By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
It’s summertime and the living is easy. It’s also noisy – but it’s a good noise. It’s the noise of outdoor music events.One of the area’s best outdoor music fests is free and happening this weekend.
The Turk’s Head Music Festival in West Chester (Everhart Park, Bradford Avenue and Everhart Street, West Chester, turksheadfestival.com) just keeps rocking on year-after-year — and just keeps getting better.
This year, the 43rd Annual Turks Head Music Festival will be held on June 7 from noon-7 p.m. in the park at the west end of West Chester.
The all-day festival, which is one of the most popular and longest-running annual mid-summer events in Chester County, has a diverse line-up of seven musical acts.
The annual music-oriented party is presented by West Chester Recreation. It is a free event that appeals to the entire family with a wide range of live music as well as a variety of other activities geared to all ages.
The line-up for 2026 features John Emil, Prester and Samargia, Monk Mode, Brother John, The Flying Komorowski Brothers, Demitri Grivas and Owl Talons.
Visitors to Everhart Park this Sunday are welcome to bring picnic lunches and are advised to bring lawn blankets or folding chairs. The festival will also feature a wide array of food concessions with hot food and cool beverages.
Other popular annual features at the Turk’s Head Music Festival include kids’ play area and an arts-and-crafts show featuring more than 70 talented artisans who will be demonstrating and selling their crafts.
The 2026 Chester County Blues Barbecue will be held on June 6 at Wyndsor Farm (2550 Ridge Road, Elverson, http://www.chestercountyblues.com).
The 15th annual staging of the event, which is sponsored by the Coventry Lions Club, is slated to run from 2-7 p.m.
The festival features four headline blues acts with the following schedule – 1 p.m., Voodoo DeVille; 2 P.M., Dave Mell Blues Band; 3:45 p.m., Roger Girke, and 5:30 p.m., Clarence Spady.
Food, refreshments, and beer will be available for purchase from vendors on site. Admission ticket does not include food and beverage.
The Blues Barbecue will be held June 6 — rain or shine. There is a large tent for shelter and attendees are welcome to bring their own canopies.
Tickets are $20; $30 at the gate.
Now through June 7, the Mid Atlantic Air Museum (11 Museum Drive, Reading, 610-372-7333, www.maam.org) is hosting its 3th Annual World War II Weekend.5The museum and its grounds will come alive with an event that features a huge air show with more than 80 vintage military aircraft, 200 restored military vehicles, 1,700 re-enactors and a wide array of artifacts. There will also be a variety of family-oriented activities.
The long list of special activities includes presentations by many of the event’s special guests, ground displays, a “Military Collectors’ Flea Market,” battle reenactments and live entertainment featuring Frank Sings Frank, America’s Sweethearts, Forecast, Swing Fever and Generations Big Band.
There will be air shows in the afternoon on both Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, there will be an amazing number of vintage military airplanes featured at this weekend’s – both as static displays and as aerial attractions.
Some of the vintage aircraft featured at this year’s WWII Weekend are North American SNJ “Texan,” Fairchild “Cornell,” Grumman TBM-3E “Avenger,” Stampe SV-2CP, North American B-25J “Mitchell,” Douglas C-54E “Skymaster” and Boeing C-97G “Stratofighter.”
Aerial performers scheduled for this weekend are The Jersey Jerks, Kevin Russo Air Shows and Jerry Wells Airshows.
Tickets are $46.46 for adults and $25.25 for children (ages 6-12).
The 2026 Greek Festival at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (808 North Broom Street, Wilmington, 302-654-4446, www.holytrinitywilmington.org) is running now through June 6.
The food menu at Holy Trinity features a lot of meat and vegetable items.
Pastitsio is a macaroni dish with braised ground lamb and beef that is topped with béchamel sauce and baked.
A similar entrée is mousaka, which features layers of eggplant, potato, ground lamb and beef, which is then baked and topped with a light béchamel sauce.
Gyros are pita sandwiches featuring a spice-infused ground beef-and-lamb mixture that is grilled, sliced fresh and served with tzatziki (cucumber and yogurt sauce), tomatoes, onions and olives. Souvlaki is grilled pork tenderloin marinated with special herbs.
Other selections that can either be a main meal or a side dish are tyropita, which is a Greek-style cheese pie in a crispy phyllo crust; spanakopita, which is a tyropita that has spinach added; and Dolmades, which are rice and meat wrapped in grape leaves.
