By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Chester County Balloon Festival
High levels of energy will be on the ground and in the air in Chester County this weekend – a weekend which includes Juneteenth and Father’s Day celebrations.
When there are hot air balloons floating in the sky over your head, you’re going to stop whatever you’re doing and turn your gaze skyward. Three things guaranteed to make you look up are helicopters, bald eagles and hot air balloons.
If you want to experience the sensation of checking out hot air balloons in the sky above you, then you should plan on attending this weekend’s Annual Chester County Balloon Festival (Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show, 1326 Pottstown Pike, Glenmoore,http://ccballoonfest.com) which runs from now through June 21.
It’s always an awe-inspiring sight when a large hot air balloon floats untethered through the air.
Watching one balloon floating above you is a lot of fun. Watching more than 20 huge, multi-colored balloons filling the airspace over your head counts as a thrilling experience.
Festivities scheduled for all three days are “Wine & Beer Garden,” “Kids’ Zone,” “Balloon Launch” and a “Balloon Glow.”
During the glow, balloons inflate at dusk, remain tethered, and light their burners in a synchronized fashion.
Other fun activities at this year’s festival are tethered balloon rides, karate demonstrations, craft and food vendors and a children’s area featuring kid-friendly attractions.
All hot air balloon related events are weather permitting. Hot air balloons cannot fly or even be inflated in excessive wind conditions, rain or thunderstorms. As always, safety for the pilots, passengers and festival goers is always a priority.
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dmission to the festival is $33.85 for adults and free for children.
Attendees can purchase tickets for hot air balloon rides and tethered balloon rides for an additional fee.
Kennett Square’s Juneteenth Jubilee (www.juneteenthkennettsquare.com) will be held on June 20 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Kennett Library, which is located at 320 East State Street in Kennett Square.
The organizers are inviting families and friends to come together for an day filled with enriching activities that honor our history and culture.
Bring the children to our new Children’s Freedom Village on the second floor of the library for storytelling by Bettinita Harris, acclaimed educator, journalist, artist, and author of six children’s books.
Harris will be reading her book, “You Can’t Put A Star Under A Rock.” She will also create crafts with the children. Children will also enjoy lantern making and children’s yoga.
Mafalda Thomas-Bouzy
There will be an amazing performance by Mafalda Thomas-Bouzy, African dance stilt walker and drummer. A former Coatesville resident, she uses music and movement to stimulate compassion and care.
The lineup of other performers and participants includes Brother Hakim Tendaji (a congo drummer from the House of Umoja in Philadelphia), “40+ Double Dutch Jumpers” (a troupe from Delaware), 54th Colored Troops (enactors) and DJ Wayne James.
Also featured will be Kennett Heritage (hands-on lantern-making activities), Payton Baily (drummer), Stephen Lyons (singer, guitarist) and “Voices Underground/Square Roots (lively street games for all ages).
There will be more than 25 vendors and exhibitors with food (soul food, sandwiches, and classic Southern desserts), fashion (handmade cultural clothing and fashion accessories), artisanal crafts and self-care products.
Hundreds of dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens are looking for their forever homes and the Brandywine Valley SPCA’s Mega Adoption® Event (www.megaadopt.com) is there to help. Local, regional, and national shelters have joined this Mega movement.
Actually, more than 1,000 wonderful furry companions will be looking for their forever homes this summer – big dogs, small dogs, senior pets, puppies, cats, and kittens.The Mega Adoption® Event will be held on June 20 and 21 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days at the Bob Carpenter Center, which is located at 631 South College Avenue in Newark, Delaware.
Through the society’s 21 local and national Mega Adoption® Events, they have placed more than 22,000 homeless cats and dogs with loving families.
Each one is truly an experience, with hundreds of homeless pets being chosen to join a family over one weekend. Visitors can join the fun and find a new furry companion – and then welcome them into their home on the spot.
Attending the Mega Adoption® Event is a wonderful way to find your perfect family member — especially with more than 1,000 adoptable animals to choose from.
The adoption process focuses on helping you find the right match for your family. Staff and volunteers will be on-site to help you with your selection, and you will take your pet home the same day you visit.
All participating partner organizations will use the same adoption process, and the $35 adoption fee applies to all animals at the event.
The adoption includes spaying/neutering, microchipping and age-appropriate vaccines.
You’ll just need to bring the few items listed below to complete an adoption — adoption fee of $35, leash & collar for a dog (also available for purchase) and carrier for puppies, kittens or cats (cardboard cat carriers are also available).
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.”
Chinese Lantern Festival
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 $32 for adults, $29 and $16 for youth.
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 June 20 will present “First Annual Reminder Demonstration: 1965” at 11 a.m.
Before Stonewall, there was Philly. In 1965, activists gathered at Independence Hall for the first “Annual Reminder,” boldly demanding LGBTQ rights where America’s freedoms were first declared. Celebrate the city that stood for liberty — for everyone.
The event will be held June 20 starting at 11 a.m. at the Philly Pride Visitor Center, which is located at 12th and Locust streets in Center City, Philadelphia.
