By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
BlobFest
Two of the most over-used and often incorrectly used worlds in the English language right now are “literally” and “unique.” “Literally” means “in a literal or strict sense” while “unique” means “being the only one of its kind.”
The annual BlobFest in Phoenixville is unique — literally. In the entire world, there is just one BlobFest and it’s held every year right here in Chester County.
“The Blob” is a low-budget horror film that was filmed at the Colonial Theatre and other locations around Phoenixville in 1958. The movie, which starred a very young Steve McQueen, has evolved over the years into a full-fledged cult classic.
“Blob” fans from all around the globe will be heading to Phoenixville to participate in the Annual BlobFest.
The Colonial Theatre (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-917-1228, www.thecolonialtheatre.com) will host the BlobFest with a variety of special events now through July 10.
On July 8, it will be time for the re-enactment of the “Running out of The Colonial” scene. The dress code is billed as “creative” so that the scene will look just like it did when that classic scene was filmed here many years ago
Other events on July 8 will be Mx. Blobfest Contest at Molly Maguire’s Irish Restaurant & Pub, the Blob Ball at LuLu Boutique & Gifterie, and Shorty’s Short Film Contest
On July 9, the “Blobfest Streetfair,” which begins at 11 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m., will start with a “Fire Extinguisher Parade” at 11 a.m.
Saturday’s Street Fair is free to enter and features vendors, classic cars, a performance by Dibbs & the Detonators, Costume Contest, Tinfoil Hat Contest, Kid’s Activity Table, and Blobfest Festival Merchandise.
The Colonial Theater will host screenings of “The Blob” and other horror films on July 9 and 10.
The Fifth Annual Blobfest 5K/10K and Kids’ Fun Run is scheduled for the morning of July 10 with the first race — the BlobFest 10K — slated to go off at 8 a.m.
Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, www.longwoodgardens.org) is inviting visitors to enjoy the beauty of early summer.
The biggest attraction at Longwood right now is the “Festival of Fountains,” which is running through September 25.
With fountains that jet as high as 175 feet, gardens filled with colorful summer blooms, shade-friendly trees, exotic day- and night-blooming waterlilies, and live music outdoors, Longwood Gardens has something for everyone.
The “Festival of Fountains” began in May and all the popular attractions are going full swing – include in Longwood Gardens’ Open Air Theatre, Italian Water Garden Square Fountain, Round Fountain (Flower Garden Walk), Sylvan Fountain (Peirce’s Park), and Children’s Corner fountains.
Visitors can also enjoy special exhibits at the Orchid House.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and college students, $18 for active military and $13 for youth.
One of the most popular attractions of the season – “Light: Installations by Bruce Munro” — just opened and will run through October 30.
From the luminous “Field of Light” stretching across the Large and Small Lake landscape … to a flamboyance of 1,000 flamingoes wading near the Chimes Tower … to an immersive sensory environment inspired by Longwood’s Waterlily Display in the Exhibition Hall, visitors will discover eight installations spanning indoor spaces and outdoor vistas.
On July 8 from 8-11 p.m., ChesLen Preserve (1199 Cannery Road, Coatesville, 610-486-6288, www.NatLands.org) will host a special event known as “Friday Night Lights at Natural Lands Trust’s ChesLen Preserve.”
Natural Lands Trust’s Eighth Annual Friday Night Lights features an evening of music, beer, wine, and sunset watching on one of Chester County’s most inspiring landscapes – the 1,263-acre ChesLen Preserve.
The once-a-year event will feature live music by The Flying Komorowski Brothers and Sweet Lizzy Project.
Craft beer, wine and food truck fare available to purchase — local craft beer from East Branch Brewing Company and Animated Brewing Company; wine provided by Stargazers Vineyard; and food truck fare from Gourmet Jerk Shack, The Munchy Machine, Philly Pretzel Factory and Every Soul Vegan Bakery
Another attraction will be stargazing with ChesMont Astronomical Society, the Chester County Astronomical Society, the Delaware Astronomical Society, and the Bucks-Mont Astronomical Association.
The ChesLen Preserve is one of the largest private nature preserves in southeastern Pennsylvania. It features sweeping agricultural fields, densely wooded stream corridors and rare serpentine barrens. There are many points on the property from which visitors can gaze for miles in any direction and see virtually no signs of modern development.
In 2010, The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) designated portions of ChesLen Preserve — specifically the Unionville Barrens — as a “Pennsylvania Wild Plant Sanctuary.” The program encourages the conservation of natural areas and native plants and recognizes private landowners who serve as models of good conservation and stewardship of these special resources.
