Sweet anniversary

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?

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

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

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!

9062 and 6259
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!

Fall fun

‘K’ in October

Bear Creek Mountain Ski Resort, 101 Doe Mountain Lane, Macungie, offers an Oktoberfest noon to 6 p.m. Sunday with German food and beer, music and dancers. Each guest will receive a free chair lift ride and hayride. Children can listen to stories, see a magician and have their face painted. Admission is $10, $5 per child 3-17. Call (866) 754-2822.

Playing with trains

Greenberg’s Train and Toy Show comes to the Greater Reading Expo Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The center is at 2525 N. 12th St., Reading. Model railroading seminars and layouts of different sizes and scales are some of the highlights. Admission is $7, free for children 11 and under, and is good for both days. Visit www.greenbergshows.com.

Plan a road trip

Just in time for fall foliage season comes a new-look www.visitpa.com. The site now offers interactive virtual tours of the best Pennsylvania has to offer this fall. Also, you’re invited to submit your own PA travel stories to share with other travel enthusiasts.

Photo by Mark C. Psoras

Performance art

Site-based choreographer Kate Watson-Wallace presents “CAR,” a Live Arts Festival show that involves a moving Chevy Caprice, dancers, video projections and an original sound score. Catch a free performance at 7:30 and 9 p.m. Saturday in the Athletics Parking Lot, next to the Ward Building, at Bryn Mawr College, 101 N. Merion Ave., Bryn Mawr. View a campus map at www.brynmawr.edu/campus/map.shtml. The Ward Building is building nine on the map. For more information, call (610) 526-5310.

Old school

The State Theatre also presents “A Night of Doo-Wop Rock ’N’ Roll Volume VI” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $35 and $40. For more information, call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

‘Cav’ and ‘Pag’

It’s an Italian opera double feature as Teatro Lirico d’Europa performs Pietro Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s “Paliacci” (the one with the sad clown) at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets are $33 and $40. Call (610) 758-2787 or visit www.zoellnerartscenter.org.

Joel soul-alike

Big Shot attempts to recreate the feel of a Billy Joel concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets are $35. Call (610) 432-6715 or visit www.allentownsymphony.org.

Today’s blues

The Bucks County Blues Society presents “Killer Guitar Thriller ’08” from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Saturday night at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge No. 2489, 920 Trenton Road, Fairless Hills. Performing will be Bryan Lee & The Blues Power Band, Alvin Jett & The Phat Noiz Band and the Skyla Burrell Blues Band. Tickets are $25, $30 at the door and includes snacks, door prizes and a costume contest. There’s a cash bar and you must be at least 21. Learn more about ticket sales locations by visiting www.bucksbluessociety.com; or call (215) 946-9424, (215) 946-4794 or (215) 943-1447.

Comic relief

Add a little laughter to the seriousness of election season with Mark Russell at 8 p.m. Friday at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. Tickets are $23 and $28. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org.

Neo-flower power

The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville, presents an evening of folk, bluegrass, Americana and traditional Celtic to benefit the Phoenixville Area Business Association’s Flower Fund. Entertaining will be Hoots & Hellmouth, Old School Freight Train, Tin Bird Choir and Matt Brown at 8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $15-$25. Call (610) 917-1228.

Transcend borders

The Kauriga Balalaika Orchestra performs a concert of Russian, Ukrainian and Slavic folk music at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Ocean City, N.J., Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace. Tickets are $5, free to children 12 and under. Call (609) 525-9300.children 12 and under. Call (609) 525-9300.

Weekend fun

On Stage

Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado” is presented by DeSales University’s Act 1 tonight through Oct. 26 at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley. Show times are 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and Oct. 22, 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets Wednesdays and Thursdays are $18, $16 for seniors and students. Tickets Fridays and Sundays are $19, $17 for seniors and students. Saturday tickets are $20, $18 for seniors and students. Call (610) 282-3192.

The Civic Theatre of Allentown, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown, stages “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” Friday through Nov. 2. Show times are 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays with 2 p.m. matinees Sundays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1. Tickets the first weekend are $29, $26 for seniors and students. Other Friday and Saturday nights are $31, $28 for seniors and students. Matinees are $31, $26 for seniors and students. Thursdays are $29, $26 for seniors and students. Call (610) 432-8943 or visit www.civictheatre.com.

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood of “Whose Line is It Anyway?” take a plot suggested by the audience, and then who knows where it will go? Show time is 8 p.m. Friday at the State Theatre, 253 Northampton St., Easton. Call (800) 999-STATE or visit www.statetheatre.org. Note that shows with comedian Ron White are sold out.

Happy Halloween

The West Chester Railroad Association offers “not too scary” rides on the Halloween Express at the West Chester Railroad. Trains leave the Market Street Station in West Chester at noon and 2 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Oct. 25 and 26. Tickets are $10, $8 for children 2-12. Go to www.westchesterrr.net.

Roller Ghosters, a Trick-or-Treat Trail, the Witchie Whip, Scareeeee-Go Round, costume contests on Sundays and more are a part of Happy Hauntings at Dutch Wonderland, 2249 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster. Hours are 3 to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 2. Admission is $17.95. Call (866) FUN-AT-DW or visit www.dutchwonderland.com.

