September is finally here!

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September is finally here, and hopefully cooler days and nights can’t be far behind.

This Saturday, September 12th, 2026, weather permitting, several nearby Community Days will be taking to the streets, bringing people together, and highlighting the arts!

In addition to craft tables, local businesses, and local non-profits, Pennsburg and East Greenville will be hosting live music performances throughout the day, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., on Main Street, between 4th Street, East Greenville and Pennsburg Square (intersection of Rts 29 and 663). Bands playing include the UPHS Marching Band, Barefoot Bobby and the Breakers, the Red Hill Jazz Band, Oldies Brass Band, Living in the Past, Classic Souls Band, and Music by Nick Franclik.

Art in the Park at West Park in Allentown (1524 W. Linden Street) is a free showcase of local artists and makers, with live entertainment, demonstrations, and food, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 12th.

Royersford Community Day is also this Saturday, and the Royersford Community Art Center is hosting Paint Royersford a Plein Air art event with about 40 artists painting along a six-block stretch on Main Street.  Local Upper Perkiomen professional artists Brad Hendershot and Katherine Krieg will be part of the event, demonstrating their talents, along with others. 

Plein air painting is the act of painting outdoors on location and lets spectators be included
in the artist’s creative process.
Our Plein Air Event is a one-day, 4-hour plein air painting event with general awards
including a People’s Choice Award. The event begins with a sign-in at the RCAC tent at 9 am
where blank canvases, paper, or panels are stamped insuring that the work that will be
submitted has been solely created during the allotted time and in “Plein Air”. The work is
then presented to the public on the artists’ own easels lined up along Main Street and be on
view from 3 to 6:00 pm


Everyone is welcome to attend the Speak Your Truth on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at Bike and Sol (104 Main Street, East Greenville, PA). The Open Mic event of poetry and storytelling begins with host Spoken Word artist Joseph Green at 7 p.m. – Doors Open at 6:30 p.m.

Follow the QR code above or go to UPVLibrary online signup to register to perform. If you are not performing, you do not need to register.

Doors open at 6:30
20 performer slots open for spoken word/poets
5 minutes / up to 3 poems each
Free Entry
All are welcome to attend and support our talented performers.
Refreshments provided
Original work encouraged; published pieces welcome with proper credit.

Just like a library is more than books, so are bookstores. And the new local bookstore on Main Street in East Greenville is no exception. September art events scheduled for Just One More Page Bookstore include Book Bedazzling on September 18th and September 29th, and Fused Glass Workshop on September 19th and 20th, 2026. Pre-registration is required – call 267-313-4015.

Try your hand at sgraffiti at Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center on Saturday, September 19th, 2026. Individuals who pre-register will have the opportunity to make sgraffito on a 7 inch or 10 inch redware plate.

Saturday, September 19, 2026

10:00 AM–3:30 PM

Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center: 105 Seminary StreetPennsburg, PA, 18073

Denise Wilz focuses on the sgraffito technique used by 18th and 19th century Pennsylvania German potters to make expressive designs in their folk-art pottery. The participants have the option to make sgraffito 7″ or 10″ redware plates coated with white clay slip; limit of 3 plates as time permits. All the sgraffito tools and books for ideas are provided though you may bring along a bag lunch. No experience required.

Fee: $60 workshop fee plus a material cost of $38 for a 7″ plate or $50 for a 10″ plate.

Limited to 12 participants.

Tickets are on sale now for upcoming local theater productions, including House at Pooh Corner at DCP Theater in Telford, September 11-20; Dear Jack, Dear Louise at Montgomery Theater in Souderton; Young Frankenstein of Playcrafters of Skippack, October 9-25; and Dear Evan Hansen at Steel River Playhouse in Pottstown, October 9-25, 2026.

Staying out of the Smoke, Heat, and Storms!

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Look back on the sunny, smoke free, first day of summer – Photographs from Make Music Upper Perk 2026 are now online and available for viewing, and downloading, all in one place!