Visitors are requested to bring their own blanket or camping chairs and wear sturdy shoes for the uneven ground. No dogs or coolers will be permitted. Tickets are $55.
The Annual Kutztown Folk Festival (Kutztown Fairgrounds, off Route 222, Kutztown, 888-674-6136,www.kutztownfestival.com) opens on July 2 and runs through July 10.
Settlers from Germany played a major role in the early history of Pennsylvania and their influence is still being felt. These pioneers and their customs are honored each summer at a Pennsylvania German folk festival in Kutztown — an event that has been around for more than a half-century and is still growing.
The popular annual event, which is billed as a celebration of Pennsylvania Dutch culture, features traditional crafts, food, music and folk life.
The festival features country auctions, parades and bands, fiddling, live music and dancing, comedy, storytelling and historical seminars. Daily activities include displays of farming and gardening, churches and weddings, folk life, Pennsylvania Dutch dialect and folklore, furniture, spinning and weaving, country cooks and candle making.
The festival also offers non-stop entertainment with country auctions, parades and bands, fiddling, live music and dancing, comedy, storytelling and historical seminars. Additionally, over 200 juried folk artists and traditional American craftsmen will be participating with both sales and demonstrations.
For the first time, the Kutztown Folk Festival will host an authentic Harvest Home celebration at the Union Church. Visitors can step back in time and witness this fascinating Pennsylvania Dutch tradition of adorning the local church with harvest decorations, fruits, and vegetables in celebration of a successful harvest and safe storage of food before winter.
There will also be a lot of attractions for children including puppet shows, make-and-take crafts sessions, real-life haystacks, story time sessions, a hay maze, sing-alongs and a variety of hands-on activities.
As always, there will be plenty of booths featuring Pennsylvania Dutch food treats and beverages, including family style feasts, shoo-fly pies, sausage sandwiches, pastries, country chicken dinners, strawberry shortcake, funnel cakes, ox roasts, sarsaparilla and chicken potpie.
The festival will open its gates each day at 10 a.m. and run until 8 p.m. Admission to the festival is $16 for adults and $6 for students (13-17) with children (12 and under) admitted free.
The Rose Tree Summer Festival (Rose Tree Park, Route 252, Media, www.delcopa.gov/departments/parks) returns with a summer-long series of free outdoor shows at the scenic park just north of Media.
The schedule of upcoming shows in the next week features Hot Club Philadelphia on July 8, Whole Lotta AC/DC on July 9, 22 Park Avenue on July 10, Legacy on July 13 and The Rockdale Boys on July 14.
From July 12-16, the Malvern Fire Company Fair (Monument Grounds, Monument Avenue, Malvern, 610-647-0693, http://www.pa-carnivals.com) will be held from 6-10 p.m. each night.
The free event features rides, games and fun for the entire family and discount ride coupons will be available at local merchants.
Guests can ride an unlimited number of rides at the 2022 Malvern Fire Company Carnival for just $20 per person per day when purchased online.
The East Brandywine Food Truck Festival (ebbcpa.org) is scheduled for July 10 at the East Brandywine Township Community Park (440 Dilworth Rd, Downingtown).
The festival will feature a diverse line-up of dinner, drink and dessert trucks.
Other features of the festival are Bounce-houses, a petting zoo, and other carnival games suitable for children.
There will also be live music and then the night will conclude with a gala fireworks display.
The festival will be honoring our police, fire, medical and military with a food truck voucher as a gift.
Activity will get underway with the East Brandywine FTF 5K Race in the park at 7 a.m.
The General Warren Inne (9 Old Lancaster Road, Malvern, 610-296-3637, www.generalwarren.com) is an historic site — a site with a lot of history and a site that is still involved in history of the area.
Since 1745, the Historic General Warren Inne has been center stage for American history and a premier carriage stop for hungry travelers. The Inne was initially called the Admiral Vernon Inne and was changed to the Admiral Warren after the famed Admiral Peter Warren, a hero who defended the American colony at Louisburg, Nova Scotia during the French and Indian War.
During the time of the American Revolution, the Inne was owned by John Penn of Philadelphia, who was a loyalist and the grandson of William Penn. Situated on the main highway between Philadelphia and Lancaster, it became a popular stage stop during the Revolutionary War era — and a Tory stronghold.
The Paoli Massacre was planned and launched from the Admiral Warren Inne in September 1777. In 1825, the Admiral Warren was renamed the General Warren, to honor the American hero of Bunker Hill.
Now, the General Warren Inne annually presents a series of lectures about America’s war for independence. On the second Tuesday of each month, the Inne will host “Paoli Battlefield Lecture Series” presented by the Paoli Battlefield Preservation Fund.
