What To Do: Loads of spooky fun

Also: PA Hunt Cup kicks off Nov. By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times The 81st Pennsylvania Hunt Club takes place Sunday in Unionville. With October having five weekends this year and Halloween falling on the final Saturday night of the month, the area’s event calendar has been thrown off a bit. Many of the activities that usually are scheduled for the beginning of November are slated for...

What To Do: Longwood’s Chrysanthemum Festival

Also: Pumpkins are carved and a plethora of Halloween fun and scares By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times Longwood Gardens’ annual Chrysanthemum Festival opens this weekend. As soon as the temperatures begin to drop, the only plants that really hang on and continue to have flowers are hardy pansies, which can bloom all winter long, and chrysanthemums, which are primarily autumn flowers. Longwood...

What To Do: Mushroom Fest and Chadds Ford Days kick off fall

Also: Barclay Friends Gardens and Radnor Concours D’Elgance & more By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times The return of Fun Gus is just one of the exciting signs that the Mushroom Festival in Kennett Square is at hand, kicking off Friday night with the annual parade. Kennett Square and mushrooms are linked together so much that it would seem fitting if the Kennett High sports teams...

What To Do: Get back to nature with Meadow Days

Plus: live music, helicopters, festivals and even more on busy summer schedule By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times Meadow Days at Longwood Gardens offers more than three miles of walking trails, during three weekend programs, starting this weekend. One of the top summertime attractions in the Brandywine Valley is the annual “Fireworks and Fountains” events at Longwood Gardens (US-1, Kennett...

Opera without words Longwood, Aug. 15

Nicole Ozdowski is a featured flautist in the Kennett Symphony’s Opera Without Words. The Kennett Symphony of Chester County presents Opera Without Words, under the direction of Music Director, Michael Hall, Saturday, August 15, 7:00pm (rain date Saturday, August 16, 7pm). The concert features melodies from well-known operas.  Orchestral music is so essential to opera that it is often featured...

A checklist to complete before Summer’s end

With the summer more than half over, a few things not to miss By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times On Friday, the kids will have exactly one month left of summer vacation. I can’t believe it. Where did the time go? Actually, truth be told, I am waiting for my summer to BEGIN since I have been taking a full course load of grad classes since the end of May. I have a whopping two weeks...

What To Do: Fathers Day means high-flying fun!

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times There are three types of aircraft that almost always force you to turn your gaze skyward and they all begin with the letter “h” — harrier jets, helicopters and hot air balloons. This weekend, you’ll be able to see two of the three in the skies above Chester County. If you want to see harriers in action, you might need to go to Iraq where the...

What To Do: Things get ‘fair-ly’ exciting in Downingtown

Also: Brandywine Food and Wine and multiple ethnic festivals in the area  By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times Nothing says the start of summer like a local fair. One of the area’s top events is the St. Joseph Church Community Festival in Downingtown, which starts June 16. Summertime is the time for a lot of fun events — especially festivals and country fairs. The lights on a...

What To Do: Get out there! It’s Memorial Day Weekend

Don’t plan to stay in — outdoor events and great weather highlight holiday weekend By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times It’s time for the annual Brandywine River Museum Antiques Show and Sale this weekend in Chadds Ford. If it’s Memorial Day Weekend in the Brandywine Valley, it’s time once again for the Brandywine River Museum Antiques Show and Sale. The popular annual event...

What To Do: Celebrate National Park Week

Beer fests, Artist’s Circle, spring in full bloom and more By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times National Junior Ranger Day, April 18, is a big part of National Parks Week, being celebrated starting this weekend. Do you know that National Park Week is April 18-26 and are you aware that there are more than 400 National Parks? National Parks include seashores, battlefields, historic homes,...