Spring has sprung, and May is just around the corner….

There are two great local music events to choose from tomorrow night, First Friday is back in Upper Perk next Friday – May 3rd, a local art show is opening a week from Saturday, and the annual UPSD Arts Fest showcasing student artists and musicians in Upper Perk School District starts on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024! All this to look forward to and more, along with a reminder that plans are underway for an awesome first day of summer celebrating music throughout the Valley on Friday, June 21st at Make Music Upper Perk.

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Friday night, April 26th, Terry Kane is leading and hosting an Irish Session (live music!) at Perkiomen Valley Brewery (101 Walnut Street, Green Lane, PA) the first in a series of 4th Fridays music nights. The music starts at 6 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m.

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Tina Faigan will be playing a piano concert – Vignettes: Modern and Retro – at Church of the Holy Spirit in Harleysville, PA (2871 Barndt Road), beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2024.

A recital featuring short works for the piano—from recent gems to beloved classics—including Claire de Lune, Rachmaninoff’s 18th Variation, Schubert, Chopin, Puccini and more.

Concert pianist, chamber musician, recording artist, teacher and published music-writer, Tina Faigen’s professional music endeavors also include engagements as an adjudicator, master class presenter, workshop presenter, orchestral pianist, instrumental & vocal accompanist, music editor, and even presently as an orchestral violinist serving as Principal 2nd. An active teacher from the age of 14, Faigen has maintained a private studio throughout her life and is a piano faculty member at both University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University Music Preparatory School.

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Support the Doylestown Library while checking out wonderful crafts this Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Friends of the Doyletown Library Arts and Craft Fair. There is no admission charge for this event at the James-Lorah House Auditorium, 100 North Broad Street, Doylestown, PA.

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First Fridays are back in East Greenville, starting on Friday, May 3rd! Part of Third Street and Bank Street (right off of Main Street) will be closed for crafts people and vendors. There will be live music and Main Street businesses in town (like the bakery and cafe!) will be open later than usual for this event.

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The public is invited to the opening Reception of the Pottstown Area Artists Guild Fine Arts Show at our own local museum, the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center (105 Seminary Ave, Pennsburg, PA) on Sunday, May 5th from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Free and open to everyone, held on the second floor (accessible by elevator as well as stairs) in the Putera Meeting Room, in addition to the art, there will be refreshments, and live music by harpist Betsy Chapman. The Fine Arts Show will be on display from Friday, May 3rd – Sunday, May 19, 2024. Admission to the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage is free.

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Celebrate all the artistic and musical talent at our public schools in the Upper Perkiomen Valley, at this year’s UPSD Arts Fest – May 7 – May 10, 2024. With concerts four night that week, and awesome displays of student artwork including paintings, sculptures, mixed media, and more, it’s worth finding some time on your calendar that week to stop by and check it out! Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening are the elementary and middle school concerts (Choruses on Tuesday and Bands, and UPHS Jazz Band!, on Wednesday, and Orchestras on Thursday) and the Elementary/UPMS Art Show – all in the Upper Perkiomen Middle School (901 Montgomery Avenue, Pennsburg, PA). Thursday and Friday night one can stop by the Upper Perkiomen High School (just down the street at 2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA) to see the High School Art Show and hear High School Recital and High School Jazz Band (Thursday), and the High School Orchestra and Band Concert (Friday).

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The North Pennsmen Barbershop Chorus will be holding their Spring is Bursting Out All Over concert on Saturday, May 11th at 2 p.m, at the Souderton Mennonite Church. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door; adults $20, kids 12 and under are free.

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The Pottstown Artists Guild is hosting their May Masters of Art Talk on Monday, May 20th, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. Free and open to everyone, Kevin Lynn will be talking about the art of photography – The art of seeing … Opening your mind’s eye to inspiration at the Hill School Center of the Arts, 760 Beech Street, Pottstown, PA.

As photographer, Kevin Lynn, will talk about his ability to see images everywhere. In any situation, any light and in any genre. Living in the moment… Composition that tells a story.

Working in multiple disciplines. Routines and best practices to develop those skills. His photos show a unique ability to see image possibilities that are not always just what the eye sees.

