fall fun guide

Your Guide toAwesomeAutumnActivities

Thursday, September 26, 2013

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Scarecrow displays at Peddler’s Village

Chocolate program at Pennypacker Mills

Falls festivals in theWissahickon Valley

Chrysanthemum Festivalat Longwood Gardens

Food retrospective at TempleJudea Museum

Harry Potter-themedstraw maze

Fall theater preview

Great PumpkinCarvers

Area Halloween attractions

Local breweries put fall fun on tap

Listings of fall festivals and events

Fall events at area parks, trailsand historic sites

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Fall Fun Guide

Set the toneforautumnwithMasterGardenerFall Fest

Summermight beover, but thegardeningseason isstill in fullswing.The 10th

annualMaster Gardener Fall Festoffers plant lovers a menuof workshops, talks andgardening help Saturday,Sept. 28, from 9 a.m. to 3p.m. at Smedley Park onBaltimore Pike in Spring-field Township, DelawareCounty.Tour the display gardens

and browse the plant saleand garden accessoriestables.Arborist Alan Jensen-

Sellers, of the Davey TreeCo., will demonstratepruning tools, principlesand practices to enhancethe health, aesthetics andstructure of trees andother woody ornamentals.Master gardener CynthiaSabatini will show easyways to propagate annu-als and perennials, whilemaster gardener BethFolkomer shares newand different recipes thattackle the mountain ofzucchini ripening in thevegetable patch.Pumpkin painting with

master gardener JeanneQuintavalla will set thetone for autumn in oneworkshop, while mastergardener Julia King takes

those pumpkins and addsflowers in another designworkshop. Participantswill make a wreath withcorn husks and other fallaccents in yet another ses-sion with Beth Folkomer.In between programs,

enjoy tours of the sun,shade, native plant andpollinator gardens, alldesigned and maintainedby master gardeners. Getinspired and then browsethe plant sale table forbulbs, native plants andperennials. A bake saletable and the mastergardener marketplace withits one-of-a-kind crafteditems will tempt shoppers.Bring cash or checks andget a jump on the holidays.And as always, bring

your gardening questionsand concerns; master gar-deners will offer help andinformation on insect pestsand plant problems.Fall Fest opens at 9 a.m.

with either the pruningworkshop at $20 or the fallwreath making workshopat $25. Pumpkin paintingat $25 or plant propaga-tion at $20 follow, with abreak for lunch at noon,before the final day’sselection at 1 p.m. witheither fall flower design orzucchini cooking, both at$20. Lunch selections areturkey, vegetarian or beefat $10 per order.Call 610-690-7669 for

details.

By Jennifer Connorjconnor@thereporteronline.

com

the winding brickpathways of Peddler’sVillage in Lahaska, linedwith numerous expertlycrafted scarecrows lendthemselves well to thecultural phenomenonthat is fall in BucksCounty.

In fact, in its 34th year, Ped-dler’s Village scarecrow seasonand annual Scarecrow Festivalhave become a fall staple formany in Bucks County and itssurroundings. Through Sunday,Sept. 29, visitors to the villagecan vote for the winners ofthis season’s scarecrow class— picking participants to winclose to $5,000 in prizes.The scarecrows—with

themes including Philly Love,Quite the Character Scarecrow,

ATraditional/Whirligig Scare-crow, Extraordinary Contem-porary Scarecrow, Kids Onlyand group creations—willbe on display through Sunday,Oct. 27.Last year, Pearl S. Buck In-

ternational VolunteerAssocia-tion entered for the first time,creating the Bucks Countyhumanitarian, author andmother herself as a scarecrow.This year, the association is en-tering again as home-schooledhigh school studentsAngelinaand Mark Bartorelli of Dublincreate O-Lan, a character fromPearl S. Buck’s novel “TheGood Earth.”According to Cynthia Loud-

en, chair of special events/community projects for PearlS. Buck volunteer association,O-Lan is a peasant farmer andmother in China who does ev-erything she can to take care of

her family, including stealingpearls.“We choseAngelina

and Mark to work on thescarecrow because of theirdedication, reliability andhard work,” Louden said.Though the organizationdidn’t win any prizes lastyear, it hopes to possiblygain some notoriety in thisyear’s category of “Quite theCharacter Scarecrow.”The festivities culminated

in the Scarecrow Festivalon Saturday, Sept. 21, andSunday, Sept. 22.“The village is festive for

two full months helping ussay goodbye to summer,”Eve Gelman, public relationsand social media managersaid. “Plus, fall in BucksCounty is such a fantastictime with all the beautifulleaf changes.”

Thursday, September 26, 2013 Fall Fun Guide

Scarecrows infiltrate Peddler’s Village inLahaska for the coming of fall festivities

Thursday, September 26, 2013Fall Fun Guide

By Audrey McGlinchy21st Century Media News Service

WhenAmericans ate chocolatein the 18th century, they drank itdown.“Chocolate, until about 1900,

was a drink,” explains RodneySnyder, chocolate history researchdirector at Mars Chocolate NorthAmerica.“That’s how it was, especially

in the area around Philadelphia,”he says. “When Ben Franklin waswriting about chocolate, he waswriting about it as a drink.”Local residents can sample

and see ambassadors from MarsChocolate prepare the chocolatedrink of Franklin’s time whenPennypacker Mills in Schwenks-ville, Pa., hosts “TheAmericanHeritage of Chocolate” on Oct.5. The program also coincides

with the opening of the Colonial’sservants’ area this fall.“We’ve been in the process

since January of restoring it tothe way it looked before we gothere,” says Pennypacker Mills’museum educator Linda Cal-legari.“[Opening the servants’

Please see Chocolate on 5

Chocolategetsanold faceatPennypackerMills


wing] is a way to intro-duce something new ata place that’s been openfor 30 years,” she says.With the restoration of therooms in which hired helpcooked meals, Callegarisays Pennypacker willbegin over the next yearto focus its programmingon food and how it wouldhave been made in the timeperiod before and duringthe Pennypacker family’sresidence.For those who attend the

Oct. 5 event, emphasis willbe on both process and fin-ished product. Snyder, whoauthored a section of thebook “Chocolate: History,Culture, and Heritage,”the culmination of almosta decade of researchspearheaded by Mars,explains that the processbegins withroasting andends with anamalgam ofspices.Though

they won’tbe doing iton-site, saysSnyder, thefirst step inthe processis to roastthe cocoabeans. Thissimplifiesthe secondstep: remov-ing the shellsand unearthing the cocoapod.

“We havea basketwhere youseparate theshells fromthe cocoanips,” saysSnyder.The next

step is touse a heatedmetate, ora mortar, tosoften andground the

nips. The final step is toadd a myriad of spices —

cinnamon, nutmeg and redpepper, among others —and to continue grounding,cultivating a taste that isunlike the chocolate con-sumed today; it’s spicierand less sweet.“That combination

of spices all in the rightbalance really make it aninteresting drink,” saysSnyder.It’s a combination to

highlight Mars Chocolate’sown proposed mixing:the company is partneringwith various historic sites,

like Pennypacker Mills,across the country, to offerfree chocolate demonstra-tions and samples to thelocal public, plus sellingthe chocolate product,called “American HeritageChocolate,” in more than130 gift shops attached tothe participating historicsites.“Now we can go to sites

and explain to them whatthe chocolate tasted likeand how the locals wouldhave consumed chocolate,”says Snyder.

For those who visit thesehistoric sites, it grants thema new and more flavorfullook at history.“It gets people to look

at us in a slightly differentway,” says Callegari.“This enables Mars to

take what they do bestand blend it with historyto benefit historic sites aswell as the general public.This chocolate isn’t sold instores. It’s only offered athistoric sites. That makes itspecial and it supports thehistoric sites,” she says.

Chocolate, from 4

Chocolategets anold faceatPennypackerMills

“American HeritageChocolate”

runsat Pennypacker Mills

5 Haldeman RoadSchwenksville, PA.

19473Sunday, Oct. 5,11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tickets: Free.Info: 610-287-9349 orhttp://www.montcopa.org/pennypackermills.

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Fall Fun Guide


File photo by KATHY CANTWELLAshley Klein, 7, of Blue Bell, enjoys a pony rideduring the 2012 Whitpain Fall Harvest Festival.

File photo by KATHY CANTWELLRashaad Lusane, 8 months, of Norristown, sits in the pumpkinpatch at the 2012 Whitpain Fall Harvest Festival.

File Photo by NANCY TIRRELL PARAVANOJake Tan, 5, of Lower Gwynedd, bounces on oneof the kiddie amusements during the 2012 LowerGwynedd Countrie Picnic.

FallFun!

By Eric Devlinedevlin@montgomerynews.

com

As the temperaturebegins to dropand the leavesslowly begin tochange color, anumber of areafall festivalsare set to help

celebrate the new season.TheAmbler Oktoberfest

and theWhitpain Commu-nity Harvest Festival are twoannual events that promiseto help residents get excitedfor fall.On tap is the 22nd annual

Ambler Oktoberfest, spon-sored byAmbler Main Street,set for Oct. 5 from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. with an Oct. 6 raindate.Cheryl Casalinuovo,

administrator forAmblerMain Street, said the eventwill shut down ButlerAvenuefrom LindenwoldAvenue toMain Street beginning at 8:30a.m. in order for visitors tocheck out the various festivi-ties including a beer gardensponsored by theAmblerRotary, food from local res-taurants including the LuckyWell — the borough’s newestrestaurant — and arts andcrafts vendors. The event alsopromises a children’s areaand musical entertainmentthroughout the day.“It’s a nice family event,”

she said, “with something foreveryone.We do have twomusic venues at ButlerAve-

nue and Main and at BoroughHall. Volunteer Luke Clearyis organizing the music.”For more information about

theAmbler Oktoberfest, visitamblermainstreet.org.Finally, while the days

might be getting colder,things are heating up inWhit-pain Township for the annualHarvest Festival Oct. 12 atWentz Run Park.In addition to the tradi-

tional favorites like the GreatPumpkin Patch, petting zoo,inflatable rides, a tracklesstrain and the food court, thisyear’s festival will have amuch more musical flavor,according toWhitpain Town-ship Parks and RecreationAssistant Director MichaelRichino.Local musiciansAshley

Leone, the FortWashingtonSchool of Rock and singer/songwriter Brett Dennen areset to take the stage from 5p.m. to 9 p.m. along with liveacts who will be performingthroughout the day.“We’re hoping this turns

into a yearly thing,” he said,“with the music side of it.”Additionally, Richino said

the organization Love HopeStrength and the School ofRock have partnered togetherto register festival visitors asbone marrow donors.For more information about

the Harvest Festival, visitwhitpainrec.com.Follow Eric Devlin on Twit-

ter @Eric_Devlin.

