Unionville High School Announces Dates for 42nd Annual Art Gala  – Unionville High School Art Gala celebrates its 42nd year!  This annual event showcases local celebrated working artists, UHS Alumni, and current UHS Students along with live music and great food!

The UHS Art Gala strives to include a variety of artists – both new and more established individuals - who express their talents through diverse mediums including oil and watercolor paintings, photography, glass, metal, pastels, mixed media, jewelry, ceramics, mosaics, and wood. This year’s featured Artist is MaryAnn Weselyk.  Growing up in Chadds Ford, PA, MaryAnn was influenced by its rich art culture and her beautiful surroundings.  She also gained a sense of freedom in her art from her extensive study of impressionism, postimpressionism, and the modern revolutionary movements of the late 19th and early 20th Century.  Understanding their work, she says “truly opened her eyes to art without boundaries.” At heart, MaryAnn is a colorist, working in oils for its rich subdued hues and depth and acrylics for liveliness and spontaneity. MaryAnn embraces strength in abstract design, linear movement, and saturation of color with interesting patterns and texture. MaryAnn exhibits her work throughout the tri-state area, was the featured artist at other premier area shows, and was listed as a top painter in the book Artists of the Brandywine Valley, by Catherine Quillman, 2010.  The Art Gala also features a Student Art section which highlights the impressive artistic talents nurtured by Unionville High School and its outstanding Art Department. The 2017 Senior Student Artist is Margaret Clisham. A Silent Auction is offered to the public which features beautiful artwork donated by the talented artists in the show as well as select regional activities and outings.

The Silent Auction runs both Friday and Saturday and closes one hour before show end.    The 2017 UHS Art Gala will be held on Friday, November 17th from 6-9 pm and Saturday, November 18th from 11-4pm at Unionville High School Art Center, Auditorium Entrance, 750 Unionville Rd, Kennett Square, PA 19348.  Friday evening includes delicious appetizers provided by some of the area’s most popular restaurants and live music from local musicians.  This fun and lively event raises money for Educational Enrichment Projects which help enhance the overall educational experience for UHS students as well help fund community outreach efforts in the local area.

Admission to the event is free.

Free parking is available.

Thirty percent of any purchases are tax deductible. The Art Gala will also be donating 10% of proceeds to Hardin-Jefferson school district in Houston, TX which was devastated by Hurricane Harvey.

Take a guided walk through the Treasures on Trial: The Art and Science of Detecting Fakes, every Saturday and Sunday at 11:30am, 1:00pm and 2:00pm.

Kirk's Premier Martial Arts and Krav Maga is hosting a free event, Karate for Concentration, noon on Saturday, Nov. 18, at its location, 1572 Wilmington Pike, next to Bikram Yoga, in Chadds Ford. The event is for kids 4-12 years old. The event is designed to help develop self-discipline and control and to know the difference between defense and offense. To register, go here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/karate-for-concentration-tickets-39214189697

Please join us as we begin a new community tradition in Chadds Ford, PA on Saturday, November 18 for the inaugural Potts Meadow Tree Lighting, presented by the Chadds Ford Barn Shops and the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art. Threatened by development in 1967, Potts Meadow was the first piece of property to be acquired and permanently protected by the Brandywine Conservancy, which marks its 50th anniversary this year.

The evening’s festivities will take place at the Chadds Ford Barn Shops and will include musical performances by students from the Oxford Arts Alliance; hot chocolate, gourmet local food, and wine for purchase; the chance to begin your holiday shopping at the Chadds Ford Barn Shops and pop-up artisan market; a surprise visit from Santa; and the lighting of the Potts Meadow holiday tree. Visitors are welcome to bring a lawn chair to relax around the bonfire.

Saturday, November 18 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Tree lighting will occur at 5:30 p.m.

WHERE:

Chadds Ford Barn Shops

1609 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA

*Please note: Parking will be available exclusively at the Brandywine River Museum of Art, 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford, PA, with a free shuttle service to the Chadds Ford Barn Shops. No parking will be available at the Barn Shops.

WHO:

A quaint village of community-based small businesses in the heart of historic Chadds Ford, PA, the Chadds Ford Barn Shops are home to Arden + James, Barbara Moore Fine Art, BeSoul Studio, Chrome Salon, Green Meadows Florist, Lynn Victoria Med Spa, and Yoga Underground.

The Brandywine River Museum of Art features an outstanding collection of American art housed in a 19th-century mill building with a dramatic steel and glass addition overlooking the banks of the Brandywine. The Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day), and is located on Route 1 in Chadds Ford, PA. Admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors ages 65 and over, $6 for students and children ages 6 and up; free for children 5 and younger and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art members. For more information, call 610.388.2700 or visit brandywinemuseum.org.