The most well-known Greek dessert is baklava, which is made with multiple layers of thin buttered phyllo dough cooked with walnuts, spices and honey syrup. Kataifi features shredded wheat with chopped nuts and honey syrup.
Galaktoboureko is a custard dessert baked between carefully placed pastry sheets and covered in syrup.
Loukoumades, the Greek version of doughnuts, are deep-fried and dipped in honey with a dash of cinnamon.
Greek cuisine also includes a variety of mouth-watering cookies including kourabiedes (butter cookie served with confectioner’s sugar) and koulourakia (butter cookie that is twisted, basted with egg yolk and baked.)
Greek American groups from the Delaware Valley will play popular Greek songs and standards and there will be performances of traditional Greek folk dances.
Other attractions are Greek grocery stores and sales booths with items such as Greek music, icons, custom-made jewelry, leather goods and fabric.
This weekend, it’s also time for the annual Strawberry Festival at Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, www.linvilla.com). The free festival will be held on June 6 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Linvilla’s grounds in Media.
The festive event will feature children’s entertainment, hayrides, pony rides, face painting, costumed characters, children’s games and contests, live music, ice cream sundaes, giant strawberry shortcake and strawberry treats.
Linvilla Grill will be serving hamburgers, pizza, fries, Ship Bottom Beer Garden, and corn roasting favorites.
Another special attraction will be the Delaware Valley’s largest Strawberry Shortcake.
As part of Historic Philadelphia’s anniversary celebration at Franklin Square (200 Sixth Street, Philadelphia, phillychineselanternfestival.com), the organization is illuminating the park with its annual “Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square.”Now through August 16, Franklin Square will come alive every night with its Chinese Lantern Festival featuring more than two dozen illuminated lanterns – all constructed by lantern artisans from China.
In addition to the gorgeous light installations, visitors can enjoy live cultural stage performances, see the choreographed fountain light show in the historic Rendell Family Fountain, taste expanded food and drink options including Asian cuisine and American comfort food, drink a toast at the Dragon Beer Garden, and shop for Chinese folk artists’ crafts created on site as well as Festival-themed merchandise.
Guests can also play Philly Mini Golf and ride the Parx Liberty Carousel at a discounted rate. A portion of the proceeds from the festival benefits Historic Philadelphia, Inc. for the programming and care of this important public space and its many year-round free events.
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 6-11 p.m. Admission is $28 for adults ($32 on Saturday and Sunday), $25/$29 for seniors and $16 $10 for children.
An interesting and educational look at America’s past with a special focus can be found in downtown Philadelphia his weekend.
Visitors to the old, historical district in Philadelphia on June 6 will be able to enjoy “Elfreth’s Alley Day 2026” at Elfreth’s Alley, which is located off Second Street (215-574-0560, http://www.elfrethsalley.org).
From 1-5 p.m., the oldest residential street in America will be hosting a traditional festival with colonial flavor.
This is an event which dates back to 1934 (90 years!), in which residents of Elfreth’s Alley open their doors to allow visitors a glimpse of 21st century life in these 18th- and 19th-century houses.
Visitors can discover how generation after generation have continued to preserve, alter and add to these historic structures.
The popular annual festival will feature colonial crafts, music, storytelling, refreshments, scavenger hunts and a wide array of hands-on games.
Historic Tours of the 32 historic residences on Elfreth’s Alley will be offered between noon and 5 p.m.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children.
In 2026, America turns 250, and Philadelphia is throwing the ultimate yearlong celebration.
After all, we’ve been first in freedom, first in innovation and first in fun for 250 years.
52 Weeks of Firsts (www.visitphilly.com/52-weeks-of-firsts) is a yearlong, citywide celebration honoring Philadelphia’s legacy of innovation produced by the Philadelphia Historic District 250th Committee.
Not only was Philadelphia the birthplace of the country, but it was also the backdrop for many other marvels.
To honor these groundbreaking inventions and firsts, the Philadelphia Historic District is holding a year’s worth of free events to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.
52 Weeks of Firsts shines a light on different Philly-born Firsts each week through a series of free public events called Saturday Firstivals — held every Saturday of 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in more than a dozen neighborhoods.
Firstival: Saturday May 30 will present “First American Flag: 1777.”
Visit the birthplace of the first American flag and learn the story behind the bold woman who started it all … Betsy Ross. Red, white and brave!
The event will be held June 6 starting at 11 a.m. at Betsy Ross House, which is located at 239 Arch Street in Philadelphia.