Local fall festivalstocelebrate theseason


By Kiersten McMonaglekmcmonagle@21st-century-

media.com

from Oct. 26 toNov. 24, Long-wood Gardenswill be holdingits annual Chry-santhemumFestival at theEast Marlbor-ough, Chester

County location.The festival, which takes

place in Longwood Garden’s in-door conservatory, is free to thepublic with the price of regularadmission.This year’s festival will

include more than 20,000blooming mums which havebeen grown and nurturedspecially for the occasion. Theflowers have been trained tomimic clouds, torches, spirals,fans, 13-foot arches, and more,according to the LongwoodGardens website.“Mums are a fall favorite,”

said Patricia Evans, the commu-nications manager at LongwoodGardens. “And I think whenyou come to Longwood, youreally get to see them grown insome extraordinary ways.”Among the flowers included

at this year’s festival, there willappear a plant special to Long-wood Gardens. The LongwoodGardens’website boasts that itsThousand BloomMumwill bethe largest found in all of NorthAmerica.Evans said that this year’s

bloom took 18 months to growproperly, and those gardenersinvolved with the project weresent to Japan to work on it. The

gardens have been presentingThousand BloomMums—qualified as any mum with morethan 500 blooms on it — since1995, but over the last fouror five years gardeners have“really amped up their efforts,”said Evans.In total, this year’s bloom

will hold more 1,100 perfectlygrown and molded chrysan-themums.At the same time, asecond Thousand BloomMum— itself holding roughly 500blooms - will also be showcasedat the Longwood Gardenslocated inWashington, DC.Longwood Gardens held its

first Chrysanthemum Festivalin 1981. For years before that,Pierre S. duPont —who cre-ated Longwood Garden— hadgrown the flowers in his indoorconservatory at the gardens.That year, it became an officialfestival which has been heldevery year since.The chrysanthemum, better

known as the mum, is a com-mon and well-loved autumnplant. While the flowers arenative toAsia and northeasternEurope, they can befound in abundancethroughout NorthAmerica every yearfrom September toNovember.Several breeds of

the chrysanthemumcan be found through-out NorthAmerica,and are easilyrecognized by most.Longwood Gardens’display, however,will include not onlythose flowers whichwe all know and love,

but several which visitors maynever have seen before.In total, there are nine cat-

egories of mums: Quill, Daisy,Decorative, Buttons, Pompom,Spoon, Cushions, Spider, andAnemone; all of which havebeen nurtured into beautiful dis-plays for visitors this upcomingOctober and November.Each year, Longwood

Gardens creates an enormousdisplay of mums for visitors toenjoy, in an ever-changing setupand array of designs. This year,Longwood Gardens will alsobe holding a number of otherautumn-themed events for visi-tors to the gardens to enjoy.Included among these special

seasonal events areAutumn’sColors through Nov. 24, and thePumpkin Playground from Sept.28 to Nov. 1.For more information on the

Chrysanthemum Festival, goto longwoodgardens.org, orcall 610-388-1000. LongwoodGardens is located at 1001Longwood Road, KennettSquare, PA19348.

Fall’s favorite flavorcelebrated at Longwood’sChrysanthemum Festival


By Mary Cantell21st Century Media News Service

What would you give towake up to the scent ofcinnamon sweet rollsor challah bread?A co-median once quippedthat he liked to lighta scented candle inthe morning, whichemanated the aroma of

freshly baked biscuits, so that his roommates wouldawaken to a “sense of false hope.” But for TempleJudea Museum director/curator Rita (Rosen) Poley,there was nothing false about what wafted into herolfactory senses come daybreak as a child. Sinceshe lived on top of a bakery, the scent of freshlybaked goods was practically a 24/7 experience forher.“Rosen’s Famous Baking Company was truly a

family business,” said Poley of the enterprise thatwas rooted in Russia, where in Rovno, her grand-mother ran the village oven (a small “shtetl”). In herparents Philadelphia bakery, her father and unclesworked the bread and cake shops, respectively,

Please see Kosher on 9

Koshercaterersthenandnow:A retrospective atTemple Judea Museum

Fall Fun Guide

A buffet spread with a doll topper pre-pared by Mollie the Kosher Caterer.

Photo courtesy of Temple Judea Museum

Koshercaterers thenandnow


while her mother ran the store.To this day, Poley fondly recalls how

food became the mainstay staple thatheld her family (and society) together.And it wasn’t long after talking withfriend and fellow artist Diane Pieri,whose grandparents owned a fruit-and-produce business before becomingcaterers, that a kernel of nostalgia grewupon discovering theirmutual foody back-grounds. This led tospearheading the subjectmatter for this year’s fallexhibition at the TempleJudea Museum.On Sunday afternoon,

Oct. 6, the event (ca-tered, of course) centerson a one-hour panel dis-cussion on the meaningof food shared commu-nally outside the homefrom individuals whohave an ancestry devotedto kosher foods. ThreeJewish food businessesare the primary focus ofthe exhibition.Representing the fami-

lies, the panel includes:Diane Pieri (Mollie theKosher Caterer), PeterOlster (Betty the Caterer)and Rita Rosen Poley(Rosen’s Famous Bak-ing Company). Rabbi Lance Sussman(Sussman’s Deli) and photographerJordan Cassway round out the panelists.The discussion will include how ko-

sher caterers were essential in bringingpeople together for celebrations as wellas business functions, the role of familyin the rudiments of preparing food, andthe importance of maintaining Jewishtraditions.“Even as a child, I knew that I was

lucky to grow up as I did,” said Poley.“It was more than just the baked goodsand the business. It really was an entireculture and a way of living a very deli-cious Jewish family life.”Peter Olster will reminisce on his suc-

cessful enterprise begun by his mother,

Betty, and father, Burt, in 1949.“For me, it was just a natural transi-

tion,” said Olster of following in hisparents’ footsteps. He’ll share his mem-ories, including the 20-year successstory at Park City West and catering theWhite House in 2007.Diane Pieri’s grandmother was an

outstanding cook and began her cateringbusiness at a ripe 60 years of age.“I only knew my grandmother as a

caterer who had her business in thetwo-story house she livedin on Durham Street inMt. Airy,” said Pieri. “Itwas the very house allthe grandkids would visitand sleep over, the veryhouse that always smelledso good. It spilled overwith boxes of homemadecookies, cakes, potato andliver knishes, strudels,halibut salad for 200, andhuge cartons of fresh eggsfrom Lancaster farmers.The house was com-pletely in service to herbusiness.”In addition to the panel,

also continuing (untilOct. 6) is a silent auction,“Stirring the Pot,” to ben-efit the temple. A numberof artists have contributedtheir work to the causeand have created someuniquely creative art onjust one theme — spoons.

“They’re all wonderful,” said Poley.“Some are fun, some are stunninglygorgeous.”Among the artists are J.T. Waldman,

Rob Dennis, Kelly Sussman, RobynMiller, Cynthia Blackwood and blindartist Ron Bryant, who’s been astudent at the Philadelphia Mu-seum ofArt in the museum’s ForminArt classes for artists with visualdisabilities. All together, 25 artistshave recreated their own renditionof the humble kitchen utensil.The museum is open daily, dis-

playing an audiovisual exhibitionof Jewish artifacts, photographsand artwork.

Kosher, from 8

Artists (L to R) RobDennis, MarleneAdler, Cindy Black-man, Karen ShainSchloss, CarolMoore, Rhea Dennisand Robyn Millergather to admiretheir handiwork in,“Artists Re-Imaginethe Spoon,” a silentauction to benefitthe Temple JudeaMuseum now onview at the museumat KI synagogue inElkins Park.

Alan Rosenbloom (be-low) displays his waresat the Glendale Kosher

Meat Market.Photos courtesy of Temple Judea

Museum

Betty the Caterer (right)competes at the BenFranklin Hotel- early

1960s

Below, a spoonmade by artistKelly Sussman forthe “Stirring thePot” silent auction.

“When Jewish FoodWas the Family

Business”will be on display

at Temple Judea Museum,8339 Old York Road,

Elkins Park, PA 19027,through Dec. 15.

Hours: Monday - Friday,9 a.m. - 5 p.m.;

Sunday, - 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.;Tuesday & Friday,open until 8 p.m.Sunday, Oct. 6:

Panel discussion withcocktail reception, 3 p.m.

followed by dessertreception at 5 p.m.

Info: 215-887-2027 orTJ Museum@kenethisrael.

org.

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Fall Fun Guide


By April Olinchak21st Century Media News

Service

Dumbledore’sPowers” trumpalmost anywizard’s magicin the world ofHarry Potter, butat the WoodmereArt Museum,architect and de-signer Peter Ev-

erett Brown holds the wandof power — made not fromthe branch of an ancient andmystical tree, but from meremuggle straw.The third installment of

“The Harry Potter StrawMaze: Dumbledore’s Pow-ers,” opened Friday, Sept.20 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.with a free celebration formuggles and magical folkalike. The exhibit continuesthrough Nov. 3, with themedweekends for children ages4 to 11. Admission is $8 perchild or $20 for families.“Dumbledore’s Powers”

features the legendary ob-jects of the Deathly Hallowssought by Harry, Hermioneand Ron in J.K. Rowling’sbooks. Brown rendersthe Invisibility Cloak, theResurrection Stone and theElder Wand, as the signatureof Albus Dumbledore, aline within a circle withina triangle, in monolithic

900-pound bales of straw onthe hillside lawn of Wood-mere Art Museum.The whimsical geometric

installation invites childrenof all ages to climb, jumpand play with art, nature anda sprinkling of magic.Surprisingly, the wizard

behind the maze createshis magic from muggleingenuity, architecturalartistry and a propensity topromote play, rather thanany enchantment. The HarryPotter influence comes from

the Woodmere Art Museum,starting with 2011’s “Owl’sEye” maze to coincide withChestnut Hill’s Harry PotterWeekend in October.One could argue that the

first two mazes really weresupernatural creations.“Owl’s Eye” and 2012’s“DiagonAlley” both hada wizards duel with theweather and won.Brown said, “The first

year was almost a ruinbefore opening. We hadtwo tropical storms and a

hurricane. It was a happyopening that quickly turnedsad. It just wasn’t as pristineas it was when it was firstput together. Last year wasthe first year with five-stringbales and another hurricane,and it didn’t budge, provedsolid, amazingly so.”Against meteorological

power that surpasses eventhat of Lord Voldemort, thetemporary straw structuresstood. For Brown, his learn-ing curve as self-described“expert generalist” beat the

supernatural and the super-storms.“We may not know the

answer when we begin, butwe are experts when weare done. It’s like workingaround the house. It’s roughwhen you begin, but by theend you’re really good atit. Wish I could have beenthat good when I started, butthat’s part of the process.”Building in bales of straw

isn’t the typical mediumfor Brown, so the learningcurve started with discover-

ing that hay and straw arenot interchangeable materi-als.He explained, “Hay is

the plant or the grass, alsothe fruit product. Straw isthe shell of the hay. Strawis used as animal bedding.Hay is a feed. Straw is alittle less biologic in action— it won’t rot away. It’shollow like a drinking straw.Moving from hay to strawwas a big plus.”

Peter Brownbrings Harry

Potter’s strawmaze back to

Woodmere

Please seeWoodmere on 11

A-maze-ing!

“Owl’s Eye” started outwith two-string bales, thekind you might see a farm-er lift by hand, 24 incheswide by 36 inches long by16 inches tall, weighingabout 40 pounds.“The appeal is that you

can make much moresculptured detail if youwill,” Brown said. “If youhave smaller pieces, youcan delineate much moredetail than you would.”But the smallbales didn’twork so wellon the hill.“Diagon

Alley”marked themove to themore mono-lithic arrange-ment, withfive-stringbales, 8 feetlong by 4 feetwide by 3feet tall, cur-rently used inDumbledore’sPowers.Brown said,

“900-poundsdry — theyare enor-mous.”Hougar Farms delivers

two truckloads of bales,which are placed with askid loader, similar to afork loader. The layouttakes a day, and remark-ably, the Stonehenge-likestructure is built in lessthan a day, weather per-mitting.Brown learned “Large

blocks made it mucheasier to run on top of— remarkably wonder-ful material to use for atemporary install such asthis … Children enjoyplaying on top of the haymuch more than theyenjoy playing between thehay.”And for Brown, play is

the point. “Generally themodern playgrounds are

so kinda cookie-cutterish.When I was a kid, we kindof made our own play-ground.”Brown serves his play-

ground with a cherry ontop, a 6-foot-tall inflatableball and new this year,inflatable inner tubes, hulahoops fabricated from ir-rigation tubing and a balemattress for jumping.All designed, he said

to “encourage children tostretch their own envelope,push their comfort zone —

they mightlearn somethings aboutthemselves.I hope theydo play withthem. That’s

the whole intent — toencourage play.”After the playing is over,

the straw leaves only agreen footprint.Brown said, “The bales

are turned into mulchin which to grow mush-rooms. It’s pretty green,not much waste. It’s goingback to the earth, makinggarden soil out of it.”By next fall, the lush

Woodmere lawn willwelcome back the HarryPotter Straw Maze.“It will be a challenge

in year’s to come to toplast year’s, but … likea set of blocks, it hasinfinite possibilities. Itshouldn’t get old.”


