By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Ukrainian Independence Folk Festival
The weekend at the end of August and Labor Day Weekend have an amazing number of annual events with long histories. Some of this weekend’s events have impressive annual numbers – 31 for a Ukrainian festival, 43 for a Renaissance event, 27 for a summer fest and 170 (not a typo) for the Allentown Fair.
One event has particular relevance because of the horrendous history that is being made right now
On August 28, the Ukrainian Independence Folk Festival at the Tryzub Ukrainian American Sport Center (County Line and Lower State roads, Horsham, 215-343-5412, www.tryzub.org) will celebrate its 31st anniversary from noon-8 p.m.
The event is billed as “A resplendent outdoor summer concert marking Ukraine’s independence, the unity of her people, their struggle for freedom and dignity and Ukraine’s entry into the family of advanced democratic nations.”
The artists (dance troupes, musicians, singers and ensembles that have performed in previous years) have created a dynamic and integrated collaborative program.
Tryzub posted this message on the festival website – “The artists (dance troupes, musicians, singers and ensembles that have performed in previous years) have created a dynamic and integrated collaborative program. Recent events in Ukraine, the Euromaidan Protest and Revolution of Dignity as well as the Ukrainian peoples’ twilight struggle against unlawful, unjustified and heinous Russian armed aggression, have forged a unified Ukrainian national identity, both in Ukraine and in the Diaspora. America’s support of Ukraine’s commitment to a self-determined democratic future — to life, liberty, freedom and justice — has created permanent bonds of friendship between the two nations. This year’s festival honors these special relationships and developments and robustly salutes the zeal, valor, and dedication of the Ukrainian people.”
The festival, which is one of the most popular late-summer ethnic festivals in the area, starts at noon with children’s activities, vendor areas with Ukrainian crafts, food booths and live music.
The live entertainment at the festival includes performances by Voloshky Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, violinist Innesa Tymochko Dekajlo, ISKRA Ukrainian Folk Band, singer/songwriter Iryna Lonchyna, Carpathia Folk Dance Ensemble, Alex Lagoda and the Cold Ravine Band and Yuliya Stupen
Another interesting attraction will be live reenactments from Ukrainian history.
There also will be vendors selling a wide variety of mouth-watering Ukrainian foods such as pyrohy (pierogies), holuptsi (stuffed cabbage) and kowbasa (kielbasa). Other items available for purchase include baked goods, picnic fare and cold beverages.
If you purchase online, print out ticket and bring it with you for entry.
Admission to the festival at the gate is $15 for adults and free for children (14 and under.)
$5 of each paid admission will be donated to Humanitarian Aid for Victims of War in Ukraine.
The Great Allentown Fair
When it comes to festivals in North America, the Allentown Fair (17th and Chew Street, Allentown, 610-433-7541, 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 2022 edition runs from August 31 until September 5. It will be the fair’s 170th 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 2021 schedule features The Dropkick Murphys on September 1, Cole Swindell on September 2, The Wonder Years on September 4, and Demolition Derby on September 5.
The fair’s list of daily entertainment attractions also includes Magic on the Farm, The One Wheel Wonder, The Flying Wallendas, “Robinson’s Pig Paddling Porkers,”
The Puppy Pals Comedic Stunt Dog Show, Squawk! The Amazing Bird Show, Moodonna, and “4-H Petting 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 Great American Midways.
There will also be a wide array of agricultural competitions and exhibits each day at the fair. Tickets are $8 for adults with children under 12 admitted free.
Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (Mount Hope Estate and Winery grounds, Route 72, Cornwall, 717-665-7021, www.parenfaire.com).
This year’s 43rd annual staging of the event, which bills itself as “the most wondrous event in all the Knowne World”, is running now through October 30. 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 beverage.
Single-day tickets are available at the gate for $31.95. For children (age 5-11) single-day tickets are available at the gate and online for $16.95.
One of the most popular late-summer events in southeastern Pennsylvania will take place this weekend in Lancaster.
The 2022 New Holland Summer Fest (New Holland Community Park, 400 East Jackson Street, New Holland, 717-669-1400, http://nhsummerfest.org) will be held August 26 and 27 and will feature the “Pennsylvania State Championship BBQ Cook-Off.”
New Holland Summer Fest, which is closing in on its 30th anniversary, is a National KCBS Certified Barbecue competition. Each year 72 teams from around the country descend upon New Holland Community Park for a weekend of competition and fun.
The Grand Champion automatically receives an entry to the American Royal Contest in Kansas City, Missouri.
