Floral & Hardy | Hortulus Farm | Bygone Flowers Workshop at Sycamore & Stone | Historic Bolton Mansion | Cork & Candles | Longwood Gardens | Monsterville | SUDS Factory | Elmwood Park Zoo | Dilworth Park
Fall is here and we are ready to go with all the amazing activities our area has to offer.
Kathy’s Fall Activities list started years ago when I became a mom and was looking for farms to visit, crafts to make and places to take fall photos. My son is a bit older now but we still love fall and taking part in all this beautiful season has to offer.
This year’s list has something for everyone: places to visit with the family, things to do with the kids both young and old, perfect “Girls’ Night” options, and lots to do alone if you prefer to enjoy the season solo.
If you choose to try one of the incredible fall activities on my list, please share your experience with me by tagging me on social media. You can also follow along with my fall adventures at @kathyromano11 on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Happy Fall 2023!
Kathy Romano’s Fall Activities 2023:
Floral & Hardy Pumpkin Succulent Workshop with Kathy Romano
At this point we all know this is one of my favorite places to visit in the fall.
Floral & Hardy of Skippack is a family-owned garden center and gift shop located in the heart of Skippack Village. You’ll find unique gifts, home & yard décor plus beautiful annuals, perennials, and shrubs! This year I’m inviting you to create your own gorgeous fall centerpiece with me at Floral & Hardy’s WMMR exclusive Pumpkin Succulent workshop on Friday October 20th from 5pm-7pm.
We’ll design and build a large and a mini pumpkin succulent centerpiece. Floral & Hardy supplies all the pumpkins, succulent plant tops, moss, decorative items, and an air plant for variety. They’ll also teach us how to care for the succulent tops so that we can re-plant them after the season.
After the workshop, you can enjoy a jumbo cookie and bottled drink (lemonade, iced tea, canned draft latte drink, etc.) from Blossom Café, which is located inside Floral & Hardy. Also, feel free to bring a bottle of wine or champagne to enjoy during the class.
As an added bonus, you’ll receive a 10% discount on any Floral & Hardy purchase before or after the workshop. Be ready to shop because their store is adorable! This event will take place in an outdoor tent area so dress for the weather. How to sign up? Click this link and use password WMMRFALL (all caps) and I’ll see you on October 20th at 5pm!
If you can’t make our WMMR event, Floral and Hardy is offering a number of pumpkin succulent and other classes this fall.
Hortulus Farm Harvest Weekends
Hortulus is this year’s farm recommendation. The picturesque public farm, garden and nursey is a bit different than the others in the region. Think more of a tranquil farm with a laid-back harvest festival.
The farm is in its second fall season since being revived by landscape designer Jon Kontz and his family. Filled with gorgeous trees, unique plants and beautiful flowers, the experience begins as soon as you pull into their parking lot and throughout their property.
At the Harvest Festival weekends (October 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th), guests can enjoy everything from pumpkins to live music, delicious food vendors, fall-themed treats and more.
Hortulus aims to provide endless entertainment for the whole family. Guests can purchase a Harvest Pass to unlock a world of fall wonders; enjoy the thrill of a pumpkin patch, play in the corn pit, conquer the hay bale pyramid, visit the petting farm and unleash your creativity at the pumpkin painting station.
Savor the flavors of the season at the pergola, where you can indulge in offerings from Moss Mill Brewery, along with a delectable assortment of local food trucks. Delight in the culinary delights of Two Street Sammies, Sum Pig, Ardana, Local Harvest Pizza, and more. Additionally, visit the Café Refresh with beverages from Many Hands Coffee and a gluten-free apple cider and pumpkin spice donuts from Sweet Victory.
Immerse yourself in the melodic ambiance with daily live music performances by talented artists including Matt Dorsey, Matt Friedman, Greg McGarvey, and Rae Radick. Learn more and purchase tickets at hortulusfarm.com. The Hortulus Farm Foundation is a 501©(3) non-profit community destination with a mission to inspire, educate and delight.