Thanks to MMUP’s wonderful volunteer photographers – Rachael Balascak, Dave Lewis, Kristi Morris, Brian McNeill, Art Olsen, Lee Schultz, Jake Wink – who went all over the Valley, donating their time and talent to make sure that every musician who played on June 21st was photographed, as well as taking photos of venues, audiences, and volunteers. (Bill Clinton, Jinky Lao, and Donna Folk also contributed photos to this year’s online collection.)

Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center hosted a reception for Jamee Pemberton, a local artist who created all the pieces in the Quilt Exhibit: From Gifts of Love to Finding My Artistic Voice, this past Wednesday. This exhibit will be open from July 5th to November 5th, 2026.

Introducing Jamee Pemberton, who started quilting in November of 2008, just after completing her 2175-mile hike of the Appalachian Trail. Before re-entering the workforce, she had a couple of months off where she decided to spend her time making holiday gifts. As a lover of handmade gifts from the heart, she completed eight quilts to give as gifts and discovered a newfound passion! Jamee creates quilts of many styles that tend to have color punch, and she likes to include very personal touches drawing inspiration from her love of science, nature and traveling. She has won several awards in regional and local quilt shows. Jamee has turned to her artful side and started lecturing and teaching quilting workshops after a 35-year career as an engineer and project manager. Jamee’s current quilt designs are improvisational and modern. She lives with her husband, Jeff, in Quakertown, Pennsylvania.

While at the Center, stop by and see Revolutionary Fraktur;

June 12, 2026–April 25, 2027

Come view some of the Heritage Center’s amazing collection of Fraktur—illuminated Pennsylvania German manuscripts—one of the largest in the world. Between the dates of 1763 to 1783, fraktur transitioned from its European calligraphic and baroque roots to the blossoming of Pennsylvania German folk decoration. In many instances, it is quite different from what is seen in later fraktur. In this exhibit, we display 35 examples from this time period.

Universal Nature, a mid-career survey of Philadelphia artist Rebecca Rutstein, presents new and recent work across painting, sculpture, textile, and video, at the Berman Museum, from June 16 – November 24, 2026. The Berman Museum is on Ursinus College campus in Collegeville, PA, and is free and open to the public.

Rutstein’s practice brings together art and science to reveal the dynamic systems that shape our world, drawing on collaborations with researchers and firsthand expedition work to translate phenomena such as ocean circulation, microbial life, and elemental cycles into immersive visual forms. Through these works, Universal Nature invites a deeper understanding of our interconnected planet and humanity’s place within it.

Staying Cool this 4th of July Weekend!

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In addition to outdoor festivities listed below (and if you are going out, wear a hat, drink lots of water, and take your time!), there are plenty of great, air conditioned, indoor arts activities to enjoy.

This is the final weekend to see the musical Hair at Civic’s 19th Street Theater in Allentown. Tickets are still available for tonight’s (Thursday’s) performance, as well as Friday night, and Saturday and Sunday matinees.

The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged (All the Austen. Half the time. Twice the laughs.) is in the middle of their run at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (on DeSales University campus, Coopersburg, PA). Curtain rises at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 2nd and Friday, July 3rd, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 4th and Sunday, July 5th, 2026. Find tickets here.

Experience Austen’s world like never before in a whirlwind tour through her beloved novels—Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and more—condensed into 80 laugh-out-loud minutes. Three quick-witted actors tackle Austen’s heroines, heroes, cads, and clowns with lightning-fast costume changes, sharp humor, and a dash of modern mischief. Whether you’re a devoted Janeite or discovering Austen for the first time, prepare for a charming, high-energy romp celebrating one of literature’s most legendary voices. Recommended for Austen fans and theatre lovers of all ages.

The Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center will be open on Sunday, July 5th, 2026, from noon to 4 p.m. Reminder – admission is always free and open to the public!

Wave a flag of independence at Heritage Day! We will host it here (hint: we have AC!) with our community partners. the flag theme will run through kid-friendly crafts, a brief presentation about the history of flag-making in our region by Curator Candace Perry, and a special visit from Betsy Ross.

This weekend is a good time to check out the special exhibit, Revolution Retold: Commemorating American Independence in Art and Design at the Allentown Art Museum. The museum is open 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays, and admission is always free!