The barbecue competition is a major drawing card, but the event also has all that you would expect from a country fair — food vendors, children’s activities and souvenir concession stands.
For the kids, there will be face painting, “Tag-Along,” a clown teaching how to make animal balloons and “Kid’s Q” where they can learn how to barbecue.
The family-oriented event and the Friday evening concert are free and open to the public. All proceeds from the weekend’s activities benefit Garden Spot Fire Rescue Co. and the New Holland Community Park.
This weekend is a special time at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, www.ansp.org). It’s the time for the annual staging of the Academy’s popular Bug Fest.
The popular annual staging of a celebration of insects will be held August 26 and 27 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day.
The Academy offered the following invitation on its website — “Join us at the Academy of Natural Sciences for a wild weekend celebrating a few of our favorite (invertebrate) things. Enjoy classic Bug Fest favorites, including scientist-guided Bug Walks on the Parkway and our famous Roach Races, or discover your love for something surprising like the graceful dance of a crane fly.
“Explore specimens from the Academy’s world-class Entomology Collection, including recently discovered beetles, bees and butterflies. “Ask the Experts” at exclusive scientist meet-and-greets for all ages. Meet Academy researchers and talk with fellow bug enthusiasts to find out how their passion for all things invertebrate impacts our communities.
“As part of our Water Year programming, we invite you to dive deep to find out all about aquatic invertebrates and what their presence means for a waterway. Did you know dragonfly flatulence is critical to the health of a stream? Or that water pennies spend most of their time as larvae living in clean water? Meander through our halls while you check out live insects and arachnids and ponder their place around the pond. Learn what you can do to make our waterways more invert-friendly!”
It’s a fun event that is also educational. See…just from the above paragraphs, you learned that fly farts can be a good thing.
Visitors can celebrate all the many-legged movers and shakers of the world at the Academy’s annual Bug Fest! They can check out live bug displays, read excerpts from the Academy’s world-renowned entomological collection, attend auditorium shows featuring Academy entomologists, watch the Roach Race 500, and enjoy “Bugs on the Big Screen.”
Admission is $27 for adults, $19 for seniors and $18 for children (ages 2-12).
The focus will be on something old at a special event this weekend at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, phillyexpocenter.com).
On August 28, the expo center near Valley Forge National Park, will host “ThriftCon Philly,” which is billed as “the world’s first and only premier vintage clothing and collectible convention.
Appearing in Philly for its second time, ThriftCon™ is a vintage collectors’ dream. Featuring a minimum of 100 vendors and a number of incredible sponsors, ThriftCon™ will host thousands of products ranging from valuable vintage Men’s and Women’s clothing to classic, vintage collectibles all under one roof.
The even on Sunday will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tickets are $12 in advance and $20 at the door.
The Eagleview Summer Concerts on the Square at Eagleview Town Center (Wharton Boulevard, Exton, www.ineagleview.com) will fill the air with good music on August 30 from 7-9 p.m.
The free show, which is being presented by Point Entertainment, will feature the legendary Donna the Buffalo with Meaghan Farrell as the opening act.
Newlin Grist Mill
Newlin Grist Mill (219 South Cheyney Road, Glen Mills, newlingristmill.org) will present “Preservation Day: Jam and Jelly” this weekend.
The tasty event will be held at the Mill from11 a.m.-4 p.m.
The following is the site’s description of “Preservation Day: Jam and Jelly” – “While a colonial family would have been enjoying the influx of fresh food, they still needed to think ahead and preserve any extras they had. Come see what is growing in the garden and how we preserve it for the future.”
The family friendly event is free and open to the public.
The Ninth Annual Delaware Burger Battle will be held on August 27 at the Rockford Tower (2000 Lookout Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, www.deburgerbattle.com).
Every year since 2012, Delaware’s most competitive chefs have gathered their grills to battle it out for burger supremacy at the Delaware Burger Battle. In nine years, more than 30,000 burgers have been served.
The battle has welcomed more than 50 competing restaurants, 5,000 guests, thousands of beers and has raised more than $50,000 for charity
Once you enter the arena, you’re free to go from booth-to-booth sampling burgers from all the participating restaurants. Most people can’t complete the circuit.
Tickets also includes adult beverages and soft drinks.
This is a rain or shine event, as well as all ages. Free parking is available nearby, and shuttles are provided.
Tickets are $60 for adults, $30 for designated drivers and teens and $10 for children (ages 5-12).
Another eating and dining event will be held in the area this weekend – in Bucks County at Fonthill Castle (130 East Swamp Road, Doylestown, 215-348-6114, www.mercermuseum.org).
