By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Dressage at Devon
Quite a few events on this weekend’s calendar are welcoming the fall season but one is closing out an annual spring and summer tradition in the Brandywine Valley.
Chester County’s annual schedule of equestrian activities is getting near the end – but it’s not quite there yet.
The annual Dressage at Devon (Devon Horse Show grounds, Lancaster Avenue, Devon, 484-358-5510, http://dressageatdevon.org), is running from September 26 through October 1.
The popular annual event combines world class dressage competition and the world’s largest open breed show. The six-day event attracts hundreds of horses from around the world and thousands of spectators.
The event also includes the Fall Festival at Dressage at Devon, which features a large selection of vendors and an equally large number of specialty boutiques where visitors can shop for arts and crafts, clothing, horse-related items and gourmet food.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children (ages 3-12).
The West Chester Railroad (www.wcrailroad.com) is running a special excursion on September 24.
The WCRR History Special” will depart West Chester at noon and 2:30 p.m.
This is an interactive guided train ride that will showcase the rich history the railroad has to offer. On board narration will be provided by WCRHA historian Dave Walter.
The train will be making several short stops along our route where you will get a presentation about the history of that area. The train will layover at Glen Mills station for approximately 25 minutes before returning to West Chester. This is an intimate trip that is approximately two hours in length.
As an added bonus, the SEPTA Safety Bus will be our special guest during this event. The bus will be parked at West Chester Station handing out free promotional items and giving tours of the inside of the bus.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children (ages 2-12).
The Annual Downingtown FallFest (Green Street and East Pennsylvania Avenue, downingtownfallfest.com), which is presented by the Downingtown-Thorndale Regional Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Victory Brewing Company and the Borough of Downingtown, will be held September 24 from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.
FallFest brings thousands of visitors to the borough in search of great food, crafts, music and the Victory Brewing beer garden.
Food vendors will include Downingtown’s Victory Brewing along with Crossan Kettle Corn, Momos of Tibet, Taylor Chip, The Little Sicilian,
Thai Master Grill, The Smokin’ Duck, Patty’s Place, Philly Hots!, Scoop Odough and Shimpy’s BBQ.
Also featured will be Angela’s Cotton Candy, Bala Saahas Indian Food Truck, Foltz’s, Gourmet Jerk Shack, Handels Ice Cream, Kona Ice, Mei Cha (tea), Mid-Atlantic Food Service, Momos of Tibet, Taylor Chip, The Little Sicilian, The Nacho Depot and The Penn Barbecue Company.
Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest, featuring a beer festival and a travelling carnival. It is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, running from mid- or late-September to around the first Sunday in October, with more than six million international and national visitors attending the event. Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since the year 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations that are modeled after the original Munich event.
There are many Oktoberfests celebrated in this area each year. There have already been festivals this month in Northeast Philly and Newark, Delaware.
A few more are on tap for this weekend – including a relatively new one in West Chester.
The second annual “Oktoberfest in Downtown West Chester” (downtownwestchester.com/event/oktoberfest-2023) will take place all day on September 23.
Participating locations will have a select list of $6 fall beers or ciders and fall-themed appetizers. No tickets are needed, simply show up at one (or multiple) of the participating locations and ask for the Oktoberfest specials.
There will be live music around town for participants to enjoy as they walk to and from each restaurant.
Visitors are encouraged to wear Oktoberfest outfits/accessories.
On September 23 and 24, there will be an Oktoberfest at Constitution Yards Beer Garden (308 Justison Street, Wilmington, Delaware, http://www.constitutionyards.com/).
The free celebrations will get underway at 8 p.m. each night.
Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) is celebrating four decades of Pennsylvania wine. Since its founding in 1982, the winery’s portfolio has evolved through integral winemakers and key personnel with a mission to produce top-quality, locally rooted wines.
There will be a special event this weekend – “Dog Days.”