What does the American Revolution mean to us today? This exhibition explores how artists and designers have answered this question, from 1826 through the twenty-first century.

Revolution Retold features a wide range of material—from flasks and furnishing fabrics to contemporary prints. Such works often depict iconic Revolutionary figures or events, with the goal of recalling American history and values. In this exhibition, they also reveal an enduring fascination with the story of our nation, and how we look to the past to make sense of the present.

There is so much happening in the Valley this weekend – at long last we’ll once more have a bookstore on Main Street (218 Main Street, East Greenville), Just One More Page opens Friday night as part of East Greenville’s First Friday, July 3rd from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., with the new bookstore’s Grand Opening on the 4th of July. Timoteo Blues Implosion, Catfish & Jo, and Becky Narvaez will all be outside performing live music for any and all willing to brave the high heat Friday night.

4th of July will see the first 4th of July Parade in Upper Perk that I can remember; it starts at 9 a.m., from 510 Jefferson Street, East Greenville (the 4/5 Center), proceeds up 6th Street to Main Street, turns down 2nd Street in Pennsburg, turns again on Seminary Street (passing by Perkiomen School) then turns one last time onto 3rd Street to finish up at New Goshenhoppen Park, where the Upper Perk 4th of July Celebration will be held, starting at 10 a.m.

In addition to food and fun, the Rock Cover Band “The Program” performs from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Swing Shift takes the stage from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., and the Red Hill Band closes out the night with their annual 4th of July concert from 7 p.m. – 8:55 p.m., ending when the fireworks begin. The Brandywine Colonels Fife and Drum Corps will also be making an appearance, and performing after the 6:30 p.m. reading of the Declaration of Independence. No admission charge to the New Goshenhoppen Park (3rd Street, East Greenville, PA)

Ready for this year’s Make Music Upper Perk??!!

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Tomorrow, Sunday, June 21st, is the 14th annual Make Music Upper Perk – all free, all day, all open to the public!

Between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m., MMUP will host over 120 performances by over 80 musical acts, large and small, young and old, classic rock to punk rock, folk to classical, blues to reggae, Christian contemporary to original music to patriotic tunes to so much more. These free performances will take place in 16 venues, inside and outside, in 6 towns throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley. Find the map and list of musicians scheduled to play here.

Remember, in the spirit of musical improvisation, the schedule below is subject to change! Check with volunteers at the venues and/or find updated information by the stages tomorrow.

Come out with friends and neighbors – and maybe make some new friends, meet some folks in the community you haven’t met before, and celebrate all the musical talent that exists in our area. Many of the locations where there is music will also be offering food for sale (or in the case of Pennsburg UCC, offering food for free!), or one can bring a picnic lunch or dinner from home and enjoy it along with the free concerts. For outdoor spots, you might also want to bring along a lawn chair or a blanket.

VFW  Post 5954 – Perkiomen Valley in Red Hill, The Carriage House (outdoor stage!) and Palm Schwenkfelder Church are three new venues joining in the music festival this year. Yardley Antiques continues as a venue at their new location in Pennsburg – this year inside a big showcase window!

There will be music of all types, for all ages, some familiar faces who have played at Make Music Upper Perk since the early years, and some who are new to the event. Music includes classical performances, as well as jazz piano, at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center, punk rock, grunge rock, new age, and emo bands at Bike and Sol, jazz, blues, classic rock, and sultry covers at Mario’s Cafe, an eclectic ukulele mix and pop covers at Java & Friends, country, classic rock, and Irish music at UPV Garden Club Community Benefits Garden, singer/songwriters, folk, American roots, blues at the outside stage at The Carriage House, Instrument Petting Zoo, a family band, folk, and country at Palm Schwenkfelder Church, Willie Nelson tribute, classic rock, and bluegrass at the VFW Post 5954, mellow music, rock, and ragtime at Sumneytown Hotel, Folk singers, reggae, country, folk,and classic pop at Chiaro’s Pizza, old time tunes, folk, country, Gospel, and Christian contemporary at The Lawn at Pennsburg UCC, a mix of folk, ragtime, Celtic, and pop at YArdley Antiques, a men’s cjhoir, and movie music with puppets are among the offerings at the Upper Perkiomen YMCA, contemporary and classic folk at Raw Replenish, a chance to build an organ, hear a brass quartet, listen to a band play hymns and patriotic tunes, harp music, and the Valley Choral Society at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church – with a children’s musical storyhour, instrument petting zoo and harmonica workshop outside on St. Mark’s Lawn, and end the day at New Goshenhoppen Park with Swing Shift, the Red Hill Band, and a campfire singalong!

