Firebird Festival has been on my radar for years (tickets in the past sold out too quickly), but I…read morefinally made it this year, which luckily was the first year it was open to all / free to all! If you want to do the Firebird Festival, here are some tips from my experience. First, get on their email list. All the info will be emailed, including updates on building the bird, ways you can help, and volunteer opportunities. When they say they light the bird at 8pm, YES IT WILL BE LIT AT 8pm, AND IT WILL HAVE BURNED DOWN TO ITS FEET BY 8:15pm!!!! My last photo was taken at 8:13pm, as I walked away, and the structure had burned, collapsed, and was just a big bonfire + phoenix claws. And SO MANY PEOPLE were still descending on the park, thinking "it's only 8:15, I've got plenty of time" ummm, no. I passed at least 300 people wondering if any of them understood that all that was left was good live music and some drunk hook-up options. But the party continues until 11pm, so for the childless crowd, there you go. If you do care to see the bird, be there at least a half hour before 8pm. The drum procession into the field happens at 7:30, and is very cool to see, plus is a part of the ceremony and theatrics of it all. Then, dancing, chant music, fire dancers, etc. all circle 'round the bird. You can really see all they've developed over the years in the choreography, creativity, and attention to details. There were a lot of kids there, babies to teens, all ages. I was worried about my preschooler being afraid of the fire, or the idea of burning an animal figure. I made sure to show some kid-friendly YouTube videos ahead of time, and educate about this mythological creature, and it's meaning. I stressed that a new young bird rises from the ashes, according to legend, and that this bird was pretend, made of wood by volunteers. They ask for people to bring lunches to the volunteers in the months (yes, building starts in SEPTEMBER) leading up to the festival, and if I'd had time I would have done that and taken my kid to see that process. It's my plan for next year. Anyway, it went over pretty well. No kids were crying. Mine was a little sad at first, but then pretty fascinated by the fire. I don't recommend positioning yourself close to the fire with kids; it's scary and overwhelming for them. My preschooler was a little nervous when we were somewhat close, but did better from afar, where we saw a lot more kids as we walked out. The show really is something worth checking out at least once. They make a different style of bird each year (always a phoenix, but in different poses and styles). The bird is always about 25' high, made of wood. This year the bird had rainbow lights as eyes, and a mechanical beak that opened and closed. It also had a plume of branches sticking out its head. It looked partridge-y, but still I could distinctly see a phoenix. It was beautiful! As you can see in my photos, they projected a colorful light show into the body of the bird, which was equally beautiful. In addition to the phoenix, there are vendors, food options, and live music. A Boy Scout troop was selling hot chocolate ($3/cup) and offering apple bread and brownies but asking for donations on those. Sadly, a lot of people just took the baked goods and gave nothing, which was totally despicable. Those kids were working so hard, and giving up their own leisure time to enjoy the festival so these greedy drunk-high jerks could rob their baked goods. Ew! The live music was really very quiet. I had a hard time hearing it 50' away. There are residences all around Veterans Memorial Park, where it's held, so I guess noise had to be kept down. Stinks. Speaking of, there were a row of port-a-potties available, and the scent of weed every 3 square feet, with a cop every 10 square feet. Multiple fire engines were right nearby and ready. Everything was extremely well organized. There were police officers controlling traffic, guarding blocked off roads, and there to assist in the crowds. Shuttle busses ran from three different municipal lots (all full very early), and walking was possible from the downtown area, if you were up for a 1.5mi journey. We had best luck parking by a church in a nearby residential neighborhood, and walking from there with a stroller. I definitely recommend the Firebird Festival! But make it your focus of the evening. Everyone who thought they'd have a nice dinner downtown and then catch the shuttle or walk over to the festival was sorely disappointed to arrive when there was nothing left to see.

I love fire, it can be very theatrical…read more Generous volunteers make this awesome free event happen each year. It's the family-friendly, East Coast mini-version of Burning Man. OK, maybe not but still a great time. Fire dancers? Check. Live music? Check. Local artisans? Check. Happy friendly hippies? Check Comfort food? Check Large wooden object burned to the ground while revelers clap and cheer with joy? Check.