Fonthill Castle will host its seventh annual end-of summer Beer Fest on August 27 from 2-5 p.m.
The brew-oriented event will feature quality drafts from more than 35 local and regional breweries in the beautiful outdoor setting of Fonthill Castle.
Guests at Saturday’s festival will also be able to enjoy music, dine on light fare and receive a commemorative beer tasting glass.
General admission tickets, which are $70, include unlimited beer tastings. All guests must be 21 years of age or older and have a valid ID to attend. Tickets are non-refundable. The event will be held rain or shine — unless weather conditions are hazardous.
Beer will also be an attraction at Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org) which is hosting “Bike & Hike & Brews” on August 31 from 5-8 p.m.
Visitors to Hagley can enjoy an after-work hike or a picnic along the Brandywine’s most beautiful mile on summer Wednesday evenings from June through August.
It isa a family event featuring summer fun in a beautiful outdoor setting. Guests can bring a picnic to enjoy at Hagley’s picnic pavilion on Workers’ Hill or at a picnic table along the Brandywine.
Dogfish Head craft beer and Woodside Farm Creamery ice cream are also available for purchase. You are welcome to bring your own food to “Bike & Hike & Brews,” but outside alcohol is strictly prohibited.
Admission is $5 per person and free for Hagley members and children five and under. Please note that this event is weather-dependent.
The “Food Trucks” schedule for August 31 features Army of 2.
On August 28, Hagley will present this month’s installment of “Cannon Firings.”
Guests can have a blast during their visit to Hagley by watching a demonstration of the museum’s signal cannon.
Demonstrations take place at 1, 2, and 3 p.m.
Please note that cannon firings are weather-dependent.
The “Cannon Firings” are included with admission and free for Hagley members.
Admission is $15 Adults, $12 Seniors (62+) and Students, and $8 Children 6-14.
For the next few months, the American Swedish Historical Museum (1900 Pattison Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-389-1776, www.americanswedish.org) is presenting an exhibit “Art for All: The Swedish Experience in Mid-America,” which just opened and will run through February 19, 2023.
“Art for All: The Swedish Experience in Mid-America” is an exhibition of paintings and sculptures by Swedish-American artists in the late-19th and early-20th centuries.
This colorful and emotive impressionist art reflects its own time, interprets nature and landscape, and is independent of artificial conventions while keeping Swedish folk traditions alive.
The American Swedish Historical Museum is proud to present Art for All: The Swedish Experience in Mid-America, an exhibition of paintings and sculptures by Swedish American artists in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. This colorful and emotive impressionist art reflects its own time, interprets nature and landscape, and is independent of artificial conventions while keeping Swedish folk traditions alive.
This exhibition features many Swedish artists who studied and absorbed the democratic philosophies of “art for all,” espoused by Anders Zorn and the Artist’s League. These young artists immigrated to America to forge new career paths. “Art for all” became a catchphrase in Kansas by the 1930s, stemming from efforts of local artists to offer affordable paintings and prints so that every citizen could have original art in their own homes for a richly cultured way of life.
“Art for All: The Swedish Experience in Mid-America” was conceived and developed by the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery and the Hillstrom Museum of Art.
Another event with an ethnic vibe is slated for this weekend.
As part of Philadelphia Welsh Week, Fort Mifflin (Fort Mifflin and Hog Island roads, Philadelphia, 215-685-4167, www.fortmifflin.us) is hosting an event called “Welsh Tract Day.”
On August 27, Fort Mifflin is partnering with the Welsh Society of Philadelphia and the North American Festival of Wales for a unique new event to kick of Philadelphia’s “Welsh Week.”
This jovial experience takes a dive into the history behind the Welsh influence on the creation of the United States of America, the history of an area of Pennsylvania known as “The Welsh Tract”, and of course the culture of Wales itself.
Visitors will be able to discover Welsh culture, and even learn some of the Welsh Language. They can and visit the Welsh Tract Tavern for some special refreshments.
The festival will also feature a visit from a very special guest known as the Mari Lwyd, a folk character from Wales. There will also be live musical performances, face painting and more surprises.
Admission to “Welsh Tract Day” is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for students (ages 6-12) and veterans.
If you travel south as few miles from Fort Mifflin, you can move from Wales to wildlife.
The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum (8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, www.fws.gov/refuge/John_Heinz) has attractive evening event scheduled for this week.
On September 1, the site hill host “Evening Bat Walk with the Biology Crew.”
Participants will be able to learn about different bat species found on the refuge on this special twilight walk.
Visitors can join the Biology Crew at the Pavilion for the after-dark walk.