You might also hear live music at these Pop Up Locations around town:

  • Jamming on the Porch  321 Main St, Red Hill “Join the Little Creek Trio for a Porch Jam!” Time available: 4-8- p.m.
  • Red Hill Fire Company Social Club Hall 82 E Fifth St, Red Hill  
    Time available: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
  • Thrifty Frog 575 Main St., East Greenville
    Time available: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Make Music Upper Perk (MMUP) is part of National Music Day which is always held on June 21st. National Music Day has been a National Holiday in France since 1982 and is now celebrated in over 500 cities around the world. This is a free event organized by volunteers, co-sponsored by ValleyArtScene and GraceNotes Piano Studio. Over 75 volunteers are involved this year, before, during, and after June 21st, making this event possible. You can find our list of financial donors here.

Art Openings, Strawberries, Theater, and MMUP’26!

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Join us in Pennsburg (Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center, Seminary Street, Pennsburg, PA) for the opening of the 14th Annual Juried Fine Art Show, presented by the Pottstown Area Artists Guild.

This special exhibit highlights the work of talented local artists—and reflects our role as both a history center and a gathering place for the wider community.

Stop by the public reception from 2:30–5:00 PM (Saturday, May 30, 2026) to meet the artists, enjoy harp music, and celebrate this year’s award winners.

The exhibit will be on view through June 28, so you can come back and experience it again at your own pace.

This summer, Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center has plans to celebrate American’s 250th Birthday, in addition to many other special events.

Wednesday, June 10th, 2026, one can attend – in person or via zoom – the Brown Bag Lecture: When the Declaration of Independence was News, from noon – 1 p.m. Pre-registration is requested – the program is free to public.

The exhibit Revolutionary Fraktur opens on June 12, 2026 and will remain on display through April 25, 202. The exhibit contains a selection of about 40 fraktur produced during the American Revolutionary period, 1763–1787.

The America250 PA Mobile Experiential Unit is coming to Pennsburg at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center on Sunday, June 14th, 2026, and will be there from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. The museum will also be open and offering special hands on activities that afternoon. The Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center is always free and open to the public!

The annual Strawberry Festival at New Goshenhoppen Park (3rd Street, East Greenville, PA) is on Saturday, June 6th, 2026, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Admission and parking is free. In addition to dance performances and a concert by the Red Hill Band at 4 p.m., there will be bubble making activities, facepainting, a moon bounce, a petting zoo, and a wide range of delicious food for sale, including pork barbeque, hot dogs, chicken tenders, french fries, burgers, and, of course, fresh cut local strawberries with cake and ice cream!

Schedule of Events

10:00 a.m. Concession Stand opens

10:00 a.m. Dining Hall opens

10:00-4:00 p.m. Grandpop Bubbles

11:00-Noon Studios on Main Dance

Noon-4:00 p.m. Lady Katie Facepainter

Noon-4:00 p.m. Face Painting by Echo

Noon-4:00 p.m. Moon Bounce

1:30-3:00 p.m. Julie Kels Dance Center

2:00-4:00 p.m. C.W. Pet Parties Petting Zoo

4:00-6:00 p.m. Red Hill Band

The Green Lane Park FREE summer concert series begins on Sunday, June 7, 2026. The Red Hill Band performs from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. on June 7th. The next concert is scheduled for June 28th, with the band Mysterious Ways playing the music of U2 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Parking for the amphitheater is at 2298 Green Lane Road, Green Lane, PA (by the tennis courts). There is a playground, and plenty of room for blankets, lawn chairs, and picnicking. There will also be food trucks on site.

