

Other activities include train rides, a straw bale maze, hayrides, pick-your-own apples and pony rides.

There will also be “Harvest Hayrides” and “Autumn Moon Hayrides” starting later in September along with “Straw Bale Maze,” “Train Rides,” “Corn Maze” and “Pony Rides.”

Pumpkinland is open from mid-September through early November and takes center stage at Linvilla Orchards. Larger-than-life figures and scarecrows illustrate the legends and lore of the harvest season, featuring local history and some of the many stories of pumpkins and apples.

See our piles of pumpkins in all colors, shapes and sizes – more than 100 tons on display.

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herry Crest Adventure Farm in Ronks (150 Cherry Hill Road, Ronks, 717-687-6843, www.cherrycrestfarm.com) is hosting a “Cider Donut Fall Festival” on September 20.

Whether you’re a kid or just young at heart, the Cider Donut Fall Festival promises a day packed with laughter, adventure, and, most importantly, mouthwatering delights.

Visitors can embrace the crisp autumn air as they enjoy a variety of treats, from our classic cider donuts to innovative donut creations that will tempt taste buds.

Festival highlights include delicious Cider Donut “Specialty Treats,” Cider Donut Eating Contest, Donut games and activities, Special Donut Photo Ops, beverages from Raney Cellars Brewing and live music by Local Honey and Mitch Gregory.

The event will run from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. with a fireworks display at 8:30 p.m.

One of the most popular annual events at the Hagley Museum and Library (Route 141, Wilmington, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org) is the Hagley Car Show.

The historic site, which is located in Delaware just a few miles south of Kennett Square, will host its 2025 Car Show on September 21 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Visitors to the show will be able to browse the site and check out more than 500 antique and restored cars that date from the early 1900s-1980s.

This year’s theme, “Pony Cars,” which features compact, sporty, highly styled coupés or convertibles. Three special “feature fields” highlight dozens of cars celebrating this year’s theme.

The show features vehicle parade, motoring music, and a food court.

While at the Car Show, visitors can stop by the exhibition “Du Ponts Down the Road” in the 1844 Hagley Barn.

The exhibition features historic vehicles created from 1890 to 1941 and ranging from a horse-drawn carriage to an early electric car to a WWII Era Indian Motorcycle—all owned and used by members of the du Pont family. Highlights of the new exhibition include a 1918 Cadillac and a 1928 DuPont Motors Model G Phaeton.

Tickets for the Car Show are $30 per carload (up to eight guests).

The 33rd Annual Radnor Fall Festival (www.radnorfallfestival.com) is scheduled for September 21.

The event will be held from noon-4 p.m. on North Wayne Avenue and West Avenue in the center of Wayne between

Lancaster Avenue and the Wayne train station.

It will feature participation by local merchants, service providers and restaurants. Activities include street performances by local bands, dancers from local dances studios, amusement booths, face painting and carnival rides.

The Kitchen Kettle Village’s “Tailgating Festival” is scheduled for September 19 and 20 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. each day at Kitchen Kettle Village (3529 Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse, 800-732-3538, http://www.kitchenkettle.com).

Visitors are invited to celebrate the autumn tailgating and harvest season with a two-day food festival full of food, music, sports and fun.

Every year Kitchen Kettle Village pays tribute to tailgating season with a two-day food festival filled with delicious and fun events.

There are plenty of activities for young and old, families and couples alike. This year, visitors can see Lancaster County Non-Profit themed scarecrows throughout the village and vote for their favorite.

Guests can savor a tasty sample of homemade tailgate foods at one of the grills or restaurants and tap their toes to a Dixieland Band or other live music.

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 1590.

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 beverage.

The special themed weekend this week is “Shamrocks and Shenanigans.”

Single-day tickets are available at the gate for $38.95. For children (age 5-11) single-day tickets are available at the gate and online for $20.95.

The Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is always one of the most popular spots around when it hosts “Day Out With Thomas.”

There is a mutual love affair between kids and Thomas the Tank Engine and it’s especially evident when Thomas gets up-close and personal with his fans during his visits to the Strasburg Railroad.