Disastrous does not begin to describe how bad an experience you'll be in store for at Yuletide!…read more I saw other negative reviews, but figured I'd still give them a shot as a lot of the negative reviews were for opening night and there was somewhat of a positive trend. I should have stuck with my gut! Three weeks in operation and yet when we went took the shuttle from the school to the fair grounds the bus driver needed a passenger to give them directions. If that wasn't crazy enough, apparently arriving at 5PM meant you missed out on most any food since even the $17 grilled cheeses were sold out! Lines were everywhere, probably because shops closed early because they did not appropriately plan. As such, every ride took at least 45 minutes to wait for and even getting into the shops took 15-20 minutes. I know you are probably thinking well they cannot help the crowd and that things selling out is a good sign, right? Well, they pre-sell tickets to selected dates which should easily help plan capacity, especially for food. After all, I did not go opening night but waited several weeks to allow them to work out issues. The concert portion was neat but you couldn't hear it anywhere outside of the small concert seating area. Couldn't you pipe out the music to the rest of the park so I can enjoy something while I wait in line after line? I mean, they didn't even have a local radio station with Christmas music blasting. As others have said, it is a huge money grab. If you do not opt for the high school shuttle you are paying $20-$50 for parking. Everything inside is priced as if you were downtown NYC. I will say the setting is pretty. I took tons of photos and shared them here in hopes you can save yourself the misery I experienced. Avoid at all costs!

Yuletide at Devon is located at the Devon Horse Show in Devon. It's conveniently located near Devon…read moreStation on the Paoli Thorndale Line. This is the festival's first year. Tickets cost $35 for adults, and tickets include free rides, free music, and photos with Santa. The ferris wheel was top of my list to ride, but it appeared to go so fast the night I visited that I skipped it. It didn't appear relaxing at that speed. There is also a cute carousel as well as a jungle gym type of ride and a car roller coaster (idk what to call it). There are tons of vendors and food stalls/trucks inside. The prices are moderate. If you need to find gifts for loved ones, check out the vendors! Penn Distilling has a nice stall and free samples. If you buy a bottle, they give you free drink tickets for their taproom in Malvern. The $35 ticket price feels a little steep when you factor in parking ($10-$30 to park onsite). If you visit on a weekday, skip their parking. Instead, park across Lancaster Avenue at Devon Station, where there is ample free parking. The Santas at Yuletide are awesome! Definitely chat them up! I learned about this festival in August from Santa Mike! Hope they keep doing this every year!

It's a small fair that comes to the town of Malvern every July to benefit the local fire…read moredepartment. I've gone every year for the last 10 years. They have fun rides for the kids and some more exciting rides for adults. Mind you it's not Hersheypark or what Walt Disney World, the rides are small and a bit rickety, but it is a fun time for a small-town. The zipper, roundabout, swings, etc. The fair usually starts midweek and runs through Saturday night. On Friday each year they have a good fireworks display at about 9 PM. Like most small fairs, you can buy single tickets, books of tickets or a wristband that's good for the night. Although it's quite expensive to buy the wristband, you'll go broke trying to ride rides with tickets so just pony up for the wristband and have a good time. Plenty of food, but rides on an antique firetruck, and more. Note that this is really a kid centric event. Of course as an adult you could go and do the bigger rides, but there's no alcohol served and you will be surrounded by mobs of teenagers.

This was a neat event right off the Wayne Regional Rail stop. It was about a block of vendors,…read morestores, and restaurants with a large stage featuring jazz and dance performances. I went with my girlfriend, and we met with several other friends. We first ate at Matador restaurant, walked over to Jules' Thin Crust Pizza stand offering samples of their flatbread pizza (I tried the roasted pepper pizza-- pretty good), and then we had some items from Landmark Americana's tent. The fries were overpriced, overly salted, and greasy. We then had free soda samples from a soda vending truck-- neat stuff!! Watermelon, Ginger, Huckleberry...less common flavors than the average! Overall, it was a good time, and it was well attended. The music and performances were varied from Latin Jazz to Caribbean to outright funk and lots in between. I might go again next time they have it.