A-maze-ing!

“Dumbledore’sPowers”

Straw Maze is located atWoodmere Art

Museum,9201 Germantown Ave.,Chestnut Hill, PA 19118.

Through Nov. 3.$8 per child or$20 per family.

Open Fridays, 6 - 8 p.m.;Saturdays, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.;& Sundays, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Info: 215-247-0476 orwoodmereartmuseum.org.

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Woodmere, from 10

Thursday, September 26, 2013 Thursday, September 26, 2013 Page 13Fall Fun Guide Fall Fun Guide

Perry Young and ensemble of “In the Heights,” con-tinuing at Walnut Street Theatre through Oct. 20.

Photo by Mark Garvin.

Tony Braithwaitehas written, andstars in, the ActII Playhouseproduction of“Didn’t YourFather HaveThis Talk withYou?” —extendedthrough Oct. 11.

Steve Kazee and Cristin Milloti starring in “Once,”coming to the Academy of Music from Oct. 29 throughNov. 10. Photo by JOAN MARCUS.

Exciting fall theaterseasonbegins!

By Gloria Hayes Kremer21st Century Media News

Service

Some trulyexciting newproduc-tions offera promisingstart to thefall theaterseason.There is

even a new start-up theatercompany called Meadow-brook Productions in ourarea. Winning musicals andreal smash hits from Broad-way will brighten our stages.Great news for theatergoersof all ages.Here are some of the high-

lights for you to consider.— “Once”: The Tony

Award-winning musical,adapted from the lovely film,is endearing and delightful,as a street musician finds loveunexpectedly. It runs Oct. 29to Nov. 10 at the Academyof Music, Broad and Locuststreets, Philadelphia; 215-893-1999.

Also, “Flashdance theMusical,” Nov. 19 to 24;“Beauty and the Beast,”Nov. 26 to Dec. 1; “I LoveLucy® Live on Stage,” Dec.26 to 29.— “Parade”: This new

Tony Award-winning musi-cal is based on a true story.It follows a falsely accusedfactory manager, in 1913Atlanta, Ga., as the townerupts against him. The ArdenTheatre production runs Sept.26 to Nov. 3 at 40 N. 2nd St.,Philadelphia; 215-922-1122.Also, “Stick Fly,” Oct. 24

to Dec. 22.— “Bunny Bunny”: A

witty, imaginary biographyof Gilda Radner, one oftelevision’s funniest femalesand her relationship with theauthor. The 1812 Theaterproduction runs through Oct.27 at Walnut Street Theater,Studio 3, 825 Walnut St.,Philadelphia; 215-592-9560.— “Didn’t Your Fa-

ther Have This Talk withYou?”: Aworld premierefeatures always funny andversatile Tony Braithwaite instories, audience participa-tion, even rap music. TheAct II Playhouse productionruns through Oct. 11 at 56E. Butler Ave., Ambler; 215-654-0200.Also, “The Woman in

Black,” Oct. 29 to Nov.24; “The Twelve Dates ofChristmas,” Dec. 10 to 29.— “In the Heights”:

This Tony Award-winningmusical reveals the conflict-ing dynamics in the chang-ing neighborhood of a NewYork enclave. The WalnutStreet Theatre productionruns through Oct. 20 at 825Walnut St., Philadelphia; 215-574-3550.Also, “Elf: The Broadway

Musical,” Nov. 5 to Jan. 5.— “4000 Miles”: In this

poignant drama, a young manand his 91-year-old grand-

mother discover the fragileline between growing up andgrowing old. The Philadel-phia Theatre Company pro-duction runs Oct. 11 to Nov.10 at the Suzanne RobertsTheatre, 480 S. Broad St.,Philadelphia; 215-985-0420.Also, “Nerds,” Nov. 29 to

Dec. 29.— “My Mother’s Jewish,

My Father’s Italian and I’mSTILL in Therapy!”: Whata timely and comic portrayalof society’s diverse lifestyles.The Bristol Riverside Theatreproduction runs through Oct.6at 120 Radcliffe St., Bristol;215-785- 0720.Also, “Pride and Preju-

dice,” Oct. 29 to Nov. 24.— “The DWord”:

Ditched, Dumped, Divorced,and Dating. Amusical com-edy about life’s complicatedperiods. The Society HillPlayhouse production runsthrough Oct. 28 at 507 S. 8thSt., Philadelphia; 215-923-0210.— “Miles and Ellie”:A

story of young love interrupt-ed and how life can changethings around. The Montgom-ery Theater production runsthrough Sept. 29 at 124 Main

St., Souderton; 215-723-9984.Also, “Miracle on South

Division Street,” Nov. 13 toDec. 1.— “Emma”: Jane Austen’s

delightful portrayal of anendearing but quirky youngwoman is an elegant satire ofher coming-of-age journey.The Lantern Theater produc-tion runs through Oct. 27at 10th and Ludlow streets,Philadelphia; 215-829-0395.Also, “Jane Austen Festi-

val,” Oct. 11 to 15.— “Red Herring”: Three

love stories, a murder andan espionage plot. Amus-ing complications ensue, ofcourse. The Villanova Theatreproduction runs Oct. 1 to 13at Vasey Hall at VillanovaUniversity; 610-519-7474.Also, “Everyman,” Nov.

12 to 24.

— “Address Unknown”:Two German expatriates, onea Jew, one a non-Jew, revealthe destructive forces of anti-Semitism and fascism. Thenew Meadowbrook Produc-tions company play runs Nov.7 to 24 at Walnut Street The-

atre, Studio 5, 825 Walnut St.,Philadelphia; 215-970-9040.— “Corpse”:Amystery

with fascinating plot twistsconcerns twin brothers, oneof whom has malicious ideas.The Hedgerow Theatre pro-duction runs through Oct. 5 at

64 Rose Valley Road, Media;610-565-4211.Also, “Macbeth,” Oct. 17

to Nov. 17; “AChristmasCarol,” Dec. 6 to 31.— “I AmMy OwnWife”:

The Theatre Horizon produc-tion describes the problemof a man in a tumultuousrelationship. It runs Oct. 31to Nov. 24 at 401DeKalb St.,Norristown; 610-283-2230.— “Cock”: How difficult

attitudes can impact on thisgay man’s life is explored inthe Theatre Exile production.It plays Oct. 17 to Nov. 10 atStudio X, 13th & Reed streets,Philadelphia; 215-218-4022.— “Spamalot”:Monty

Python’s hilarious send-up ofthe Arthurian Legend comesto Media Theatre, 104 E. StateSt., Media, through Nov. 3;610-891-0100.Also, “Joseph and the

Amazing TechnicolorDreamcoat,” Nov. 30 to Jan.4.— “The Rainmaker”:

Drought brings out the bestand worst in 1936 Iowa farmcountry, at People’s Light &

Theatre, 39 Conestoga Road,Malvern, through Oct. 13.Also, “The Devil’s Music:

The Life and Blues of Bes-sie Smith,” Oct. 16 to Nov.24; “Cinderella: AMusicalPanto,” Nov. 20 to Jan. 12.— “God of Carnage”:

A grade-school altercationleads to a severe emotionalentanglement among theparents of the 11-year-olds.Continues at Playcrafters ofSkippack, 2011 Store Road,Skippack through Sept. 28;610-584-4005.Also, “Two Gentlemen of

Verona,” Dec. 18 to 27.— “The Dining Room”:

A.J. Gurney’s acclaimed co-medic drama runs at Town &Country Players, Route 263,Buckingham, Sept. 27 to Oct.12; 800-838-3006.— “Rocky Horror Show”:

Just in time for Halloween,the popular musical comes toBucks County Playhouse, 70S. Main St., New Hope, Oct.23 to Nov. 2; 215-862-2121.Also, “Meet Me in St.

Louis: A Live Radio Play,”Dec. 4 to 27.

— “The Convert”: A com-passionate story set amid themid-1890s colonial scramblein South Africa, running atthe Wilma Theater, Broad andSpruce streets, Philadelphia,Oct. 9 to Nov. 10; 215-546-7824.— “Jersey Boys”: The

ever-popular musical biogra-phy of Frankie Valli and theFour Seasons returns to theForrest Theatre, 1114 WalnutSt., Philadelphia, Dec. 11 to

Jan. 5; 215-923-1515.— “Spring Awakening”:

The Tony Award-winningdrama exploring the passagefrom adolescence to adult-hood with poignancy andpassion comes to Steel RiverPlayhouse, 245 E. High St.,Pottstown, Sept. 26 to Oct.13; 610-970-1199.Also, “Accomplice,” Nov.

1 - 10; “Shrek the Musical,”Dec. 5 - 22.

Sirena Irwin stars as Lucy andBill Mendieta is Ricky in “ILove Lucy® Live on Stage” atthe Merriam, Dec. 26 to 29.Photo by JUStiN BARBiN.

The cast of “The D*Word —A Musical”: (L to R ) Katie

Harper as DeeDee, ChristineHudman as Erica, Amanda

Kaiser as Kate and Christinede Chavez as Jen. Running at

Society Hill Playhouse throughOct. 28.

Sean Close and Rachel Brennan star in the Montgomery The-ater production of “Miles and Ellie,” through Sept. 29. Photo byBiLL PAPULA.

Jillian Mueller star-ring as Alex Owensin “Flashdance the

Musical,” playing atthe Academy of

Music from Nov. 19to 24. Photo by

JEREMY DANiEL.


By Kiersten [email protected]

For more than 40 years, pumpkins in Chadds Ford have been trans-formed into works of art. This year, come watch more than 60 localartists put their carving skills to the test during The Great PumpkinCarve at the Chadds Ford Historical Society. Held over three daysduring the week prior to Halloween, the artists will create jack-o-lanterns you wouldn’t typically see on your neighbor’s porch.Nadia Barakat, an employee at the Chadds Ford Historical So-

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The GreatPumpkin Carve

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Thursday, September 26, 2013 Page 15Fall Fun Guide

ciety, said the carvers will work on“giant pumpkins specially grown forthe occasion.” Those “giant pump-kins,” weighing between 150 and 400pounds each, will be carved on thefirst night of the event and then eachindividual work of art will be lit forthe audience to view on the secondand third nights of The Great Pump-kin Carve.At the end of the three-night event,

one winner will be named in each ofthe following seven categories: BestOverall Pumpkin, Most HalloweenPumpkin, Best Carving, Most Origi-nal Pumpkin, Best Use of Pump-kin, People’s Choice, and Carvers’

Choice. Additionally, honorable men-tions will be named for Best OverallPumpkin, Most Halloween Pumpkin,Best Carving, Most Original Pump-kin and Best Use of Pumpkin.The Great Pumpkin Carve has been

taking place since the early 1970swhen local artists Andrew and JamieWyeth carved pumpkins for Jim-mie Lynch to decorate the inside ofthe Chadds Ford Inn. When moreand more local artists began to join,the event expanded to larger venueseach year. The event is now held inthe Chadds Ford Historical Society’smeadow and has become a classicfall event in Chester County.In addition to pumpkin carving, the

event will include hayrides, music

and food. There is also an opportu-nity for kids to partake in the GreatPumpkin Carve. They can help createa path of lighted, carved pumpkinsto help lead visitors across a darkmeadow to the event area. Go tothe historical society’s web site toregister.The Great Pumpkin Carve takes

place Oct. 24 to Oct. 26 from 5-9p.m. each night. Admission is $10 foradults and $5 for children. ChaddsFord Historical Society members andchildren 6 and under are free.For more information, go to www.

chaddsfordhistory.org, or call 610-388-7376. The Chadds Ford Histori-cal Society is located at 1736 CreekRoad, Chadds Ford, Pa.

