Still Feels Like Summer

A calm view of the 1830s Farmstead at Somerset Historical Center before the excitement of this weekend's Mountain Craft Days event (photo via SHC Facebook page)

Up Next

Friday, September 8

• Mountain Craft Days (in-person); Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 10 am-5 pm; Somerset Historical Center
• Traditional crafts, country food, music, and children's activities in a beautiful woodland setting. Events run 10 am-5 pm each day. General admission, $9; children 6 to 17, $5 (Mountain Craft Days info).

• Curiosity Kids (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join us in Nature Lab to learn about density - can you discover what will sink and what will float? For kids in grades K to 2 and included in regular admission. Space is limited, so sign up at the front desk when you arrive (Curiosity Kids info).

Saturday, September 9

• Fall Gas Up (in-person); 9 am-3 pm; Drake Well Museum & Park
• Drake Well hosts the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society with displays of antique engines, farm and oil field equipment, cars, trucks, and models. Included in regular admission (Fall Gas Up program info).

• Railroad Heritage Day (in-person); 10 am-4 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• A Marklin/LEGO® train display and coloring table for kids will be on hand, as well as three special Museum tours for this event: “Down By The Station,” “Pennsylvania Railroad Board Rooms” and “The Solari Board.” Included in the regular Museum admission (Railroad Heritage Day info).

• Garden Tour (in-person); 11 am-Noon; Old Economy Village
• Explore how the Harmonists shaped the land around Old Economy to combine aspects of medieval cloistered gardens, Germanic traditions, and American flora. Learn about George Rapp’s use of biblical imagery and discover its hidden features. Included in regular admission (Garden Tour info).

• Paws in the Park (in-person); 11 am-4 pm; Bushy Run Battlefield
• This free event features dog-friendly activities, crafts, vendors, and local animal adoption/rescue opportunities (Paws in the Park info).

• Film Screening (in-person); 1-3 pm; PA Lumber Museum
• Join us for a screening of the new feature-length documentary NEPADOC, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker David Heineman of Bloomsburg University. Included in regular admission (NEPADOC film screening info).

• 13th Annual Crush&Brew (in-person); 5-8 pm; Old Economy Village
• Old Economy hosts this Ambridge Historic District event that features wine and beer tastings, food trucks, tours of the Harmonist Wine Cellar, and live music. Ticket includes a $10 food voucher and admission to after parties at several local businesses. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door.

Sunday, September 10

• Anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie (virtual); 11:45 am-Noon; Erie Maritime Museum
• This event commemorates the 210th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie, where an American squadron of Erie-built ships defeated the entire British Lake Erie fleet at Put-in-Bay, Ohio. The ceremony will be live-streamed on the Erie Maritime Museum's Facebook page (Battle of Lake Erie Livestream info).

• Living History Sunday (in-person); Noon-4 pm; Conrad Weiser Homestead
• Come meet a soldier from the German Regiment, a unit commanded at times by Gen. Peter Muhlenberg. Also there will be open hearth cooking, a leathersmith and learn about the importance of trade goods in the 18th century. Admission is free (Conrad Weiser Homestead website).

• Gallery Walk and Art of the State Exhibit Opening (in-person); Noon-4:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Admission is free today in honor of Harrisburg's annual Gallery Walk. A limited number of timed tickets for Curiosity Connection will be available at the front desk; regular fees apply for the Planetarium. Art of the State 2023 exhibit opens at noon, and the Awards Ceremony will start at 1:30 pm (Gallery Walk and Art of the State info).

• Living History Theater (in-person); 1-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• The Living History Players will dramatize a story from Pennsbury's past. Included in regular admission (Living History Theater info).

• The 1777 Philadelphia Campaign (in-person); 2-3 pm; Daniel Boone Homestead
• Join historian and author Michael Harris as he explores the history of the 1777 Philadelphia Campaign. British commander William Howe believed capturing the colonial capital of Philadelphia in 1777 would end the American Revolution. Brandywine, Paoli, Germantown, Fort Mercer, Fort Mifflin, and Whitemarsh all saw fighting during the campaign. Beginning in northern New Jersey, the campaign did not end until George Washington's army entered Valley Forge in December. Lecture takes place at the Wayside Lodge; admission is $2 per person suggested donation (Am Rev Lecture info).

Monday, September 11

• Remembrance Day (in-person); 6-7 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• This event commemorates the 246th anniversary of the Battle of Brandywine. There will be several speakers and music by bagpiper Mark O'Donnell (Remembrance Day info).

Wednesday, September 13

• One-Room Schoolhouse (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Travel back in time to attend a one room schoolhouse. Explore the lessons and materials used in the early 1900s. Included in regular admission (Schoolhouse program info).