The American Swedish Historical Museum (1900 Pattison Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-389-1776,www.americanswedish.org) is celebrating Midsommarfest on June 20.
In Sweden, Christmas is the most important holiday. Midsommar is the second most important holiday in the Swedish calendar.
The midsummer party in Sweden involves flowers in your hair, dancing around a pole, singing songs while drinking unsweetened, flavored schnapps and eating a lot of pickled herring.
The holiday was originally a pagan festival celebrated in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Midsommar was “likely related to ancient fertility practices and ceremonies performed to ensure a successful harvest.”
When Christianity arrived in the region, Midsommar had to adopt a new meaning and one within the context of the new religion. It was then attached to the birthdate of John the Baptist.
The American Swedish Historical Museum’s Midsommarfest, which starts at 4 p.m. on Saturday, features live traditional folk music by the Last Chance duo and maypole dancing. There will also be crafts and games for the kids.
Visitors can purchase flower crowns, Swedish foods, and refreshments – and check out the Museum’s Swedish used book sale and Mormor’s Attic Shop, filled with second-hand treasures.
Midsommarfest will be held indoors at the museum because of the heat and includes general admission to the museum. Tickets for Midsommarfest, which are available at the door, are $12 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-12 and free for children under five.
As an added attraction, there will be a Midsommarfest World Cup Watch Party at 1 p.m. with a live broadcast of Sweden’s critical game against the team from Netherlands.
Most of all, the focus will be on dad this Sunday – Father’s Day.
Father’s Day is a day set aside for honoring one’s father, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.
Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, http://www.pennswoodswinery.com) is hosting “Father’s Day at the Vineyard” this weekend through June 21.
On Saturday and Sunday, there will be a program called “Wine & Whiskey Tasting.”
This is a walk-up pairing experience of wine & whiskey.
Live music will be performed on Saturday by Bill Hake from 1-4 p.m. and on Sunday from 1-4 p.m. Greg Jones.
A comfortable way to sit back and enjoy Father’s Day is to take a ride on a tourist rail line train.
The West Chester Railroad (610-430-2233, www.wcrailroad.com) is running its “Father’s Day Express” on June 21 at noon and 2 p.m.
Kids can take dad on a relaxing train ride from West Chester to Glen Mills and return on his special day. During a brief layover in Glen Mills, riders will be able to explore the historic Glen Mills train station as well as the WCRR’ s picnic grove along Chester Creek.
Tickets are Adults, $30; children (ages 2-12), $25; children (under two), free. All dads ride for a special reduced fare – $5.
The Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Father’s Day Beef & Beer” on June 20 and 21 at 1 p.m. each day.
The rail line’s Dining and Lounge car will feature a handcrafted roast beef sandwich, creamy coleslaw, oven-roasted potatoes, and one complimentary beer of your choice (21 and older), or soda for those younger than 21.
Children on board will be served chicken fingers with macaroni-and-cheese.
À la carte beverage service and light fare will be available for purchase throughout the train.
Tickets are $45 for adults, $40 for seniors and $25 for children.
Families can treat dad to a ride on the “Yorklyn Special” on the Wilmington & Western Railroad (2201 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, www.wwrr.com),
They can take a leisurely round-trip ride up the Red Clay Valley to our Mt. Cuba Picnic Grove, where they can de-train to enjoy a 20-minute layover along the banks of the Red Clay Creek to have a picnic or simply admire the natural surroundings.
Or, if they don’t want to get off the train at Mt. Cuba, they can remain onboard and travel further up the line through the communities of Ashland and Yorklyn.
On the return trip, there will be a brief stop at Mt. Cuba to pick up the picnic passengers.
This event is powered by either our historic first-generation diesel locomotive, by our 1929 Pennsylvania Railroad Doodlebug railcar, or by one of the rail line’s antique steam locomotives.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $19 for seniors and $18 for children (ages 2-12).
The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is hosting a very special event this Father’s Day weekend – “Father’s Day Steam Special.”
Dads and their families can celebrate Father’s Day with a relaxing steam train ride through southern York County.
They can enjoy the sights of rolling farmland and small towns as you travel in vintage passenger cars.
They’ll be able to hear the classic whistle, feel the motion of the train, and take in the unique experience of a real steam engine.
It’s a simple, memorable way to spend time with Dad and enjoy the countryside together.
Tickets are $36.99 for adults and $24.99 for children.
Departures are at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The New Hope Railroad (32 West Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Father’s Day Express” on June 20 and 21.
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.
Departure times are 11 a.m. and 1:30 and 4 p.m.
Tickets are $128 for adults, $126 for children (ages 3-11) and $20 for toddlers (ages 2 and under).
The Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad (136 Brown Street, Middletown, 717-944-4435, www.mhrailroad.com) has a fun excursion for this weekend – the “Swatty Flyer.”
This is a special excursion which is only offered a few times a year.
Departure is scheduled for June 20 at 1 p.m.
Fares are $23 for adults, $19 for seniors and $15 for children (ages 2-11).