This special event is free and kid friendly.
Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, www.longwoodgardens.org) is always a special place to visit – especially during the run of its annual “Festival of Fountains.”
The 2022 “Festival of Fountains” opened in May and is running through September 26.
This summer is even more special because of light. More specifically because of “Light: Installations by Bruce Munro,” which is artist Bruce Munro’s illuminating new installation at Longwood Gardens.
The exhibit had its debut two weeks ago and will be on view Thursday through Sunday evenings until October 30.
“Light” is an extravagant exhibit that includes eight installations comprising more than 18,000 glowing lightbulbs across Longwood’s outdoor areas and indoor conservatory.
From the luminous “Field of Light” stretching across the Large and Small Lake landscape … to a flamboyance of 1,000 flamingoes wading near the Chimes Tower … to an immersive sensory environment inspired by the Waterlily Display in the Exhibition Hall, the exhibit showcases eight installations spanning Longwood Gardens’ indoor spaces and outdoor vistas.
Daily performances in the Main Fountain Garden will feature more than 1,700 spinning jets that spin dance to various music programs. These are no little jets as some shoot up as high as 175 feet in the air.
The 30-minute show is slated for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 9:15 p.m.
The Main Fountain Garden Show fountain performance that begins with a touch of narrated history and concludes with dynamic choreography marrying music and the site’s newest fountain features.
These displays will be presented daily at 1:15 a.m., 1:15, 3:15 p.m. and 5:15. There will also be performances on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 6:15, 7:15 and 8:15 p.m.
The “Illuminated Fountain Performance” will be staged Thursdays through Sundays at 9:15 p.m.
Live music can be heard in the Beer Garden, where live instrumental music from traditional Celtic tunes to Caribbean steel pan grooves sets the tone Thursday through Saturday evenings.
Beer Garden performances are scheduled through August 28 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. They will also be held in September from 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
As always, admission by “Timed Ticket” — tickets issued for specific dates and times. Timed ticketing limits the number of people in the Gardens at any given time and allows guests to enjoy minimal lines and a better viewing experience.
You may enter the Gardens up to 30 minutes prior and 30 minutes after your designated time. Make every effort to arrive at your designated reservation time. Earlier or later arrivals may not be accommodated.
Video link for “Festival of Fountains” — https://youtu.be/AHsC2YuFerY.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $35 for adults, $32 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and college students, $27 for active military and veterans and $19 for youth (ages 5-18).
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 2022 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 more than $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, call (800) 489-6664 or visit www.visitwilmingtonde.com/bmga/.
The Brandywine River Museum (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-2700, http://www.brandywinemuseum.org) will be open from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. with admission to the galleries including two featured exhibitions — “Gatecrashers: The Rise of the Self-Taught Artist in America” and “Dawoud Bey: Night Coming Tenderly, Black.” Both exhibitions will be closing soon.
“Gatecrashers: The Rise of the Self-Taught Artist in America,” which is running now through September 5, examines how, after World War I, artists without formal training “crashed the gates” of major museums in the United States, diversifying the art world across lines of race, ethnicity, class, ability, and gender.
Included are over 50 works by celebrated painters such as Horace Pippin, Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses and John Kane, as well as by fifteen artists who are lesser known now but were recognized in their day, including Josephine Joy, Morris Hirshfield, Lawrence Lebduska, Patrick Sullivan, and others.
“Dawoud Bey: Night Coming Tenderly, Black,” which is running through August 31, is a selection of photographs from Bey’s critically acclaimed series from 2017.
Regarded as one of the most important photographers working today, Dawoud Bey (b. 1953) is recognized for his compelling, large-scale portraits and street photographs of marginalized people and communities that he began in the 1970s. Inspired by artist Roy DeCarava (1919—2009), Bey has been photographing the Black community in Harlem where he was born, and Queens where he grew up, for over four decades.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is featuring a Guided Exhibition Tour – “Jacqueline Kennedy and Henry Francis du Pont: From Winterthur to the White House” – now through January 8, 2023.
Visitors can explore the friendship between the First Lady and H. F. du Pont and their work to restore the White House in this guided tour of the special exhibition.
In 1961, an unusual partnership was formed when the youngest First Lady in American history, Jacqueline Kennedy, appointed a reserved octogenarian collector from Delaware, Henry Francis du Pont, to lead her project to restore the White House interiors. Du Pont brought credibility to Kennedy’s efforts and vision, and her enormous popularity lifted him onto the national stage and validated his life’s work.
Together, they transformed the White House from a mere public residence into a museum, and along the way, they engaged with some of the most celebrated interior designers of the 20th century.