Local live theater performances include Freaky Friday the Musical at Steel River Playhouse in Pottstown, PA, opening tonight, Friday, May 29 and playing through June 14, 2026.

Freaky Friday this is a hilarious story about a mother and daughter who magically swap bodies for a day. As they walk in each other’s shoes, they discover the power of empathy, love, and little bit of chaos along the way.

The Shark is Broken takes the stage in Souderton at the Montgomery Theater, June 4 – June 28, 2026.

Recommended for ages 14 and up due to strong language and mature themes.

FADE IN: 1974. The ocean’s wild, the film’s over budget, and the shark is out of commission… again. Stuck on a too-small boat, Jaws stars Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, and Roy Scheider bicker, booze, and bond as tempers flare and egos collide. Co-written by Ian Shaw (Robert’s son) and Joseph Nixon, this play dives deep into the hilarious and chaotic behind-the-scenes voyage that nearly sank Jaws—and made cinematic history instead.

DCP Theater in Telford (795 Ridge Road) starts their summer season with the comedy Theatre People or The Angel Next Door

In this rollicking comedy, young Oliver Adams is on the brink of a major success. His novel is set to be published and famed Broadway playwrights Charlotte and Arthur Sanders have already adapted his book for what is sure to be a huge stage hit. And who do they have their eye on as the leading lady? Margot Bell, of course- the very person Oliver adores. When everyone converges in Newport, Rhode Island for the weekend, the thin walls of the well-appointed mansion reveal that the angel may not be angelic, and only the power of theatre can save the play, Oliver’s novel, and perhaps most importantly, his heart.

And don’t forget about the 14th Annual Make Music Upper Perk – Sunday, June 21, 2026!

This year, MMUP’26 will take place in 6 towns at 14 locations (plus pop-ups!), throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley, with live music starting at 11 a.m. and going until 10 p.m.

You can also look up where a musician or band is playing via the MMUP’26 Musician List

Musical Merry Month of May!

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Friday night, May 15th, is the UPHS Choir Concert beginning at 7 p.m. This free concert at the Upper Perkiomen High School auditorium (2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA) is open to the public. Of particular note for community members is that this will be the final high school concert directed by Dr. Mark Thomas, who is retiring at the end of this school year.

The Valley Choral Society presents their spring concert – America Sings – this weekend on Saturday, May 16th at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Pennsburg, PA and Sunday, May 17th, 2026 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Perkasie, PA. Both concerts are free, and begin at 3 p.m.

Valley Choral Society presents the closing concert to their 42nd season with “America Sings” honoring the country’s semiquincentennial in a special way. Influential works of American composers like Harry T. Burleigh, William Dawson, Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, Morten Lauridsen, and Eric Whitaker – just to name a few – will celebrate music dating to the 1860s clear through modern day.

The Red Hill Band’s 126th Annual Spring Concert is on Sunday, May 17th, 2026 at 2 p.m., in the Upper Perkiomen High School auditorium (2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA)

It’s not too early to start planning for this year’s Make Music Upper Perk – Sunday, June 21st, 2026!

Take a look at this year’s program and map.

And if you were thinking about volunteering, it’s not too late for that either!

Make the Music Happen – Make Music Upper Perk 2026!

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March is the month when we ask the community to Make the Music Happen by supporting with a financial donation, the annual festival of live music throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley that is Make Music Upper Perk. Donations may be made online or by printing out the donation form and mailing the form and a check to the address on the form. Donors giving this month will be listed on the printed MMUP 2026 program, as well as online (unless requested to remain anonymous, of course).

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

Musician registration started on February 1st (and closes on April 20th) for the 14th annual MMUP, this year on Sunday, June 21, 2026.

If you’ve thought about being more involved and/or wondered about what happens behind the scenes, consider volunteering! Volunteers are needed before and after the June 21st – you can read more about volunteering, sign up today, and/or plan on attending our first Volunteer Meeting of 2026 on Saturday, May 9th! The Volunteer Meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. by the bandstand at the New Goshenhoppen Park (3rd Street, East Greenville) on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

Musical Theater Season is Here!