This month’s installment of the Paoli Battlefield Lecture Series is “Lafayette at Brandywine…..The Making of an American Hero.” The lecture will be presented by author and historian Bruce Mowday.
Tickets are $55 for meal, soft beverages, coffee/tea and lecture. Alcoholic beverages are additional.
This weekend, it’s time for the annual Blueberry Festival at Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com). The free festival will be held July 9 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Linvilla’s grounds in Media.
The festive event will feature children’s entertainment, costumed characters, live music, ice cream sundaes, and blueberry treats.
The host for the Blueberry Festival will be Silly Joe, who will offer music, fun and games for kids of all ages.
George, The Magician! will be performing his amazing Bubble Magic Show at 11 a.m. Following the magic, the Manatawny Creek Ramblers will perform a mix of bluegrass and indie folk music at 1 and 2:30 p.m.
Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com) is presenting “Bluegrass & Blueberries” in July — a month-long celebration of bluegrass and blueberries.
Staring this weekend, July will be Blueberry Month at Peddler’s Village.
Every day, the site will offer special blueberry-themed food and drinks at its restaurants and eateries, and also present live bluegrass and country entertainment on weekends. On Saturdays and Sundays, you can also enjoy made-to-order sandwiches and burgers at the Water Wheel Food Tent.
Many shops will be hosting sidewalk sales and special offers throughout the month.
This month, the Chestnut Hill Business District (https://chestnuthillpa.com/events/second-saturdays/) is presenting “Second Saturday.”
This month’s “Second Saturday” celebration, which is an event highlighting Chestnut Hill’s vibrant arts scene, will be held on July 9.
With live music, retail and restaurant specials, and family-friendly activities, “Second Saturday” offers art enthusiasts, collectors, and casual spectators plenty of reasons to visit Chestnut Hill.
During each “Second Saturday,” which is free and open to the public, visitors can stroll the Avenue and explore the works of dozens of visiting regional artists. The event will feature highly sought-after professionals and new emerging talents.
“Second Saturday” events are a great time to explore and shop in one of the many art galleries and art supply stores in Chestnut Hill, as well as take a self-guided tour of the multiple outdoor and indoor exhibits at the Woodmere Art Museum.
Each month, a rotating selection of guest artists will set up outdoor pop-up shops on the sidewalks of Germantown Avenue where guests can meet artists, shop works, and watch artists painting live. “Second Saturday” will also host various opportunities for children to delve into their creative side.
“Second Saturday” will run from 2-6 p.m. along the 7600 to 8600 blocks of Germantown Avenue.
The Delaware River waterfront hosts a number of cultural celebrations this summer during the PECO Multicultural Series. This weekend, the focus is on the culture of the Hispanic world.
On July 9 and 10, the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing (201 South Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, www.delawareriverwaterfront.com) will be the site of the 40th Annual Hispanic Fiesta.
The celebration, which runs from 2-8 both days, includes music, dance, entertainment, ethnic foods, and artisan crafts for nearly all Latin American countries.
Headlining performers include Oro Solido and Charlie Aponte. The event will feature more live performances from Charlie Santos, Edgar Joel, Jay Aponte, Mariachi Pedro Villasenor, NINA, Nova La Amenza, and Swing de Guille.
The event, which is part of PECO’s annual multicultural series at Penn’s Landing, is free and open to the public.
There is another popular celebration of Latino culture in Philly this weekend.
Nuevofest at The Oval XP (linkin.bio/afrotainoprod) will be held on July 10 at 4 p.m. at 2451 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Begin in 2013, the free music festival celebrates the sounds of Latino American culture with a wide range of performances.
This year’s festival — the first in-person version since 2019 — takes place on the Community Stage at The Oval XP.
The lineup features New York City-based Colombian quartet Combo Chimbita, Chilean musician Natisú, Peruvian singer Daniel Bazán, Jr., Philadelphia’s own pop-trap sensation REGOthereshego and more.
As an added attraction, the Oval XP features the city’s largest outdoor beer garden and the world’s largest mobile Ferris wheel.
Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) will be presenting “Taste of Summer Reserve Tastings” on select Saturdays and Sundays through July 31.
Visitors are invited to join the winery’s staff for an intimate and educational 60-minute experience in the newly renovated Barrel Room tasting some of Chaddsford’s latest wine releases.
The trained staff will guide you through a pre-selected tasting of five widely diverse wines from across the portfolio. The selections will be paired alongside local cheeses and other accoutrements to enhance your tasting experience.