On June 7, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, www.laurelhillphl.com)
present “Scientists, Inventors, Explorers, & Innovators” at 10 a.m.
Explore the legacies of groundbreaking figures who shaped our world.
From brilliant scientists and daring explorers to ingenious inventors and visionary innovators, this tour brings their contributions to life.
Discover how their pioneering work in science, technology, geography, and medicine continues to impact our daily lives. Stroll through the cemetery and uncover the stories of those whose discoveries and adventures expanded the boundaries of knowledge.
The Tour Guide is Joan Zubras.
At 6:30 p.m. on June 6, Laurel Hill will present a concert by Divine Hand Ensemble.
At the group’s 15th annual concert in the cemetery, Mano Divina’s haunting theremin leads the Divine Hand Ensemble in an evening of beautiful music outdoors.
Featuring popular favorites, scary music, movie themes, opera arias, funerary music, rock covers and more, the show includes the first ever live performance of music recorded by Divine Hand for Laurel Hill’s audio walking tour, as well as a sneak preview from their upcoming album.
Tickets are $30/General Admission (Ages 13 and up); $28/Seniors (Ages 65+) and Students with ID; $25/Members of the Friends of Laurel Hill; and $15/Youth (Ages 6-12).
Elmwood Park Zoo (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) will hosting a “Zoo Snooze” on June 6 at 5 p.m.
Participants can discover what happens at the zoo after the sun goes down at Elmwood Park Zoo’s “Zoo Snooze” overnight campouts.
The “Campout” includes: Dinner and Continental Breakfast, Campfire & activities, Educational show featuring animal ambassadors, Giraffe feeding the next day and Zoo admission the next day.
Pricing is $90 for adults and $15 for children (under 2).
On June 6, Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be hosting the “Eighth Annual Ales & Petals/ Cars & Motorcycles of England Car Show” along with a nationally sanctioned Jaguar Concours d’Elegance.
Visitors can enjoy food, live music, kids’ activities and craft beers and wines in addition to a tour of one of the largest British motoring shows on the East Coast with more than 250 classic British cars and motorcycles.
There will be Hope Lodge Mansion Tours from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and live music from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
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.
Admission is $10 for adults with children (12 & Under) admitted free.
Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Live on the Lawn” now through September 27 and “Friday Night Wine Down” now through September 25.
“Live on the Lawn” is a brand-new outdoor music series featuring local talent, great wine, and relaxed vibes every summer weekend afternoon.
“Friday Night Wine Down” offers fun games, drink specials, and extended hours on Friday evenings.
The laid-back, laugh-filled series features Quizzo trivia with fun themes and great prizes; seasonal wine slushies, PA craft beer, fresh mocktails, and the venue’s newest wine releases; and delicious bites from the winery’s new, in-house food menu including specialty weekly pizzas.
Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodswinery.com) will present “Live Music on the Lawn” every weekend now through October.
Brooke DiCaro will perform on June 6 from 2-5 p.m.
West Chester’s Nicole Zell will perform on June 7 from 1-4 p.m.
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, www.ansp.org) has just opened a new exhibit – “Botany of Nations.”
Visitors can experience a groundbreaking exhibition that provides a new perspective on the legendary Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery.
Co-curated with Enrique Salmón, PhD, an ethnobotanist and author of IWÍGARA: The Kinship of Plants and People, and developed with contributions from Indigenous cultural historians, “Botany of Nations” offers a culturally layered view of the plants of North America.
Collected on the famous expedition, some of the oldest plant specimens in the country today are housed in the Academy’s own Lewis and Clark Herbarium.
Guests can learn how the Native Nations Meriwether Lewis met on the trail shaped America’s plant knowledge long before Western scientists claimed these “discoveries.”
Centering the voices of Native Nations who have protected and cared for the lands for thousands of years, “Botany of Nations” presents plants as portals to Indigenous storytelling and knowledge.
Visitors will:
See 18th and early 19th century scientific instruments, original journals, maps and herbarium sheets that illuminate the role of natural science on the Corps of Discovery.
View Native American peace pipes as well as Corps of Discovery peace medals.
Navigate prairie, plains, plateau and Pacific coast landscapes within a model of the trail as you learn about the importance of plants such as tobacco and chokecherry through film, interactive media, cultural artifacts, sensory experiences and contemporary voices.
Watch a newly produced film about how Indigenous traditional land practices and cultural systems surrounding food provide contemporary solutions to today’s biodiversity and climate challenges.
