Ready, set, tour

Chester County Day, one of the longest running house tours in the country, will open doors in the county’s northeast quadrant on Saturday, Oct. 4, with an impressive array of historic homes leading visitors through covered bridges, exposed beams, intricate architecture, and breathtaking landscapes.

Held annually on the first Saturday of October, the popular fund-raiser for Chester County Hospital dates back to 1936 – when tickets cost $1. Since then, it has been held 74 times and represents a not-to-be-missed event for throngs of repeat attenders.

The tour – which will include nearly 30 private and public properties and runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – enables ticket-holders to chart their own course, starting and stopping at will. To facilitate that process, slide-show previews will be held Friday evening, Oct. 3, at Longwood Gardens and the Chester County Historical Society. The preview helps participants create a route that ensures that they don’t miss their favorite locations, some of which were deeded in the early 18th century. In addition, ticket-holders receive free admission to Longwood on Oct. 3 and to the Historical Society through the month of October.

In addition to painstakingly restored homes, this year’s tour includes the charming Wharton Esherick Museum, a gristmill, an octagonal schoolhouse, and a goat farm. The schedule will maintain a longstanding tradition of opening the festivities with a foxhunt. Kimberton Hunt will assemble in Historic Yellow Springs at 9 a.m. before racing into the west meadow across from the village’s Washington Building. Baked goods and coffee will be available through the Marsallton Auxiliary.

The Women’s Auxiliary to Chester County Hospital reports that Chester County Day has raised nearly $4 million, proceeds used to support the hospital and its programs. Some ticket-holders will opt to pre-order a boxed lunch from Arianna’s Gourmet Café in West Chester (call 610-696-2910 or email ariannaswc@aol.com) while others will bring their own picnics to enjoy at one of several designated locations.

Tickets, which are $40 apiece, are available at a host of area sites, including Brandywine View Antiques in Chadds Ford, The Encore Shop in Mendenhall, The Carriage House in Willowdale, Chester County Hospital, and the Chester County Historical Society. There are also available by mail at Chester County Day, P.O. Box 1, West Chester, Pa., 19381 or online (includes a processing fee) at www.chestercountyday.com.

Those seeking extra amenities might consider VIP tickets, which cost $100 each. They will include wine and hors de ‘oeuvres at a private preview on Sunday, Sept. 28, at Vickers Restaurant in Exton; a loaner car for the day from Otto’s BMW; entry to Casa di Tutto Sorrisi (House of All Smiles), a Malvern estate that is only open for VIP ticket-holders; and a gourmet picnic lunch prepared by Cindy McClure, chef of Tutto Sorrisi Catering, along with guest chef Peter Gilmore, a Le Bec Fin alum well-known locally as the former proprietor of Gilmore’s restaurant in West Chester. For more information about VIP tickets, contact tgavin@cchosp.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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