By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
The Great Pumpkin Carve
This is the time of year when there are so many Halloween events on the calendar that you could visit four events a day each day from now until October 31 and still not see them all.
There are also numerous harvest festivals, fall foliage events, hayrides and other special activities such as a dwarf wrestling, a spooky circus and Asian Indian and American Indian events.
One of the most popular Halloween events in the area is “The Great Pumpkin Carve” (Chadds Ford Historical Society, 1736 Creek Road, Chadds Ford, 610-388-7376, www.chaddsfordhistory.org) which is running now through October 21.
The colorful event began with the carving competition on October 19.
Every year at the Great Pumpkin Carve, more than 70 carvers — amateur and professional — gather to sculpt, saw and chisel giant pumpkins in front of crowds of enthusiastic onlookers.
This well-attended Chadds Ford tradition is one of those events which has a history of its own.
It began in the early 1970’s when artists Jimmy Lynch, Andrew Wyeth and his son Jamie Wyeth were convinced to carve pumpkins to decorate the inside of the Chadds Ford Inn. Other Chadds Ford artists joined in the carving, and, within a few years, the event spread from the Inn’s front porch all the way across the lawn of the Chadds Ford Gallery.
As the Pumpkin Carve grew, it moved to larger venues and in 1992 arrived at its current venue — the meadow behind the Chadds Ford Historical Society. This annual event, still held on the Historical Society’s grounds, is a major fundraiser that raises funds to support the CFHS’ educational programs, historic preservation of their historic sites and more.
Hours are from 4-9 p.m. on October 20 and 3-9 p.m. on October 21. Both nights feature a “Kid Friendly Haunted Trail,” raffle prizes and live music by Kenny Thompson & Friends. Food, local craft beer and wine are available for purchase.
Admission is $15 for adults (18 and older) and $5 for children (ages 7-17).
The Chester County History Center (225 North High Street, West Chester, http://www.chestercohistorical.org/) debuted its “Chilling West Chester” walking tour in the fall of 2020, and this year it’s back with a sequel featuring all new stops.
Beginning at the Chester County History Center on October 20, 22 and 24 at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. and October 21 at 11 a.m. and 1:30, the tour is approximately 1.5 miles. Guests will hear macabre stories from West Chester’s history while visiting some notable downtown landmarks. These are not ghost stories — these are true tales of terror pulled from our own archives.
From the horrors of the Chester County Prison to the cold-blooded killers tried at the courthouse, to explosions and other disasters that have wrought havoc in the borough, West Chester’s streets and alleys have witnessed 200 years of spine-chilling history. The historians and educators at the Chester County History Center will share these stories with visitors on this 90-minute walking tour. These are not ghost stories — these are true tales of terror pulled from our own archives.
Each tour will be held entirely outdoors.
Participants should dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.
Tours will take place rain or shine and tickets, which are $18, are nonrefundable.
If Indian Summer is returning this weekend, then it might be a good time to check out a Native American Festival.
The Chester County American Indian Cultural Festival
The Chester County American Indian Cultural Festival will be held at the Ramano 4-H Center of Chester County (1841 Horseshoe Pike, Honey Brook, www.chescoamericanindianculturalfest.com) on October 21 and 22.
The local “Native American Cultural Festival” features dance, drums, craft vendors, kids’ activities and live music.
The event will start with cultural dance demonstrations at 11 a.m. The “Grand Entry” at noon will mark the official start of the Pow Wow.
Admission is $5 per person with children (under 10) and seniors (over 65) admitted free. Dogs on a leash are welcome.
The Hagley Craft Fair is known for being one of the oldest and best annual craft events in the Brandywine Valley, will be held October 21 and 22 at Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org).
The popular annual show, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, is being held inside Hagley’s Library Building and Soda House along with the grounds outside the building.
The Hagley Craft Fair
This is a juried craft fair with more than 50 top-flight artisans demonstrating, displaying and selling their crafts.
This marketplace brings together talented artisans from the mid-Atlantic area for a two-day shopping experience featuring fine arts, crafts, and gourmet items. This premier show features works in wood, pottery, jewelry, fibers, metal, and other media, and includes a specialty food market. Vendors are located outdoors throughout Hagley’s beautiful upper property and inside the Soda House.
Refreshments are available for purchase at the food court featuring a variety of options from popular, regional food trucks and a Wilmington Brew Works Beer Garden.
Shuttles will be running throughout the event for quick access of the property.
Tickets also include a tour of the duPont family home and garden.