The staff will also discuss topics such as grape growing conditions at partner vineyards and the onsite winemaking process from production to aging and bottling.
The “pairing lineup” is Greeting Wine: 2019 Sparkling White, 2021 Vidal Blanc with Yellow Springs Farm’s Lil Chardy, 2020 Harbinger with Smoked Gouda Chip, 2021 Vignoles with Covina Dorada chili lime tortilla chips and fresh guacamole and Sunset Blush with Gemelli Gelato’s rosé infused sorbetto.
Reserve Tastings are $35 per person. There are three seatings each day – noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Advanced reservations are required and are non-refundable.
Penns Wood Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodsevents.com) will present “Live Music on the Lawn” every weekend in July.
The schedule for July 9 has Nick Moccia from 2-5 p.m.
The schedule for July 10 at Penns Wood Winery features Della Lewis from noon-3 p.m.
This weekend, the Mount Hope Estate & Winery (Route 72, Cornwall, 717-665-7021, www.PaRenFaire.com) will host its “Annual Blues & Brews at Mount Hope.”
Guests can savor the taste of a summertime Maryland feast without the drive – hard shell crabs, steamed shrimp, BBQ pork, potato salad, coleslaw, garden pasta salad, hush puppies, fresh fruit, and dessert. Beer from the Swashbuckler Brewing Company will round out this summertime feast.
On July 9 from noon-3 p.m. or 5-8 p.m., guests can enjoy all the amazing food they can eat, unlimited drinks, and live music with one admission ticket. Non-seafood options also available.
Admission is $62.95 for adults and $22.95 for children (ages 5-11).
Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden (1829 East County Line Road, Villanova, stoneleighgarden.org/garden/home/) will present a “Home and Garden Tour” on July 9 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.
A prime location to check out flowers in bloom is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).
The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend features the “Saturday Evening Wildflower Walk” and a “Pop-Up Tasting Station “on July 9.
“Saturday Evening Wildflower Walk,” which runs from 6-8 p.m., features wildflower expert Dick Cloud on an informative two-hour hike that will take guests through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside. These walks are for those who have a love of plants, their role in ecology, or for those who want to learn more.
Although the focus is on plants, Cloud will also talk about whatever else is seen on the tour. Walkers should wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring a camera and/or a wildflower guide, for this botanical-filled walk.
Visitors can also stop by the Pop-Up Tasting Station in Lucille’s Garden from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.. to sample the seasonal bounty from Tyler’s edible garden! No registration is necessary and it’s free with admission. J
Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $15 for adults (ages 18-64), $13 for Seniors (65+) and $9 for children (ages 3-17) and Military with valid ID.
Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, www.morrisarboretum.org) is opening a new season exhibit – “Bloomin’ Bubbles.”
Every Tuesday through August, Morris Arboretum is presenting “Bloomin’ Bubbles” from 11 a.m.-noon starting at the Azalea Meadow – weather permitting.
There are more than flowers in bloom this spring and summer at the Morris Arboretum. Visitors are invited to join the arboretum staff for “Bloomin’ Bubbles,” when the Azalea Meadow is transformed into a magical flurry of bubbles for children to play with, play in and pop before lunch.
Guests can celebrate opening day of “Bloomin’ Bubbles” with a “Fairy Parade on the Meadow.”
The parade will begin at the Visitor Center and work its way down to the Azalea Meadow where, if everyone sings loud enough, they might encounter a new Arboretum phenomenon — a flurry of bubbles coming seemingly out of nowhere. This year, the Arboretum has a new bubble-machine.
Participants are encouraged to come dressed as an enchanted woodland creature to dance and play, and then join Melissa in crafting their very own magical wand. They are reminded to not forget your fairy wings, gnome hats, dragon scales, and whatever else they might need to be their most magical selves.
The Brandywine Valley has quite a few museums and tourist sites that provide residents and tourists ideal opportunities to spend leisure time — and you can maximize your effort if you take advantage of the 2022 Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport.
The cost is $49 for an individual pass and $99 for a family pass (for up to five family members).
The Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport is good for one-time admission to Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley’s top attractions now through October 31.
A family pass, which includes one-day admission to each of 12 sites, can bring a savings of 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/.
The Brandywine River Museum (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-2700, http://www.brandywinemuseum.org) will be open from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. with admission to the galleries including two featured exhibitions, “Gatecrashers: The Rise of the Self-Taught Artist in America” and “Dawoud Bey: Night Coming Tenderly, Black.”
“Gatecrashers: The Rise of the Self-Taught Artist in America,” which is running now through September 5, examines how, after World War I, artists without formal training “crashed the gates” of major museums in the United States, diversifying the art world across lines of race, ethnicity, class, ability, and gender.
