The Brandywine Museums and Gardens Alliance (BMGA) invites you to explore the rich tradition of art, gardens, history, and culture in your backyard with free admission to Brandywine River Museum, Delaware Art Museum, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Delaware Historical Society, Delaware Museum of Natural History, Hagley Museum and Library, Rockwood Museum and Winterthur Museum & Country Estate.

Chaddsford Winery. Each day at 1:00, 2:30 or 4:00PM. Wine educators will lead you through a sit-down tasting of premium Chaddsford wines paired with premium gourmet chocolates from Éclat Chocolate in West Chester. $25; by reservation only. Call 610-388-6221 to reserve your space.

The Brandywine Valley Association's will host it's 3rd Annual Brandywine Polar Plunge, Saturday, Feb. 13 2010 at the Brandywine Picnic Park in West Chester (Rts. 52 & 100) to raise awareness and support of their conservation work in the 330 square mile Brandywine Creek Watershed. Entertainment provided by The Uncle Jimmy Band.

Register online now.

Special Events including tours of the John Chads House, Beehive Oven Bread Baking, educational activities and more!

This event showcases some of Chester County's best locally owned and operated restaurants with fixed price dinners priced at $30.09 per person, far lower than the actual value.

Six premium wineries & vineyards in Southern Chester County, PA
Barrels on the Brandywine offers wine lovers the opportunity to sample the wines of our six wineries during the month of March. Receive a commemorative Wine Trail glass, as well as, free access to the many special events going on at the sites any Saturday and Sunday during March. Passports ($25) will be available for purchase at all Brandywine Wine Trail wineries January 2009. www.bvwinetrail.com

Equestrian Traditions of Chester County - Featuring dealers specializing in 18th & 19th century American, English and Continental furniture, rugs, paintings, porcelain, glass, silver, jewelry, needlework and other decorative arts. March 19 Preview Pary - 6PM - 9PM. March 20 - 10AM-7PM. March 21 - 11AM-5PM. $15 general admission includes show catalog and free parking. Proceeds benefit the Chester County Historical Society.

Local and regional professional artists will sell and display their works in an array of mediums to satisfy every taste and budget at the 60th Annual Chadds Ford Sale & Show. As in previous years, patrons can meet the artists on Friday evening (7-10PM) while enjoying complimentary hors d'oeuvres from prominent local restaurants and live music.

Admission is free. 30% of all purchases are tax deductible. Proceeds are put towards school educational enrichment programs in foreign language, science and the arts. Please click here for further details.

In order to fish in the stream, you need a Pennsylvania fishing license and a Park fly fishing membership. E-mail the Mill at info@newlingristmill.org to request membership information be mailed to you. Fishing privileges in the stream are limited to a list of approved membership numbering no more than 100.

Trout fishing in the Newlin Grist Mill ponds is open weekends March through October from 9AM - 4PM. To fish, you must bring a valid driver's license to register in the office. Fees are $3/person, $3/trout. Bait is available for $1. All trout must be kept and paid for. No releasing.

The West Chester International Short Film Festival will celebrate its sixth year from April 23-25, with an exciting mix of independent short film from amateur and highly regarded filmmakers from all over the United States and Canada, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and of course, from right here in Pennsylvania.

Hundreds of plant lovers from across the nation plan their calendars around this annual event that is acclaimed for it's premier selection of unusual, newly-introduced or difficult to propagate specimens. 600+ plants donated by more than 100 nurseries and individuals from across the country. Proceeds of this event benefit Delaware Center for Horticulture's Community Greening Program, which uses horticulture to beautify Delaware and to improve the quality of life for residents in urban neighborhoods. Click for more information.

This will be the 8th Annual Chadds Ford Classic Motorcycle Auction. Preview day is Saturday April 17 with the auction on April 18. Photographs and descriptions of pre-entered bikes will be online at www.williambunchauctions.com.

Garden Day is a self-guided tour of Unique, Stylish and Distinctive Gardens and Homes - from City Miniatures to Country Estates - in the greater Wilmington area. 22 beautiful gardens - including 13 open homes. Tickets $30 in advance, $35 on Garden Day.