The Great Pumpkin Carvein Chadds FordPumpkin, from 14

By Yael Tsarfati21st Century Media Service

The chill is startingto approach us,and fall is finallyhere. Halloweenis right around thecorner, and withit comes excitingfun attractions forthe whole family

to enjoy. The leaves arestarting to change to prettyshades of red and orange,and the pumpkins will soonbe staring at you with theircrooked smiles.This fall season calls for

fun festivities, so be sure tocheck out such attractions asthe “Ghost Tour of Phila-delphia,” Six Flags’ “FrightFest,” “All Hallow’s EveFestival” at PennypackerMills, “Field of Screams” inMountville, Pa. and EasternState Penitentiary’s “TerrorBehind the Walls.” So getready for some jaw-drop-ping horror that will haveyour heart pumping andyour blood boiling. Thereis never a dull moment thisHalloween season with theterror packed adventure thatyou will find.

“The Ghost Tour ofPhiladelphia” is a 90-minutewalking tour of Society Hillwhere you get to visit theStrangers’ Burial Groundand other creepy hauntedplaces. The tour alsoincludes an introduction toghost hunting gadgets andan indoor tour of the PowelHouse, an old haunted man-sion.While this ghost tour is

scary, it is also has a brightside — some of the pro-ceeds go to a non-profit or-ganization that is dedicatedto the historic preservationmovement in Philadelphia.Be sure not to miss the

“Ghost Tour of Philadel-phia,” you never know, youmay get to see a real liveghost. And the tours areoffered at night, so they arecreepy and bone-chilling,which is perfect.If you like upside down

roller coasters with a Hal-loween theme, then SixFlags’ “Fright Fest” is theplace for you. Fright Fest2013 offers attractions forthe little ones and the wholefamily to enjoy.

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Attractions geared toward fami-lies include Monster Maze, a newcorn maze with scary surprises atevery turn, Doc Snooker’s Hal-loween Time machine, Trick-or-Treat Trail, The Spooky KookyMagic Show, Professor Slithers’Creepy Critters and many more.Six Flags’ Fright by Night Mon-

stertainment shows are geared toteens and adults. At 6 p.m., Ghoul-master leads a pack of almost 200zombies to awaken Dr. Frightand unleash “Fright by Night.”Dead Man’s Party is Fright Fest’ssignature song and dance produc-tion that features two rotatingshows: the classic show with morethan a decade of hits and “TheGuest List” featuring new songsand spell binding choreography.Another great attraction for theyoung adults is Doc Swan’s FreakShow, which puts amazing featsand ghastly freaks on display.Six Flags’ “Fright Fest” also

offers Terror Trails, Mazes andHaunted Houses. Don’t miss outon all the screams and fun withzombie infested Manors, VoodooIsland or the Asylum with inmatestrying to escape at every corner.Also check out Wasteland, acreepy land of toxic spillage andmutants that come out after dark.There are endless possibilities forHalloween adventure-packed funat Six Flags’ “Fright Fest.”If you’re looking for a great

place to take the kids and thewhole family this fall, the AllHallow’s Eve Fall Festival atPennypacker Mills is a place tovisit. Come for a free afternoon onSaturday, Oct. 19 from 1 – 4 p.m.Take a tractor-pulled hayride

around the grounds and viewthe beautiful autumn scenery.Children of all ages get to pickwhatever pumpkin they desire andhand-paint them. These beautifulhandcrafted pumpkins are perfectfor displaying on your front porchthis Halloween season.Make sure to bring your camera

to capture every memory at Pen-

npacker Mills this year as kidsmake vintage-inspired Halloweencrafts and do gravestone rubbings.Families line up to toss apples inthe cider press and turn them intomash for pressing. Children andtheir parents’ shuck dried corn,just as farmers did in the old indays. Other activities will includea bean-bag toss and a hay pileto jump in. And let’s not forgetthe delicious refreshments to beserved.If you really want to be scared,

explore America’s #1 haunted at-traction, “Field of Screams.” Thisplace really packs a punch with avariety of horrific events to choosefrom. You can start off with thehaunted hayride on a custombuilt wagon. The ride includesgruesome sounds and takes youdeep into the “Field of Screams’”cornfields to witness things thatyou would only see in your worstnightmares. See amazing specialeffects and creepy characters onthis terrifying thrill ride.The Den of Darkness is a

historical barn, which was built inthe early 1800s. It is rumored tobe haunted, and mysterious thingsoccur inside its walls. Peopleallegedly disappeared and diedin the building and were neveraccounted for. Ghosts are said tohaunt the grounds, and anyonethat enters will be under theirspell. Experience the arachnopho-bia room, the checkered room, theballroom, the dreadfully creepydoll room and the horrific meatlocker. So beware, and good lucksurviving the Den of Darkness inone piece.The “Field of Screams” goes

crazy with the FrightmareAsylum. TheApplegate MentalHospital housed many unwantedcriminally insane patients and wasabandoned in the mid-1900s. Butthe patients and deranged doctorsstill haunt the asylum and showno mercy to any visitors that crosstheir path. The Deranged Physi-cian is in charge of the Asylum,so be cautious as you step intohis creepy office of torture. The

Frightmare Asylum offers qualityscenes and special effects in afour story haunted hospital. Youcan feel the fear and insanity asyou meet the disturbed doctorsand nurses.If your heart is pumping and

your biting the tips of your fingernails, “Field of Screams” is defi-nitely the must see attraction thisfall season. It is special becauseit offers such a wide array ofchoices likethe NocturnalWastelandHaunted Trail,The ZOMBIEFun Run 5kEvent andmany more.There is even anon-scary CornCobAcresField of Funfor children toenjoy.One of the

scariest at-tractions is inPhiladelphia,and this yearit’s better thanever before.“Terror Behindthe Walls” atEastern State Penitentiary willhave you trembling with fear. It isrich with criminal history — mostnotably, gangster Al Capone — soyou are sure to catch lingeringsouls of felons roaming the halls.There are six sinister attractions

that are sure to blow your mind. Afew of these include Lock Down,Infirmary, and Night Watch. LockDown takes place in Cellblock 12,which was constructed in 1911and abandoned in 1971. Guestsare actually locked within the darkcells, and actors dressed as guardsand inmates pop out to scare them.There are crazy sound effects, andit is complete chaos.Infirmary is the prison’s old

hospital ward. Anyone that entersis in for screams and horror asthey are sure to see the ghosts ofthe criminally insane. And don’t

forget abouttheir de-ranged nursesand doctorschasing themwith needles.Stay quickon your feetif you wantto survive theinfirmary.“Terror’s”

Night Watchplaces you ina room that ispitch black;

you are in total darkness. Youhave to find your own way outand manage to survive with yourflashlight. Be careful, and makesure nothing grabs you.“Terror Behind the Walls” is

America’s largest haunted houseand is ranked among the tophaunted attractions in the country.For 2013, the eerie prison willhave a much more sinister feel,so be sure to brace yourselves forsome frightening attractions.With so many events and at-

tractions this fall, there is not aminute to spare. Friends and fam-ily have plenty of ways to spendquality Halloween time together.With the leaves changing and thetemperature dropping, it’s time towhip out that Halloween candyand decorations and get ready forthe trick-or-treaters. The seasons

change quickly, so enjoy the fallfestivities, and make them last.

Ghost Tour of PhiladelphiaSigners Garden at 5th & Chest-nut Sts.Philadelphia, PA 19106Info: 215-413-1997 orwww.ghosttour.com

Six Flags’ Fright FestP.O. Box 120, 1 Six Flags Blvd.Jackson, NJ 08527Info: 732-928-2000 orwww.sixflags.com

All Hallow’s Eve Fall Festival atPennypacker Mills5 Haldeman RoadSchwenksville, PA 19473Info: 610-287-9349 orwww.montcopa.or/pennypack-ermills

Field of Screams3493 Marietta AvenueLancaster, PA 17601Info: 717-285-7748 orwww.fieldofscreams.com

Terror Behind theWalls22nd and FairmountAvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19130Info: 215-236-2985 orwww.easternstate.org

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A haunting season of thrilling new attractions

By Gary [email protected]

It seems Pennsylvania’sbeen busy brewingup a lot more thanYuengling.With all due respect

to the country’s oldestbrewery, located inPottsville, a reportreleased earlier this

year by the Legislative Budget andFinance Committee indicates therewere more than 100 breweriesoperating in the state at the end of2011.That’s double the number of

breweries that existed 10 yearsearlier.How many of those are micro-

breweries is anyone’s guess, notedan associate of the Brewers ofPennsylvania, who asked to remainanonymous.“It really all depends on how

you define a microbrewery,” hesaid. “Years ago you could defineVictory Brewery as a microbrew-ery, but today it can be anythingfrom a local brewpub to a guybrewing out of his basement.”TheAmerican BrewersAs-

sociation defines a craft brewery as“small, independent and tradi-tional,” producing fewer than sixmillion barrels of beer a year.Then again, a brewpub may be

called a microbrewery if it’s avidlydistributing a fair amount of sudsoff site.Among those that blend their

own brand of hops and yeast onthe premises and serve the amber-hued results with food, only a fewhave developed the loyal following

ofAppalachian Brewing Co.With authentic wood beams

overhead, timeworn brick wallsbedecked with nostalgic art thattouts the microbrewery’s lineup ofartisanal suds— Jolly ScottAleor Hoppy Trails, anyone?— theCollegeville brewpub is doingjustice to its partnering, 15-year-old flagship location in a 1915-erabuilding back in downtown Har-risburg.As popular purveyors of

handcrafted elixirs and fine foodin Harrisburg, Camp Hill, and Get-tysburg, theAppalachian conceptinfiltrated Montgomery Countytwo years ago, with a state-ofthe-art copper and stainless steelNewlands brewing system, capableof brewing batches of 140 gallonsof standard and seasonal beers.Staples here includeWater Gap