On September 23 and 24, the winery will host “Dog Days,” where visitors can spend a day at the Winery with their best four-legged friends.
Visitors will be able to find their next companion and prepare to fall in love with adoptable dogs from three organizations: All 4 Paws, Pennsylvania SPCA, and Rags 2 Riches.
Additionally, 10% of all wine by the glass purchases will be going back to participating rescues.
The winery will be serving up delicious drinks like its Signature Slushie and tons of specials. Find ’22 Vidal Blanc, ’22 Dry Rosé: Redux, and ’22 Cabernet Franc featured in our Puppy Wine Pack ($64) available one weekend only.
The annual “A Taste of Greece” festival will run now through September 24 at St. George Greek Orthodox Church (30 East Forge Road, Media, http://www.stgeorgegreekfestival.org).
The free festival focuses on food — tasty Greek main dishes such as moussaka (eggplant dish), shish kabob (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. Hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and noon-8 p.m. on Sunday.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is presenting a special exhibition “Ann Lowe: American Couturier” now through January 7, 2024
In 1964, The Saturday Evening Post referred to fashion designer Ann Lowe as “Society’s Best-Kept Secret.” Although Lowe had been designing couture-quality gowns for America’s most prominent debutantes, heiresses, actresses, and society brides—including Jacqueline Kennedy, Olivia de Havilland, and Marjorie Merriweather Post—for decades, she remained virtually unknown to the wider public. Since then, too little recognition has been given to her influence on American fashion.
Ann Lowe’s recently emerging visibility as a designer stands in contrast to much of her career and the countless unrecognized Black dressmakers and designers who have contributed to American fashion for generations, including her own grandmother and mother. She blazed a path for others to follow and her legacy is still felt in fashion culture.
This is the largest exhibition of Ann Lowe’s work to date, featuring 40 iconic gowns, many that have never been on public display, and it will illuminate her evolution as a designer from the 1920s to the 1960s. The exhibition will also feature the work of contemporary couturiers and fashion designers whose current design practices, perspectives, and career paths reflect the trajectory of American fashion emanating from Lowe’s foundation. These include B Michael, Tracy Reese, Amsale Aberra, and Bishme Cromartie. Elizabeth Way, associate curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, is guest curator of the exhibition.
Born in Clayton, Alabama, into a family of African American dressmakers, Ann Lowe (ca. 1898–1981) learned the skill of dressmaking from her mother and grandmother. She developed not only expert technical skills by the time she was a teenager but also her distinctive style—feminine, elegant, and often incorporating her signature hand-made floral elements. Her extraordinary career took her through the Jim Crow South, from Montgomery, Alabama, to Tampa, Florida, and in 1928 to New York City. Lowe’s work made her an asset to wealthy society women around the country, yet she also experienced the tumultuous hardships of the fashion business and segregated America in a period of dramatic change.
Ann Lowe’s workplaces her among America’s significant fashion designers, and her life illustrates a legacy of Black women’s knowledge and skills that began as enslaved labor. Lowe modernized this legacy and expanded it to international visibility, positioning herself as a creative designer, a fashion insider, and a vital contributor to American culture.
Admission to Winterthur is $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and students and $8 for children.
Hagley Museum and Library (Route 141, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org) presents a special event called “Science Saturday” on September 23.
Visitors of all ages are invited to discover solutions to science and engineering challenges. Science Saturdays are drop-in activities, so visitors are free to stop by at any time during the event hours – noon-4 p.m.
The programs on September 23 will be “Science Saturday: Float Your Boat” and “Science Saturday: Creepy Chemistry.”
“Creepy Chemistry” is scheduled for 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Ghost writing and color-changing cabbage are the highlight of this creepy compilation of chemistry experiments!
Visitors of all ages are invited to discover solutions to science and engineering challenges. This is a drop-in activity, feel free to join the fun at any time. Activities are included in admission and free for Hagley members.