For the first time, the story of this historic partnership will be told at Winterthur, the inspiration for Mrs. Kennedy’s project. Through artifacts, archives, and images, this exhibition will invite visitors to experience the behind-the-scenes collaboration between the two during this captivating period in American history.
Their partnership culminated in a televised tour of the White House, led by Jacqueline Kennedy, which became the most watched program in American history. The former First Lady will forever be remembered as the person who restored history and beauty to the White House.
Their “restoration” of America’s most famous house became a history lesson for the country and awakened an interest in preservation and interior design that is still felt today.
A related event will be “Terrific Tuesdays” – a special activity that is running every Tuesday through the end of August.
Visitors are invited to drop in for crafts, games, and demonstrations inspired by Jacqueline Kennedy’s White House restoration in the 1960s. Activities will introduce design, history, art, cultural conservation, and architectural preservation to kids ages 3–10 and the adults they bring with them.
The schedule for “Terrific Tuesdays” is August 30, Diplomatic Reception Room: Parley and Printmaking.
Admission to Winterthur is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and students and $8 for children.
Another site with impressive gardens can be found just across the Pennsylvania-Delaware state line.
Nemours Estate (850 Alapocas Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, www.nemoursestate.org) is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Reservations are not required and there is no timed entry.
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.
Nemours was the estate of Alfred I. duPont.
Alfred named the estate Nemours, after the French town that his great-great-grandfather represented in the French Estates General. While looking to the past and his ancestors for inspiration, Alfred also ensured that his new home was thoroughly modern by incorporating the latest technology and many of his own inventions.
The Gardens is one of the estate’s prime attractions.
The two elk at the top of the Vista are the work of French sculptor Prosper Lecourtier (1855–1924), a specialist in animal figures. Lined with Japanese cryptomeria, pink flowering horse chestnuts and pin oaks, the Long Walk extends from the Mansion to the Reflecting Pool.
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. The pool, five and a half feet deep in its deepest section, holds 800,000 gallons of water and takes three days to fill. The Art Nouveau-style, classical mythology-based “Four Seasons” around the pool are by French-born American sculptor Henri Crenier (1873–1948).
Admission to Nemours is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $10 for children.
The Delaware Art Museum (2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware, www.delart.org) is presenting “Indigenous Faces of Wilmington.”
Indigenous People have built vibrant and diverse cultures — safeguarding land, language, spirit, knowledge, and tradition across generations. This exhibit opens a dialogue to re-introduce, re-discover, and re-educate individuals about the vibrant and intersecting cultures of indigenous people in northern Delaware.
Exhibition photographer Andre’ L. Wright. Jr., who identifies his ancestry as Nanticoke, shares his vision for the exhibit. “Identity is how you and the world see you, and beauty is a combination of qualities that provide a perceptual experience. My heritage and lineage have given me the opportunity to share the story of authentic consciousness, narrative, and beauty of Indigenous People through the art of photography.”
Additionally, the Delaware Art Museum has a new exhibit that will run through September 11 – “Stan Smokler: Steel in Flux.”
The Delaware Art Museum celebrates the career of Stan Smokler with this Distinguished Artist exhibition. His celebrated found object, steel sculptures continue the trajectory of modernist abstraction.
Smokler completed his Master of Fine Arts degree at Pratt Institute in 1975, and he continued to work in New York on his own sculpture as well as in art conservation and interior design before relocating to the Brandywine Valley in 1999.
In addition to participating in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States, Smokler established his Marshall Bridge Workshop in 2004. The Workshop is an immersive training opportunity for artists of all levels interested in working with welded steel, and Smokler has been praised for his supportive approach to teaching.
“Stan Smokler: Steel in Flux” includes work from the late 1970s through 2020 along with several of the artist’s charcoal and pastel drawings of his completed sculptures. Examples of Smokler’s largescale work will be on view in the Museum’s Copeland Sculpture Garden with an extended showing through October 30, 2022.
With his commitment to exploring the possibilities of steel and mentoring students through his numerous Marshall Bridge workshops and years at the Delaware College of Art and Design, Smokler has guided the trajectory of contemporary abstract sculpture.
Admission to the Delaware Art Museum is $14 for adults, $7 for students, and $6 for youth (ages 7-18).
More art in Delaware can be found in the quaint town of Odessa.
The Historic Odessa Foundation (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, www.historicodessa.org) is now presenting its newest exhibition of acrylic paintings — “Color Secrets: Paintings by Jan Crooker.”
The exhibit of colorful acrylics by the talented Kutztown artist is on display now through August 28 in the Historic Odessa Visitor Center Gallery.