WheatAle, a “light and refreshingAmerican style wheat beer, brewedwith a high percentage of maltedwheat, a beer true to character witha hazy unfiltered glow. The citrusflavors are complemented by aslice of lemon traditionally servedon the side,” and Mountain Lager,which the makers describe as acrisp and drinkable lager brewedin the Dortmunder-Export stylewith all the flavor of its Ger-man heritage. The beer boasts “agolden blond color and exhibits amoderate hop palate with a mellowfinish. Our brewers have devel-oped this beer as a tribute to theAppalachian Mountains where welive and play.”Asummery favorite surfacing

in July, Hinterland HefeWeizen isbilled as a “light-bodied wheat ale,using special yeast (called ‘hefe’)

to produce clove and bananaflavors during fermentation. Thisunfiltered beer has an incrediblyspicy and fruity complexity. Isit any wonder that 28 percent ofall beer consumed in Germany isWeizen-style beer? the brewmas-ters wonder.”Three-year-old Prism Brew-

ing Company in NorthWaleswas founded by Rob DeMaria,a Philadelphia native who foundartistic expression in making beer,according to his company bio.A friend’s request to concoct

a flavorful and unique brew ledto the creation of a honey-lacedIndia PaleAle, which became sopopular it spawned Bitto HoneyIPA, named after the buddy whoinspired it.Tea is second only to water in

consumption around the world,and beer may or may not be inthird place, but it doesn’t reallymatter, since whole leaf black teaand beer merge into one satisfyingbeverage in Prism’s ParTea PaleAle.The unique brew adds “a subtle

tea flavor and aroma,” accordingto DeMaria. “A refreshing and drymouth feel give this beer a smoothfinish and a unique bitterness.An incredible amount of tea goesinto this beer — so much so ourbrewers have a tough time gettingthe whole leaf tea out when done(picture the tea party men toss-ing chests of tea overboard). Wenamed it because the flavors seento dance on your tongue and theyparty all night.”It was out with the unbleached

white flour and sugar and in withthe hops when Victory Brewing

Company got its start in a formerPepperidge Farm Bakery in Down-ingtown. According to companylore, the brewery’s initial produc-tion gave birth to Victory Festbier,Brandywine Valley Lager (nowVictory Lager), and HopDevilAle. Initially, owners Ron Barchetand Bill Covaleskiy predicted thatthe malt Victory Festbier wouldrise above the rest in popularity,but they ultimately concluded thattheir customers wanted “hoppier”beers, such as the HopDevilAle,which is now among the com-pany’s beers that are distributed inmore than 25 states.One of Pennsylania’s youngest

breweries is Neshaminy CreekBrewing Company in Croydon.Among the one-year-old mi-

crobrewery’s signature brews isTrauger Pilsner, named in honor

of the Trauger family of BucksCounty, who were among theearliest German immigrants to thearea in 1747. The beer is describedas being “assertively hopped withHallertau and Tettnanger noblehops,” with a “cracker-like maltbackbone that finishes crisp anddry, which makes this one highlydrinkable.”To head brewer JeremyMyers,

beer is as much an art form as ascience, “but at the end of the dayit’s simply four basic ingredientsand how you use them that makeall the difference. My favorite beerstyles are mainly German styleslike Pilsners, Hefeweizens, Kölsch,andWeizenbocks, but I’d be a liarif i didn’t say that I can be a hophead from time to time and didn’tappreciate a well brewed BelgianTripel or Golden Strong.”

Thursday, September 26, 2013 Page 17Fall Fun Guide

Number of local breweries on the rise

Fall funisontap


SeptemberOn display at Peddler’s Village

now through Oct. 27 will be a largerthan life scarecrow contest, and visi-tors can vote for their favorites to wina total of over $5,000 in cash prizes;Visit www.Peddlersvillage.com fordetails.

If you’re feeling brave, visit theworld’s most horrifying woods atthe Valley of Fear, which featureshaunted hayrides and scary tales atthe Phoenix Sports Club, located at301 W. Bristol Road in Feasterville.Starting Sept. 27 seasonal eventsinclude guitar songs by campfires,live music, family fright specials, andmore - visit www.ValleyofFear.com orcall (215) 942-9787.

Haunted tours at The PennhurstAsylum in Spring City, Chester Coun-ty, through Nov. 3. The PennhurstHaunted attraction includes thePennhurst Asylum, a hospital themedwalk thru attraction featuring manyitems and artifacts that were part ofthe original State School. Located onthe upper floors of the old Adminis-tration building, which dates to 1908,this attraction features a combinationof high tech animatronics, digitalsound and motivated actors, as wellas fine detail and realism. Pennhurstis located at Church Street and BridgeRoad, Spring City, Pa. 19475. Formore information and ticket prices,go to www.pennhurstasylum.com.

The Ghost Tours of West Chester.Walking tour with tales of ghosts,folklore and history, through Oct. 26.Your guide, dressed as a gentlemanfrom the 1850’s, will lead you on a90-minute walk through the spookylanes of downtown neighborhoodswhere you will explore the placeof the shadow people, learn of lostsouls of the underground railroad,and stand where the gallows oncestood and murderers were hanged.New stories of phantoms, apparitionsand witches are added. This eventis perfect for the entire family. Toursare every Friday and Saturday nightin late September and all of October.They begin at 8 p.m. rain or shine.Wear comfortable walking shoes anddress for the weather. Price is $10per person ages 5 years and up. Res-ervations are required. Call 610-696-

2102. Go to www.downtownwest-chester.com for more information.

The 7th annual Bucks CountyAncestry Fair, hosted by Visit BucksCounty and the Genealogical Societyof Pennsylvania, will take place Sept.28. Education sessions will be free,and several guest speakers will talkabout county record preservationefforts, how to start researching yourown family history, and more - visitwww.VisitBucksCounty.com or follow@VisitBucksPA on Twitter.

The 20th annual New Hope Arts& Crafts Festival will be held from10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 28, and10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the 29th at NewHope-Solebury High School in NewHope. More than 200 artists andcrafters will show media includingoil paintings, watercolors, pastels,sculpture, jewelry and more - www.VisitNewHope.com or (215) 862-9990 for details.

Starting Sept. 28, pick the perfectpumpkin at Shady Brook Farm,located at 931 Stony Hill Road inYardley during the farm’s Pumpkin-fest. Wagon rides to the patch willbe offered, as will pig races, gemmining, a petting zoo and more, allrunning through Oct. 31; on Fridays,Saturdays and Sundays Sept. 28through Nov. 2. Shady Brook alsooffers Horrorfest, a night of frightsincluding horrifying hayrides, an alienencounter, carnage in a corn maze,and more. Visit www.Shadybrook-farm.com or call (215) 968-1670 fordetails.

Merrymead Farm, located at 2222Valley Forge Road in Worcester, willkick off their 30th annual HarvestDays festival with the Lighting of theGreat Pumpkin Sept. 27. Music andentertainment for kids will begin at6:45 p.m., with storytelling and thelighting of the pumpkin at 7:30 p.m.Admission is $2 per person withhayrides available for an additionalcharge from 6 to 9 p.m.; for moreinformation call (610) 584-4410 orvisit www.Merrymead.com.

The first ever Souderton Art Jam,will held Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 6p.m. in Souderton Community Park.Organized by Souderton-TelfordMain Streets, the Art Jam will bringlocal artist and artisans from both

boroughs and the surrounding com-munities together with workshops,music, food, and beer and wine tast-ings. For more information visit www.STMainSt.org or search for “Souder-ton Art Jam” on Facebook.

The second annual Can JamMusic Festival will take over the SlyFox Brewing Company grounds at331 Circle of Progress Drive in thePottstown Airport Industrial Park onSaturday, Sept. 28, The free event willfeature a half-dozen of the region’stop musical acts and a Kan Jam Tour-nament in which the winning teamwill be awarded its combined weightin Sly Fox beer. The entertainmentfor the day includes performancesby Ataloft, Travel Lanes, John Train,Swift Technique, The Lawsuits andToy Soldiers.

And on Sept. 29 at 2 p.m. theZwingli United Church of Christ onWile Avenue in Souderton will host aCeltic, Gospel and Old Time Musicconcert performed by QUADAS,a 24-member club of hammereddulcimer, mountain dulcimer, andautoharp performers. Local groupDaybreak will also make an appear-ance; www.STMainSt.org for details.

OctoberFirst Friday events come to down-

town Lansdale and Skippack Oct. 4,with both towns planning a eventsover the subsequent weekend.

Lansdale’s Whites Road Park willbe host to the fourth annual LansdaleOktoberfest, Oct. 5 from 11:30 a.m.to 5 p.m. German themed danc-ers, beer, food, bands, a pie eatingcontest, and the Maskrugstemmencontest where drinkers see how longthey can hold a full mug of beer. Formore information search for LansdaleOktoberfest on Facebook or follow @OktoberfestPA on Twitter.

The two-day craft and jewelryfestival Skippack Days, now in its41st year, will be held from 10 a.m. to6 p.m. Oct. 5 and 6, with fall-themedhandmade crafts available throughoutthe village - visit www.ILoveSkippack.com for details.

• The 40th annual Apple ButterFrolic will be 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 5 at the MennoniteHeritage Center, 565 Yoder Road,Harleysville.

There will be farming and folk craftdemonstrations, apple foods, Pa.German foods, children’s activities,horse and wagon rides, sheep herd-ing, a tractor parade and a bakingcontest.

A pancake and apple sausagebreakfast will be held 7:30 to 10:30a.m. Breakfast is $8 for adults foradults and $4 for children eight andyounger.

Parking is at the Indian ValleyMiddle School, 130 Maple Avenue,with a shuttle to the nearby Frolic.

Admission: $8 for adults andyouth; $2 for children six through 12;children younger than six eat free. Nopets please.

Information: www.mhep.org, [email protected] or 215-256-3020.

Perkasie Borough’s annual FallFestival will be noon to 5 p.m.Sunday, Oct. 6 in Menlo Park on FifthStreet.

The event will include a pettingzoo, demonstrations, craft vendors,scarecrow workshop, face painting,pie contest, sand art, pony rides,music and food. Contests includeones in scarecrow making, pie bakingand pumpkin carving.

For information, see www.perkasie-borough.org or call 215-257-5065.

Two of the most iconic charactersfrom the legendary Sesame Streettelevision show will celebrate theirbirthdays in October, inviting kidsfor special events at Sesame Place,located at 100 Sesame Road inLanghorne.

On Oct. 5-6, young visitors cancelebrate the Count’s Batty BirthdayBash and on Oct. 12-13, wear theirfavorite Halloween costumes forGrover’s Not-So-Spooky birthday,both held at the park during normalhours. Abby Cadabby will host herown fairy pumpkin party at the parkOct. 19-20, and the best Halloweenparty on this side of Transylvania willbe held by the Count on Oct. 26-27.The park is open from 10 a.m. to 8p.m.; follow @SesamePlace or visitwww.SesamePlace.com for details.

The 22nd annual Ambler Okto-berfest will be held on Oct. 5 from

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10 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring a beergarden, food vendors, restaurantsamplings, arts and craft vendors,and more throughout downtown Am-bler; visit www.AmblerMain Street.org for details.

Montgomery Township hosts itsannual Autumn Festival Oct. 5 from10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the township’sWilliam F. Maule Park at Windlestrae.Visitors can enjoy age-appropriate in-flatable, a parade of kids in Halloweencostumes, trick or treating, and sea-sonal crafts, food and entertainmentfor all ages. For more information orto volunteer visit www.MontgomeryT-wp.org or call (215) 393-6900.

MCCC will host its 20th annualCommunity Day Oct. 5 from 10 a.m.to 1 p.m. at its central campus, lo-cated at 340 DeKalb Pike in Whitpain.Admission is free and visitors canlearn about college programs andcourses, take tours, enjoy kids attrac-tions and live performances by MCCCinstructors, and take advantage of aHealth & Wellness expo presented byMCCC’s nursing program. Visit www.MC3.edu or call (215) 641-6460 fordetails.

Freddy Hill Farms, located at 1440Sumneytown Pike in Towamencin,will host its 27th annual Freddy’sFallfest on four straight Saturdaysand Sundays in October. From noonto 5 p.m. Oct 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26and 27, visit for hayrides, pumpkinpicking, pig races, a cornstalk maze,mini golf, and more - for details call(215) 855-1205 or visit www.Fred-dyHill.com.