Float Your Boat” is also scheduled for 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Participants will be able to learn about buoyancy, density, and how boats stay afloat. Build your own boat and test how much cargo it can hold!
Visitors of all ages are invited to discover solutions to science and engineering challenges. This is a drop-in activity, feel free to join the fun at any time. Activities are included in admission and free for Hagley members.
On September 24, 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 $20 Adults, $16 Seniors (62+) and Students, and $10 Children (6-14.).
The Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights Preserve (3000 Creek Road, Yorklyn, Delaware, 302-239-2385, http://auburnheights.org) will stage one of its major annual events on September 24 when it hosts Auburn Heights Invitational Historic Auto Display.
The annual Auburn Heights Invitational features an exceptional array of historic automobiles from the classic era. This year’s fundraiser event includes a broad representation of high-end motor cars from the dawn of the automotive age through 1942.
Selection is based on significance of the marque, authenticity, presentation and the history of the vehicle. Limited to approximately 20-25 autos, the Auburn Heights Invitational offers a rare opportunity to compare and contrast early and later classic-era vehicles — all at the elegant Auburn Heights estate.
More than just a car show at a classy venue, attendees enjoy delicious fare by the On the Roll Food Truck, wine and beer tastings, ice cream from Woodside Farm Creamery, rides on the Auburn Valley Railroad and tours of the Auburn Heights Mansion, plus special exhibits and presentations, a silent auction, raffle and more.
The event will get underway at 12:30 p.m. Admission is $25.
The intriguing new production Paranormal Cirque (https://paranormalcirque.com), which is intended for a mature audience, is running now through September 24 at Park City Center (142 Park City Center, Lancaster).
Paranormal Cirque will expose audiences to a unique creation of combined theatre, circus, and cabaret with a new European style flare.
This innovative horror story, which is presented in true circus style under a Big Top tent, features different shades of sexy and an incomparable storyline. Audiences likely will find it difficult to separate reality from illusion at this show as they fall into a parallel world and end up surrounded by monstrous creatures with hidden talents.
Currently, Paranormal Cirque has four tours running – Silver Tour, Gold Tour, Black Tour and Silver Tour. The tour visiting our area is the Black Tour.
Paranormal Cirque’s “Clown Castle” (also known as the Big Top) presents a mesmerizing effect while hosting a two-hour hypnotizing and enchanted show.
A careful casting selection has united the best artists from all over the world.
Under this Clown Castle, the black and red big top tent, there are aerial acrobats, illusionists, freaks, mysterious creatures and all the elements that make one think of a “normal” circus – but this one is not “normal.”
A new show with breathtaking implications always poised between fun and the most uninhibited fear that will transport you to a dark world inhabited by creatures with incredible circus art abilities.
A crazy yet fun fusion between circus, theatre, and cabaret in perfect harmony with the evolution of a show that brings you back to when we dream … and when we had nightmares and fantasies.
Scare, encompass, amuse and surprise are the ingredients for a mixture of emotions impossible to forget.
This is truly a Paranormal experience like no other.
Video link for Paranormal Cirque — https://youtu.be/locxFnh5UR8.
Ticket prices start at $20.
On September 22, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present “Accessible 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 September 22 at 10 a.m. — departing from Laurel Hill Cemetery’s Gatehouse entrance at 3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia.
Laurel Hill has another special attraction – Circus Phantasmagoria.
What transpires in the human mind during the final seconds of life?
Step into Circus Phantasmagoria, an odyssey into the profound mysteries of life, death, and the boundless universe of the mind. This immersive and interactive experience is an invitation to wander the labyrinthine corridors of the human mind via the physical pathways of Laurel Hill East Cemetery.
As you roam the cemetery’s illuminated paths and hidden corners, you’ll meet a captivating cast of acrobatic entities and otherworldly beings who sketch the boundaries of altered consciousness at the brink of death. Prepare to make your way toward the bridge to the other side and relish a “cirque-tacular” conclusion of high-flying feats while seated amidst the tombstones of Laurel Hill’s permanent residents.