Experience a native plant garden on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to learn how you can grow heritage plants that foster biodiversity.
Museum admission is $22 for adults, $19 for seniors and $18 for children (ages 2-12).
Brandywine Valley has quite a few museums and tourist sites that provide both residents and tourists with diverse ways to spend leisure time.
You can take advantage of these options with the 2025 Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport (www.visitwilmingtonde.com/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 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 Museum of Art, 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.
A sure sign that summer is just around the corner is the opening of the “Festival of Fountains” at Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, www.longwoodgardens.org).
The “Festival of Fountains” opened for the season on May 9 and will run until September 28.
Longwood Gardens’ Open Air Theatre and Italian Water Garden fountains will spring to life, as will the Square Fountain, Round Fountain (Flower Garden Walk), Sylvan Fountain (Peirce’s Park), and Children’s Corner fountains.
The season of renewal and growth has started. Millions of tiny geophytes begin the season, blanketing Longwood’s vistas with sweeps of spring-has-sprung color.
Dancing fountains, performances under the stars, and beautiful gardens make the Festival of Fountains at Longwood Gardens magical. The spectacular celebration of music, light, water, and nature includes distinctive garden experiences indoors and out.
Before the fountain performances, guests can sit under the stars and enjoy live music and refreshing brews and pub fare in Longwood’s Beer Garden. Other dining options at Longwood are 1906 Fine Dining and The Café.
As the season unfolds, flowering trees delightfully punctuate the landscape, radiant tulips stretch toward the sun, and the delicious fragrance of wisteria floats along the breeze.
Visitors can celebrate the fleeting beauty and refined artistry of Satsuki azalea bonsai with Longwood’s exhibition that brings together rare cultivars, master growers, and centuries of horticultural tradition.
Visitors can also enjoy special exhibits at the Orchid House.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $35 for adults, $31 for seniors and college students, $26 for active military and $20 for youth.
Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org), a 230-acre historical village on the site of the original du Pont Company gunpowder mills in northern Delaware, has a popular ongoing attraction – “Nation of Inventors.”
A popular annual event is the “Walking Tour.”
With the “Walking Tour,” participants can walk through history during an in-depth, 90-minute guided tour each Monday morning from March through December.
Starting this weekend, there will be a special walking tour – “Hagley History Tour: America250 Edition.”
The tour will be held on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays –Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Participants can enjoy a guided outdoor walking tour exploring Hagley’s role in shaping American and Delaware history. This tour, held twice daily, lasts approximately one hour, involves walking on uneven ground, and costs $5 in addition to regular daily admission.
“Nation of Inventors” celebrates the American spirit of ingenuity by taking visitors on a journey from the early years of the patent system, in the 1790s, through the “golden age” of American invention, in the late 1800s.
The exhibit features more than 120 patent models from Hagley’s unique collection highlighting the diverse stories of inventors from all walks of life.
Patent models are scaled representations of inventions and were part of the patent application process for nearly 100 years. “Nation of Inventors” showcases patent models representing innovations in a variety of industries from transportation and manufacturing to food preservation and medical devices.
In the exhibition, visitors will enjoy engaging experiences around every corner, testing their knowledge of innovation and hearing personal accounts from inventors.
“Nation of Inventors” is located on the first two floors of Hagley’s Visitor Center. Visitors can plan to spend about 30 minutes on their self-guided tour of the exhibition.
Admission to Hagley is $20 for adults, $16 for students and seniors (62+) and $10 for children (6-14).
The 2026 season is underway at Nemours Estate (1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware, nemoursestate.org).
The entrance is located on the campus of Nemours Children’s Health, follow signs for Nemours Estate.
One of the site’s popular spring events will be held this weekend.
On May 30, Nemours will present a “Guided Mansion Tour.”
Enjoy an hour-long guide-led tour of Nemours Estate’s Mansion. The tours gets underway at 9:30 a.m. Tour group will be shuttled from the entrance to the Mansion.
Nemours was the estate of Alfred I. duPont.
Originally constructed in 1910, Nemours Estate is one of Delaware’s grandest buildings and includes the largest formal French garden in North America.
Nemours Estate comprises an exquisite, 77-room mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.
The Gardens are one of the estate’s prime attractions.
Admission to Nemours is $23 for adults, $21 for seniors and $10 for children.
On Fridays and Saturdays, Rockwood Park & Museum (4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, Delaware, 4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, www.newcastlede.gov/431/Rockwood-Park-Museum) is presenting “Self-Guided Museum Tours.”
