The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride continues its tradition of terrorizing and titillating thrill-seekers revving up for Halloween. Located at Arasapha Farm in Glen Mills, Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride has been in business for more than 20 years. HauntWorld Magazine rates it the number one haunted attraction. Matt Brown, a veteran staff member of 16 years, called the event "a year-round project." The buildings…
Visitors and vendors were all fired up for the 12th annual Chili Cook-off in West Chester on Oct. 12. Katie Decker, the marketing chairperson said, "Today has been awesome. The energy is amazing. Everyone is doing their thing." When asked about visitors' taste preferences - mild versus spicy - she has found that tasters can't get enough of the spicy. "Our vendors need to always…
Visitors relished local cuisine at the Chester County Restaurant Festival in Downtown West Chester on Sunday, Sept. 21. Under a sunny sky, crowds poured into the streets and vendors offered a taste of a little bit of everything. Chef Tom of West Chester Carlino's has been working the festival for seven years. Every year, he said, there is something new. Dishes this year were gluten-free…
Local restaurants are revving up for the 35th annual Chester County Restaurant Festival scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 21 in West Chester. The festival kicks off at noon. Keith Kurowski, director of the West Chester Parks and Recreation Department, said the festival not only promotes local restaurants and bars, but businesses en masse. He’s proud that the "event is going national." One reason for this is…
Red pandas have created a spike in attendance at the Brandywine Zoo. Indigenous to such areas as the Himalayas, the red pands, also known as fire foxes, debuted at the Brandywine Zoo in June. They have, according to zoo Director Gene Peacock, helped attendance to thrive. There were 3,000 more visitors in July of 2014 than in July of 2013. The pandas — named Gansu…
Art and history collide in an exciting way for kids during the Brandywine River Museum of Art’s Museum Explorer Mornings. One of the things a group of them recently learned is that yes, a pig can be a portrait too. Portrait of a Pig, by Jamie Wyeth, was popular for Sara, Aubrey and Leah who were in a group led by museum guide Pat Barone.…
History comes alive during the summer camp at the Brandywine Battlefield Park. Former battlefields turn into theaters of spirited reenactment and the museums double as classrooms. It's all in the name of preserving, teaching, and understanding American history as America fought to become a unified nation. The result is that campers between the grades of kindergarten through seven have the opportunity to assume the life…
The Battle of the Brandywine severely tested the Quaker's dedication to peace, as did the entire Revolutionary War. Locals in the Chadds Ford area — often called the heart of the Quaker community — suffered tremendously, as their land was ravaged. Throughout the battle, both sides marched across the farmland. Throughout the war, either army could accuse the Quakers of subterfuge and treason if the…