Your personal narrative of the afterlife will be shaped by the stories you hear, the creatures you encounter, and the choices you make during your exploration. Whether you take in as much as you can in one night or return for a new journey, your experience will be uniquely yours.
Circus Phantasmagoria will be held September 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30.
Tickets are $45.
Morris Arboretum (100 East Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, www.morrisarboretum.org) will host “Historic Springfield Mills Day” on September 24 from 1-4 p.m.
Morris Arboretum’s oldest architectural feature is the historic grist mill, dating back to 1761 and situated along the picturesque Wissahickon Creek. On a guided tour, visitors can watch one-ton millstones grind corn kernels and observe 160-year-old machinery transport and sift the ground corn to produce meal.
The special activity is included with garden admission — Adults: $20; Seniors (65+ years): $18; Youth (3-17 years): $10.
Each September, “Pumpkinland” returns to Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com). “Pumpkinland,” which runs through November 5, 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.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, 484-754-3976, http://phillynon-sportscardshow.com) is hosting the Philly Non-Sports Card Show now through September 24.
The big event for specialized memorabilia collectors this weekend will be held on Friday from 1-8 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tickets are $10 on Friday and $15 on Saturday and Sunday.
There are two basic categories of trading cards — sports cards and non-sports cards. Sports cards depict athletes at all levels. Non-sport cards offer so much more. There are card sets dealing with music, movies, politics, nature, pop culture and history.
For more than a century, non-sport trading cards have documented trends in pop culture – providing people with history lessons provided by small, rectangular pieces of cardboard.
Three times each year, collectors from across the country come together in eastern Pennsylvania for this very special event.
Now in its 41st year, the event is the oldest show of its kind in the country.
Many of the hobby’s top manufacturers will have exhibit booths at this weekend’s show and will be distributing free promo cards. There will be a huge array of non-sport cards, sets, singles, wrappers, chase cards, promos, and related memorabilia.
Another event at the Expo Center this weekend will be the Philly Coin Expo.
The event on September 23 will feature 100 Tables with more than 50 dealers buying and selling coins, paper money, silver and gold bullion along with all types of precious metals and collectables.
Onsite grading available.
Visitors can have their collections appraised by one of the Expo’s many trusted partners.
Admission for the Expo, which runs from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., is $5 at the door.
The latest edition of the “History at Work” series at Newlin Grist Mill (219 South Cheyney Road, Glen Mills, newlingristmill.org) is scheduled for September 23.
Visitors can get a closer look at trades of the 18th century in Newlin’s “History at Work” series.
Members of Newlin Grist Mill’s staff, volunteers, and outside artisans will demonstrate their crafts and talk with visitors about how different trades and skills were integral to life in colonial Pennsylvania and to the operation of Newlin Grist Mill.
The theme for this Saturday is “Receipts from American Cookery.” A talk with Pamela Cooley will run from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
“History at Work” is free and open to the public of all ages.
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 2023 Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport.
The cost is $49 for an individual pass and $99 for a family pass (for up to five family members).
The Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport is good for one-time admission to Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley’s top attractions now through October 31.
A family pass, which includes one-day admission to each of 12 sites, can bring a savings of over $200 for the holders — especially since many of the participating institutions have regular admission fees in double figures.
The list of locations covered by the Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport includes Longwood Gardens, Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, Brandywine River Museum, Delaware Art Museum, Delaware History Museum, Hagley Museum and Library, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Nemours Mansion & Gardens, Read House and Garden, Mt. Cuba Center, Rockwood Museum and Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library.
For more information, call (800) 489-6664 or visit www.visitwilmingtonde.com/bmga/.
Nemours Estate (1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware, nemoursestate.org) has come alive with its magnificent gardens.
Originally constructed in 1910, Nemours Mansion is one of Delaware’s grandest buildings and includes the largest formal French garden in North America.
