Day Trippin'

Jim Thorpe rolls out the red carpet with holiday spirit

2011-12-01T08:00:00.001-08:00

Step back in time during Jim Thorpe’s Olde Time Christmas Festival Dec. 2-4, 10-11 and 17-18, where the town rolls out the red carpet for visitors with an extra dose of holiday spirit.
The celebration kicks off on Friday evening, Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m. with the Olde Time Christmas Parade, featuring a live Nativity, choir, Dickens’ characters, a horse drawn carriage, the Jim Thorpe Marching Band, singing and dancing youth groups, not to mention the Jolly Old Elf himself.
The parade starts at the Immaculate Conception Church, 180 West Broadway and travels down Broadway to the Josiah White Park at the train station. A tree lighting ceremony will follow the parade at 6 p.m. in the park.
Throughout the Olde Time Christmas festival, goers will enjoy train rides with Santa, strolling carolers, the town decked out in Victorian holiday style, train displays, a mug walk, holiday plays and shows, concerts at the Mauch Chunk Opera House, and shopping Jim Thorpe’s unique shops for that perfect gift.
For more information, visit www.jimthorpeoldetimechristmas.com

Einstein’s Brain Goes on Display at Philadelphia’s Mütter Museum

2011-11-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

46 Microscope Slides Become Part of Permanent Collections

The Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia is known
throughout for its unique collections of medical history; from antiquated medical tools and wax instructional models, to human specimens preserved in fluids.
The museum introduced today (Nov. 17) its newest item from America’s medical past; 46 microscope slides, each containing slices from the brain of Albert Einstein, PhD.
The slides were prepared in 1955 in the pathology lab of Dr. William Ehrich, Chief of Pathology at the Philadelphia General Hospital and the Graduate School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. Five sets of slides were prepared in the lab, one set was given to Dr. Ehrich by Thomas Harvey, MD, the physician who performed the post-mortem exam on Einstein at Princeton Hospital.
After Dr. Ehrich died in 1967, his widow gave them to Allen Steinberg, MD. Dr. Steinberg gave them to Lucy Rorke-Adams, MD, Senior Neuropathologist, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Clinical Professor of Pathology, Neurology and Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania, and a longtime Fellow of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
“I think the time has come to turn them over to the College and the Mütter Museum as they are a part of medical history,” said Dr. Rorke-Adams, who is also a trustee of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. “The slides were prepared by a very skilled technician named Mrs. Marthe Keller. Each slide has tissue embedded in celloidin and cut at 50 micra. They are stained with Nissl and Weigert stains. No one makes preparations like this anymore.”
“We were very excited to learn of this new donation,” said Robert Hicks, PhD, Director of the Mütter Museum and Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. “We have not been able to find a display of Einstein’s Brain anywhere else.”
Museum staff have been scrambling to get things in place for the new exhibition, learning of the donation on Nov. 2 . “It’s rare that we learn about such a donation and then have to display it so quickly,” said Anna Dhody, Curator of the Mütter. “Usually we have months or even years to design and build an exhibition, but this came up so suddenly. The worst thing we could do is tell the world, ‘Yes, we have Einstein’s Brain, but you have to wait a few months until we can display it.’ We couldn’t do that, especially since people have asked us for years if we already had it.”
George M. Wohlreich, MD, Director and CEO of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia pointed out that, “This underscores that the Mütter is a vital scientific resource valued by professionals as a repository for our medical and scientific heritage. Dr. Rorke-Adams chose us because of the Museum’s standing in
the scientific and medical heritage community. These slides can still hold secrets that future research and technologies can reveal. There are several ongoing research projects that utilize our collections. These research initiatives send a message that the past can inform the future.”

Einstein’s Brain is a permanent exhibition of the Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of
Philadelphia and may be viewed as part of regular admission.
The Mütter Museum is open seven days a week, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $14 for adults, and $10 for children, seniors, military and students with valid ID. It is located at 19 S. 22nd Street, Philadelphia.
For more information, visit www.collegeofphysicians.org.

Features of the Mutter's collection:
• Soap Lady
• Dr. Joseph Hyrtl’s human skull collection
• Plaster cast and conjoined liver of “Siamese twins” Chang & Eng
• Specimen from John Wilkes Booth’s vertebra
• Jaw tumor of President Grover Cleveland
• Rotating exhibits of photographic art and illustrations
• Tallest skeleton on display in North America

It's last minute, but it's worth a look

2011-09-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

Lehigh Gap Nature Center holds its Migration Fest beginning today, Friday, Sept. 16.

For event information, click here: http://lgnc.org/category/events
For general information, click here: http://lgnc.org/

For travel advisory and directions, click here: http://lgnc.org/maps-directions

This cool, and free, museum gets special addition

2011-08-18T10:12:00.001-07:00

Hey, Day Trippers. Check this one out.
The Air Mobility Command Museum welcomes Air Force 2 ...
According to NewsWorks at http://bit.ly/pnrOiu: "After 39 years of ferrying Vice Presidents, and sometimes even Presidents and First Ladies, the VC-9 jet, often referred to as Air Force Two, will take up permanent residence at the Air Mobility Command Museum outside Dover Air Force Base."

The Douglas VC-9 Nightingale, tail number 73-1682 was part of the presidential fleet since 1975.

For details, visitor information and more check:
http://amcmuseum.org/visit/

From the museum's website: Admission is free.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

If you are thinking of one more trip to Philly before school starts .....

2011-08-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

Before summers' up ....

LESS THAN THREE WEEKS REMAIN TO EXPERIENCE THE

MUST-SEE EXHIBITION OF THE SUMMER AT

THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER

Kids 12 and under are FREE through September 5

Philadelphia, – More than 200 years after his unanimous election as the first president of the United States, George Washington still remains one of the most popular figures in American history. Visitors to the National Constitution Center overwhelmingly agree that Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon is the “can’t miss” exhibition of the summer. Only a short time remains to learn more about the man behind the iconic face on the dollar bill. As summer draws to a close, Washington, too, will bid farewell to Philadelphia on September 5, 2011. Plus, families won’t want to miss the incredible opportunity to save a “pocketful of Washingtons” when they visit – the Center’s first ever Kids Free Summer promotion also concludes on September 5.

“Washington’s legacy is evident throughout the Philadelphia region, but the truth between fact and fiction is often debated,” said National Constitution Center President and CEO David Eisner. “In Discover the Real George Washington, visitors follow the ‘Father of Our Country’ as a young boy trying to find his place in society to the man whose unfaltering leadership led him on a path to become the first president of the United States. This exhibition is a must see for every audience, from families to history aficionados – who may even be surprised to learn a thing or two.”

Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon made its Philadelphia debut at the National Constitution Center on July 1. The exhibition was organized by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, a philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named.

The Center has paired the exhibition with its first-ever Kids Free Summer promotion: free admission to the Center for up to four children (ages 12 and under) with one paying adult. The promotion applies to both general admission and group reservations.

Discover the Real George Washington gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at our nation’s first president through his achievements, legacies, family, intellectual pursuits, and entrepreneurial ventures. The 6,500-square-foot exhibition is organized into eleven sections, each focusing on a specific aspect of Washington’s life, including:

· An Ambitious Youth

· A Dauntless Warrior

· A Troubled Slaveholder

· Uneasy in the Mouth

· Beloved Hero

Nearly 100 objects from Mount Vernon’s world-class collection, including full-scale figures of Washington, architectural models, decorative and fine art items, maps, manuscripts, and paintings reveal the personal side of Washington and uncover his roles as an entrepreneur, farmer, and businessman. Highlights include:

An original set of Washington’s dentures
Several original works of art, including Gilbert Stuart’s classic Washington portrait
Three full-size, life-like figures of Washington based on the latest forensic research showing him:

As a teenaged, red-haired surveyor from Virginia just prior to the French and Indian War
As a Revolutionary War hero atop his horse, Blueskin, in a snow-covered forest at Valley Forge
During his presidential inauguration ceremony at Federal Hall in New York City

The Washington family Bible
Original pieces of Martha Washington’s jewelry

Visitors also will have the opportunity to view videos by The History Channel, focusing on religion, slavery, espionage, Washington’s dentures, his state-of-the-art gristmill, and the creation of the life-like Washington figures seen in the exhibition.

In addition, interactive touch screens and immersive environments will bring stories to life for visitors of all ages. Guests can sit on a full-size replica of Washington’s pew at Pohick Church, as well as explore detailed models of Fort Necessity and Washington’s Mansion and estate, gristmill, and 16-sided treading barn.

Admission to Discover the Real George Washington is $15 for adults and $14 for seniors (ages 65 and up) and students. Children ages 12 and under and active military are FREE. Group rates also are available. Admission to the Center’s main exhibition, The Story of We the People, including the award-winning theater production Freedom Rising, is included. iPod audio tours cost an additional $5. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.

6abc is the official media partner of Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon. 6abc is the home of Action News – the #1 local news brand in the tri-state, and the undisputed news leader for the past 35 years. 6abc.com, the official website of Action News, also is the #1 local TV news website in the market. 6abc/WPVI-TV is the ABC-owned station serving the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys.

The exhibition was designed by MFM Design, Inc. and fabricated by Explus, Inc. The forensic figures of George Washington were created by StudioEIS.

Visit www.DiscoverGeorgeWashington.org.

To coincide with Discover the Real George Washington and the President’s House at Independence National Historical Park, the Center also is hosting The President’s House: Their Untold Stories in Quilts in Posterity Hall through September 5, 2011. This collection of art quilts celebrates the humanity, dignity, and courage of the nine enslaved persons owned by George and Martha Washington at the President’s House.

Created by a multiracial and multicultural group of both internationally acclaimed and novice quilt artists, the quilts are intended to stimulate dialogue about slavery and freedom in the paradigm of democracy. Admission to The President’s House: Their Untold Stories in Quilts is FREE with regular museum admission. Additional quilts are on display at the Independence Visitor Center and the African American Museum in Philadelphia.

In addition to the exhibitions, the Center has created a special map and brochure featuring locations in the greater Philadelphia region that have significant connections to George Washington’s story. For the complete “Summer of Washington” experience, guests are encouraged to visit sites such as Independence National Historical Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Washington Crossing Historic Park, President’s House Site, Brandywine Battle Historic Site, and Historic Germantown, among others. “Summer of Washington” maps will be available at each partner location. The Center is pleased to partner on this initiative with the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, the City of Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Historic Philadelphia, Inc., Independence National Historical Park, the Independence Visitor Center, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Visit Bucks County.

The Center also is offering a web-based application for iPhone, iPad and Android called the GEOrge Tracker, which allows users to see where Washington slept, dined, spoke, met, and planned his adventures throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding countryside.

About Mount Vernon
Since 1860, over 80 million visitors have made George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens the most popular historic home in America. Through thought-provoking tours, entertaining events, and stimulating educational programs on the Estate and in classrooms across the nation, Mount Vernon strives to preserve George Washington’s place in history as “First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen.” Mount Vernon is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, America’s oldest national preservation organization, founded in 1853. A picturesque drive to the southern end of the scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway, Mount Vernon is located just 16 miles from the nation’s capital. For more information, visit www.MountVernon.org.

About the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation
The Donald W Reynolds foundation is a national philanthropic organization founded by the late media entrepreneur for whom it was named. Headquartered in Las Vegas, the Reynolds Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States. For more information, visit www.DWReynolds.org.

About the National Constitution Center

Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present through more than 100 interactive, multimedia exhibits, film, photographs, text, sculpture and artifacts, and features a powerful, award-winning theatrical performance, “Freedom Rising.” The Center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, which serves as the hub for national constitutional education. Also, as a nonpartisan forum for constitutional discourse, the Center presents – without endorsement – programs that contain diverse viewpoints on a broad range of issues. For more information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.

Day Trippin' fans take note, mark your calendars

2011-08-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

INDEPENDENCE SEAPORT MUSEUM LAUNCHES THE PHILADELPHIA SEAPORT FESTIVAL

Four Weeks of Tall Ships, Pirates and Maritime Fun on the Waterfront

Philadelphia, – Independence Seaport Museum is launching the Philadelphia Seaport Festival, a month of events and activities taking place on and around the Delaware River. The Festival kicks off Thursday, September 8^th with the arrival of the tall ship, Kalmar Nyckel, and ends with the Seaport Museum’s 4th annual Wooden Boat Festival on Saturday, October 8^th.

“Through new and existing events, we hope to bring area residents and visitors out on the water with programs that are fun for all ages,” said John Brady, interim CEO. “The Philadelphia Seaport Festival is an opportunity to experience and enjoy the Delaware River aboard small crafts, ships representative of the region and visiting tall ships.”

The Philadelphia Seaport Festival is perfect for people back from the Shore or vacations but not quite ready to say goodbye to summer. The Seaport Museum and its Boat Shop, the Workshop on the Water will be the center of the Festival, with activities in the Museum as well as outside and on the river. Visitors can also experience one of the Museum’s new walking tours, the “Real Pirates of Philadelphia” during Pirate Week, September 17^th – 24^th. Most of the events are free or included with Museum admission. Sailboat rides and special tours are available for a separate fee.

B101 and Delaware River Waterfront Corporation are proud sponsors of the Philadelphia Seaport Festival.

Philadelphia Seaport Festival Events:

September 8^th-16^th, 18^th-21^st: Delaware’s Tall Ship Kalmar Nyckel docked at the Seaport Museum. Public sails daily.

September 10^th: The 10^th annual Southeastern Pennsylvania Coast Day, presented by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. Free events on Penn’s Landing. Seaport Museum admission is $5 all day.

September 14^th-17^th: New Jersey’s Tall Ship AJ Meerwald docked at the Seaport Museum. Public sails daily.

September 17^th: Talk Like a Pirate Day. ARRRGH! See a pirate battle on the Delaware River, hear about real pirates of Philadelphia on a walking tour or lecture, or take a pirate sail aboard the Summer Wind. B-101 and Buzzbee will be on hand with music, games and giveaways.

September 17^th-24^th: Pirate Week. Pirate-themed sails on the Summer Wind.

September 18^th: Pirate Battle on the Delaware River. Choose sides and board your ship.

September 23^rd-27^th: Danish Tall ship Danmark docked at Penn’s Landing. Free deck tours for the public.

October 1^st: Philadelphia Cup Regatta. Watch sailboats from all over the region compete for the Philadelphia Cup. The races will conclude with the awarding of the Philadelphia Cup at the end of the day. The Philadelphia Cup trophy will be installed in the Seaport Museum and remain on permanent display.

October 7^th- 8^th: New Jersey’s Tall Ship AJ Meerwald docked at the Seaport Museum. Public sails daily.

October 8^th: 4^th Annual Wooden Boat Festival. This day-long, family-friendly event celebrates the tradition of boat building. See wooden boats, from small dinghies to the Barkentine Gazela in the basin and along the landing. Learn what makes boats float and discover the art of boat building in the Seaport Museum’s Workshop on the Water. See or ride along in a Parade of Sail on the Delaware River. B-101 and Buzzbee will be on hand with music, games and giveaways.

Balloon festival takes flight

2011-06-16T06:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a day trip for the whole family.

Mingle with balloon pilots, enjoy a variety of foods, Victory beer garden, browse arts and craft vendors, get active with the Kids Activity Area or relax with live music at the 5th Annual Chester County Balloon Festival.

Here are the details: When: Friday, June 17 (gates open at 6 pm) and Saturday, June 18 (gates open at 3 pm) Where: Festival grounds are located just west of West Chester on Route 162 at the Embreeville State Complex.
Mapquest: 700 Ryan Blvd., Coatesville. Admission: General Festival is Free. A $5 parking donation is requested. Some activities require an additional fee. For more information or to purchase Advanced tickets for the Friday WBYA Glow Party (reservation deadline 6/13), Saturday VIP Tent or reserve a 1-Hour Hot Air Balloon Ride go to www.CCBalloonFest.com.

Are you a LEGO fan? Then this one is for you

2011-06-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

OK, this one is more than a day trip ... but if you are a LEGO fan ... but, why not.

Touted as "the ultimate kids LEGO dream event" the LEGO KidsFest is set for Friday through Sunday (June 17-19) at 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd. in Pittsburgh.

The event boasts family entertainment and activities

Tickets are $18 for children 3 to 17 and seniors; $20 for adults. Free for kids 2 and under.

For more check http://www.LegoKidsfest.com/

Travel a bit for some good times

2011-06-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

Here's what's on tap for the weekend of June 17:

Musical train
“Great Balls of Fire” opens the summer musical series at the Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe St., Bristol, beginning this evening and running through June 26. Single tickets start at $33 and are available by calling (215) 785-0100 or visiting www.brstage.org.
On the grass
Enjoy an “Evening on the Green” at the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, Birdsboro, from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Visitors will be able to experience some of the leisure activities the Boones and other colonial American families would have, as well as take a candlelit guided tour of the Boone House. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for youth. This is a rain or shine event.
Thanks, Pops
Celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday in Cape May and bring dad to the Cape May Lighthouse and World War II Lookout Tower for a free climb courtesy of the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). Dads can climb 199 steps to the top of the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse for the best view on Cape Island or relive Cape May’s homeland defense efforts during the war years with a climb to the top of the World War II Lookout Tower. The Cape May Lighthouse is in Cape May Point State Park, Lower Township.
HD opera
The Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 North 6th Street, will show Piccini’s “Madama Butterfly” on Wednesday, June 22, as part of the Summer HD Encores, a series of screenings from the groundbreaking Live in HD series. Tickets range from $10-$17. Visit www.allentownsymphony.org.
Sweet sounds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds will perform at the Musikfest Cafe by Yuengling, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, on Tuesday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m. Little Buddy will be the opening act. Tickets are $32 for cabaret seating and $39 for the balcony. Visit www.artsquest.org.
Monkee around
American heartthrobs Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork are joining together yet again as The Monkees 45th Anniversary Tour kicks off this summer. Tickets are now on sale for the group’s performance at the Mt. Laurel Pocono Mountains Performing Arts Center, Bushkill, on Saturday, September 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $35-$79. To purchase tickets visit www.ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.

"George Washington" comes back to tweet

2011-05-25T06:33:00.000-07:00

Can't travel this summer, follow George ....

NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER COUNTS DOWN TO

SUMMER OF GEORGE WASHINGTON WITH TWITTER CAMPAIGN

Follow @GeorgeInPhilly as he visits his favorite sites

and tweets clues about his location

Philadelphia – George Washington is coming back to Philadelphia – and this time, he’s tweeting! To kick off the countdown to this summer’s must-see exhibition, Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon at the National Constitution Center (July 1 – Sept. 5, 2011), George will tweet daily clues about his whereabouts in the Philadelphia region. From May 24, 2011 – the day before the start of the Constitutional Convention – to Sept. 17, 2011 – Constitution Day – follow George at @GeorgeInPhilly as he revisits his favorite Philadelphia-area haunts, all the while sharing personal stories and dispelling pesky rumors about cherry trees and wooden teeth!

Each Saturday beginning June 4, and culminating with his arrival at the National Constitution Center on June 30, George will make in-person appearances at popular historic sites that held significance to him during his time in Philadelphia. Sites currently include Brandywine Battle Historic Site (June 4) and Valley Forge Historical Park (June 25). Additional appearances will be announced. At each site, George will pose for photos and answer questions from fans. Constitution Center staff members also will provide coupons to the Discover the Real George Washington exhibition.

Beyond the Center’s exhibition, organizations across the Philadelphia region are coming together to make the “Summer of Washington” a can’t-miss experience. A special “Summer of Washington” map, a dynamic mobile application, and Washington’s tweets, will lead visitors to sites offering a myriad of options for Washington fans of all ages.

Discover the Real George Washington provides a new and refreshing perspective on Washington, his achievements, legacies, family, intellectual pursuits, and entrepreneurial ventures. Architectural models, decorative and fine art items, maps, manuscripts, and paintings reveal his personal side and uncover his roles as an entrepreneur, farmer, and businessman. Three life-size models of Washington at ages 19, 45, and 57, developed through an unprecedented two-year forensic investigation, serve as focal points of the exhibition.

The Center is pairing the exhibition with its first-ever Kids Free Summer promotion! Families can save a pocketful of “Washingtons” with this special deal: free admission to the Center for up to four children (ages 12 and under) with one paying adult. The promotion applies to both general admission and group reservations.

Admission to Discover the Real George Washington is $15 for adults and $14 for seniors (ages 65 and up) and students. Children ages 12 and under and active military are FREE. Group rates also are available. Admission to the Center’s main exhibition, The Story of We the People, including the award-winning theater production “Freedom Rising,” is included. iPod audio tours cost an additional $5. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.

Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon was organized by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, a philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named.

“Summer of Washington” regional partners include: African American Museum in Philadelphia, American Revolution Center, Brandywine Battle Historic Site, Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, City of Philadelphia, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Historic Germantown, Historic Philadelphia, Inc., Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Independence National Historical Park, Independence Visitor Center, National Museum of American Jewish History, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Visit Bucks County, and Washington Crossing Historic Park.

The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St. on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas and values it represents. The Center serves as a museum, an education center, and a forum for debate on constitutional issues. The museum dramatically tells the story of the Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present through more than 100 interactive, multimedia exhibits, film, photographs, text, sculpture and artifacts, and features a powerful, award-winning theatrical performance, “Freedom Rising.” The Center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, which serves as the hub for national constitutional education. Also, as a nonpartisan forum for constitutional discourse, the Center presents – without endorsement – programs that contain diverse viewpoints on a broad range of issues. For more information, call (21).409-6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.

NASA Art Exhibit Opens At National Air And Space Museum

2011-05-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

This can be a day trip, or multiple day trip, depending on how you plan it. But we think is well worth it for you to know about.

WASHINGTON -- You don't have to be a rocket scientist or an astronaut to work for NASA. Engineers, pilots, physicists, astrobiologists, and, yes, artists, too, have helped further the mission of the space agency.

In 1962, NASA administrator James E. Webb invited a group of artists to illustrate and interpret the agency's missions and projects. Artists, participating in the NASA art program, many of them renowned, have been documenting the extraordinary adventure of spaceflight ever since. Granted special access to historic moments, they have offered their perspectives on what they have witnessed.

"NASA | ART: 50 Years of Exploration," on view from May 28 to Oct. 9 at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, features works by artists as diverse as Annie Leibovitz, Alexander Calder, Nam June Paik, Norman Rockwell, Andy Warhol and William Wegman. The exhibition includes drawings, photographs, sculpture and other art forms and media from the collections of NASA and the National Air and Space Museum. The more than 70 works, ranging from the illustrative to the abstract, present a different view of NASA than the one in history books or on news shows.

Several of the artists have captured the faces and personalities of the men and women who have flown in space. Other members of the team, scientists, engineers, technicians, managers and thousands of others who made the space program possible, also are portrayed.
Bunkers, gantries, radio dishes and the towering Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, attracted other program artists, some of whom were struck by the co-existence of the space-age architecture of the Cape with the beaches, swamps, birds, and animals that surround the facility.

The exhibition is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) and NASA in cooperation with the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. The museum, located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue SW, is open daily from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free.

To see images from the NASA | ART exhibit and for more information, visit:

http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal211/NASA_art.cfm

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

Superheroes alert!

2011-05-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

The ToonSeum in Pittsburgh, will be presenting several animated and documentary film screenings in conjunction with their summer exhibit Superheroes: Icons and Origins, a exploration of the timeless characters of Marvel and DC Comics. All screenings are free an open to the public. Donations are always welcome.The first half of this series highlights the exceptional work of animator and producer Bruce Timm. Having cut his teeth in early 80s working with Don Bluth and Ralph Bakshi, and later on shows like He-Man and G.I. Joe, Timm soon moved to Warner Brothers animation, where he worked on the Tiny Toons series. Shortly thereafter, Timm stepped into the spotlight as the writer, animator, and design artist behind Batman: The Animated Series. His success led to a Superman, Justice League, and several spin-off Batman TV series, as well as a on-going stream of remarkable direct-to-video movies highlighting the best stories of the DC Universe. In edition to his animated work, Timm and frequent collaborator Paul Dini have won multiple Eisner Awards for their work in comics.
Check http://www.toonseum.org/
May 26th, 7:00pm - Wonder Woman (2009) - The ultimate comics superheroine gets a fierce update in this action-packed retelling of Princess Diana's origin story. Dark, quirky, and thoroughly modern, Timm's Wonder Woman follows Diana from her mystical birth to her arrival as the sworn protector of the World of Men. Featuring Kerri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina and Rosario Dawson. Presented with the documentary Wonder Woman: A Subversive Dream chronicling the history of the character from her creation in 1941 through the women's rights movement of the 70s and today. The film is rated PG-13 for violence and adult themes.
June 16th 7:00pm All-Star Superman (2011) A bold adaptation of Grant Morrison's landmark 12 issue comic series, All-Star Superman finds the Man of Steel facing the unthinkable: his mortality. The film was also the final project of African-American writer Dwayne McDuffie who redacted the epic series into a surprisingly funny, empathetic, and explosive animated experience. Starring James Denton, Christina Hendricks, and Anthony LaPaglia. Presented with several shorts, including vintage 1940s Fleischer Studios masterpieces. The feature film is rated is PG for adult themes, all others G.June 30th 7:00pm Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000) One of the earliest and arguably the best of Timm's DC features, Return of the Joker expands the Dark Knight mythology thirty years into the future, where an elderly Bruce Wayne acts as reluctant mentor to a new Batman, Terry McGinnis. When The Joker somehow returns from the grave deadlier than ever, Terry must unravel the darkest secrets of Bruce's past to find a way to stop him. Starring Kevin Conroy, Will Friedle, and Mark Hamill. Presented with a selection of shorts from Batman: The Animated Series. The feature is rated PG-13 for violence, all others G.
July 14st 7:00pm Justice League: The New Frontier (2007) Based on Darwyn Cooke's re-imagining of the formation of the Justice League, New Frontier finds the iconic DC superheroes neutralized and hiding in the wake of the Cold War and McCarthyism. Blending real historical events with DC mythology (including JFK's landmark inaugural speech), New Frontier shows the emergence of Hal Jordan and Martian Manhunter as they must ally with Superman, Wonder Woman and the renegades Batman and the Flash to save the world from an ancient evil. A unique take on the Korean War and the Space Race, featuring the voices of David Boreanaz, Lucy Lawless, and Neil Patrick Harris. Presented with selections from JLA: The Animated Series. The film is rated PG-13 for violence and adult themes.
July 21st 7:00pm Jack Kirby: Storyteller (2007) This feature length documentary chronicles the life and career of The King of Comics, Jack Kirby, from his rough and tumble childhood to his arrival as one of the most influential artists of the 20th Century. Highlighted with in-depth interviews with fans, experts, collaborators and fellow artists like Neal Adams, Walter Mosley, and Stan Lee, Storyteller offers a unique insight into the Kirby Universe. Presented with Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, the 2010 animated film that features Kirby's Darkseid and the New Gods facing off against the team of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Supergirl. All features are rated PG-13. .

Free museum admission to active duty military personnel and their families

2011-05-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

FOR A LIST OF PARTICIPATING MUSEUMS, CHECK THE LINK BELOW.

The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology announced the launch of Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and more than 1,300 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2011.
Military personnel and their families need only to show valid military personnel or military family ID. Leadership support has been provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families.
The complete list of participating museums is available at http://1.usa.gov/jBsjMs
Penn Museum boasts two timely exhibitions now on view: Battleground: War Rugs from Afghanistan and Iraq’s Ancient Past: Rediscovering Ur’s Royal Cemetery. Battleground, open through July 2011, made its U.S. debut at the Penn Museum and features more than 60 “war rugs,” which reflect the wartime life experiences of Afghans beginning with the Soviet invasion of 1979 and the country’s many upheavals throughout the early 21st century.
Scenes of modern warfare and the weaponry of war, and images of the global war on terrorism resonate in updated iconography, as birds become fighter jets, flowers become bombs, and horses, tanks. Iraq’s Ancient Past has recently re-opened after major renovations and features a world-renowned collection of artifacts discovered and excavated from the Royal Cemetery of Ur, in present-day Iraq. Iraq’s Ancient Past brings to life the famous expedition with resplendent artifacts including the “Ram-Caught-in-the-Thicket,” the impressive headdress of Ur's Queen Puabi, and a new presentation of the “Bull's Headed Lyre” panel.
Iraq's Ancient Past looks to the present and future as well, exploring the ongoing story of scientific inquiry and discovery made possible by those excavations, and the pressing issues around the preservation of Iraq's cultural heritage today. “With America engaged in military operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan, these two exhibitions are especially relevant,” noted Dr. Richard Hodges, the Williams Director of the Penn Museum.
“Battleground provides a look at how one celebrated artistic tradition has been changed by war, while Iraq’s Ancient Past explores an extraordinary ancient culture and heritage now at great risk from modern-day looting.”
The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is at 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, (on Penn's campus, across from Franklin Field).
Public transportation to the Museum is available via SEPTA's Regional Rail Line at University City Station; the Market-Frankford Subway Line at 34th Street Station; trolley routes 11, 13, 34, and 36; and bus routes 12, 21, 30, 40, and 42. Museum hours are Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Wednesday, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, with P.M. @ PENN MUSEUM evening programs offered select Wednesdays. Closed Mondays and holidays. Admission donation is $10 for adults; $7 for senior citizens (65 and above); $6 children (6 to 17) and full-time students with ID; free to Members, PennCard holders, and children 5 and younger; "pay-what-you-want" the last hour before closing. Penn Museum, a Blue Star Museums partner, offers free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families with valid active duty military personnel or military family I.D., from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2011.
Hot and cold meals and light refreshments are offered to visitors with or without Museum admission in The Pepper Mill Café; the Museum Shop and Pyramid Shop for Children offer a wide selection of gifts, books, games, clothing and jewelry. Penn Museum can be found on the web at www.penn.museum <http://www.penn.museum/> .
For general information call (215) 898-4000. For group tour information call (215) 746-8183.

