Over in a flash

- If you missed the “Big Band and Broadway” Fourth of July Fireworks and Fountains show at Longwood Gardens, there’s one more chance to see it at 8:45 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available in advance only and are $32, $16 for children 15 and under. Longwood is at Routes 1 and 52, Kennett Township. Before the show, there’s a Family Fireworks Barbecue 3 to 7:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended and tickets are $25 for ages 12 and over, $13 for children 5-11 and include all-day gardens admission. Call (610) 388-1000, ext. 100.


- Sesame Place offers another of its “Sesame Street” themed fireworks displays at 8:30 p.m. Sunday. The best viewing area is the front plaza. The twilight admission rate will not be in effect. Park admission is $47.95, $44.95 for AAA members, $42.95 for seniors 55+. Sesame Place is at 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne. Call (215) 752-7070 or visit www.sesameplace.com.

Toast to Labor Day

- The Labor Day Weekend Jazz Festival is held noon to 6 p.m. Saturday through Sept. 1 at the Chaddsford Winery, 632 Baltimore Pike, Chaddsford. Highlights include two live jazz sets daily, wine tasting and picnicking. Tickets are $20. Call (610) 388-6221 or visit www.chaddsford.com.

September’s coming

“Pumpkin Playground,” gourds, carving demonstrations, a garden railway, concerts and the Chrysanthemum Festival are some of the treats on tap Sept. 2-Nov. 23 for “Autumn’s Colors” at Longwood Gardens. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $16, $14 for seniors 62+, $6 for ages 5-22. Call (610) 388-1000 or visit www.longwoodgardens.org for a complete schedule.

Maximum music

- Revelation Generation features Sixpence None the Richer, Toby Mac, Flyleaf, The Newsboys, Skillet, Kutless, Norma Jean, August Turns Red, Chris Tomlin, Mandisa, As I Lay Dying, The Myriad and The Devil Wears Prada over the weekend. Hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at Revelation Farms, Route 12, Frenchtown, N.J. The Christian music festival also offers guest speakers, extreme sports, pickup volleyball games and children’s activities. Tickets are $35 Friday ($70 for premium seating), $45 Saturday ($90 for premium seating), $70 both days ($130 for premium seating), free to children 5 and under. Visit www.revelationgeneration.org.

- The Pat Garrett Amphitheater, Routes 78 and 183, Strausstown, briefly reopens Saturday, Sunday and Labor Day with the “Guitar Masters World Tour.” The music starts at 11 a.m. each day. Headlining will be Deodato (“Theme from ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’”), Rick Derringer (“Rock & Roll Hootchie Koo”) and Pete Seeger. Tickets are $47. Limited camping is available. To get a compete schedule, go to www.song3.com. Call (215) 336-2000 for tickets.

- Tribute Fest at Big Boulder Ski Area, 1 Lake Drive, Lake Harmony, features songs you know by major rock acts, but at a fraction of the ticket price you’d ordinarily pay to see the actual bands. On the bill noon to 10 p.m. Saturday are B-Streets (Bruce Springsteen), Brother Peach (Allman Brothers), One Sweet World (Dave Matthews Band), Live Wire (AC/DC), Draw the Line (Aerosmith) and The Unforgettable Fire (U2). A fireworks display follows the show. Advance tickets are $22, $7 for children 6-12. At the gate, tickets are $27, $10 for children 6-12. Call (570) 443-8425 or visit www.jfbb.com.

- The 37th annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival is held 12:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Salem County Fairgrounds, Route 40, Woodstown, N.J. Featured acts are the Del McCoury Band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Blue Highway, Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers, the Claire Lynch Band, Dan Paisley & The Southern Grass, Chris Stuart & Backcountry, the Charlie Sizemore Band, Red Stick Ramblers, Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain, Steep Canyon Rangers, Grass Cats, Jay Armsworthy & Eastern Tradition, Ivan Sexton & The Delaware Valley Grass, plus a Children’s Stage. Full weekend tickets are $67.50 in advance, $35 in advance for students 12-16. Weekend tickets at the gate are $80, $74 for seniors and $40 for ages 12-16. Friday or Saturday only tickets are $35, $33 for seniors, $20 for ages 12-16. Sunday only tickets are $30, $28 for seniors and $15 for youth 12-16. Camping will be available at no extra charge. Call (302) 635-3001, visit www.delawarevalleybluegrass.org or e-mail bfotm@dca.net.