The Craft Fair will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $8 ($12 at the door) and are good for both days.
The intriguing new production Paranormal Cirque (https://paranormalcirque.com), which is intended for a mature audience, is running from October 26-29 at Philadelphia Mills (1455 Franklin Mills Circle, Philadelphia). Those in the northern part of Chester County might want to check out the show during its run at the Lehigh Valley Mall (250 Lehigh Valley Mall, Whitehall) now through October 22.
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.
Video link for Paranormal Cirque — https://youtu.be/locxFnh5UR8.
Ticket prices start at $20.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, 484-754-3976, phillyexpocenter.com) is hosting the Dwarfanators Wrestling Tour 2023 at 8 p.m. on October 20.
Visit the los mini enmascarados show and watch these mini masked wrestlers put on performances that will leave you mesmerized.
These mini masked wrestlers live to compete in memorable matches every time they step foot into the ring.
This is in-ring action just as varied as the personalities of the mini masked wrestlers that perform in the squared circle.
If you are lucky enough, you may even have the privilege of watching a classic Lucha Libre match such as a hair vs. hair or mask vs. mask match! These are special grudge matches, where the performers put their honor on the line and defend it by any means necessary. The loser is humiliated, the winner has a trophy to show off, and you get to witness it all.
Tickets are $40 ringside and $25 general admission.
Another interesting event this weekend at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center will be Garba Night with Shirose International on October 21.
Garba, a traditional dance from the western Indian state of Gujarat, is performed during Navratri, the nine-day Hindu festival celebrating the divine feminine.
Navratri is an immensely sacred and holy nine days. During this time, those celebrating the “energetic week,” will make significant life decisions, such as buying a car or house.
Navratri is one of the most popular and vibrant festivals in Hinduism, which celebrates the divine feminine power or Shakti in various forms. Navratri means “nine nights” in Sanskrit, and during these nine nights, different aspects of the goddess Durga are worshipped and celebrated with devotion, music, dance, and joy. Navratri is also a time to express gratitude, seek blessings, and enjoy the festive spirit with family and friends.
One of the highlights of Navratri is the Garba and Dandiya dance, which are traditional folk dances from Gujarat and Rajasthan performed in a circular formation around a lamp or an idol of the goddess.
Garba symbolizes unity, harmony, energy, and life, while Dandiya symbolizes bravery, courage, and victory. Lively music, colorful costumes, and festive decorations accompany both dances.
The event will run from 5-10 p.m.
Tickets are $20.
Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) is a great place to visit any time in the year and always has special attractions to add to the experience.
Longwood’s Chrysanthemum Festival is running through November 12. Innovative plant-growing techniques and displays take center stage by way of thousands of trained chrysanthemums throughout our Conservatory.
Big, bold colors and thousands of carefully nurtured and trained chrysanthemums abound during this imaginative display serving as the largest and oldest of its kind in North America.
Throughout the Conservatory, specialty chrysanthemum forms from fanciful clouds to sculptural spirals not only showcase our horticultural savvy but help preserve an ancient Asian artform that we are beyond proud to perpetuate.
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.
One of Longwood’s most popular fall family activities – “Pumpkin Playground” – runs through October 30.
The attraction is located in the Children’s Corner in the Idea Garden for interactive play. Families can find the perfect opportunity for a festive fall photo amid the whimsical seasonal display of pumpkins, gourds, and corn husk towers.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $25 for adults, $22 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and college students, $18 for active military and veterans and $13 for youth (ages 5-18).
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is hosting “Drive-in Movie Weekend” on October 20 and 21.
Visitors are invited to pile friends and family in the car and take in a fun film under the night sky. All films are rated PG. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and movies start at 6:30 p.m.
The movie which is being screened on October 20 will be “Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom.” On October 22, the featured cinema will be “Hocus Pocus.”
Admission is $45 per car. The event is “BYO food and drink,” or patrons can purchase hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, cookies, soda, and popcorn from Winterthur’s food tent.
Movies can be viewed from cars or on the grass with BYO blankets and lawn chairs. Admission can be by reservation or at the gate. Visitors should enter Gate 2 on the Point-to-Point fields on Route 52.
This is a weather dependent event. In case of inclement weather, a decision will be made by 2:00 pm and communicated to ticket holders.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library is currently showcasing a new 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.
The Historic Odessa Foundation (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, http://www.historicodessa.org) has a new exhibition, “A Wonderful Life: Regionalist Paintings by Louise Margarite Haas Jamison.” The paintings are currently on display in a retrospective exhibition presented by the Historic Odessa Foundation through October 29.