Mansion dresses up for visitors

2011-05-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

Designers from Delaware, Chester and Bucks Counties have transformed 24 rooms inside the 1914 Stonebridge Mansion in Chadds Ford. The mansion will be open daily from 10 to 4 p.m., through May 30, to benefit the Oxford Arts Allliance. For more information, visit www.showhouseandgardens.com. The Oxford Arts Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to “Cultivating Community Through the Arts.”
Stonebridge Mansion, on the corner of Route 1 and Webb Road, Chadds Ford, is a stately Georgian-style stone landmark near the Brandywine Battlefield. It was built ca. 1914 by a wealthy Philadelphia brewer. It features 19-inch stone walls.
Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For more information about the showhouse, visit www.showhouseandgardens.com. The Oxford Arts Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to “Cultivating Community Through the Arts.”

Take a ride to the amusement park: Kennywood opens

2011-05-06T04:48:00.000-07:00

West Mifflin – Kennywood kicks off the 2011 summer season this weekend.
At Kennywood the unofficial start of summer is here. This season the park boasts to be “full of thrills, fun and excitement.” Highlights include Potato Patch Fries, entertainment and the launch of Sky Rocket for its first full season.
The Kennywood Laser Spectacular is all-new for 2011. This nightly laser show will take place over the lagoon and feature an array of lasers, fire, and popular songs all set to the sights and sounds of America's heartland on a huge screen next to the Racer.
Live entertainment takes center stage starting with the daily season on May 19. Featured performances include the high-energy acrobatics and classic rock of Cirque Rocks, located by the Kennywood Lagoon, and the interactive challenge and fun of The Kennyville Game Show at the Kennyville Stage.
Kiddieland will be home to a brand new set of family restrooms, a patio sitting area and a new refreshment stand featuring healthy options for the little ones.
Kennywood’s historic Parkside Café, built in 1898, will now feature air conditioning, as well as larger and improved restroom facilities.Kennywood Season Passes are available for $89.99 at www.kennywood.com. The regular FunDay price is $36.99, Seniors (55 +) $17.99, children 46” and under $23.99. After 5 p.m. NightRider tickets are $21.99, Senior NightRider tickets $10.49.
Following opening weekend, May 7 and 8, Kennywood is open Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15. Daily season begins Thursday, May 19. Gates open at 10:30 a.m.; rides open progressively each morning beginning at 11 a.m.
For more information visit http://www.kennywood.com..
(Image from www.kennywood.com).

Some ideas for weekend fun

2011-04-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

Paddle up Break out that boat on Sunday to participate in the Fifth Annual LoopFest at Lock 60, Locktender’s House, 400 Towpath Road, Mont Clare, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy a fun day out on the water paddling the 5-mile water trail loop starting and ending at Lock 60. Upon arriving back to Lock 60, experience locking through the 1846 restored lock before getting out of the water for the day. Bring your own boat, with all the necessary safety equipment or make arrangements to rent one from the Port Providence Paddle, www.canoeandkayak.biz, ahead of time and it will be waiting for you at Lock 60 by 11 a.m. This is for all ages; however, children 16 or younger must be accompanied by an adult. Call (610) 917-0021 or e-mail info@schuylkillcanal.com. Put “LoopFest” in subject line. Mr. Easter Bunny An Easter egg hunt and spring nature program will take place on Sunday from 1-4 p.m. at the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, Birdsboro. Enjoy a day full of fun, including face painting, 18th century toys and games, a sheep-naming contest, egg races and a Pennsylvania German Easter Tree. This event is $4 for children 14 and under and free for adults. Please bring a basket to collect eggs. Listen up • The Allentown Symphony Orchestra presents “The Titan” on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. in Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 North 6th St., Allentown. Double your listening pleasure with Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos featuring Allentown native and Los Angeles Philharmonic’s principal keyboardist Joanne Pearce Martin and Gavin Martin performing side-by-side on this season finale performance. Tickets range from $25-$45. Visit www.allentownsymphony.org • Cedar Crest College, 100 College Drive, Allentown, presents the Dave Roper Trio’s 20th Annual Concert on Friday at 7:30 p.m. to benefit the Alumnae Association’s Scholarship Fund. Tickets are a $15 donation. For tickets call (610) 606-4609. Tickets are also available at the door. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. • The William Center for the Arts at Lafayette College, 317 Hamilton Street, Easton, presents the Venice Baroque Orchestra with violinist Giuliano Carmignola on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22 and can be purchased at the door or online at http://www.lafayette.edu/. Artsy fun Studio B will host its third annual eco-inspired juried art exhibit, this year titled “GREEN: not just a color.” The show will open with a reception and awards presentation from 5-8 p.m. Friday. The exhibit runs until May 14. Gallery hours are Thursday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Studio B is at 39A E. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown. Entrance is free. Pooch lovers In celebration of FDR’s famous Scottie dog Fala, kick off National Park Week with a day of “doggie” fun at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, 2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free activities will focus on getting out with your pooch and enjoying the outdoors. Pets must be leashed and visitors are expected to clean up after them. Happy blues On Sunday from 2-6 p.m., join the Bucks County Blues Society as they present Spring Fever Footstomper 2011 at the Terchon VFW, Airport and Hardy roads, Edgely. The evening will feature Rick Estrin and the Nightcats. A $25 donation gets you hot sandwiches, munchies and door prizes. You must be 21 years or older to attend this event. Cash bar only, no BYOB. Doors open at 1 p.m. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended by calling (215) 943-5898 or (215) 945-8063. Visit http://www.bucksbluesociety.com/. Save a baby March for Babies is the March of Dimes fundraising event that benefits all babies and has raised more than $1.6 billion since 1970. It is the original walking event, raising money to fund important research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and give hope to the families of babies born too soon or sick. This year’s walk is Sunday, on the Ocean City Boardwalk, with registration at noon and the walk at 1 p.m. Registration forms are at your local Kmart or online at www.marchforbabies.org.

Take advantage of Dollar Days or make virtual visit

2011-03-17T08:45:00.001-07:00

Can’t travel this weekend? Don’t matter. You can “take” a trip right at home and explore some of the region’s history.
The Hagley Museum in Wilmington, Del. is featuring the interactive exhibit “"The DuPont Company on the Brandywine." Go to www.hagley.org.
The interactive exhibit is packed with information.
However, if you can take a drive, the museum features Dollar Days Saturdays in March. From 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. admission to Hagley is $1. And, free for members. You have two Saturdays left to take advantage of this.
Note: Regular admission is $11; $9 for students and seniors; $4 for ages 6 to 14; and free for those under 6.
Hagley Museum is at 200 Hagley Road, Wilmington, Del.
View a video of the museum here: http://www.hagley.org/info.html and check out more visitor information or call (302) 658-2400 ext. 259.

President's House tells poignant story

2011-02-17T07:19:00.000-08:00

By Ryan Richards

For The Reporter

If the walls of the new President’s House exhibit at Independence Mall could talk, they would tell the stories of the men and women who made up Washington’s enslaved household:

Oney Judge, a 20-something seamstress, and Moll were enslaved maids for Martha and her grandchildren. Paris and Giles were stable hands who toiled in the stable to meet Washington’s exacting standards for the upkeep of his prized horses.Christopher and Austin served the president as needed in the large house. And there was Hercules, the most privileged slave and an excellent cook who maintained strict order in the kitchen and would be allowed to sell the leftovers from state banquets to spruce up his wardrobe. He would one day escape from servitude to freedom.

But these walls do, indeed, talk.

They are reproductions of Washington’s three-story brick mansion, equipped with video screens displaying actor portrayals of the enslaved staff.The exhibit, subtitled “Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation,” at Market and Sixth streets across from the Independence Visitor Center, is the result of an eight-year collaboration between Philadelphia and the National Park Service that included an oversight committee composed of community groups and organizations.The exhibit, which is open-air, incorporated with descriptive panels and video, is constructed above the actual foundations of the home, including the kitchen, a portion of which is visible through a large glass-panel enclosure above — a result of recent excavations.“This exhibit exists because people spoke out about it,” explained Jane Cowley, public affairs officer for Independence National Historical Park.

Learn more this weekend

The National Park Service will present a program about the President’s House on Saturday, Feb. 19, 1 p.m., in the Independence Visitor Center’s Theater, 525 Market St. The program will include a performance by an actress portraying enslaved seamstress Oney Judge and followed by a National Park Service ranger-led walking tour of the President’s House and Underground Railroad sites in historic Philadelphia.

History lives here

For seven years, Washington lived year-round in the elegant home, which he called “the best single house in the city,” when Philadelphia, the nation’s largest and most cosmopolitan city in the late 18th century, served as a temporary capital from 1790 to 1800 as construction continued on a federal city along the Potomac River.According to Cowley, the design for the exhibit is the result of a design competition. The exhibit is a non-contiguous perimeter of brick walls of varying height encased with window and door frames representing sections of the home. The concept is in keeping with the National Park Service’s policy of not reconstructing historic structures.And just how large was the presidential residence? From the 1773 insurance survey, according to Cowley, the house totaled 2,340 square feet per floor — although not all of that footage was usable space. Counting the outbuildings, the total site is 12,000 square feet.

The gracious home on a bustling thoroughfare, once owned and restored by Revolutionary War financier Robert Morris, who added a two-story bathhouse and Chinese wallpaper in the front parlor, is a stone’s throw from Independence Hall, known at the time as Pennsylvania’s State House, and adjacent to the Liberty Bell Center, an ironic juxtaposition underlying the fledging nation’s embracing of individual freedom while concurrently permitting slavery.

Washington enjoyed entertaining the political elite of the 18th century in the home’s expansive dining room. The bustling house, with its 20-some-member staff, grew in size during his administration to include an addition off the kitchen as the servants’ dining quarters.W

ashington selected a sun-filled second-floor room in the back bathhouse as his personal office and a third-floor room in the main house as his executive headquarters.Nine enslaved men and women were brought from Washington’s Mount Vernon Plantation in Virginia to Philadelphia to serve the first president. According to Independence National Historical Park, Washington trusted his enslaved staff, buying them tickets to the circus and theater and letting them go to the city’s markets on their own. These excursions allowed the slaves to interact with Philadelphia’s free-black community as well as abolitionists at a time when the city was a hotbed for the abolitionist movement.

Aware that Pennsylvania had enacted the Gradual Abolition Act in 1780 and that an abolitionist society flourished in the city, Washington limited the number of enslaved servants transferred from Mount Vernon.He supplemented the staff by acquiring up to eight indentured servants, young Dutch or German immigrants who worked as kitchen help, washers, maids and stablehands. They did not earn a wage, however, as their service was in exchange for payment of transport to America.

The commander-in-chief was conflicted over slavery — he wrote to Robert Morris in 1786, “I can only say, that there is not a man living, who wishes more sincerely than I do to see a plan adopted for the abolition of it [slavery]; but there is only one proper and effectual mode by which it can be accomplished, and that is by legislative authority; and this, as far as my suffrage will go, shall never be wanting.”Nonetheless, Washington signed into law the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793, mandating the return of runaway slaves and criminalizing the act of helping slaves to escape captivity, according to Independence National Historical Park.President John Adams and first lady Abigail, who lived in the house from 1797 to 1800, never owned slaves. They lived in the house with their longtime faithful servant, Briesler, and his wife to run the household along with a salaried secretary. They hired workers from Philadelphia and Boston to cook and clean.

The president’s house during the Adams administration was without the pomp and splendor witnessed during Washington’s presidency.(As an interesting aside: while Washington lived at 6th and Market, Adams, then his vice president, lived at Bush Hill, a country estate located about where the main branch of the Free Library is today. When yellow fever swept the city in 1793, the estate was converted into a hospital and Adams relocated to the Indian Queen Hotel.)Because of recurrences of yellow fever, especially the 1793 outbreak, the city was deemed unhealthy and prompted the federal government to relocate the capital to the District of Columbia.After 1800 the stately home briefly became a hotel and then shops. Extensive commercial development during the 19th century gradually left the sight undistinguishable, leaving no visible evidence that the nation’s first president once entertained heads of state there.

As for Hercules, the talented cook and perhaps the best-known of his slaves, he was sent back to Mount Vernon where he eventually went missing while Washington was celebrating his birthday in Philadelphia in 1797. Despite efforts to recapture him, he could not be found and remained a free man.Cowley noted that the recent research and archaeology revealed new information about the site. She said, for example, that historians previously believed that Hercules had escaped from Philadelphia, when he actually fled from Mount Vernon.

PHOTO ABOVE: The design for the President’s House, which includes non-contiguous walls incorporated with descriptive signage and video screens, is the result of a design contest. Photo by Ryan Richards.

A visit to the National Museum of American Jewish History is a must

2011-02-10T08:22:00.000-08:00

If you haven’t yet, you should plan to visit the National Museum of American Jewish History (NMAJH). Located at 101 South Independence Mall East in Philadelphia, the handsome building is hard to miss. On a recent Friday a cousin and I ventured into the cold on a museum outing that was to include two museums.
Well, we only made it to one.
There is so much to see and learn at NMAJH that you have to dedicate a day to it. There’s no way around it. Our visit was extremely enjoyable. This is not a museum about religion but about true American history. According to the museum’s website visitors can “explore more than 350 years of Jewish life in America.” I can venture to say that that life is the history of many of us – Jewish or not. Subjects like immigration, work life, art, religion and more are examined throughout. The displays take you through an almost seamless and thought provoking journey. Though tours are offered we explored on our own and left greatly gratified.

MUSEUM HOURS: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
ADMISSION: $12 for adults; $11 for seniors 65 and up, active military with ID and youth ages 13-21. Free for children 12 and under. Also, there is a security check at the entrance.
CALL: (215) 923-3811 or check http://www.nmajh.org/ for more information.
TRAVEL: You can drive and park around the city, however, I took off from the North Wales train station to the Market Easter terminal -- where, by the way, the shelter is equipped with heaters – after purchasing a $11 One-day Independence Pass. Then you can take the Market-Frankford Line subway to and from the museum. Unless you prefer to walk to it. The Independence Pass allows you unlimited use of subway, bus, trolley and regional rail. The pass is for trains arriving in Philadelphia after 9:30 a.m. For more check http://www.septa.org/fares/pass/independence.html.

EQUIPMENT: Good walking shoes and dress for the weather. There is coat check at the museum. No photos are allowed inside the museum.

FOOD: There is a café at the museum. The serve sandwiches and other light fare. We enjoyed a nice lunch when we decided to take a break after realizing that we were not going to finish our visit after just a couple of hours.

SHOPPING: There is a museum shop.

DATE POTENTIAL: I would say yes. If you significant other is into history and museums this is a good one.

Submitted by Aixa Torregrosa-Vazquez/Lifestyle Editor

The Barnes Foundation: Treasures amid the trees

2011-02-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

By LINDA STEIN
Staff Writer

MERION - Seeking an infusion of French Impressionist and Modern art to brighten up your bleak winter days? The Barnes Foundation is just the ticket.
Tucked into a 12-acre arboretum, the gallery, designed by architect Paul Cret, bursts with paintings by Renoir, Matisse, Cezanne, Rousseau, Monet, Modigliani, Manet, Degas and van Gogh. The art hangs in eclectic groups, designed to teach students Dr. Albert Barnes' theories about art and aesthetics. The foundation's primary mission is education, rather than merely a museum. Indeed, it's first education director was philosopher John Dewey.
Among the gems that offer a feast for the eyes and souls, the sheer volume and vitality of paintings by Renoir is amazing. Everywhere I looked in the small, shrine-like galleries, I saw one gem after another, set among antique furniture and handcrafted metal work.
Would be visitors have only a few months to see The Barnes at its original location because it will close its doors in July in preparation for a move to center city Philadelphia where foundation officials plan to reopen in a new building in the spring of 2012. As for me, I can't wait to return.
Reservations to visit The Barnes, at 300 North Latch's Lane, must be made ahead of time. Phone: (610) 667-0290 or www.barnesfoundation.org

'The Farm' is open

2011-01-21T08:44:00.000-08:00

Studio B is holding its third annual showing of “The Farm,” a juried show of works inspired by Pennsylvania’s agricultural roots. The show runs through Feb. 14 and a public opening reception and awards presentation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21.
“We are very excited to see what our artists bring to this show,” said Gallery Director Susan Biebuyck. “During the past two years they have wowed us with their innovation and fresh takes on the traditional subjects of agriculture and farming.”
Studio B is located at 39 E. Philadelphia Ave. in Boyertown.

Check studiobbb.org for more information.

Pictured are:

"She Rules," mixed media by Rhonda Counts, from "The Farm" 2010

"S. Bucket Blues," oil painting by Daniel Gorman, from "The Farm" 2010

Take a walk at the arboretum

2011-01-21T08:03:00.000-08:00

We all know there are plenty of places in our area where one can take a nice walk and enjoy nature. But if you are looking for a change or just want to go somewhere else that is not to far away, here’s one for you.

The Morris Arboretum is hosting Wellness Walks this winter every Saturday morning at 10:30 through March 26. Walkers meet at the Visitors Center wearing comfortable and weather appropriate clothing and shoes, ready to walk two mile-long loops on the paved paths.

Guides point out some of the Arboretum’s specimen trees and other distinctive features along the way. The walk lasts for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, and walkers are welcome to continue on their own afterward.

And, according to a press release, now through Feb. 14 if you mention the Winter White Sale at the kiosk when you purchase an adult/senior admission at full price, and you will get the second admission free.

Admission is $16 for adults, $14 for seniors 65 and older, $7 for students and youth 3 to 17. Free for children under 3.

Note: In case of a weather emergency, or for more information, call (215) 247-5777.

Also, the Arboretum offers guided tours every Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania is located at 100 East Northwestern Avenue in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia. It is about 30 minutes from Lansdale (depending on traffic).

After taking a walk at the Arboretum you could opt to check out Chestnut Hill and maybe grab some hot cocoa or tea at one of the many eateries in the area.

About the Arboretum: The 92-acre horticulture display garden features a collection of mature trees and includes numerous spots such as a formal rose garden, historic water features, a swan pond, and the only Fernery in North America. For more information, visit http://www.morrisarboretum.org/.

Weekender: From blues to butterflies

2010-07-15T05:45:00.000-07:00

Unexplored ponds

Silver Lake Nature Center, 1306 Bath Road, Bristol, offers a Lower Bucks Water Garden Tour from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday and July 25. Begin the tour at the center to get tickets and directions. Call (215) 785-1177.

Lots of tunes

- The Bucks County Blues Society's annual R&B Picnic runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at Snipes Farm, 890 W. Bridge St., Morrisville. The lineup includes The Larry McCray Band, Roxy Perry, Jr. Cline and the Recliners, J.W. Jones Band, Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble, Porkroll Project and more. Advance tickets are $26, $40 at the gate (if available), $20 for children 3-13. Anyone under 21 must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older. Admission includes food, which is served noon to 5 p.m. Bring your own chairs, tables, blankets, picnic supplies, etc. Call (215) 946-9424, (215) 946-4794 or (215) 943-1447. Also, e-mail thomasjoseph3@comcast.net or visit www.bucksbluessociety.com.

- Enjoy a piece of the islands on the grounds of the Mount Hope Estate and Winery, Route 72 (2775 Lebanon Road), Cornwall Township. Flip-flops, shades and wild tropical island shirts are encouraged from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday for the sounds of trop rock groups at the Easter Seals Summer in Paradise 2010 Concert. Admission is $35, $100 for VIP tickets, which include access to a dinner buffet with unlimited wine, beer and beverages and premium concert seating. A "Pack Your Beach Bag for 2" ticket access to the buffet, premium concert seating and a one-night stay in a nearby hotel with brunch for $315. Entertaining will be Brent Burns, The Calypso Nuts, and Tropical Soul. Food and beer will be available for purchase from Swashbuckler BrewPub & Eaterie. Contact Christina at (717) 591-7027 or visit www.essummerinparadise.com.

Butterfly season

Shady Brook Farm, 931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, holds its annual Butterfly Festival from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. There will be crafts for children, moon bounces, a butterfly talk at 2 p.m., and a butterfly release at 3:30. Call (215) 968-1670 or visit www.shadybrookfarm.com.

Competitive spirit

The 14th annual Lehigh Valley SportsFest, for amateur athletes in 50 different sports, runs today through Sunday evening at various locations in Allentown. New features are a health and fitness expo at Cedar Beach, and two new events — a 5K run at 9 a.m. Sunday on the Little Lehigh Parkway and women's flag football in Union Terrace Park. Get the schedule and directions at www.sportsfest.org or call Ray at (484) 225-8852.

Jersey fresh

The Garden State Wine Growers Association "Walk in the Vineyard" Wine Trail Weekend is noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 32 wineries in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester/Salem, Shore, Sussex and Warren/Hunterdon counties. Call (609) 588-0085 for more information.

Farm in the city

The Blueberry Festival at Burnside Plantation is held 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 1461 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem. Highlights include artisans, music and family activities like bluebird house building, colonial crafts and dress up, colonial games, history scavenger hunts, a horse-drawn carousel, pony rides and more. Admission is $8, $10 for both days ($3 discount for military personnel), $7 for seniors or $9 for both days, $4 for youth 6-16 or $5 for both days. Call (610) 868-5044 or visit www.historicbethlehem.org.

A summer weekend

2010-06-24T10:40:00.000-07:00

By: Brian Bingaman and Somer Wiggins

Laid back, man
The West Coast rock sound, according to American Music Theatre's new show "California Soul," includes the sounds of The Eagles, Crosby Stills & Nash, The Beach Boys and The Grateful Dead. Check this show out Friday through Aug. 14. Tickets are $32. The theater is at 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster. For show times, call (800) 648-4102 or visit www.amtshows.com.

Women aid women

Concerts for a Cure presents MaryBeth Hammer and Heidi Winzinger under the stars from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Pomeroy Heights Manor, 3 Washington Lane, Coatesville. Proceeds go toward HPV and cervical cancer related programing. Tickets are $20 and include a light dinner. There will be a raffle including prizes such as tickets to the 2010 Philadelphia Folk Festival, lift tickets and brunch at Bear Creek Ski Resort and more. Visit www.concertscure.org.

Sporting chance

The Philadelphia Cup, a polo match sponsored by the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce, will be held Sunday at Brandywine Polo, 232 Polo Road, off Route 1 at the Toughkenamon exit (south of Kennett Square). The event will benefit the World Children Foundation. Tickets cost $40 for and can be purchased at www.sacc-philadelphia.org. The event will begin at 1:30 p.m. with light fare, followed by a brief orientation to the game of polo at 2:15 p.m. The match begins at 3 p.m.

High road or low?

The Celtic Fling and Highland Games take place Friday night with the pre-Fling concert at 7 p.m. (gates open at 5). Saturday and Sunday's hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It's held on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, off Route 72, Cornwall. Friday concert tickets are $19.95. One-day Saturday or Sunday admission is $25.95, $9.95 for children 5-11. Guests can save $3 by purchasing adult Fling tickets in advance online. Festival details, performer biographies and advance one or two-day tickets can be purchased at www.parenfaire.com or call (717) 665-7021.

Celebrating summer

Earth Center for the Arts at Tyler State Park, 10 Stable Mill Trail, Richboro, holds a Summer Solstice Celebration Benefit Auction from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday with live entertainment by Harlequin, live and silent auctions, and the opening of "Sculpture in the Park." Tickets are $25 in advance at www.earthcenterarts.org, $30 at the door. Call (267) 218-0290.

Sailing away

A Cape May, N.J., Delaware Bay Lighthouse Adventure is set for 10 a.m. Saturday. Enjoy a cruise up the Delaware Bay aboard the Cape May Whale Watcher's Spirit of Cape May for a full day of lighthouse viewing. The cruise includes a continental breakfast and luncheon buffet, with cash bar available. Limited to 175. Admission $99. Call (800) 275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

Icing on the cake

If you missed "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro at the Keswick Theatre, catch him at an interactive event at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets range from $25.50-$45.50. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

It's kinetic

The newest exhibit at the DaVinci Science Center, 3145 Hamilton Boulevard Bypass, Allentown, is "Cool Moves." On view through Sept. 6, "Cool Moves" fosters an appreciation for the beauty of motion that takes place around you every day. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. With 14 hands-on experiences, the exhibit takes the visitor on an exploration of how motion can be characterized in terms of translation or rotation; continuous or vibrating; and predictable or unpredictable. Admission is $11.95, $8.95 for seniors 62+, children 4-12, military personnel and veterans. Call (484) 664-1002 or visit www.davinci-center.org.

Explore dining scene

Bethlehem Restaurant Week runs June 28-July 4. No passes, tickets or coupons are required. Instead, diners may simply visit their favorite participating restaurants throughout the week to enjoy the special prix fixe lunch and dinner menus. It is strongly recommended that diners make reservations in advance. To make a reservation, diners should contact restaurants directly. Find the list of participating restaurants at www.bethlehemrestaurantweek.com.

Party on the deck

From 5 to 8 p.m. today, the top level of the parking deck at Eighth and Linden streets, Allentown, will be transformed into a party destination, featuring live music by UUU, local artists, entertainment by local comedians from the Associated Mess and food. Cost is $15 for the ages 21+ event. The first 250 guests to arrive will receive gift bags.

Worth a look

Through Sept. 5, the Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown, presents "Myths, Religion and Ritual: Indian Art from the Koblenzer Collection." There is a special exhibition fee of $7 in addition to the regular museum admission of $6, $4 for seniors 60+ and students, $3 for children 6-12, free to members, children under 6, and to all on Sundays. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Call (610) 432-4333, ext. 10, or visit www.allentownartmuseum.org.

Where beer's made

A day bus trip to four Pennsylvania Breweries — Yuengling, Allentown BrewWorks, Weyerbacher and General Lafayette — is being offered Saturday through www.phillytrips.com. Boarding is available in both Philadelphia and Conshohocken. Cost is $89, $99 including lunch.

Weekend fun

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Dad's special day

- Lancaster County invites you to take a road trip with dad this weekend or anytime throughout the summer.

The area's golf courses can boast the signature Lancaster area scenery, from the rolling terrain of Tree Top in Manheim to the mature tree-lined fairways of Landisville's Four Seasons to Lancaster's Willow Valley, or the Lancaster Host Golf Resort.

Also, learn about the early sparks of the Civil War at the Christiana Underground Railroad Center, or interact with demonstrations of early Pennsylvania German life at the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum.

Let dad discover his inner secret agent at the James Bond Watches exhibit at Columbia's National Watch & Clock Museum, or explore Lancaster's earliest beginnings at the Hans Herr House and this year's special Lancaster 300 events.

Lancaster has baseball, too, with the Atlantic League's Lancaster Barnstormers.

Special events coming Father's Day weekend include a Paddle Evening Rendezvous at Shank's Mare Outfitters on the Susquehanna River; Intercourse's annual Heritage Days; and Kitchen Kettle Village's Berry Jam Festival. Get more details by checking out www.discoverlancasterpa.com.

- The Copeland String Quartet performs works by Mendelssohn, Mozart and Beethoven during a Father's Day Brunch at 11 a.m. Sunday in the Rodale Community Room at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets are $35, $15 for children 5-15. Tickets for the performance only are $20, $10 for children. Call (610) 432-6715.

Cover or decoration?

From Sunday through Sept. 5, the Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown, presents the exhibit "In Stitches: Quilts from the Allentown Art Museum Collection" in the Kress Gallery. "In Stitches" offers a look at 30 quilting samples from two centuries. There is a special exhibition fee of $7 in addition to the regular museum admission of $6, $4 for seniors 60+ and students, $3 for children 6-12, free to members, children under 6, and to all on Sundays. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Call (610) 432-4333, ext. 10, or visit www.allentownartmuseum.org.

On way to Cape May

Saturday is Harbor Fest in Cape May, N.J., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Join in a celebration of seafood and song, the sea, its culture, and its ecology on Cape May's harbor. Highlights include seafood, live music, cooking demonstrations, arts and craft vendor, marine educational programs, a blessing of the fleet, a kayak and canoe regatta, and more. The rain date is Sunday.

Also, Friday through Jan. 2, Cape May's sixth annual Designer Show House will showcase the region's top designers and suppliers on the first floor and grounds of the Fairthorne Cottage at Ocean and Hughes streets. There will be daily self-guided tours that can be combined with lunch and dinner packages and special events. It's open 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily and 7 to 9 p.m. Sundays to Fridays. Admission is $10, $7 for children 3-12.