For some outdoor fun join anglers and casual fishermen at the 14th annual Trout Rodeo to be held Saturday, May 2, rain or shine at the Anson B. Nixon Park from 8am to 4 pm.  The ponds will be specially-stocked with trout ranging in length from 12 to 24 inches.  Also featured at the event will be tagged fish, a fly-tying demonstration, bait and fishing supplies, a raffle as well as grilled sandwiches and more.  Prizes and trophies will be awarded.  Tickets may be purchased at Buck's Hunting and Dog Training Supplies or day of event. The Rodeo is sponsored by the Kennett Area Park Authority and the Red Clay Valley Association.  Proceeds benefit the maintenance of the Anson B. Nixon Park.  For information, call 610-444-0792. 

Enjoy the eclectic sounds of live jazz music, fine wines from all regions of Pennsylvania and local fresh fare amid the spectacular backdrop of Longwood Gardens. Tickets go on sale March 1, 2010.

A day of educational activities geared to all ages including baking and papermaking demonstrations and more. Weekend tours all summmer closing Sunday, Sept. 6.

A highlight of the local social calendar, Point-to-Point is an old-fashioned country race featuring horse racing, antique carriages and elegant tailgate picnicking. Family fun tent, pony rides, Washington Memorial Pipe Band, Stick Horse Races. Corporate tents dot the landscape for this colorful event. Gates open 9AM. First of five races 2PM. Last race 4PM.

If its spring in the Valley that means the Flower Market. A three-day annual ritual that benefits charity. Featured are plant and flower sales, distinctive boutiques and a midway featuring rides and games for the entire family.

Gardeners can choose from a superb selection of low-maintenance, beautiful native plants that are suitable for sun or shade and all types of landscapes. Natives plants are a great way to "go green" because they are adapted to the local growing conditions and require less water and intensive care in the garden. Many varieties will attract songbirds, hummingbirds and butterflies and are as useful for strengthening the local ecosystem as they are low-maintenance additions to the garden. All proceeds from the sale benefit the Conservancy's diverse and beautiful Wildflower and Native Plant Gardens. Free admission.

A full day of pony races, Jack Russell terrier races, people watching along with a wide variety of dog breeds, vendor booths, children's activities, food and fun for the entire family. And the main event, the exciting steeplechase races. Admission $20 per person in advance, $25 day of race. Children under 12 are free. At the intersection of Rt. 926 & 82 behind the Landhope Farm store in Unionville, PA.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant will host its Annual Brandywine Valley Craft Brewers Festival featuring outstanding craft beers from 25 of the region's top breweries.  Held outdoors next to the restaurant, the proceeds from Brewfest will benefit the Media Youth Center. Rain or shine.

A spring tradition of steeple chasing at the Radnor Hunt. Six races feature horses galloping over hurdles and timber fences for purses totaling $160,000. Proceeds benefit the land and water preservation programs of the Brandywine Conservancy in Chadds Ford, PA.

This is the 21st Annual Kennett Run. 5K and 10K races. Come watch the start in Kennett Square at 9 AM. Race finishes in the beautiful Anson B. Nixon Park

This three day festival includes live entertainment, an art show featuring local craftsmen and artisans, a car show, "A Taste of Kennett Square" and much more. Click the icon for a listing of the events over the weekend.

Early American history comes to life in Old New Castle the third Saturday in May. 10am - 5pm. Private home and garden tours, colonial fife and drum corps. Buy tickets online. Click here
New Castle's Historic Buildings

A day of educational activities geared to all ages.
Weekend tours all summmer closing Sunday, Sept. 6.

Blues bands perform Click here for info . WINES to be tasted. Guests may bring a picnic, but no other alcoholic beverages allowed! Admission: $20/person, includes wine tastings, souvenir wine glass, and two concerts. Food available, or bring your own picnic. 12 - 6 p.m. each day.

Outstanding antiques from across the nation are featured this event, hosted by the Museum Volunteers. Presents a variety of American and English furniture, glass, metalware, ceramics, folk art, quilts, Oriental and European porcelain, rugs and other fine collectibles. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $12 fee includes museum admission. Proceeds support the Museum Volunteers' Art Purchase Fund.

Outdoor Concert Series: 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
This series of outdoor summer concerts is known far and wide as a wonderful way to spend a relaxing summer evening with friends in a beautiful country setting. Concerts range from Jazz and Blues to Zydeco and Swing - plus one special magical night of Outdoor Opera under a tent (Aug. 29). Bring a picnic, pick up a chilled bottle of wine, sit back and enjoy! Gates open at 6pm. Tastings start 6:30pm. Music begins 7pm.