The retrospective, which are on display in Historic Odessa’s Visitor Center, presents works depicting familiar towns and historic sites that have become iconic in central Delaware, and is being presented to help bring attention to the almost forgotten woman artist.
Louise Haas Jamison (1915-1980) grew up near Pickering Beach, Del., on a chicken farm with her 11 siblings. Her fondness for art started at a young age, and she aspired to one day attend art school. Unfortunately, her mother died when Louise was young, and demands at home derailed her ambitions. Undeterred, she studied with the celebrated Lewes artist Howard Schroeder for more than a decade and then spent the rest of her life painting the urban and rural landscapes of her native Delaware.
Louise married Jon Hawkins Jamison in 1940 and had two sons. Along with being a mother, housekeeper, and artist, she also gave painting lessons to children and adults and was very active in her church.
Jamison’s grandson, Kirk Jamison, said that his grandmother was always championing the arts, whether it was creating exhibitions or organizing contests for the public. She beat cancer once in the 1950s but succumbed to a recurrence in October 1980. Kirk Jamison is trying to preserve her legacy and anticipates that the exhibit will bring out more of her artwork as he aims to publish a catalogue about her life and her artistic career.
Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) is presenting its “Adult Trick or Treat” event every Saturday and Sunday through October 29 from noon-7 p.m.
Visitors will be able to “Trick or Treat” for wine and seasonal snacks at Chaddsford’s wildly popular, adults-only Halloween program as they visit a variety of Halloween-themed pairing stations located throughout the Winery grounds.
The “Pairing Menu” features Greeting Wine: 2022 Sparkling White; Station 1 Cinderella: The White Standard Kernel Clark’s Garlic, Rosemary and Parmesan Popcorn; Station 2 Red Riding Hood: The Red Standard Éclat Dark Caramel Truffle; Station 3 Goldilocks and the 3 Beers: Victory Prima Pils, OsoSweet Bakery Cafe German-style Scone; Station 4 Rumplspritzen: Sangria Spritzer,
Asher’s Dark Chocolate Orange Peel; and Station 5 Snow White: Spiced Apple, Caramel Stroopwafel.
Tickets are $40.
On October 20, there will be a “Halloween Murder Mystery” at Dew Point Brewing Co., 2878 Creek Rd, Yorklyn, Delaware, dewpointbrewing.com).
This is a special event at the brewery where all attendees are interactive characters working together to solve the murder.
The Off Center Events team will be leading the Halloween murder mystery party from 7-9 p.m. — guiding all event attendee characters as they solve this “whodunnit,” This is a fun flowing event, no specific lines or intense skills needed to play along.
Your ticket includes entry into the Murder Mystery and your first drink.
You choose your Halloween costume for the evening and then will be assigned a specific character role at the event. Put thought into your costume props as they may be what you depend on to help solve the mystery OR keep you alive! Consider props such as: wizard wands, detective magnifying glass, treasure map, utility belt with gadgets, tarot cards, pocket watch, prop knife, rope, etc.
Feel free to bring your own food and snacks with you.
This is not a Murder Mystery “show” where you just come and watch, this is an interactive event where all attendees are the characters.
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).
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 $8 for the corn maze, $5 for the sorghum maze, $3 for the hay maze, $3 for pumpkin painting and $3 for a hayride.
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.
Participants can walk at their own pace as they encounter the “Kernels of Knowledge” along with a variety of clues, tunnel slides, and watering stations. They can also check out a bird’s eye view from the two bridges and watch everyone’s flags waving high above the corn.
The average time to complete the “Amazing Maize Maze” course is one hour. Ticket prices start at $19.
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 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 October 21, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present “Fall Fun Day.”
Children of all ages and caregivers are invited to a family-friendly day of outdoor fun. They will be able to enjoy mini-pumpkin painting and other fall crafts, story time with the Free Library, a Trick-or-Treat hunt, face painting and more.
The event will take place on October 21 from noon-3 p.m.
Please RSVP to attend this free community event.
A 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.
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tour” on October 22.
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.
If crisp fall weather puts you in the mood for an energetic outdoor activity, you have two good options.
On October 22, Glen Foerd (5001 Grant Avenue, Philadelphia, www.glenfoerd.org/events) is presenting “Fermentation Station: Kraut & Kombucha.”
At Sunday’s event, which will run from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., participants will join Glen Foerd’s staff for a hands-on demonstration about fermentation and the science behind it just in time for bratwurst season.