Call (800) 275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

What makes it 'gold'?

Take a tour of the Gold Medal Garden at the Scott Arboretum while enjoying the flavors of Black Walnut Winery from 6 to 8 tonight. The evening will also include a raffle. The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College is at 500 College Ave., Swarthmore. Cost is $30. Call (610) 328-8025.

Musical theater

- Hopewell United Methodist Church, 852 Hopewell Road, Downingtown, offers a free production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the church's 900-seat outside amphitheater. In the event of inclement weather, the show moves indoors to the sanctuary. More information can be found at www.hopewellumc.org, or by calling (610) 269-1545.

- Muhlenberg College's Summer Music Theater series presents Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado" through July 3 in the Paul C. Empie Theatre at the Baker Center for the Arts. Meanwhile, "Schoolhouse Rock Live!" runs June 23-July 30 in the Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance. The campus is off West Chew Street, Allentown. For show times and tickets, call (484) 664-3333.

- The Summer Musicale series at Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, kicks off with "Too Darn Hot: An Evening With Cole Porter and Friends" tonight through June 27. Tickets are $31, $10 for students. For show times, call (215) 785-0100 or visit www.brtstage.org.

Old ways alive

Artifest 2010 marks the Museum of Indian Culture's 30-year anniversary from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The museum is at 2825 Fish Hatchery Road, Allentown. Meet artists and tradition bearers from diverse Native American groups. There will be music and dance, tomahawk throwing, primitive technologies such as flint knapping, pottery making and fire starting and a children's hands-on craft area. Refreshments will be available. Admission is $5, $4 for seniors and children 12-17. Call (610) 797-2121.

Drum Corps show

Drum Corps International begins its season with a show at 8 p.m. Friday at J. Birney Crum Stadium, 2027 W. Linden St., Allentown. Appearing will be nine-time World Champions the Cadets, The Cavaliers of Rosemont, Ill., and The Carolina Crown of Fort Mill, N.C. Tickets are $13 and $23. Visit www.yea.org/site/PageServer.

March out

The annual March-out of the Continental Army will be commemorated from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Valley Forge National Historical Park. Rangers and volunteers will host a living history encampment at the Park's Muhlenberg Brigade area, Route 23 West and North Gulph Road. Cannons will fire at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The event will also include a bake oven demonstration.

The event is free and open to the public. Check www.nps.gov/nps

Weekend fun June 11-13

2010-06-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

Home of the brave

- The Delaware Valley Vietnam Veterans' 25th annual Donald W. Jones Flag Memorial weekend features a free concert Saturday, a motorcycle rally Sunday, and moments for reflection both days, in Falls Township Park, 9072 Mill Creek Road. The concert with Angry Vic, Band Kamp, Blue Reign, Classic Jurassic, Final Warning, Jayded, Jekyll's Hyde, Legend, Mikey Junior and Queen Helene starts at noon Saturday. If you can make the rally at noon Sunday, call Sue at (215) 783-7456. A memorial service and repatriation ceremony, where 58,000 flags will be placed in the ground for the Americans killed or missing in action in Vietnam, starts at 1. For information, call Donnie at (267) 566-2860 or Jesse at (215) 949-2490.

- Vettes for Vets American Dream Corvette Club honors our veterans with Corvettes on display, water ice and soft pretzels, and a visit from the Phillie Phanatic from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Southeastern Veterans Center, 1 Veterans Drive, Spring City. For driving directions, go to www.sevc.state.pa.us.

Festival atmosphere

- The Billtown Blues Festival happens noon to 10 p.m. Sunday at the Lycoming Country Fairgrounds, 300 E. Lycoming St., Hughsville. On the bill are Miz Ida & The All-Nightas, Tas Cru, Billy Gibson and Dave Fields, Debbie Davies and Robin Rogers, Big Bill Morganfield, Ana Popovic, Big Jack Johnson and the Cornlickers, plus an acoustic tent and a kids harmonica workshop. Tickets are $18, $23 at the gate. Visit www.billtownblues.org or call (570) 584-4480.

- "In and Out of the Garden We Go," a celebration of the music of The Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia, starts at noon Saturday at Snipes Farm, 890 W. Bridge St., Morrisville. Featured artists are Star 69, Acoustic Pangea, Old and in the Way, Steal Your Face, Toni Brown, Reflections, Dead Bolt and Only Footprints. Ticket are $15 in advance, $20 at the gate, $5 for camping fee, free to children under 12. Visit www.snipesfarm.com.

- Blues Brews & Barbecue runs noon to 10 p.m. Saturday on PPL Plaza on the 800 block of Hamilton Street, Allentown. Blues music, face painting and fire performers are part of the featured entertainment. Call (610) 437-7530.

Yesteryear

A traditional Victorian Fair is held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., Cape May, N.J. The day features live musical performances, crafts, collectibles, living history characters, children's activities and refreshments. Admission is free, with free trolley shuttle from the Washington Street Mall. Call (800) 275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

Combustible

Hagley's Creek Kids presents "Gunpowder in American History" from 1 to 4 p.m. June 15 and 20 at Hagley Museum and Library, Route 141, Wilmington, Del. The days will feature activities such as 19th century marching and drilling exercises, making "funpowder" (edible black powder), and decorating gunpowder kegs. A saluting cannon will be fired at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. Families can sign up for an apprenticeship in the machine shop and try riveting, making a medallion, and threading a hole. In the Powder Yard, enjoy homemade ice cream (cranked on site) and scones baked in the Gibbons House kitchen. The Creek Kids will also lead walking tours of the gunpowder-making dioramas in the Millwright Shop. Admission is $11, $9 for students and seniors, $4 for children 6-14, free for children 5 and under. Call (302) 658-2400 or visit www.hagley.org.

Showbiz survivor

Tim Conway (who even children will recognize as the voice of Barnacle Boy on "SpongeBob SquarePants") brings his "Tim Conway & Friends" show to the American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster. Show times are 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $69. Call (800) 648-4102.

Gushing forth

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam release, an anticipated event for paddlers, is planned for this weekend from the Francis Walter Dam, about seven miles upstream from White Haven and Lehigh Gorge State Park. Whitewater Challengers, 288 N. Stagecoach Road, Weatherly, is a popular outfitter in that area. Call (800) 443-RAFT or visit www.whitewaterchallengers.com for rates and times.

Giants of rock

"Memphis Meets Liverpool" features Jay Allan as Elvis and Liverpool Beat as The Beatles at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Get seats for a table of three for $135. Call (610) 432-6715.

Films, friends, food

The Southside Film Festival takes place June 15-19 at various venues on the south side of Bethlehem. Many of the highlighted independent films are from China, Japan and Korea, and the horror genre. Tickets are $5 each, with ticket packages available. Call (610) 882-4300 or visit www.southsidefilmfestival.com for the schedule.

Weekend fun

2010-05-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

Make a bee line

The third annual Bee Line Festival will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Reading Railroad Heritage Museum, 500 S. Third St., Hamburg. Admission is free and the day will include activities such as tours of vintage railroad equipment, tool demonstrations, crafts, games and face painting. Take a look at www.readingrailroad.org/files/beelinefestival.pdf.

What's a green roof?

The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, offers a tour that demonstrates the benefits and beauty of green roofs. Note that a brisk walk and several steps are required to reach the final roof. Children under 12 are not permitted on the roofs. The tour will begin at the Scott Arboretum offices and is free and open to the public. Call (610) 328-8025 or visit www.scottarboretum.org.

What would Pan do?

Pan, the half-man, half-goat god from Greek mythology, is dropped into a contemporary milieu of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll in "The Pan Show," presented by Touchstone Theatre at 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 8 and 10:30 p.m. Saturdays through May 22 at 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem. Recommended for mature audiences, the musical features marches, techno, house and rock. Tickets are $25, $15 for students and seniors. Call (610) 867-1689 or visit www.touchstone.org.

In good taste

From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, 30 E. State St., Media, will host the 10th annual Brandywine Valley Craft Brewers Festival. Sample offerings from 25 regional breweries. Tickets are $40 online at www.ironhillbrewery.com and $45 at the door. Advance ticket purchase is advised, as this event often sells out early. Call (610) 627-9000.

Bucolic backdrop

Spotted Hill Farm, 530 Colebrookdale Road, Boyertown, invites the public to attend the Spotted Hill Farm Fest, "A Celebration of Country Life," from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The festival will include music, games, pony rides, food and more. Go to www.spottedhillfarm.com.

Ability for art

- Heightening awareness of the talents of people with physical limitations, MossRehab, hosts its All About Art exhibition through June 1 at 60 E. Township Line Road, Elkins Park. The exhibition features more than 300 original pieces from 72 professional artists, some of whom have survived stroke, traumatic brain injury, loss of a limb or a disabling illness; and others who are legally blind, quadriplegic, live with Parkinson's disease or who learned to overcome a disability since birth. Public hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Call Julie at (215) 663-6429.

- "An Association with Rocks," the 12th annual Spring Art Show at Cedar Maze, runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and May 22-23 at Cedar Maze, 252 Cafferty Road, Pipersville. Sculptor Steven Snyder will exhibit his recent works in stone at his sculpture garden and studio. Call (610) 294-9106 or visit www.stonesculpture.net.

Health, spirituality

Learn more about reiki, aromatherapy, reflexology, yoga, herbal products, crystals, Tarot, runes, astrology, auras, healing chakras and more at the Spring Spiritual Holistic Expo 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Allentown Fairgrounds, 302 N. 17th St., Allentown. Call (610) 791-2641 or go to www.spirit-mum.org.

Space race

"Racing for Open Space" benefits the Brandywine Conservancy's environmental programs. Six steeplechase races are held Saturday at the Radnor Hunt Club, 826 Providence Road, Malvern. Admission is by carload and ranges from $50-$250. No tickets will be sold the day of the race. The Radnor Hunt grounds open at 10 a.m. and the first race starts at 1:30 p.m. It's advised that you arrive no later than noon. For additional information and tickets, visit www.radnorhuntraces.org or call (610) 388-8383.

Spring fling

2010-04-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

What's happening in the region this weekend:

Dream home

Fieldstone Farm, 1515 Sugar Bottom Road, Furlong, is the 2010 Bucks County Designer Home & Gardens, open Sunday through May 30. Nestled within 100 acres of rolling pastures, Fieldstone Farm is centered around a stone and stucco farmhouse, featuring a 1780s summer kitchen, plus stables, and a swimming pool. Tours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. A fundraiser for Doylestown Hospital tickets are $25, $20 for seniors 62+. For more information, or to get tickets for the preview gala on Friday, call (215) 345-2191 or visit www.buckscountydesignerhouse.org.

Jazz, wine pairing

Longwood Gardens, Routes 1 and 52, Kennett Township, hosts a Wine & Jazz Festival from noon to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Big names appearing at the festival include Simone, the daughter of Nina Simone, and chef Susanna Foo. Tickets include gardens admission, and are $40, $25 for designated drivers and youth 12-20, $6 for children 5-11. Call (610) 388-5200 or visit www.longwoodgardens.org.

Long run

"Run on the Wild Side," a 5K race and a 1K fun run for children 12 and under to benefit the Bucks County Zoo, is held Saturday in Warminster Community Park, Little Lane, Warminster. Check-in time is 7:30 a.m., with the 5K at 9:15 a.m. and the 1K Fun Run at 9 a.m. Preregistration is $25 for the 5K, $30 the day of race. Preregistration is $10 for the 1K Fun Run, $15 the day of the event. Go to www.animaljunction.com.

Stop, smell the roses

- Linvilla Orchards, 137 W. Knowlton Road, Media, holds a Plant and Flower Festival from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (rain date Sunday). For the little sprouts, there's pony rides, face painting and fun and games with Makin' Music. Call (610) 876-7116 for more information.

- A May Day Walk is offered from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday on

the grounds of the Hagley estate, Route 141, Wilmington, Del. Make a day of it and explore the museum and library. Admission is $11, $9 for students and seniors, $4 for children 6-14, $5 for the walk only. Call (302) 658-2400 or visit www.hagley.org.

Download and go

Explore by foot, bike, kayak, car, or even at home, the Delaware River's sometimes off-beat history through Rivertalk Tours presented by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Learn about unique green spaces and habitats; and Philadelphia's ports, parks and piers in audio tours that you download from www.rivertalk.org. Another option is to download the brochure and call (215) 399-0616 on your cell phone.

Grecian formula

St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 30 E. Forge Road, Media, hosts its Spring Greek Festival 5 to 9 p.m. today, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Call (610) 459-0366 or go to www.stgeorgefestival.com.

Show trips

- King Henry & The Showmen present the luncheon show "Oscar Goes To Hollywood" May 5 at Penn's Peak, 325 Maury Road, Jim Thorpe. Reservations are required. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and lunch is served at noon. The show will begin at 1. For more information or to make a reservation, call (877) SO-GO-EAT.

-The State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, presents comedian Brian Regan at 7:30 tonight. Tickets are $38.50. Barrage performs their new show with music, song and dance at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $30. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheare.org.

Doing Dorney

Home to more than 100 rides and attractions, Dorney Park opens for the season Saturday at 3830 Dorney Park Road, South Whitehall Township. New attractions are the show "Rock Band Live" and the Demon Drop freefall ride, which opens in June. Park hours in May are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and May 30, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays May 9-23, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 22. Admission before Memorial Day weekend is $27.99, $22.99 for children under 48 inches tall and seniors 62+, $20.99 after 5 p.m. when the park closes at 10, or after 3:30 p.m. when the park closes at 8. Call (610) 395-3724 or visit www.dorneypark.com.

Manufactured wackiness

"The IMPROVables," improvisational comedy performed by cast of 14 Bucks County Community College students based on audience suggestions, is part of the "Arts at Bucks" celebration. Catch it at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Gateway Auditorium at BCCC, 275 Swamp Road, Newtown. Tickets are $5. Call (215) 968-8425 or visit www.bucks.edu/artsatbucks.

Day to learn

Colonial toys and games, gardening, blacksmithing, sheep shearing, doll making and children's militia musters are some of the activities set for Children's Day noon to 5 p.m. Sunday a the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, north of Route 422, Birdsboro. Admission is $6, $4 for children 4-15. Call (610) 582-4900.

Triple-header

Mel Tillis, Mickey Gilley and John Anderson play the American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday. Call (800) 648-4102 or visit www.amtshows.com.

Spring happenings

2010-04-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

Scent-sational

Longwood Gardens presents the exhibition "Making Scents: The Art and Passion of Fragrance," Saturday through Nov. 21. An intersection of flora, fashion and science, you can experience the actual plants and flowers behind iconic perfumes, explore the mysterious power of the sense of smell, and have the opportunity to compose a basic fragrance at the Make Your Own Fragrance stations located in the Conservatory's Music Room.

The exhibition is divided into four sections: "Into a Fragrant World," "The Art of Perfume & Fragrant Gardens," "The Science of Fragrance," and "Your Fragrant Garden." More than 260 different genera of aromatic plants and flowers have been added specifically for the exhibition. The exhibition will also trace key moments in the history of perfume, beginning with the earliest recorded Egyptian scent around 1800 BC and culminating with Coco Chanel's release of No. 5 in 1921.

Longwood is at Routes 1 and 52, Kennett Township. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Admission is $16, $14 for seniors 62+, $6 for students 5-22. Call (610) 388-1000 or visit www.longwoodgardens.org.

Exotic sound

Folk music and melodies from Hungary and Eastern Europe are featured in Allentown Symphony Orchestra's "Gypsy Rhythms" program at 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets range from $25-$45. Call (610) 432-6715.

Reel thing

Linvilla Orchards hosts its seventh annual Family Fun Fishing Derby from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Transportation to the pond begins at 8 a.m. The orchard lake is stocked with more than 1,000 fish. There will be pole rentals and bait for sale on site, plus there's no license needed. Lucky fishermen who snag a golden trout or tagged fish win a prize. Keep your first catch for free; additional ones are $3.99 a pound. Entry fee is $14.99 per fisherman. Linvilla Orchards is at 137 W. Knowlton Road, Media. Call (610) 876-7116 or visit www.linvilla.com.

Singing his thing

"American Idol" Bucky Covington rocks the house at 8 p.m. Saturday at Prospectors, 3050 Route 38, Mount Laurel, N.J. For ticket availability, call (856) 235-1121.

Elite equestrians

A Spring Regional Horse Expo is set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Allentown Fairgrounds, 302 N. 17th St., Allentown. Highlights include horse whisperer Sonny Garguilo, live horse demonstrations, and representatives from equine clubs and organizations. Everyone who brings a canned good will receive $1 off each adult admission of $6. Children 6-11 are admitted for $2. Visit www.pahorseexpos.com.

Arts at Lehigh

Just when the bumbling cast of a Broadway-bound play finally gets their performances right, everything starts going wrong in the comedy "Noises Off," at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and April 14-17, 2 p.m. Sunday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $12.

Saxophonist David Liebman plays jazz with students and the Lehigh Valley Jazz Repertory Orchestra with a "Tribute to Weather Report" at 8 p.m. Friday at the Zoellner Arts Center. Tickets are $15.

The Moscow Festival Ballet takes the stage to dance "Coppelia" at 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $45 and $37. Call (610)758-2787 or go to www.zoellnerartscenter.org.

Feels like home

The Lehigh Valley Builders Association Spring Home Show runs 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Stabler Arena, 124 Goodman Drive, Bethlehem. Admission is $6, free to children under 12. Call (610) 432-4101.

Shows at State

The State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, presents the 1940s musical "In the Mood" at 6 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $25 and $30.

Steve Lippia and a 16-piece band bring you "Simply Sinatra" at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $35 and $40.

Physical comedians Wells & Woodhead are "Foolz" at 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday. The show blends classic vaudeville with high tech optical illusions, like "Neonman." Tickets are $10 and $20.

Call (800) 999-STATE or visti www.statetheatre.org.

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2010-03-26T07:33:00.001-07:00

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Weekend trips: A sweet adventure

2010-03-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

Hot chocolate indeed

“Hot Chocolate — A Chocolate Frenzy!” happens 6 to 9:30 tonight at the Adventure Aquarium, 1 Aquarium Drive, Camden, N.J. The event features chocolate tasting, chocolate martini bar, chocolate fountain and hot chocolate. The event benefits the ALS Association of Greater Philadelphia. Tickets are $75, $150 with the VIP reception. Visit www.alsphiladelphia.org.

Pennsylvania’s birthday

Some of the institutions offering free admission and special activities on Sunday in honor of Charter Day, the anniversary of the land charter given to William Penn, are Pennsbury Manor, 400 Pennsbury Memorial Road, Morrisville; the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, north of Route 422, near Baumstown; and the State Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 North St., Harrisburg. Get more information at www.phmc.state.pa.us and click on “Historic Sites and Museums.”

Classical concerts

- Philadelphia-Montgomery Christian Academy hosts pianist John Silva for a concert at 7 tonight in the Hamel Auditorium, 35 Hillcrest Ave., Erdenheim. An offering will be taken to support student financial aid.

- The Allentown Symphony presents a program with music by Sibelius, Mendelssohn and Wittry at 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Call (610) 432-6715.

Not the movie

Armed with a lawn chair, a weather balloon, a BB gun and a beer, Walter Griffin strapped in and took the ride of his life. Now, with an angst-ridden teenage son, an unfulfilled wife, and no income, Walter is determined to once again escape the ordinary. Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe St., Bristol, presents “Up” March 16-April 4. Show times vary. For ticket information, call (215) 785-0100 or visit www.brtstage.org.

Getting married?

The Lehigh Valley Bridal Show runs 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Stabler Arena, 124 Goodman Drive, Bethlehem. Admission is free. Visit www.lvbridalshow.com.

First of the season?

Something called the Super Gigantic Garage Sale is being held 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Agri-Plex at the Allentown Fairgrounds, 302 N. 17 th St., Allentown. For more information, call D & L Concessions at (610) 432-8425.

Slate of shows

The State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, hosts the music group Celtic Crossroads at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $20 and $25. Ted Neeley stars in “Jesus Christ Superstar” at 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $50 and $55. Michael Bolton appears, without the mullet, at 8 p.m. March 15. Tickets are $52 and $57. And making a run in the Acopian Ballroom, it’s “Late Nite Catechism 3: ‘Til Death Do Us Part” at 7:30 p.m. March 16-19, and 2 and 6 p.m. March 20-21. Tickets are $33 and $38. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Rumbling rhythm

“TAO: The Martial Art of Drumming” demonstrates the power of the athletic Japanese taiko style at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $30 and $36. Call (610) 758-2787.

Domestic crude

Long before Saudi Middle East oil rose to power, Pennsylvania was where oil was happening. The exhibit “Oil: Celebrating the Story — Progress from Petroleum” is at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut St., Allentown, Saturday through May 9. For opening day Saturday, there will be special hands-on activities, plus free hot dogs and soda for children. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $6, $3 for children. Call (610) 435-1074.

‘Universal’ entertainment

“Live from the Edge” is at the Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem. The theater, in partnership with Sandglass Theater of Putney, Vt., and HartBeat Theatre of Hartford, Conn., presents a visiting guest artist. Each artist travels to the three theaters on an East Coast tour, performing their work and immersing themselves in the communities they visit. This year’s visiting guest ensemble is Universes, a company that grew out of a band of New York poets who got bored with traditional poetry readings and chose instead to work as an ensemble, blending poetry, song and movement. Show time is 8 p.m. Saturday and Monday, 2 p.m. Sunday at 2. Tickets are $25, $15 for students and seniors. Call (610) 867-1689.

Oz saga

Repertory Dance Theatre presents “Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz” at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 16th and Hamilton streets, Allentown. Tickets range from $12-$20. Call (610) 965-6216.

Maple Sugar time

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As winter loses its grip on Pennsylvania, warm days (40 degrees and above) followed by cold nights (30 degrees and cooler) signal the beginning of maple syrup season. When spring conditions are right, sap in sugar maples begins to flow and sugars made with last summer's sun move from their storage sites in the tree's stem. Mid-February to early March normally heralds the arrival of the "right" conditions and the season runs until, hopefully, early April.

Maple sugar products are truly North American.
Native Americans were the first people to make maple sugar. We speculate they used hot stones and bark vessels to "boil" sap to concentrate the sugars. Early European likely appreciated this source of sugar, and, with the advantage of iron pots, they soon developed this seasonal industry and converted sap into sugar cakes or blocks, which were easier to store. Until tropical sugar sources became easily accessible, maple sugar was the ruling sweetener. As imported sugar became increasingly available, the maple industry switched to syrup production. Today, the maple industry produces a wide-range of quality products; however, syrup is the most common, best known and considered by many the ultimate natural product.

Many woodlot owners today look forward to the maple season as an important part of their family heritage. For some, it is a major cash crop.
Among the stateâ€™s diverse farm products it is unique, as it is produced, processed, and often sold entirely on the farm.

Quebec Province leads North America in maple syrup production. Vermont has successfully built an association with maple products; however, Pennsylvania is a major producer, generally ranking sixth or seventh in the United States. In 2009, Pennsylvania ranked seventh. Other maple states include Connecticut, New York , New Hampshire , Massachusetts , Ohio , Wisconsin , Maine , Michigan , Minnesota , West Virginia , Indiana , Iowa and Virginia .

Sugar maple is the species of choice for tapping to make maple sugar. Other maples such as black and red also yield sweet sap, but on average not as sweet as that flowing from sugar maple. Tapping done properly generally does little harm to the tree. Trees 10 to 18 inches in diameter (at 4 1/2 feet above the ground) receive one tap. Trees larger than 18 inches can have two. Tap holes are made by boring a 5/16 inch diameter hole at a slight upward angle into the tree to a depth of 1 1/2 to 2 inches. A hollow spout or spile is then gently tapped into the hole to fit snugly. Commercial maple producers collect sap in stainless steel buckets or weave a web of plastic tubing to connect trees and move sap to a common collection point. Small producers, working with only a few trees, can collect sap in clean plastic jugs (e.g., milk cartons) suspended from the spile.

Eventually sap is brought to the sugarhouse where an evaporator concentrates the sugar and turns the sap into the amber-colored syrup.
After filtering to remove "sugar sand," mineral substances in sap concentrated in the boiling process, producers grade their product.

Syrup grades depend on color (i.e., light, medium or dark amber) and flavor. Syrup by law has at least 66 percent sugar solids. The volume of sap needed to make a gallon of syrup varies with the concentration of sugar in the sap. Sap sugar content of sap varies from tree to tree, from less than 1 percent to rarely 10 percent. Normally, it is about 1.5 to 3 percent. Approximately 43 gallons of sap with a 2 percent sugar content yield one gallon of syrup.

Learn more about the maple syrup process by visiting a producer during the maple season. Look for steam rising from sugarhouses across the maple regions. Also consider visiting one of the state's many maple festivals to learn more about this sweet industry. The Endless Mountains Maple Syrup weekend is March 20 and 21 from 10 a.m. â€“ 4 p.m. The Northwest Maple Association hosts a maple weekend March 20 and 21 from 10:00 a.m. â€“ 4:00 p.m. The Potter-Tioga Maple Association Maple Syrup weekend is March 27 and 28 from 10:00 a.m. â€“ 4 p.m. The Northeast Maple Association, Penn State Cooperative Extension and Wayne County Conservation District are sponsoring a maple tour on March 20 and 21. During these weekends sugar makers open their operations and are available to answer your questions.

To find sugar makers participating in the Maple Weekends, visit these websites: Potter â€“Tioga at http://www.pamaple.com , Northwest at http://www.pamaple.org , and Endless Mountains, visit http://bradford.extension.psu.edu/NResources/mapletour10.pdf for the event brochure. For the Northeast Tour contact Ed Pruss at Wayne Co. Cooperative Extension at (570) 253-5970 ext. 4110 or call Paul Reining at (570) 253-0930.

The Somerset Maple Association also invites you to their annual Pennsylvania Maple Festival March 20-21 and March 24-28 in Meyersdale, PA. For more information go to www.pamaplefestival.com .

If you would like additional information on making maple syrup, visit the Pennsylvania Maple Syrup website at: http://maplesyrup.cas.psu.edu .

Weekender: Out of the snow (or not)

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Weekend fun around the region

Feline friends

The 11th annual International Allbreed & Household Pet Cat Show is held 2 to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Riveredge, 2017 Bernville Road, Reading. More than 200 cats from 50 breeds will compete for regional and international awards. Cat owners are invited to bring a photo of their favorite cat for judging in the Spectator Feline Photo Ring. Admission is $6, $5 for children 6-12 and seniors over 60. A $1 discount is offered with the donation of a can of catfood to be given to an area shelter. Call (610) 376-6711 or visit www.riveredgedining.com.

After the thaw

The Atlantic City International Power Boat Show is under way through Sunday at the Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Convention Blvd., Atlantic City, N.J. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $12, free to youth 15 and younger. Call (212) 984-7000 or visit www.acboatshow.com.

Making music

- Pianist and J.S. Bach specialist Angela Hewitt joins the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in concert at 8 p.m. Friday at the Williams Center at Lafayette College, Hamilton and High streets, Easton. Tickets are $29. Call (610) 330-5009.

- "Who's Bad — The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band" is featured at 8 p.m. Friday at the American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster. Tickets are $28. Call (800) 648-4102 or visit www.amtshows.com.

All-out tribute

Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company presents an all-Alwin Nikolais evening of contemporary dance and multimedia theater at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $25. Call (610) 758-2787.

Merrymaking

The SnowBlast Winter Festival is held Friday and Saturday in the Borough of Emmaus at various locations. Recreation and entertainment events from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday include ice sculpture, the SnowBlast Blizzard Ball, the Frostbite Fun Run, live music and more. Call (484) 201-0026 or e-mail info@snowblastwinterfestival.org.

'Green House' effect

The Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown offers "The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and Design" in the Kress Gallery Sunday through May 30.

Organized by the National Building Museum in Washington D.C., the exhibit explores new trends in green technology, materials and design while answering questions such as: What makes a house green? Is a green house healthier, safer and more comfortable? And is it esthetically appealing?

An opening party is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 11. RSVP to (610) 432-4333, ext. 29. Admission for this exhibit is $7 in addition to the regular admission of $6 for adults, $4 for seniors 60+ and students, $3 for children 6-12, and free to children under 6 and to all on Sundays. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Visit www.allentownartmuseum.org.

Lunar new year

Celebrate the Year of the Tiger noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Garden State Discovery Museum, 2040 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, N.J. Admission is $9.95 for ages 1 and up, $8.95 for seniors. Learn more at (856) 424-1233 or www.discoverymuseum.com.

Weekender: Hot tickets

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Hot tickets

- Shinedown, Puddle of Mudd and Skillet are in concert at 7:30 tonight at the Stabler Arena, 124 Goodman Drive, Bethlehem. Tickets are $37.50. Call (610) 758-6611.

- The Sovereign Center, 700 Penn St., Reading, hosts Winter Jam 2010 with headliners Third Day and Newsboys at 7 tonight. Tickets are $10. Martina McBride and Trace Adkins are featured at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $49.75 and $59.75. Call (800) 745-3000.