• Stargazing: Tonight's Sky (in-person); 2-3 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join the Planetarium Director for a live chat exploring what you can see in the sky tonight. Learn about the basic motions of the sky, visible constellations and planets, and any special celestial events that are coming up in the next month (Stargazing program info).

Friday, September 15

• Story Time with the Educator (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Designed for children ages 2 through preK and led by a Museum educator, Story Time features a reading of a specially selected children’s book and a hands-on activity, craft, song or poem. September's book is A Lucky Dog: Owney, U.S. Rail Mascot by Dirk Wales with illustrations by Diane Kenna. Included in regular admission (Railroad Story Time info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Lagers & Lumberjacks (in-person); Saturday, Sept. 16, 4-7 pm; PA Lumber Museum
• Semi-professional competitors will take on six timbersport events. Logyard Brewing will have samples and local food trucks will have tasty eats. Even try your hand at axe throwing. You must be 21 years of age or older to attend this event. Tickets are $12 in advance ($8 for designated driver) and $15 at the door ($10 for designated driver). Member discounts available (Lagers & Lumberjacks info and tickets). Pre-sale tickets available through Friday afternoon, then you'll need to purchase at the door.

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Tuesday, Sept. 19, 9-11 am, and Tuesday, Oct. 3, 3-5 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, sound, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be some quiet spots in the galleries to take a break. Several historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. At 3:30 pm on Oct. 3, there will be a Story Time with the Educator aimed at kids age 2 to 5. Advance tickets required (tickets for Sept. 19 Sensory Hours and tickets for Oct. 3 Sensory Hours).

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); Friday, Sept. 22, 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join Amy Hammond, Fine Arts Curator and "Art of the State" Project Director at The State Museum of Pennsylvania, as she discusses the "Art of the State 2023" exhibit. Program is free, but you must register to receive the Zoom link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).

• Revolutionary Speaker Series (in-person); Saturday, Sept. 23, Noon-2 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Andrew Outten, historical programs manager for the Society of the Cincinnati in Washington, DC, will present "'From a Plan Drawn on the Spot': William Faden and the Battle of Brandywine," exploring one of the most influential British mapmakers of the late 18th century. Tickets are available in advance through Eventbrite (Sept. 23 Rev Speaker Series tickets).

• Garden Railways Tour (in-person); Sunday, Oct. 1, 1-5 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Tickets are on sale now for the 16th annual tour of garden railways located at five sites in Lancaster and York Counties. Cost is $10 for ages 6 and up. Tickets available via Eventbrite or at the Whistle Stop Shop at the museum.

• Battle of Germantown (virtual); Tuesday, Oct. 10, 7-8 pm; Cornwall Iron Furnace
• Historian and educator Michael Harris will present a program on the Battle of Germantown during the American Revolution. The program is free, but you must register to receive the Zoom link (Battle of Germantown lecture info).

• Lunch & Learn (in-person); Wednesday, Oct. 11, 10 am-1 pm; Graeme Park
• Sue Johnston will present a program on courtship and marriage in early America, exploring differences between different economic classes and the status of children born outside of marriage, abandoned, or orphaned. Program includes continental breakfast and lunch buffet. Tours of the Keith House will be available after lunch (Lunch & Learn info and tickets).

• Pithole Lantern Tours (in-person); Saturday, Oct. 14, 6:30-9:30 pm; Historic Pithole City
• Visitors will walk the former streets of the legendary oil boomtown, meeting some of Pithole's most famous historical figures along the way. Tours depart the visitor center every 10 minutes from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm and last approximately 90 minutes. Advance tickets only (Pithole Lantern Tour tickets).

• Cemetery Tours (in-person); Saturday, Oct. 14, 7-8 pm, and Sunday, Oct. 15, 2-3 pm; Joseph Priestley House
• This event takes place at Riverview Cemetery in Northumberland with tours starting every 15 minutes. Meet 10 characters representing individuals in the cemetery who will guide you through the graveyard. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for ages 12 and under (accompanied by an adult). Call 570-473-9474 for tickets (Priestley House events calendar).

• Workshops in Archaeology 2023 (in-person); Saturday, Oct. 28, 9 am-5 pm; The State Museum of PA
• This year's theme is Discovering the Past: The Sciences of Archaeology. Sessions will feature experts in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), C14 dating, GPR survey, geoarchaeology, and more. Please join us as we explore how these specialized analyses are conducted and how the results enhance our understanding of the environmental and human past. Early registration by Oct. 20 is $25; discounts available. Registration at the door is $35 (no discounts). Bagged lunches, available for $8.50, must be ordered by Oct. 20 (Workshops in Archaeology info and registration).