They will also be able to learn all about fermentation while the site’s environmental staff guides them through the process of making kombucha and sauerkraut in this bring-your-own jar workshop.
The guides will also be diving into the chemical and historical breakdown of these foods in the Main House at Glen Foerd, which will also be open for guests to explore.
The 1696 Thomas Massey House (Lawrence Road, Broomall, 610-353-3644, http://www.thomasmasseyhouse.org) will be celebrating autumn with its Harvest Day Festival on October 22. The free festival features demonstrations of a variety of colonial crafts by period re-enactors and other special activities from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Visitors will be able to learn how to make apple butter, churn butter and make candles. There will be a working walk-in fireplace as well as a working blacksmith shop.
Treetop Quest Philly (51 Chamounix Drive, Philadelphia, www.treetopquest.com) is an aerial adventure park that will challenge you physically and mentally as you maneuver from tree to tree through obstacles and zip-lines. Once you’re equipped, they will teach you how to operate your equipment and you’ll be able to swing through each course as many times as you want for 2.5 hours.
Each participant is outfitted with a harness and gloves. Each course has a continuous belay system — a lifeline that is impossible to detach without a staff member. The activity is self-guided, and the staff is ready to assist when needed.
Gloves are required for our activity. During this time, we encourage participants to bring their own gloves to use while up in the trees, gardening gloves are perfect for this activity.
Ticket prices start at $38.
“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.
The weekly calendars are beginning to fill up with Halloween events — “spooky” and “not so spooky.”
“Elmwood Park Zoo” (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is presenting “Boo at the Zoo” on October 21, 22, 28 and 29 from noon-3 p.m. each day.
“Boo at the Zoo” features live entertainment, costume contests, costume parades, trick-or-treat stations with candy, prizes, crafts and educational pieces.
Children are encouraged to bring their own treat bags for trick-or-treating. The zoo will not be providing any bags.
“Boo at the Zoo” is free with zoo admission, which starts at $12.95.
The site is also hosting several of its ultra-popular “Dog Days” over the next week.
Additionally, the Zoo will host a “Harvest Fest” on Saturdays and Sundays through November 5.
The Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, www.philadelphiazoo.org) is presenting “Boo at the Zoo” on October 21, 22, 28 and 29.
Families are invited to bring along a trick-or-treat bag and come dressed in costumes to celebrate the spooky season among their favorite animals. Guests will enjoy a trick-or-treat safari with candy stations, seasonal decor, boo-tiful fall leaves, Howl-oween children’s activities, themed animal enrichments, pumpkin feedings and more.
New for this year, “Spiders Alive” will debut with an array of arachnids from tarantulas to orb weavers to scorpions. Come ready to learn how scientists aim to protect these animals in the wild. Plus, the Zoo’s colony of vampire bats are getting a brand-new exhibit in “Water is Life.”
Visitors will also be able to meet the new puma cubs and stop by the Rare Animal Conservation Center to meet the bright ‘pumpkin spice’ colored baby Francois langur.
The Philadelphia Zoo’s “Boo at the Zoo” is free with admission. Zoo admission is $25 and $20 for children (ages 2-11).
Brandywine Zoo’s “Boo at the Zoo” (Brandywine Zoo, 1001 N. Park Drive, Wilmington, 302-571-7747, www.brandywinezoo.org) will be held on October 20, 21, and 22 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. each day.
The popular annual non-scary family event features games, animal enrichment programs, live critters and trick-or-treating. Children (and their grown-ups) are encouraged to wear costumes.
Guests are invited to celebrate Halloween Brandywine Zoo-style with this merry, not scary, event. Come see all the zoo’s spooky decorations, enjoy socially distanced activities, and meet some of the zoo’s favorite animals.
Admission is $8.
Now through October 31, Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania (100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, www.morrisarboretum.org) is hosting its annual “Scarecrow Walk.”
Visitors will be able to make their own scarecrows, paint a pumpkin and sample different varieties of apples. Weaver’s Way Coop will be on hand with the season’s best local apple varieties.
Morris Arboretum’s Scarecrow Walk is back for its 16th year, and in recognition of those who show courage and care when faced with fright, this year’s theme is “Spooky Scarecrow.”
Visitors will be able to wander through the Arboretum and see scarecrows in honor of a beloved superhero characters, essential workers, or best friend heroes.
Throughout the month of October, more than 30 scarecrows will be on display throughout the Arboretum. Visitors will vote for their favorite scarecrow online to determine the winners. The top three scarecrows win a cash prize with a top prize of $250.