Admission: $20/person, Reservations recommended (610-388-6221) as many concerts sell out.

$10.00 per person at the Gate. Children under 12 are free. Tickets are good for one Sunday match on any date throughout the season. Gates open at 1:30; Match starts 3 pm . Gates close at 6 pm.
About Polo

A colonial festival with a Scandinavian accent. Living history interpreters portraying all walks of life, displays, crafts, colonial games, vendors, lectures and more. A family oriented event. Admission is $3.00 for adults, $1.00 for under 18, with a maximum family cost of $10.00.

One of the largest ethnic festivals on the East Coast, this popular local event features Italian food, music and entertainment, along with family activities, a midway and outdoor dining spread over dozens of city blocks.

Experience the greatest in jazz music by the premiere performers - all here to celebrate the legendary talent of Clifford Brown, the Wilmington native who left an incredible mark on musical history - performing with a virtuosity that has never been paralleled. Click for information.

Annual Iron Hill Twilight Criterium; a professional cycling race in historic West Chester. One hundred professional and USCF licensed cyclist's race 60 laps around a 1 mile downtown circuit at speeds of 35 mph. Racers will jockey for position while navigating narrow streets and tight corners. All the action begins at the intersection of Gay and High Streets, the home of title sponsor Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant.

Support American craftsmen as The Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen presents its beloved Fine Craft Fair featuring premier contemporary and heritage crafts and fine art. Meet the craftsmen, watch a demonstration and find a gift perfect for the home, garden or you. Admission is $7, discounts and details available online. Friday & Saturday: 10am-6pm, Sunday: 11am-5pm. Web site.

Delaware Shakespeare Festival will present Macbeth this summer under the stars in Rockwood Mansion Park. Audiences are encouraged to arrive an hour prior to dine and enjoy pre-show activities. Tickets can be purchased at the door for general admission. Web site.

Outdoor Concert Series - 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
If you're already back from vacation or not yet at the shore, keep your summer rolling with one of these Friday night outdoor summer concerts. Chaddsford Winery always saves the best for last.
Admission: $20/person, Reservations recommended (610-388-6221) as many concerts sell out.

For information about the event, artists, schedule, tickets, etc., click to the Festival Web site.

Fall Hospitality Days coincide with the Chaddsford Winery's Labor Day weekend Jazz Festival. Stop by the Barns-Brinton House (open thru August 30) or the John Chads House (open thru September 7) for a free tour. Also candle-making and open hearth cooking demonstrations.

12-6 PM - End the summer season with cool wines and hot jazz! Grab a blanket, invite some friends, and come out to the Chester County countryside to enjoy the sights and smells of the harvest season as you taste a selection of award-winning Chaddsford wines in the winemaking and barrel-aging cellars. Then relax and settle in for a day of wine and music featuring great camaraderie, great wine and foods, two live Jazz bands each day, and picnicking on the scenic winery grounds.
Admission: $20/person, includes winetastings, souvenir wine glass, and concerts Foods available from Pace One Restaurant, or bring your own picnic. No other alcoholic beverages permitted on grounds.

Combined driving is the fastest growing equestrian sport in the country. It features the elegance of dressage, the excitement of cross-country and an intricate test of skill and precision.

The most prestigious of the major events,The Laurels at Landhope in West Grove, Pa., is an International Competition hosting the best drivers from Canada, Mexico and the United States and is recognised by the Federation Equestre Internationale. The event includes a trade fair, specialty food tents and daily entertainment. (610) 486-0710.

The Annual Mushroom Festival is a two-day, weekend event in historic Kennett Square, right in the heart of mushroom country. The Festival celebrates the mushroom as well and offers a lot of entertainment, food and fun. Click the icon for a listing of the events over the weekend.

The event features colonial crafts demonstrations, Brandywine Valley art and artisans, children's rides and games, great fair food, live music, museum store offerings, tours of the John Chads house and more. The Chadds Ford Days Colonial Fair, held in the meadow just steps from the Brandywine River, commemorates the anniversary of the Revolutionary War Battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777. Free admission.

This event draws art aficionados from throughout the east coast to a festival on the banks of the Brandywine River in downtown Wilmington, DE (literally under Rt. 95).  Arts, crafts, jewelry, music, food and children's activities are featured.  Festival-goers with a wide variety of budgets will find items they can add to their own collections. Admission $5, Children free.  The Festival is marking its 50th anniversary this year.