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And don’t forget to mark your calendar for the first day of summer – Friday, June 21st – the twelfth annual Make Music Upper Perk! With live music inside and outside at over 20 locations throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley, starting at 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., this all free, all volunteer, and all open to the public event brings the community together to celebrate music of all types by musicians of all ages!

If you’d like to be a part of this event, sign up to volunteer today and/or come to the first MMUP Volunteer Meeting of 2024 on Saturday afternoon, May 11th at 1 p.m. at New Goshenhoppen Park (618 Third Street, East Greenville, PA), by the bandstand. Learn more about volunteering for this event – volunteers are needed before and after June 21st, as well as on the day of the event itself.

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St. Patrick’s Day Weekend – Celtic Concerts and More….

The Jameson Sisters, with special guest violinist Helene Zisook Speer, will be at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Harleysville, PA (2871 Barndt Road) on Friday, March 15, 2024 for the annual St Patrick’s Day Concert, which starts at 7 p.m. The concert is open to the public, with a suggested donation of $25.

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Funky Frets in Boyertown (124 N Chestnut Street) will be celebrating the grand opening of their new Vinyl Store on Saturday, March 16, 2024 with a day and night of workshops and performances, free and open to the public. The Uke Workshop will be from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m., Uke Jam from 2:30 – 5:30, and Open Mic (all instruments welcome) from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

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Local musician Gabe Delp has been making quite a name for himself, playing with groups and solo, all over – with an upcoming gig with Wood Flower at Godfrey Daniels on the horizon. You can catch him at Publication Brew Works in Pennsburg, PA (10 Fourth Street) on Saturday, March 16th, from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. – no cover charge.

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Perkasie Borough is hosting the Upper Bucks Celtic Festival on Saturday, March 16, 2024, featuring a bagpiper, fiddle music, the Celtic band Hobnail, Irish dancers, artisans, and more, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. This festival in downtown Perkasie is free and open to the public.

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DeSales University Dance Ensemble Concert is this weekend, with three performances; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, March 15-17, 2024. The performance will be held at the Main Stage on DeSales University campus (2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA). Tickets are on sale online and at the door.

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Best selling author Anna Quindlen will be in Doylestown, Pa for a discussion and book signing of her newest novel, Before Annie, on Monday evening, March 18, 2024. Tickets for An Evening with Anna Quindlen are on sale now, and include the price of a hardcover copy of the book. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. event at Delaware Valley University Life Sciences Building 700 East Butler Avenue, Doylestown, PA.

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March has come in like a lion (but you can do more than fly a kite this month)

As of Friday night’s sold out performance of Matilda Jr at the Upper Perkiomen Middle School (901 Montgomery Avenue, Pennsburg, PA) there were still 30 tickets left for the final performance on Saturday, March 2nd, 2024. Tickets are on sale now

There are still two more performances to go of Act 1’s staging of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Saturday, March 2nd and Sunday, March 3rd. Get tickets online for this show at DeSales University, Center Valley, PA

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Next weekend the pop musical Emma! will be on stage at Upper Perkiomen High School (2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA) Thursday, March 7 – Sunday, March 10, 2024. Buy your ticket now, before they sell out!

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Ain’t Misbehavin’ is on stage now until March 10, 2024, at the Civic Theater on 19th Street in Allentown, PA.

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Part One of CWTAP’s broadcast of Make Music Upper Perk 2023, featuring eight different entertainers is now on YouTube to watch and share with your friends. This great footage, shot live by The Ritters on June 21st, 2023, includes performances by Gravel Pike, Peregrine and the Band of Brothers, Michael Oelschlager, Jeanne Hunsberger and her harp, Lehigh Valley Pops, and Expressions Sax Quartet.

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The Celtic Heirs will be performing on Thursday, March 7th, 2024 at 6 p.m. at the Upper Perkiomen Valley Library (350 Main Street, Red Hill, PA). Registration is encouraged (but not required) for this free concert.

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The Jameson Sisters, with special guest violinist Helene Zisook Speer, will be at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Harleysville, PA (2871 Barndt Road) on Friday, March 15, 2024 for the annual St Patrick’s Day Concert, which starts at 7 p.m. The concert is open to the public, with a suggested donation of $25.