Grinning ear to ear

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, 150 Cherry Hill Road, Paradise Township, offers its Sweet Corn Festival from 10 a.m. to dusk Saturday. The variety of corny activities includes corn crafts; corn dishes; the giant corn maze; contests for cornstalk building, corn eating, corn husking and corn shelling; pony rides; face painting; and the chance to visit with eastern alpacas. Admission is $13.95, $11.95 for children 3-11. Call (866) 546-1799 or visit www.cherrycrestadventurefarm.com.

Craft convention

More than 200 artists and crafters from across America will showcase and sell their work at the Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 1 in Long’s Park, 1441 Harrisburg Pike off Route 30, Lancaster. This year, festival guests can participate in daily seminars — “Art as an Investment,” “Flower Arranging with Art” and “Art on the Runway.” Also, enjoy live music and outdoor bistro dining. Tickets are $10, $12 for multi-day passes. Call (717) 735-8883 or visit www.longspark.org.

Series starts

Lafayette College’s 25th anniversary Performance Series at the Williams Center for the Arts, High Street, Easton, begins with “Mourning,” a dance program by Eiko & Koma, accompanied by John Cage protege Margaret Leng Tan. Show time is 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $18. Call (610) 330-5009 or visit www.lafayette.edu/williamscenter.

See how they trot

Just like the Devon Horse Show is part of Memorial Day weekend, the final days of summer are marked with the annual Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show and Country Fair. The event runs 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday through Monday at the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds, near the intersection of Routes 100 and 401 (off the Route 100 exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike), 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 a full slate of classes, including sidesaddle, equitation, pleasure and classes for families, pairs and hunt teams. The show’s highlight is the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Association Jumper Classic at 1 p.m. Monday. In addition to equestrian competition, the Country Fair provides rides, games, shopping, entertainment, food and a tent with

games and activities for children.

Sunday’s special feature is a Carriage Exhibition in the main ring, followed by a Pleasure Drive through the countryside.
There is also an antique and classic car show Sept. 1. Those that ride will enjoy the “Ask the Judge” seminar at 1 and 3 p.m. Monday. Participants will watch a hunter class with an official horse show judge, who will explain what judges consider in awarding ribbons and what it takes to win. Advance reservations are required.
For more information, call (610) 458-3344 or visit www.ludwigshorseshow.org.

Fete Stroudsburg

Stroudfest 2008 runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in downtown Stroudsburg. Highlights include three entertainment stages, a children’s stage, a chili cook-off, a 5K race and more. Call (570) 476-7909 or visit www.stroudfest.com.

Straight from the art

- “Farewell to a Master: A Retrospective Look at 25 Years of Extraordinary Art,” rumored to be the final gallery show of impressionist palette knife artist Howard Behrens, features more than 100 pieces and will be on display Friday through Monday at Ocean Galleries, 9618 Third Ave., Stone Harbor, N.J. Receptions with the artist will be held 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Call (609) 368-7777 or visit www.oceangalleries.com.

- Celebrate the work of 18 regional women artists with “Brilliant Women” at the Eagle Gallery, Route 100 north of the Downingtown exit (No. 312) of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The prints in the exhibition were created by Brilliant Studio in Exton (hence the name “Brilliant Women”). On view through this week, gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Call (610) 458-0406.

Northern peoples


How much do you know about Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden? Get acquainted with Nordic folk culture through song, dance and food at Scandinavian Fest 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday in Vasa Park, Wolfe Road, Budd Lake, N.J. Admission is $14, $13 for seniors, free to children 12 and under and to anyone in Scandinavian folk dress. Visit www.scanfest.org.

So I went to a Trenton Thunder game last week, fully expecting to get a dose of New Yawk atty-tude. The Thunder, you see is a AA minor-league affiliate of the New York Yankees. So I figured, maybe I would see a little bit of the Bronx right here on the shores of the Delaware River (or as New Yorkers call it, 'out in the sticks').


Well, I was disappointed. The park was fairly small (smaller than Reading, which is in the same league), comfortable and friendly. The fans were polite and restrained. The players just played (and won - unlike their major-league counterparts, the Thunder is having a great season). The parking was $2, the food was good and minor-league priced, and they even had a kid's concession stand with $2 chicken nuggets and $1 peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches.
Try getting that in NYC.
No dirt-kicking scuffles with the upmires, no bench-clearing brawls. I saw fans wearing Red Sox gear, suffering not even a hint of hostility (I wasn't so bold as to try that).