For those who like to ride the rails,on weekends starting Oct. 5 the NewHope & Ivyland Railroad offers a35-mile Fall Foliage Train operatingout of New Hope Station and SEPTA’sWarminster station, where riders canenjoy the sights and sounds of theseason.

The New Hope & Ivyland is alsooffering murder mystery dinner trainsin conjunction with Act 1 Produc-tions, featuring the mystery “Mon-ster Mashed” through November.Visit www.NewHopeRailroad.com orfollow @NewHopeRailroad on Twitterfor more information.

Freddy Hill also offers pump-kin patch tours for groups to ridethrough the patch, learn how pump-kins grow, ride through the cornstalkmaze, and finish with ice cream atthe dairy store. Tours are $7.50 perperson, take roughly 90 minutesand are offered in the morning andearly afternoon on Tuesdays throughFridays in October; to book a tour callLesa at (215) 855-1205, extension109 or email [email protected]

Get lost in Merrymead’s five-acrecornfield maze every Friday andSaturday night in October, whichwill be open, weather permitting,from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. from Oct. 5through Oct. 27 and during the dayfrom noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdaysand Sundays Oct. 6-28. Admission is$12 per person and alcohol, smokingand backpacks are prohibited; (610)584-4410 or www.Merrymead.comfor details.

Weekday hayrides are available atnoon, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Mer-rymead Tuesdays through Fridaysin October, and a 700 foot longcornstalk tunnel will start Oct. 1,which younger kids can tour from11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays throughThursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays,11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays andnoon to 6 p.m. Sundays; Oct. 14for the Columbus Day holiday, thecornstalk tunnel will be open from11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and hayrides willbe offered continuously during thosesame hours.

Come to the 16th Annual BeerTasting Extravaganza that is theKennett Brew Fest held in downtownKennett Square, Chester County, Oct.5. Come out and enjoy national craftbeers accompanied by great food andmusic from 2 – 6 p.m. Sample beersfrom more than 90 regional brewer-ies. This event always sells out. Getyour tickets now. Tickets are not soldat the gate. Tickets cost $45. Fortickets and more information, go tokennettbrewfest.com.

Nottingham County Park in south-ern Chester County will hold “Barkin the Park,” a canine- friendlyfestival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Oct.5. The event promotes responsibledog ownership and brings together a

number of local and regional servicesand recreational opportunities forfamilies with dogs. “Bark in the Park”is a 2013 American Kennel Club(AKC) Responsible Dog OwnershipDay Event, which includes an Askthe Vet! Station, dog health andwell-being lectures, and Canine GoodCitizenship. There is a $5 parking fee.Nottingham County Park is locatedsix miles south of Oxford, Pa., offU.S. Route 1, just above the MarylandState Line in southwestern ChesterCounty.

For more information call 610-932-2589, go to www.chesco.organd click on parks, or email RangerBishop at [email protected].

See the stars from Montgom-ery County Community College’sobservatory and observation deck.Community observation sessionswill be held Oct. 7, 7-9 p.m.; Nov.11, 7-9 p.m.; Feb. 3, 2014 from 7-9p.m.; March 17, from 8-10 p.m.; andApril 7, 8-10 p.m. The observatory islocated on the third floor of MCCC’sAdvanced Technology Center at 1313Morris Road in Whitpain; visit www.MC3.edu or call (215) 641-6460 fordetails.

Enjoy Cocktails at the Castle,while dining on the area’s finest foodand experiencing the Mercer Museumin a whole new way Oct. 11 from6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Bid on uniqueexperiences and spectacular itemsin silent and live auctions, which willinclude automated technology thisyear for the first time. Admission is$150 or $125 for museum members;call (215) 345-0210 extension 132or visit www.MercerMuseum.org fordetails.

The Stichter Masonic Lodge No.254 F & A.M. at 20 N. Franklin St.,Pottstown will host a “Temple ofTerror” haunted house in their lodgebuilding on Oct. 11, 12, 13, 18, 19,25, 26 from 6 to 10 p.m. Cost fortickets is $15. www.facebook.com/templeofterror

The annual RiverFest is scheduledfor Saturday, Oct. 12 at RiverfrontPark and College Drive in Pottstownfrom noon to 6 p.m. It features artistdisplays, musicians, historic walkingtours, kayak rides, fishing demon-

strations, a stone skipping contest,and “ARTCICLES” the re-cycle event.Contact Sheila Dugan at 610-323-5400 or e-mail her at [email protected].

Skippack’s third Winetober fest isOct. 12, as multiple venues in the vil-lage will host Pennsylvania wineries,with proceeds benefiting the RonaldMcDonald House. All attendees mustbe over 21 and show valid ID, andcheck-in will be held at After5 Gifts,located at 4038 Skippack Pike. Fordetails visit www.Winetober.com orcall (610) 584-1155.

The 23rd Annual CheltenhamTownship Community HarvestFestival promises fun for all ageswith a lineup of exciting events Sat.,Oct. 12 from noon to 7:15 p.m, whenthere will be fireworks. The festivalsetting is the Curtis Arboretum, a 45-acre park located at 1250 W. ChurchRoad in Wyncote. Festival highlightsinclude all-day music and entertain-ment, including DJ Charlie Differ, AlMoretti Victory Jazz Band’s soulfuljazz sound, The Bull Dogs’ classicrock and pop, the Really Big Shoe’smusic from the ’70s and ’80s, TheRolling and Strolling Children’s Showand Tom’s Music Fun Children’sShow. There will also be hayrides, acraft fair, inflatable amusements witha variety of bounces and other funchallenges for the kids, wacky arcade-style games in which youngsters canwin prizes, a “Needle in the Haystack”dive for hidden treasure, and a town-ship public works and emergencyresponse vehicle display and commu-nity information tables. In addition,there will be a food court with lots oftempting treats, plus pumpkin deco-rating, sack races and other delights.Admission to the Community HarvestFestival is free, and plenty of on-siteparking is available. The rain date isSunday, October 13.

Keswick Village Business Associa-tion in conjunction with AbingtonTownship is proud to present theSecond Annual Keswick VillageFall Festival to be held Saturday,Oct. 12 from noon to 6 p.m. KeswickAvenue will be closed between EastonRoad and Abington Avenue allowingneighbors, friends and patrons to

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enjoy area businesses, food vendors,crafts, music, entertainment and funfor the whole family.

Rotorfest All Helicopter AirShow, Oct. 12 and 13 at theAmerican Helicopter Museum justoutside of West Chester, ChesterCounty. The only all-helicopter airshow in the country. Featuring flightdemonstrations, parachute team,helicopter rides, amusement rides,music and fun for the whole family.Helicopter rides are $40 per person.Parking is free. Admission is $15for adults; $10 for children. TheAmerican Helicopter Museum is lo-cated at 1220 American Boulevard,West Chester, Pa. 19380. For moreinformation, call 610-436-9600,or go to www.americanhelicopter.museum.

11th Annual Chili Cookoff indowntown West Chester, Oct. 13.Sample the best chili in ChesterCounty from restaurants, non-profits, businesses and hometowncooks. Buy a wristband for $10 andeat as much chili as you want fromthe various competitors and thenvote for your favorite. There willbe kids area with a moon bounce,slides and other fun activities. Thecookoof runs from noon to 3 p.m.on Gay Street in downtown WestChester. Gates open at 10:30 a.m.For more information, go to www.westchesterchilicookoff.com.

The Perkasie Lions Club will holdits annual Old Fashioned Hayride6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Fridays and Satur-days, Oct. 18 and 19 and 25 and 26.

The tractor-pulled wagon hayrides,held weather permitting, start andend at the Moods Covered Bridge,on Blooming Glen Road, near theGlenwood Shopping Center. Eachride is about 15 minutes long, is notscary, and is geared for children andtheir families.

Rides are $1 per person; proceedsbenefit the Lions “White Cane Proj-ect” for the visually impaired. The Li-ons will have refreshments availableto purchase during the evening.

The club will also be acceptingdonations of any used eyeglasses.

For more information, please call215-453-7127.

Hear a collection of November

Night Tales by Henry Mercer onOct. 18 at Fonthill Castle, located onCourt Street off of Swamp Road inDoylestown. A special tour of thecastle from 7 to 8:30 p.m. will drawfrom Mercer’s collection of Gothicstories, and conclude with a dramat-ic performance of Edgar Allen Poe’s“The Tell-Tale Heart.” Reservationsand pre-payment are required, with$20 admission, $15 for members;visit www.MercerMuseum.org or call(215) 348-9461 for details.

And enjoy Mercer by moonlightwhile wandering - and wonderingwhat lurks in the shadows of theMercer castle. Discover the historyand stories behind the museum’sgallows, brooms and canes fromwitch doctors during a nighttimetour friendly for families with kids 8years old and over. Admission is $12or $10 for members, $10/8 for kidsunder 12; reservations are requiredby calling (215) 348-9461.

Tylersport Volunteer FireCompany’s 21st annual HauntedHayride will be held 7 to 10 p.m.Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 18 and19 and 25 and 26 at the firehouse onRidge Road in Tylersport.

The first wagon begins its journeyinto the Haunted Woods when it iscompletely dark.

Tickets are $10 per person; freefor children younger than five. VIPtickets for $20 get you to the front ofthe line. Buddy Night is Oct. 26 whenyou can get two tickets for $18.

For information, see www.tylersportfireco.com or call 215-257-5900.

Harleysville Rotary’s annualHalloween Parade will be 11 a.m.Saturday, Oct. 19 on Maple Avenueand Main Street, Harleysville. Reg-istration and line up will be at 9:30a.m. At Indian Valley Middle Schoolon Maple Avenue.

Skippack will also host a chil-dren’s Halloween parade at 10 a.m.Oct. 19, starting at Hotel Fiesole,4046 Skippack Pike and ending atMal’s American Diner, 4006 Skip-pack Pike - to register call the dinerat (610) 584-0900 or visit www.SkippackRestaurants.com.

Upper Gwynedd hosts its 18thannual Fall Fest from 11 a.m. to 3p.m. Oct. 19. On that date visitors

can enjoy ghosts and goblins, cookieand pumpkin decoration, scarecrowmaking, a moon bounce, giant slide,arts and crafts, and refreshments.The township’s Holiday Happeningswill be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.Nov. 3 where representatives ofhome show companies will be onhand to find gifts. All three eventswill be held at the township’s mu-nicipal complex located on ParksidePlace off of Sumneytown Pike.

The 2013 Wine and Yoga Festat Crossing Vineyards & Winery,located at 1853 Wrightstown Roadin Washington Crossing will beheld Oct. 20. From 2 to 5 p.m., 20piece jazz band Jazz 4 Nothin’ willperform, and proceeds from live andsilent auctions and ticket sales willbenefit the Peace Valley Holistic Cen-ter’s Special Needs Children Servicesgrant Fund. For details visit www.PeaceValleyHolisticCenter.org orvisit www.CrossingVineyards.com.

Skippack’s International CarShow is Oct. 20, starting at 11 a.m.and running to 5 p.m., held in theparking lot of the Hotel Fiesole. Carsof all ages will be on display, includ-ing in a car corral where cars can besold or voted on to win awards. Thecar show overlaps with the Village’sCommunity Services Day Oct. 20,where local emergency services andnonprofit members will be recog-nized between noon and 4 p.m. Bothevents’ rain date is Oct. 27; www.ILoveSkippack.com for details.

Penn Foundation’s 11th an-nual Autumn Event fundraiser willbe 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22 atCalvary Church, 820 Route 113,Souderton.