The Brandywine Conservancy protects water, conserves land, and engages communities. The Conservancy uses a multi-faceted approach to conservation. Staff work with private landowners who wish to see their lands protected forever, and provide innovative community planning services to municipalities and other governmental agencies. The Conservancy currently holds 479 conservation and agricultural easements and has facilitated the permanent preservation of more than 63,000 acres of land.

The leadership at Barclay Friends are asking for the following items:

Toiletries

Reading glasses

New undergarments, pajamas, nightgowns, bathrobes, slippers, socks, sweat pants and zip up sweat shirts

Adult diapers/Depends

New pillows, blankets, wash cloths and towels

Walkers

These items can be dropped off at Good Will Fire Station  at 552 E  Union Street

from 9 am to 7 pm on Sunday, 11/19.

Volunteers are welcome to come during that time to receive and organize donations. If you are a family member or friend of a Barclay Friends resident, you  can go to Good Will on Monday, 11/20 from 9 am to 7 pm to pick up items needed.

Please join us for a service of Thanksgiving on Sunday, November 19 at 7:00PM at Unionville Presbyterian Church. We will be celebrating the blessing of our Community. As you may know, several local organizations including UPC, the Rotary Club of Kennett Square, the Kennett Township Police Department, and the Longwood Fire Company have been collecting new and gently used coats. The coats will be distributed to various organizations in the area; including: Young Moms. the Garage, Maternal and Child Heath Consortium, Migrant Ministries, La Communidad Hispana, and Family Promise. We would love to have you join us to see the ENORMOUS pile of coats that have been so generously donated! Donuts and cider will follow!  Members of the Police and Fire Departments and Troop 22 of the Boy Scouts will also be in attendance. Please let me know if you or someone from your organization will be attending. Thank you!

November Premier Auction

Fine & Decorative Arts, Furniture, Antique Christmas Collectibles & more

Tuesday, November 21st, 11 AM

Preview:

Friday, November 17th from 9 a.m. to  5 p.m.

Monday, November 20th from 9 a.m. to  7 p.m.

Sale day from 9 a.m.

View Catalogue

After an evening Yuletide tour, relax and celebrate the season with live jazz and a glass of wine in the festive atmosphere of Winterthur’s Galleries Reception Atrium. Cash wine and beer bar; fruit and cheese for purchase. Members free. Included with Yuletide tour general admission ticket. For nonmembers who are not purchasing a Yuletide general admission ticket, tickets are $15 and include live jazz and entry to Galleries.

This jazz trio plays the classic holiday jazz of Vince Guaraldi, composer of the Peanuts soundtracks. Jeff Knoettner on piano, Jimmy Coleman on drums, and Rob Swanson on double bass violin have played to sell-out crowds at the best regional venues (including Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center) for over 20 years.

A Longwood Christmas

https://longwoodgardens.org/visit

The annual Garnet Valley Turkey Trot, a 5-K run/walk or 1-mile walk, is scheduled for Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, 9 a.m. at Garnet Valley High School. The Kids’ Fun Run begins at 8:40 a.m. There are prizes for top finishers in each age category. For more information or to register, go www.gvturkeytrot.com

http://www.brandywine.org/museum/exhibitions/brandywine-christmas

Take a guided walk through the Treasures on Trial: The Art and Science of Detecting Fakes, every Saturday and Sunday at 11:30am, 1:00pm and 2:00pm.

Copeland Lecture Hall, 6:00 pm

The Art of the Con by Anthony M. Amore uncovers history's most notorious but untold cons. Amore is an expert in security matters and head of security and chief investigator at the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum in Boston. He is the co-author of Stealing Rembrandts, which was a Wall Street Journal True Crime Best Seller. $10 per Member. $15 per nonmember. Purchase tickets online or call 800.448.3883.

(Image:  Courtesy of Winterthur.  Anthony M. Amore, Director of Security & Chief Investigator, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.)

After an evening Yuletide tour, relax and celebrate the season with live jazz and a glass of wine in the festive atmosphere of Winterthur’s Galleries Reception Atrium. Cash wine and beer bar; fruit and cheese for purchase. Members free. Included with Yuletide tour general admission ticket. For nonmembers who are not purchasing a Yuletide general admission ticket, tickets are $15 and include live jazz and entry to Galleries. 

Featuring Wilmington Delaware's own Tony Smith on trumpet, Mark Johnson on organ, and Wayne Morgan on drums. Join us for an array of musical styles of blues, swing, bebop, " back to the roots " soul and of course, music for the Holiday Season.

