By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
It’s the weekend when the U. S. will pay tribute to civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King Weekend will be celebrated on January 15 at the Eastern State Penitentiary (2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-236-3300,www.easternstate.org) from 11 a.m.-4:45 p.m.
Visitors will be able to commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and contemplate the importance and continuing relevance of his 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail” on a full-day, in-person occasion at Eastern State Penitentiary.
You can listen to guest speakers read excerpts from the “Letter from Birmingham Prison” and texts from other civil rights leaders affected by incarceration.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, on April 12, 1963, for protesting without permission. During his 11 days in prison there, he wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in reaction to a letter published through Alabama clergy. who criticized King’s use of criminal to demonstrate civil injustice.
In the letter, written with a contraband pencil in the margins of a newspaper, Dr. King explains why he chose to use prisons as a tool in his civil rights movement. The letter became a manifesto for civil disobedience, stating, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and marked an important turning point in the civil rights movement.
The words of Frederick Douglass, Angela Y. Davis, Malcolm X, and Ida B. Wells will illuminate Dr. King’s place within a long lineage of leaders in the struggle for racial equality. Each passage centers around a specific theme and encourages reflection and group discussion. Seating is limited and is first-come, first-served.
From noon to 2 p. m. , there will be family-friendly programming designed for youth and their caregivers. Educators will organize stories with books for young people written through and about the leaders of the civil rights movement. There will also be specially designed hands-on activities.
The event is free for children 12 and under and $17 for everyone else.
Other special occasions through Martin Luther King, Jr. this weekend include the MLK The Voices Tribute to Motown Celebration Concert at World Cafe Live, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend Celebration at the African American Museum Philadelphia, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Festival at the Woodmere Art Museum.
From January 13-21, the Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia is presenting the 2024 Philadelphia Auto Show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (12th and Arch streets, Philadelphia, www.phillyautoshow.com).
The automotive industry’s newest creations are on display at the Pennsylvania Convention Center during the annual nine-day Philadelphia Auto Show. Visitors to the exhibition can see a large number of classic, luxury and exotic cars up close, and even have the opportunity. get behind the wheel of some of them.
Spanning more than one million square feet, the 2024 Philadelphia Auto Show showroom venue will feature several new features as well as fan favorites. This year marks the 122nd edition of the event.
Once they return, guests will be invited to revel in the newest and most important advancements from some of today’s leading automakers in “The Showroom,” which will be in halls A, B and C of the PA Convention Center.
Custom Alley will showcase a wide range of rides, bikes and the latest in aftermarket.
The ticket costs between $11 and $17.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (Station Avenue, Oaks, 800-677-4677, www.phillyexpocenter.com) will be the site of three very different events this weekend – events focusing on model trains, marijuana, and timber.
Many Trains and Style Toys Will Be On Sale When The Train
The exhibition, scheduled for Jan. 13 and 14, from 10 a. m. to 10 a. m. M. A 4 p. m. On both days, it will feature a series of operational exercise displays, adding Allegheny Western Lines’ HO scale design, the Philadelphia N-Trak N scale design, the Royersford Modular Model Railroaders HO scale design, the Atlantic TCA Division’s O-scale design, and Strasbourg’s Model Railroaders HO scale.
Also on hand will be the North Penn O Gaugers O Gauge, the North Penn S Gaugers S Gauge, the South Eastern Pennsylvania Garden Railway Society G Scale, the Strasburg Model Railroad Club LEGO® Train Club, the Keystone N Trak N Scale and the Railroad in an HO box scale.
This weekend’s exhibit will also include free clinics on a wide variety of topics, adding track work, the use of props and the use of a virtual controller. There will be a plethora of dealers offering toys, trains, accessories, and hobby publications. Other features come with door-to-the-hour pricing.
Adult tickets are $12 on Saturdays and $11 on Sundays. Children (under 12 years old) are free of charge.
The Expo Center is also Oaks Canna Fest this weekend.
On January 13 and 14, the Oaks Canna Fest brings together more than 200 local and national vendors showcasing the leading-edge trends in alternative health products and services. Medical cards are not required for admission although onsite Medical Certification is available.
Visitors can renew themselves with a visit to licensed massage therapists and enjoy artisan crafted wine samples and unique handcrafted artwork.
With the admission pass, attendees get an exclusive “Welcome to Canna Fest” shopping bag, all special events, and the Canna Fest Event Guide.
The Event Advisor is the key to an enhanced Canna Fest experience with seminar schedules, product coupons, vendor location maps, and special event information. Cannabis education forums include cooking with hash and making your own gummies.
Other weekend activities include guest speakers, awards, “Canna Games,” guided yoga and reiki classes, live performances, cooking classes, crystal healing, chakra balancing, sensory meditation spaces, and legalization news and resources.
Admission is $15.
The Log House and Timber Framing Show is scheduled to run through Jan. 14.
Visitors to the “Log and Wood House Design and Construction Exhibition” will explore the good looks and craftsmanship of log houses and timber frame houses.