Have the Yankees fans mellowed? Or maybe I was actually sitting among Phillies and Mets fans who just wanted to come out to see a good ball game. Whatever the reason, this is no Yankee Stadium of the Sticks. It's good minor league baseball played in a cozy riverside park.


I did see one 'fan' flipping the bird from a car outside the park after the game. All was not lost.
If you want to catch a game, better do it soon. Labor Day weekend is the season finale, then the playoffs start. By late September it's all over.

- Chris Stanley

If you are in downtown Philly and want to see something cool, check out the lobby of the new Comcast Center at 17th St. between JFK and Arch St. The centerpiece is this amazing video wall:

It plays various high-def videos accompanied by some very calming new-agey music. Between videos it takes on the look of the wall behind it, so convincing you have to look close to tell it is a video screen.
Here's a recent AP story about the wall:

PHILADELPHIA - This city best known to tourists for its historical sites and museums has a surprise new high-tech hit that is developing into a must-see attraction: a huge atrium wall in Philadelphia's newest and tallest skyscraper where a cast of dancers and acrobats seem to come to life.


"At first it looks like a mural," said Marilyn Overton, who traveled with her husband from the suburbs just to see the wall. "And then all the sudden it's moving."
It's a 25-foot-tall, 2,000-square-foot high-definition LED screen which at times mimics the wood-paneled wall of the main lobby of the Comcast Center, which opened in June.
Mostly by word of mouth, the enormous video installation has been drawing a growing stream of visitors to the 975-foot tower, which owner Liberty Property Trust is hoping will become a destination a la New York's Rockefeller Center.
"We are stunned by the reaction we have gotten," said D'Arcy Rudnay, senior vice president for corporate communications at Comcast, headquartered in the building.
City tourism officials said they added the Comcast Center to their Web site, gophila.com, after both residents and tourists began asking for more information about the attraction.

______

The rest of the lobby is just as impressive, featuring sculptures of people walking on beams high above the floor. The plaza outside features a dancing fountain and a restaurant.
I don't know if this is quite Rockefeller Center, but if you are in Center City it is well worth a visit.


- Chris Stanley

Some day trip suggestions:
Live jazz
The Stanley Jordan Trio plays a free concert at 8 p.m. Aug. 19 in Wiggins Waterfront Park and Marina at Mickle Street and Riverside Drive, Camden, N.J. Bring your own seating. Call (856) 216-2170.

The Paul Merrill Quartet is featured as part of the Jazz Cabaret series at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. The music starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $20. Call (610) 432-7961.

Beats walking
You know those skinny, two-wheeled, one-person transports that you see now and again? They’re manufactured by a company called Segway. On Saturdays, Segway Lehigh Valley, 318 E. Third St., Bethlehem teaches you how to use one, then lets you tool around the city in one at 10 a.m. Segway tour participants should weigh between 100 and 250 pounds. Cost is $80. Call (610) 691-6053.

The recently opened America on Wheels Museum, 5 N. Front St., Allentown, offers a free “Road Jamboree” outdoor display of cars, motorcycles and bicycles from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. There will also be live music, food and games and rides for children. Admission to see the inside of the museum is $7, $5 for seniors 62+ and $3.50 for students 6-16. Call (610) 432-4200.

Migration time?
Friday through Dec. 15 is the time birds of prey make their southward migration.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Road, Kempton, welcomes raptor watchers and invites them to share tallies of what they see. Trail fees are $5, $4 for seniors, $3 for children 6-12. Rates increase in September. Call (610) 756-6961 or visit www.hawkmountain.org.

Back in time
A Civil War Trails Discovery Weekend is held 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in Good Field, N. Forney Ave., Hanover. Witness the events leading up to the Battle of Hanover. Interact with more than 250 living historians, collect autographs at book signings, waltz at the Civil War Dance, observe medical and cavalry demonstrations, witness a night battle, relive the battle in a guided tour and explore the camps in a candlelight tour. Call (717) 637-6130 or visit www.hanoverchamber.com.