Woodstown Central Railroad (650 Woodstown-Alloway Road, Pilesgrove Township, New Jersey, woodstowncentral.com) is celebrating “Father’s Day on the Rails” on June 21 with excursion rides at noon, 1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m.
On Sunday, Woodstown Central Railroad is offering three ways to celebrate: a scenic 60-minute ride through Salem County, a 21+ “Brew to Brew” train visiting two South Jersey breweries, and an “Ice Cream Special” with premium table seating and Cream Valley Custard treats.
All dads receive a complimentary gift.
The Allentown and Auburn Railroad (35 Railroad Street, Kutztown, 570-778-7531, https://allentown-and-auburn-railroad.square.site/) is running an excursion for the holiday weekend.
On June 21, the rail line has its “Firefly Express” departing at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. from its Kutztown station.
Take the family out for lunch on Father’s Day and Grandparent’s Day this year.
The Allentown and Auburn Railroad offers a leisurely ride through the rural Kutztown countryside with a stop at the picnic grove for a buffet style catered lunch.
The meal, which is catered by Saucony Café features pulled pork, mac & cheese, chips, cookies and beverages.
Tickets are $32 for adults and $27 for children (ages 3-11).
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) will be presenting “Elmo’s Springtacular” every weekend now through June 16.
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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 will feature “Father’s Day Weekend Fan Fest” on June 20 and 21.
Kids can cheer for dad this weekend with a sports fan fest at Sesame Place. Visitors can come to Sesame Place to meet some of their favorite sports team mascots.
Then, they can stomp and clap along with performances from the West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad.
Plus, treat Dad to an all-you-can-eat buffet at our Father’s Day character dine.
Glen Foerd (5001 Grant Ave, Philadelphia, www.glenfoerd.org) will host its “Summer Solstice Eco-Crafting” on June 21.
The staff at Glen Foerd issued an invitation — Join us at Glen Foerd for a crafty celebration of the summer solstice! At our creative stations you will be given access to different materials to explore sun printing using cyanotype and turmeric dyes.
We will also have pre-made banners you can customize using our natural dyes. All materials will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own fabrics or paper to personalize. We’ll also be serving refreshing sun tea to enjoy as you create!
This event is appropriate for all ages and will be held outdoors, so come dressed appropriately for the weather at the time. Under the circumstances of inclement weather, we will move indoors.
The event is pay-what-you-wish (recommended donation amount is $10).
Glen Foerd is an 18-acre public park and historic site located along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Built in 1850 and enlarged in 1902-03, the estate—consisting of historic gardens, an Italianate-Classical Revival style mansion, and multiple additional structures—was saved from potential development through the activism of dedicated neighbors in 1983.
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 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.
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 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.”
“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 acclaimed collection highlighting the diverse stories of inventors from all walks of life.
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).
Thursdays through Sundays, 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.
The 2025 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.
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.
Nemours was the estate of Alfred I. duPont.
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 are one of the estate’s prime attractions. 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 $23 for adults, $21 for seniors and $10 for children.
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 $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and students and $8 for children.
Newlin Grist Mill (219 South Cheyney Road, Glen Mills, newlingristmill.org) will present its “1704 Mill Tour” on June 20 and 21.
Visitors can take a guided tour of the site’s 1704 water powered mill.
While the Mill is not currently operational, visitors on guided tours will get a rare opportunity to see the process of building a new waterwheel and waterbox.
Visitors must be on a guided tour to go inside the Grist Mill.
Cost is $10 for adults and $6 for seniors and children 12 and under.
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a
“Guided Mansion Tour” on June 21.
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.
Tour admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 65+) and for youth ages 6-17, and free 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.
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 (excluding holidays) at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m.
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.
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).
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).
Andalusia Historic House, Gardens and Arboretum (1237 State Road, Andalusia, www.andalusiapa.org) has opened for its 2026 season.
Located on a wooded promontory overlooking the Delaware River, Andalusia has been a stately presence on this stretch of water, just north of Philadelphia, for more than 200 years. The ancestral home of the Biddle family, Andalusia is also a natural paradise of native woodlands and spectacular gardens that have evolved over time.
P
laced 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.
Visitors can stroll the spectacular formal gardens and native woodlands during a self-guided garden tour at their leisure and enjoy sweeping views from the banks of the Delaware River. Picnics are allowed on the grounds (with a “carry-in, carry-out” policy).
This weekend, Rockwood Park & Museum (4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, Delaware, 4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, www.newcastlede.gov/431/Rockwood-Park-Museum) is hosting “Rockwood Guided House Tours.”
Visitors can explore the grandeur, history and beauty of the Rockwood Museum, home of the Shipley, Bringhurst and Hargraves families for 120 years, at their own pace.
Visitors will be able to access most of the museum’s major rooms on this self-guided tour. Also, staff will be nearby to answer any questions.
Tours are scheduled for 12:30 and 2 p.m. on June 20 and 21.
Self-guided tours will also be available both days from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and noon-4 p.m. on Sunday.
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 Monday by reservation.
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.
You can capture the same vibe closer to home with tours in Philadelphia.
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.
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.
Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the spring.
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.
Ticket prices start at $38.