- The British Invasion not only plays the songs of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, etc., but also the groups considered the "American Response to the British Invasion" that were around during 1965-69. The concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville, concludes with a performance of side two of "Abbey Road." Tickets are $20, $24 at the door available. Call (610) 917-1228.

Blue heaven

Blue Mountain Ski Resort, 1660 Blue Mountain Drive, near Danielsville, hosts its the Blue Winter Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Highlights include dog sledding, ice carving, snow sports vendors, musical entertainment, and snow sports demonstrations. Get more information at (877) 754-2583.

Tasty week

- Bethlehem Restaurant Week is Sunday through Feb. 6. Get a multi-course lunch and dinner for one fixed price at participating restaurants. Contacting the restaurant directly with reservations is recommended. Parking will be free courtesy of the Bethlehem Parking Authority. Get the complete list of restaurants at www.bethlehemrestaurantweek.com.

- Souper Bowl 2010 means a variety of soups from area eateries from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Banana Factory, 25 W. Third St., Bethlehem. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, free to children 8 and under. Call (610) 332-1300 or visit www.artsquest.org.

Kids in mind

Winter Weekends for Families are at the Brandywine River Museum, Saturday through Feb. 28. Receive a free family guide and a museum discovery game sheet. Enjoy an interactive museum journey using the audio tours (rent one for $3, get a second one free) designed for children 6-12. The museum is on Route 1, Chadds Ford. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and admission is $10, $6 for seniors 65+, students and children 6-12. Call (610) 388-2700.

Buster being Buster

At 2 p.m. Sunday, the Theatre Organ Society of the Delaware Valley presents "Steamboat Bill Jr.," starring Buster Keaton, at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville. Featuring Wayne Zimmerman on the Rodgers Trio Deluxe Theatre Organ, this event is a fund raiser for the TOSDV Organ Restoration projects. Tickets are $10, $5 for children under 12. Call (215) 780-0831 or visit www.tosdv.org.

Writer-inspired

From 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, the Black Bass Hotel, 3774 River Road (Route 32), Lumberville, will host "Burns Night," celebrating the life and poetry of Scottish poet Robert Burns. The evening will begin with the "entrance of the haggis," a Scottish meat dish that Burns wrote about in "Address to the Haggis," followed by bagpipe music. After a wine reception, the communal table will be filled with neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes), smoked salmon and roast beef and pudding, as well as raspberry crannichan and cheese and biscuits for dessert. Along with wine, whiskey and port will also be served. Tickets are $100, and Highland dress is optional. Call (215) 297-9260.

January = Judaism

A family-friendly afternoon of music, Israeli dancing, Judaic craft projects, parenting workshops, study sessions and kosher snacks is set for 1:30 to 4:45 p.m. Sunday at Congregation Shir Ami, 101 Richboro Road, Newtown. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia's Kehillah of Bucks County is the sponsor of this inaugural event, which will feature a concert by "Silly Joe" Consiglio. Cost is $10, or a maximum of $18 per family. Call Shelley at (215) 579-9300 or e-mail rrappaport@jfgp.org.

February = chocolate

Chocolate Covered February in Hershey features events for all ages, all month long. New this year is "The Great Hershey Quest," in which guests try to visit as many spots in town on their passports as possible to

enter to win "The Ultimate Chocolate Getaway." Other highlights include the Chocolate Dinner Extraordinaire at the Hotel Hershey and special packages at the Hershey Lodge. The complete schedule can be found at www.hersheypa.com.

Before Chocolate Covered February begins, however, ZooAmerica, near Hersheypark, offers a free Community Weekend 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There will be animal encounters and animal art demonstrations. Call (717) 534-3900.

B-boy style

The Williams Center at Lafayette College, Hamilton and High streets, Easton, presents the hip-hop dance troupe Rennie Harris Puremovement at 8 p.m. Feb. 3. Tickets are $22. Call (610) 330-5009.

How many candles?

Sesame Place, 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, throws a birthday party for Ernie at noon Saturday. The Dine with Me event includes lunch buffet, desserts, character appearances and party favors. Cost is $17 for adults, $14 for children 2-11. Call (866) GO-4-ELMO for reservations.

Next big composer?

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem presents the Family Concert "Young Composers Then and Now," with works written by Mozart and Bach when they were younger than 25. Then new choral works by regional young composers will be performed. It starts at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $17, $6 for students up to age 22. Call (888) 743-3100 or visit www.bach.org.

Affirmative action

Outsider Folk Art and African American Coalition of Reading galleries will collaborate on an art show in honor of Black History Month called "Believe, Achieve, Succeed." The show comprises contemporary mixed media works of more than 100 local, regional and national artists to be displayed Feb. 1-March 26 on the first floor of the Exide Building, 645 Penn St., Reading. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Call (610) 939-1737 or (610) 898-7684.

A couple of jewels

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Museum lovers and day trippers here are a couple places for you to check out.

One hour away is the Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, right there in Wilmington. It’s a very enjoyable one-day visit. Its collection includes “Howard Pyle & American Illustration,” “American Art, 19th Century-Present” and “British Pre-Raphaelites” with special exhibit throughout the year. Check them at http://www.delart.org or call at (302) 571-9590 or (866) 232-3714. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
On a nice day visitors can also enjoy the Copeland Sculpture Garden. Tours of the collection and special exhibits are held on weekends.
If you are spending the day, you can grab a snack at delART Café were light fare is available for purchase.
Admission to the museum is: $12 for adults; $10 for seniors (60 and over); $6 for students with valid ID: $6 for youths 7-18; free for children under 6. And, $25 for families (up to 2 adults and 4 youth.

The Murtogh D. Guinness (yes, from the Guiness brewing company family) collection of historic mechanical musical instruments and automata programmed media, ranging from player piano rolls to pinned cylinders is THE highlight at the Morris Museum in Mooristown, N.J. Not everything is on view, however, this exhibit is a delight. And demonstrations are offered at 2 p.m. Wednesday to Sundays. The museum is at 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, N.J. Check them at http://www.morrismuseum.org or call (973) 971-3700. Pack a lunch for this trip. The museum is about 1 hour and 40 minutes away from Lansdale. There is an admission fee of $10 for adults; $7 for children; $7 for seniors; free for children under 3.

Art and chocolate

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What to do this weekend:

Music town

"Black, Blue & True: To the Tune of Inspiration" is a photographic look at some of Cape May, N.J.'s influential African-American musicians, and the jazz and blues artists who influenced them. It opens Saturday in the Carriage House Gallery of the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., Cape May. The gallery will be open weekends through March 26, then daily through April 18; hours vary. An opening reception will be held at 4 p.m. Jan. 18 and a panel discussion with some of the musicians featured in the exhibit is set for 4 p.m. Feb. 21. Admission is $2, $1 for children 3-12, or free with any Physick Estate tour. Call (800) 275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

Game of science

Opening Saturday at the Whitaker Science Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg, are the exhibits "Carnival of Health" and "Tech City." "Carnival of Health" is a 2,200-square-foot permanent exhibit that promotes health and wellness in a carnival-like atmosphere. Shoot hoops while learning about nutrition in a special version of Pop-a-Shot called "Feed Gorgo." There's also a variation of Whac-a-Mole that promotes hygiene, where you whack germs instead of moles. There's a 16-foot climbing wall, a "React-o-Meter," "See Your Future," and more. On display through March 7, "Tech City" lets kids become engineering experts with 12 activity stations to invent, design, create, build and test if your creations actually work. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays. Admission is $13.75, $11.75 for children 3-12, students and seniors 55+. Call (717) 214-ARTS or visit www.whitakercenter.org.

State spotlight

The State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, presents the musical "Hairspray" at 8 tonight. Tickets are $50 and $55. Comedy "queen of mean" Lisa Lampanelli takes the stage at 8 p.m. Friday. This show is for mature audiences. Tickets are $36.75. The annual Elvis Birthday Bash concert features Scot Bruce as the young heartbreaker and Mike Albert as the seasoned Vegas-style Elvis at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $36 and $41. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheater.org.

Automania in Allentown

Automania returns to the Agri-Plex at the Allentown Fairgrounds, 302 N. 17th St., Allentown. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Get more information at (717) 215-0700.

Wine, cheese, chocolate

Chaddsford Winery, 632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, pairs regional cheeses with their wines at tasting events Saturday, Jan. 23 and 30. Then the winery showcases wine and chocolate pairings every Saturday and Sunday in February. Both of these events will be conducted as sit-down tastings by the winery's staff of wine educators. Cheeses featured for the January pairings will include: Birchrunville Blue and Calkins Creamery camembert-like Noble, plus a colby from Conebella Farm and a goats' milk cheese from Shellbark Hollow. Pairing events will be held at 2 and 4 p.m. Admission is $20 per person and reservations are required. Chocolates for the February tastings will be sourced from é'clat Chocolates in West Chester, and will be held every Saturday and Sunday of the month at 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. Admission is $25 per person and reservations are required. Call (610) 388-6221.

Quartet concert

The Tri-State Jazz Society presents Ed Wise and his New Orleans Jazz Band "Lite" performing the music of Sidney Bechet's Big 4 and Django Reinhardt's American Quartet. The concert is 2 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the Brooklawn, N.J. American Legion Post, 11 Railroad Ave., Brooklawn. Admission is $20, $10 for students. Call (610) 268-5930, e-mail info@tristatejazz.org or visit www.tristatejazz.org.

Toon academia

Pittsburgh's new cartoon museum, the ToonSeum, offers a January lecture series with art

ists and authors. Editorial cartoonist Rob Rogers kicks off the series at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Rogers' cartoons appear regularly in three major metropolitan newspapers, Newsweek and USA Today. His new book is called "No Cartoon Left Behind." On Jan. 23, author Nevin Martell talks about his quest to get the story behind the reclusive and mercurial creator of "Calvin and Hobbes," Bill Watterson. The ToonSeum is at 945 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh. Admission is $4, $3 for students. Call (412) 232-0199 or visit www.toonseum.org.

Save the date

Jan. 21 at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown, the flute and piccolo are highlighted in a Musical Treasure Chest program for families and children at 9:30 and 11 a.m. Tickets are $6. This concert is in the Rodale Community Room. On the mainstage at 7 p.m., it's Mandragora Tango, a collective of tango musicians from Minneapolis dedicated to preserving the musical forms of tango and translating them for today's listeners and dancers. Tickets are $20. Call (610) 432-6715 or visit www.allentownsymphony.org.

Holiday happenings

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Berks barn stars

"Pennsylvania German Barn Stars: A Necessary Re-evaluation of a Folk Tradition" is presented at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, north of Route 422, Birdsboro. For more information, call (610) 582-4900.

Cape May holiday

Cape May, N.J.'s Holiday Preview Weekend is Friday through Sunday. Enjoy a variety of special Christmas tours and events before it starts getting crowded. Highlights include the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at 7 p.m. Saturday, holiday lights, trolley rides, Emlen Physick Estate Christmas tours, Ghosts of Christmas Past Trolley Rides, Santa's Trolley Rides and more.

It's also a Cape May Wine Weekend. The weekend begins at 6 p.m. Friday with a four-course dinner at the Washington Inn, featuring wines themed to the Sunday Wine School Class. Guests will be treated to individual attention from the wine steward. At 3 p.m. Saturday, visit the Cape May Winery for a tour of the vineyard, an introduction to the winemaker's art, and a barrel tasting with cheese and fruit. At 1 p.m. Sunday, it's the Wine School Class at the Washington Inn. The complete package is $135 per person.

For more information or to make reservations, call (800) 275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

Closer than you think

The Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, N.J., combines art, science, theater and history. A highlight of the museum's collection is "The Guinness Collection" of musical machines and mechanical figures, which document the earliest beginnings of today's home entertainment industry. Other current exhibitions include "Horseplay: A History of Equestrian Sports in New Jersey" through Jan. 3; "Global Patterns: Architectural Photographs by Daniel Nadler" through April 18; and "Sculpture by Sassona Norton and from the Collections of the Morris Museum" through Dec. 31. Upcoming special events include a Rock and Mineral Weekend Nov. 28-29, plus programs for children, adults and seniors. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $7, $5 for children, students and seniors, free on Thursdays between 1 and 8 p.m. Call (973) 971-3700 or visit www.morrismuseum.org.

Heard of Sundance?

DeSales University's Screendance Festival features dance works choreographed specifically for being filmed. Check it out at 8 p.m. Friday or 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday at the DeSales University Center, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley. Admission is free. Call (610) 282-3192.

Mural story

Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown, features "The Founding of the State of Liberty Spiritual: Violet Oakley's Studies for the Governor's Reception Room Murals" Sunday through May 23 in the Payne Hurd Gallery. In 1902, young artist Violet Oakley was chosen to create 13 murals for the new state capitol building, which was then under construction. The commission was a milestone in American art, for it was the largest public commission given to an American woman at the time. Her murals depicted the story of William Penn and the founding of Pennsylvania. The exhibition includes 11 of the original oil studies Oakley prepared before painting the actual murals. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $6, $4 for seniors 60+ and students, $3 for children 6-12, free on Sundays. Call (610) 432-4333 or visit www.allentownartmuseum.org.

Jazz at Symphony

Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown, offers a jazz cabaret with Lou Czechowski at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Rodale Community Room. Tickets are $20. Call (610) 432-6715.

Comic and Bruce

The State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, presents comedian Stephen Lynch at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $25 and $35. Bruce in the USA, a tribute to Bruce Springsteen, performs at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $20 and $25. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit

www.statetheatre.org.
Fermented fast

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail wineries hold a Nouveau Weekend 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday to give the public its first opportunity to try the first wines of the 2009 vintage. Get directions and more information at www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com.
Song and dance

- Municipal Opera Company of Allentown presents "Anything Goes" at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 1544 Hamilton St., Allentown. Tickets range from $10-$25. Call (610) 437-2441.

- "Christmas at the Pines" runs through Dec. 27 at Pines Dinner Theater, 448 N. 17 th St., Allentown. Matinees are at 2 p.m. Wednesdays through Sunday, with the meal at noon. Evening performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, and Wednesdays in December, with the meal at 6. Call (610) 926-3702 or visit www.pinesdinnertheater.com.

Popera stars

The Canadian popera tenors known as Destino meld opera, soul, gospel and pop at 7 p.m. Friday at the Zoellner Arts Center's Baker Hall, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $20, $55 if you're attending the dinner at 6 p.m. (wine and beer cost extra). Call (610) 758-2787 or visit www.zoellnerartscenter.org.

On the silk road

2009-11-12T05:57:00.000-08:00

Star simulation

Penn's Peak, 325 Maury Road, Jim Thorpe, presents 2U and Invisible Sun, playing the hits of U2 and The Police, respectively, at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $19 in advance, $24 the day of the show. Call (866) 605-7325 or go to www.pennspeak.com.

'Neck breaking' show

"There, I've Broken My Neck: A Night of Theatrical Disasters," a one-man show by David Kane, chronicles the stories of theatrical mishaps of famous American and British stage actors at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets are $13. Call (610) 432-7961.
Small world

"The World of Miniatures," a display of miniature vignettes exploring the seasons and winter holidays, is on view Friday through Jan. 20 at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut St., Allentown. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $6 adults, $3 for children. Call (610) 435-1074.
Performing arts

The Williams Center at Lafayette College, High Street, Easton, presents the Yamato Taiko Drummers of Japan at 8 tonight. Tickets are $28.

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is in concert at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $20.

"An Evening of A Cappella" features Lafayette's student-led ensembles Cadence, Chorduroys, Quintessence and Soulfege, among others, at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $6. Call (610) 330-5009.
Silky smooth

Opening Saturday and continuing through Aug. 16 at the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th Street, New York, N.Y., is "Traveling the Silk Road: Ancient Pathway to the Modern World." Step back 1,000 years to get a feel for the goods, cultures, and technologies connected with Xi'an, Turfan, Samarkand and Baghdad. Today through Saturday, the museum hosts the Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival, featuring documentaries and guest speakers. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. daily. For more information, call (212) 769-5100 or visit www.amnh.org.

Storage style

Scholar Gregory Huber presents "Barn Styles Across Southeastern Pennsylvania" at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, north of Route 422, Birdsboro. For more information, call (610) 582-4900.
Serious about fun

Pittsburgh has a new museum of cartoon art, called the ToonSeum, that opens to the public at 10 a.m. Saturday at 945 Liberty Ave. The ToonSeum will feature new exhibitions every two to three months, beginning with "Enchanted Drawings: A Century of Animation," featuring original art from Gertie the Dinosaur to SpongeBob Squarepants. Rare artifacts in the ToonSeum collection include an animation director's desk from one of Disney's early studios. And yes, there's a gift shop. Admission is $4, $3 for children 5-17. Visit www.toonseum.org, and for advance tickets for opening weekend, go to https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/87269.
To the Jersey side

A Mano Gallery, 42 N. Union St., Lambertville, N.J., hosts the Bucks County Guild of Craftsmen's fall exhibit and sale, "Arts Across the River." On view Saturday through Jan. 15, the assemblage of work features a variety of fine handcrafts, including fiber arts, jewelry, turned wood, pottery and furniture. For hours and more information, call (215) 862-5122 or visit www.amanogalleries.com.

Music, drama and food

2009-11-05T07:41:00.000-08:00

Events in the region over the weekend:

Reworked classics

- Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem, opens its mainstage season with a new adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," tonight through Nov. 15. It is a show for all ages, but is recommended for older children and adults. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $25, $15 for students and seniors. Tonight's opening show is "pay what you will at the door." Call (610) 867-1689 or visit www.touchstone.org.

Accompanying the show in the Touchstone Gallery will be "The Pleasures and Terrors of a Truthful Reportage: 12 Portraits of Jacques Lecoq" by H. Scott Heist. The exhibit pairs the portraits with their featured use in publications such as the Sunday "New York Times," "Total Theatre" (UK) and "American Theatre." A reception for the exhibit will follow the Nov. 14 performance of "The Tempest."

- "The Sound of Music" was never like this. Doug Elkins and Friends take the recognizable songs from "Sound" and add dance moves associated with George Balanchine, Jose Limon, Paul Taylor and Martha Graham in "Fraulein Maria." Show time is 8 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Williams Center at Lafayette College, High Street Easton. Tickets are $20. Call (610) 330-5009.

Deduce from clues

Friday through Sunday, it's a Sherlock Holmes Weekend in Cape May, N.J. Full weekend packages are available at $180 per couple or $95 per person and include the welcome reception, performances, tour, luncheon and a gift. Weekend overnight packages are also available. The Search for Clues tour on Saturday can be purchased separately. Get more information at (800) 275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

Tasty combo

The Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown, presents "Cocktails & Collecting" from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday. The fall fundraiser features hors d'oeuvres and open bar. Cost is $125. make reservations at (610) 432-4333, ext. 10 or events@allentownartmuseum.org.

Singing rabbi

Neshama Carlebach performs with the Green Pastures Baptist Church Choir at 8 p.m. Saturday at Har Zion Temple, 1500 Hagys Ford Road, Penn Valley. Tickets are $25, $18 for students, $50 for reserved seating, $150 for orchestra seating (comes with a signed CD). Call (610) 667-5000 or go to www.neshamasingsphilly.com.

November already?
Tours of Koziar's Christmas Village begin Saturday at 782 Christmas Village Road, Bernville. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Get a preview at www.koziarschristmasvillage.com. Call (610) 488-1110.

Enjoy the scenery

The 14th annual Trail of Two Cities run/walk over the Ninth Street Causeway in Ocean City, N.J., begins at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Ocean City Transport Center, 10th and Haven Avenue, and ends in Kennedy Park in Somers Point. Registration is $25, $60 for a family of four. Call (609) 525-9300 or (609) 927-2053, ext. 3101.

Breweriana

The Great Northeastern U.S.

Brewery Collectibles Show runs 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in Macungie Park's Memorial Hall, Route 100, Macungie. Admission is $5, free for ages 18 and under.

Colorful costumes, culture

The Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company leaps into the Zoellner Arts Center for a show at 8 tonight. The concert will be in Baker Hall, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $28 and $34. Call (610) 758-2787 or visit www.zoellnerartscenter.org.

For women AND men

Comedian Robert Dubac tackles the age-old question of "what do women want?" in the show "The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?" at 8 p.m. Saturday at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $30 and $35. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

King of horror

Author Stephen King discusses his career during a "New York Times Talk" simulcast viewable at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets are $15, $10 for seniors and students. Call (610) 432-6715.

History, Halloween and hops

2009-10-15T05:36:00.000-07:00

Back in time

- The Conrad Weiser Homestead, 28 Weiser Lane, Womelsdorf, has a French & Indian War Interpretive Sunday going on from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Historic guided tours are at 1 and 3 p.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to talk to re-enactors about the historical context, clothing and equipment of soldiers of the French and Indian War period. Admission is free. Call (610) 589-2934.

- Explore autumn customs, foods, traditional crafts and seasonal fun at Harvest Day 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Washington Crossing Historic Park, Routes 32 and 532, Upper Makefield. Take a look at the 1770s and 1830s in the historic village with a meal cooking on an open hearth, apple cider pressing, a Colonial kitchen garden and more. Demonstrations include coopering (barrel maker), chair caning, blacksmithing and more. Guests can meet the tavern keeper in the McKonkey Ferry Inn, talk to artisans selling their wares and be introduced to the historic uses of herbs. Turn the crank on the cider press, jump into the hay pile and play old-fashioned games. Cost is $8, $6 for children 6-17. Call (215) 493-4076 or visit www.ushistory.org/washingtoncrossing.

Haunted

- In honor of the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe's birth, Hedgerow Theatre, 64 Rose Valley Road, Media, presents "Tales from Poe" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays Oct. 21-Nov. 15. Dr. Morane, who witnesses the death of Poe, is haunted by his ghost and he experiences the worlds of "The Cask of Amontillado," "The Tell-Tale Heart," "Ligeia," "William Wilson" and "The Masque of the Red Death." Tickets are $20 with $3 discounts for seniors and students and $12 for children 18 and under. Call (610) 565-4211 or visit www.hedgerowtheatre.org.

- The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, Route 72 off of Pennsylvania Turnpike exit 266, Cornwall, offers a Halloween Daze and Spooky Knights theme weekend 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 1. Tickets are $29.95, $9.95 for children 5-11. Call (717) 665-7021, ext. 231 or visit www.parenfaire.com.

- From Friday through Halloween, it's Halloween Happenings in Cape May, N.J. The two weeks of specially-themed tours and events including Ghostwriter Trolley Rides, Miss Parmentier's Psychic Teas, Historic Haunts Combination Tours, Phantoms of the Physick Estate and more. Call (800) 275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

Barns, farms, houses

- The Bedminster Land Conservancy holds its fifth annual Barns & Farms Tour 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Walk through working barns that serve multiple uses and visit properties that provide a glimpse of a past era. There will be demonstrations on horseback riding, sheepherding, wood carving and more. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 on Sunday, free to children under 12.

Call (215) 795-2352 or visit www.bedminsterlandconservancy.org.

- Trinity Episcopal Church of Solebury holds its 19th annual House Tour 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Four Solebury stone homes will get their settings, style and furnishings showcased. Tickets are $30. Children under 12 are not permitted. Gourmet box lunches will be offered for $12. Lunches must be pre-ordered and are picked up at Trinity the day of the tour. Call (215) 297-8285 or visit www.trinitysolebury.org/housetour.

Different kinds of Indian

- Seven young, Indian musicians put a contemporary twist on traditional Indian classical music as Shastriya Syndicate and dancer Ramya Ramnarayan perform at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $18 and $22. Call (610) 758-3414 or visit www.zoellnerartscenter.org .

- The Museum of Indian Culture (meaning Native American), 2825 Fish Hatchery Road, Allentown, holds the "A Time of Thanksgiving Festival" from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy Native American drumming, craft and jewelry vendors, food, "lifeways demonstrations," dancing, singing, a children's craft area, Aztec Fire Dancers and more. Admission is $5, $4 for seniors and children 12-17. Call (610) 797-2121 or e-mail info@museumofindianculture.org.

Beer, wine, dessert

- Lehigh Valley Brewfest 2009 is set for 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday in Hugh Moore Park, 2750 Hugh Moore Park Road, Easton. Have a taste of more than 30 microbrewed beers and enjoy food and entertainment. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the gate, $5 for designated drivers. Call (610) 967-6256 or visit www.lvbrewfest.org .

- It's a Chambourcin Weekend 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the nine Lehigh Valley Wine Trail wineries. Chamourcin is the only type of wine that all of them have in common. Get directions and a complete list of special events at www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com.

- The Just Desserts Festival happens 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday in South Side Bethlehem on the luminaria-lit Third and Fourth streets. Enjoy live entertainment and sample more than 30 desserts. Get unlimited desserts for $10, or $1 per sample. Call (610) 841-5831.

Steepest and deepest

The Banff Mountain Film Festival captures the thrill of skiing, kayaking and extreme mountain sports at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Colonial Theater on Bridge Street, Phoenixville. For tickets and information, call Philadelphia Rock Gym at (877) 822-7673.

Rare breed

The Lipizzaner Stallions perform their brand of equine ballet at 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday at the Stabler Arena, 124 Goodman Drive, Bethlehem. Tickets are $22.50, $20.50 for seniors and children 12 and under. Call (610) 758-6611.
Educated Oktoberfest

Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast's "Deutches Kuche Vernuggen" tour/demo is scheduled Friday through Sunday. The package includes a Bavarian cooking demonstration; dinner at Stoudt's, a German themed establishment that makes beer according to the Bavarian Purity Law; and a tour of Landis Valley Museum. The package costs $160. Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast is at 311 E. Main St., New Holland. Call (888) 824-3763 or visit www.harvestmoonbandb.com.

Fall fun

2009-10-01T04:49:00.001-07:00

Events for the week of October 1 - October 8

Musical theater

- The musical "Camelot" is on stage at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $33 and $40. Call (610) 758-3414 or visit www.zoellnerartscenter.org.

- The DuPont Theatre, 1007 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del., presents "Girls Night: The Musical" at 8 p.m. tonight and Friday. Tickets range from $38-$55. Call (800) 338-0881 or visit www.duponttheatre.com.

- Puppets, people surviving in New York City, big dreams with a tiny bank account and adult humor are featured in the musical "Avenue Q" at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Sovereign Center, 136 N. Sixth St., Reading. Tickets range from $38-$65. Call (610) 898-7299.

Big Halloween party

Six Flags Great Adventure, Route 537, Jackson, N.J., presents Fright Fest from 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays, 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays and 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 1. It will also be open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Columbus Day on Oct. 12. Daytime attractions include "Monster Mash Bash - A Tale of Love at First Fright," "Mr. Six's Spooktacular Street Party," "Kidz Scary-oke," the "Get Ready to Wiggle" Halloween show and "Professor Slithers Creepy Critters." After 6 p.m., the ghouls come out and it's strictly for ages 12+ with "The Awakening," "Elvira's Superstition," "Dead Man's Party," two haunted outdoor walking trails and more. Admission is $49.99 plus tax, $39.99 plus tax online at www.sixflags.com, $29.99 plus tax for children under 54 inches tall and disabled patrons. Call (732) 928-1821.

Musical diversity

- Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer perform together in concert at 8 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Williams Center at Lafayette College, High Street, Easton. Tickets are $33.

- Violinist Janine Jansen joins the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra at the Williams Center at 8 p.m. Oct. 7. Tickets are $29. Call (610) 330-5009 or visit www.lafayette.edu/williamscenter.

People of the corn

Miller's Orchards Farm Market, 1515 Fairview Road, Clarks Summit, has a seven-acre corn maze, which pays tribute to the TV show "The Office." Hours through Nov. 1 are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Cost is $8.50, free to children under 2. Call (570) 780-1019 or visit www.millersorchard.com.

Think conservation

Snipes Farm, 890 W. Bridge St., Morrisville, features a Green Living Festival starting at 10 a.m. Saturday with information on organic farming, alternative energy demonstrations, green building construction, music, healthy living workshops, yoga, vendors, family activities and more. The music lineup features Hoots & Hellmouth and Natural Breakdown. General admission is $6.50. Visit www.farmschoolatsnipes.org.

Pioneer spirit

Pioneer Festival is a living history event with Native American and Pennsylvania Dutch pioneer demonstrations of blacksmithing, log hewing, pottery and soap making, story telling, music, tours of the Zeisloff log house and the recreated Fort Everett and more. You'll find it 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Ontelaunee Park, Route 143 off Route 309, New Tripoli. Bring your own seating. Call (610) 298-2309.

All American

The Allentown Symphony Orchestra and guest vocal soloists Julie-Ann Whitley Green and Edward Pleasant perform works by Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein at 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Allentown Symphony Hall 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets range from $25-$45. Before the Sunday performance, there will be a related "Americana: Art and Music in Allentown" presentation at 12:30 p.m. at the Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown. Then there will be light refreshments at 1:30 p.m. in the auditorium, which will be followed by a preconcert lecture at 2 p.m. Symphony patrons will receive a special buy one, get one free discount to view the exhibit "A Force for Change" on Sunday. Call (610) 432-6715.

Toast to October

Oktoberfest 2009 is open to the public and held 5 to 10 tonight, 5 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday in the Grove at the Reading Liederkranz, 143 Spook Lane, Reading. For more information, call (610) 373-3982 or visit www.readingliederkranz.com.