They will be able to attend free seminars on the hour all weekend long on a variety of topics.
The show will feature a great mix of Log Home and Timber Frame companies, rustic furniture makers and suppliers including Care and Maintenance and Windows and Doors.
Show times are from 1:00 p. m. to 1:00 p. m. to 7 p. m. on January 12, from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. m. to 6 p. m. m. on January thirteenth and from 10 a. m. m. at four p. m. on January 14.
Admission to the exhibit is $12.
Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Reserve Tastings – Festive Faves” on select Saturdays and Sundays in January.
Guests will sign up for the CFW Crew for an intimate and educational 60-minute experience in the Barrel Room. Trained staff will advise you through a pre-selected tasting of five very varied and award-winning wines from our portfolio. Pair it with local, seasonal cheeses and other accessories for your tasting delight.
The staff will also talk about topics such as grape development situations in our partner’s vineyards and the winemaking process on-site, from production to aging and bottling.
Here is the 2024 pairing – Wine of Wishes: 2022 Sparkling White; 2022 Chardonnay with crispy Maine buckwheat crackers (contains nuts), brie, and local smoked fall honey; 2021 Pinot Noir with Smoked Gouda and Dried New Jersey Cherries; Bon Bon Pumpkin Spiced Apple by Éclat Chocolate; Warm Christmas Spirit with Chocolate Blueberry Bun from OsoSweet Bakery
“Penns Woods Wine, Cheese
Penns Woods Winery partners with local cheesemakers and local honey artisans to offer signature wine, cheese, and honey pairings. Tastings will include 4 premium Penns Woods wines, each paired with cheeses and honey from local farms.
Delicious tastings will be held every weekend in January, from 11 a. m. to 11 a. m. 6 p. m. Saturdays and 11 a. m. to 5 p. m. m. Sundays.
Tickets are $40 and reservations are required.
This weekend is a moment at the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University (1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, www. ansp. org).
The museum presents “Science Storytime” on Jan. 13 and 14 starting at 11 a. m.
Each week there will be a science story and craft to try.
Visitors can learn about some of the following topics:
Grandmother Fish: a child’s first book of Evolution by Jonathan Tweet Craft: Trace fossil medallions.
What do you do with a queue like this? By Steven Jenkins Craft: Lizard Tail Craft.
Hank’s Big Day by Evan Kuhlman Craft: Roly Poly Paper Plate.
Jump up and dance as we read “Dinosaurrumpus” by Tony Mitton and get crafting with dinosaur pasta pals.
Other upcoming “Science Storytime” dates are February 17 and 18 and March 9 and 10.
“Science Storytime will take place at the Aquatic Reptile Nook in Dinosaur Hall.
Admission to the museum is $27 for adults, $24 for seniors, and $23 for youth (ages 2 to 12).
The John Heinz National Wildlife Reserve in Tinicum (8601 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, www. fws. gov/refuge/John_Heinz) offers several interesting occasions this week.
“Bird Walk with Chuck Root and Emily Dodge” will be held on January 13 at 9 a.m.
Visitors can take an educational walk with two of the site’s knowledgeable volunteers and discover the 300+ species of birds that use the Refuge during their migration routes.
The walk will begin at the archway at the Visitor Center and will last approximately one hour on flat surfaces.
On Jan. 14, “Plant Walk with Dick Cloud” will begin at 1 p. m.
The Delaware Sikh Center (1107 South Dupont Highway, New Castle, Delaware, https://www. facebook. com/sikhcenterofdelaware) is a special occasion called “Lohri” on January 13.
Lohri is a harvest festival that is essentially celebrated in Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. People celebrate it with wonderful pleasure, enthusiasm and enthusiasm.
Customs and traditions may vary from region to region, but for the most part, they are all similar to harvesting Rabi’s crops. The other peoples of northern India celebrate this festival to mark the end of the winter solstice. Harvested fields and front yards are lit up with bonfires and other people sit and enjoy singing, dancing and having fun.
The event will get underway with “Path” with Rehraas Sahib followed by Kirtan & Ardaas. Ther will be tea, snacks and other refreshments at 6 p.m. The Lohri celebrations are scheduled from 6:30 p.m. onward.
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www. sesameplace. com) would possibly be closed for rides and activities in the park, but it would still be a lot of fun.
This weekend’s special occasion will be the “Captain Cookie’s Pirate Party”, the first of the themed food reports for January and February.
The Captain Cookie Pirate Party, which runs through January 15, is a nautical-themed celebration. Captain Cookie hosts this delicious buffet-style meal and special pirate festivities for the whole family.
There will also be a special encounter at the “Captain Cookie’s Pirate Party!”
Other upcoming special dining occasions include Abby’s Magical Magician Ball Dine (Jan. 20-21), Ernie’s Birthday Bash Dine (Jan. 27-28), Elmo’s Rockin’ Birthday Dine (Feb. 3-4) and My Fuzzy Valentine Dine (Feb. 10-11).
Dinner tickets are $39. 99 (ages 10 and up) and $19. 99 (ages 2-9). Advance reservations are required for dining.