Included are over 50 works by celebrated painters such as Horace Pippin, Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses and John Kane, as well as by fifteen artists who are lesser known now but were recognized in their day, including Josephine Joy, Morris Hirshfield, Lawrence Lebduska, Patrick Sullivan, and others.
“Dawoud Bey: Night Coming Tenderly, Black,” which is running through August 31, is a selection of photographs from Bey’s critically acclaimed series from 2017.
Regarded as one of the most important photographers working today, Dawoud Bey (b. 1953) is recognized for his compelling, large-scale portraits and street photographs of marginalized people and communities that he began in the 1970s. Inspired by artist Roy DeCarava (1919—2009), Bey has been photographing the Black community in Harlem where he was born, and Queens where he grew up, for over four decades.
Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org) is hosting “Science Saturday: Finding Nano” on July 9.
The activity, which runs from noon-4 p.m., takes a look at a whole world of things we can’t see with our eyes. Participants can get a glimpse of this tiny world and its unique properties.
Special Guest for “Science Saturday: Finding Nano” is Agilent.
This is a drop-in activit so participants can join the fun at any time. Activities are included in admission and free to members.
Admission to Hagley is: $15, Adults; $12, Seniors (62+) and Students; and $8, Children 6-14.
Hagley will also host “Bike & Hike & Brews” on July 13 from 5-8 p.m. – and every Wednesday evening through August 31.
Visitors to Hagley can enjoy an after-work hike or a picnic along the Brandywine’s most beautiful mile on summer Wednesday evenings from June through August.
It isa a family event featuring summer fun in a beautiful outdoor setting. Guests can bring a picnic to enjoy at Hagley’s picnic pavilion on Workers’ Hill or at a picnic table along the Brandywine.
Dogfish Head craft beer and Woodside Farm Creamery ice cream are also available for purchase. You are welcome to bring your own food to “Bike & Hike & Brews,” but outside alcohol is strictly prohibited.
Admission is $5 per person and free for Hagley members and children five and under. Please note that this event is weather-dependent.
The “Food Trucks” schedule is: July 13: All Hands BBQ; July 20: Zaikka on Wheels; July 27: TBA; August 3: Natalie’s Fine Foods; August 10: All Hands BBQ; August 17: Mojo Loco; August 24: Zaikka on Wheels; and August 31: Army of 2.
“Bike & Hike & Brews” will also offer “Dog Days” on July 27 and August 31. On “Dog Days,” leashed canine companions are welcome at “Bike & Hike & Brews.”
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is featuring a Guided Exhibition Tour – “Jacqueline Kennedy and Henry Francis du Pont: From Winterthur to the White House” – now through January 8, 2023.
Visitors can explore the friendship between the First Lady and H. F. du Pont and their work to restore the White House in this guided tour of the special exhibition.
In 1961, an unusual partnership was formed when the youngest First Lady in American history, Jacqueline Kennedy, appointed a reserved octogenarian collector from Delaware, Henry Francis du Pont, to lead her project to restore the White House interiors. Du Pont brought credibility to Kennedy’s efforts and vision, and her enormous popularity lifted him onto the national stage and validated his life’s work.
Together, they transformed the White House from a mere public residence into a museum, and along the way, they engaged with some of the most celebrated interior designers of the 20th century.
For the first time, the story of this historic partnership will be told at Winterthur, the inspiration for Mrs. Kennedy’s project. Through artifacts, archives, and images, this exhibition will invite visitors to experience the behind-the-scenes collaboration between the two during this captivating period in American history.
Their partnership culminated in a televised tour of the White House, led by Jacqueline Kennedy, which became the most watched program in American history. The former First Lady will forever be remembered as the person who restored history and beauty to the White House.
Their “restoration” of America’s most famous house became a history lesson for the country and awakened an interest in preservation and interior design that is still felt today.
A related event will be “Terrific Tuesdays” – a special activity that is running every Tuesday through the end of August.
Visitors are invited to drop in for crafts, games, and demonstrations inspired by Jacqueline Kennedy’s White House restoration in the 1960s. Activities will introduce design, history, art, cultural conservation, and architectural preservation to kids ages 3–10 and the adults they bring with them.
The schedule for “Terrific Tuesdays” is: July 12, Green Room: Wooden Wonders; July 19, China Room: Dynamic Ceramics; July 26, Rose Garden: Flower Power; August 2, Children’s Rooms: Pets and Play; August 9, Red Room: Fantastic Fabrics; August 16, Blue Room: Contrasting Compositions; August 23, East Room: Entertainment Extravaganza; and August 30, Diplomatic Reception Room: Parley and Printmaking.