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Funky Frets in Boyertown (124 N Chestnut Street) will be celebrating the grand opening of their new Vinyl Store on Saturday, March 16, 2024 with a day and night of workshops and performances, free and open to the public. The Uke Workshop will be from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m., Uke Jam from 2:30 – 5:30, and Open Mic (all instruments welcome) from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

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The Pottstown Area Artists Guild (PAAG) is starting their 2024 Spring Program with the March Masters of Art talk, on Thursday, March 21, 2024.  This event is free and open to the public.

In March, Gallery Owner, Caroline Kearney, will talk about “Some Common-Sense Ideas for Honing Your Art Career: A Gallerist’s Perspective”

This talk will be presented by Pottstown Area Artists Guild on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 7pm. The talk will take place on the 2^nd floor above the Gallery in the North Hall of the West Campus of the Montgomery County Community College at 16 E. High Street in Pottstown, PA.

Information about attending this talk and parking at the college is available at https://paag.info/meeting-times/.

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The Pottstown Area Artists Guild has also put out a Call for Artists for their upcoming Spring Open Juried Fine Arts Show, which will be held this year at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center on May 3 – 19, 2024. The deadline to enter is Monday, March 25th for mail-in entries and Monday, April 1st for online entries.

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“Make Music Happen” Campaign for Make Music Upper Perk 2024!

March is Make Music Upper Perk’s annual “Make the Music Happen” Campaign to raise funds to publicize the festival, and we invite you to support the cause. There are multiple ways to donate: online using credit card or PayPal, or by printing out a donation form and mailing a check made out to Make Music Upper Perk to:

MMUP Treasurer, 2103 Fruitville Rd, East Greenville, PA 18041.

Since Make Music Upper Perk is an entirely volunteer-run 501c3 non-profit organization, individual donations are tax-deductible and vital in spreading the word about the festival and ensuring that the day’s concerts are open to everybody.

If you’ve ever attended the annual Make Music Upper Perk festival over the last 12 years – held
annually on June 21st – you’ve likely witnessed local musicians entertaining crowds, volunteers
buzzing around to keep the event flowing smoothly, and people easing into summer with the
sweet sound of music and friends. And this is your chance to join the group of generous community members that make this day possible.

In order to be recognized as a contributor in this year’s MMUP program, make sure your gifts are received before April 20, 2024!

Make Music Upper Perk – part of a worldwide celebration started in Paris in 1982 known as
Make Music Day – is an annual day-long grassroots music festival with free performances
spanning a huge variety of genres across the Upper Perkiomen Valley. Last year’s festival
featured relaxing melodies on harps, theme songs from video games, acoustic blues, ukulele
circles, and much more. This year is on track to be the most successful festival so far, with over
40 acts already signed up to perform pro bono. Musicians and volunteers generously donate their
time and talent, so the overwhelming majority of the MMUP budget is used to spread the word
and print programs and maps so that audience members know how and when to find their
favorite music.

Since its very first year, Make Music Upper Perk has relied on the grassroots support of
individual, small donations. Donate today to make the 12th annual festival another resounding
success. See you at Make Music Upper Perk on Friday, June 21st, 2024!

February is Filled with Local Live Theater and Music!

Music for Magical Mallets is happening tonight, Friday, February 9, 2024 at the Church of the Holy Spirit Episcopal (2871 Barndt Road, Harleysville, PA). Starting at 7 p.m. with Jeffery Uhlig on the piano and Mark O’Kain on the marimba and xylophone, the evening’s performance features Classics, Tangos, Ragtime, and Broadway music. The concert is free, with a suggested donation of $25.

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A new two woman play, Mrs. Harrison, is playing for the month of February at Montgomery Theater in Souderton (124 N Main Street, Souderton, PA).

Running time is approximately 75 minutes with no intermission.

May not be suitable for children under the age of 17

At their 10-year college reunion, Aisha and Holly meet by chance. Is this the first time or has it just been a long time? They can’t agree. Aisha is a Black, successful playwright; she’s on the cover of the alumni magazine. Holly is a White, struggling stand-up comedian; she’s here for the free drinks. They both have a story that they’ve been telling themselves about what happened all those years ago and they’re both willing to fight for the truth in the present.

Montgomery Theater

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If you are in the mood for “a delicious new comedy,” head over to Pottstown’s SteelRiver Playhouse for The Cake which opens this weekend and plays through February 18th, 2024 (two weekends only!). Some performances are already sold out, so buy your tickets online now, if you can!