(Image:  Courtesy of Winterthur.  Tony Smith Trio, photo by MoJo)

Kennett Square’s Art Stroll is a monthly celebration of the local art scene as it is showcased in the galleries, shops and restaurants throughout town.  Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to stroll the tree-lined streets and browse the many businesses that stay open late.  The Art Stroll runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. Please note some of the First Friday activities are running from 5-7/8pm.  

AFTER 5 p.m. on Friday, enjoy free parking anywhere in the PARKING GARAGE and at any street meter.

Chester County Art Association at 100 N. Bradford Ave. in West Chester is featuring Concordia Chorale Arts performance at 1pm on Saturday, 12/2 from 10 am - 3 pm with seasonal refreshments.

Take a guided walk through the Treasures on Trial: The Art and Science of Detecting Fakes, every Saturday and Sunday at 11:30am, 1:00pm and 2:00pm.

Twilight Tidings at the Tavern at the Historic Barns-Brinton House

The Chadds Ford Historical Society introduces a new event for the holiday season, Twilight Tidings at the Tavern, on Saturday, December 2 at the Barns-Brinton House in Chadds Ford.

Celebrate the season with a historic look at the four major holidays of the 18^th century winter season: Christmas, New Year’s, Twelfth Night and Candlemas. Similar to the Society’s popular Tavern Talks format, Twilight Tidings at the Tavern will be a 90-minute open house where you can explore the 1714 tavern at your own pace, meeting guides in authentic colonial clothing, learning about holiday celebrations of the 18^th century, and enjoying samples of historic holiday foods and complimentary beverages like wassail, mulled wine and punch.

Winter in colonial America gave people a chance to relax and unwind following the harvest and butchering seasons. People often took time to travel and visit friends and relations during the winter months. Unlike the 21^st century, the winter calendar of the 18^th century was not dominated by the celebration of Christmas. New Year’s and Twelfth Night were often more festive, and raucous, holiday celebrations that may last for days. Twilight Tidings at the Taverns is a unique historic experience in which you’ll participate in the recreation of four distinct 18^th century holiday celebrations.

Twilight Tidings at the Tavern is a 21-and-over event at the Barns-Brinton House, 630 Baltimore Pike (U.S. Route 1), Chadds Ford, PA 19317. There are two tour times available: 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm. Tickets are $20 ($15 for CFHS Members), and must be purchased in advance at the Society’s website, www.chaddsfordhistory.org, by phone at 610-388-7376 or in person at the Society’s office. Space is limited, and these tours will sell out. The Society’s office is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, and is located at 1736 N. Creek Rd. in Chadds Ford.

Visit www.chaddsfordhistory.org for additional information and tickets.

About: The Chadds Ford Historical Society is a non-profit organization based out of Chadds Ford Pennsylvania. We operate three historic buildings, the John Chads House, the Barns-Britons House, and The Chads Springhouse as well as the Barn Visitors Center. Proceeds from our events help support the Society’s educational programs, historic preservation efforts and our ongoing research projects on the history of the Chadds Ford area. For information about the organization visit www.chaddsfordhistory.org.

On Saturday, December 2, 2017, from 6:30 in the evening until 11:00 pm, Friends Association for the Care & Protection of Children invites guests to its 29th Annual West Chester Charity Ball at the West Chester Golf and Country Club. This holiday gala, part of West Chester’s Old Fashioned Christmas, is Friends Association’s largest fundraiser and is essential in funding the important work Friends Association does to improve the community.  All proceeds benefit the mission of Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children: preventing and ending family homelessness in our community.

Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children is proud to honor the longtime work and support of Joseph “Skip” Brion with the 2017 Friend of the Community Award.

“I am so excited to be a part of honoring Skip Brion and I hope that the community will join us,” said Catherine Friedman, Friends Association Executive Director. “This year’s Charity Ball brings a night full of sensational entertainment, featuring celebrity emcee Craig Smith of QVC, and exceptional live and silent auctions. Enjoy a delectable dinner and festive cocktails while dancing the night away to The Midnight Hour Band featuring Pepper Duffy.”

This year’s silent auction will feature many exciting items including Walt Disney World Park Hopper passes and airfare, and designer handbags from Kate Spade New York. Featured live auction items are 4 tickets to the NYC Broadway musical Harry Potter and the Cursed Child musical parts 1 and 2, a gourmet dinner for 10 with wine pairings, and a one week vacation at a villa in Southern Spain.

“I am so pleased about this year’s West Chester Charity Ball because of the community support, but, also, because this year’s gala will again be ‘digital’ with online auction previews and bidding; and, using phones and tablets for bidding before and during the event.  People can even bid from home,” Catherine added.

For more information about tickets, sponsorships, and Friends Association, please visit www.friendsassoc.org.