For Crooker, who is well-known for her vibrant images of still life, flowers and local scenes and landscapes, color has always been a focus of her artistic expression.
According to Crooker, “I think my love of color harkens back to my early exposure to art at the children’s classes at the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio. While some kids had favorite stars or athletes, I had favorite artists. My first favorite artist was Vincent Van Gogh.”
Crooker researched the master colorist’s use of color and read his thoughts on the subject. Although she admires other colorist artists, Van Gogh has been the greatest influence on her color use.
Crooker earned a bachelor’s degree in art education from Toledo University, and a Master of Fine Arts from Penn State University.
Historic Rock Ford (Rockford Road, Lancaster, www.discoverlancaster.com) is presenting a new exhibit “Long Rifles of the American Revolution: How Lancaster Craftsmen Helped Win the War.” The exhibit will remain open until October 30.
Historic Rock Ford is collaborating with guest curator John Kolar on the exhibit which will showcase approximately 30 rifles.
The rifles featured in the exhibit are being loaned by museums and private collectors from across the nation and will be used to describe the pivotal role played by the long rifle in winning American independence.
Visitors will be able to examine different rifles while also engaging in the story of the war by highlighting their use in several key battles including the siege of Boston, the battle of New York, Trenton, Saratoga, Kings Mountain and the Miller Block House as well as on the Frontier.
Admission to Rock Ford is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors and youth (ages 6-17).
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, east bank of the Schuylkill River.
On August 26, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present “Hot Spots and Storied Plots” walking tour at 10 a.m.
In life and in 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 tour provides an informative overview of Laurel Hill’s long history, which includes many of the marble masterpieces, stunning views, and legendary stories about Laurel Hill.
“Hot Spots and Storied Plots” is the perfect introduction for anyone who enjoys beautiful art, scenic nature, and fascinating history. An experienced graveyard guide will offer a unique perspective. No two “Hot Spots and Storied Plots” are alike.
The tour will take place on August 26 at 10 a.m. — departing from Laurel Hill Cemetery’s Gatehouse entrance at 3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia.
The Tour Guide will be Jerry McCormick.
Laurel Hill Cemetery will also present “Sacred Spaces & Storied Places” on August 27 at 10 a.m.
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.
“Sacred Spaces and Storied Places” is the perfect introductory tour for anyone who wants to learn all that Laurel Hill West has to offer. Experienced tour guides offer visitors a unique perspective and every Sacred Spaces tour is different. This weekend’s tour guide is Pamela McMahon.
Tickets, which must be purchased in advance, are: $12/General Admission, $10/Seniors (65 & Up), $10/Students with ID, $7/Members, $6/Youth (6-12), and $0/Child (5 & Under). Youth and children must be accompanied by an adult.
Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the summer.
Participants can walk with tour guides from the grounds of America’s first White House, Congress, and Liberty Bell to homes and sites of Hamilton, Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and more than 10 other Founding-Fathers. The surprising dirt of espionage, murder, sexual license and blackmail highlight the secrets of 1776 with a ghost story or two along the way. This tour is highly researched. And your guide is a historian.
Tickets are $35.
Ghost Tour of Philadelphia (215-413-1997, www.ghosttour.com), Ghost Tour of Lancaster (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) and Ghost Tour of Strasburg (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) operate throughout the winter and offer an eerily entertaining evening of true ghost stories and real haunted houses.
The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, which is based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Philadelphia, PA.,” is a candlelight walking tour along the back streets and secret gardens of Independence Park, Society Hill, and Old City, where ghostly spirits, haunted houses, and eerie graveyards abound.
Participants can discover the ghost lore of America’s most historic and most haunted city with stories from the founding of William Penn’s colony to present-day hauntings.
The activity is open year-round – weekends, December-February; every night, March-November. Tickets are $24.
The Ghost Tour of Lancaster and the Ghost Tour of Strasburg are based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Lancaster, PA.”
Participants in the Ghost Tour of Lancaster explore the long-forgotten mysteries of one of America’s oldest cities, with haunting tales of otherworldly vigils, fatal curses, and star-crossed lovers. The tour provides the opportunity to experience 300 years of haunted history from the Red Rose City’s thorny past. Tickets are $20.
The Ghost Tour of Strasburg is a candlelight walking tour of the quaint and historic town of Strasburg in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Visitors will experience an entertaining evening with a costumed tour guide spinning tales of haunted mansions, eerie graveyards, and spirits that roam the night … in a town lost in time. Tickets are $20.