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February?! But what happened to January?

Lots of snow and ice and bitter cold, that’s what happened to January. Hopefully folks consumed culture (books, movies, tv, music) while staying warm inside, perhaps finishing off the last of the holiday treats.

Groundhog Day has come and gone, and we are now halfway through winter and only weeks away from spring, and at the start of the school theatrical season!

Tickets are now on sale for the Upper Perkiomen Middle School musical in February, as well as the March musical at the Upper Perkiomen High School.

The Upper Perkiomen Middle School is proud to present Seussical Jr on Friday February 27th and Saturday February 28th at the Sandra M. Kassel Auditorium, at the new middle school, 901 Montgomery Avenue, Pennsburg.

This story ties together Horton, Gertrude, Mayzie and a world of Jungle Citizens as we try to save Whoville. Come enjoy a combination of the wonderful stories of Dr. Seuss set to music. UPMS Drama will also be performing Seussical Jr on Wednesday, February 25th at 3:30 p.m. for a free Senior Show (no Gold Card required) Tickets are $10 for Friday, and Saturday, February 27th and 28th at 7 p.m.,  and will be available at the door (if not sold out) or online

The Addams Family hits the stage at the Upper Perkiomen High School (2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA) on Friday, March 13th at 7 p.m., with additional shows on Saturday, March 14th at 7 p.m. and a Sunday matinee with a 2 p.m. curtain. While some tickets may be available at the door, it is best if you buy the tickets in advance online. There is a free preview performance for senior citizens on Wednesday, March 11th at 1 p.m.

A comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, THE ADDAMS FAMILY is the magnificently macabre hit musical featuring everyone’s favorite creepy, kooky characters. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family.

There are three musicals on stage at nearby high schools the weekend of February 14th, 2026. Perkiomen School students will be going back to the 1950s with the musical Grease, February 12-14 (7:30 curtain at Keh’s Hall, Seminary Ave, Pennsburg), while the Hill School in Pottstown, PA has a slightly more modern look with Legally Blonde, February 13 at 7:15 p.m., Saturday February 14th at 2 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., and Sunday, February 15th at 2 p.m. (The Hill School Center for the Arts, 766 Beech Street, Pottstown). The Drowsy Chaperone, set in the 1920s, is Boyertown Senior High School’s musical offering this year; tickets should be purchased in advance for the 7 p.m. performances Friday through Saturday, February 12-14, and Sunday, February 15th’s 2 p.m. show.

When a die-hard musical theatre fan drops the needle on his favorite record — the cast album of a 1920s musical called The Drowsy Chaperone — the show magically bursts to life right in his living room! What follows is a dazzling, hilarious celebration of musical theatre’s golden age — complete with a bumbling best man, a nervous bride, a tipsy chaperone, gangsters disguised as pastry chefs, and plenty of show-stopping dance numbers.

The month of March will see performances at Souderton High School – Newsies from March 19-22; Jekyll and Hyde at Emmaus High School March 24-29, and Something Rotten at Perkiomen Valley High School, also the last weekend in March.

Welcome to the Renaissance and the outrageous, crowd-pleasing musical farce, Something Rotten!

Set in the 1590s, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star known as “The Bard.” When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to thine own self, and all that jazz.

December Delights!

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Weekends in December are filled with holiday markets, and seasonal concerts – and in Upper Perk, a parade!

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever takes the stage at DCP Theater tonight, Friday, December 5, 2025. The play continues through December 14th.

In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids – probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won’t believe the mayhem – and the fun – when the Herdmans collide head-on with the story of Christmas! 

The 2025 Christmas Market at Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center is part of the Pennsylvania German Christmas taking place at five museums and historic sites in our area this weekend. On Saturday, December 5th from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, December 6th from noon to four, there will be artisan tables, holiday rummage sale (with antique, vintage, and nearly new Christmas decorations), and special items at the Heritage shop for sale, along with special activities listed below – and admission is free! The Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center is located at 105 Seminary Street, Pennsburg, PA.