Stroll the Susquehanna

2009-09-03T11:18:00.000-07:00

By: Aixa Torregrosa, Lifestyle Editor

Earlier this summer my husband and I decided to check out Susquehanna State Park in Maryland.
I know, there are plenty of parks and trails around here and Pennsylvania boasts beautiful and scenic natural areas. But we, specially I, had to check it out.
It was worth the effort.
The park is roughly 2 hours from our area and a few minutes off I95 once you go across the bridge over the Susquehanna River near Havre de Grace.
The park runs parallel to the river .
After leaving I95 and the main roads, we drove through some beautiful rolling hills, the smell of honeysuckle -- and dead animals -- in the air.
At the park you can go hiking, camping, boating, fishing, biking, birding, among other activities, and visit the Rock Run Historic Area. For information, check http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/susquehanna.html or call (410) 557-7994
Our visit consisted of walking along the river, getting to enjoy the scenery and biking. We biked the
Greenway Trail which starts at Fisherman’s Park at the Conowingo Dam. We enjoyed a warm (but not too hot) day and were treated to striking views of the river, hundreds of herons to watch and an almost-empty trail. Though it is a long drive, for us, it was worth it. The area is beautiful. We also visited Havre the Grace. It is a quaint town with walkable streets, shops to browse and quite a few restaurants. We didn’t get to any museums, but you can visit the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum, the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum and the Concord Point Light & Keeper’s House among other sites. Check http://www.hdgtourism.com. On another recent visit to Havre de Grace we took mom along and enjoyed walking the 3/4-mile boardwalk alongside the Susquehanna River and from which you can access some points of interest in town including the Concord Point Lighthouse. You can catch sweeping views of the river and enjoy some bird watching. There are some benches along the way and while taking a rest at one of them, we watched a seagull catch a rather large fish, toss it around until it swallowed it and then do a little neck dance to send the unfortunate fish down to its belly.
So head down the Mason/Dixon line. You can make it a day at either place, the park or at Havre de Grace. Both places are worth checking out. And if you stop at Fisherman’s Pak at the Conowingo Dam you may be treated to eagles sightings and the occasional black snake, like the one that scared the bejesus out of me and kept my husband laughing (at me) for a while on that first visit.
Note: Since we still have warm days ahead, do not forget the sun block and the bug spray. Carry your own water as well and take your trash with you after you visit.

Labor Day weekend fun

2009-09-02T11:51:00.000-07:00

By BRIAN BINGAMAN

Barbecue jam

WXPN welcomes the Camden County Backyard BBQ. The free event runs 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday in Wiggins Waterfront Park and Marina, Mickle Street and Riverside Drive, Camden, N.J. There will be activities promoting health and wellness, Cajun barbecue, Latin food, concessions, children’s activities and live music by Robert Randolph and the Family Band, George Porter Jr., Russell Batiste, Brian Stoltz, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Tasha Taylor, 61 North, D-For and Subito Sounds. Go to www.ccparks.com.

Seasons start

- The Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem, opens its 13th season with Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White performing as a trio at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $35 and $40. Call (610) 758-ARTS or visit www.zoellnerartscenter.org.

- Chamber music meets contemporary with Ethel, as the Williams Center for the Arts at Lafayette College, Hamilton and High streets, Easton, begins its Performance Series. The concert is at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $15. Call (610) 330-5009 or visit www.lafayette.edu/williamscenter.

Wine mixed with jazz

Chaddsford Winery, 632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, hosts its Labor Day Weekend Jazz Festival from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday through Monday. Bring your own picnic or purchase food on site. Along with wine tastings, there will be music by the Steve Rudolph Quartet and the Victory Jazz Orchestra on Saturday, Papa John DeFrancesco, and Denis DiB and George Rabbai on Sunday, and the Dave Posmontier Quartet and Budesa Brothers on Labor Day. Cost is $25. Call (610) 388-6221.

Nordic peoples

Celebrate the history and culture of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden during Scandinavian Fest from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at Vasa Park, 1 Wolfe Road, Budd Lake, N.J. Highlights include craft and gift vendors, more than 50 performers on four stages, children’s activities, a Viking longboat, folk dancing and more. Admission is $14, $13 for seniors, free to children under 12. Visit www.scanfest.org.

Higher purpose

Christian rock, hip-hop and singer-songwriters, plus guest speakers, a BMX team and a skateboard team, will all be a part of Revelation Generation on Friday and Saturday at Revelation Farms, 45 Fitzer Road, Frenchtown, N.J. Headliners include Mercy Me, Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, Relient K, Barlow Girl, Underoath, Flyleaf and more. Tickets are $45 for Friday, $50 for Saturday, $85 for both days. For the complete schedule, go to www.revgen.org.

Stars of bluegrass

The Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music presents the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival, Friday through Sunday at the Salem County Fair Grounds, Route 40, west of Woodstown, N.J. Musical flavors include bluegrass, old-timey, Cajun music and Scottish- and French-related Canadian music. The bill includes Marty Stuart, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, The Grascals, Marty Raybon & Full Circle, The Gibson Brothers, April Verch, Dan Paisley & The Southern Grass and the Steep Canyon Rangers. A Children’s Stage will be in operation on Friday and Saturday and will feature the Give & Take Jugglers, magician Chris Capehart and folksingers John and June Gallagher. Call (302) 635-3001 or visit www.delawarevalleybluegrass.org.

Labor Day traditions

- Long’s Park, 1441 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, is the site of the Long’s Park Art and Craft Festival. Besides the works of 200 artists and craftspeople, there will be special events at 2 p.m. featuring other arts — writing on Friday, floral design Saturday, wearable art and jewelry on Sunday and culinary arts on Monday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, till 5 p.m. on Labor Day. Tickets are $10, $12 for a multi-day pass. Visit www.longspark.org.

- The 66th annual Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show and Country Fair is held 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday through Labor Day at the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds, just beyond the intersection of Routes 100 and 401, Glenmoore. On Saturday, the show will feature classes for younger riders and schooling classes. Hunters and jumpers, ranging from adult and child beginners to top regional competitors, will compete Sunday and Monday in sidesaddle, equitation, pleasure and classes for families, pairs and hunt teams. The show’s highlight, the Association Jumper Classic, will begin at 1 p.m. Monday. Exhibitions will feature the Pickering Hunt Pony Club competing in mounted games, and the Thorncroft Mainstreamers, a six-horse, 13-member drill team consisting of riders with and without disabilities ranging in age from 11-15. The Country Fair provides rides, games, shopping, entertainment, food and a tent with games and activities for kids. There will also be an antique and classic car show Sept. 7. Admission $7, $3 for children 12 and under. Call (610) 458-3344 or visit www.ludwigshorseshow.org.

Kids are king

- The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire offers free admission for children 5-11 (with a paid adult admission) during a Children’s Fantasy weekend, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Mount Hope Estate and Winery, Route 72, south of Pennsylvania Turnpike exit 266, Cornwall. Special activities this weekend only will be a birthday party with Queen Elizabeth, a “Children’s Interactive Music Workshop,” a Children’s Parade, children’s Renaissance crafts and entertainment from Mikael the Mime, Fool Hearty and Empty Hats. Tickets are $29.95, $9.95 for children 5-11. Call (717) 665-7021, ext. 231 or visit www.parenfaire.com.

- Help summer go out with a bang on Sunday as Sesame Place offers a dinner luau at 7:30 p.m. followed by a fireworks display at 8:30. Adults can enjoy the luau feast for $22 and children ages 2-11 are $16. The park is on Sesame Drive, Langhorne. Admission is $50.95, free for children under 23 months. Call (866) GO-4-ELMO or visit www.sesameplace.com.

Fly Eagles, fly

2009-07-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

Weekend fun

Taking flight

Philadelphia Eagles training camp returns to the campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem. The rookies report starting Sunday, while the veterans start July 29. A popular activity is the autograph sessions that take place following the morning practice. Get the schedule and directions at www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/trainingcamp.html.

Sculpting statements

"Homage to Baskin" explores the work of sculptor and graphic artist Leonard Baskin, Sunday through Nov. 8 in the Payne Hurd Gallery at the Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown. Baskin's subjects include mythology, predatory birds, Old Testament themes, images reflecting death and the frailty of man, literary and artistic figures and social consciousness. At least 16 works will be displayed, including "Crow," one of his best known sculptures. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $6, $4 for seniors 60+ and students, $3 for children 6-12, free to members, children under 6 and to all on Sundays. Call (610) 432-4333 or visit www.allentownartmuseum.org.

Like the movie

The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut St., Allentown, presents "Living Night at the Museum" on Friday. Visitors go through six different scenes stationed throughout the museum, each featuring a re-enactor portraying a legendary figure from the Old West. One-hour tours start at 5:30 p.m. with a new tour every 15 minutes. The final tour starts at 9 p.m. Admission is $7, $5 for children. Call (610) 435-1074.

Take the train

It's a Kids Fun Weekend on Saturday and Sunday at the WK&S Railroad, 42 Community Center Drive, Kempton. This weekend only, there are free motorcar rides, free ice cream for all train riders, a petting zoo and more. Train rides are six miles round-trip and leave hourly from 1 to 4 p.m. Cost is $8, $4 for children 3-11. Call (610) 756-6469.

Sound of the blues

The 18th annual Pocono Blues Festival takes place Friday through Sunday at Big Boulder Ski Area, 1 South Lake Drive, Lake Harmony. There will be 20 national recording artists on three stages. Hours are 8 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $37 per day, $11 per day for children 6-12. Call (570) 443-8425 or visit www.jfbb.com.

Only handmade

The Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen's Fine Craft Fair returns 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday to the Chase Center on the Riverfront, 815 Justison St., Wilmington, Del. Explore handmade works by more than 170 craftspeople in glass, jewelry, pottery, wood, metal, fabrics, furniture and more. Ten live demonstrations will give visitors perspective into how craftspeople approach their work. Admission is $7 ($1 off with the coupon from the guild's Web site, www.pacrafts.org), free for children under 12.

Wild blue yonder

- One of the highlights of the Warren County, N.J., Farmers Fair is the Hot Air Balloon Festival of Warren County. Check out mass balloon launches, tethered rides and county fair fun, Sunday through Aug. 1. The fairgrounds is off Route 519, north of Phillipsburg, N.J. Admission is $5, $3 for children 5-12. Get the complete schedule at www.warrencountyfarmersfair.org.

- The Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning is held Friday through Sunday at the Solberg Airport, 37 Thor Solberg Road, Whitehouse Station, N.J. It features live music, crafts and hot air balloon launches of balloons shaped like Darth Vader, a giant panda, a golf ball and more. Entertainment includes Al Jardine, One Call, Meaghan Martin, Kool & the Gang and Michael McDonald. Ticket prices vary. Call (800) HOT-AIR-9 or visit www.balloonfestival.com.

Birthday party

Sesame Place, 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, celebrates the "Sesame Street" character Bert with a birthday celebration and fireworks on Sunday. At 7:30 p.m., there will be a luau-themed party with Bert, Ernie and other characters for $22 for adults and $16 for kids. The fireworks follow at 9. Park admission is $50.95, $45.95 for seniors, $47.95 for AAA members, free to children under 23 months. Call (866) GO-4-ELMO.

Great Americans

"Faces of a New Nation: American Portraits of the 18th and Early 19th Centuries from The Metropolitan Museum of Art" is at the Winterthur Museum and Country Estate, from Saturday through Jan. 24. See paintings portraying men, women and children across a span of nearly 150 years, including John Smibert, John Singleton Copley, Gilbert Stuart and Samuel F.B. Morse. Winterthur is at 52 Winterthur Road, Winterthur, Del. Admission is $18, $16 for students and seniors, $5 for children 2-11. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Guided gallery walks through the exhibition are offered every Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 a.m., 1 and 2 p.m. Call (800) 422-1181.

Summer wine party

"Summerfest 2009: Caribbean Jam" happens 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Crossing Vineyards and Winery, 1853 Wrightstown Road, Upper Makefield. Enjoy Caribbean-style cuisine, live music and be sure to wear your favorite island shirt and flip-flops. Tickets are $50. Call (215) 493-6500, ext. 19.

A stay in history

2009-06-26T05:53:00.001-07:00

Looking for a historic weekend getaway for the July Fourth weekend?

AAA Mid-Atlantic has released a list of historic inns that might just put you in a patriotic mood. According to AAA, 1,300 lodging properties are listed as 'historic' in their guides nationwide, including these 15 in the Philadelphia region:

1. Sweetwater Farm Bed & Breakfast, Glen Mills, AAA Three Diamond Rated

This beautifully appointed B&B on 50 acres features suites located in spacious cottages, plus comfortable guest rooms in an 18th-century manor house.

2. Kennett House Bed & Breakfast, Kennett Square, AAA Three Diamond Rated

A stone manor in the Foursquare architectural style, this 1910 house is attractively furnished with antiques and oriental rugs.

3. LaFayette’s Retreat, Lafayette Hill, AAA Three Diamond Rated

Set back amid tall oak trees, the guest house of this inn is quiet, and an on-site restaurant features a brewery with a variety of fresh beers.

4. Cornerstone Inn Bed & Breakfast, Landenberg, AAA Three Diamond Rated

Guest rooms in this Colonial-style country home and its adjacent outbuildings are elegantly furnished with 18th- and 19th-century antiques.

5. Pineapple Hill Bed & Breakfast Inn, New Hope, AAA Three Diamond Rated

Rooms at this stone and frame 18th-century Colonial manor house are traditionally furnished, with each having a private balcony or gas fireplace.

6. Fox & Hound Bed & breakfast of New Hope, AAA Three Diamond Rated

An 1850s stone manor, this B&B is on two-acre grounds; guest rooms offer simple yet tasteful homey decor.

Fox & Hound

7. Aaron Burr House Inn & Conference Center, New Hope, AAA Three Diamond Rated

Guest rooms at this charming Victorian-style 1872 home are furnished with a collection of antiques and feature artistic paint treatments.

8. 1870 Wedgwood Inn of New Hope, AAA Three Diamond Rated

This huge Victorian B&B features wood floors, area rugs, lace curtains and individually decorated rooms with fireplaces, plus a gazebo and a creek.

9. The Brick Hotel, Newtown, AAA Three Diamond Rated

It's said an aide to Napoleon Bonaparte once owned this hotel, which dates from 1764; guest rooms are comfortably appointed.

10. The Thomas Bond House, Philadelphia, AAA Two Diamond Rated

Convenient to downtown attractions, the 1769 Georgian Revival home has rooms from compact to comfortable, with antiques and reproductions.

11. Chestnut Hill Hotel, Philadelphia, AAA Three Diamond Rated

Near shops and restaurants on Germantown Avenue, rooms at this Colonial-style hotel are individually decorated with antique reproductions.

12. Best Western Independence Park Inn, Philadelphia, AAA Three Diamond Rated

This small property, built in 1856, has a boutique-style appeal; afternoon cookies and tea are available daily in the lobby area.

13. Alexander Inn, Philadelphia, AAA Three Diamond Rated

Find a fireplace in the lobby of this seven-story brick inn built in 1900; a parlor/breakfast room has a fireplace, artwork and decorative lighting.

14. Penn’s View Hotel, Philadelphia, AAA Three Diamond Rated

This charming 1828 structure, formerly a warehouse, offers elegant rooms with some upscale details; a few units have gas fireplaces.

15. Tattersall Inn, Point Pleasant, AAA Three Diamond Rated

This 18th-century, plastered-fieldstone manor is nestled in a riverside village close to shopping and restaurants.

Costume glitz

2009-05-14T04:13:00.000-07:00

Hollywood glamor

"Fashion in Film: Period Costumes for the Screen" is on display Sunday through Aug. 9 in the Kress and Rodale Galleries at the Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown. The 36 period costumes span Elizabethan England to 1950s Argentina. The films in which the costumes were used include "Elizabeth," "Evita," "Dangerous Liaisons," "Ever After," "Pride and Prejudice," "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," "Out of Africa," and "Titanic," among others. Mounted photo murals and posters from the films complete the show.

Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission to the exhibit is $5 in addition to regular admission of $6, $4 for seniors and students, $3 for children 6-12, free on Sundays. A Costume Preview Party is offered from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday. Come dressed as your favorite film character and enjoy food, drink and live music. RSVP to (610) 432-4333, ext. 29. Also visit www.allentownartmuseum.org.

'Quiet' time

Duck herding, sheep shearing, old time games, pony rides, horse-drawn wagon rides and more are a part of Farm Animal Frolic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and May 23 and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday and May 24 at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, 1000 Turkey Hill Road, Stroudsburg. The farm comes alive with new baby farm animals, including chicks, baby bunnies, lambs, baby goats and piglets. Cost is $8, $5 for children 3-12. Call (570) 992-6161 or visit www.quietvalley.org.

Tuesday rocks

Buckcherry headlines a rock show with Chevelle, Pop Evil and Royal Bliss at 6:30 p.m. May 19 at the Stabler Arena, 124 Goodman Drive, Bethlehem. Tickets are $39.50. Call (610) 758-3770.

Watch the parade

The Celtic Cultural Alliance holds a 2009 Kilted Celtic Crawl to support the Celtic Classic event starting at 2 p.m. Sunday along Main Street in Bethlehem. The sponsored parade will feature pipe bands and highland dancers. Spectators are recommended to watch from Starters Riverport, 17 W. Second St., Bethlehem. Call (610) 868-9599 or visit www.cca.us.com.

Rhubarb revival

Kitchen Kettle Village, Route 340, Intercourse, is holding its 26th annual Rhubarb Festival and Baking Contest from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Highlights include the Rhubarb Race Car Derby, a Rollicking Rhubarb Stroll, the Rhubarb Whoopie Pie Filling Contest, food sampling, the crowning of the Rhubarb King and Queen, entertainment, cooking demonstrations and more. Call (800) 732-3538 or visit www.kitchenkettle.com.

Have you tried ...

From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, 30 E. State St., Media, hosts the annual Brandywine Valley Craft Brewers Festival. Tickets are $35 online at www.ironhillbrewery.com and $40 at the door. Advance ticket purchase is advised. Call (610) 627-9000.

Offering 'Hope'

The Spring Concert of Hope, a Seeds for Tomorrow benefit concert for American and Iraqi children whose lives have been impacted by the Iraq War, is held 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday at 7248 Groveland Road, Pipersville. Performing will be Slo Mo with Mic Wrecka, Wineskin, Mike Pfeiffer, Best Intentions, The Plucking Grassholes, Hopetown Review, Steph Hayes, Rich Cashman and Hillbilly from Philly. Tickets are $40, $25 for students $25, free to children 12 and under. Call (215) 429-7310 or e-mail amy.mead@mac.com.

Dancing fiesta

Baila Conmigo, a three-day arts festival, is held Friday through Sunday in downtown Allentown with Latino music, dance, film and an International Peace Parade from the Allentown Arts Park to Buck Boyle Park. Get the complete schedule and ticket information at www.artsluminarium.org.

Star power

Saturday and Sunday is "Cookie Monster's 'Me Love Talented Kids' Weekend" at Sesame Place, 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne. Young performers are invited to showcase their talent. Call (215) 752-7070, ext. 222.

Bee in Bethlehem

2009-05-07T04:56:00.000-07:00

Spell it out

The show "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is coming to the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Show time is 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $33 and $40, $26 and $32 for children 17 and under. Call (610) 758-2787 or visit www.zoellnerartscenter.org.

On 'Sesame Street'

"Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music" is at the Stabler Arena on the campus of Lehigh University, 124 Goodman Drive, Bethlehem. Show times are 7 tonight, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $14-$26. For opening night tonight, all seats (excluding Gold Circle) are $12. Call (610) 758-6611.

Beer fans flock

Mount Hope Estate, Route 72, south of Pennsylvania Turnpike exit 266, Cornwall, hosts 30 different breweries for BrewFest on Saturday. The festival is broken into two separate sessions — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Maximize your BrewFest experience with a kickoff Friday night concert at the Swashbuckler Brewery & Restaurant with Scythian and The Punch Brothers. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the music begins at 6. Tickets are $26.95, $75 for the concert and VIP tasting Friday, $40 for designated drivers Friday, $40 for Saturday only, $15 Saturday only for designated drivers. Visit www.parenfaire.com.

Remember Nick Berg

Bergopalooza, a concert to benefit the Nick Berg Memorial Scholarship Fund, is set for noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at The Note, 142 E. Market St., West Chester. Berg was kidnapped and murdered five years ago during the war in Iraq. Bands performing include The Inverse, Steppin' Razor, and Rob Perna and the New Kings of Rhythm. Admission is free. Donations will be accepted and there will be raffles and silent auctions.

Still dancing

"Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance" is at the Sovereign Center, 700 Penn St., Reading, at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets range from $37-$64.50. Call (800) 745-3000.

Misunderstood Mary

First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln attempts to clear her good name during "Tea with Mary Lincoln" with re-enactor Judi Cox at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut St., Allentown. During her lifetime, Lincoln was ridiculed as insane, eccentric and politically corrupt. Admission is $7, $5 for children. Call (610) 435-1074, ext. 14.

Begin with the beat

The Allentown Symphony presents a Musical Treasure Chest concert for ages 3-5 spotlighting percussion at 9:30 and 11 a.m. today and 10 a.m. Saturday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets are $6.

A Jazz Cabaret with The Dave Roper Trio is offered at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Rodale Community Room at Symphony Hall. Tickets are $20.

Call (610) 432-6715.

Water adventures

- Whitewater Challengers, 288 N. Stagecoach Road, Weatherly, plans to take advantage of a whitewater dam release in Lehigh Gorge State Park between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday. Get started by calling (800) 443-8554 or visiting www.whitewaterchallengers.com for rates.

- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Road, near Kempton, offers a Mother's Day Canoe Trip for ages 12 and up on the "Little Schuylkill" on Sunday. Cost is $20 and advance registration is required. Call (610) 756-6961.

Funny business

2009-04-30T05:50:00.000-07:00

Last comics heard of

The State Theater, 453 Northampton St., Easton, brings back the Nobodies of Comedy show. This year's lineup has Ben Gleib, Erick James, Dan Boulger, Nore Davis and Tig Notaro starting at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $25. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Derby Day

The Goggleworks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Reading, celebrates the running of the Kentucky Derby from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday. Watch the race, sip mint juleps, and enjoy entertainment, games, raffles and gourmet food. Tickets are $75. Call (610) 374-4600.

Soul of Orbison

State Theater

The Jersey Shore Rock and Soul Revue pays tribute to Roy Orbison at 8 p.m. Saturday at the State Theater, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $30 and $35. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Before the fame

Children's Day runs noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, Birdsboro, explores the everyday childhood world of frontiersman Daniel Boone. Admission is $5.50, $4 for ages 4-15. Call (610) 582-4900.

Traditions continue

The Museum of Indian Culture's Spring Corn Festival runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 2825 Fish Hatchery Road, Allentown. The grand entrance is at noon and activities include American Indian drumming, craft and jewelry vendors, foods, dancing, singing, a children's craft area, Aztec fire dancers and more. Admission is $5, $4 for seniors and children 12 to 17. Call (610) 797-2121 or visit www.museumofindianculture.org.
Bach to Bach

The 102nd Bethlehem Bach Festival features lectures, concerts, festival luncheons and a buffet dinner over the course of two weekends, Friday and Saturday and May 8-9 at various venues. For a schedule and ticket information, visit www.bach.org or call (888) 743-3100.

Better with wine

- The Bear Creek Wine Festival is held 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Bear Creek Mountain Resort and Conference Center, 101 Doe Mountain Lane, Macungie. Enjoy wine samples at the base of the mountain, live music and seminars. Participating wineries include Blue Mountain Vineyards, Vinecrest Winery, Stonekeep Meadery, Paradocx Vineyard, Boyd's Cardinal Hollow Winery, Cherry Valley Vineyards, Hidden Creek Vineyard and Bastress Mountain Winery. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door with special rates for designated drivers. Call (866) 754-2822 or visit www.bcmountainresort.com.

- The Longwood Gardens Wine & Jazz Festival happens from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Sample wines from 20 Pennsylvania wineries and listen to Joe Baione, Joanne Pascale, Randy Brecker Quintet and Catherine Russell. New this year is a 7:30 evening concert with McCoy Tyner. Daytime tickets are $40, $25 for designated drivers, $15 for ages 5-20. Tickets for the McCoy Tyner concert are $60. Combination tickets are $90, $75 for designated drivers and children 12 and up. Longwood Gardens is at Routes 100 and 52, Kennett Township. Call (610) 388-1000 or visit www.longwoodgardens.org.

Making a difference

"Note By Note," a documentary that follows the creation of a Steinway concert grand piano from forest floor to concert hall, is presented at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Director Ben Niles will take questions from the audience and pianist Vivian Wang will perform. Tickets are $15, $10 for seniors. Call (610) 432-6715.

Rock royalty

Foreigner is in concert at 7:30 May 7 at the Sovereign Center, 700 Penn St., Reading. Tickets are from $39.50 and $49.50. Call (800) 745-3000.

Down to Earth

- Earth Center for the Arts, a nonprofit arts organization at 10 Stable Mill Trail in Tyler State Park, Richboro, hosts a benefit auction at 7 p.m. Saturday. Guests can expect entertainment by local musicians, appetizers, and beer and wine. The live auction is of artwork and the silent auction features art, jewelry, vacation packages, massage, restaurant offerings and gift items. Tickets are $35. Call (267) 218-0290 or visit www.ec4ta.org.

- "Green and Growing," an environmental education event for all ages on the festival grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, is held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and Friday. The festival grounds are off Route 72 south of Pennsylvania Turnpike Exit 266, Manheim. Tickets are $10. Visit www.parenfaire.com or call (717) 665-7021. Also visit www.greatgreenameriafest.com.

Common 'Thread'

"Thread Count," a "loosely woven exhibition highlighting material strength," is presented by the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen's Guilded Tulip Gallery, 252 N. Prince St., Lancaster, from Friday to June 6. Materials used include paper, cotton, reed, silk, glass, felt, wood, pine needles and even dog fur. The gallery is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Call (717) 431-8706 or visit www.pacrafts.org/threadcount.

Grab a lawn chair

The 57th annual Festival of Bands Concert features a pops theme at 3 p.m. Sunday in West Park, 1551 Turner St., Allentown. Admission is free. Call (610) 709-8727.

Doors to history

The Historic Houses of Odessa offers a glimpse of 18th and 19th century Delaware rural farming community lifestyles. This season, the Historic Odessa Foundation offers the new Family Haversack Tour and the exhibit "The Costume of Great Britain" that runs through June.

The Family Haversack Tour stops include a scavenger hunt in the newly restored Corbit-Sharp House; a trip to the Wilson Store in the Brick Hotel and an interpretation of hearth cooking and a discussion of a child's responsibilities in assisting at the hearth in the Collins-Sharp House among other activities.

Tickets for the Family Haversack Tour are $18 per family, with an additional $4, if families want to include HOF's recently launched Living History Education program tour "Freedom Seekers: The Odessa Story." The historic village of Odessa, Del. is between the banks of the Appoquinimink River and Route 13. Call (302) 378-4119 or visit www.historicodessa.org.

Horse power

Gates open at 9:30 a.m. Sunday for the Winterthur Point to Point at the Winterthur Museum and Country Estate, 5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Del. The event is a steeplechase race with tailgate picnicking available, plus an antique carriage parade, a historic Rolls-Royce parade and more. Admission wristbands are $30, $15 for ages 12-20, $5 children for children ages 2-11. Call (302) 888-4994 or visit www.winterthur.org.

Hopewell Furnace

2009-04-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hopewell Furnace operated between 1771 and 1883 near Elverson in Chester County. This iron foundry, which supplied some of the needs of armies fighting the Revolutionary War, used the abundant forests in the area to fuel the massive furnace needed to heat the iron to 3000 degrees. The majority of iron foundry employees were woodcutters, who replaced many of the chestnuts original to the area with oaks. 6000 acres were needed for a sustainable forest to supply a foundry like Hopewell.

The site itself is maintained by the National Park Service, and features not only the original foundry building and outhouses, but also the foundry 'community' that included everything from blacksmiths and charcoal cookers to barns for the horses that carried supplies and finished products.

The site is nestled in a valley next to French Creek State Park, and can be reached by hiking trails from the park. A modern visitor's center offers exhibits and multimedia presentations describing the history and workings of the foundry.

The centerpiece of Hopewell is the foundry building, a large white wood structure with a steeple on top. Inside is the furnace itself, surrounded by the workshops where molds were created. Items forged at Hopewell include weapons, kitchen utensils, tools, pots and pans, and stoves. Many examples of these remain on the premises.

A full-sized, 22-foot working water wheel, fed by a water bridge system from a nearby creek, powered a large bellows that pumped air into the furnace. The current wheel was restored in 2006 and is in operation.

Rock on!

2009-04-16T05:05:00.000-07:00

What's happening the weekend of April 17-19

Holy rock opera!

Living Colour’s Corey Glover is Judas in “Jesus Christ Superstar” at 8 p.m. Friday, and 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $50 and $55. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Opera at ‘Symphony’

Allentown Symphony Orchestra joins forces with the Camerata Singers for “Italian Opera Night” at 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets range from $25-$45. Call (610) 432-6715.