Several tourist rail lines will be running special excursions this weekend.
A Montgomery County Park with a special event this weekend is Pottsgrove Manor (100 West King Street, Pottstown, 610-326-4014, http://montcopa.org/index.aspx?nid=930).
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 weekly theme this week is “Living History –Herbalist and Mantua-making (women’s clothing).”
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.
The event will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for veterans with ID and students.
This summer, giraffes at area zoos will have a variety of dining partners joining them for meals.
The Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, www.philadelphiazoo.org) has opened a new “Giraffe Feeding Encounter.”
Now guests can get up close to the zoo’s giraffe trio in this all-new feeding experience. “Giraffe Encounter” is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. daily.
General admission for the Giraffe Encounter is $6; Individual, Dual, Family, and Family Plus members is $5; and Family Deluxe and above is $4. Each guest gets one piece of browse to feed. Browse is vegetation, such as twigs and young shoots, eaten by animals. Depending on the day, guests can feed our giraffes acacia browse (which is what giraffes eat in the wild) or another variety like mulberry or honeysuckle.
Considered the tallest land animals in the world, male giraffes can reach up to 18 feet tall and weigh close to 3,000 lbs. Listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with scientists estimating there are fewer than 100,000 surviving in the wild, giraffe are affected by poaching and habitat destruction, with populations decreasing more than 40% over the last three decades.
The Elmwood Park Zoo (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is hosting “Breakfast with the Giraffes” on August 27.
Guests can enjoy a delicious, socially distanced outdoor breakfast buffet, right next to the zoo’s three towering giraffes. After participants have cleared their plates, they will be invited to an exclusive giraffe feeding.
The breakfast will get underway at 8:30 a.m.
A “Zoo Snooze” overnight campout will start at 6 p.m. on August 27 and run until 9:30 a.m. on July 10.
The “Campout” includes — Dinner (includes pizza, salad, and potato chips), Breakfast (includes pastries and fresh fruit), Flashlight tour of the zoo, Campfire & activities, educational show the next morning and Zoo admission the next day.
Tickets are $54.95.
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 are $55, adults; $48, ages 12-17; $38, ages 7-11.
“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 prices are: Main Park Adult Tickets (Ages 12+), $59; Main Park Youth Tickets (Ages 7–11), $51; KidTrails Tickets (Ages 4–7), $12.
Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, www.morrisarboretum.org) is opening a new season exhibit – “Bloomin’ Bubbles.”
Every Tuesday through August, Morris Arboretum is presenting “Bloomin’ Bubbles” from 11 a.m.-noon starting at the Azalea Meadow – weather permitting.
There are more than flowers in bloom this spring and summer at the Morris Arboretum. Visitors are invited to join the arboretum staff for “Bloomin’ Bubbles,” when the Azalea Meadow is transformed into a magical flurry of bubbles for children to play with, play in and pop before lunch.
Guests can celebrate opening day of “Bloomin’ Bubbles” with a “Fairy Parade on the Meadow.”
The parade will begin at the Visitor Center and work its way down to the Azalea Meadow where, if everyone sings loud enough, they might encounter a new Arboretum phenomenon — a flurry of bubbles coming seemingly out of nowhere. This year, the Arboretum has a new bubble-machine.
Participants are encouraged to come dressed as an enchanted woodland creature to dance and play, and then join Melissa in crafting their very own magical wand. They are reminded to not forget their fairy wings, gnome hats, dragon scales, and whatever else they might need to be their most magical selves.
The Morris Arboretum also is offering its “Garden Highlights Tour” this month.
Experienced guides will share both the history and current highlights of the Arboretum during a one-hour walking tour.
Tours depart from the Visitor Center at 1 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. These tours are small groups and space is very limited.
This reservation is good for admission to the Arboretum as well as for the tour itself. The tour is weather permitting. If the tour is cancelled, your ticket is still good for admission.
Another attraction at Morris Arboretum is the ultra-popular Garden Railway Display, which has become a major summer attraction at the site. The annual edition of the display will remain open until October 10.
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.
This year the tracks are surrounded by miniature replicas of “Wonders of the World.” Visitors will be able to see the Eiffel Tower, Hagia Sophia, the Egyptian Pyramids, the Wall of China and 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).
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tours” on August 28.
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 closes at 4 p.m.
Tour admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 65+) and for youth ages 6-17, and fee 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.
Wonderspaces at the Fashion District (27 North 11th Street, Philadelphia, philadelphia.wonderspaces.com) is an experiential, interactive arts venue.