Admission to Winterthur is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and students and $8 for children.
The Delaware Art Museum (2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware, www.delart.org) has a new exhibit that will open on June 25 and run through September 11 – “Stan Smokler: Steel in Flux.”
The Delaware Art Museum celebrates the career of Stan Smokler with this Distinguished Artist exhibition. His celebrated found object, steel sculptures continue the trajectory of modernist abstraction.
Smokler completed his Master of Fine Arts degree at Pratt Institute in 1975, and he continued to work in New York on his own sculpture as well as in art conservation and interior design before relocating to the Brandywine Valley in 1999. Smokler taught at the Delaware College of Art and Design from 1998 until his retirement in 2016, served on the Board of the Delaware Contemporary, and participated in Delaware Division of the Arts’ Artist in Residence program from 1996–1999.
In addition to participating in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States, Smokler established his Marshall Bridge Workshop in 2004. The Workshop is an immersive training opportunity for artists of all levels interested in working with welded steel, and Smokler has been praised for his supportive approach to teaching.
“Stan Smokler: Steel in Flux” includes work from the late 1970s through 2020 along with several of the artist’s charcoal and pastel drawings of his completed sculptures. Examples of Smokler’s largescale work will be on view in the Museum’s Copeland Sculpture Garden with an extended showing through October 30, 2022.
The Distinguished Artist Series is a celebration of those artists who have impacted contemporary art in the greater Brandywine Valley through their artistic practices, teaching, and support of the community and its various institutions. Through unique exhibitions, this series surveys artists’ legacies as they relate to local, national, and international trends. With his commitment to exploring the possibilities of steel and mentoring students through his numerous Marshall Bridge workshops and years at the Delaware College of Art and Design, Smokler has guided the trajectory of contemporary abstract sculpture.
Admission to the Delaware Art Museum is $14 for adults, $7 for students, and $6 for youth (ages 7-18).
More art in Delaware can be found in the quaint town of Odessa.
The Historic Odessa Foundation (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, www.historicodessa.org) is now presenting its newest exhibition of acrylic paintings — “Color Secrets: Paintings by Jan Crooker.”
The exhibit of colorful acrylics by the talented Kutztown artist is on display now through August 28 in the Historic Odessa Visitor Center Gallery.
For Crooker, who is well-known for her vibrant images of still life, flowers and local scenes and landscapes, color has always been a focus of her artistic expression.
According to Crooker, “I think my love of color harkens back to my early exposure to art at the children’s classes at the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio. While some kids had favorite stars or athletes, I had favorite artists. My first favorite artist was Vincent Van Gogh.”
Crooker researched the master colorist’s use of color and read his thoughts on the subject. Although she admires other colorist artists, Van Gogh has been the greatest influence on her color use.
Crooker earned a bachelor’s degree in art education from Toledo University, and a Master of Fine Arts from Penn State University.
Nemours Estate (850 Alapocas Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, www.nemoursestate.org) is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Reservations are not required and there is no timed entry.
Nemours Estate comprises an exquisite, 77-room Mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.
Nemours was the estate of Alfred I, duPont.
One year after the sudden death of his second wife, Alicia, Alfred married Jessie Dew Ball in a quiet ceremony. Jessie, 20 years his junior, had been a teenager when Alfred had first become acquainted with the Ball family more than two decades earlier. He and the Balls remained close over the years, and Alfred and Jessie corresponded sporadically. The Balls had moved to California, but in 1920 Jessie, now in her mid-30’s, returned East for an extended period and her relationship with Alfred grew stronger.
After their marriage, Alfred and Jessie traveled to Florida several times and in 1925 decided to settle in Jacksonville. They built a mansion, Epping Forest, and Alfred became involved in a number of successful enterprises. His goal was more than making money; he was also deeply committed to helping Florida and its residents establish sound financial institutions and a modern industrial base.
Alfred married Alicia, his second wife, in 1907 and loved showering her with gifts. By far the grandest of these was the spectacular new house that he built for her on a 3,000-acre plot of land in Wilmington. He hired Carrere and Hastings, a prestigious New York architectural firm, to design the mansion in the late-18th-century French style that Alicia adored.
Alfred named the estate Nemours, after the French town that his great-great-grandfather represented in the French Estates General. While looking to the past and his ancestors for inspiration, Alfred also ensured that his new home was thoroughly modern by incorporating the latest technology and many of his own inventions.
The Gardens is one of the estate’s prime attractions.
