There is something to satisfy almost every interest in Chester County. Longwood Gardens is nationally famous for its numerous varieties of flower and plants. Chester County has several prominent museums including the Brandywine River Museum (housing a large collection of Andrew Wyeth paintings) and the Wharton Esherick Museum. Historic Yellow Springs is also a favorite of art lovers. Area theaters such as The people's Light and Theater Company, Footlighter’s Theatre and Hedgerow Theater produce original plays throughout the year.
Some popular activities in the county are seasonal events, like the Kimberton Fair, displaying arts, crafts and home-making skills. The Devon Horse Show and County Fair held in May are big crowd pleasers. Hayrides abound from May to October (including haunted ones) and pick-your-own pumpkin patches and cut-your-own Christmas tree farms are plentiful.
Dance patrons also have several options for seeing live ballet performances from top-notch companies like the Chester County Ballet/Harrison Dance Studios, Crance Performing Arts School, West Chester Ballet Theatre, the Brandywine Ballet and the world-famous Pennsylvania Ballet in Philadelphia and the Russian Ballet Theater of Delaware in Wilmington.
Just about every major rock band tour hits a venue in the Delaware Valley and Philadelphia's popular music scene includes many diverse venues. A number of Chester County bars present live music on a weekly basis, from rock, pop, and folk to country-and-western.
Festivals galore! Annual special events run all year through. Starting with the West Chester Festival of the Arts, the Chester County Hospital May Fest and Brandywine hospitals Strawberry Festival in the Spring; summers schedule includes the Delco Scottish Games, Yellow Springs Craft Show, the Kimberton Community Fair, and the Philadelphia Folk Festival; Chadds Ford Days in early September begins the busy fall schedule which features the Chester County Restaurant Festival and Longwood gardens Mum Festival; the varied, and quite extensive list of Christmas holiday events include Christmas at Longwood, Candlelight Christmas in Chadds Ford and Old Fashioned Christmas in West Chester.
Equestrian events also rank high on the entertainment popularity scale in the area with such premier events as the Radnor Hunt Races, the Devon Horse Show and the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup.
Other Special events around the Delaware Valley which are perennially top draws are the Philadelphia International Auto Show, the Irish Music Festival, the Philadelphia Flower Show, Mellon Jazz Festival, The Philadelphia Boat Show, Welcome America!, the Philadelphia Home Show, American Indian Pow-Wow, the Philadelphia Craft Show and the Philadelphia Art Show.
Find out all you want to know about "what’s happening" in Philadelphia -- http://www.phillylife.com/
Find out more about what's happening in Chester County:
Chester County Historical Preservation Coordinator West Chester, PA 610.344.6917
Chester County Historical Society, West Chester, PA 610.692.4800
American Helicopter Museum, West Chester, PA 610.436.9600
Phillips Mushroom Museum Kennett Square, PA 610.388.6082
The Christian C. Sanderson Museum Chadds Ford, PA 610.388.6545
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Elverson, PA 610.582.8773
Historic Yellow Springs Inc. Chester Springs, PA 610.827.7414
Thomas Newcomen Library & Museum Exton, PA 610.363.6600
Historic Wynesborough Paoli, PA 610.647.1779
Wharton Esherick Museum Paoli, PA 610.644.5822
Chadds Ford Historical Society Chadds Ford, PA 610.388.7376
John Chad House Chadds Ford, PA 610.388.7376
Barns-Brinton House Chadds Ford, PA 610.388.7376
Brandywine River Museum Chadds Ford, PA 610.388.2700
Brandywine Battlefield State Park Chadds Ford, PA 610.459.3342
1704 Brinton House Dilworthtown, PA 302.478.2853
Chester County Court House West Chester, PA 610.344.6000
Downingtown Log House Downingtown, PA 610.269.1523
Hibernia Ironmaster's Mansion Coatesville, PA 610.384.0290