Young and old

Longwood Gardens, Routes 1 and 52, Kennett Township, hosts the Pocono Kite Symphony from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, filling the air with kites. Kids can join the fun by making their own kites. Fee for kite-making kit is $3.50.

April 21 is Senior Day with music, cooking demonstrations, history lectures, guided tours and more 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Younger visitors are also welcome.

Admission is $16, $14 for seniors 62+, $6 for ages 5-22. Call (610) 388-1000 or visit www.longwoodgardens.org.

Revved up for more

The America on Wheels Museum, 5 N. Front St., Allentown, celebrates its one-year anniversary with special events from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, including the debut of the new exhibit “The Bulgari Collection: Automobiles of Elegance,” a program on British cars and an appearance by Herbie the Love Bug. Admission is $7, $5 for seniors 62+, $3.50 for students 6-16. Call (610) 432-4200.

Rebuild at the ‘Rock’

Philadelphia Rock Gym, 255 S. Mount Airy Road, Valley Township, holds a Family Fundraiser with climbing, rappeling, games and more, to benefit the victims of the Coatesville fires 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $20, $15 for children 12 and under. Call (877) 822-7673 or visit www.philarockgym.com.

Rock show

Third Eye Blind is at Moravian College’s Johnston Hall, Elizabeth Avenue, Bethlehem, at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $25. Visit www.moravian.musictoday.com.

Better than class

A French and Indian War Interpretive Sunday with the Pennsylvania Regiment First Battalion is offered noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Conrad Weiser Homestead, 28 Weiser Lane, Womelsdorf. Call (610) 589-2934.

Spirit medium

Postponed from last week, Lifetime TV’s Lisa Williams appears at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $35.50-$45.50. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Dog days now

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Route 345, Birdsboro, somehow knows the birthdate of former First Pooch Fala, who was Franklin Roosevelt’s dog. During Fala Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, enjoy activities that involve getting outside with your dog, including dog competitions, refreshments and more. Call (610) 582-8773 or visit www.nps.gov/hofu.

Part of the ‘Circle’

The annual Artists Circle Show features paintings in a variety of media. Check it out in Schlack Hall at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 203 N. Valley Forge Road, Devon. The show opens at 1 p.m. friday and a Meet-the-Artists Reception is planned for 6 to 9 p.m. Friday. Show hours continue 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Artists Circle is a group of area professional female artists who have been painting and exhibiting together for more than 25 years. Free. Call (610) 688-0122.

Stewart's crew and more

2009-04-02T05:24:00.000-07:00

Stewart's crew

John Oliver, a correspondent on "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart, will be joined by fellow "Daily Show" writer Wyatt Cenac and the show's senior producer Rory Albanese at a program at 9:30 p.m. Friday in Johnston Hall at Moravian College, Elizabeth Avenue, Bethlehem. Tickets are $15. Visit www.moravian.musictoday.com.

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'Four Seasons,' just one night

The Curtis Institute of Music String Orchestra performs an all-Vivaldi program, which includes "The Four Seasons," at 8 p.m. Friday in the Conservatory at Longwood Gardens, Routes 1 and 52, Kennett Township. Tickets are $40 for the concert and $35 to feast on the tapas table that will be available. Call (610) 893-1999.

Double bill

The Williams Center at Lafayette College, High Street, Easton, presents "An Irish Homecoming" Cherish the Ladies and Maura O'Connell at 8 p.m. April 7. Tickets are $20. Call (610) 330-5009.

Hot to trot

A Spring Horse Expo is held 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Annex at the Allentown Fairgrounds, 302 N. 17th St., Allentown. Highlights include live horse demonstrations, lectures and door prizes. Admission is $5, free to children 12 and under. Call (610) 433-7541 or visit www.pahorseexpos.com.

Party like a hippo

It's Buttons the hippo's birthday at the Adventure Aquarium, 1 Aquarium Drive, Camden, N.J. A Bigger Birthday Bash features special activities slated for 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through April 19, including characters from "The Backyardigans," live music, watching as the birthday girl feast on slices of specially made hippo cake, arts and crafts activities and more. Admission is $19.95, $15.95 for children 2-12. Call (856) 365-3300 or go to www.adventureaquarium.com.

Toe to toe

The Moiseev Russian Classical Ballet presents Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" at 8 tonight at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $35 and $40. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Home improvement

The spring Home Show at Stabler Arena, 124 Goodman Drive, Bethlehem, runs 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $6, free to children under 12. Call (610) 432-4101 or visit www.lvba.org.

Herr Rabbit

The Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, 22 Luckenbill Road, Kutztown, holds the Easter on the Farm event 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Singing in the Pennsylvania German dialect, pysanky, food samples, newly hatched chicks, Easter egg dying, home made fastnachts and more will be going on. Admission is free. Call (610) 683-1589.

Get literate

Why is it that many Americans have trouble with basic history and civic literacy? The Le

high Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut St., Allentown, will take this trend head-on when 50 historical organizations convene a free, public History Expo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call (610) 435-1074, ext. 19.

Pirate life

The Swashbuckler Brewery & Restaurant on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, 2775 Lebanon Road, Cornwall, offers the Swashbuckler Pyrate Feaste Friday and Saturday evenings in April. Would-be pirates can carouse with scurvy sea dogs and a dastardly captain whose identity is a bigger secret that the location of Davy Jones' Locker, while devouring a five course meal. Seating for the adult only voyage of the Swashbuckler Pyrate Feaste is 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is $39.95 and includes two complimentary drink tokens. This show is not appropriate for patrons under the age of 18.

Children are invited to form their own pint-sized crew of seafaring adventurers at the special Children's Pyrate Feaste at 12:30 p.m. April 18 and 25. Admission is $13 for children and adults.

Call (717) 665-7021 or visit www.parenfaire.com.

Song and dance

2009-03-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

- "Self (The Remix)" by Double National Poetry Slam champion, Robert Karimi mixes together stories, movement and music to tell the tale of a first-generation child of Iranian and Guatemalan immigrants, struggling to learn about manhood, nationhood and neighborhood. DJ D. mixes live soundscapes with 1980s hip hop, 1970s disco, house music and punk rock. Show times at Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem are 8 p.m. tonight through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are free for tonight's preview, $15, $13 for students and seniors. Call (610) 867-1689 or visit www.touchstone.org.

- "Hairspray" will play one performance at 7:30 p.m. March 25 at the Sovereign Center, 700 Penn St., Reading. Tickets range from $41-$67. Call (800) 745-3000.

- A famous opera singer has been knocked unconscious right before a big performance, as Celebration Theater presents the comedy "Lend Me A Tenor," through March 28 at the 20th Century Club, 84 S. Lansdowne Ave., Lansdowne. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and March 26-28, 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $15. Visit www.celebrationtheater.com.

Name that 'toon

The Colonial Theater, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville, presents Warner Bros./Looney Tunes on the big screen, as they were originally presented, at 2 p.m. Saturday. The lineup is scheduled to include "Duck! Rabbit Duck!"; "Devil May Hare"; "Rabbit of Seville"; "Operation: Rabbit"; "Bedevilled Rabbit"; "Rabbit Hood"; "Cat's Bah"; "Odor of the Day"; Eight Ball Bunny"; "Who Scent You?"; "Punch Trunk"; and "Past Perfumence." Tickets are $4.

It's elementary

Join Sherlock Holmes for a weekend of mystery and intrigue in Cape May, N.J., Friday through Sunday. The mystery unfolds starting at 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Inn of Cape May, 7 Ocean St. There's a Search for Clues tour on Saturday, and on Sunday submit your answer sheet for a crack at the grand prize. Full weekend packages are available at $180 per couple or $95 per person and include the welcome reception, performances, tour, luncheon and gift. Call (800) 275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

'Elegant Enigmas'

The tales and images of Edward Gorey have inspired the latest exhibition at the Brandywine River Museum, Route 1, Chadds Ford. Karen Wilkins, a friend of the artist and author of the exhibit catalog, will be there for a book signing from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday. The catalog is $29.95. Admission is $10, $6 for seniors, students and children 6-12. Call (610) 388-2700 or visit www.brandywinemuseum.org.

On campus

- "Larry Fink: Sense of Sound" is a series of black and white photographs of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. It's in the Williams Center Gallery at Lafayette College, Hamilton and High streets, Easton, from Sunday through May 10. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, till 8 p.m. Thursdays, noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Call (610) 330-5361.

Also, Ballet Hispanico: Palladium Nights is at the Williams Center at 8 p.m. March 25. Tickets are $25. Call (610) 330-5009.

- The Modigliani String Quartet is in concert at at 8 p.m. Friday in the Thomas Great Hall at Bryn Mawr College, 101 N. Merion Ave., Bryn Mawr. Tickets are $18; $15 for seniors; $10 for students; $5 for children 12 and under; and free for Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore students, faculty and staff. Call (610) 526-5210.

- Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem, and the Lehigh University Music Department present the Lehigh University Choir and women's ensemble Dolce in concert for "A Bach Birthday Bash!" in Baker Hall at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Many of the selections will be Bach's sacred music. Tickets are $18 with discounts available. A preconcert lecture starts at 7 p.m. and a birthday cake will be served at intermission. Call (610) 758-2787.

Gather round the fire

Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Churchville Nature Center sponsor a Star Party Campfire Program at 8 p.m. Saturday at the center, 501 Churchville Lane, Churchville. Preregistration is $5, $3 for children. Call (215) 357-4005 or visit www.churchvillenaturecenter.org.

Jazz, classical kids

Enjoy a Jazz Cabaret performance by Fusion Jazz Trio at 7;30 p.m. Friday in the Rodale Community Room at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets are $20.

An Allentown Symphony Orchestra Musical Treasure Chest concert spotlighting viola is offered at 9:30 and 11 a.m. today and 10 a.m. Saturday at Symphony Hall. Tickets are $6.

Call (610) 432-7961.

Last call

The Allentown St. Patrick's Parade will form at the Allentown fairgrounds track near the Liberty and 17th streets gate. The parade will proceed west on Liberty, turn north on 19th Street, west on Tilghman to 25th Street, south on 25th Street to Liberty Street, then east on Liberty Street and disband at the Fairgrounds 19th Street gate. For more information on the parade or the "Best Legs in a Kilt" contest or the pub crawl, both on Saturday, visit www.allentownstpatricksdayparade.com.

Chocolate and Led Zeppelin

2009-03-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

Weekend fun:

Big chocolate bite

The ALS Association invites you to "Hot Chocolate: Take a Bigger Bite out of Chocolate!" from 6:30 to 9:30 tonight at the Adventure Aquarium, 1 Aquarium Drive, Camden, N.J. The chocolate tasting, with chocolate martini bar, chocolate fountains and hot chocolate, will take place in the ballroom and Shark Realm. Cost is $75, $150 including the VIP reception. Visit www.alsphiladelphia.org.

Spine-tingling

LA Theatre Works presents "War of the Worlds" and "The Lost World" at 8 p.m. Friday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Both are presented as radio plays. The 1938 Orson Welles adaptation of "War of the Worlds" set the events in the United States and caused a nationwide panic in 1938 when listeners thought they were hearing a news broadcast of a Martian invasion. In Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World," Professor Challenger leads an expedition through a remote jungle to discover a place where dinosaurs live with ape-men, and the fate of the human race hangs in the balance. Tickets are $17 and $20. Call (610) 758-2787.

Jazzed up

At 8 p.m. Saturday, the Zoellner Arts Center presents the Led Zeppelin Big Band, featuring New York Jazz Repertory musicians and Lehigh University students. Tickets are $15. Call (610) 758-2787.

On stage

- Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem, presents "The Mammy Project" at 8 p.m. tonight through Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Using music, storytelling and historical speeches by Frederick Douglas and Halle Q. Brown, a stereotype is turned into a celebration of empowerment. Tickets are $15 (free tonight), $13 for students and seniors. Call (610) 867-1689 or visit www.touchstone.org.

- The Mozart Festival Opera performs "The Marriage of Figaro" at 8 tonight at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $32 and $37.

"Stomp" bangs out rhythm on everyday objects such as matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters and hubcaps at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the State Theatre. Tickets are $50 and $55.

Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

- DeSales University's Act 3 presents "The Adventures of Aladdin" on March 17-May 2 at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley. Tickets are $8. For show times, call (610) 282-3192.

- Civic Theatre of Allentown's production of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues," part of the V-Day worldwide series of events, will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday. The performance will be in Civic's 19th Street Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown. Tickets are $17. Call (610) 433-8903.

Guitar hero

Classical guitarist Nemanja Ostojic performs a concert program that might feel like a Mediterranean cruise, with musical pieces from Spain, France and Italy. Hear it at 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets range from $25-$45. Call (610) 432-6715.

Don't forget brakes

Blue Mountain Ski Area presents its Cardboard Box Derby on Sunday. Build a float using cardboard, duct tape, string, glue and paper to slide down Vista Trail to the finish line. Registration is at 9 a.m. with the race at 1. View the rules at www.skibluemt.com. Blue Mountain is at 1660 Blue Mountain Drive, Palmerton. Call (610) 826-7700.

Weekend: Films and vultures

2009-03-05T06:04:00.000-08:00

Wild yonder

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour brings a slate of outdoor adventure films to the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville. Films are shown at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $15, $18 at the door. Call the Philadelphia Rock Gym at (610) 666-7673 or visit www.banffcentre.ca.

Enjoy the show

The State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, presents Barrage, a celebration of fiddle music that features contemporary world music and dance. Show time is 7:30 tonight. Tickets are $25.

Irish tenor Ronan Tynan performs at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $40 and $45.

One Night of Queen, a tribute to the music of Queen, takes the stage at 8 p.m. March 11. Tickets are $25 and $30.

Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Spin on tradition

The marching band tradition of America’s top historically black colleges and universities, including steppers and dancers, is brought to the stage in “DRUMLine Live” at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $26 and $32. Call (610) 758-2787.

The Bach Choir and Bach Festival Orchestra present the family concert “Play Bach, The Second Inning” at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Zoellner Arts Center. For ticket information, call (610) 866-4382 or visit www.bach.org.

Happy birthday

Sunday is Charter Day, the anniversary of King Charles II granting a land charter to William Penn in 1681. There will be special activities and free admission at many Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission sites including, The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Third and North streets, Harrisburg; Brandywine Battlefield Park, Route 1, Chadds Ford; the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, north of Route 422, near Baumstown; the Conrad Weiser Homestead, 28 Weiser Lane, Womelsdorf; Washington Crossing Historic Park, Routes 32 and 532, Upper Makefield Township; and more. Visit www.phmc.state.pa.us.

Head for mountains

Fernwood Hotel and Resort, Route 209 and River Road, Bushkill, presents a Tube Fest weekend Saturday and Sunday. Get four tickets to the Fernwood Winter Fun Center snowtubing park and two nights of hotel accommodations, starting from $286. Tube Fest runs noon to 5 p.m. both days with live entertainment, luau themed activities and prize giveaways. Call (888) FERNWOOD or visit www.fernwoodhotel.com.

Friendly vulture

Vultures are often been associated with sinister scenes of death and gothic horror. The East Coast Vulture Festival is out to change that image, from 1 to 10 p.m. Saturday in Wenonah, N.J. Entertainment and education activities will be held in the afternoon at the Wenonah Community Center, East Mantua Avenue and North East Avenue, and in the evening at Wenonah Elementary School, 200 N. Clinton Ave. Call (856) 468-6342 or visit www.eastcoastvulturefestival.org.

Signs of spring?

2009-02-26T06:23:00.000-08:00

Fun for the weekend, and beyond

Rare roadsters

Today through Sunday is the 36th Atlantic City Classic Car Show & Auction at the Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Miss America Way, Atlantic City, N.J. The event features more than 1,000 cars for sale, a flea market with hard-to-find parts and antiques dealers. Hours are 10 to 5 today, 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $20, $5 for children under 12. Parking will be available at Bernie Robbins Stadium on the Black Horse Pike and at Boardwalk Hall. For online tickets, to browse photos of vehicles for sale, bidder preregistration, procedures for selling your classic car, hotel reservations and more, go to www.acclassiccars.com or call (800) 227-3828.

Equine education

The Pennsylvania Horse World Expo returns today through Sunday at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, Cameron and Maclay streets, Harrisburg. Highlights include horse whisperers, seminars, demonstrations, the Wind Rider Equestrian Challenge, a horse-related marketplace, "Theatre Equus, A Musical Equine Revue" and more. Hours are noon to 8 today, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $12, $6 for children 7-12. Reserved seating for "Theatre Equus," which is presented Friday and Saturday, ranges from $12 to $24. Call (301) 916-0852 or visit www.horseworldexpo.com.

Uncorked

During "Barrels on the Brandywine," seven vineyards and wineries of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail will open their tasting rooms and cellars to showcase their 2008 vintages and offer tours and showcase food vendors. Purchase a $25 passport from any participating winery, and it is good for any and every Saturday and Sunday in March. Guests may use the passport for one tasting at each of the seven member wineries, until the passport is used up. There are two new members on the wine trail: Black Walnut Winery and Stargazers Vineyard. Visit www.bvwinetrail.com for directions.

Cartoon tunes

If you first discovered the music of Wagner and Rossini on a Saturday morning in PJs in front of the TV set, you'll appreciate "Music for Cartoons" with the Fireworks Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Elizabethtown College's Leffler Performance Center, College Avenue east of Route 230, Elizabethtown. The program features music from Carl Stalling ("Roadrunner"), Scott Bradley ("Tom and Jerry") and Milt Franklyn ("Bugs Bunny"), all performed live with their original cartoons. An informal Classical Conversation about the evening's program will be offered at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 and $25, half-price for ages 19-26, $1 for ages 18 and under. Call (717) 361-1508 or visit www.gretnamusic.org/tickets.htm.

Got that swing

"Simply Sinatra" is featured at 8 p.m. Saturday at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $25 and $30. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

'Crony'-ism

"A Couple of Cronies," a two-woman show about the perils and joys of turning 50 in the 21st century, is presented at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem. Tickets are $10. Call (610) 867-1689.

God rock

The Newsboys headline a show with December Radio, Vota and Bread of Stone at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Stabler Arena, 124 Goodman Drive, Bethlehem. Tickets are $21 and $27. Call (800) 861-0850.

Opening day

- Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Route 345, south of Birdsboro, opens for the 2009 season Sunday. Listen to the experiences of nine characters from the site's past at audio stations on a new "Voices of Hopewell" program, which will be available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Admission is $4 for aves 16 and older. Call (610) 582-8773 or visit www.nps.gov/hofu.

- Crystal Cave, 963 Crystal Cave Road, Kutztown, opens for the season Sunday. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Sundays. Admission is $11, $7 for children 4-11. Call (610) 683-6765 or visit www.crystalcavepa.com.

Family ties

Sunday through April 30, you can visit both Longwood Gardens and Winterthur, two former du Pont homes, for $20, which includes a guided tour of the Winterthur mansion. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (till 6 p.m. starting in April), Longwood is at Routes 1 and 52, Kennett Township. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, Winterthur Museum and Country Estate is on Route 52, northwest of Wilmington, Del. Call (800) 448-3883.

The play's the thing

2009-02-12T05:33:00.000-08:00

Weekend happenings: On stage

- DeSales University presents “Death of a Salesman,” Feb. 18-March 1 at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley. Wednesday and Thursday tickets are $20, $18 for students and seniors. Friday and Sunday tickets are $23, $21 for students and seniors. Tickets are $24 Saturdays. Show times are 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Call (610) 282-3192.

- Jonathan brings his girlfriend to his parents’ cottage, but then his mom and dad arrive with their extramarital lovers in tow. Then they all get snowed in. “Wintertime,” which contains content not appropriate for children, is staged at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Feb. 18-21; and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $12.

“Cirque Eloize: Nebbia” features music, acrobatic theater and modern circus arts at the Zoellner Arts Center at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $34 and 28.

Call (610) 758-2787.

- The musical “Sweeney Todd” is at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $50 and $55. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Stretch your legs

Bryn Mawr College, 101 N. Merion Ave., Bryn Mawr, presents Ballet X and Miro Dance Theatre simultaneously at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Thomas Great Hall and the Erdman Living Room. Audiences switch venues at intermission. One highlight will be a tribute to Frida Kahlo’s life and work with “Self Portrait.” Tickets are $18, $15 for seniors, $10 for students, $5 for children 12 and under. Call (610) 526-5210.
Jazz and orchids

Longwood Gardens, Routes 1 and 52, Kennett Township, begins a Jazz Club concert series at 7:30 tonight. By suggestion of Marian McPartland of NPR’s “Piano Jazz,” Renee Rosnes will play in the Ballroom. Tickets are $60. Call (215) 893-1999.
You’ll really flip

High school and recreational cheer, gymnastics and dance squads from Connecticut to Florida will compete at the Spirit Unlimited Cheerleading Competition starting at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Miss America Way, Atlantic City, N.J. Spectator passes for ages 9 to adult are $20, $10 for ags 6-8. Call (888) 737-2221 or visit www.spiritunlimited.com.

Hail to the chief

- The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville, presents “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” at 2 p.m. Feb. 16. Tickets are $8, $6 for seniors and students, $4 for children under 13. Call (610) 917-0223.

- To celebrate the life and legacy of America’s 16th president, the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut St., Allentown, will open a year-long tribute to Abraham Lincoln with a Lincoln Bicentennial Birthday Party at 3 today. Feast on Lincoln’s favorite foods and music, plus sign a Lincoln Birthday Card that will be placed on exhibit at the Lincoln Heritage Museum in Illinois. Lincoln re-enactor Robert Costello will also make an appearance. Preregistration is $12. Call (610) 435-1074, ext. 14.

- Open-hearth cooking of foods typical of President Washington’s social class will be prepared during the programs “General Washington’s Favorites” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and “Virginia Elegance” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Washington Crossing Historic Park, Route 32, Upper Makefield. The demonstrations are free. Guided tours are available throughout the day for a fee. Call (215) 495-4076 or visit www.ushistory.org/washingtoncrossing.

A Spectrum Requiem

2009-02-05T12:12:00.000-08:00

By: Dan Sokil

It's been there for more than four decades, and until last October was the only place in Philadelphia where any of our sports teams had actually won a championship. So what better place to spend a few hours and see some Philly history while it's still there, than the Spectrum?

Waiting outside for the rest of my group, I had some time to wander around the outside of the old arena, and was surprised at how similar it felt to games at the Vet during the last season there. The feel of the exterior is very similar, with the near-oval shape of the building and concrete concourses leading up and down from the parking lots...although the ice and snow all over the place was not something you'd see often at baseball games! Still, I was able to visit with some Philly icons who will soon be leaving Broad Street, like Dr. J and Kate Smith.

The statue of Gary Dornhoefer down by the Will Call window is a particularly fun one to look at, because only from above can you see the puck actually in the net! The goal was an overtime winner against the Minnesota North Stars, who have since moved to Dallas, and Dorny has recently retired from years of broadcasting with the team. I wasn't around for those classic Broad Street Bullies, but get the impression that the goal Dorny scored was as great a moment for that generation as the overtime winner Keith Primeau scored in 2000 vs the Penguins...a comparison I like because Primeau had gotten the puck on that play from Keith Jones, who took over in the broadcast booth from Dornhoefer!

Walking around the concourse of the Spectrum is very different from inside it's bigger brother, the Wachovia Center next door. There's only one level in the Spectrum, no big escalators or super high seats, just poured concrete stairs that again are very similar to the old ones at the Vet. Our seats were in section 300, but even though we were only ten or so rows from the roof we could see every play, and that feeling of being right on top of the ice is one of the Spectrum's hallmarks. The ice we watched them play on is the same place the Flyers beat Bobby Orr's Bruins for the Cup in '74, where they beat up the Red Army team from the USSR so badly in 1976 they walked off the ice, and where Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers, perhaps the greatest team in hockey history, took the full seven games to beat Flyers teams led by goalies Ron Hextall and the late great Pelle Lindbergh.

Hextall became the first goalie in NHL history to score a goal here, Eric Lindros and John LeClair first formed the "Legion of Doom" here, and after the big team left the minor league Phantoms won two Calder Cups in the Spectrum. Current Flyer coach John Stevens captained one of those teams and was head coach of the other, and so many current Flyers like Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, and almost all of the young defensemen have worn the Phantoms' purple and orange. In fact, prospect Ryan Parent wore #77 in the game we went to, and we may be seeing him on the big team's blue line for many years to come, along with winger Jared Ross who recently had a league record six assists in the AHL All-Star Game.

It may not have luxury boxes, microbrews at every concession stand or bathrooms on the same floor as the concourse, but the Spectrum is a unique part of Philly history. When it was built in the late 1960s, the only thing down at the Sports Complex area was old JFK Stadium that was built for America's 150th birthday celebrations in 1926. What was once state of the art is now the oldest arena on the block, as the Spectrum literally paved the way for construction of the Vet in 1971, the Wachovia Center (where JFK Stadium used to be) in 1996, and the newest additions to the sports complex, Lincoln Financial Field (2003) and Citizens Bank Park in 2004. I suppose it's fitting that the Spectrum will be torn down after this season: ever since the Vet was closed in 2003, it had been the only building left in Philadelphia where one of our sports teams won a championship. Now that the Phils have finally ended that title drought, the Spectrum will give way to bigger and better things...but one fan I talked to before last weekend's game thinks in this economy, ownership may decide a minor league hockey team is a better bet to draw crowds than the high-end retail and sports bars they had planned to replace it with. It's just my opinion, but it sure seemed like most of the 9,270 who came out to watch the Phantoms play the Albany River Rats on Saturday weren't ready to say farewell to the Spectrum quite yet...

Editor's note: In a twist of fate, the Phantoms were sold February 5 to a group from Pittsburgh. No formal announcement on their fate has yet been made.

Going groundhog

2009-01-29T05:30:00.000-08:00

Prognosticator Phil
Punxsutawney Phil’s official residence is in the Groundhog Zoo at Gobbler’s Knob, 1548 Woodland Avenue Extension, Punxatawney. Groundhog Day festivities begin Friday and continue through Monday, with some going all night Sunday into Feb. 2. Phil’s official winter/spring prognostication will happen at about 7:25 a.m. Feb. 2, but you’ll want to get there much earlier. Check the complete schedule at www.groundhog.org.

On stage

- Media Theater for the Performing Arts, 104 State St., Media, presents “Altar Boyz,” a musical comedy about a religious boy band, with performances through Feb. 15. Show times vary. Call (610) 891-0100 for tickets.

- Looking over the President’s Shoulder, a show based on the diaries of White House butler Alonzo Fields, is at the Hedgerow Theater, 64 Rose Valley Road, near Media. Show times through Feb. 8 are 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays and 1 p.m. Feb. 4. Tickets range from $20-$30, $12 for children. A $3 discount applies for seniors, students and groups. Call (610) 565-4211.

- People’s Light and Theater Company, 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, presents “The Day of the Picnic” through Feb. 15. For show times and ticket information, call (610) 644-3500.

Still talking King

Through March 29, the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut St., Allentown, offers a Martin Luther King Jr. exhibit, which features a signed first edition of King’s 1958 book “Stride Toward Freedom.” At 1 p.m. Saturday, there will be a panel discussion on King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $6, $3 for children. Call (610) 435-1074.

Ready to jam?

Snowboard Friday Night Jams happen Friday nights through Feb. 27 in the Plaza at Big Boulder Ski Area, 1 S. Lake Drive, Lake Harmony. There’s no entry fee and it’s open to all ages. Registration and open practice is from 5 to 6 p.m. The Jam itself is 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. followed by awards. Call (570) 443-8425.

Signature sounds

- Kenny Rogers performs at 8 p.m. Feb. 5 at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $57 and $60. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheater.org.

- “The Pink Floyd Experience” comes to the Grand Opera House, 818 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del. Show time is 8 p.m. Saturday and includes songs from “Dark Side of the Moon,” “Wish You Were Here” and “The Wall.” Tickets range from $31-$37. Call (800) 374-7263.

Waiting for the thaw

The 30th Atlantic City International Power Boat Show runs 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 4, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 5-6, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 7 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 8 at The Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Miss America Way, Atlantic City, N.J. See 600 of the newest, biggest and even greenest, in luxury motor yachts, sport fishers, performance boats, personal watercraft, inflatables, engines, marine accessories, electronics, fishing gear and more.

Also catch free boating and fishing seminars, the Discover Boating Center and Miss Geico. Tickets are $15 $8 for youth 13-15, free to children 12 and under, $25 for a two-day ticket. Call (212) 984-7000 or visit www.acboatshow.com.

Before digital

Sixty Victorian era paintings from a Royal Holloway endowment to the University of London make a stop Sunday through April 12 with “Paintings from the Reign of Victoria” at the Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. Artists include Sir Edwin Landseer, William Powell Frith and Sir John Everett Millais. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $12, $10 for seniors, $6 for students, free to children 6 and under and to all on Sundays, $25 for families. Call (866) 232-3714.

Can you luge?

2009-01-15T05:52:00.000-08:00

Weekend travel ideas:

Can you luge?