The two elk at the top of the Vista are the work of French sculptor Prosper Lecourtier (1855–1924), a specialist in animal figures. Lined with Japanese cryptomeria, pink flowering horse chestnuts and pin oaks, the Long Walk extends from the Mansion to the Reflecting Pool.
The 157 jets at the center of the one-acre pool shoot water 12 feet into the air; when they are turned off, the entire “Long Walk” is reflected in the pool. The pool, five and a half feet deep in its deepest section, holds 800,000 gallons of water and takes three days to fill. The Art Nouveau-style, classical mythology-based “Four Seasons” around the pool are by French-born American sculptor Henri Crenier (1873–1948)
Admission to Nemours is $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $8 for children.
The Kalmar Nyckel (www.kalmarnyckel.org) will be holding public sails this weekend – at 3 p.m. on July 8, 10 a.m. on July 9 and 10 a.m. and 1:30 and 4 p.m. on July 10.
The cruises will depart from the Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard, which is located at 1124 East 7th Street in Wilmington. It will be a 1.5-hour cruise on the Christina River alongside Wilmington’s historic riverfront.
Additionally, there will be a special event on July 9 – “Captain Kid’s Pirate Day.”
The event, which will run from noon-4 p.m. features Kalmar Nyckel ship tours, pirate crafts, cannon demonstrations, scavenger hunt, face painting and the Kona Ice Truck.
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.
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.
All events at Pirate Day are free — and there will be free parking.
As part of Historic Philadelphia’s anniversary celebration at Franklin Square (200 Sixth Street, Philadelphia, www.historicphiladelphia.org), the organization is illuminating the park with its annual Chinese Lantern Festival.
Now through August 7, Franklin Square (http://historicphiladelphia.org/chineselanternfestival/) will come alive every night with its Chinese Lantern Festival featuring more than two dozen illuminated lanterns – all constructed by lantern artisans from China.
Chinese-inspired performances will take place in Franklin Square twice nightly. Performances, which celebrate Chinese performance art and entertainment, are 30-minutes long and are scheduled for 7 and 9 p.m.
Festival hours are 6-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Admission is $20 for adults, $18 for youth, seniors and military, and $12 for children (ages 3-12).
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.
Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present another “Hot Spots and Storied Plots” tour on July 9.
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.
The expansion of Fairmount Park in the 1860s prevented further growth of Laurel Hill, and in 1869 West Laurel Hill was established just across the river in Bala Cynwyd. This walking tour provides a wonderful overview of West Laurel Hill’s long and colorful history, including its architectural artistry, stunning trees and horticulture, and the stories of residents that encompass diverse and fascinating Philadelphia history.
The Tour Guide will be David Schwarzkopf.
Tickets, which must be purchased in advance, are: $12/General Admission, $10/Seniors (65 & up) and Students with ID, $6/Youth (6-12), and $0/Child (5 & Under). Youth and children must be accompanied by an adult.
Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the summer.
Participants can walk with tour guides from the grounds of America’s first White House, Congress, and Liberty Bell to homes and sites of Hamilton, Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and more than 10 other Founding-Fathers. The surprising dirt of espionage, murder, sexual license and blackmail highlight the secrets of 1776 with a ghost story or two along the way. This tour is highly researched. And your guide is a historian.
Grim Philly will also be presenting “Serial Killers & Cemetery Tour” every Saturday at 2 p.m.
Participants will have the opportunity to experience unconventional sightseeing off the beaten path. They can enjoy Betsy Ross House, Christ Church, Elfreth’s Alley, and Benjamin Franklin’s Grave, together with tales of serial slayings and psychopathic killers like the Corpse Collector, Frankfort Slasher, and H.H. Holmes.
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 $18.
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 $18.
The Elmwood Park Zoo (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) has a variety of special activities coming up.
On July 9 and 10, the Zoo is hosting “Breakfast with the Giraffes.”
Guests can enjoy a delicious, socially distanced outdoor breakfast buffet, right next to the zoo’s three towering giraffes. After participants have cleared their plates, they will be invited to an exclusive giraffe feeding.
The breakfast will get underway at 8:30 a.m.
A “Zoo Snooze” overnight campout will start at 6 p.m. on July 22 and run until 9:30 a.m. on July 10.
The “Campout” includes — Dinner (includes pizza, salad, and potato chips), Breakfast (includes pastries and fresh fruit), Flashlight tour of the zoo, Campfire & activities, educational show the next morning and Zoo admission the next day.
Tickets are $54.95.
“Night Adventures” is scheduled for July 22.
Adventurous visitors can zip the zoo in the dark with Treetop Adventures’ “Night Adventure.” They will be able to experience all the thrills of the zip line and ropes courses with the added challenge of darkness.