  • Free cookies and samples from Raw Replenish with an additional special cookie treat for children from Brookies —while supplies last!
  • The Christmas Putz exhibit, a traditional Pennsylvania German village scene, returns bigger than ever with a farm and suburb.
  • The first 50 children ages 4-12 will have the opportunity to build and take home a holiday ornament built from a kit containing genuine LEGO® pieces designed by Thayden Reinhart of Matrix Builds.
  • Holidaze, our newest changing exhibit, features decorations for Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. Come see if any look like yours!
  • Holiday music wafting through the museum, thanks to –
    • Saturday 1pm: Upper Perkiomen High School Choir
    • Sunday 2pm: Students of Harmony Corner Music under direction of Cynthia Hector

Down the road a few miles is Red Men’s Hall where the Goshenhoppen Historians in Green Lane, PA (116 Gravel Pike) are also participating in Pennsylvania German Christmas this weekend, as tradition dictates. The Goshenhoppen Christmas Market is open Saturday, December 5th, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, December 6th, 12 noon to 4 p.m.. In addition to marvelous holiday displays, and home baked cookies, treats, and roasted chestnuts for sale, there will be live music (and possibly a few familiar faces for fans of MMUP!). Admission is free.

The annual PTFS Holiday Bazaar opens the doors at 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 6th at the Upper Perkiomen Middle School, 901 Montgomery Avenue, Pennsburg, PA. This bazaar is always one of the biggest, and best attended, in the area! Doors close at 3 p.m. – admission is free.

This lovely little market – Speakeasy’s Christmas Maker’s Market – featuring local craftspeople in a warm and cozy space in the back of Speakeasy Coffee Company (875 Main Street, Pennsburg, PA) is well worth the stop on Saturday, December 6th, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. No admission fee, but you’ll be hard pressed to avoid the temptation of a getting a hot winter latte special or any of the other drinks available.

The Upper Perk Christmas Parade is back! Starting in Red Hill at 2 p.m. (on Saturday, December 6th, along with so much else!) going down Main Street through Pennsburg and ending in East Greenville.

The UPV Winter Tree Lighting Festival is bigger and longer than ever this year! Most of the activities will be happening outside, and inside, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Pennsburg, PA (81 Main Street) from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 6th.

Among the highlights for the afternoon are carol singing (at 2:30 and 3:15, in the sanctuary), story telling in St. Mark’s Little Library, musical performances by Catfish and Jo between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m, and the Red Hill Band from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. outside on the front lawn, and booths with crafts, food, drink, and more by local non-profits and local businesses, including the UPV Library, Logan’s Heroes, Project Live,Bears Bakery, Cedar Hollow Farm, and more!

Christmas Carols, Cocoa and Cookies Concert! The concert starts at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 6th at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sumneytown (3104 Main Street, Green Lane, PA) In addition to hearing some wonderful music and soloists, the audience will have the opportunity to sing along to familiar Chrtistmas songs, hymns, and carols. Afterward, everyone is invited to enjoy cocoa and cookies. Admission is free.

Too much to take in? Need more time to plan?

Here are some events happening the following weekend in our area;

St. John’s Annual Christmas Bazaar is on Saturday, December 13th, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be crafts, vendors, homemade baked goods, basket raffle, hot lunch, and cookie walk – admission is free; 3104 Main Street, Green Lane, PA.

The Holiday Market at Mercer Museum in Doylestown, hosted by The Craftery Market, is scheduled for Saturday, December 13th, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., outside the museum. This event is rain or shine! In the case of severe or dangerous weather, the market will be rescheduled to the backup date: Saturday, December 20, 2025. Mercer Museum is at 84 South Pine Street, Doylestown, PA. There will be over 40 vendors, with curated handmade items and original art, along with live music, and food for sale.

Experience a modern twist on the classic outdoor holiday market in the charming historic quad outside the Mercer Museum. Featuring 45 vendors, the market showcases a diverse selection of carefully curated artisan and handmade items, antique and vintage finds, original art, and more. Enjoy delicious food and festive music while you shop for the holiday!