Admission to Morris Arboretum is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $10 for youth (ages 3-17).
Now through October 28, visitors will be able to take a “Spooky Twilight Tour” at the Betsy Ross House (239 Arch Street, Philadelphia, http://historicphiladelphia.org/)
The tours will transport participants back to Philadelphia in the 1700s to learn about the city’s gruesome history of infection and inoculation – and hear true tales of bloodletting, smallpox, yellow fever and other gross experiences. They will be able to learn what it was like to live in the ghastly 18th century and discover why Philadelphia was an infectious place to be.
After that, participants can head into the House for a spooky, shadowy after-hours tour. Hours are from 6-9 p.m. and the tour is not recommended for small children.
Timed tickets, which must be purchased in advance, are $12.
“Lincoln Mill Haunted House” (4100 Ridge Avenue, Manayunk, www.lincolnmillhaunt.com) is Philadelphia’s newest haunted attraction. The attraction takes guests on a journey through an interactive living story featuring more than 40 live scare-actors, production quality sets, props, animatronics, and breath-taking special effects.
The attraction is intended to be very scary during evening hours. The owners want it to be the scariest haunted house in the greater Philadelphia region. Mission accomplished — it is scary.
While most haunted house attractions have a lot of room for props and actors, Lincoln Mill has a limited area. As a result, the 20-minute walk through the attraction features many tight spaces, sharp turns, sections that are pitch black, scary props and a slew of live-scare actors doing what they do best.
The attraction’s backstory emerged from a tragic event that occurred in 2021. On September 2, 2021, Hurricane Ida struck Philadelphia and flooded the Mill to historic water levels.
The flood significantly damaged the mill’s interior and revealed a hidden chamber located below the basement level. Countless bodies were found, and a dark truth was discovered about the mill’s past.
Local authorities determined that during the 1930’s, Viktor Kane, the mill owner, tormented and experimented on his workers. Countless workers lost their lives, and their spirits continue to haunt the mill. Construction has since been halted and the mill will open up for guests to experience its dark past for themselves.
The main haunted house event will run at night Thursday, Friday, and Saturday now through November 4. Tickets are sold in hour time slots from 6-11:45 p.m. For those that aren’t into very scary attractions, there will be a more family-oriented event every Saturday from noon-4 p.m. with no scare actors.
Ticket prices start at $25.
October 22 is the date of the “All Hallows Eve Fall Festival at Pennypacker Mills” (5 Haldeman Rd, Schwenksville, 610-287-9349, www.montcopa.org/pennypackermills). The event is free but there is a suggested donation of $2 per person.
The annual event, which is slated to run from 1-4 p.m., features tractor-pulled hayrides, pumpkin painting for kids, fall crafts, an apple cider press, corn shucking, a “Hay Pile Jump” and a bean bag toss.
Masks are required for all craft booths, pumpkin painting and the hayride.
The Colonial Plantation (www.colonialplantation.org), one of the most haunted properties in Delaware County, invites you to an evening of strange sounds, squeaky doors, and ghostly stories.
“Ghost Lantern Tours” are scheduled for October 21 and 28 from 6-8 p.m. each night.
Relive 300 years of the area’s most mysterious, scary and true tales of terror. Start by following the torch lit path and discover the strange and inexplicable ways that colonists treated their dead.
The stories are researched by Plantation staff, are local on the Delaware County area, and are absolutely spine-chilling! Due to the graphic nature of some stories, we will not allow anyone under the age of ten to participate, and we recommend ages 12 and up.
Space is limited, and tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets for the ghost tours are $15. The event is recommended for people 10 and older. No pets are allowed.
On October 21, “Pie, Poe and Pumpkins at the Paper Mill” will be held at the Newtown Square Historical Society and Paper Mill House (3 Paper Mill Road, Newtown Square, nshistory.org).
Inside the Paper Mill House, guests can enter their homemade apple pies in the Best Apple Pie Contest and shop the Paper Mill Art and Attic Sale in the Art Room.
Visitors to the event can enjoy performances by actress Ceil Mann of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” at 2 p.m. and “Cask of Amontillado” at 3 p.m.
Outside, under tents, guests will be able to enjoy carving or decorating pumpkins, which have been provided by Newtown’s Park and Recreation. They can also tour the beautiful nine rooms of Newtown Square’s History Center at the Paper Mill.
There will be pies and baked goods for sale. Refreshments will be provided.
Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com) is hosting its annual “OctoberFeast” on October 21 and 22. The event is a weekend featuring food trucks, beer garden, live entertainment, and family activities.
Live entertainment will be provided both days by Philadelphia German Brass Band, GTV Almrausch and Galena Brass Band.
Some of the popular attractions will be Throwhouse Axe Throwing, Pony Rides and Petting Zoo, Face Painters, Sand Art, Moonbounces and Food Trucks.
It’s also time for the Annual Scarecrow Festival at Peddler’s Village. The festival, which is celebrating its 44th anniversary this year, will run now through October 31.
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.
The annual “Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride at Arasapha Farm” (1835 N. Middletown Rd., Gradyville, 610-459-0647, www.thebatesmotel.com) will be scaring visitors through October 31.
The haunted hayride through the woods features monsters, special effects and actors. The Bates Motel has haunted rooms with special effects and computerized lighting.
Another attraction is the “Revenge of the Scarecrow Haunted Trail.” A haunted trail is cut through a cornfield inhabited by monsters.
Another popular attraction this year is “Double Edge Axe Throwing.”
Admission prices start at $40.
Pennhurst Asylum (100 Commonwealth Drive, Spring City, 484-866-8964, www.pennhurstasylum.com), which is open through November 4, is on the site of a former mental asylum which has been shuttered for over a quarter of a century.
It has been transformed into a haunted attraction with huge sets, detailed rooms and live actors. Visitors can also explore the labyrinth of underground tunnels.
Tickets are $52 for a combo pass valid for all three Haunted Attractions at Pennhurst: Pennhurst Asylum, The Morgue & The Tunnels.
For “Count’s Halloween Spooktacular at Sesame Place” (100 Sesame Place, Langhorne, 215-752-7070, www.sesameplace.com), which runs now through 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 for the next six weeks, 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.
“Halloween Haunt at Dorney Park” (3830 Dorney Park Road, Allentown, 610-395-3724, www.dorneypark.com) is running now through October 28.
The event features scary creatures roaming the park and scarecrows lining line the walkways while frightening activities take place at the following attractions – “Ghost in the Machine,”
“FrightFeast,” “Port of Call,” “Necropolis,” “Roadside Stop and Chop,” “Blood on the Bayou,” “Black Out,” “Tourist Trap,” and “CarnEvil” along with a variety of mazes and “Creepy Scare Zones.” Admission prices start at $42.99.
The “31st Annual Fright By Night” (Six Flags Great Adventure, Route 537, Jackson, NJ, 732-928-2000, www.sixflags.com), which is running now through October 31, features family-oriented activities during the day and much scarier attractions after dark for teens and adults.
The attractions include “Big Top Terror,” “Blood Shed,” “Aftermath,” “Hell Fest,” “The Manor,” “Fears,” and “Reflections of the Dead.”
Tickets start at $49.99.
The “Six Flags Fright Fest” (Six Flags Great Adventure, Route 537, Jackson, NJ, 732-928-2000, www.sixflags.com), which is running now through October 31, features family-oriented activities during the day and much scarier attractions after dark for teens and adults.
The attractions include “Scarecrow Street,” “Clown Town,” “Lady of the Lake Cemetery,” “Venom Zone,” Big Top Terror: Forgotten Carnival 3-D,” “Wicked Woods,” “Aftermath,” “Blood Shed,” “The Manor,” “District 6”,” and “Reflections of the Dead.”
Tickets start at $39.99.
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.
“Candlelight Ghost Tours” (Fort Mifflin, Fort Mifflin and Hog Island roads, Philadelphia, 215-685-4167, http://fortmifflin.us) are scheduled for October 20, 27, 28 and 29.
Visitors can tour historic (and haunted) Fort Mifflin by candlelight from 7-10 p.m. each night and hear true stories of ghostly encounters. This event is billed as an “authentic experience.”
Philly’s most authentic Halloween event! No decorations. No hype. Just, you, a few candles, and REAL Ghosts! Experience Fort Mifflin after hours on our popular candlelight walking tours through the site. Tours depart every 20 minutes beginning at 7 p.m. and last approximately one hour.
Tickets are $22 for adults and $15 for children (12 and under).
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.
There will be piles of pumpkins in all colors, shapes and sizes – more than 100 tons on display.
Every weekend in October, The Franklin Institute (222 North 29th Street, Philadelphia, www.fi.edu) is presenting “Franklin Fright” featuring trick-or-treating through the exhibits, creepy guests from The Insectarium, spooky science experiments, liquid scare shows and other frightfully fun festivities.
