What To Do: Fun events to celebrate the Mom in your life

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

Sunday is Mother’s Day which means there will be a slew of different special events to celebrate the occasion over the next three days.

Two popular destinations for a special day with mom are wineries and tourist railroads.

Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodswinery.com) will present “Mother’s Day Market at the Vineyard” on May 9 and 10 – from noon-7 p.m. on Saturday and noon a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday.

Visitors are invited to unwind with mom at the vineyard with a day full of premium wine, live music, food trucks and an open air market with the best local artisans.”

Market vendors will be November Moon, 2 Waves and the Sun, Urban Essence, The Olive Tree, Seven Sisters Crystals, The D3LCO Effect, Jolia James Design, Madewell, Shay Lynn Jewelry, Cork and Charm Two Waves & The Sun, Ivy & Milly’s Bookish Boutique, Elizabeth Peyton Creations, Southpaw Studio Facepainting, Boo Bakes Cupcakes, Minimalist Boutique, Purple Villa Décor, Baby Elephant Studios, and Junior League of Wilmington and Gorgeous Hooks.

Live music will be performed by Joe Nesterl on Saturday and Adam McCue on Sunday.

Outdoor Wine Bar will be open for wine by the glass and bottle, local beer and cider and local cheeses/snack items.

Harvest Ridge Winery (1140 Newark Road, Toughkenamon, www.harvestridgewinery.com) will present “Mother’s Day Chocolate Pairing” on May 10.

Visitors can celebrate Mom with a luxurious tasting experience – the winery’s hand-selected wines perfectly matched with Neuchatel’s decadent chocolate truffles.

The pairing will result in a sweet moment of indulgence she deserves.

Tickets for the event, which gets underway at 1 p.m., are $25.

The West Chester Railroad (610-430-2233, www.wcrailroad.com) is running its “Mother’s Day Express” on May 10 at noon and 2 p.m.

Families can take mom on a 90-minute round trip train ride from West Chester to Glen Mills and return on her special day.

During your layover in Glen Mills, riders will be able to explore the historic Glen Mills Station and take a peaceful stroll through the picnic grove along scenic Chester Creek.

They can also stop by nearby Red Brick Winery for a delightful tasting experience or visit Punctuate Your Style for cool gifts for Mom.

All Moms ride for a special reduced fare.

Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for children (ages 2-12) and $5 for moms.

The New Hope Railroad (32 West Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is presenting a “Mother’s Day Brunch Excursion” on May 9 at 3:30 p.m. and May 10 at 9 a.m. and 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.

Visitors can treat mom to something special this year. While embarking on a tour of the quaint woodlands of Bucks County, guests will indulge in an assortment of waffles, brunch proteins, fresh fruit, and other savory goodies.

All guests ages 21 and older will receive their choice of either a Mimosa or Bloody Mary. Non-alcoholic refreshments are included. Additional bar service available.

A brunch style charcuterie board will be served on the train at the historic 1891 New Hope station, before departing on a journey through the springtime landscape of Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

During the trip, our staff photographer will be available to perfectly capture the special time your family will spend together. Photo packages are available both online and onboard the train for an additional fee.

Ticket prices start at $128.

The Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Mother’s Day Tea Excursion” on May 9 and 10.

The Colebrookdale ride, which is billed as “your ticket to a verdant land lost in time,” will provide a fun experience for mothers and their families.

“Mother’s Day Tea” with Colebrookdale Railroad features butler-style dining class service including tea sandwiches, pastries, scones, and premium teas.

Dining class seating is available in Lounge Car or Dining car. There is also First Class Parlor Car with 5-star service or Deluxe Coach with light A La-Carte fare.

First Class Parlor Car tickets include a complementary tapas plate, a dessert, and the beverage of your choice.

Passengers board one of the railroad’s meticulously restored century-old rail cars for a two-hour expedition into one of the most scenic and historic regions in the northeast.

The excursions depart at 2:30 on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for children.

The Strasburg Rail Road (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running “Mother’s Day Brunch Train” on May 10.  Departures will be at 11 a.m. and noon.

This special experience is designed to give you and your mother an upscale dining experience. You and your mom will indulge in a select menu prepared by the Executive Chef and Sous Chef of Café 1832 and personally presented by a member of the Café’s Executive Team.