Blue Mountain Ski Area, 1660 Blue Mountain Drive, Palmerton, hosts the 2009 Luge Challenge for ages 10 and up Saturday and Sunday. The race starts at 1 p.m., with a training session preceding the race. There will a DJ spinning music, announcing times and explaining the event. For more information, call (610)-826-7700 or visit www.skibluemt.com.

Penguins play

It’s a Big Splash Weekend from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Lehigh Valley Zoo, 5150 Game Preserve Road, Schnecksville. It’s all about pen in January at theguin presentations, feedings, activities, crafts and treats. Admission is $9, $7.25 for seniors, $6.50 for children 2-11. Call (610) 799-4171 or visit www.lvzoo.org.
Concerts of note

- Chubby Checker, and Otis Day & The Knights (the band from the movie “Animal House”) appear at 8 p.m. Saturday at the American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster. Tickets are $55. Call (800) 648-4102 or visit www.amtshows.com.

- The Elvis Birthday Bash concert, featuring Mike Albert and Scot Bruce, starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $35 and $40. Call (800) 999-STATE.

- It’s an evening of blues and soul with James Hunter and Ryan Shaw at 8 p.m. Friday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $21 and $25. Call (610) 758-2787.

- Bob Dorough, who performed the music on almost 50 of the “Schoolhouse Rock” videos, performs with his jazz trio at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets are $20.

Also at Symphony Hall is a Musical Treasure Chest concert for children 3-5, spotlighting the tuba. The program starts at 9:30 today, 11 a.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday.

Call (610) 432-7961 or visit wwwallentownsymphony.org.

- The Lukens Piano Trio is featured at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 7809 Old York Road, Elkins Park. A dessert reception follows the concert. Tickets are $15, $10 for seniors and students, $5 for children under 12. Call (215) 528-0582 or (215) 745-7899.
Look alert, soldier!

Learn about Hopewell Furnace and the Civil War from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Activities include a military camp, classroom, drills and a walk to a cemetery where some Civil War veterans are buried. Admission is free. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is on Route 345, south of Birdsboro. Call (610) 582-8773 or visit www.nps.gov/hofu.
History shows

From Saturday through April 11, see “Family Tree” at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., Cape May, N.J. The exhibit traces the origins, descendants and relationships of Cape May’s oldest and most prominent African-American families. The gallery is open Saturdays and Sundays and President’s Day. Admission is $2, $1 for children 3-12, or free with any tour of the Physick Estate. For hours and more information, call (800) 275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

Winter fun

2009-01-08T05:06:00.000-08:00

All things agriculture

The Pennsylvania Farm Show is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday through Jan. 16 and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Farm Show Complex at Cameron and Maclay Streets, Harrisburg. Admission is free except during the Thursday, Friday and Saturday PRCA Circuit Finals Rodeo. View the complete show schedule at www.agriculture.state.pa.us/farmshow/site/default.asp.

Goes in cycles

“Born to Be Wild: Adventures in the Art of Motorcycle Design” has been extended at the Reading Public Museum through March 8. Among the 46 motorcycles are the Captain America chopper and Billy Bike featured in the film “Easy Rider,” bikes from the first half of the 20th century, contemporary creations such as the dual-engine Two Bad 2, and British and Italian motorcycles. The museum is at 500 Museum Road, Reading. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $8, $6 for children, seniors and students, free to children under 4. Call (610) 371-5850 or visit www.readingpublicmuseum.org.
Tens are wild

Saturday, which is Jan. 10, admission is $10 at Adventure Aquarium, 1 Aquarium Drive, Camden, N.J., because it’s NBC-10 Day. Members of the NBC-10 news team will be at the aquarium to greet viewers and sign autographs. Call (856) 365-3300 or visit www.adventureaquarium.com.
Fiddle champion

Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul are in concert at the Media Theater, State Street, Media. Show time is 8 p.m. Saturday. For ticket information, call (610) 891-0100 or visit www.mediatheatre.org and click on “Events.”

Tunes take you back

The American Music Theater, 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, presents “ABBA - The Music” at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $45.

Then it’s back to the 1960s with Jay & The Americans, The Shangri-Las, and Kenny Vance and the Planotones at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $40.

Call (800) 648-4102 or visit www.amtshows.com.

Balloons or bust

The eccentric “Balloon Freak John Cassidy” is on stage at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville. Tickets are $5 and the show is recommended for ages 4+. Call (610) 917-1228 or visit www.thecolonialtheatre.com.
Visit for free

The Brandywine Museums and Gardens Alliance will waive admission fees on Saturday. The eight participating attractions are the Brandywine River Museum, Route 1, Chadds Ford; Longwood Gardens, Routes 1 and 52, Kennett Township; Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del.; Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, 200 S. Madison St., Wilmington, Del; Delaware Museum of Natural History, 4840 Kennett Pike, Route 52, Wilmington, Del.; Hagley Museum and Library, Route 141, Wilmington, Del.; Historical Society of Delaware, 504 Market St., Wilmington, Del.; Nemours Mansion and Gardens, 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Del.; and Rockwood Park and Mansion, 610 Shipley Road, Wilmington, Del. Visit www.brandywinetreasures.org for links to each of the sites.
Bristol stompin’

Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe St., Bristol, presents Donald Byrd’s Spectrum Dance Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $15, $10 for students. Call (215) 785-0100.

Cue sinister laughter

The week-long “Horrorfest III” kicks off Friday around the country. See “eight films to die

for” at Cinemark’s Lionshead 16, 711 Evesham Road, Somerdale, N.J. Find out more at www.horrorfestonline.com.
Downhill from here

Bikercross, a downhill bike race on the snow at Blue Mountain Ski Area, starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Registration is $20 and starts at 8 a.m. Helmets are required and youth 17 and younger must have a parent sign the race release form. Spectators are welcome. Blue Mountain is at 1660 Blue Mountain Drive, Palmerton. Call Jason at (570) 668-6850 or visit www.skibluemt.com.
Show on the road

“Last Comic Standing” comedians Marcus, Jeff Dye, Louis Ramey, Iliza Shlesinger and Jim Tavare do their thing at 8 p.m. Saturday at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $30 and $35. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Get your Global on

GlobalFEST features world music on three stages at 7 p.m. Sunday at Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St., New York. The lineup includes Calypso Rose, Chicha Libre, Hot 8 Brass Band, Kailash Kher’s Kailasa, L&O, La Troba Kung-fú, Marcio Local, Occidental Brothers Dance Band International, Shanbehzadeh Ensemble, Tanya Tagaq, and Watcha Clan. Tickets are $40. Call Ticketmaster at (212) 307-7171.
Gather round

Enjoy free “Fireside Tales” for children 4-8 and their families at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Wayside Lodge at the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, north of Route 422, Birdsboro. This week’s theme will be the boyhood adventures of Daniel Boone. Light refreshments will be available, and although there’ll be a fire, you should dress warm and bring a blanket. Call (610) 582-4900.

Take a hike

The Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation sponsors a hike in the Tohickon Gorge on Saturday. Departure time is 8:30 a.m. by private car pool from Churchville Nature Center, 501 Churchville Lane, Churchville. Cost is $11. Pre-register by calling (215) 357-4005 or e-mail churchvillenaturecenter@co.bucks.pa.us.
Eye opener

The Goggleworks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Reading, hosts a Second Sunday open house 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Take at look at the day’s schedule of events at www.goggleworks.org/secondsunday.php.

New in the gallery

“Slow Clay: The Ceramic Art of Willi Singleton” is on display Sunday through April 12 in the Payne Hurd Gallery at the Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $6, $4 for seniors and students, $3 for children 6-12, free to all on Sundays. Call (610) 432-4333 or visit www.allentownartmuseum.org.

Roadside America(na)

2009-01-06T17:52:00.000-08:00

In 1935, the Reading Eagle published an article on Laurence Gieringer and his extensive model train setup, which was set up each Christmas for his children.
This was no ordinary train set. Gieringer had been crafting the pieces of this set since he was a teenager, and it had grown in size and popularity.
So Gieringer decided to make the trains a year-round venture, eventually moving in 1941 into a large building near Route 22, which today is I-78 in the Bercks county hamlet of Shartlesville (near Hamburg).
The building, and the train set are both still there, still operated by the Gieringer family, and has entertained generations of visitors ever since.
Visitors enter through a gift shop, stocked with a variety of train-related items, cedar boxes and hex signs. The layout is behind the shop, entered through a door that reminds one of entering an old movie theater. Once inside, the smell of your grandparent's basement washes over you, and the scene in front of you is a pageant of lights and motion.
The layout is about the size of half a football field, and features O-guage trains and 3/8"-foot scale buildings and accessories that have been added through the decades. The dozens of trains than run in the layout range from antique tin trolleys to modern plastic engines; all are are in
excellent condition and working. In addition, many electro-mechanical features dot the layout, from a working merry-go-round and a musical hurdy-gurdy to miniature 'steam engines' and figures dancing in a barn.

Visitors can control many of these features as they circle the layout by pressing the many buttons situated on the edges.

Other features include working fountains, a waterfall and a canal complete with a working mill-wheel.
If you stay long enough, the lights will dim and you will be treated to a 'night pageant' of the layout backed up by a recording of 'God Bless America' and a slide show featuring images of Jesus and various American vistas.
Roadside America captures a time when this country's industrial might made anything seem possible, that any kid's dream could turn into something big. A sign on a model of Henry Ford's first shop advises parents to tell their kids about his story - he was a hobbyist.
And indeed that is Laurence Gieringer's story, a boy who turned his hobby into an attraction that still inspires awe.

Roadside America is open daily September through June 10 am -5 pm, and weekends 10 am until 6pm. In summer the hours are daily 9 am - 6:30 pm, and weekends 9 am - 7 pm. They are closed Christmas Day. Entrance fees are $6 for adults and $3 for children 6-11. 5 and under is free.
They are located off of I-78 at the Shartlesville (exit 23), adjacent to the highway. Shartlesville is near the town of Hamburg, and six miles west of Cabela's Outfitters on I-78. For info: 610-488-6241.

Nevermore

2008-12-22T11:39:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Edgar Allen Poe's 200th birthday

BALTIMORE

Jan. 17, 7 p.m. — Birthday celebration with a Poe tribute performed by actor John Astin, a theatrical performance of Poe's "Hop Frog," a musical tribute to Poe by soloist Paula McCabe, and a sparkling cider toast to Poe led by Astin and Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House and Museum. Westminster Hall, 519 W. Fayette St.

Jan. 18, 4:30 p.m. — Birthday celebration with a Poe tribute performed by actor John Astin, a theatrical performance of "Some Words with a Mummy," a musical tribute to Poe by soloist Paula McCabe, a raffle for a cake in the shape of the Poe Monument designed by Duff Goldman of TV's "Ace of Cakes," and a sparkling cider toast to Poe led by Astin and Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House and Museum. Westminster Hall, 519 W. Fayette St.

Jan. 19, 10 a.m. — Launch of "Edgar Allan Poe: More than a Poet," a new exhibit at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St.

Jan. 19, 10 a.m. — "Edgar Allan Poe Birthday Festival" with tours of the catacombs at Westminster Burying Ground, theatrical readings of "The Raven" and "Annabel Lee," a ghost hunt with author Vince Wilson and an Edgar Allan Poe look-alike contest. Westminster Hall, 519 W. Fayette St.

Jan. 19, time unknown — Appearance of the "Poe Toaster," Westminster Burying Ground, 519 W. Fayette St.

Jan. 31, 7 p.m. — Repeat of Poe birthday celebration, Westminster Hall, 519 W. Fayette St.

Feb. 1, 4:30 p.m. — Repeat of Poe birthday celebration, Westminster Hall, 519 W. Fayette St.

March 27, time TBA — Wine tasting inspired by "The Cask of Amontillado" and other Poe stories, catacombs of Westminster Hall, 519 W. Fayette St.

June 13, time TBA — Performance of Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" and discourse on the history of Westminster Burying Ground and the people buried there, Westminster Burying Ground, 519 W. Fayette St.

Sept. 21-Oct. 4 — Performances of one-man show "POE in Person" by actor David Keltz in a two-week residency at the Baltimore Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St.

October, date TBA — Opening of "Art of Darkness: Inspired by Poe," a new exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr.

Oct. 7, noon — Public viewing of a replica of Poe's body, Poe House and Museum, 203 N. Amity St.

Oct. 7, midnight — Candlelight vigil at Poe's grave with readings of Poe's work, Westminster Burying Ground, 519 W. Fayette St.

Oct. 10, noon — Re-enactment of Poe's funeral service, with a horse-drawn hearse bringing a replica of his body from his home to Westminster Hall and eulogies delivered by actors playing both people who knew Poe and artists inspired by him, Westminster Hall, 519 W. Fayette St.

Oct. 10, 4:30 p.m. — Repeat of Poe funeral service, Westminster Hall, 519 W. Fayette St.

November, date, time and location TBA — Attorneys, a judge and a jury stage a mock trial inspired by Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart."
———
BOSTON

Jan. 15, 7:30 p.m. — Program with lectures by writers Matthew Pearl and Scott Peeples, reading of Poe passages, performance of creative work by BC students and a Poe birthday cake, Devlin Hall 101, Boston College, Chestnut Hill Campus.

Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m. — Screening of film "The Last Days of the Raven," followed by Q&A with co-director, screenwriter and star Brent Fidler, Devlin Hall 101, Boston College, Chestnut Hill Campus.
———

NEW YORK

Jan. 18, 1 p.m. — Birthday celebration with actor Tristan Laurence performing as Poe at the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, 2640 Grand Concourse, Bronx, N.Y.
———

PHILADELPHIA

Jan. 10, time TBA — Actor David Keltz performs as Poe with park ranger Helen McKenna-Uff as his fiancee, Helen Whitman, Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine St.

Jan. 13, 7:30 p.m. — "Great Poe Debate" between Poe scholars Jeff Jerome of Baltimore, Paul Lewis of Boston and Edward Pettit of Philadelphia about what city has the best claim on Poe's legacy, Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine St.

Jan. 16, 6 p.m. — Friends of Poe bicentennial party with park rangers Paul Campbell and Helen McKenna-Uff performing an original piece, "Doppelganger Poes," and a wine tasting of vintages mentioned in Poe's works. German Society, 7th and Spring Garden streets.

Jan. 17, 2 p.m. — Official opening of new Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site exhibits, with a talk by Daniel Hoffman, poet and Poe scholar, 532 N. 7th St.

March 28, 2 p.m. — Scholar David Reynolds discusses "Poe in his Times" and signs copies of his new book "Waking Giant: America in the Age of Jackson, Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, 532 N. 7th St.

April 3, 2 p.m. — UCLA professor and cultural historian Karen Halttunen discusses her book "Murder Most Foul," about how popular tastes were reflected in Poe's Gothic horror stories, Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, 532 N. 7th St.

May 23, 2 p.m. — Tony McGowan, an English professor at the United States Military Academy, speaks about Poe's military experience and how it influenced his writing, Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, 532 N. 7th St.

Oct. 8-11 — The Poe Studies Association's Third International Edgar Allan Poe Conference, Hyatt Regency at Penns Landing

RICHMOND, Va.

Jan. 16, 11 a.m. — First issue ceremony for the 2009 Edgar Allan Poe commemorative stamp, Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St.

Jan. 16, 6 p.m. — Talk by Michael J. Deas, designer of the Poe stamp and author of "The Portraits and Daguerreotypes of Edgar Allan Poe," at St. John's Church, the burial place of Poe's mother, Eliza Poe, 2401 E. Broad St.

Jan. 17, 1 p.m. — "Quest for the Gold Bug: A Tribute to Edgar Allan Poe," an event in which participants walk the streets of Richmond guided by mysterious clues. For information, visit http://ravenchase.com

Jan. 19, 12:01 a.m. — Poe's 24-Hour 200th Birthday Bash, with poetry readings, late-night museum tours, candlelight vigil, birthday cake and opening of new exhibit, "Poe Face to Face: Early Portraits of Edgar Allan Poe," Edgar Allan Poe Museum, 1914-16 E. Main St.

Jan. 19, 7 p.m. — Candlelight walking tour from St. John's Church to Poe Museum, with a Poe-inspired theatrical performance, visits to Poe sites, performance of "The Tell-Tale Heart" and cocktail hour, beginning at St. John's Church, 2401 E. Broad St.

June 25 — Opening of new exhibit, "Ratiocination: Poe the Detective," Edgar Allan Poe Museum, 1914-16 E. Main St.

July 3, 7 p.m. — Opening reception for new exhibit, "Poe's Women," Richmond Public Library, Main Branch, 101 East Franklin St.

July 18, 9 a.m. — Opening of new exhibit, "Poe: Man, Myth or Monster," Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad St.

Cities battle over Poe legacy

By BEN NUCKOLS
Associated Press Writer

BALTIMORE - Pick a major East Coast city at random, and you're likely to find a 200th birthday celebration for Edgar Allan Poe.

The peripatetic Poe — author of "The Raven," ''The Tell-Tale Heart" and other poems and tales of the macabre — was born in Boston on Jan. 19, 1809. He was raised largely in Richmond, Va. As an adult, he migrated between Richmond, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York.

Befitting his difficulty establishing roots, Poe will be feted at birthday parties in those five cities in January. Events will continue throughout the year — including new museum exhibits, performances and readings of Poe's work, academic conferences and, in Baltimore, a reenactment of his funeral that is sure to draw more mourners than the hasty burial itself.

The push to honor Poe dovetails with an escalating debate about the places that were most important to the author's life and work. Fans of Poe, then, can be forgiven if they feel the need to sit and ponder, weak and weary, where best to pay tribute to the author.

"Every city has its claim to fame with Poe," said Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House and Museum in Baltimore.

Baltimore, where Poe died in 1849 under mysterious circumstances, has his grave and a tiny rowhouse he lived in during his mid-20s. There are also houses in Philadelphia, where Poe wrote some of his best-known stories, and New York, where he enjoyed his greatest literary success. Richmond has the definitive Poe museum. Boston doesn't have much besides a plaque near his place of birth, but an enthusiastic English professor thinks the city should — and will — do more.

For promoting Poe, no city can compete with Baltimore, which named its football team the Ravens in his honor. It also has the Poe birthday tradition that fascinates the public — each year, a mysterious visitor leaves a half-full bottle of cognac and three red roses at his original gravesite.

In 1875, Poe's remains were moved to a more prominent spot in the same cemetery, Westminster Burying Ground, alongside his aunt, Maria Clemm. The remains of his wife, Virginia — who was also Maria's daughter — were reburied there ten years later.

There Poe's bones will stay, despite a tongue-in-cheek plea by Philadelphia-based Poe scholar Edward Pettit to dig up the author's remains and rebury them in the City of Brotherly Love, where he wrote many of his best stories, including "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Pit and the Pendulum."

Pettit's immodest proposal, first aired in a 2007 article in the Philadelphia City Paper, was the opening salvo in what he calls the "Poe Wars."

"I'm not crazy. I've never thought that the actual body of Poe was going to be moved," Pettit said. "But that's the metaphor. Philadelphia deserves the bones of Poe in the sense that it deserves to be the standard-bearer of the Poe legacy."

Whether Poe's bones should be moved is open for debate, of course, and on Jan. 13 at the Philadelphia Free Library, Pettit, Jerome and Paul Lewis, an English professor at Boston College, will do just that. Their scholarly showdown is billed as "The Great Poe Debate."

"I don't really have to prepare," Jerome boasted, noting that Baltimore has been the guardian of Poe's legacy since the 1875 dedication of his new grave, which drew hundreds of people, including Walt Whitman.

Boston's claim on Poe is much shakier — Poe left there when he was a few months old and, as an adult, he despised the city and its literary tradition — but Lewis tries to compensate with rhetorical enthusiasm.

"He is arguably — I'm not saying everyone would accept this — the most influential writer who was ever born in Boston, and we should celebrate it," Lewis said.

New York and Richmond have tried to stay above the fray — but they'll take their shots if asked. Their claims are arguably just as strong.

"The work that he did here in New York kind of stands on its own," said Anthony Green, education director of the Bronx Historical Society, who cited "The Raven," ''The Bells" and "The Cask of Amontillado." ''We can let the other cities squabble about it. To us, it's not really a competition."

As for Richmond, Poe described himself as a Virginian and lived there longer than anywhere else. Said Katarina M. Spears, executive director of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum: "We kind of arrogantly feel like it's only if you're really insecure about your connection to him that you need to be actively competing."

Nothing can compete, though, with the mystery and intrigue of the man known only as the "Poe Toaster," and while his annual birthday tribute isn't listed among Baltimore's official bicentennial events, it figures to draw hundreds of people who will try — unsuccessfully, if history is any guide — to get a look at him.

Poe's original gravesite can't be seen from the street, and the toaster always shows up when the cemetery is closed, typically in the wee hours of the morning. Jerome will be inside Westminster Hall, the former church adjacent to the cemetery, with a few invited guests. He won't allow the public or the news media into the building.

Jerome insists he doesn't know the toaster's identity and does nothing to aid or abet him. He tries to be respectful of the tribute, and he hopes the crowd that typically gathers outside the cemetery will do the same.

"I'm a nervous wreck," he said.

Pettit was part of the crowd last January and caught a fleeting glimpse of the toaster as he entered the cemetery. He did not see how the man left. He expects the toaster to try to dupe the throng by showing up earlier or later than usual.

"I think it's going to be a mob scene there," Pettit said. "I don't know how he's going to get in."

There will be plenty of officially sanctioned events in Baltimore and elsewhere. A three-day birthday celebration is scheduled for Westminster Hall. Among the highlights: A tribute to Poe and his work performed by John Astin, best known as Gomez Addams on the 1960s "Addams Family" TV series.

The Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond will be open for 24 hours straight on Poe's birthday. In Philadelphia, the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site will reopen with new exhibits after a renovation. The Bronx County Historical Society plans to host a party on the grounds of the Poe Cottage in the Bronx, N.Y. And at Boston College, Lewis has arranged for lectures by scholars and a screening of a new feature film inspired by Poe's life.

In October, Baltimore will mark the 160th anniversary of the author's death by inviting the public to the Poe House to view a replica of his body. The body will then be taken by horse-drawn carriage to Westminster Hall, giving Poe the proper funeral he never had.

For the diehard Poe enthusiasts, the tributes won't end with the bicentennial year. Jerome insists that Baltimore will continue to take the lead.

"When the bicentennial's over," he said, "all these cities are going to be dropping Poe like an empty bottle of amontillado."

___

On the Net:

Baltimore: http://poebicentennial.com/

Baltimore: http://www.nevermore2009.com/

Boston: http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/english/poe2009.html

New York: http://www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/

Philadelphia: http://www.nps.gov/edal/

Richmond: http://www.poe200th.com/

Christmas in D.C.

2008-12-15T11:35:00.000-08:00

Rockefeller Center may be the best-known holiday destination, but Washington D.C. offers a pretty good show and is less crowded and expensive. The museums are free, and so is the weekend street parking along the mall if you can find it.

Union Station Christmas tree. There is also a large train layout set up here:

National Christmas tree, and the Pennsylvania sub-tree which was decorated by students from Springfield (Montco) ES this year. The trees are located across the street from the White House in a park, featuring decorations from each U.S. state and territory. Concerts, a Santa's Workshop and this fire pit are all at the site:

The National Fire Pit. Just wood, no government documents.

Click here for a good list of Christmas events in D.C.

A Christmas Story

2008-12-05T05:01:00.000-08:00

By BRIAN BINGAMAN

Back in Bethlehem

Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem, presents “Christmas City Follies IX” through Dec. 21. Performances are 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $20, $18 for students and seniors, “pay what you wish” on Thursdays. Call (610) 867-1689 or visit www.touchstone.org.

“Totally Scrooged!,” a solo send up of “A Christmas Carol,” starring Pickles Reese, is staged at Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem. Show times are 7 p.m. Dec. 9-10. Tickets are $15. Call (610) 867-1689.

Lined with lights

Allentown’s Lights in The Parkway opens Friday and continues through Jan. 4 on the Lehigh Parkway, Lehigh Street, Allentown. The drive through light display covers nearly 1œ miles and features lighted trees, light tunnels and animated displays. Admission is $9 per vehicle. For the complete schedule, call (610) 437-7530 or visit www.lightsintheparkway.com.

Living legend

Thomas Kinkade unveils his limited edition “Graceland Christmas” and “Christmas in New York” and will talk about the Thomas Kinkade “Christmas Cottage” film at a special event Friday at the Bucks County Sheraton in Langhorne. Tickets can be obtained at the Thomas Kinkade Signature Galleries in King of Prussia and Peddlers Village. Call (888) 229-1001.

Songs and comedy

The State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, presents Michael McDonald at 8 tonight. Tickets are $55 and $60.

Comedy Central’s Brian Regan takes the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $36.50. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Live soundtrack

The Eric Mintel Quartet performs the music from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Colonial Theater, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville. Tickets are $15, $12 for seniors, $10 for children. Call (610) 917-1228.

Mighty miniature

Bryn Mawr College presents “Great Small Works” in Thomas Great Hall at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday. The show creates toy theater — colossal events of miniature proportions and had been honored with the Jim Henson Award for innovation in puppetry. Tickets are $18, $15 for seniors, $10 for students, $5 for children 12 and under. Call (610) 526-5210.

The Abington Lines Model Railroad Club runs an HO-scale layout during the free holiday open house noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Dec. 13-14, Jan. 3-4, 10-11 and Feb. 7-8 at their clubhouse, 2066 Second St. (Route 232), Richboro. Call (215) 598-7720.

Schuylkill Valley Model Railroad Club opens its clubhouse at 400 S. Main St., Phoenixville, to the public 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 10-11, 17-18 and 24-25. Call (610) 935-1126.
Pampered pets

Y2K9s Barketplace and Doggie Health Fair will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Y2K9s Dog Sports Club, 1000 E. Mermaid Lane, between Stenton and Cheltenham avenues, Wyndmoor. Shop for the pets on your holiday list, check off those “to-do’s” on your pet’s health care list, and treat your dog to a canine massage or a paw-dicure (nail clipping). Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, but no flexi leads, choke or prong collars, please. Visit www.y2k9s.net.
Dickens of a time

The life and legacy of author Charles Dickens will be celebrated Sunday to Tuesday during Cape May’s Dickens Christmas Extravaganza. It includes lectures and discussions with Dickens scholars, readings of his work, performances, tours and a gala feast at Congress Hall’s Harrison Room. Get the complete schedule at (800) 275-4278 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

‘Olde Time’ getaway

www.jimthorpe.org

Jim Thorpe’s 27th annual Olde Time Christmas Festival takes place Friday through Sunday and Dec. 13-14. For more information, visit www.jimthorpe.org or call (888) JIM-THORPE.

Take a holiday drive

2008-11-27T05:21:00.000-08:00

By: Brian Bingaman

Playing with food

“Thanksgiving Leftover Science Weekend” programs are at the Da Vinci Science Center, 3145 Hamilton Boulevard Bypass, Allentown, from Friday through Monday. Activities will include an investigation into the DNA of corn, the way potatoes can light a room, the power of cranberries and more, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Jacobsburg Historical Society will demonstrate turkey calling. Also, explore the physics of model trains from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to noon. Admission is $9.95, $7.95 for seniors 62+, children 4-12, military personnel and veterans. Call (484) 664-1002.

Shopping, shows

- Christkindlmarkt is a family holiday marketplace featuring handmade works, live holiday music, German and Austrian food, St. Nicholas and more, Friday through Dec. 21 at Spring and Main streets, Bethlehem. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $8, $14 for a season pass and free for children 12 and under. Call (610) 332-1300 or visit www.christmascity.org.

- About 140 artisans will be at the 38th annual Belsnickel Craft Show, which runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Boyertown High School, Fourth and Monroe streets, Boyertown. Admission is $4, free to children under 12.

- The “Lehigh Valley Christmas” concert offers holiday favorites in a variety of musical genres from Zen for Primates, Jake Kaligis Band, BC & the Blues Crew, Cambiata, Blackwater Celtic Music, Dave Fry, The WilyGoats, Two Part Invention, Hector Rosado, Don Cunningham & The Cabinet, plus an All-Star Finale. It begins at 7 p.m. Sunday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets are $35. Call (610) 432-6715.

- “Merry Christmas, George Bailey!” is a retelling of “It’s a Wonderful Life” as a live 1940s radio broadcast. See it Dec. 3-14 at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley. Performances are 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets Wednesdays and Thursdays are $20, $18 for seniors and students. Friday and Sunday tickets are $23, $21 for seniors and students. Tickets are $24 for all on Saturdays. Call (610) 282-3192.

- Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem, presents “Christmas City Follies IX” Dec. 3-21. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $20, $18 for students and seniors, and free for the preview on Dec. 3. Call (610) 867-1689.

- Trump Plaza, Mississippi Avenue and the Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J., has “Cirque Dreams: Holidaze” from Friday through Dec. 28. Holiday figurines transform into aerialists, acrobats, singers and dancers in the show. Times are 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 p.m. Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $35 and $25. Call (800) 736-1420.

Where are they now?