Spooky live science shows, Halloween-inspired décor, and the return of the ever-popular museum-wide indoor trick-or-treating adventure takes place every weekend in October during Franklin Fright.
Experience one of the most fun-filled Halloween destinations around with the return of Franklin Fright.
Back by popular demand, young witches and warlocks, ghosts, and goblins are invited to trick-or-treat by knocking on friendly decorated doors in exhibits throughout the museum.
There will be several “Halloween-Inspired Live Science Shows” including “The Lab” “The Electricity Show” and “That’s Gross!”
All programming runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and is included with museum admission.
Admission is $23 for adults and $19 for children. Wearing costumes is encouraged.
For years, Eastern State Penitentiary (2124 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, www.easternstate.org) presented one of the premier Halloween attractions in Philadelphia — “Terror Behind the Walls.”
Last year, the venue tried something different – a new attraction called “Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary.”
The truly scary attraction, which is running through November 11, takes place at a penitentiary site that was once was an active prison and is now a National Historic Landmark. It is a scream-inducing event featuring laser and special-effect lighting, digital sound, sinister scents, animatronic creatures and 3-D illusions.
There is “Delirium,” a 3D Haunted House where visitors take a mind-altering trip into another dimension –a parallel, neon universe where nothing is quite as it seems. Fascinating creatures emerge from seemingly nowhere as the world you thought you knew shrinks away.
“The Crypt” is another Haunted House. The creatures of The Crypt request your presence. Wade through the mist and into the lair of an ancient clan of vampires. They’ve set the table, but if you’re not careful, you might end up on their next menu.
“Hospital Flashlight Tour” is a guide-led Walking Tour – a 20-minute, guide-led, flashlight tour of Cellblock 3, the Hospital Block.
Another Haunted House is the “Machine Shop.” Hidden away from the world is a long-forgotten machine shop. Evil pervades this space – an evil with one mind but with many bodies. Will visitors survive or will they become just another cog in the machine?
Other attractions are “The Speakeasy at Al Capone’s Cell,” “The Bloodline Lounge,” “The Fair Chance Beer Garden,” “The Voices of Eastern State” Highlights Audio Tour, “Kaleidoscope Hall,” and “S’mores and Lore.”
Admission prices, which vary with the date, start at $39.
The “38th Annual Jason’s Woods” (99 Stehman Road, Lancaster, 717-872-5768, www.jasonswoods.com), which is running through November 5, is a horror show complex that features a combination of live actors, impressive animation and scary special effects.
Popular attractions include “Horrifying Hayride,” “Chamber of Horrors,” “Zombie Apocalypse,” “Lost in Jason’s Woods,” and “Carnival of Fear,” Admission prices are for combo tickets are $25 for three attractions and $40 for five.
“Valley of Fear” (300 W. Bristol Road, Feasterville, 215-942-9787, www.valleyoffear.com), which is open through November 5, features three “heart pounding attractions” — “The Original Haunted Hayride,” “Miles Manor Haunted House,” and “Willie’s Shipwreck Cove.”
There will also be live music every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The attraction is billed as “America’s Most Horrifying Woods.” Admission prices start at $25.
The “31st Annual Field of Screams” (109 College Avenue, Mountville, 717-285-7748, www.fieldofscreams.com), which is open now through November 11, features four world-class Haunted Experiences and an impressive Midway Area.
Top attractions include “Horrifying Haunted Hayride,” “Den of Darkness,” “Nocturnal Wasteland” and “Frightmare Asylum.”
Ticket prices start at $16.
Shocktoberfest (94 Park Avenue, Sinking Spring, 610-375-7273, shocktoberfest.com) features an array of natural and genetically engineered Zombies in a safe and controlled habitat.
“Shockfest Zombie World” is celebrating its 33rd year with five “Killer Experiences” — “Zombie Safari Hayride Tour,” “Prison of the Dead,” “The Unknown 3.0,” “Ground Assault,” “Zombie Experience,” and “Midway Massacre.”
The attraction will close on November 4. Ticket prices start at $30.
“The 27th Annual Frightland” (309 Port Penn Road, Middletown, Delaware, 302-838-0256, www.frightland.com) features eight special themed areas — “Zombie Prison,” “Ravenwood Cemetery,” “Haunted Hayride,” “Idalia Manor,” “Fear,” “Ghost Town,” “The Attic” and “Haunted Barn.”
Frightland Haunted Attractions has been named a Top 10 Scariest Haunted Attraction in the country by Travel Channel, Forbes and Huffington Post.