Nemours Estate comprises an exquisite, 77-room Mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.
Nemours was the estate of Alfred I. duPont. Alfred Irénée du Pont was an American industrialist, financier, philanthropist and a member of the influential Du Pont family.
He 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, duPont also ensured that his new home was thoroughly modern by incorporating the latest technology and many of his own inventions.
The Gardens are 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).
The entrance is located on the campus of Nemours Children’s Health, follow signs for Nemours Estate.
Admission to Nemours is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $10 for children.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is hosting “Terrific Tuesdays” – a special activity that is running every Tuesday through the end of August.
Visitors will be able to meet the families who lived, worked, and played at Winterthur.
They can engage in crafts, games, and demonstrations inspired by families who called this place home.
There will also be sessions introducing history, art, conservation, and storytelling to kids ages 3–10 and the adults they bring along.
The event, which costs $5, runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Winterthur is always a special place to enjoy both history and nature.
There seems to be no end to what’s in bloom — and in almost every corner of the garden.
The garden is a result of the artistic vision of its creator, Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969) and is surrounded by nearly 1,000 acres of meadows, farmland, and waterways.
The views in every direction are important to the whole. The paths are an integral part of the overall design, curving rather than straight, following the contours of the land, passing around trees, and drawing walkers into the garden.
Visitors can explore the garden on foot, or on a narrated tram ride (March-December).
Admission to Winterthur is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and students and $8 for children.
Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.
Odessa is one of Delaware’s most historic sites.
Known in the 18th-century as Cantwell’s Bridge, Odessa played a vital role in commercial life along the Delaware River as a busy grain shipping port.
Today, visitors can stroll along tree-lined streets and admire examples of 18th- and 19th-century architecture in one of the best-preserved towns in Delaware. They can also tour a remarkable collection of antiques and Americana preserved in period room settings and quaint exhibits.
Historic Odessa is open to the public from March through December, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. The site is also open Monday by reservation. General Admission: Adults, $10; Groups, Seniors, Students, $8; and Children under six are free.
Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, www.longwoodgardens.org) is inviting visitors to enjoy the beauty of nature in summer – especially with the “Festival of Fountains,” which will run until September 24.
As the season unfolds, flowering trees delightfully punctuate the landscape, radiant tulips stretch toward the sun, and the delicious fragrance of wisteria floats along the breeze.
Visitors can also enjoy special exhibits at the Orchid House.
Dancing fountains, performances under the stars, and beautiful gardens make the Festival of Fountains at Longwood Gardens magical. The spectacular celebration of music, light, water, and nature includes distinctive garden experiences indoors and out.
Iconic Illuminated Fountain Performances dance, soar, and delight in the Main Fountain Garden Thursday–Saturday evenings. New Illuminated Fountain Performances for 2023 include “Put Me In, Coach,” featuring a variety of sports-related tunes; “Rachmaninov: Power and Passion”; “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift; “Starman” by David Bowie; “To Infinity and Beyond” highlighting beloved songs from animated movie favorites; and “Where the Heart Is” a showcase of coming-home hits by the likes of Bon Jovi and Ed Sheeran. Illuminated Fountain Performances are free with Gardens admission.
Before the fountain performances, guests can sit under the stars and enjoy live music and refreshing brews and pub fare in Longwood’s Beer Garden. Guests can enjoy a variety of selections from Victory Brewing Company, including the Longwood Seasons series brewed with ingredients grown at Longwood.
Regional artists perform live instrumental music, including Hawaiian-Inspired Steel Guitar from Slowey & The Boats, Jazz Age Blues from Drew Nugent & The Midnight Society, Traditional Cuban Son by Conjunto Philadelphia.
There will be two more “Festive Friday” events this year – “I’m a Believer” on September 15 and “Bailando” on October 13.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and college students, $18 for active military and $13 for youth.
Chanticleer (786 Church Street, Wayne, www.chanticleergarden.org), which just opened its 2023 season, is one of them.