“Idols in Concert for the Holidays” features Diana DeGarmo, David Hernandez, Kimberly Caldwell and Constantine Maroulis at 8 p.m. Dec. 3 at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $35 and $40. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

For the health of it

- The PhillyFit Bash runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Bucks County Community College, 275 Swamp Road, Newtown. Highlights include a healthy pet section; kids fitness, games and demos; music by the Klemmer-Hill-Reid Band; a lecture from former Eagles punter Sean Landetta; and more. Admission is $5, free to children under 5. Call (215) 396-0268 or visit www.phillyfit.com.

- The 19th annual Run for Your Health Thanksgiving Day Race and Run/Walk happens Thanksgiving Day at 9 a.m. at the 1 Summit Square Building, Route 413 at the Route 332 Bypass, Langhorne. Registration is $25. Register online through www.active.com or contact the

Bucks County Roadrunners Club at (215) 530-604

New York a bit closer

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center presents a concert at 8 p.m. Dec. 2 in the Williams Center on the campus of Lafayette College, High Street, Easton. Tickets are $25. Call (610) 330-5009 or visit www.lafayette.edu/williamscenter.

Yuletide cheer

The City Rhythm Orchestra performs a seasonal concert, “Holiday Style,” at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville. Tickets are $25. Call (610) 917-1228 or visit www.thecolonialtheatre.com.

Holi-day tripping

- Step back in time to the Georgian world of Jane Austen, and the Yuletide customs evoked from her novels, in scenes and vignettes in the Historic Houses of Odessa’s Corbit-Sharp House Friday through Dec. 31. Also, part of the 2008 Christmas Holiday Tours are the “Family Trees Exhibit” in the Brick Hotel; the “Historic Odessa Foundation Dollhouse Collection” in the Wilson-Warner House; “Scrap Ornament and Dollhouse Collections”; and the “44th Annual Christmas in Odessa.” The Historic Houses of Odessa is an enclave of 18th and 19th century structures in the village of Odessa, Del. Get more detailed information by calling (302) 378-4119 or visit www.historicodessa.org.

- Card games, dolls, puzzles, blocks and sleds have delighted children for generations. See these antique toys and more during “Christmas at Hagley” Friday through Jan. 1 at Hagley Museum and Library, Route 141, Wilmington, Del. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Admission is $11, $9 for students and seniors, $4 for ages 6-14. Call (302) 658-2400 or visit www.hagley.org.

- Kitchen Kettle Village, Route 340, Intercourse, will have a “Simply … Old-Fashioned Christmas,” Friday nights from 5 to 9 p.m. till Christmas. Visitors can enjoy cookie baking, concerts, special overnight accommodation packages, the decorated village and more. Admission is free. For a complete list of events and times, visit www.kitchenkettle.com or call (717) 768-8261.

- To celebrate Ebenezer Scrooge’s miraculous transformation, the newly well-to-do Bob Cratchit invites one and all to a holiday gala unlike any other as Mount Hope Estate & Winery, 2775 Lebanon Road, Cornwall, offers its 25th annual “Dickens of a Christmas,” Friday through Dec. 23. Different rooms in the mansion feature theatrical presentations of “A Christmas Carol,” “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” and “The Gift of the Magi.” A Dickens Dinner Buffet will be offered for $39.95 at 5 p.m., prior to the midweek 7 p.m. shows on Dec. 10-11 and 17-18. A la carte service is available at the Swashbuckler Pub 4 p.m. to midnight Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays, 2 to 8 p.m. Sundays and Dec. 27-28. Friday shows begin at 6 and 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday shows are at 1, 4 and 7 p.m. Additional performances are at 4 and 7 p.m. Dec. 27-28. Limited weekday shows are at 7 p.m. Admission is $19.95 weekends and $17.95 midweek. Admission for children 5-11 is $9.95. Call (717) 665-7021, ext. 231 or go to www.parenfaire.com.

Ice-capades

National, world and Olympic ice skaters from across the Delaware Valley perform 20-minute live shows under the stars at Longwood Gardens, today through Jan. 11. The performances are part of Longwood’s annual Christmas season, which features floral displays, decorated trees, holiday music, 500,000 outdoor lights, dancing fountains and more. Ice skating shows at the outdoor skating venue, near the Chimes Tower, take place at 5 and 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; at 5, 6:30 and 8 p.m. Fridays; and at 3:30, 5, 6:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Longwood is at Routes 1 and 52, Kennett Township. Admission for “Longwood Gardens Christmas” is now by timed ticket. Call (610) 388-1000, ext. 100 or go to www.longwoodgardens.org.

Ready for holiday prime-time

2008-11-20T05:19:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year

A tree-lighting ceremony is set for Saturday at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., Cape May, N.J. The event begins with the reading of “The Night Before Christmas” at 6:30 p.m. The Physick Estate will be open for free from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring Victorian Christmas vignettes. Also, the exhibit “And Old-Fashioned Christmas: Holiday Traditions through the Years” runs Friday through Jan. 4 at the Carriage House Gallery. Admission to the exhibit is $2 for adults, $1 for children 3 to 12 or free with the Physick Estate tour.

Also, Holiday Lights Trolley Rides are planned Friday and Saturday, featuring Cape May’s historic district. A Christmas Carol Tour is also planned for Friday.

Ghosts of Christmas Past Trolley Rides are this weekend as well. For a complete listing of events and more information, call (800) 275-4278 or check www.capemaymac.org.

Dutch Winter Wonderland is open for the season Friday through Dec. 30. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Dec. 29-30, 4 to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Dutch Wonderland, 2249 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, offers seasonal rides, games, food and entertainment. New this year is the Dutch Winter Wonderland Royal Light Show. Admission is $9.95 for ages 3 and up. Call (866) FUN-AT-DW.

Sight & Sound Millennium Theatre’s “Miracle of Christmas” show presents the biblical story of the season through Jan. 3. Tickets are $50, $40 for weekdays, $28 for teens 13-18, $16 for children up to age 12. Show times vary. Note that most Saturday shows are sold out. “Voices of Christmas” also runs through Jan. 3 in the Living Waters Theater. The theaters are on Hartman Bridge Road, Route 896 south off Route 30, Strasburg. Call (717) 687-7800 or visit www.sight-sound.com.

American Music Theatre’s annual Christmas Show continues through Dec. 30, blending secular and sacred Christmas songs and comedy sketches. Prices and show times vary. The theater is at 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster. Call (800) 648-4102 or visit www.amtshows.com.

On stage

"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” is on stage at 8 p.m. Friday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $40 and $33. For more information, call (610) 758-2787.

Hedgerow Theatre, 64 Rose Valley Road, Media, has “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” at 8 p.m. tonight and Friday, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets range from $20-$30. There’s also the family theater production of “Mr Toad and Company” at 11 a.m. Saturday. Tickets range from $9-$11. Call (610) 565-4211 or visit www.hedgerowtheatre.org.

The Garden State Discovery Museum, 2040 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, N.J., presents a medley of Dr. Seuss with “Seuss on Stage” at noon and 3 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Nov. 28-30. Admission is $9.95 for ages 1 through adult, $8.95 for seniors. Call (856) 424-1233.

In style

A celebration of people in fashion if the focus of Lehigh Valley Fashion Weekend beginning with a gala at 7 p.m. Friday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St. For ticket information, check www.lvfashionweekend.com.

Broad imagination

Philcon, the annual convention of the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society, runs Friday through Sunday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 2349 W. Marlton Pike, Cherry Hill, N.J. Special guests include artists Tim Powers and John Picacio, the band The Chromatics, and animator and comic book author Christian Scott Sava. Activities start at 2 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday, when the schedule continues through a midnight movie screening. Sundays events start at 9 a.m., with the wrap up session at 4 p.m. Get a breakdown of the schedule and accommodation info. at www.philcon.org.
Versatility a must

“Double Lives: American Painters as Illustrators” shows that even artists that are held in high regard, such as Winslow Homer and N.C. Wyeth, had to do some moonlighting. See it through Sunday at the Brandywine River Museum, 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Admission is $8, $5 for seniors, students and children 6-12. Call (610) 388-2700.
Keeping it clean

Mike Cabot, Jack Swersie and Todd Charles are the “Clean Voices of Comedy,” performing at 8 p.m. Friday at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $20. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

They love outdoors

The Wildlands Conservancy’s Green Gala 6 to 10 p.m. Friday includes dinner and a live and silent auction with eco-friendly items and gifts for all manner of outdoorsmen. The site is the Brookside Country Club, Willow Lane, Macungie. Tickets are $135. Call (610) 965-4397 or visit www.wildlandspa.org.

‘Fourscore and...’

A Remembrance Day Parade and ceremonies observing the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is set for Saturday. A parade of Civil War living history groups begins at 1 p.m., and there will be a Remembrance Illumination in the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. Call the Gettysburg Foundation for further information at (717) 338-1243.

Make it ‘Great’

The Great Brews of America Classic Beer Festival is held noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Resort at Split Rock, 1 Lake Drive, Lake Harmony. Sample the latest from 50 breweries, food, musical entertainment on three stages, seminars on various beer related topics, crafts and artwork. Attendees receive a commemorative beer glass. A Beer and Food Matching Dinner will be held on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30, $85 for admission and the dinner. Call (570) 722-9111 or visit www.splitrockresort.com/gba.php.

Don’t wait for TV

The National Dog Show will air Thanksgiving on NBC, but you can see it live Saturday and Sunday at the Greater Reading Expo Center, 2525 N. 12th St., Reading. The events start at 8 a.m. each day, continuing into the late afternoon and culminating in Best in Show judging around 6 p.m. Tickets are $10, $5 for children 12 years and under. Call (215) 336-2000.

Sweet anniversary

2008-11-13T05:20:00.000-08:00

WEEKEND TRAVELS

Sweet celebration

Hersheypark Christmas Candylane marks 25 years of Christmas in Hershey. The park is open on selected days Friday through Dec. 31. Rides and entertainment are included in a one-price admission. Visitors can also visit Hershey Sweet Lights, where you can view nearly 600 illuminated displays from your car from 5 p.m. Friday through Jan. 1.

For more information, call (800) HERSHEY or check www.hersheypa.com.

Stories to tell

- Storyteller Jay O’Callahan presents stories of the former Bethlehem Steel plant with “Pouring the Sun” at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $20. On Saturday, a “Creativity through Storytelling Workshop” is set for 2 to 5 p.m. The workshop is presented by O’Callahan and costs $20. For ticket information for both events, call (610) 758-2782 or check www.zoellnerartscenter.org.

- The Lower Brandywine Storytelling Festival starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church, 101 Old Kennett Road, Wilmington, Del. The event offers morning workshops, an open microphone, an afternoon sampler, music and an evening storytelling concert. Storytellers include Bill Lepp, Willy Claflin, Motoko, Ed Stivender, Danaher & MacCloud and Baba Jamal Koram. Admission is free. Call (302) 658-2326 or visit www.lbstoryfest.com.

First vintage

The nine family-owned wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail introduce the first vintages from this fall’s harvest during the annual Nouveau Weekend, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For ticket information, directions and a schedule of events, call (866) 870-7800 or check www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com.

Quiet, please

The annual Quiet Festival in Ocean City, N.J., is set for Friday through Sunday. A weekend of quiet activities, most of which take place in the Art Center Atrium, are planned. Featured free activities include mime performances, silent movies, a “Pet Your Pet” pageant and feather dropping competition. For more information, call (609) 525-9300.

In Atlantic City

A free Native American presentation by Quiet Thunder takes place Sunday at Atlantic City’s Absecon Lighthouse, 31 S. Rhode Island Ave., Atlantic City, N.J. For schedule time and other information, call (609) 449-1360.

Discover this

A Hidden Treasures Studio Tour is set for the areas of Bethlehem, Allentown and Topton from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call (610) 797-1586 or check www.hiddentreasurestour.com.

Eclectic mix

- Cloud Cult performs at 8 p.m. Friday at Baker Hall in the Zoellner Center for the Arts, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. The Minnesota-based band’s show features a pair of painters on stage creating original works, which are then put up for auction. Tickets are $16 and $18.

Featured Saturday also in Baker Hall is “Jazz From Brazil” at 8 p.m. Jazz faculty and students perform bossa novas and sambas. Tickets are $15. For information, check www.zoellnerartscenter.org or call (610) 758-2787.

- A free program by the Lafayette College concert band is set for 8 p.m. Saturday at the Williams Center for the Arts, High Street, Easton. Tickets are required. Call (610) 330-5009.

An “Afternoon of A Cappella” is set for 3 p.m. Sunday at the Williams Center for the Arts at Lafayette College. Tickets are $6. For more information, check www.lafayette.edu/williamscenter or call (610) 330-5009.

The Kronos Quartet performs at 8 p.m. Nov. 19 at Lafayette College’s Williams Center for the Arts off of High Street, Easton. Tickets are $25. For more information, check www.lafayette.edu/williamscenter or call (610) 330-5009.

- A cast of con men, cheats and swindlers expose the secrets of the streets in one wild night of schemes and scams. The show “Hoodwinked” is at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $20 and $25.

Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart share the stage for a country show at 8 p.m. Nov. 19 at the State Theatre. Tickets are $60 and $65.

Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Folksy stuff

A Country Folk Art Craft Show is set for 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Greater Reading Expo Center, 2525 N. 12th St., Reading. Visit www.countryfolkart.com.

Dance moves

- The dance program at DeSales University hosts its third annual Screendance Festival at 8 p.m. Friday and at 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Trexler Room of the DeSales University Center, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley. Screendance is an independent art form that presents dance choreographed specifically for the camera. Admission is free.

- The Liz Lerman Dance Exchange performs at 8 p.m. Friday at the Williams Center for the Arts at Lafayette College. Tickets are $20. For more information, check www.lafayette.edu/williamscenter.

F- Annex Dance Company presents “Chronicles,” a collection of works inspired by relationships that have been built and broken, at 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday at The Icehouse at Sand Island, 56 River St., Bethlehem. Tickets are $15, $12 for students and seniors. Visit www.annexdance.org.

Take the train

- “Holiday Trains & Trees” opens Saturday at the Whitaker Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg. The model train display continues through Jan. 4. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $17.25, $14.25 for ages 3-12, $15.75 for students and seniors 55+.

- Showing at the Select Medical IMAX Theater is “The Light Before Christmas” Saturday through Jan. 4. Other fees apply to the IMAX. For more information, call (717) 724-3854 or check www.whitakercenter.org.

Out of the Depression

The National Park Service and Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, 2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, invite the public to a 1940s Holiday Dinner celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps, a “New Deal” employment program that did preservation projects at the site. The event starts at 6 p.m. Saturday at the historic Superintendent’s House on Route 345. Reservations are $25. Call (610) 404-7463.

Musical mastery

The 2008 Tournament of Bands Atlantic Coast Championships are held Saturday and Sunday at J. Birney Crum Stadium, 20th and Linden streets, Allentown. Tickets are $20, $14 for students. For the schedule, call (732) 302-9588 or visit www.tob.org/accfinal.htm.

Can't wait for Christmas?

2008-11-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

Can’t wait for Christmas?

Koziar’s Christmas Village, 782 Christmas Village Road, Bernville, marks its 60th anniversary season of various Christmas tableaus through Jan. 4. General hours are 6 to 9 p.m. weekdays, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $7, $6 for seniors, $5 for children 6-12. Call (610) 488-1110 or visit www.koziarschristmasvillage.com.

Romantic comedy

- Aspiring comedian Matilde is unhappy cleaning Lane’s house. Lane, a doctor, takes Matilde to the hospital in the hopes of curing her depression. When Lane’s life unravels, Matilde searches for the perfect joke. The play “The Clean House” is staged in the Diamond Theater at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Show times are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Nov. 12-15, 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12. Call (610) 758-2787.

- Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe St., Bristol, presents “Absurd Person Singular” Nov. 11-30. The play takes place in the kitchens of three married couples at Christmas. Show times vary. Tickets range from $29-$37, $10 for students. Call (215) 785-0100 or visit www.brtstage.org.

It swings

- The New York Jazz Repertory Orchestra’s “A Tribute to the Big Bands” is featured at 8 p.m. Friday in Baker Hall at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $18. Call (610) 758-2787.

- The 1940s musical revue “In the Mood” is on stage at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $25 and $30. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Flavors to savor

The seven vintners of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail celebrate the end of grape harvest season with a Vintner’s Dinner 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday in the Longwood Gardens East Conservatory and Ballroom, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Township. KYW-TV’s Pat Ciarrochi will emcee. Joel Peterson of Ravenswood Winery will speak and blind 11-year-old singer Rocco Fiorentino will perform. Cost is $135 and includes a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception with live piano music, dinner paired with wines from the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail and dancing to the Brass Ensemble of the Kennett Symphony. Call (866) 390-4367 or visit www.bvwinetrail.com.

Strumming up business

Speaking of Longwood Gardens, a new fall Guitar Series in the Ballroom features Tim Farrell Saturday, The Florian Trio Nov. 15 and Jay Smar Nov. 22. Concerts start at 1 p.m. Gardens admission is $16, $14 for seniors, $6 for ages 5-22. Call (610) 388-1000 or visit www.longwoodgardens.org.

Smock rock

The band BoyintheShade presents multimedia music and storytelling for the 2- to 7-year-old age range at 6 p.m. Friday in the Gateway Auditorium at Bucks County Community College, 275 Swamp Road, Newtown. Tickets are $10. Visit www.bucks.edu/cultural.

Paintings plus

The Philadelphia Water Color Society’s 108th anniversary International Exhibition of Works on Paper is on display Nov. 10-Dec. 19 in the McKinney and Long galleries in Mitchell Hall at West Chester University, Church and Sharpless streets, West Chester. Admission is free and gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays, closed Nov. 24-30.

Making memories

The America on Wheels Museum, 5 N. Front St., Allentown, hosts a Moonlight Memories Gala 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call (610) 432-4200 for more information.

On target

The Mid Atlantic Arms Collectors presents a weapons show 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Greater Reading Expo Center, 2525 N. 12th St., Reading. For more information, call (570) 679-

2250, e-mail maacpsse@echoes.net or visit www.maacpsse.com.

Powers of deduction

Help Sherlock Holmes and Watson solve the “Music Box Murders” during a Sherlock Holmes Weekend in Cape May, N.J., Friday through Sunday. Friday evening the actors and audience assemble for dessert, coffee and tea. Prizes will be awarded for Victorian costumes and doors open at 8:30 p.m. Saturday is the Search for Clues tour with a review of the clues in Holmes’ study at 3:30 p.m. Discover if your guess is right at brunch with the cast on Sunday. For pricing information and a schedule of event times, call (609) 884-5404 or visit www.capemaymac.org.

Jonesing for jazz?

The Cape May Jazz Festival runs Friday through Sunday at various venues in Cape May, N.J. Friday night’s opener kicks off with “A Tribute to Maynard Ferguson” featuring a 16-piece big band. Pieces of a Dream headline Saturday night, while Sunday’s lineup features the Little Jazz Giants and Xcluzive. Throughout the weekend will be jam sessions and complimentary workshops. For tickets and a complete schedule, call (609) 884-7277 or visit www.capemayjazz.org.

Vintage Lenox

“The Lenox Legacy: America’s Greatest Porcelain, 1889–2005” is on view through 2009 at The Newark Museum, 49 Washington St., Newark, N.J. From its founding in Trenton in 1889 as the Ceramic Art Company to the closing of its last New Jersey factory in 2005, Lenox has been associated with fine American porcelain. Since 1918, Lenox has also been the manufacturer of the official White House china, and examples of three presidential services (Wilson, Truman and Reagan) will be on display as part of this exhibition. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $9, $6 for children, seniors and students. Call (973) 596-6550 or visit www.newarkmuseum.org.

More weekend fun

2008-10-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Start your engines

“Legends of Speed” roars into the America on Wheels Museum Saturday through April 1. The exhibit will feature more than 30 oval-track racecars and include a tribute to former Nazareth resident Mario Andretti. The Museum is at 5 N. Front St., Allentown. Admission is $7, $5 for seniors 62+, $3.50 for ages 6-16. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Call (610) 432-4200.

Home on the road

The Fall Atlantic City RV Show runs noon to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10, $7 for seniors and youth 12-17. Call (800) 332-3976.

Concert watch

The Dave Brubeck Quartet is in concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at Central Moravian Church, 73 W. Church St., Bethlehem. Tickets are $50, $250 for reserved seating and a preconcert dinner party. Call the Back Choir of Bethlehem at (610) 866-4382 or visit www.bach.org.

“Creation Festival, The Tour” features Kutless, Pillar, KJ-52, Run Kid Run, Esterlyn, Thousand Foot Krutch, Worth Dying For, Fireflight, Children 13:3 and speaker Bob Lenz at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Stabler Arena, 124 Goodman Drive, Bethlehem. Tickets are $22, $25 at the door. Call (610) 758-6611.

The State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton, presents Joy Behar from “The View” at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets range from $42-$52.

Connie Francis sings with a 21-piece orchestra at 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $54-$75.

Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Beyond history books

Scott New becomes 18th century frontiersman Daniel Boone at 2 p.m. Sunday (Boone’s birth anniversary) at the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, off of Route 422, near Baumstown. Hear about how

after escaping from Shawnee captivity and defending Fort Boonesborough, Boone was court martialed for “collaborating with the enemy.” The First Pennsylvania Regiment will also hold a flintlock shoot in the rifle range before and after New’s presentation. Call (610) 582-4900.

Not so secret

Joseph Petro, a Secret Service agent during the Reagan administration, presents “How the Secret Service Protects the President” at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut St., Allentown. Petro will also share his account of life in the White House and stories about Mikhail Gorbachev, Pope John Paul II and Yassir Arafat. Museum is $6, $3 for children. Call (610) 435-1074.

All ages

The Greater Reading Expo Center, 2525 N. 12th St., Reading, is the site for the Redner’s Family Expo 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Information for prospective parents, Guitar Hero tournaments, Radio Disney, Acoustic Roadshow, and the Diaper Derby are some of the activities. Admission is $5, $3 for seniors 55+ and children 3-12, free to babies 2 and under. Call (610) 898-9900 or visit www.rednersfamilyexpo.com.

Holiday spirit

The Pines Dinner Theatre, 3045 High Hill Road, Slatington, presents “A Mountain Music Christmas” Saturday through Dec. 21. Matinees are Wednesdays through Fridays and Sundays. Lunch is served at noon for a 2 p.m. show. Evening shows are Fridays through Sundays. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. for an 8 p.m. performance. Tickets are $43, $42 for seniors 60+, $16 for children 3-12. Tickets for the show only are $25, $10 for children 3-12. Call (610) 926-3702 or visit www.pinesdinnertheatre.com.

Get involved

Have you ever wanted to milk a cow, chat with an Amish farmer over a cup of coffee, or make a batch of your own homemade jam? In Lancaster, you can experience:

The Amish VIP (Visit In Person) Tour , a new offering from the Amish Experience at Plain & Fancy Farm in Bird-in-Hand built around intimate, small-group interaction with Amish farmers, craftsmen and families. Participants in the three-hour tour visit a farm at milking time, an Amish cottage industry such as a weaving shop and an Amish home, where the family hosts guests for an evening chat.

The Farmer’s Apprentice program at Verdant View Farm Bed & Breakfast in Paradise. Milk cows, gather eggs, make preserves, feed calves or assist with planting or harvest activities.

“Cannin’ and Jammin’” at Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse allows visitors to head into its Jam & Relish Kitchen, roll up their sleeves, and work alongside local farm women employed at the village.

Get all the details from the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau by visiting www.discoverlancasterpa.com.

Classical kids

Allentown Symphony’s “Musical Treasure Chest” is a combination of storytelling and a concert for children 3-5 seated on the carpeted floor of the Rodale Community Room at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Violinist Stefan Xhori is the guest musician at 9:30 and 11 a.m. today and 10 a.m. Saturday. Tickets are $6. Call (610) 432-6715.

Election Day escapism?

Take a break from the strain of the current election and

revisit the political climate of 32 years ago via two different films about the Watergate scandal at the Colonial Theater, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville. “Dick,” rated PG-13, is on the big screen at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 3 and 5:30 p.m. Nov. 4. Then, it’s “All the President’s Men,” rated PG, at 3 p.m. Nov. 4. Tickets are $8, $6 for seniors and students. Call (610) 917-1228.

At the Trop

2008-10-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

It's not exactly a day trip, but Reporter staff writer Dan Sokil has some insights to share about Tropicana Field in Saint Petersburg:

My grandparents live down south of St. Pete, and for each of the past few years we've gone to catch (Devil) Rays games at Tropicana Field. The first thing you notice about going to games at the Trop is that it's about as different as you can get from going to games here in Philly. Instead of the crazy Philly tailgating scene, the Trop has a fancy tile walkway leading in from the parking lots, and instead of WIP or WMMR blasting in the parking lots, all you hear is Latin music and the breeze in the palm trees. I've gotten some nasty sunburns at the Vet and CBP, and worn more layers of clothing than I can count to keep from freezing at Eagles games, but once you're in the dome it's t-shirt and shorts weather every time. Outside, the Florida weather ranges from sunny and humid to rainy t-storms, but inside the dome is always a nice air conditioned 72 that you don't even notice once the game starts.

Once you're inside the rotunda (after buying your field level tix for $25 the day of the game), these kind folks greet you giving away gameday programs that are very helpful for those of us who keep scorecards. To the right is the team store (first floor is all Rays gear and second floor is Ted Williams stuff), to the left and right are concourses that have been totally re-painted in the last few years, from a dingy grey to the new team's light on dark blue, and there you'll find the speed pitch, food stands including a mini Outback Steakhouse, the typical ballpark stuff...until you go up the stairs to the center for the Ray tank.

Installed in '06, the ray tank is probably the most unique part of the Trop. You take a ticket and come back at your assigned time, kind of like an amusement park ride, and in groups of 15-20 you can go walk up and stick your hand into the tank and pet some de-stingered rays. On the way in, the Tampa aquarium officials who are on hand tell you to pet the rays on their undersides, near their mouths where they are smooth and kind of slimy, instead of on their backs where you could damage their spines. Most of the rays were about the size of a normal piece of paper, but there were a few babies that were closer to the size of a CD case who could really scoot around the tank! And of course, a handful of ray food (dried fish you could hold and they'd suck out of your hand) was only $5.

The tank itself is in right center field, and was installed before the 2006 season by the new ownership group headed by NY based investor Stu Sternberg. The new ownership group is VERY young, Sternberg is only in his 40s and general manager Andrew Friedman is only 31, and they have put quite a bit of money into refurbishing the Trop. For example, compare and contrast the scoreboards from 2004 and 2007:

In this '04 game, as we see the forgettable Travis Harper pitching to the great Ichiro, both teams' lineups are listed in center field on a very primitive number and position lightboard, and in right field two more basic text light boards flank one very 20th century video screen. By '07, however, the team had replaced those old text boards with color video boards, flanking a high definition video board that shows the lineup at all times. Around the ads, there is now quite a bit of decorative latticework too, and notice how the year before they changed the team's uniform colors they were already trying to play up the blue and white...

Very similar, notice in '04 how the facing of the left field upper deck has a very simple text board showing only out of town scores, and the pitch speed and time are on simple digital scoreboards next to the Majestic ad in left-center. By '07, those had been replaced by fancy video boards, very 21st century because they can say everything from "Welcome to Tropicana Field" to a player's BA/OBP/SLG/OPS, and that party porch looks like it has been cleaned up a little too!

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Another big difference I've noticed over the years has been the crowds. My first game at the Trop was in 1998, during the team's first week, and we were waaaaay up in the back row of the upper level. I hadn't seen any crowds that full until the recent playoff run they are on, but the Trop is notorious for large road crowds like the one in this '07 game against the soon to be World Champion Red Sox. Notice, behing Big Papi at the plate, all of that Red sox red in the stands, and compare it to the crowd for this '06 game against the Blue Jays, where despite Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay pitching for Toronto, most of the fans there decided to dress like empty seats.

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But my favorite part about going to games at Tropicana Field is how easy it always is to get good tickets to see good teams and players. For example, in May of '05 I was able to buy these second row tickets (the bald dude is stadium security in the front row) the day of the game, and saw the eventual World Champion White Sox play that night. Number 30, their first base coach, is stolen base master and potential future Hall of Famer Tim Raines.Those empties in the upper level had been tarped off by this season to keep the seating capacity low, but now that the Rays are in the World Series (having beaten both the White and Red Sox to get there), they may well be filled with Rays fans...unless, of course, we Philly phaithful make our presence known there too!

And yet another sign of those upgrade: the boards showing attendance and the final linescore. In '06, we can see only 9,217 people went to see "Doc" Halladay beat the Rays for his 15th win of the season, but by the next year the video boards (not to mention the walls behind) had gotten just a little snazzier when Josh Beckett won his 20th. Attendance for that Red Sox game, according to Retrosheet.org, was 27,369. Little did we know going in that we'd see that year's AL champions and 2008's that night...and that the two teams would play such a dramatic Game 7 there a year later! The Trop only has a few years left, because the new front office is planning to build a spectacular new park on the St. Pete waterfront (see www.MajorLeagueDowntown.com for renderings), but mascot Raymond (8584) should make the move to the new ballpark, and after this season they'll have a pennant to fly there forever!