Bygone Flowers Workshop at Sycamore & Stone
I’m so excited to be able to offer you yet another WMMR exclusive Kathy’s Fall Activity and this one is taking place Tuesday October 3rd from 5pm-7pm!
Grab a few friends and join me in a fall décor workshop led by Nicole from Bygone Flowers Dried Floral Décor at Sycamore & Stone Farm in beautiful Chester County.
Together we will create 2 fall home décor projects. One is a beaded wreath of dried florals in all shades of fall! We will learn the wire-wrapping technique to create this versatile piece to adorn your dining table as a centerpiece accent, a coffee table, kitchen hood, island – let your imagination be your guide.
The second craft is a dried floral bouquet. We will also create our own beautiful bouquets to dress up our own décor, stash in our favorite vase, or shop for a new vase at Sycamore and Stone’s retail store! Sycamore and Stone Farm is located at 1251 Conestoga Rd, Chester Springs, PA 19425. Your ticket to this workshop includes live instruction and all materials for the wreath and bouquet.
Feel free to bring a bottle of wine and snacks to enjoy during the workshop. And shop at the farm’s retail store with a 15% discount code that night only.
Sycamore & Stone Farm is our friend Jeff Devlin’s farm. Sycamore and Stone hosts a variety of events and classes throughout the year. With sprawling Sycamore trees, barn to shop, 1800’s stone home, the property is the perfect place for fall activities!
They’re hosting a class for us but this season they’re offering several great workshops of their own. At the Ceramic Pumpkin Painting workshop you’ll learn painting techniques to use on 3 ceramic pumpkins (small, medium and large). During the Autumn-Themed Greeting Card Workshop you’ll be guided step-by-step through a series of short warm-up exercises to learn beautiful techniques of watercolor and how to paint a greeting card. Whether you’re a complete beginner or have some macramé experience the Macramé Pumpkin class is designed to cater to all skill levels. At the Bring Your Own BOOS Painting Class you’ll create your own ghost painting and during the Harvest Pumpkin Decoupage workshop you’ll learn the decorating skills to turn a pumpkin into a work of art. The Kids Pumpkin Decorating class is a no-carve, less-mess class for the young ones.
But wait, there’s more! You’ll use beautiful seasonal flower that are grown locally to create your own centerpiece at the Thanksgiving Centerpiece workshop and during the Handmade Holiday Entertaining tray class you’ll create a detailed clay appetizer/serving tray. You can BYOB so don’t forget the mimosas and snacks for all classes!
I’ve known Jeff for years but had no idea he had all of these amazing workshops that fit my fall activity list perfectly. I’m so excited to team up with him and will be at many of the workshops this season.
Spooky Season at Historic Bolton Mansion
Bolton Mansion in Levittown, Bucks County offers great Halloween celebrations to the community. On October 6th from 7-9pm, a guided Ghost Tour will be hosted by the Fairless Hills Paranormal Group. Paranormal equipment will be set up on all 3 floors of the Haunted Bolton Mansion. Then, on October 7th, the paranormal group will be back for Kid-Friendly Ghost Tours from 6pm-9pm. Make sure you bring a camera and/or recording device to see if you can capture any images or sounds from the ghosts who live in the Bolton Mansion.
New this year is a Murder Mystery Dinner taking place on 3 evenings: October 13th, 14th and 15th. Bolton Mansion is featuring a beautifully catered dinner, cash bar and a captivating “whodunnit” dinner show with audience participation. The dinners will take place in a cathedral-style tent on the lawn.
Finally, on October 21st from 11am-4pm, Bolton Mansion will host their largest event of the season: Boo At Bolton. It’s a food truck festival with trick or treating for the kids. They’ll be a bunch of activities for the kids, entertainment, vendors and lots of popular food trucks. Wear your costumes and enjoy this great event!