A delicious comedy: Della’s North Carolina bakery is legendary! She is overjoyed when her best friend’s daughter returns from New York to get married and asks Della to make her wedding cake. Della, a sweet-natured Christian, is forced to re-examine her deeply held beliefs and her own marriage when she realizes there is not one bride, but two.  Faith, family, and frosting collide in this timely new play by Bekah Brunstetter, writer for the NBC hit This Is Us.

Note: Includes strong language and adult themes.

SteelRiver Playhouse

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February is also the start of the season of high school musicals!

The Addams Family is the first high school musical playing in our area, on stage at the Perkiomen School (200 Seminary Ave, Pennsburg, PA) on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, February 15-18, 2024. There is no admission charge – the show is open to the public. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the curtain is scheduled to rise at 7:30 p.m. While you are there at Keh’s Theater, take a look at the art gallery in the lobby of the theater. The Addams Family is a Tony nominated musical based on the cartoon and many tv and film adaptations.

The winter musical at The Hill School (860 Beech Street, Pottstown, PA) this year is Prom, on the main stage February 23-25, 2024. Open to the public, with no admission charge, this Broadway musical comedy has also been made into a film, and has recently become a popular stage show for high schools and community theater (Perkiomen Valley High School will be staging the show in March and SteelRiver Playhouse in May).

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Enjoy an Evening of Music with Charlie Zahm on Saturday evening, February 17th, 2024 in Perkasie at St. Andrew’s United Church of Christ (615 Walnut Street, Perkasie, PA)

Charlie Zahm is one of the most popular soloists at Celtic music festivals, Maritime, and American Traditional music events anywhere east of the Mississippi. With a baritone voice some have described as “coming along once in a generation,” Charlie has become one of the most successful performers on the Celtic festival circuit, weaving magical moments of Scottish and Irish history for the listener and viewer, with passion for the performance and a chosen repertoire pleasing to all members of the family. A master of the guitar as well, Charlie brings an authentic love and respect for the music he sings-and with dashes of humor and a light in his eyes, he will draw you into the stories of his songs!

Charlie Zahm website

 “St. Andrew’s UCC in Perkasie is hosting An Evening Of Music with Charlie Zahm on February 17th at 7:00 pm. The charge is $15.00 with proceeds going to mission activities and the capital campaign. There will be refreshments, a raffle and a 50/50 at intermission. We encourage reservations by calling Karen at 267-664-0231or email kapcharlkp@gmail.com. Checks can be made out to St. Andrew’s and mailed to the church” (address above).

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Bring the whole family to the Greg Funfgeld Family Concert, Dancing with Bach at the Zoellner Arts Center on the Lehigh University Campus (420 E. Packer, Bethlehem, PA) on Sunday afternoon, February 18th, 2024. Blending music and dance featuring performers from the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts and the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, this event is for children and adults of all ages. The music starts at 3 p.m. (doors open at 2:30) This is a general admission seating ticketed event – call the box office 610-866-4382 extension110 or buy online.

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Calling All Musicians; young and old, experienced and first time performers, soloists and grunge bands and everyone in between!

The time is now to sign up to play at this year’s Make Music Upper Perk, celebrating the first day of summer on Friday, June 21st, 2024, with live music throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley, inside and outside, and free and open to everyone!

February has arrived, the groundhog did NOT see his shadow, warmer weather is just around the corner, and we can’t help thinking about the first day of summer when the community comes together to listen to local (and not so local) musicians performing at local cafes, restaurants, parks, the public library, the YMCA, and at our own local museum – the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center,  playing and singing all types of music from folk to Celtic to punk rock; jazz to pops orchestra to Sousa. Many of our musicians have been playing professionally for many years, and choose to share their time and talent with the community for no charge on this one day celebration of music, while some will be making their public debut and performing for an audience for the first time!

Musician Registration opened on February 1, 2024 and runs through April 20 2024.

Volunteer Signup is ongoing, if you want to be part of making Make Music Upper Perk happen! 

Volunteers are needed before and after June 21st, as well as on the day of the event; read all about the volunteer options.