Imagine a time before antibacterial soap and disinfectant. Brandywine Battlefield Park, Route 1 south of Route 202, Chadds Ford, presents a free “Health and Sanitation in the Colonial Period” program at 2 p.m. Sunday. Call (610) 459-3342.

Classic country
The American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, presents Charley Pride at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $65. Call (800) 648-4102 or visit www.amtshows.com.

Penn’s Peak, 325 Maury Road, Jim Thorpe, presents Kenny Rogers at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $55 and $65. Call (866) 605-7323.

Tribal experience
The 28th annual Roasting Ears of Corn Festival is held 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Museum of Indian Culture, 2825 Fish Hatchery Road, Allentown. Admission is $5, $4 for seniors 62+ and youth 12-17. Highlights include drummers, dancers, hoop dancing, rattle songs, Aztec fire dancing and a French and Indian War program. Call (610) 797-2121 or visit www.museumofindianculture.org.

Fire power in the air
The Atlantic City Airshow is held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 20 on the beach at Florida Avenue and the Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J. Headlining are the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Golden Knights. Get the full schedule and more information at www.atlanticcityairshow.com.

Singing star
Vanessa Hudgens of “High School Musical” performs songs from her debut CD at 7 p.m. Aug. 19 in Six Flags Great Adventure’s Northern Star Arena. The park is off Route 537, Jackson, N.J. The concert is free with park admission of $49.99 plus New Jersey sales tax, $39.99 if you buy online at www.sixflags.com/greatadventure, $29.99 plus New Jersey sales tax for children under 54 inches tall, free to children 2 and under. For park hours and more information on the adjoining Wild Safari and Hurricane Harbor parks, call (732) 928-2000.

Cooler on the water
Did you know that Pennsylvania has more than 50 lakes? From Lake Erie to Lake Towhee in Bucks County, look up a boating destination that appeals to you at www.visitpa.com.

Weekend driving destinations

by Brian Bingaman

The Tsar of Muscovy, a land some call Russia, has traveled to England to pluck a lady from Queen Elizabeth’s court to be his bride. This being the age of chivalry, knights step up to fight “Ivan the Awesome.”

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire crowns its 28th season with this storyline from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Labor Day Monday for 12 weekends through Oct. 25-26 at Mount Hope Estate and Winery, Route 72 off turnpike exit 266, Cornwall.


Also stroll through a re-creation of a 16th century Tudor village with guildsmen, chefs, pirates, jesters, gypsies, wenches, minstrels, jugglers, musical performances, magic acts, fire-breathing stunts, Shakespearean plays and comical mud beggars.Admission is $28.95, $9.95 for children 5-11. Family Four Packs are $59.95 and a Child Ride Pass, featuring one child ticket and single admission to the Amazing Maze and two man-powered rides, are $14.95. A $2 discount applies to adults attending in period costume. Games, foods, beverages and crafts are additional. Parking is free. Get show details, advance click-to-print tickets and other helpful tips at www.parenfaire.com or call (717) 665-7021.

Corvette convention

“The Big Corvette Roundup” gets under way at 10 a.m. Saturday at Becky’s Drive-In, 4548 Lehigh Drive, Walnutport. The day concludes with outdoor movies at 8:30 p.m. Registration is $15, $20 the day of the show, $15 for the rally and $7 for the movies. Visit www.corvetteroundup.com.

Weekend to explore

- The Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor encompasses 25 galleries, museums and art studios in Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon and Monroe counties. Find out more by visiting www.delawareandlehigh.org. Click on “Things to Do,” then “Artisan Trail.” If you prefer to have the 2008 brochure mailed to you, call (610) 923-3548.

Blues, bluegrass

- Koko Taylor, Elvin Bishop and The Mannish Boys headline the Riverfront Blues Festival from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park, Water and South French streets, Wilmington, Del. The festival features a Kids’ Area, guitar workshops and a second stage of local and regional acts. Tickets are $15 in advance for Friday, $20 at the gate. For Saturday or Sunday, tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate. A weekend pass is $50. Children 12 and under get in free. Visit www.riverfrontbluesfest.com.

- The Bucks County Bluegrass Festival starts at 2 p.m. (the main gate opens at noon) Saturday at Snipes Farm, 890 W. Bridge St., Morrisville. The lineup includes The Plucking Grassholes, North Branch, Reverse Curve, Mason Porter, Lyle Rickad & the Toad Lickers, Free Grass Union and Cabinet. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the gate and $5 for camping, free for children under 12. For camping details, visit www.myspace.com/musicatsnipes.