Creating Candles with Spirits
UPDATE: Due to the high demand, Cork & Candles has added a second event again on Monday, October 30th. Book here.
Cork & Candles is an experiential scent bar that opened last year in the King of Prussia Town Center. As part of this year’s Kathy’s Fall Activities List, we are Creating Candles with the Spirits. At the 3-hour event on October 26th, we will be guided through the process of creating our own 7oz. Witches Brew Candle. Guests will go through the Scent Library (about 70 scents) and choose their favorite scent to add into their candle. Then choose a color for wax (orange, green, or purple), and top the candle with fun embeds such as skulls, pumpkins, bats, crystals, etc.
The event will be capped off with a 1-hour group reading from spirit medium, Karen T. Hluchan. She will be bringing through in spirit for those who are in attendance. Readings are random and there is no guarantee that you will receive a direct message from the Other Side. You must pre-register for this event, so sign up asap!
Cork & Candles offers a food menu of charcuterie boards and flatbreads that can be ordered at check-in, but guests are more than welcome to bring their favorite bottle of wine or alcoholic beverage and small snacks. Just a few doors down at Kilwin’s they’re offering two BOGO deals just for our listeners so you can pick up some treats to enjoy during the workshop.
- FUDGE: Buy 1 piece of fudge, get another piece of fudge of equal or lesser value free
- ICE CREAM: Buy any ice cream (small or large, AND in a waffle cone, waffle bowl, sugar cone or cake cone) and get another ice cream of equal or lesser value absolutely free.
Cork and Candle exists to provide an inviting atmosphere where friends, families, and co-workers can gather so that they can build deeper relationships and stronger communities. Within just a year and a half of their opening, they already won Best of Main Line Today 2023 for “Best Girls Night Out”, have partnered up with local charities and companies to help a special cause and opened a second store in Center City!
Pumpkin Playground at Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens showcases vibrant horticultural designs, dancing fountains, family fun, and natural beauty for guests to enjoy all year round, and the autumn months are no exception. Despite having to shut their doors for a few days in September, they’re back up and running and they’re ready for the fall!
This fall, enjoy fun family time in Longwood’s Pumpkin Playground (October 6th-30th), featuring a seasonal display of pumpkins, gourds, and corn husk towers, as well as plenty of festive fall photo opportunities. And the fall fun doesn’t stop there.
Longwood’s Garden Railway is another family favorite. This multi-level world in miniature is the perfect place to gather and watch dozens of locomotives, including the always-popular Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends, rumble along hundreds of tracks nestled within a beautiful seasonal plant palette.
While you’re there, explore Longwood’s three treehouses, marvel at fall’s favorite flower during Chrysanthemum Festival (September 30-November 12), and soak in the fun of fountain performances at the Main Fountain Garden, including the last of this year’s Illuminated Fountain Performances; running Thursday through Saturday evenings through October 28.
So long, Merchantville… Hello, Monsterville!
The small borough of Merchantville transforms and officially changes its name to Monsterville every October for a month of Halloween tricks and treats!
Merchantville boasts the perfect mix of tree-lined streets, beautiful Victorian homes, and residents with a serious passion for all things creepy. It’s a picture-perfect Halloween town. Business owners, residents and Borough council all have a role to play in the month-long celebration of the mysterious and frightening.
From the annual Merchantville School haunted house to Spooky Story Times and a Zombie Run, Monsterville has something for everyone to enjoy. The Monster Mash Bash is an adults-only ticketed event that includes live music, signature cocktails, and tarot card reading. Monsterville’s Zombie 5k is a costumed run and walk. Participants creep and crawl their way through the Borough and end with a beer at Eclipse Brewery.
The main reason to visit Monsterville is to tour the Borough and find this year’s entries to the Haunts of Monsterville home decorating contest. Each year, Merchantville residents go all out creating elaborate scenes to transform the quiet Victorian town into a hauntingly frightful destination.