The Chanticleer estate dates from the early 20th-century, when land along the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was developed for summer homes to escape the heat of Philadelphia. Adolph Rosengarten, Sr., and his wife Christine chose the Wayne-St. David’s area to build their country retreat. The family’s pharmaceutical firm eventually became part of Merck & Company in the 1920s.
The garden has evolved greatly since the death of the owner in 1990. As the home of the Rosengartens, Chanticleer was beautiful and green with impressive trees and lawns. Most of the floral and garden development you see today has occurred since 1990 — designed by Chanticleer staff and consultants.
There are seven horticulturists, each responsible for the design, planting, and maintenance of an area. The areas are continually evolving, each with its own feel, yet joined together as one complete unit.
The Teacup Garden and Chanticleer Terraces feature seasonal plants and bold-textured tropical and subtropical plants. The Tennis Court, Ruin, Gravel Garden, and Pond Garden focus on hardy perennials, both woody and herbaceous. Asian Woods and Bell’s Woodland are shady areas. The Serpentine celebrates the beauty of agricultural crops.
Admission to Chanticleer is $12 for adults and free for pre-teen children (12 years and under).
Andalusia Historic House, Gardens and Arboretum (1237 State Road, Andalusia, www.andalusia house.org) opened its gates for the 2023 season at the beginning of April.
Located on a wooded promontory overlooking the Delaware River, Andalusia has been a stately presence on this stretch of water, just north of Philadelphia, for more than 200 years. The ancestral home of the Biddle family, Andalusia is also a natural paradise of native woodlands and spectacular gardens that have evolved over time.
Placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1966, the Big House is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States.
Its surrounding gardens delight the senses all through the year, from the tumbling, brightly colored leaves of fall to the floral extravaganza of spring and the abundance and scent of summer.
Self-Guided Garden Tours will be available Mondays through Wednesdays from April 4-November 2 (excluding holidays) at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Picnics are allowed on the grounds (with have a “carry-in, carry-out” policy).
Access to the Big House is not included with this tour, which is $20 per person. There is no charge for children 12 and under.
Big House Tours with Garden Access will be available Mondays through Wednesdays from April 4-November 2 (excluding holidays) at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person. There is no charge for children 12 and under.
Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden (1829 East County Line Road, Villanova, stoneleighgarden.org/garden/home/) will present a “Home and Garden Tour” on August 26 from 10:30 a.m.-noon.
Formerly a Main Line country estate, Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden opened to the public in 2018.
Dazzling displays of native plants, ancient trees, landscape designs by the Olmsted Brothers, and myriad habitats are highlighted on this guided exploration of Stoneleigh. The spectacular Tudor Revival Main House—which is usually only open for special events—is also included in the tour.
This tour will highlight the transition from beloved family home to public garden through a guided exploration of breathtaking historical landscapes, majestic trees, and the more than 2,000 varieties of native plants.
Guests can learn how the staff created gardens that are beautiful, biodiverse, and beneficial to wildlife.
Tickets for the tour are $15.
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 12th Annual Upper Perkiomen Bird & Wildlife Festival is scheduled to run from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on September 23 at Green Lane Park (2298 Green Lane Road, Green Lane, 215-234-4528).
Families are invited to enjoy a day of fun and learning at the park. The event will feature environmental exhibits, free hayrides, live animal presentations, live music, food and merchandise vendors, and kids’ games and activities.
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 44th annual staging of the event, which bills itself as “the most wondrous event in all the Knowne World”, is running now through October 29. 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 $32.95. For children (age 5-11) single-day tickets are available at the gate and online for $16.95.
The 33rd Annual Harriton Farmstead Fair is scheduled for September 23 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (rain or shine) at the Harriton House (500 Harriton Road, Bryn Mawr, www.harritonhouse.org)
The popular annual event in Lower Merion Township features crafts, antiques, pony rides, historic house tours, children’s games, muskets and soldiers, blacksmiths, stone carvers, cabinetmakers, spinners, skep weavers, bluegrass music, and falconry (and other birds of prey).