Visitors will be able to explore the grandeur, history and beauty of Rockwood Mansion, home of the Shipley, Bringhurst and Hargraves families for 120 years. This tour emphasizes the magnificent mansion interiors and stories of the families that lived there.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) has attractions both indoors and outdoors going on right now.
There seems to be no end to what’s in bloom — and in almost every corner of the garden.
White flowers of kousa dogwoods, deutzias, and mock oranges invite you to visit Sycamore Hill. Visitors can wander the garden paths to discover the delicate beauty of pink mountain laurels and pale Pink Leda roses at the Bristol Summerhouse.
In Azalea Woods and Enchanted Woods, look for the flowers of martagon hybrid lilies opening. A few late-flowering peonies can be found in the Lower Peony Garden, while ferns cover the shady March Bank.
Admission to Winterthur is $27 for adults, $25 for seniors and students and $10 for children.
The Delaware Art Museum (2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware, www.delart.org) is currently featuring several new exhibitions.
“Living Indigenous,” which runs through August 23, celebrates the creative contributions of Indigenous artists living in and connected to Delaware, developed in partnership with the Nanticoke Indian Museum.
“Citizen Artist,” which is on display through July 19, coincides with the Semiquincentennial in 2026.
The “Citizen Artist” will meet a moment of national reflection with a celebration of artist workers in America.
“The People’s Gallery,” which runs August 7 through September 6, amplifies Delaware 250 by inviting up to 600 Delaware residents or DelArt Members to submit one work of art for exhibition in the Museum.
The Museum is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday and will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Admission is $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $6 for youth.
Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.
Historic Odessa just reopened for spring tours and celebrated the beginning of its 2026 season.
Known in the 18th-century as Cantwell’s Bridge, Odessa played a vital role in commercial life along the Delaware River as a busy grain shipping port.
Today, visitors can stroll along tree-lined streets and admire examples of 18th- and 19th-century architecture in one of the best-preserved towns in Delaware. They can also tour a remarkable collection of antiques and Americana preserved in period room settings and quaint exhibits.
Historic Odessa is open to the public from March through December, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. The site is also open on Monday by reservation.
The 2026 season is in full swing at Chanticleer (786 Church Street, Wayne, www.chanticleergarden.org).
The Chanticleer estate dates from the early 20th-century, when land along the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was developed for summer homes to escape the heat of Philadelphia.
Adolph Rosengarten, Sr., and his wife Christine chose the Wayne-St. Davids area to build their country retreat. The family’s pharmaceutical firm would become part of Merck & Company in the 1920s.
The Rosengartens hired architect and former classmate Charles L. Borie to design the house, which was completed in 1913. Landscape architect Thomas Sears designed the terraces as extensions of the house. A 1924 addition converted the summer home into a year-round residence and the family moved here permanently.
Admission to Chanticleer is $15 for adults and free for pre-teen children (12 years and under).
Andalusia Historic House, Gardens and Arboretum (1237 State Road, Andalusia, www.andalusiapa.org) is located on a wooded promontory overlooking the Delaware River.
It has been a stately presence on this stretch of water, just north of Philadelphia, for more than 200 years. The ancestral home of the Biddle family, Andalusia is also a natural paradise of native woodlands and spectacular gardens that have evolved over time.
Placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1966, the Big House — one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States — provides an unparalleled look into our nation’s past, while also offering a glimpse into the life of a family that helped to shape its future.
Its surrounding gardens delight the senses all through the year, from the tumbling, brightly colored leaves of fall to the floral extravaganza of spring and the abundance and scent of summer.
Self-Guided Garden Tours will be available Mondays through Wednesdays through November 4 (excluding holidays) at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m.
A serene venue where you can enjoy flowers up close is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).
This weekend, Tyler is presenting a “Saturday Wildflower Walk” on May 30 at 1 p.m.
Participants will be able to explore the Arboretum with wildflower expert Dick Cloud. They can slow down and look closely at what’s growing along meadows, wooded paths, and occasional streamside spots.
They can enjoy the simple pleasure of seeing the landscape in detail and notice the Arboretum with fresh eyes. In May and June, walkers will be able to spot wildflowers of late spring and early summer.
Admission fee is $18 per adult, $15 per senior and $10 per child (ages 12-17).
If you enjoy walking around garden displays or if you like to look at model railroad layouts, then you should definitely check out the Garden Railway Display at the Morris Arboretum & Garden (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, www.morrisarboretum.org).