Save Brandywine Battlefield

Live entertainment, food, children's activities, sightseeing flights and more. Rain date Sunday, Sept. 13. More info call 215.358.1900.

Hundreds of cars on the general show field will reflect the variety of makes and models that are a part of automotive history. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission was $12 for a family, $5 for adults, $3 for children 6 to 14, free for children under 6. This year they are reduced but they aren't publishing them. Parking for the show is at the DuPont Company's Barley Mill Plaza at the intersection of Routes 141 and 48 with shuttle bus service to Hagley.
For more information

50+ area restaurants are scheduled to participate along with 110+ craft vendors and informations booths and 10 live bands on 3 different stages.

64th Annual tour, benefits The Chester County Hospital in W. Chester. Houses are open from 10AM to 5PM. Tickets in advance - $30. Send checks to address above. Tickets on the day - $35. Tickets will be limited.

The Mill and other historic buildings are open for tours and demonstrations. See the historic grist mill grind corn as it did almost 300 years ago. Come and experience colonial activities and crafts; enjoy food, music, and much more. Admission is free!

The 31st Annual Marshalton Triathlon (the oldest triathlon in America) invites the entire family to come out and compete in this unique biking, canoeing and fast-walking race. Register on-line at marshaltontriathlon.com . Race heats accommodate Ironman to Novice classes and run every six to eight minutes beginning at 8:30am until 3pm. Over 2000 participants regularly compete. Businesses, families and groups of friends enjoy reserving heats so they can run together.

This is a beer tasting extravaganza with live music and good company. Come sample beers from over 45 local and regional microbreweries! Along with the great-tasting beer there will be outstanding jazz/fusion music provided by The Carl Filipiak Group from Baltimore and local favorites, Sin City Band. Ticket sold online in advance only. Always a sell out.

This artisans' marketplace brings talented artisans from the Mid-Atlantic area to display and sell fine arts and crafts. This premier show will feature works in wood, pottery, jewelry, fibers, metal, and other media. Admission is $5, free for members and children under six years old. Use Hagley's Buck Road East entrance off Route 100 in Wilmington, Delaware.

Over 60 teams will compete for the People's Choice Award and the acclaim of having the "Best Darn Chili in Chester County." Noon to 3pm, Gates open at 10:30. Rain or Shine event. Purchase your $10 All-You-Can-Eat Chili wristbands at the event's sales booths located on each corner of Gay Street during the event. Discounted 3/$25 wristbands are available now online while supply lasts. 484-343-4577

Not in the Brandywine, but not that far afield. Horse trials, dressage and The Festival in the Country, a four day celebration of Maryland life style, featuring Chesapeake Bay area Food and Drink, Dog Agility Trials, President's Cup Pony Club Games, Kids' Corner, HorsePlay Pageant, Live Music, Miniature Horse Demonstrations,  The Art and Sport of Falconry with Live Birds of Prey, Classic Cars, a Trade Fair filled with shopping opportunities, and much more.

Watch local artists carve huge pumpkins (5-9PM). See candle-lit carved pumpkins Fri.-Sat (5-9PM). All Three nights of family fun, food, live music and hayrides! General Admission: $5 adults 18 & older, $3 for attendees 7-17, free for children 6 and under. Parking in the meadow just past the Chadds Ford Historical Society barn. The Carve is on the Historical Society grounds.

One of the nation's most highly acclaimed and anticipated antiques shows with a spectacular showcase of art, antiques, and design. Featuring the finest offerings from more than 60 of the country's most distinguished dealers, the Delaware Antiques Show highlights American antiques and decorative arts, including furniture, paintings, rugs, ceramics, silver, jewelry, and more. Proceeds benefit Winterthur's education programs. Admission $12; members, $9.

Find unique, orginal fine crafts for holiday gifts or yourself. Something for the whole family.

The Battlefield will come alive with military and civilian living historians. Military re-enactors will provide firing demonstrations. Craft demonstrations. 10am-4pm Admission Charged more info

Several private homes from the Chadds Ford area will be on display along with the Barns-Brinton House.   Advance tickets for the annual tour are $16, tickets are $20 the day of the event.  For more information, call 610-388-7376 or visit www.chaddsfordhistory.org.