The Fair, which is free and open to the public, also features the Harriton Attic Treasures Booth, which is one of the best flea markets on the Main Line, and the Harriton Farm stand featuring flowers and organic produce (some of which is from the Harriton garden).
As an added attraction, the historic 1704 house will be open for tours during the day.
The Annual Fall for the Arts Festival (Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, https://chestnuthillpa.com/events/fall-for-the-arts-festival) is coming to Chestnut Hill this weekend. The popular annual event will feature art, live demonstrations, children’s activities, music and shopping.
The outdoor, arts-and-crafts marketplace will be held on September 24 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Germantown Avenue between Willow Grove and Rex avenues.
Watercolors, sculptures, pottery, wood crafts, photographs and jewelry, produced by more than 100 artists from the Mid-Atlantic region, will be on display and for sale.
There will be a Makers Village set up from Abington Avenue to Hartwell Lane, featuring live demonstrations and a Children’s Amusement Zone.
Dining options include Bahia Bowls, Bredenbeck’s Bakery and Ice Cream Parlor, Campbell’s Place, Chestnut Grill, Chestnut Hill Brewing Co., El Poquito, Iron Hill Brewery, Market at the Fareway, McNally’s Tavern, Baker Street Bread, Breakfast Boutique, Cake, Chill On The Hill Frozen Yogurt, Cin Cin, Cosimo’s Pizza Café, King’s Garden and Tavern on the Hill.
Live music will be performed by the Dukes of Destiny, Jonathan Savage & the Classic Rockers, the City Rhythm and Tattar, Tucker, Moog & Martin.
For “Count’s Halloween Spooktacular at Sesame Place” (100 Sesame Place, Langhorne, 215-752-7070, www.sesameplace.com), which runs from September 16-November 5, 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.
It’s time to welcome autumn and one of the best ways to do this is by checking out the corn mazes at Ramsey’s Farm (Ramsey Road, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-477-1499, www.ramseysfarm.com). The farm’s event season lists September 16 as 2023’s “Opening Day.”
Corn mazes, along with hayrides, a pumpkin patch and scarecrows, will be featured at Ramsey’s Farm, which is located in northern Delaware on Route 92 just south of the Pennsylvania-Delaware state line. The new season runs on weekends now through October.
Ramsey’s “Pumpkin Patch” has been in operation since 1995 and the farm’s varied mazes have been delighting and baffling visitors who return each year for the popular annual event. The owners of Ramsey’s Farm raise pumpkins, gourds, ornamental corn, popcorn, feed corn and hay.
The farm’s pumpkin field stretches over 12 acres and yields approximately 20,000 pumpkins each season. Hayrides around the farm will be offered from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. Visitors will be able to shop for pumpkins and other items at the farm store. There will also be hot food and beverages available for purchase.
Tickets are $15.
This is the time of the year when farms in the area become a bustle activity — a time for harvest. But it is not harvest matters that are causing a bustle of activity at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Ronks (150 Cherry Hill Road, Ronks, 717-687-6843,www.cherrycrestfarm.com).
The farm’s popular annual “Flashlight Maze” is now underway and will continue every Friday and Saturday night through November 4. Cherry Crest Adventure Farm has reserved several weekends during the autumn months for Flashlight Maze.
This special activity allows visitors to experience the Amazing Maize Maze in total darkness. All you need are flashlights and a few friends.
The Flashlight Maze is a nice, non-scary, Halloween alternative that has appeal for people of all ages. The Flashlight Maze, which has a $12 admission fee, is open from 6:30-10 p.m. with the last entrance into the Maze at 9 p.m.
The main attraction is Cherry Crest’s “Amazing Maize Maze,” which is billed as “the world’s most dynamic and interactive corn maze.” It is a five-acre corn maze with over two-and-one-half miles of paths, scenic bridges, and clues.