Make Music Upper Perk is always free and open to the public, relying on volunteers, local nonprofits and businesses sharing their spaces, and donations large and small to cover costs.  You can now make a donation via PayPal, using your credit card or PayPal account. Make Music Upper Perk is a nonprofit that became a 501(c)3 in 2019.  (Donations may also be made by sending a check with MMUP donation form.)

Donor levels are as follows;

• • $10 Friend
  • $25 Supporter
  • $50 Patron
  • $100 Producer
  • $150 Maestro
  • $300 (or more) Virtuoso

Enjoy the Varied Sounds of the Season…

This is a good weekend to enjoy the sounds of the season – dulcimers, choral groups, and the sounds of folks talking with local crafts people.

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The Indian Valley Dulcimer Society will be playing holiday music, Sounds of the Season, Saturday morning, December 9th, 2023, from 11 a.m. – 12 noon, at the Upper Perkiomen Valley Library (350 Main Street, Red Hill, PA). This event will be held on the main floor, amongst the books (so feel free to browse for new books to borrow, while listening to the music), and is free and open to all ages.

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The Upper Perkiomen High School A Choir will be joining the Valley Choral Society in singing Festive Carols in the King’s College Tradition at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 10th at New Goshenhoppen UCC (1070 Church Road, East Greenville, PA). This concert is free and open to the public – no tickets required (a good will offering will be received).

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The 40th Annual Christmas Bazaar at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sumneytown (3104 Main Street) is Saturday, December 9th, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. There is no admission charge, and there will be crafters, vendors, hot lunch for sale, and a cookie walk (a wide assortment of homemade cookies, sold by the pound).

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Speakeasy Coffee Company (875 Main Street, Pennsburg, PA) is hosting its first ever Christmas Maker’s Market this Saturday, December 9th from noon – 6 p.m. No admission price (though why not get something hot to drink while browsing?) Local artists’ creations will be on sale, including candles, pottery, linoleum block printed shirts, and more!

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And mark your calendars now so as not to miss the upcoming concerts showcasing our talented student musicians in the Upper Perkiomen School District; so many concerts, featuring bands, strings, orchestras, and choral groups, starting on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, through Wednesday, December 20th, 2023. Concerts are free and open to the public, and held in several different locations – the Upper Perk High School (2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA), the Upper Perk Middle School (901 Montgomery Avenue, Pennsburg, PA), and the Upper Perk 4-5 Center (510 Jefferson Street, East Greenville, PA) – so make sure to check which one is where before heading out!

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Don’t Stay Home on the First Weekend in December!

While the rain is not inspiring for the first day of December, there are plenty of indoor local events worth dropping by over the weekend, including live music performances all over the Valley, craft fairs, holiday museum displays (and decorated trees), and an opportunity to visit an artist’s studio and talk with the artists themselves!

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Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 is the PTFS sponsored Upper Perk Holiday Bazaar from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., at the Upper Perkiomen Middle School (901 Montgomery Avenue, Pennsburg, PA). Over 80 crafters and vendors, along with food and drinks for sale, raffle baskets, a new book fair and a bake sale supporting the school, are all expected to be present. The bazaar is free and open to the public.

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Enjoy live holiday music by local musicians, view the exhibits, and maybe do a little shopping (while enjoying roasted chestnuts and other winter treats) at The Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center Christmas Market  (105 Seminary Street, East Greenville, PA) and the Goshenhoppen Historians Pennsylvania German Christmas Market at Red Man’s Hall (116 Gravel Pike aka Rt 29 and 63, Green Lane, PA) are both on Saturday and Sunday, December 2nd and 3rd, 2023 (9:30 – 4 Saturday and noon – 4 Sunday). The museums and markets are open to the public and admission is free.

The first weekend in December is the annual Christmas Market (at Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center) featuring sales of folk art, small crafts, books, and gifts for children and adults. Pam Smith returns with her special jewelry, and we will have a rummage table too.

Besides shopping, there are special activities. The Christmas Putz exhibit, a traditional Pennsylvania German village scene, returns in two locations this year. On Saturday, the first 50 children ages 4-12 will have the opportunity to build and take home a brick built Christmas Tree from a kit containing genuine LEGO® pieces. In the afternoons, enjoy holiday music. On Saturday, members of the Red Hill Band will entertain us, and on Sunday at 1:30pm, festive tunes of the season will be presented by the students of Harmony Corner Music under the direction of Cynthia Hector.

Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center

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Local renowned artists Brad Hendershot and Katy Krieg are opening their doors to the public for their annual Holiday Open Studio (Hoppenville House, 5455 Hoppenville Road, Green Lane, PA), from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, December 2nd and 3rd, 2023. No admission charge, and all are welcome.

We open our doors to visitors on December 2 and 3 for all of your art gifting needs! This year, Katy and Brad will have original works and prints available, as well as class sign-ups. We will have some new framed bird images in mini print sizes and some new unframed prints as well.

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Payel Girwarr – a favorite local musician who has performed at nearly every Make Music Upper Perk since the beginning in 2013 – will be performing at Java & Friends (254 Main Street, East Greenville, PA) on Sunday, December 3rd, 2023, from noon to one.

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Lights, Music, Crafts – some new events, and some winter traditions.

The Winter Light Spectacular at the Lehigh Valley Zoo (5150 Game Preserve Lane, Schencksville, PA) is open now through December 30th; 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. One could have a grand time going from local to zoo to local zoo, looking at the lights, and tasting and comparing hot chocolate this year. Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown is hosting Wild Lights, starting Friday, November 17th through December 30th, 2023, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., and LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo (the oldest zoo in the country, and just an hour away from the Upper Perk Valley) runs November 17th – December 31st. Advanced timed tickets must be bought for these events, though some have more flexible options, if you aren’t sure of your plans.

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Riverview Early Music will be giving a concert on Saturday evening, November 18th, 2023, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Harleysville, PA. All are welcome and the concert is free (there is a suggested donation of $25).

Riverview Early Music will be coming to Church of the Holy Spirit to perform a program of love songs and instrumental dances from 16th and 17th – century Europe. Entitled If music be the food of love…, the program will take the audience on a trip through time and space, starting in Elizabethan England and ending in Baroque Italy, with stops in Renaissance France and the Iberian Peninsula. Love is universal, it’s part of the human condition, and so it seems is the expression of love through song.

Church of the Holy Spirit

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The Upper Perkiomen Valley Library is hosting the Indian Valley Dulcimer Society on Saturday, December 9, 2023. The group will be playing on the main floor of the library from 11 a.m. – 12 noon. If you’ve missed hearing them play at Make Music Upper Perk (they are perennial performers and favorites) or if you have heard them play and can’t wait until next June to hear them again, this is your chance! This performance is free and for the whole family.

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The Upper Perkiomen High School A Choir will be joining the Valley Choral Society in singing Festive Carols in the King’s College Tradition at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 10th at New Goshenhoppen UCC (1070 Church Road, East Greenville, PA). This concert is free and open to the public – no tickets required.

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This weekend is the start of holiday bazaars and craft fairs of all shapes and sizes, from juried high end artwork and craft events to those featuring homemade cookies and handmade scarves, hats, decor, and pins.

New additions this year include the Holiday Teen Craft Show at the Upper Perkiomen Library (350 Main Street, Red Hill, PA) on Saturday, November 18th from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., in the lower level of the library. These crafters range in age from 12 – 18 and this is a chance to catch the artists before they take over the world – Drop by for hand-made crafts, ornaments, knick-knacks, and more! All items made by our local teens. Free and open to the public.

Palm Schwenkfelder Church’s annual Holiday Bazaar is also this Saturday, November 18th, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (833 Gravel Pike, Palm, PA). In addition to crafts and holiday baked goods and treats, there will be a Lenape Native American Artifact Display. The organizers of the bazaar, the Palm Schwenkfelder’s Ladies’ Aid Society, are also collecting non-food items and non-perishable food items to donate to Open Link, at the event.

Not to be forgotten is the 36th annual North Penn Holiday Craft Market, opening at 9:30 a.m. and closing at 4:30 p.m. this Saturday, November 18th, at the North Penn High School (1340 S. Valley Forge Road, Lansdale, PA). Admission is $6 ($5 with coupon)

These craft shows include over 95 artists and feature fine and unusual pottery, jewelry, fiber, dried flowers, fraktur, tinware, baskets, folk art, theorem, quilts, appliqués, furniture, painted scissor cuttings, ceramics, scherenschnitte, embroidery, children’s clothing, dolls, rug weaving, decoys, calligraphy, leather, band boxes, iron work, toys, wood carvings, wooden spoons, and much more.