Great juried artists and a fun place to visit. Excellent food that is all home made and anyone can…read morepurchase. Jams, jellies, bread, pastries, you name it! Delish!

It's a fun day even though you have to pay to get in. 8$ on line, 10$ at the door. When you think…read moreabout it it's more reasonable than museum admission. Some items are very expensive, others are very reasonable. This was my third time at Sugar Loaf but it won't be my last. Art, jewelry, pottery, glass are all available. If you love to tantalize your tastebuds, there are Gourmet cheeses, wine, fudge, balsamic vinegars, jerky, cookies, fabulous dips, complete w samples are available to name a few. I strongly recommend eating BEFORE you go. The food offerings aren't that great and they are way overpriced. Lines are very long as well. Bring your own water with you, I paid 3$ for a bottle of water. You'll be walking a lot. There are places to sit and enjoy live music. Lots to see! We saw a glass blowing demonstration yesterday which was interesting. They visit the Oaks Expo center in November & March.

Media closes down a few blocks of State Street and craft vendors line both sides of the street…read more Tons of beautiful things and ample parking. Very well organized. Great family fun.

This was a HUGE disappointment. I'm hoping that it's because they had to push it to its rain date,…read morebecause otherwise I can't imagine how it has lasted for 35 years. There were way less vendors than we thought there would be. It's billed as a food and craft fair but I counted 2 craft booths - the main reason I was going, so a massive disappointment. I hope the organizers work to recruit better vendors next year. That all said, there were a ton of food options though unfortunately, my husband and I only truly enjoyed one of the 4 we sampled.

We saw an amazing play with a cast of volunteers. Well, I said volunteers, but you would not ever…read moreever think they weren't professional. The play was "urinetown", a very complex piece The voices, the acting all remarkable $20 a seat, a bargain Can't wait to see what they are doing next. So affordable

Saw our first production here recently and enjoyed it very much…read more We are pleased with the play selection, which is not pop-influenced, nor the done-to-death titles, etc. something more unusual, but quality just the same. We also recognized two of the actors from other local plays, and enjoyed seeing them in new and different roles. The theater itself is in an old church, which we learned was purchased by the Footlighters group. For us, we love theaters like this, where things are quirky and the focus goes to the production, not the sets or venue. For the benefit of others, I'll describe it a bit more since I know that is helpful to some people. Much of the original interior/exterior architectural features of the church remain intact which is cool to see, although the interior and exterior are in need of a little maintenance, which, clearly, they would probably do if they had the funding. One important safety item was outdoor lighting, especially when patrons are leaving to go to the unlit parking lot in the dark. The entrance is in the front of the building on Main St but the parking lot is off of Waterloo Ave in back, so it is a bit of a journey in the dark to get from A to B. We wrote to the theater about this and even offered to help install a light but never heard back. I am hopeful that word gets out about this place because it is an untapped venue, which many locals would probably love to frequent and enjoy! We live very nearby, just over the county line in Newtown Square, but ironically, after living here almost a decade, we only recently discovered this theater. One night, on our way home from Handel's, I happened to see the small signs for Footlighters, that were along Waterloo Ave. I looked them up when we got home. I never would have know about them otherwise. We use Funsavers all the time, and I have never seen Footlighters in there. I think they'd get tons more exposure if they occasionally advertised there. I know we would have found them MUCH sooner if they had. Just wish they could reach out to more people in our community to get the funding for more great shows and a little maintenance on the building to make it more hospitable (and keep the old charm of the place going strong). NOTE: Not sure why the Yelp category for this theater showed as "Cinema: but that is incorrect and should be changed since this if for live theater (play) performances.