This year’s featured speaker isactor Jeffrey Tambor. The emcee willbe 6ABC Action News anchor EvaPilgrim. This year’s Adventures inExcellence Award will go to HenryRosenberger, owner of TussockSedge Farm in Blooming Glen.

A silent auction will begin at 5:30p.m.

Tickets are $20 each or four for$60. For information or tickets, seewww.pennfoundation.org or call267-404-5937.

The Great Pumpkin Carve at theChadds Ford Historical Society inChester County, Oct. 24 to 26. Giant

pumpkins weighing as much as 400pounds are transformed into worksof art by more than 60 local artists.You can watch the artists carvetheir creations on the first night andthen see the pumpkins lit up on thesecond and third nights. The eventruns from 5 to 9 p.m. each night.In addition to pumpkin carving, theevent will include hayrides, musicand food. Admission is $10 foradults and $5 for children. ChaddsFord Historical Society membersand children 6 and under are free.For more information, go to www.chaddsfordhistory.org, or call 610-388-7376. The Chadds Ford Histori-cal Society is located at 1736 CreekRoad, Chadds Ford, Pa.

Chrysanthemum Festival at Long-wood Gardens, Oct. 26 to Nov. 24.Discover more than 20,000 bloom-ing chrysanthemums nurtured andtrained by Longwood’s horticultureexperts, some for more than a year,to resemble clouds, torches, spirals,fans, 13-foot arches, and more. Youcan see the largest Thousand BloomMum in North America—whichshowcases more than 1,100 perfectyellow blooms. The ChrysanthemumFestival is free with regular gardensadmission. For more information, goto longwoodgardens.org. LongwoodGardens is located on US Route 1,about 3 miles northeast of KennettSquare, Pa. in Chester County. Tofind directions online or with GPS,use 1001 Longwood Road, KennettSquare, PA 19348.

Learn from the Ghost of HenryMumbower as he returns to theEvans-Mumbower Mill, located onSwedesford Road in Lower Gwynedd,Oct. 26, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., to see howwell the Wissahickon Valley Water-shed Association has been caringfor the mill. Admission is free forWVWA members, $5 for adults and$3 for children between three and 12years old; www.WVWA.org/evansmillor call (215) 646-8866 for moreinformation.

Sellersville’s annual HalloweenParade will be Saturday, Oct. 26.Entrees sign in at the SellersvilleMuseum, 120 E. Church Street,Sellersville at 9 a.m. The parade is at10 a.m. In event of rain or snow, the

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parade will be held at the firehouse,2 N. Main Street, Sellersville.

For information, see www.sellers-villeboro.org.

The Old York Road HistoricalSociety presents its 13th annualHalloween Cemetery Crawl Oct.27 at 2 p.m. at Fairview Cemetery,1511 Twining Road, Willow Grove,19090. Tickets are $5 for members,$8 for nonmembers. Fairview isan 18-acre historically African-American cemetery containing over13,000 interments. The tour willreview a century of local African-American history. Among the inter-esting burials are soldiers from theCivil War, Spanish-American War,World War I and II and Vietnam.Following the tour, there will beseasonal refreshments.

The Mennonite Heritage Center,565 Yoder Road, Harleysville, issponsoring a Farm & Barn Tour 8a.m. To 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct.26.

The tour by motor coach willvisit six farms in the Bucks andMontgomery County area, with anadditional stop for lunch. The tourguides will be Mennonite HeritageCenter Collections Manager JoelAlderfer and barn enthusiast RoyLandis.

Stops will include a collection ofantique barn machinery; a pre-served, multi-generational farm;a modern dairy, hog and poultryfarm; a poultry operation and farmmarket; a grass fed beef operationand a dairy farm with its own milkbottling operation.

Participants will board at theHagey Coach terminal, 210 School-house Road, Souderton.

Cost, including lunch at SwampMennonite Church, Steinsburg, andgratuity for the bus driver, is $70($65 for members). Preregistra-tion is required. Information or toregister: www.mhep.org or 215-256-3020.

NovemberDrive around with the top down

during the Roll for Souls RoadRally Nov. 2, while taking a drivethrough scenic Bucks County sitesand raising funds for The Synergy

Project, a Street Outreach Programdesigned to help runaway and home-less youth in Bucks County.

The road rally is not competitive,and lets groups, families or friendsanswer questions by driving the RallyRoute on public roads, testing theirskills to follow route instructions andwin awards.

The rally starts at 9 a.m. at theStarting Line, located at 260 NorthBroad St. in Doylestown across fromthe County Parking Garage on DoyleStreet. Pre-Registration is requiredand the cost is $100 per team (Driver& Navigator) and $45 per addi-tional passengers. To pre-registeror sponsor a team visit https://www.etouches.com/rollforsouls-paor contact Ruth Santiago at (267)884-4312.

Peddler’s Village offers its 2013Apple Festival Nov. 2 and 3 from 10a.m. to 6 p.m. Sample treats includ-ing country apple butter, apple cider,apple zeppoles, apple fritters and, ofcourse, apples dipped in caramel,while shopping for goodies fromartisans and taking part in, what else,apple pie eating contests.

Come enjoy the 79th Running ofthe Pennsylvania Hunt Cup Races,Nov. 3 in Unionville, Chester County.The Pennsylvania Hunt Cup is a Tim-ber steeplechase race with a distanceof four miles and 22 fences, over fairhunting country. From its inceptionit has been intended as a substantialtest of both horse and rider, and isone of just three 4-mile steeplechaseraces sanctioned by the NationalSteeplechase Association. Gates openat 11 a.m. The event takes place inUnionville at the intersection of Route926 and Newark Road. Admission is$50 per car. For more information, goto pahuntcup.org.

On Nov. 10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.the Evans-Mumbower Mill in LowerGwynedd offers an open house apreserve walk, for visitors to take aguided hike to an ancient dam. www.WVWA.org/evansmill or call (215)646-8866 for more information.

Learn about turkeys, hear theircalls, touch their feathers, and makespecial turkey-themed crafts on Nov.20 at 1 p.m. at Norristown Farm Park,located at 2500 Upper Farm Road inEast Norriton. Pre-registration is re-

quired and admission is $5 per childfor kids three years old and over; visitwww.Montcopa.org or call (610) 270-0215 for details.

Peddler’s Village also hosts itsGrand Illumination Celebrationfrom 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Nov. 22,when Santa switches on the outdoorholiday light display at 6:15 p.m. Freecider and marshmallow toasting willbe available, along with merchantsselling holiday gifts - that day throughSunday, Nov. 24 will be the village’sMerchant Open House weekend.

Take a sneak peak under the treewith the Mercer Museum’s annualholiday exhibit of A Century ofHoliday Trees and Toys, on displayat the Mercer from Nov. 23 throughJan. 4. The show features treesdecorated in the taste of decadespast, from the 1860s through 1970s,along with toys from private collec-tions and period-specific ornaments.The display is included in museumadmissions; (215) 345-0210 or www.MercerMuseum.org for information.

Towamencin hosts its annual 5KTurkey Trot walk and run Nov. 23at Fischer’s Park, with registrationstarting at 8 a.m., the run starting at9 a.m. and awards given at 10 a.m..Runners who pre-register will receivea free long-sleeved t-shirt, and med-als will be given to the top three run-ners in each age category. For moreinformation visit www.Towamencin.org and click on “Events.”

The annual Christmas Tree light-ing in Skippack is Nov. 29, withfestivities starting at 6 p.m. in theparking lot of Floral and Hardy, 4007Skippack Pike. Each evening fromNov. 23 through Dec. 21 the villageof Skippack will be lit with candles,carols and holiday decor - ‘tis theseason!

DecemberA Brandywine Christmas. The

Brandywine River Museum celebratesthe season Nov. 29 with fabulous hol-iday displays including an extensiveO-gauge model railroad, antique dollsfrom the collection of Ann WyethMcCoy and thousands of whimsical“critter” ornaments on holiday trees.The Brandywine River Museum islocated on U.S. Route 1, ChaddsFord, PA 19317, near the intersection

with Creek Road (formerly known asRoute 100).• Phone: 610-388-2700.For more information, go to www.brandywinemuseum.org.

Old-Fashioned Christmas inWest Chester, Dec. 5 and 8. ChesterCounty’s biggest holiday celebration.It starts with the Mars Drinks Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade on Dec.6 at 7:15 p.m. and continues duringthe weekend with tons of events.More than 30,000 spectators comeout to enjoy the parade. For moreinformation, go to www.downtown-westchester.com.

Malvern’s Victorian Christmas,Dec. 6 and 7 features chamber sing-ers, high school choruses, TuckersTales Puppet Show, workshops forkids, carriage rides, open housesat downtown businesses, elaboratedisplays of toy trains, carolers, visitswith Santa, hayrides, pony rides andmore. This is a huge two-day celebra-tion that offers fun for the entire fam-ily. For more information, go to www.malvernsvictorianchristmas.org.

Peter Wentz Farmstead Candle-light Tours take place Saturday, Dec.7, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. The soft glow ofcandlelight wil guide you throughoutthe Farmstead for tours showcasingcolonial music, seasonal decora-tions, holidays foods and a visit fromBelsnickel, a Pennsylvania GermanSt. Nicholas in furs.(Last tour beginsat 8:30 p.m.) Info: 610-584-5104

John James Audubon Centerat Mill Grove will hold its AnnualHoliday Open House Dec. 8, 1 to 4p.m. Family fun awaits everyone atthe free Annual Holiday Open House.Enjoy live owl presentations, hotcider, cookies, live music, beautifulseasonal decorations, and kid- andfamily- friendly activities including ateasel critters scaverger hunt. Info:610-666-5593.

Pottsgrove Manor by Candlelighttakes place Sunday, Dec. 8, 2 to 8p.m. Tour the mansion by candlelightas costumed interpreters portray itscolonial residents as they celebrateTwelfth Night. From music and danc-ing in the parlor to hearth cookingin the kitchen, take in the sights andsounds of the season. Info: 610-326-4104

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Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m. and 1p.m.Kinnergschpiel Series:AWalk on the “Wild Side”Peter Wentz Farmstead • Lansdale, PA19446, 610-584-5104“Child’s Play”...Preschoolers willjoin naturalist Ruth King for a walkalong the nature trail to look for signsof wildlife and learn about safe anddangerous varieties of plants. Dressfor the weather!Ages: 3 and up and accompanied byan adult; fee: $5 per child; pre-regis-tration required.

Friday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Homeschool DayPottsgrove Manor • 100WKing StPottstown, PA 19464, 610-326-4014Bring your homeschoolers out for afun-filled and educational field trip tolearn about colonial life. A number ofhands-on activities will be offered—activities vary from year to year, sorepeat visitors will always experiencesomething new! This program is greatfor individual families, homeschoolgroups, and even small school groups.This program is ideal for elementary-aged children; fee: $5 per child.

Saturday, Oct. 5, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.The American Heritage ofChocolatePennypacker Mills • 5 Haldeman RdSchwenksville, PA 19473, 610-287-9349

Join Mars Chocolate History Am-bassadors as they bring chocolatehistory to life through an interac-tive demonstration of the historicalbean-to-beverage story. Touch, taste,and smell chocolate as our FoundingFathers did. A variety of AmericanHeritage Chocolate® products will beavailable for sale.Refreshments served.All ages; suggested donation $2 perperson.

Saturday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m.Waterfowl WatchNorristown Farm Park • 2500 UpperFarm Rd East Norriton, PA 19403,610-270-0215More than 25 species of ducksmigrate along the Atlantic Coast eachautumn. We’ll be looking for thesedabblers and divers in the park’s wetareas. Bring binoculars.Ages: adults with or without children(minimum age 7); free; preregistra-tion is required; meet in parking lot#2.

Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m.An Evening of Bone ChillingGhost StoriesGreen Lane Park • 2144 Snyder Rd,Green Lane, PA 18054, 215-234-4528Join us by a roaring campfire and heartales of haunting, revenge and mys-tery! This will be an outdoo program.No rain date.Ages: 9 and up; free; please bring a

chair or blanket to sit on; meet at theTennis Court Parking Area off GreenLane Rd.

Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m.Scarecrow MakingNorristown Farm Park • 610-270-0215How do you make a scarecrow? It’sreally not that hard, but we thoughtit would be more fun if we did ittogether. We’ll have a contest (withseveral categories) to see whose isthe best. If you want to donate yourscarecrow or make an extra for ourpark, we’d ove to display it at ourPark in the Dark night hike. Bringclothes, something to make a headwith, and a hat for your scarecrow.We’ll supply the straw.Ages: adults and children 5 and up;$5.00 per scarecrow; preregistrationrequired; meet at the park office.

Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 10 a.m.Trees Are Terrific!Lorimer Park • 183 Moredon RdAbington, PA 19006, 215-947-3477Take a close look at trees. Theirleaves are starting to change colors.How come some trees don’t lose theirleaves in the fall? Find out the answerto that and more as we learn toidentify trees by their leaves, brancharrangement, and bark. We’ll pressleaves (cardboard leaf press provided)and make high quality leaf prints afterthe tree walk.

Ages: adults withor without children(minimum age 4); $5per person; pre-regis-tration required; meetat the pavilion.

Saturday, Oct. 12 at8 a.m.Early Bird WalkGreen Lane Park •215-234-4528Fall migration forraptors and songbirdsis well underway, andearly morning is thebest time to enjoythe show. Warblers,sparrows, and manyothers will be passingthrough around thistime. Fall morningsmean heavy dew onthe ground. Water-proof footwear highlyrecommended!

Ages: 8 and up; free; pre-registrationrequired; bring binoculars and meet atthe Church Road Fly-fishing Area.

Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 3p.m.Laerenswaert series:Fall HarvestPeter Wentz Farmstead • 610-584-5104“Worth Learning”...Explore the tra-ditional chores performed during theautumn harvest on a colonial farm.Visit the garden, spend time in thesummer kitchen to experience foodpreservation and open-hearth cook-ing, and join the farmers inthe barn as they shell corn and pressapples for cider.All ages; suggested donation $2 perperson.

Saturday, Oct. 12 at 11 a.m.Wiggly Wooly BearsNorristown Farm Park • 610-270-0215Munch, munch, wiggle, wiggle: let’sgo on a caterpillar hunt!Can wooly bears really predict thewinter weather? Let’s find out! Take awalk and do a caterpillar craft.Ages: 2-3 years with an adult; $5.00per child; pre-registration is required;meet at the pavilions.

Sunday, Oct. 13, 1 to 3 p.m.Wonderful WolvesUpper Schuylkill Valley Park • 610-948-5170Come and celebrate “Wolf AwarenessWeek” at the Park.Visitors will learn about the loved,but sometimes controversial animalthat is the Wolf. This family friendlyevent will include meeting the Park’sresi dent Wolves Hunter and Scout,as well askids’ hands-on activities.All ages; suggested donation $2 perperson; event will be held weatherpermitting as all activities will beoutdoors.

Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. (last tourleaves at 7:45 p.m.)Park in the Dark!Norristown Farm Park • 610-270-0215Hear a few scary stories and see a“specter” or two as you walk throughthe park at night. Watch out forwitches and goblins! Flashlights notallowed. The walk is in the dark and

not meant for the faint of heart. Co-sponsored by the Farm ParkPreservation Association.Ages: adults with or without children(minimum age 7); $5 per person; pre-registration required for groups of 10or more; meet at the Milk House/ParkOffice parking lot.

Saturday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Open-Hearth Cooking work-shop: “Cast-Iron Chef”Pottsgrove Manor • 610-326-4014In this hands-on workshop, historiccook Mercy Ingraham will teachparticipants how to cook with andcare for cast iron cookware. Histori-cally and seasonally appropriatedishes of the colonial period willbe prepared (and eaten!) by theparticipants.Ages: 12 and up; fee: $50 per person;class size is limited to 8; registrationand payment required by Oct. 15th;please wear comfortable clothing andbring an apron.

Saturday, Oct. 19 at 11 a.m.Fall Foliage HikeGreen Lane Park • 215-234-4528Lace up your hiking boots and joina Park Ranger for a 3-mile hike toenjoy the fall colors of Green LanePark. Moderate terrain.Ages: 9 and up; free; pre-registra-tion required; meet at the TennisCourt Parking Area off Green LaneRoad.

Saturday, Oct. 19, 1 to 4 p.m.All Hallow’s Eve Fall FestivalPennypacker Mills • 610-287-9349Fall fun for the whole family!Hayrides, cider press, corn shucking,pumpkin painting and crafts for kidsto make and take home.Enjoy some candy corn, cider andspiced wafers too.All ages; suggested donation $2 perperson.

Saturday, Oct. 19 at 2 p.m.Learn the Basics of OutdoorPhotographyand Video ProductionLower Perkiomen Valley Park • 610-666-5371What better way to capture naturethan by using technology to take per-fect images! Join Ranger Tom Kirk ashe shares information on composing

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shots, focusing subjects and lighting ascene in the great outdoors. Informa-tion will include 10 tips for morepleasing photo/video memories fromyour smart phone, still camera orvideo camera.Ages 10 and up; suggested donation$2 per person; pre-registration isrequired; participants should meet atthe main pavilion; event is weatherpermitting; participants must bringtheir own cameras.

Sunday, Oct. 20 at 2 p.m.Marvelous MushroomsLorimer Park • 215-947-3477Join us for our annual fall mushroomwalk. Learn which mushrooms arebetter eyed than fried. Fungi are anintrinsic part of our ecosystem. Findout why. We will collect and identifymushrooms as we walk in the woods.Ages: adults and children 8 and up;free; pre-registration required; meetin the classroom.

Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 1 p.m.Crayon HikeNorristown Farm Park • 610-270-0215Take a first look at color. We’ll betaking advantage of the peak of fallfoliage and the beautiful fall flowerson a color walk. Try to match the col-ors you are given with natural thingsthat we find.Leaf rubbings and other colorfulnature crafts will add to the fun.Ages: 3 and up with an adult; $5.00per child; pre-registration required;meet at the pavilions.

Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 1 p.m.Spooky ThingsNorristown Farm Park • 610-270-0215Halloween is coming soon. Dospiders, bats, and owls scare you?Come out and learn more about thesecreatures of the night. We’ll hear astory and make a spooky craft. Theremay be a trickor a treat! Wear your costume andfind out.Ages: 3 and up with an adult; $5.00per child; pre-registration required;meet in the park office.15 16

Saturday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m.Lecture:“The Potts Family’s IronProduction andDistribution System”Pottsgrove Manor • 610-326-4014To close the Manor’s exhibit, “Forg-ing a Lifestyle: Ironworking with thePotts Family,” Potts and Rutter familyhistorian Dan Graham will present atalk on the developmentand implementation of the Potts fam-ily’s colonial-era iron production anddistribution system. He will discusstheevolution of their multi-forge, multi-furnace organization and how theexpansion of their iron distributionpractices keptup with it, making Thomas and JohnPotts some of the most successfulironmasters of their day.Recommended for ages 12 and up;suggested donation $2 perperson.

Sunday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m.Potpourri of PodsNorristown Farm Park • 610-270-0215Join the naturalist as we search forinteresting flower pods, grasses, androse hips to use in dried flower ar-rangements andother fall crafts. Learn to identifyplants when they are past the bloom-ing stage. Bring garden gloves, clip-pers, and a basket or tall bucket forgathering.Ages: adults and children 8 and up;free; pre-registration required; meetin parking lot #5 (Shannon Mansion).

Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m.Seed TravelersNorristown Farm Park • 610-270-0215Take a first look at seeds. Where doseeds come from? How do they getaround? We’ll learn about their manyways of traveling. Help us collectseeds in the meadow. Bring a sockthat will fit over your shoe for ourseed walk. The program will concludewith a seed craft at the milk house.Ages: 3 and up with an adult; $5.00per child; pre-registration required;meet at the pavilions.

Wednesday, Nov. 6 at10 a.m. and 1 p.m.KinnergschpielSeries: My FoodPeter Wentz Farm-stead • 610-584-5104“Child’s Play”...Pre-schoolers will learnabout the origins offood and some basicfood preparation skillstypical of previouscenturies. Dress to getdirty!Ages: 3 and up ac-companied by anadult; fee: $5 perchild; preregistrationrequired.

Saturday, Nov. 9 from1 to 4 p.m.(Raindate: Sunday,Nov. 10th)Laerenswaert Series:Vintage Car ShowPeter Wentz Farmstead • 610-584-5104“Worth Learning”...Walk the groundsof the Farmstead to viewthe classic car collections of the localModel A’s and Studebakersclubs. Tours of the historic house alsooffered throughout the day.All ages; suggested donation $2 perperson.

Saturday, Nov. 9 at 4 p.m.White-tailed DeerNorristown Farm Park • 610-270-0215Our largest local mammal deserves aprogram of its own. Learnsome natural history about White-tails. Explore the park in searchof signs that deer leave behind. Whilethere are no guaranteeswith wildlife, we should be able tosee the animal. Sturdyfootwear is recommended.Ages: adults with or without children(minimum age 7); free; preregistra-tion required; meet at the pavilions(parking lot #3).

Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 12p.m.Holiday Craft Series:Centerpiece WorkshopGreen Lane Park • 215-234-4528Come to the park and create a holidaycenterpiece for your table

using local cones, nuts and seeds.Afterward, you can add yourown candle and greens to completeyour beautiful creation.Ages: 12 to adult; materials fee $8 perperson; pre-registrationrequired, program limited to 16people; meet at the Deep CreekPicnic Pavilion.

Saturday, Nov. 16 from 1 to 3 p.m.Holiday Craft SeriesWall Hanging WorkshopGreen Lane Park • 215-234-4528Make an attractive holiday decorationto hang on your wall orfront door. We will use local nuts,seeds and pods to create aholiday masterpiece to take “home forthe holidays.”Ages: 12 to adult; materials fee $8 perperson; pre-registrationrequired, program limited to 16people; meet at the Deep CreekPicnic Pavilion.

Sunday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.Full Moon HikeLorimer Park • 215-947-3477Take a night hike by the light of themoon. Mammals are generallymoreactive at night. Perhaps we’ll belucky enough to see or hear a few.The moist evening air enhancesour sense of smell as wellas theirs. Let’s use all of oursenses to explore the woods atnight.

Ages: adults with or withoutchildren (minimum age 6); free;preregistration required; meetnear the ranger hut.

Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m.First Look at TurkeysNorristown Farm Park • 610-270-0215Gobble wobble season is here.Learn about the bird aroundwhich our holiday revolves. Heara turkey call, touch a turkeyfeather, and make a special turkeycraft. What do turkeys eat?Take a short walk to look for theirfood and habitat.Ages: 3 and up; $5.00 per child;pre-registration required; meet atthe park office.

Saturday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to12 p.m.Christmas Wreath MakingWorkshopPennypacker Mills • 610-287-9349Make a beautiful live wreath!Bring ribbon for a bow and somegreens from home and we’ll alsoprovide greens, supplies, andinstructions. Refreshments served.Ages: 12 and up; fee: $12 per per-son, pre-registration and prepay-ment required.

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