Adventurers will navigate through the trees, equipped with a headlamp. Young adventures can also experience the nighttime fun on the Zoo’s Cub Climb course.
Treetop Quest Philly (51 Chamounix Drive, Philadelphia, www.treetopquest.com) is an aerial adventure park that will challenge you physically and mentally as you maneuver from tree to tree through obstacles and zip-lines. Once you’re equipped, they will teach you how to operate your equipment and you’ll be able to swing through each course as many times as you want for 2.5 hours.
Each participant is outfitted with a harness and gloves. Each course has a continuous belay system — a lifeline that is impossible to detach without a staff member. The activity is self-guided, and the staff is ready to assist when needed.
Gloves are required for our activity. During this time, we encourage participants to bring their own gloves to use while up in the trees, gardening gloves are perfect for this activity.
Ticket prices are $55, adults; $48, ages 12-17; $38, ages 7-11.
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) is presenting its “Summer Fun Fest” now through September 4.
There’s something special about summer at Sesame Place. It’s a great time to cool off with refreshing water attractions for all ages — from Big Bird’s Rambling River to The Count’s Splash Castle. Fun for everyone can also be found with family rides like Captain Cookie’s High C’s Adventure and Oscar’s Wacky Taxi Roller Coaster.
Summer is perfect for meeting your favorite furry friends and taking bright, beautiful pictures with them. The park also has exciting shows, special events, parades, dance parties, character dining experiences, and other surprises lined up to give visitors even more ways to connect.
This is the weekend that one of the summer’s most popular annual Pennsylvania events gets underway.
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting “Guided Mansion Tours” on July 10.
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.
Visitors can participate by watching a short film and then taking a tour. Guided tours of the mansion will depart at 1 and 2:30 p.m. all three days.
Tour admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 65+) and for youth age 6-17, and fee for children under 5. Hope Lodge is a Blue Star Museum which means that active-duty military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve and their families, are admitted free for regular tours from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Several tourist rail lines will be running special excursions this weekend.
The West Chester Railroad (610-430-2233, www.westchesterrr.net) is running its “Summer Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through Sept 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).
On July 9, the Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Secret Valley Expedition” at 2 and 6 p.m.
The tourist rail line’s two-hour expedition into the Secret Valley features rides on meticulously restored century-old rail cars and visits one of the most scenic and historic regions in the northeast.
The railroad will be offering a lunch and dinner aboard the Secret Valley Expedition to all dining class passengers.
Additionally, and a la carte menu is available in all cars and all passengers have access to our open car for near 360-degree views of the Secret Valley.
The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running two special excursions this weekend – “Glen Rock Express” and “Hanover Junction Flyer.”
On July 9, the tourist railroad is running its “Glen Rock Express” at 11 a.m. and again on July 10 at 2:30 p.m.
The ride travels to Glen Rock and back with powered by the NCR’s vintage PRR GP9 Diesel Locomotive built in 1959.
The ride follows the route of the original Northern Central Railroad through the scenic Heritage Rail Trail County Park.
The “Hanover Junction Flyer” will depart at 12:30 p.m. on July 9.
The train travels through the beautiful Heritage Rail Trail County Park and southern York County countryside on this trip to Hanover Junction.
The rail line’s historic PRR GP9 Diesel Locomotive built in 1959 will take riders back in time to the 1860s when President Abraham Lincoln rode these tracks on his way to Gettysburg to deliver the Gettysburg Address.
The excursion includes a 20-minute stopover at the Hanover Junction Museum.
Tickets are: $36, Adult (Ages 13+); and $23, Child (age 2-12).
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting “Guided Mansion Tours” on June 26.
The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Wine & Cheese Tasting” on July 9 and 10 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).
This weekend, the Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Wine & Cheese Train” on July 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. each night.
Passengers can enjoy the luxurious, climate-controlled first-class accommodations and a tasting of select wine, cheese, and crackers as they travel in style down the tracks from Strasburg to Paradise and back. The train departs at 7 p.m. and the total trip time is 45 minutes.
“Wine & Cheese Train” boarding is 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. Riders must be 21 or older and have their photo ID ready when they board.
Featured wines are carefully selected from Waltz Vineyards, and cheeses are paired accordingly. Beer and select non-alcoholic beverages are also available for purchase upon request. Riders can purchase a souvenir wine glass on board the train if desired. Glasses are $7 each.
In accordance with Pennsylvania law, alcohol is only served during the train ride. The rail line is not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages while the train is berthed in the station.
This popular train is available on select Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the season. Tickets are $50.
