Spring (or is it summer?) is finally upon us! If you’re looking to take in some springtime sights, what better place to do so than in Bucks County?
Our northern neighbor has a plethora of events, attractions and activities designed to get residents and tourists alike out and exploring the rich culture of the county countryside.
This weekend alone would make for a lively trip to Bucks County.
On May 16, Quakertown stages its 15th-annual Arts Alive!, an artisan and crafter event featuring more than 100 juried exhibitors. A food court and wine-tasting area keep shoppers nourished, and original music arts will entertain throughout the day. Quakertown is undergoing a revitalization project but still preserves much of its old-time charm, said Jerry Lepping, executive director of Visit Bucks County.
“Quakertown takes you back, they even have a five-and-dime that actually has stuff for a nickel or dime,” Lepping said. “It’s a great walking town, very relaxing and very friendly.”
Visit quakertownalive.com for more info.
Also on the arts side is the annual Moravian Pottery & Tile Works Festival. Held May 16-17 at the National Historic Landmark, the festival will feature the wares of dozens of tile artists, dealers and collectors and includes free tours of the Tile Works, a “working-history” museum that still produces handmade tiles.
New Hope Celebrates Pride caps off its week of LGBT celebrations May 16 with the annual parade, kicking off at 11:30 a.m. in Lambertville. A vendor fair will feature artisans, businesses and community organizations outside the Bucks County Playhouse and a block party in the same location will include live performances, including from Antigone Rising. Pride events and parties are scheduled throughout the weekend, so check out newhopecelebrates.com for a full lineup.
If you didn’t party too hard Saturday night, hit up the Spring Winery Tour, held May 17 and 24. The fifth-annual initiative is a self-guided tour of the area’s family-owned wineries: four on the first day and five the following weekend.
“The wineries are some of our biggest attractions,” Lepping said. “All nine are family-owned and operated and a lot are open six days a week. They do tastings on the tour and it’s a great way to relax. They’re spread out throughout the county and they all work well together.”
Another big attraction is the annual Bucks County Designer House & Gardens Tour, now in its 40th year. Through May 30, visitors can tour Villa d’Braccia, which spans nearly 8,000 square feet in Chalfont. After being selected as this year’s highlighted property, the house and its gardens underwent styling by some of the area’s top designers. More than 8,000 people are expected to visit the property this month, and all proceeds from the tour and associated special events benefit Doylestown Hospital.
“The hospital is the largest female-owned and operated business in the Lehigh Valley,” Lepping noted. “And this is their fundraising arm. It’s very, very successful every year.”
For info, visit buckscountydesignerhouse.org.
If you’re looking to spruce up your own home or gardens, you might find what you’re looking for at Peddler’s Village, which is in the midst of a major retail renaissance.
Lepping said Peddler’s Village chief operating officer Terry Ward deserves much of the credit for the shopping village’s rebirth.
“Terry comes from a unique background; he was more or less working in high-end restaurants in Philadelphia for years. When he first got there, he told me that there were eight or nine stores out of about 70 that he knew he had to get rid of; they just weren’t caring if they were making money and he knew he’d have to wait until the leases ran out and replace them with people who really want to market. And it appears he’s done that,” Lepping said. “Almost all the stores are filled now and they recently did major renovations to half of the rooms at the Golden Plough Inn and they’re going to be doing the other half as well. They weren’t afraid to spend money where it was needed and that paid off.”
Even if you don’t get out to Peddler’s Village for your retail therapy in the next few weeks, don’t miss the village’s 31st-annual Fine Arts & Contemporary Craft Show, June 6-7; peddlersvillage.com.
Whether you go for the shopping, the arts, the culture or, as Lepping joked, “just to see grass,” make some time for a respite from city life this spring.