Building on the success of annual pop-up shows in San Diego, and its first permanent location in Scottsdale, Arizona, Wonderspaces opened a 24,000 square foot gallery space in Philly a year ago.
Wonderspaces features 14 art installations that all play with the idea of perspective. The artwork ranges from award-winning virtual reality short film about a dinner party-turned-alien abduction, to a room where visitors digitally paint the walls with the movement of their bodies.
New artworks rotate in every few months, creating an ever-evolving, year-round show.
Tickets are for entry at a specific date and time. Visitors are welcome to stay as long as they please during operating hours. The average time spent experiencing the show is 90 minutes.
A few installations contain flashing lights, images, and patterns that may trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. All visitors must sign a waiver prior to being admitted into the space. Adult supervision is required for visitors under 16.
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com), a family-friendly amusement park in Langhorne, is hosting “Summer Fun Fest” now through September 4. Guests will be able to rock out with Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster and Count von Count.
There’s nothing like summer at Sesame Place. It’s a great time to cool off with refreshing (and splashy) water attractions for all ages, from Big Bird’s Rambling River to The Count’s Splash Castle. Find more fun in the sun with family rides like Captain Cookie’s High C’s Adventure and Oscar’s Wacky Taxi Roller Coaster.
Summer is perfect for meeting your favorite furry friends and taking bright, beautiful pictures with them. There also are exciting shows, special events, parades, dance parties, character dining experiences, and other surprises lined up to give you even more ways to connect.
Ticket prices for Sesame Place start at $49.99.
Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com) is celebrating “Peach Month” in August.
It’s a peach and shopping lover’s paradise with plenty of peachy treats, weekend entertainment, and scenic strolls through the Village’s summer gardens.
Visitors will be able to savor the flavors of all things peach from savory to sweet at the Village’s restaurants and weekend outdoor food tent all month long.
On August weekends, visitors can enjoy live music while they shop and enjoy peach-themed foods and beverages.
Fresh peaches, peach pies, and peach products will be available on Saturdays and Sundays.
This will be the final weekend the site will be celebrating “Peaxh Month.”
The West Chester Railroad ( www.westchesterrr.net) 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 have during excursion’s stop at the Glen Mills train station picnic grove.
Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for children (2-12) and free for children (under two).
The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running special excursions this weekend called “The Great Southern Train Raid.”
It’s 1863 and the NCRR train is headed for Washington, DC. Rumor is that there’s gold on board. This could mean a train raid.
The Northern Central Railway invites everyone to ride the William H. Simpson No. 17, our replica steam locomotive, through the rolling hills of New Freedom. This will be an exciting weekend filled with adventure and suspense.
This excursion features the Union and Confederate armies skirmishing for control of the train . . . and the gold. (Caution: riders will experience the sights and sounds of gunfire during the ride).
Excursions will depart at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for children (ages 3-12).
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 August and 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.
Tickets for the all-day excursion are $39 from the Reading Outer Station and Port Clinton Station and $24 from the Tamaqua Station.
Wilmington and Western Railroad (Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport-Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, www.wwrr.com) is running its “Yorklyn Limited” on Saturdays in August with departures at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.
Riders can take a leisurely 1.5-hour round-trip ride up the Red Clay Valley to the Mt. Cuba Picnic Grove, where they can de-train to enjoy a half-hour layover along the banks of the Red Clay Creek to have a picnic or simply admire the natural surroundings.
For those who don’t want to get off the train at Mt. Cuba, they can remain onboard and travel further up the line through the communities of Ashland and Yorklyn. On the return trip, there will be a brief stop at Mt. Cuba to pick up the picnic passengers.
The “Yorklyn Limited” excursion is the re-branded name of the “Mt. Cuba Meteor” excursion.
These trips are powered by one of Wilmington and Western Railroad’s historic first-generation diesel locomotives.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $17 for seniors and $16 for children (ages 2-12).
On August 27, the Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Secret Valley Expedition” at 5 p.m.
The tourist rail line’s two-hour expedition into the Secret Valley features rides on meticulously restored century-old rail cars and visits one of the most scenic and historic regions in the northeast.
The railroad will be offering a lunch and dinner aboard the Secret Valley Expedition to all dining class passengers.
Additionally, and a la carte menu is available in all cars and all passengers have access to the open car for near 360-degree views of the Secret Valley.
The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Wine & Cheese Tasting” on Saturdays and Sundays in August 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 lavishly appointed early 1900’s first-class parlor cars.
Tickets are $102.58 (Ages 21 and older only).
The Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Wine & Cheese Train” on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in August at 5 p.m. on Thursdays and 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
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 train departs at 7 p.m. and 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 $50.