Every year, the steam locomotive named Thomas makes several visits to Lancaster County where he entertains enthusiastic children and their parents. The locomotive, which has its own PBS television series, will return to Strasburg for “Day Out With Thomas” now through September 21.

For more than 50 years, Thomas the Tank Engine and his Island of Sodor friends have been favorites of preschoolers and their parents. Based on “The Railway Series” (classic stories authored by a father who loved trains and wanted a shared experience with his son), “Thomas & Friends” has evolved into a rite of passage that inspires imagination.

Fans will be able to get personal with Thomas the Tank Engine, a full-sized operating steam locomotive who will be talking for the first time ever. And they will also be able to ride a train pulled by Thomas and meet the locomotive’s buddy Percy.

Tickets for “Day Out With Thomas,” which are $28, include the train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, as well as a variety of Thomas & Friends themed entertainment such as storytelling, video viewing, temporary tattoos of Island of Sodor friends and an Imagination Station.

All tickets must be pre-purchased online.

The Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Show, one of the city’s top craft fairs, is scheduled for this weekend. Now through September 21, the Fine Arts Show will have with top-caliber vendors lining the streets all around Rittenhouse Square (18th and Walnut streets, Philadelphia, http://www.rittenhousesquareart.com/).]

Founded by artists in 1928, and run by a board of artists today, the Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show is the oldest outdoor art show in the country.  Steeped in rich history and tradition, there is absolutely no other show like it.

Twice a year, professional artists from across the nation — and occasionally from other countries — convene in the scenic park in Center City to share their art with Philadelphia right here in Rittenhouse Square.

T

he Fine Arts Show, which is free and open to the public, will focus on hand-crafted jewelry, contemporary furniture, functional and decorative pottery, designer clothing, fine porcelain, blown glass, limited edition photography, sculpture, paintings, watercolors, oils, graphite and pastels.

Fair hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free. Street and garage parking is readily available.

The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, 484-754-EXPO, http://www.phillyexpocenter.com) is hosting two attractive events this weekend –   the Philadelphia Sportscard & Memorabilia Show and the Navrati Festival of Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Sportscard & Memorabilia Show is running from September 19-21 at the Greater Expo Center.

Some of the featured guests are Reggie Jackson, Fletcher Cox, Wade Boggs, Steve Garvey, John Kruk and Warren Moon.

The show will feature dealers from all over the country who will be selling a wide array of sports-related items such as game-used equipment, autographed balls, posters, magazine, game programs and autographed pictures – and plenty of Philadelphia sports memorabilia. Visitors can also find a huge selection of collectors’ supplies including protective sheets, binders, ball protectors and display cases.

Another major focus of the show will be trading cards — especially baseball cards. All sports will be represented, including football, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, wrestling, Olympics and UFC.

Show hours are 3-8 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday.

Admission to the show is $15 at the door. Children (10-and-under) are admitted free with a paying adult.

The Navrati Festival of Philadelphia will be held on September 19 and 20 at 8:30 p.m. each day.

The event is billed as “Largest Navrati Festival of Philadelphia 2025.” It features two nights of garba.

Garba is a circle dance performed by Hindus in Gujarat, India, during Navratri festival. It is a symbol of life, time, and the feminine divinity Amba, and is influenced by Dandiya Raas.

On September 19, it will be time for Umesh Barot Live Garba while Saturday’s show will feature Kirtan Brahmbhatt & Group Live Garba.

Tickets are $35 for a two-night combo.

This weekend, it’s time once again for the Annual Scarecrow Festival at Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com). The festival, which is celebrating its 46th anniversary this year, will run now through October 26.

It is the perfect time to visit and take in the bright, brilliant hues of fall and admire the more than 100 spectacular scarecrows on display. These larger-than-life, colorful, creative scarecrows will line the red brick paths throughout the village’s 42 picturesque acres.

Peddler’s Village’s Scarecrow Making Workshops on the Street Road Green have been a family favorite for decades. The workshop fee of $35 (maximum group of 4 people) includes step-by-step instructions and building materials.