The ultra-popular Garden Railway Display has become a major summer attraction at The Gardens at Morris Arboretum. The 27th annual edition of the display opened in May 23 and will remain open until September 30.
This summer, Morris Arboretum will unveil a brand-new exhibition in its popular Garden Railway – “Garden Railway: World Pollinators,” part of its new summer-long exhibition, “Bees, Butterflies & Blooms: A Pollinator Paradise.”
As one of the largest outdoor miniature train displays in the United States, the Garden Railway will delight and amaze visitors of all ages.
The railway has a quarter mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with 15 different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under) and bustling model trains.
The buildings and the display are all made of natural materials – bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds and stones – to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with miniature rivers.
Philadelphia-area landmarks are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle. There is even a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall are made using pinecone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials and twigs as downspouts.
Visitors will be able to see miniature replicas of iconic structures at some of America’s most famous public gardens including the Climatron at Missouri Botanical Garden, Torii Gate and Pavilion at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Science Pyramid at Denver Botanic Gardens, and so much more.
Admission is $22 for adults; $20 for seniors (65 and older); $12 for youth (ages 13-17 or with ID), active military and retired military; and free for children (under 3).
On June 7, the Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights Preserve (3000 Creek Road, Yorklyn, Delaware, 302-239-2385, http://auburnheights.org) is presenting “Steamin’ Day at Auburn Heights.”
The site, which features the Marshall Steam Museum and the Auburn Heights Mansion, focuses on steam power when it presents “Steamin’ Days,” which run from 12:30-4:30 p.m.
General admission tickets are $15 (13 and older) and $10 (age 12 and under). “Mansion Add On” tickets are $8 and $4.
Also included is entry to the Marshall Steam Museum, which features the world’s largest operating collection of Stanley steam cars along with a 1930s working Lionel electric train display, a hands-on engine display, kids’ activities and exhibits.
A comfortable way to sit back and enjoy the colors of spring is to take a ride on a tourist rail line train.
The West Chester Railroad (610-430-2233, www.wcrailroad.com) is running its “Picnic Specials” every Sunday now through September 8 at noon each day.
Passengers can enjoy a relaxing 90-minute train ride from West Chester to Glen Mills and return on a warm summer afternoon. They can also pack a lunch to have during the excursion’s stop at the Glen Mills train station picnic grove.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children (ages 2-12).
The Strasburg Rail Road (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running a special train on June 6 at 4 and 6 p.m. — the “Wine & Cheese Train.”
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 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.
Tickets are $79.
The New Hope Railroad (32 West Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express” on June 6 and 7.
Riders will embark on a nostalgic journey, immersing themselves in the elegance and grandeur of America’s golden age of railroads.
They will ride in premium parlor and lounge cars for an intimate, approximately one-hour journey through the scenic woodlands and rolling foothills of Bucks County.
The attentive parlor car attendants will ensure guests comfort throughout the trip, providing exceptional food and beverage service.
Guests will be indulged with a decadently rich cheese and charcuterie board that balances with the wine and spirits experienced on their journey.
Moreover, guests aged 21 and over will be treated to their choice of exquisite wine, crafted beer, or unique whiskey flight, all locally sourced from the bounty of Bucks County.
Tickets are $99.
The Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Secret Valley Expedition” on June 6.
The Colebrookdale ride is billed as “your ticket to a verdant land lost in time.”
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.
Deluxe coach fares are $45 for adults (13-64), $30 for children (2-12), $40 for seniors (65 and older) and $20 for toddlers.
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) will be presenting “Elmo’s Springtacular” every weekend now through June 14.
“Elmo’s Springtacular” at Sesame Place is filled with furry fun and exciting events – including an exciting line up of meet & greets, music, magic, pirate adventures, and fireworks.
This weekend it will time for “Abby’s Magic Weekend.”
Abby Cadabby is hosting a magical weekend full of spellbinding tricks and spectacular illusions.
Poof into Elmo’s Studio Theater for some special magic shows by magician Sam Sandler! Keep an eye out for KooKoo the Cartoon Magician, who will be performing strolling magic throughout the park.
Join Abby and her friends for the Fairy Friends Magical Dance Party and don’t miss the chance to get your photo with your furry friends dressed in some magically themed outfits.
This weekend is sure to amaze and astound you and keep you wondering how the magic is done.
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 spring and summer 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 every night. 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.