The venue includes a variety of haunted attractions including a two-mile Haunted Hayride, four indoor haunted houses and more. The nationally acclaimed Halloween attraction also features live entertainment, carnival amusements and a daytime fall festival.
The venue will remain open through November 6. Ticket prices start at $40.
Now through November 5, the Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) has a very special event – “Strasburg Rail Road Productions presents…The Legacy of Sleepy Hollow: Not Everything Dies.”
Visitors will discover the true Legacy of Sleepy Hollow at the Strasburg Rail Road. The greatest ghost story ever told did not tell us the whole story.
Guests will join Isabel Crane, the great-great-granddaughter of the legendary Ichabod Crane, as she takes them on a frightful journey filled with sword fights, ghosts, and a centuries-old curse surrounding her family.
It seems that not everyone wants the truth to come out and they’ll go to any length necessary to keep their haunted past a secret. With grand special effects, live horses, and the scariest train ride of the season, this is an opportunity to learn, hear, and experience the Legacy of Sleepy Hollow aboard the historic Strasburg Rail Road.
A pre-boarding act/performance will commence 15 minutes before departure. Please plan to arrive early for check-in and then enjoy the pre-boarding performance before you embark on a memorable journey.
Please note: Because of the subject matter of this event and its presentation, this event is recommended for ages 8 and older. Parental discretion is advised.
Prices start at $50.
One of the best ways for everyone involved to appreciate the beauty of autumn’s annual color explosion is to ride a special excursion on an area tourist railroad.
The West Chester Railroad (Market Street Station, West Chester, 610-430-2233) is running its special “Fall Foliage Express” trains on October 21, 22 and November 5. Trains depart at noon and 2 p.m.
The round-trip train ride travels to the village of Glen Mills and back and lasts for 90 minutes. During the brief layover in Glen Mills, riders can explore the historic Pennsylvania Railroad station and have a snack in the railroad’s picnic grove along Chester Creek.
Tickets are $22 for adults, $18 for children ages 2-12 and free for kids under two.
The Wilmington & Western Railroad (2201 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, DE, 302-998-1930, www.wwrr.com) is running its “Autumn Leaf Special” with trains on October 21 and 22 and every Saturday and Sunday through November 4.
Trips are either a one-and-one-half hour roundtrips to the Mt. Cuba Picnic Grove or two-and-one-half hour roundtrips to Hockessin.
Tickets for the “Autumn Leaf Special” start at $18.
The W&WRR also is running its “Hayride Express” on October 13, 20 and 27 at 6, 7:30 and 9 p.m. each night. Visitors can experience a one-hour evening ride through the Red Clay Valley on an original railroad flatcar converted especially for hayrides.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $17 for seniors and $16 for children (ages 2-12).
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (Reading Outer Station, Reading, www.rbmnrr-passenger.com) is running its 2023 Fall Foliage Trains on weekends throughout October.
Passengers can enjoy a train ride to experience the fantastic fall colors that Pennsylvania has to offer.
They will travel over the rails to Historic Jim Thorpe after boarding the train at Reading Outer Station or Port Clinton Station.
Passengers will have time to explore historic Downtown Jim Thorpe during the layover.
Tickets for the all-day excursion start at $49.
The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Wine & Cheese Tasting” on October 21 and 22 at 4 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 Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Autumn Splendor Fall Foliage Train” on October 21 and 22.
Passengers can enjoy spectacular autumn colors and the rich fragrances of fall in the Secret Valley delight the senses on the 90-minute round-trip which departs and arrives in Boyertown,
Riders can sit in Deluxe-Coach, Diplomat, Lion Gardiner, Valhalla, First-Class Parlor or First-Class Lounge and bask in the colors of the season or take in the crisp fall air on our open-air car, available to all passengers throughout the ride.Coach tickets are $50 for adults, $47 for seniors, $45 for children (ages 2-12) and $10 for toddlers (under 2).
The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running “Fall Foliage Trains” on October 21, 22, 28 and 29.
Riders can enjoy the beauty of fall in Southern York County as the train follows the original Northern Central Railroad, a mainline in operation since 1838, through the scenic Heritage Rail Trail County Park.
Motive power will be the William H Simpson No. 17 replica steam locomotive or the 6076 PRR GP9 historic diesel locomotive. The conductor and brakeman will tell riders about the history and growth of the towns and villages they pass along the way.
Ticket prices start at $41.99.
The Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Wine & Cheese Train” on October 20, 21 and 22.
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.