Participants can choose from a variety of clothing decorations and use plenty of straw to construct their very own life-size scarecrow to take home.

Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tours” on September 21.

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.

The site opens at 12:30 p.m. with self-guided tours starting at 1 and 2:30 p.m. The mansion closes at 4 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.

For “Count’s Halloween Spooktacular at Sesame Place” (100 Sesame Place, Langhorne, 215-752-7070, www.sesameplace.com), which runs now through November 2, the popular amusement park has been converted into a Halloween-themed safe venue for kids with trick or treating, pumpkin decorating, hayrides and a hay maze.

Guests will enjoy trick-or-treating around the park, Halloween-themed shows, participating in our interactive Scarecrow Scavenger Hunt, and unique photo opportunities with everyone’s favorite furry friends dressed up in costume on their Halloween-themed floats!

Featured attractions, which will continue until November 6, are “Neighborhood Street Party Halloween Parade,” “Halloween Light Show,” and “The Not-Too-Spooky Howl-O-ween Radio Show.”

Admission to the park starts at $44.99.

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 our activity. During this time, we encourage participants to bring their own gloves to use while up in the trees, gardening gloves are perfect for this activity.

Ticket prices start at $47.

“TreeTrails Adventures Trevose” (301 West Bristol Pike, Trevose, treetrails.com/trevose-pa) is an adventure park full of fun challenges for outdoor adventurers of all ages.

Participants can experience the rush of TreeTrails Adventures as they swing through the trees of the new adventure park. They will be able to discover the excitement of climbing and zip lining above the forest floor with family, friends, co-workers, or teammates.

The park, which is based at Phoenix Sport Club in Bucks County, offers two ways to experience climbing – TreeTrails Adventure Park and KidTrails Park. Young explorers can enjoy miniaturized courses in the adjacent KidTrails Park.

General Park Admission price is $69.

The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running its  “Glen Rock Express” on September 20 at 11 a.m.

The “Glen Rock Express with No. 17” will take the train to Glen Rock with the William H. Simpson No. 17 (the rail line’s authentic replica steam locomotive) on a former Pennsylvania Railroad mainline that has been in operation since 1838.

The ride follows the route of the original Northern Central Railroad through the scenic Heritage Rail Trail County Park.

The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (Reading Outer Station, Reading, www.rbmnrr-passenger.com) is running “All Day Train Excursions” every Saturday and Sunday in September.

Passengers can take a train excursion through Pennsylvania’s beautiful landscape to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. They can board the train at the Reading Outer Station, Port Clinton Station, or Tamaqua Station.

During the trip, riders will see rolling farmland, beautiful mountains, glistening lakes, and small towns along the railroad’s mainline. The train will also travel through tunnels and over bridges — a highlight being the Hometown High Bridge.

Once the excursion arrives in Jim Thorpe, riders have more than 3.5 hours to explore the many shops, restaurants, and attractions before boarding the train for your return trip.

While in Jim Thorpe, they can also ride one of the rail line’s 70-minute Lehigh Gorge trains at a discounted rate.

The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Wine & Cheese Tasting” on September 20 and 21 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 lavishly appointed first-class parlor cars.

Tickets are $99 (Ages 21 and older only).

The Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Wine & Cheese Train” on September 19 at 6 p.m., September 20 at 4 and 6 p.m. and September 21 at 4 p.m.

Passengers can enjoy the luxurious, climate-controlled first-class accommodation and a tasting of select wine, cheese, and crackers as they travel in style down the tracks from Strasburg to Paradise and back.

“Wine & Cheese Train” boarding is 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. Riders must be 21 or older and have their photo ID ready when they board.

Featured wines are carefully selected from Waltz Vineyards, and cheeses are paired accordingly. Beer and select non-alcoholic beverages are also available for purchase upon request. Riders can purchase a souvenir wine glass on board the train if desired. Glasses are $7 each.

In accordance with Pennsylvania law, alcohol is only served during the train ride. The rail line is not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages while the train is berthed in the station.

Tickets are $79.