Valley Forge National Historic Park Valley Forge, PA 610.783.1077
Chester County Art Assn. West Chester, PA 610.696.5600
McKinney Gallery West Chester, PA 610.436.1000
Chester County Tourist Bureau, 117 W. Gay Street, West Chester 19380 610.344.6365 Brandywine Valley Tourist Info. Ctr., P.O. Box 910, Dept.. 9, Kennett Sq.., 19348 800.228.9933 Longwood Gardens Kennett Square, PA 610.388.6741 Herr's visitor's Center Nottingham, PA 800.284.7488 Mushroom Festival Kennett Square, PA 610.444.0774 Country Samplers Springtime Market West Chester, PA 610.431.3762 Devon Horse Show & Country Fair Devon, PA 610.964.0550 Chadds Ford Winery Chadds Ford, PA 610.388.6221 Birmingham Octagonal Schoolhouse Birmingham Rd (off Rt.. 926, next to
Birmingham Friends Meeting) Caln Octagonal Schoolhouse Municipal Drive (off Rt. 30, between Downingtown
& Coatesville) Paoli Octagonal Schoolhouse Diamond Rock & Yellow Springs Rd. (N. of
Paoli)
Kennett Symphony Orchestra Chester County Center for the Performing Arts Gilbert & Sullivan Society
West Chester & Barleysheaf Players Actors Lab Theatre Company Newtown Square, PA 610.892.4201 The Annenberg Center Philadelphia Box Office 215.898.6791 The Bucks County Playhouse New Hope, PA 215.862.2041 Footlighters Theater Berwyn, PA 610.296.9245 Forge Theatre Phoenixville, PA 610.935.1920 Forrest Theatre Philadelphia, PA 215.923.1515 Freedom Theatre Philadelphia, PA 215.765.2793 Hedgerow Theatre Wallingford, PA 610.565.4211 The Painted Bride Art Center Philadelphia, PA 215.925.9914 The People's Light & Theatre Company Malvern, PA 610.644.3500 The Society Hill Playhouse Philadelphia, PA 215.923.0210 Walnut Street Theatre Philadelphia, PA 215.574.3550 The West Chester & Barleysheaf Players Lionville, PA 610.363.7075 The West Chester University Dept.. of Speech Communication & Theatre West Chester, PA 610.436.2533 DINNER THEATRE The Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre Lancaster, PA 717.898.1900 Lily Langtry's King of Prussia, PA 610.337.5459 Rainbow Dinner Theatre East Paradise, PA 800.292.4301 The Riverfront Dinner Theatre Philadelphia, PA 215.925.7000 Three Little Bakers Dinner Theatre Wilmington, DE 302.368.1616 MOVIE THEATERS AMC Painters Crossing Concordville, PA 610.558.4793 AMC Granite Run 8 Media, PA 610.891.6440 AMC Marple Crossroads Springfield, PA 610.328.5348 AMC Concord Mall 2 Concord, DE 302.478.5579 Coventry 8 Pottstown, PA 610.323.3200 Exton Cinema Exton, PA 610.594.6244 REGAL Lionville 12 Lionville, PA 610.594.1700 REGAL Brandywine 16 Wilmington, DE 302.479.0753 United Artists Theaters King & Queen Valley Forge, PA 610.365.2776 United Artists Theaters at the Plaza King of Prussia, PA 610.265.3456 COMMUNITY MUSIC ORGANIZATIONS CHESTER COUNTY BAND, Chester County Community Concert Band seeks members.
Fugett Middle School, West Chester. Weds. 8 p.m. Information: 610-269-3736. COLLEGE/COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA, Musicians sought, Immaculata College (Alumnae
Hall) King Road, south of Rtes 30 and 352. Rehearsals Thus. 7-9:30 p.m.
Information: 610-647-4400 ext.. 3473. WEST CHESTER BAND, Experienced musicians, who play the bassoon, oboe,
clarinet, tuba and percussion sought. Rehearsals Wed evenings. Information
610-696-8716. WOMEN'S BARBERSHOP CHORUS, Brandywine Chorus seeks female singers. St..
Patrick's Church, Channing Ave.. Malvern. Mons 7:30 p.m. Information
610-296-4579 WOMEN'S BARBERSHOP CHORUS, Valley Forge chapter of Sweet Adelines seeks women
signers of all ages. No experience necessary. American College (auditorium) 270
Bryn Mawr Ave.. Bryn Mawr. Tues. 7:30 p.m. Information 610-644-8762. SUNSHINE SINGERS, Sopranos & altos needed for group that performs at area
churches, nursing homes. Must be retired or have flexible schedule. Information
610-872-7779. CHESTER COUNTY CHORDBUSTERS - Barbershop Chorus, For more information e-mail:
keethm@erols.com, or call (610) 647-8810.
Attractions
The Performing Arts
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