A.C. destination

Atlantic City, N.J.’s Puerto Rican Parade starts at noon Sunday on the Boardwalk. A Latin Music Festival follows the parade and runs till 10:30 p.m. Featured performers include Johnny Ray, Jose Santiago y Su Grupo, Jorge Omar, Danny Carmelo, Enko, Alex “La Manga,” Bailarines Esencia Latina and more. Music festival admission is $5, $3 for children under 10. Call (609) 226-8183 or visit www.atlanticcityparade.com.

If you're in 'staycation' mode this year or just want to take an afternoon off, you might want to re-discover two of our nearest parks, Peace Valley and Green Lane Park.
Both are centered around reservoirs, and are run by the counties they are situated in.


Peace Valley Park in Bucks County is the smaller of the two and surrounds Lake Galena. Boat rentals are available on the southern side of the lake, along with a boat launch, restrooms, and picnic tables. The north side features two picnic pavillions, another boat launch and a playground. A paved walking trail rings the entire lake, attached to several parking lots.
You can get more information about the park HERE and information about the Peace Valley Nature Center, which is situated at the eastern end of the lake, HERE. The center has many programs for adults and kids, including night hikes and singles events.



Green Lane Park in Montgomery County features several lakes, creeks, waterfalls, miles and miles of trails for both people and horses and more.

Most people know the Upper Perkiomen Valley Park, which surrounds Deep Creek Lake at the eastern end of the park. Here you will find an extensive groomed park with picnic facilities, large mowed fields, a ship-themed playground and a small camping area. Campsites are located behind the park ranger station, and are the drive-up kind each featuring a level grassy or gravel area to set up tents.
The park is the home to the popular annual Irish Scottish festival, which is scheduled for September 5-7. Information on this event is available HERE.
Hitting the trails is the best way to explore the rest of this expansive park. To the east of Deep Creek Lake is a rock-filled creek, a favorite with fishermen and kids who like to climb on rocks.

To the west is the bulk of the reservoir, which is best accessed by boat. There are two boat rental concessions at the park; you can get a rowboat or a boat with a small electric motor for a small fee. On weekends, the boats do go fast, and are rented on a first-come, first-serve basis. Park rules only allow three people to a boat, one of whom must have a driver's license to surrender.

An extensive trail system set up for both people and horses surrounds the park, winding through a variety of natural settings. Most of these are dirt trails through undeveloped areas, so good walking shoes or boots and sun / bug protection are highly recommended.
Information on Green Lane Park can be found HERE.
Behind nearby Marlborough Elementary School on Route 29 is the Green Lane Nature Center, which features many programs for kids and adults. One of their big events is a maple sugaring demonstration from their own trees in February. Their website appears non-functional, but you can call 215-234-8497 for information on the center.

Hike turns into overnight stay for family

DERRY, Pa. - A family that got lost on a hike spent the night in western Pennsylvania's heavily wooded state game lands and walked out unharmed Friday morning, just as crews were preparing to resume their search.The father, Tom Perry, said he will never hike again without his GPS unit and other safety gear.Perry; his wife, Kathy; and their 5-year-old twin daughters, Tara and Leah, were hiking in the state game lands near Derry, about 45 miles east of Pittsburgh, when they became lost Thursday evening.The family, from nearby Derry Township, called authorities for help on a cell phone. After several conversations with police, the phone's battery ran out. Searchers traced the signal to a general area, but were unable to find the family in the nighttime search.Perry and his wife put the girls down to sleep and waited for daybreak. The family heard a state police helicopter overhead, and heard police sirens and the barks of search dogs."It was frustrating. I felt like Gilligan on the island," Perry told The Bulletin of Latrobe.Search crews took a three-hour break and were about to resume looking when the family walked out of the woods before 8 a.m. Friday.The family has hiked in the area before, but this time they went about 300 yards than they had previously and discovered a waterfall. They became lost on their way back."I'm a gadget guy, but all of it was in the vehicle," Perry said, referring to his GPS unit, flares and lighters.Derry Borough police Chief Randy Glick said the family was fortunate to come out unharmed."Everything looks the same up there," Glick said. "You go in and use a big rock for a landmark and when you come around it might not be the same big rock."