Learn more about Day of the Dead with a concert by Sol y Canto at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22 in the Foy Concert Hall at Moravian College, 1200 Main St., Bethlehem. Tickets are $15, $10 for students, seniors and children. Call (610) 861-1650.

Hersheypark in the Dark offers rides, entertainment and fall foods 4 to 10 p.m. Fridays, 2 to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 2 to 9 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 2 at Hersheypark, 100 W. Hersheypark Drive, Derry Township. Admission is $23.95, $16.95 for junior and senior admission. If you’re planning to see Creatures of the Night at ZooAmerica, admission is $31.95 or $22.95 for junior and senior admission. Call (800) HERSHEY or visit www.halloweeninhershey.com.

Pumpkin Days at Tyler Arboretum is a local tradition, and this year the festival is better than ever with the addition of the Totally Terrific Treehouses exhibition adding to the fun.

Pumpkin Days at Tyler Arboretum, 515 Painter Road, Media, are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Get spooked in the Haunted Barn, watch the stunts of the Free Cycle Action Sports Team and the McHugh School of Irish Dance, and sing along with Makin’ Music, Rockin’ Rhythms. Admission is $9, $6 for children 3-15. Call (610) 566-9134.

Eat, drink, be merry

One of the most common Pennsylvania red wines is chambourcin. The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail celebrates the wine that all nine wineries have in common with a Chambourcin Weekend 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For directions and a list of special events this weekend, visit www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com.

It’s an Independent Film Festival and Beer Pairing 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the Allentown Brew Works, 812 W. Hamilton St., Allentown. Tickets are $5 per film slot or $20 for a two-day pass. Call (610) 433-7777 or visit www.thebrewworks.com for a complete schedule.

The Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival is held 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Miss America Way, Atlantic City, N.J. Food & Gourmet Marketplace tickets are $15, $25 at the door. Wine & Spirits Pavilion tickets are $35, $50 at the door. For both, it’s $45, $65 at the door. Call (609) 398-4450 or visit www.gourmetshows.com.

Getting warm

The American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th St., New York, N.Y., opens the exhibition “Climate Change: The Threat to Life and a New Energy Future” Saturday through Aug. 16, 2009. The exhibit maintains that massive, human-induced warming of Earth could lead to drought, rising sea levels, heavy storms and other events, exploring the science, history and impact of climate change. It also suggests ways in which individuals, communities and nations can reduce their carbon footprints. Admission is $15, $11 for students, $8.50 for children 2-12. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. daily, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Call (212) 769-5100 or visit www.amnh.org.

Artists at work

From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, visit more than 20 artist studios and galleries in Jim Thorpe, Stroudsburg and the Lehigh Valley with a D & L Artisan Trail Studio Tour Weekend. Admission is free. For directions and more information, call (610) 923-3548, ext. 221 or visit www.delawareandlehigh.org/artisan.

Can’t miss ‘em

See how many lighthouses you can visit in one day with the New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge Saturday and Sunday. The challenge is to visit all 13, where you’ll receive a souvenir token. Admission fees vary. Call (856) 546-0514 or visit www.njlhs.org.

Get ‘Funky’

The “Funky Fire & Ice” gala is set for 7 to 11 p.m. Friday at The Banana Factory, 25 W. Third St., Bethlehem. Enjoy an evening of visual, performance and culinary

exhibitions, as well as live and silent auctions and glass demonstrations by Paul Marioni. Proceeds benefit the educational programs of GlassWorks at the Banana Factory. Tickets are $139. Call (610) 332-1300.

Musical chairs

“Rock the Fall” Friday through Sunday at Blue Mountain Ski Area, 1660 Blue Mountain Drive, Palmerton, features more than rock. For one, Terri Clark and Tracy Lawrence are featured at 5 p.m. Sunday. There are also free lift rides to view the fall foliage, food and drink. The lineup also includes Saves the Day and Shiny Toy Guns at 7 p.m. Friday, and Everclear, Soul Asylum and Cracker at 7 p.m. Saturday. Hours are 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and admission is $20. Saturday hours are noon to 11 p.m. and admission is $35. Sunday hours are noon to 10 p.m. and admission is $35, free to children 10 and under Sunday only. Parking is free Friday, and $5 Saturday and Sunday. Call (610) 826-7700 or visit www.rockthefall.com.

Friday night jazz

A Jazz Cabaret with the Lou Czechowski Jazz Trio starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Rodale Room at Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Cost is $20 and includes light fare. A cash bar is available throughout the evening. Call (610) 432-6715.

American ancestors

On Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Phoenixville Farmers Market, Taylor Alley and Bridge Street, Phoenixville, behind Family Dollar, along the French Creek, will host a Native American Day with live entertainment, buffalo displays and children’s activities. Spirit Wing will perform storytelling and music from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The children’s area will feature Native American games and crafts, such as shuttlecock, corn cob darts, Native American leg rattles, and weaving and stringing beads. Call (610) 937-7755.