The average time to complete the “Amazing Maize Maze” course is one hour. Ticket prices start at $22.95.
On weekends now through October 21, the Kalmar Nyckel will be offering public sails from the Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard (Copeland Maritime Center, 1124 E. 7th St. Wilmington, Delaware, http://kalmarnyckel.org).
For two decades, the Kalmar Nyckel, which has its home base in Wilmington, has been hosting riders all over the world – especially in Delaware.
A ride on the Kalmar Nyckel is a totally different from most tourist water rides.
The ship is a beautiful recreation of the original Kalmar Nyckel, which was built in Holland in the 1620s. Her mainmast is taller than a 10-story building and she carries 7,600 square feet of sail area and six miles of rigging.
The original Kalmar Nyckel was a Swedish-owned, three-masted armed pinnace that sailed from Goteborg, Sweden in November of 1637 and brought the first permanent European settlers to the Delaware Valley.
Carrying 24 settlers from four countries (Sweden, Finland, Holland, and Germany), she landed on the banks of the Christina River. The site, which became known as “The Rocks”, can be visited at Fort Christina Park off Wilmington’s East Seventh Street.
The Kalmar Nyckel made four documented round-trip crossings of the Atlantic, more than any other “settlers’ ship” of the era. The original ship was lost in the late 1600s.
In 1986 a group of citizens established the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation to design, build and launch a replica of the Kalmar Nyckel at a shipyard adjacent to the original landing site.
The new Kalmar Nyckel was constructed there and was launched on September 28, 1997. She was commissioned on May 9, 1998, and now serves as Delaware’s sea-going Ambassador of Good Will. She is a fully functional sail training vessel and has represented Delaware all over the country.
Tickets are $40 for adults and $25 for youth (ages 17 and under).
On September 24, Wilmington and Western Railroad (Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport-Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, www.wwrr.com) is running a special excursion – “Galactic Express.”
Riders are invited to join the staff as they embark on a mission to explore planet Earth, complete your TRAIN-ing with Master Darro Lin, and meet three well-known space knights and a little green alien.
Be sure to bring your very own space weapon for training to participate in our pre-departure platform show. The railroad’s space knights will visit everyone aboard the train during the 1½-hour round-trip to Ashland. This train will not stop or layover at the Mt. Cuba Picnic Grove.
This event is powered by one of the rail line’s historic first-generation diesel locomotives.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $24 for children and $23 for seniors.
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.
Tickets for the all-day excursion are $39 from the Reading Outer Station and Port Clinton Station and $24 from the Tamaqua Station.
The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Wine & Cheese Tasting” on September 23 and 24 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 September 22, 23 and 24 at 7 p.m.
Passengers can enjoy the luxurious, climate-controlled first-class accommodations and a tasting of select wine, cheese, and crackers as they travel in style down the tracks from Strasburg to Paradise and back. The 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 $65.
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 44th anniversary this year, will run now through October 29.
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.
Visitors can vote for their favorites in seven categories: Traditional 1960s Style, Quite the Character, Once Upon a Time, Fright Night, Funny Bones and Kids Only! Ballots can be cast through the Peddler’s Village Mobile app.
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 four 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.
“Elmwood Park Zoo” (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is presenting several of its ultra-popular “Dog Days” over the next week.
The Zoo’s “Dog Days” event will be held on September 22, 24 and 27 from noon-4 p.m. each day.
All guests visiting the zoo with a furry friend must complete an online waiver and submit required documents before visiting the zoo. You must upload a copy of your most recent veterinary visit, including proof of vaccine and heartworm test here. All items will be required for you to attend “Dog Days.”
Pricing is $10.95 per dog with each additional dog at $9.95. Regular zoo admission is required for all humans.
Additionally, the Zoo will host a “Harvest Fest” on Saturdays and Sundays through November 5.
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 free for children under 5.
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.
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.