Tour the town and vote for your favorites on October 30th and 31st. Maps of participating homes are available on the Borough website, inside Borough hall and at participating businesses beginning October 23rd. Winners receive the coveted Golden Broomstick, and most importantly, bragging rights through next Halloween. And on Halloween itself, the Borough welcomes thousands of trick-or-treaters to draw a close to another month of Monsterville!
SUDS Factory Haunted Car Wash
There was a vehicular accident in the parking lot of SUDS Factory Car Wash involving two cars. One had a casket in it that is now empty!!! Enter the tunnel, located at 3046 West Chester Pike, Broomall, at your own risk!!
Dates for their very first haunted experience: October 13th, 14th / 20th, 21st and 27th-30th, 7PM-9PM. Dozens of haunted characters will be wreaking havoc around the car wash lot and inside the tunnel.
A “body carving” station manned by a not so pleasant butcher will be on site and watch out for the villains with chainsaws. No tickets needed for the haunted car wash. You pay when you arrive, but if you mention Kathy’s Fall Activities, you will receive $5 off your entry fee.
Existing car wash members pay $20 and non-members pay $25 on site when they arrive for the event. 10% of proceeds from the event are being donated to Toys For Tots.
Elmwood Park Zoo Activities For All Ages
This is always an excellent place for a fall activity and the zoo is always a go-to for us during any season.
You’re never too old for the Elmwood Park Zoo! They have a number of events I thought our WMMR listeners might be interested in, including their “Zoosnooze” and “Breakfast with the Giraffes.”
Discover what happens at the zoo after the sun goes down at Elmwood Park Zoo’s “ZooSnooze” overnight campouts! “ZooSnooze” is recommended for children ages 4 and up. The campout includes Dinner and Breakfast, Flashlight tour of the zoo, Campfire & activities, Educational show the next morning, Giraffe feeding the next day and Zoo admission the next day. The giraffe breakfast is an outdoor breakfast buffet, right next to the three towering giraffes. After you’ve cleared your plate, you’ll be able to feed the giraffe their breakfast!
In addition to the “Zoosnooze” and “Breakfast with the Giraffes”, the zoo has a number of fall and Halloween events this season, like Boo at the Zoo, Trick or Treat Nights, Night Adventure, Harvest Fest, and Boo Just for You (an after-hours access of the regularly scheduled Boo at the Zoo event specially geared for guests with special needs along with their families and caregivers.)
Space is limited for all of the Elmwood Park Zoo special events, so don’t delay in purchasing your tickets!
Hay Maze at Dilworth Park
Daily from September 29th through October 8th, enjoy fall on the farm without leaving the city!
For a limited time, the Albert M. Greenfield Lawn at Dilworth Park transforms to a fun-for-all-ages experience to welcome the arrival of autumn. Harvest Weekend is October 6th – 8th and will have lots of hay bales, cornstalks and pumpkins. This 3-day experience embraces the best elements of fall for visitors of all ages. The park will be buzzing with activities and entertainment all weekend-long, including performances from local bands, live pumpkin carving demonstrations and roaming circus performers.
Come hungry to fuel up on seasonal staples, including bratwurst and Bavarian pretzels, and adults can enjoy Tröegs Oktoberfest and Michelob Ultra, along with specialty cocktails made with Maker’s Mark® Bourbon and Haku® Vodka. The Philly Goat Project will be there to entertain guests on Friday night, and on Saturday afternoon, visitors 21 and over are invited to participate in a stein-hoisting contest! Additional highlights include photo-worthy backdrops, apple cider making, kid-friendly pumpkin painting and a locally sourced craft market.
On October 14th, a not-so-scary Halloween celebration will feature a scavenger hunt (complete with a candy treat), free pumpkin painting, spooky story time with the Free Library of Philadelphia and a magic show. Don’t forget to wear your costumes!!