Dutch harvest

Heemet Fescht runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, 22 Luckenbill Road, Kutztown. Living history demonstrations, craftsmen, a tractor show and parade, and a Pennsylvania German Folklife Symposium are some of the highlights. Admission is $2 for ages 12 and up. Call (610) 683-1589.

Fall fun

- The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville, presents “Bringing Back the Bacons for Conservation and Culture” with Kevin and Michael Bacon singing as The Bacon Brothers at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets for this benefit concert are $100 and $250. The $100 ticket is general admission seating for the concert and the $250 ticket includes access to the sound check, an informal meet and greet from 4 to 6 p.m. and premium seating for the concert. Call (610) 917-1228.

- Having made their own mark on Broadway, Marvin Hamlisch and Joel Grey perform “An Evening of Broadway Hits” at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. A benefit for the center’s artistic, educational and outreach programs. Tickets for the concert are $75 and $150, $50 for students. There are also premium tickets that include a cocktail reception, dinner and a private meet and greet. Call (610) 758-3129.

Gastronomic gala

The Berks County Wine Trail offers an Artisan Cheese & Wine Pairing Weekend noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Each winery will have artisanal cheese and Asian pears to sample. Tickets are $15. Call (610) 756-4481 for directions or visit www.berkscountywinetrail.com.

Know Princeton

Watson Adventures offers a Princeton Prowl Scavenger Hunt at 2 p.m. Saturday. The main meeting place will be at the front gates to the Princeton University campus, on Nassau Street at Witherspoon Street. Besides the Princeton campus, you’ll also hear about the Battle of Princeton during the Revolution, movie scenes shot in the town and Princeton’s connections with celebrities. Cost is $17.50 and advance purchase is required. Call (877) 9-GO-HUNT or visit www.watsonadventures.com.

Saddle up

The Pennsylvania National Horse Show promises something for “all breeds” and “all ages” 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. today through Oct. 18 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Exhibition Center, Cameron and Maclay streets, Harrisburg. The featured attraction Oct. 15-18 will be a Royal Canadian Mounted Police musical ride. The Budweiser Grand Prix de Penn National is Oct. 18. General admission is $12, $7 for seniors and children 12 and under. For Oct. 15-18, general admission is $18, $10 for children and seniors. Get the complete schedule at (717) 770-0222 or visit www.panational.org.

Take to the streets

The third annual Spring City Music & Market Festival happens 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday on Main Street, Spring City. The community arts celebration features music, entertainment, face painting, games, craft tables, food and beer tasting. Call (610) 792-5340.

Ever visited ...?

The Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market, in Water Street Park off of Main Street, Hellertown, will offer free trolley tours of historic downtown Hellertown every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. Visit www.svfarmersmarket.org.

You’re invited

Pennsbury Manor, 400 Pennsbury Memorial Road, Morrisville, hosts Living History Theater as they present “The Sotcher Wedding” 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. John Sotcher was the steward at William Penn’s home and the bride was Penn’s head housekeeper, Mary Lofty. Observe late 17th century Quaker wedding customs, sign the marriage certificate, and chat with William and Hannah Penn and the other wedding guests. Call (215) 946-0400 or visit www.pennsburymanor.org.

That’s the ticket

Dr. Seuss throws his “hat” into the political ring with the exhibit “Dr. Seuss for President,” a gathering of cartoons and art from Dr. Seuss books that offer sociopolitical commentary, such as “Horton Hears a Who,” “The Butter Battle Book,” “The Lorax” and “Yertle the Turtle.” See it 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Friday through Nov. 4. at Ocean Galleries, 9618 Third Ave., Stone Harbor, N.J. Admission is free. Call (609) 368-7777 or visit www.oceangalleries.com.

Past is present

Cape May, N.J.’s 36th annual Victorian Week Friday through Oct. 19 celebrates the Victorian past of the town with 10 days of activities including vintage dance workshops, historic house tours, lectures, ghost tours, murder mystery dinners, period fashion shows and more. Get the complete schedule and cost information at (800) 275-4278 or www.capemaymac.org.

Only one October

Historic Gardner’s Basin, 800 N. New Hampshire Ave., Atlantic City, N.J., presents a “Bavaria on the Bay Oktoberfest” 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The celebration includes the 110th anniversary of Steel Pier with music, food, games and prizes. Call (609) 348-2880.

Favorite characters

“Disney on Ice: Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Journey” is at the Sovereign Center, 700 Penn St., Reading, for a run tonight through Oct. 13. Show times are 7 p.m. tonight and Friday; 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday; 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday; and 1 p.m. Monday. Tickets are $15 and $24, $11 on opening night. Call (610) 233-0006.

Give it the gas

The Greater Reading Auto Expo runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday at the Greater Reading Expo Center, 2525 N. 12th St., Reading. Admission is $10. Call (610) 898-9900 or visit www.greaterreadingautoexpo.com.

Sign of the season

Oct. 15-Nov. 23 is Longwood Gardens’ Chrysanthemum Festival, featuring more than 20,000 blooms in the conservatory and rotating cubes of chrysanthemums in the orangery. Longwood is at Routes 1 and 52, Kennett Township. Admission is $16, $14 for seniors, $6 for ages 5-22. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Call (610) 388-1000.