The 45-minute train ride through the picturesque Amish Country includes one complimentary mimosa, or bellini, a non-alcoholic drink of your choice, per person. Additional alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase.

Tickets are $37.08 for adults and $22.47 for children.

On May 9, the Brandywine Symphony will perform a Mother’s Day Concert at Winterthur’s Copeland Lecture Hall (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, bvsymphony.org).

This celebration of chamber music offers a beautiful way to honor mothers in an elegant historic setting.

Guests may add tickets to explore Winterthur’s 1,000-acre gardens, the 175-room former home of Henry Francis du Pont, rotating exhibitions, and the renowned research library, creating a full day of cultural enrichment.

The program will feature Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” Antonin Dvorak’s “String Quartet no.12 in F Major, “American” and Jennifer Higdon’s “Amazing Grace.”

“Adagio for Strings” is a work by West Chester’s Samuel Barber arranged for string orchestra from the second movement of his String Quartet, Op. 11.

Barber finished the arrangement in 1936, the same year that he wrote the quartet. It was performed for the first time on November 5, 1938, by Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra in a radio broadcast from NBC Studio 8H.

The “String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96 (B. 179),” nicknamed the “American Quartet,” is the twelfth string quartet composed by Dvořák.

It was written in 1893, during Dvořák’s time in the United States. The quartet is one of the most popular in the chamber music repertoire.

Higdon is an American composer of contemporary classical music. She has received many awards, including the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Music for her Violin Concerto and three Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for her Percussion Concerto in 2010, Viola Concerto in 2018, and Harp Concerto in 2020.

The show at Winterthur will start at 1 p.m. on May 9

Tickets are $26.

Usually, the Wilmington Flower Market, which is held in early May every year, is an event that almost always seems to bring wet weather. This year looks to be iffy at best.

This year, the 104th Annual Wilmington Flower Market returns to Rockford Park (Park Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-995-5699, www.wilmingtonflowermarket.org) for a three-day run through May 10.

The Flower Market, which always runs in conjunction with Mother’s Day, benefits more than 50 children’s charities in Delaware.

The 2026 Wilmington Flower Market, which is free and open to the public, will be held Friday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

As is the tradition, the event features crafts, booths, rides, food, fun, live entertainment and plenty of flowers.

Live music will be performed each day with acts such as Kristen and The Noise, Guilt 45, The Calling, Them Apples and Stephanie Grace Band, Olivia Rubini, Emerson Hary, Dylan Schneider and Jimmy Charles.

Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) will celebrate “Elmo’s Springtacular” now through June 14.

“Elmo’s Springtacular” at Sesame Place is filled with furry fun and exciting events! Join in on the fun with an exciting line-up of meet & greets, music, magic, pirate adventures, and fireworks.

This weekend, the featured event is a “Mother’s Day Celebration.”

Guests can celebrate with their mom with a fun-filled visit to Sesame Place and a special Mother’s Day Dine with Elmo & Friends.

They can enjoy a delicious buffet meal with their favorite furry friends where all moms will receive a free flower.

Visitors will also be able to take a spin on the rides, catch their favorite Sesame Street shows and watch the Sesame

Street Party Parade throughout the day.

Dine with Elmo & Friends is an additional charge and reservations are required.

Sesame Place will also present “PJ Masks Meet & Greet” n May 9 and 10.

This will be an action-packed day with favorite PJ Masks heroes — Catboy, Owlette, and Gekko.

Guests can meet everyone’s favorite heroes as they pose for photos. These mystery-solving superheroes encourage children to spark their curiosity and inspire imaginative play and teamwork along the way.

“Elmwood Park Zoo” (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is hosting a “Mothers’ Day Brunch” on May 9 and 10.

The event, which runs from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., is an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet and a day at the zoo.

The annual “Mother’s Day Brunches” will take place May 9 and 10 with time slots available each day.

Your ticket includes admission to the Zoo, brunch, and an animal meet and greet.

The menu features Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Sausage, Regular Sausage, Omelette Made To Order, Red Bliss Potatoes, Fruit Salad, Mac & Cheese, Quiche, Chicken & Waffles with Toppings, Salmon in Dijon Mustard, Ravioli in Blush Sauces, New York Strip, Turkey and Gravy, Peel-and-Eat Shrimp, Salad Bar, Apple and Peach Cobbler, Danishes and Dessert Cart.