We had so much fun with the kind people of Bubbletopia at the 93rd Old Fiddlers' Picnic in Chester…read moreCounty! Got to talk to them at the end of their THREE HOURS of making enormous bubbles for the festival. They do public and private events. This is a local business in Malvern, PERFECT for any outdoor get together, hot or cold, kids or adults (because seriously, these jumbo bubbles would create a dope team game after a few adult beverages). I asked if they'd sell me any of their secret ingredient bubble formula... they will, but it has a shelf life of about 2 weeks so call them and they'll make you a fresh batch! In addition to their special HUMONGOUS BUBBLE formula, they use two fishing poles with chains between them to make country style prizewinner bubbles! And I'm serious, pop one of these and be ready for the suds spray! But totally worth it for the fun! The kids went WILD for hours. It never got old. Parents too could not resist, and they had a total height advantage, but I can't blame them, this was a pretty special experience. I can't emphasize enough, these are 'roid bubbles, not your average encounter. I was impressed at the arm strength of these Bubbletopia peeps, and they had smiles on their faces the whole time, watching the fun they created. They were so happy we enjoyed, and told me to check out their website for upcoming (public) events. I'll be there!!! And I'll be passing their card to everyone too!

Just had a great time with Bubbletopia at The Roots festival at Tredyffrin Library. My 10 year old…read moreand her friend played endlessly with the bubbles! I got their card and will definitely use them for other events!

This past weekend (Friday & Saturday), I attended the 17th Annual Greater Philadelphia Mid-Winter…read moreScottish & Irish Music Festival, held at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, PA. This was my fourth year in a row attending. I left Haymarket, VA around 11:30 pm-ish to head up. This year I took the back roads up U.S. 15 through Maryland and Pennsylvania - a longer route to get there - but a much more scenic route - as poet Robert Frost would say: "The road less traveled by..." The festival is organized by promoter Bill Reid and his organization - "East of the Hebrides Entertainments." This year, I was really focused on spending some time watching and listening to four of my favorite bands: Brother, Rathkeltair, Searson, and Scythian. Because of the way the schedule was organized this year between two stages - I only saw partial performances by Brother and Searson, but I did see full performances by Rathkeltair, Scythian, and an amazing all-girl group from Ireland - "The Screaming Orphans." A few notes: Brother: No one rocks like these guys. They have such an amazing sound - Didgeridoo, Highland Bagpipes, Drums, Electric Guitar, Whistles, throw in a guest appearance on the Saxaphone. The Didg and the Bagpipes are soooo complimentary the way Brother weaves them together! Searson: The addition of a new drummer - Mary (only two weeks with the band) and Andrew on Guitar have slowed Searson down one bit. Old man Searson (Mike Searson) retired from the group this past year - but his three daughters are going strong. Awesome performances! Rathkeltair: This is the first time I've seen Rathkeltair perform since Neil Anderson - "The Antipyper," returned from his military stint of duty in Iraq. God bless him! Rathkeltair kicked major ass. They played a number of songs from their new album: "Big White Van." Scythian: Watching Scythian always makes me smile. They somehow intuitively know how to get the crowd fired up, cheering and dancing. It's such a natural thing the way they do it! I also caught bits of performances by Five Quid, Albannach, and Hadrian's Wall. Pix are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/emeralddragon/sets/72157613880325170/ It was amazing how many folks turned out. Bill Reid told me they sold more tickets to this year's festival than any other in history. And the vendors I talked to in the vendor area - seemed to be doing well sales-wise!

From the owner: Producers of festivals, cruises, tours to Scotland, music agentread more

Another great year. Gyros for $12 each, all day every day. Yum! Can't wait until September 2026!read more

Not what it used to be but we have been going for 48 years?! lol Changes are: No more flea market…read more The gyros are now $12 with half the meat. ( I know, inflation). :-) No more rice with the entrees. Charge for parking. However, we can't miss it. So many memories with our then kids and grandkids. Hope to go again next year and on and on.