About Friends Association: Friends Association promotes the independence of families with children by providing shelter, programs and services that prevent and end homelessness in Chester County.  In 2016, Friends Association saved over 124 families and 247 children from homelessness.

It’s our way of wishing you and yours a happy holiday!

The glorious sounds of the season fill the air capturing the magic of the holidays. Special guests Philadanco and the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus join the Symphony in a concert sure to delight and surprise audiences of all ages.

Tickets on sale now:

Adults – $53, $45, $30 in advance;

$58, $50, $35 day of concert
Students up to age 18 – $10
$5 order fee, per order

Click Here To Purchase Tickets Online

Our mailing address is:
Kennett Symphony of Chester County
Box 72
Kennett Square, PA 19348

 Art and Nature and Yoga at the Brandywine

      Sunday, Dec 3, 2017,  8:00 am – 1:00 pm

       $65, all inclusive:  reserve tickets online at                    http://www.brandywine.org/museum/events

       A Restorative Day of Art, Nature and Yoga

Join us for a special day of yoga, art, hiking and good food at the Brandywine River Museum of Art on December 3.

Schedule:

• 8 a.m.  Restorative yoga class led by local yoga instructor Megan Van Riet of Bikram Yoga Chadds Ford. The class will be held in the Dylan Gauthier: highwatermarks exhibition—a relaxing and immersive video experience with soothing sounds and images of the four seasons on and around the Brandywine River.
• 9:30 a.m.  Light breakfast featuring coffee/tea/juice, fresh cut fruit, and pastries
• 10 a.m.  Guided hike through the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art’s campus and Wyeth Artist Studio trails where your tour guide will explain the history of Brandywine Conservancy and the legacy of the Wyeths.
• 10:30 a.m.  Arrive at the N. C. Wyeth Studio for private tour
• 11 a.m.  Walk to the Andrew Wyeth Studio for private tour
• 11:30 a.m.  Guided hike back to Brandywine River Museum of Art
• 12:00 p.m.  Lunch at the Millstone Café featuring Artisanal Green Salad with house-made vinaigrette, homemade soup, choice of two wraps (one vegetarian), iced tea and lemonade, freshly baked cookies, coffee, decaf and a selection of assorted hot teas

After lunch enjoy a visit at your own pace at the Brandywine River Museum of Art during Brandywine Christmas, featuring the Brandywine Railroad, festive decorations and a wonderful collection of American art highlighting the accomplishments of the Brandywine Valley and Wyeth family of artists.

Note: the above is a rain or shine event. Please watch the weather and dress appropriately for hiking on wet and uneven ground. Hike is approximately 2 miles round trip on moderately flat ground.

 Carols Concert

         Sunday, Dec 3, 2017,   1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

         Included with Brandywine River Museum admission

        This event in repeated on Dec. 10, Dec 17, and Dec 31, 2017

Listen to international opera singer Peter Campbell sing songs of the holiday season, accompanied by pianist Matthew Jewell.

Copeland Lecture Hall

Join Senior Curator of Education Deborah Harper and learn about all that is involved in putting together the annual Yuletide Tour Enjoy stunning images of Yuletides past, learn about traditions embraced by the H. F. du Pont family, and be inspired by this year's Yuletide Tour. Members free. Nonmembers $15.

This heartwarming one-man show is performed by Gerald Charles Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, who depicts 26 characters of the classic tale. The Visitor Center Café will be open until 6:00 pm. Performance-only tickets: $19 per Member; $22 per nonmember; and $12 for children under 12. Package price (performance and general admission): $34 per nonmember; $18 per child. For tickets, call 800.448.3883 or purchase online. For more information about Gerald Charles Dickens' performances, visit the Byers' Choice website.

Galleries Reception Atrium

Hot Bijouxx performs an energetic mélange of Prohibition-era jazz, French gypsy swing-waltz, and Brazilian bossa nova. Renditions of Great American Songbook standards are metamorphosized by Hot Bijouxx’s arresting arrangements.

Children’s Christmas Party at the Brandywine River Museum of Art

     Wednesday, Dec 6^th 2017   6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

        $12 adult members; $15 adult non-members; $5 children ages 3 – 8;

        Free for member children and all children under 3

        Purchase tickets on line at http://www.brandywine.org/museum/events

        A Brandywine Tradition for four decades, the Children’s Christmas Party is one of the season’s highlights. Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus and enjoy entertainment, costumed characters, face painting, model trains, trees adorned with hundreds of “critter” ornaments and Cookie Land!

Courtyard gates open at 6:00 p.m.

Gerald Charles Dickens performs a reading of two stories by Charles Dickens: Doctor Marigold and The Signalman. The performances are 45 minutes each with a 20-minute intermission between performances. $10 per Member. $15 per nonmember. Not recommend for children under 12.