If you plan on being in Doylestown on Saturday, December 13th, consider getting tickets (“pay as you can”) for “Happy Little Christmas Friend” Family Singalong at the Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center. Learn Hammerstein’s lyrics in the house where they were written, guided by instructors on piano and guitar. Attendance is limited and preregistration is required for this advent at Highland Farm, 70 East Road, Doylestown, PA.

Valley Choral Society presents their winter concert, Illuminae and other winter anthems, on Saturday afternoon, December 13th at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (81 Main Street, Pennsburg, PA) and Sunday afternoon, December 14th at Trinity Lutheran Church (19 South Fifth Street, Perkasie). The Sunday concert will be live-streamed on YouTube. There is no ticket charge, a free will offering will be taken.

Illuminare is Elaine Hagenberg’s first extended work, consisting of five movements for SATB chorus and chamber orchestra. Using lesser-known sacred Latin, Greek, and English texts, the piece takes us through a season of beauty and goodness that has been disrupted by darkness and confusion. But as Light gradually returns, hope is restored, illuminating our future and guiding us in peace!

The wondrous Philadelphia Bronze is returning to St. Andrews UCC in Perkasie for a Christmas Handbell Concert – “All I Want for Christmas,” on Sunday afternoon, December 14th, 2025, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $15. Reserve your tickets online by clicking here or by calling St. Andrew’s UCC office at 215-257-2880. Checks payable to St. Andrew’s UCC.

Feeling tired just thinking about all the options and activities? Remember, it’s always okay to just sit back and read a good book!

Last Weekend Before Thanksgiving!

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After Thanksgiving you’ll find holiday concerts, holiday craft fairs, and more, posted here at ValleyArtScene. But first, here are a few local highlights happening this weekend, before Turkey Day!

Upper Perkiomen Library is hosting it’s first ever Fantasy Fun Run this Saturday morning, November 22nd, at the perfectly named location Camelot Park (1124 Church Road, East Greenville, PA). Come dressed as your favorite fantasy book, movie, or tv character and enjoy a loop around the park, activities, raffles, and refreshments. All ages are encouraged to come out to support the local public library, and have a nice walk, jog, or run around the park. Register online by midnight tonight – Friday, November 21st – for Saturday’s Fantasy Fun Run. Check in at the park starts at 9:30 a.m., and the Fun Run starts at 10:30 a.m. Stop by to check out the costumes, the raffles, the food, and more – and if you see a friendly pirate wandering around, say hi!

Stahl’s Pottery Holiday Fest starts today, Friday, November 21st, at 4 p.m. and continues through the weekend; Saturday November 22 12 pm-8pm, and Sunday November 23 12 pm-6pm. (GPS address: 6826 Corning Road, Zionsville PA)

A Stahl’s Family Christmas features:

  • Around a dozen local potters displaying and selling traditional & contemporary pottery
  • Thousands of lights decorating all of the historic grounds turning it into a winter wonderland that will leave the whole family in awe.
  • Tours of the potting sheds and kiln
  • Hands-on potting opportunities
  • An exhibit of original, historic Stahl’s pottery
  • The sale of baked goods & light refreshments
  • Our newest Commemorative Ornament & other SPPS items

Parking is free.
Admission is $5.00 per person; children under 18 are free.

Santa will be at the event all three nights for photo oppurtunites for guests of all ages, free of charge.

A limited number of redware, sgraffito plates commemorating the 25th anniversary of Stahl’s Pottery Preservation Society and the Stahl’s Pottery Festival made by Joel Leh, great grandson of Thomas Stahl, are still available for sale.

Palm Schwenkfelder’s Holiday Bazaar is tomorrow, Saturday, November 22nd from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (883 Gravel Pike, Palm, PA).

The Christmas Craft Show and Bazaar at Saint Mary Church in Schwenksville (40 Spring Mount Road) is taking place tonight, Friday, November 21st, from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. and tomorrow, Saturday, November 22nd, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. There will be food, crafters, live music, and more.