North Penn FCI

Head to the Hanukkah Makers Market on Sunday, November 19th, 2023, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. Admission is free to the museum and to the Hanukkah Makers Market.

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There are more local craft fairs ahead in December, including the PTFS sponsored Upper Perk Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, December 2nd, 2023, held at the Upper Perkiomen Middle School (901 Montgomery Avenue, Pennsburg, PA), the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center Christmas Market and the Goshenhoppen Historians Pennsylvania German Christmas Market, both on Saturday and Sunday, December 2nd and 3rd, 2023, and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sumneytown’s annual Holiday Bazaar and Cookie Walk on Saturday, December 9th, 2023.

Non-spooky Halloween Weekend Fun!

Some folks love Halloween, and all the scary, spooky stories, and some people are just in it for the candy and apple cider donuts. Luckily the world is wide enough for both.

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No need to go far for homemade apple cider donuts – here in the Valley there are two spots that we know of this year where you can get this yummy treat this time of year. Cedar Hollow Farm (2475 Quakertown Road, Pennsburg, PA – past the YMCA) is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. In addition to apple cider donuts, you can pick out a pumpkin from their pumpkin patch, go through a corn maze, say hi to the alpacas (among other farm animals), and explore fruit, veggie, baked goods, and other fine food stuffs at their stand. Then there is Hometown Creamery (Rt 29, East Greenville, PA – just past Walmart) where in addition to their homemade ice cream they are making donuts and cookies, including apple cider donuts and apple cider donut ice cream (cinnamon ice cream with apple cider donuts and caramel swirl mixed in). Hometown Creamery is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.

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Tonight, Friday, October 27th, is Open Mic and Karaoke Night at Chibi Cafe (218 Main Street, East Greenville, PA), from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. All are welcome, free admission.

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The Upper Perkiomen Halloween Parade is this Sunday, October 29th, 2023, starting at 5th and Main Street, Red Hill, PA at 6 p.m. The Make Music Upper Perk “Band of Pirates” will be in the parade, walking along Main Street through all three towns, Red Hill, Pennsburg, and East Greenville, ending at the East Greenville Post Office at 4th and Main Street. Anyone interested in joining our merry band on Sunday, or in supporting the group by donating candy, or helping decorate the float on Sunday afternoon, should email valleyartscene@gmail.com ASAP! The parade is a fun community event, where many local groups (Scouts, non-profits, local businesses, school groups, fire companies, Upper Perk Marching Band, and more) join in to put on a fun show for the nearly 10,000 people who usually come out and line Main Street to cheer folks on (and get free candy!).

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DCP Theater in Telford is performing a family friendly Halloween weekend show – The Monster Hunters – October 27th – November 4th, 2023, with an additional optional fun event after the 4 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday, October 28th and 29th – DCP’s Friendly Ghosts & Treats: A Spirited Stroll with Trick or Treat Fun

Monster Hunters

It’s a typical afternoon in Bumblewood when the weekly meeting of The Monster, Ghost, Goblin, Demon, Dragon, Evil-Wizard Hunters Club (whose members have never caught, seen, or even tried to hunt a monster) is interrupted by a troublesome announcement: a real-live monster has been sited in a nearby cemetery. The mismatched friends anxiously set out on their first hunt ever, only to find that things aren’t what they were expecting!

DCP Theater

DCP’s Friendly Ghosts & Treats: A Spirited Stroll with Trick or Treat Fun

Step into a world of theatrical enchantment as you embark on a whimsical journey through our haunted theater. Meet friendly ghostly characters, indulge in delightful treats, and revel in ghostly tales that will tickle your funny bone. This family-friendly adventure promises fun-filled stops, but please note that this spirited stroll is not wheelchair accessible.

Don’t miss out on this hauntingly good time!

**ONE TIME ONLY EVENT**
 

Saturday Oct. 28 and Sunday Oct. 29th 

The spirited stroll starts after the 4:00PM Show.  

Price is $5 per person/$20 for a family

DCP Theater

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Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic (a Harry Potter parody), is on stage at Kehs Hall, Perkiomen School (200 Seminary Street, Pennsburg, PA). Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 performance on Friday, October 27th and Saturday, October 28th, 2023. Free admission.