A well-attended Bucks County attraction is the “Holiday Light Show” at Shady Brook Farm (931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, www.shadybrookfarm.com)
The farm features a three–million-light Holiday Light Show with “Dashin’ Through the … Lights,” a family-friendly two-mile drive-through on Thursday and Friday nights.
Primary visitors to the exhibit can drive or (weather permitting) ride in cars past the exhibits after sunset, adding the lighted tunnels.
The “Christmas Light Show” is open until January 27.
Timed tickets, which start at $30, are required.
Would you like to dispose of your Christmas tree in a sustainable and adorable way?
A great way is to gift it to a goat.
The Philly Goat Project’s (www. phillygoatproject. org) annual Christmas Tree-Cycle festival/fundraiser returns with a special occasion where you can donate your tree to local goats to enjoy. Family occasions, which begin this weekend, run from noon to 2 p. m. m. the 3 days.
On Jan. 14, they will take up position at The Farm at Awbury Arboretum (6336 Ardleigh Street, Philadelphia) and on Jan. 20 at Laurel Hill West Cemetery (225 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd).
The event includes loose s’mores, hot chocolate, and all the goat hugs you want. It is recommended that you donate $20 per Christmas tree to support network programs. And you don’t need a tree to have fun.
On Jan. 13, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www. thelaurelhillcemetery. org) will offer a “Historic Places and Parcels of Interest” walking tour at 10 a. m. m.
In life and in death, we all have stories to tell, and what better place to hear tales of wonder than Philadelphia’s most famous home of the dead?
This tour provides an informative overview of Laurel Hill’s long history, which includes many marble masterpieces, amazing views, and mythical stories about Laurel Hill.
“Hot Spots and Storied Plots” is the perfect introduction for anyone who enjoys beautiful art, scenic nature, and fascinating history. An experienced graveyard guide will offer a unique perspective.
The tour will be Shayne Russell.
This tour departs from the front to the entrance of Laurel Hill Cemetery at 3822 Ridge Avenue in Philadelphia.
Founded more than 50 years ago, Choo Choo Barn — Traintown U. S. A. (Route 741 East, 226 Gap Rd, Strasbourg, 717-687-7911, www. choochoobarn. com) features a 1,700-square-foot exercise network with more than 150 exercise manuals. Animated characters and cars built and 22 operational exercises. Most of the exercises that run on the screen are “O-gauge” exercises, but there are also HO gauge exercises and N-gauge exercises.
Many of the animations and originals are still shown today, adding the ski slope, the ski chalet and ice skaters, Dutch Haven, the willows, the two-lane road (opposite Dutch Haven), the farm with the tobacco and the barn. , the chimney of Strasbourg, the church next to Dutch Haven and a few more houses.
The design includes a special Christmas show until mid-January. Homes and businesses along the railroad tracks were decorated with Christmas decorations. And there are 55 hidden Santa Claus (one per year that the site has been open) situated around the exhibit for visitors to find.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for youth (ages 3 and under) at Choo Choo Barn — Traintown U. S. A.
A culture of annual vacations in Philadelphia takes up residence at the Rothman Orthopaedics Institute’s ice rink in Dilworth Park (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, http://ccdparks. org/dilworth-park).
This November, some of Philadelphia’s favorite winter traditions return to Dilworth Park. Visitors of all ages can enjoy a spectacular seasonal transformation as fountains are replaced across the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute’s skating rink and reindeer topiaries overwinter on Greenfield’s lawn.
Plus, a full range of free entertainment, including the gracious Deck the Hall, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market, and the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute booth.
Dilworth Park’s winter season began in November with the opening of the Wintergarden on the Greenfield Lawn and the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink and Cabin.
The Rothman Institute’s Ice Rink in Dilworth Park offers an unprecedented entertainment experience on Philadelphia’s center stage, in a wonderful, completely urban and exclusive setting. Open seven days a week, the rink offers winter entertainment for all ages, with a full diversity of programs.
Winter has arrived and Blue Cross RiverRink (Delaware Avenue at Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-925-RINK, www. riverrink. com) has come to life.
Unlike most suburban rinks, RiverRink offers public skating. Ice skating is the only use of ice. This winter, RiverRink is leveraging the experience of ice skating on the banks of the Delaware River to show how to transform the annual ice rink into a true winter wonderland. .
For 29 seasons, Winterfest has been Philadelphia’s favorite winter culture on the Delaware Riverfront, inviting guests to enjoy elegant flying accessories under thousands of twinkling lights in a winter wonderland with breathtaking Delaware River views. Settle into comforting cabins, fireplace moats, rides and games for young and old, delicious food and hot drinks, the iconic Christmas tree, and of course, ice skating at our NHL-sized rink. Winterfest is the ultimate destination for anyone who wants to relive familiar cultures.
Admission to Winterfest is free and open to the public. Amenities such as ice skating, cabanas, and fireplace briefings can be booked in advance. Winterfest is open seven days a week, with holidays added through March.
There are also plenty of non-festive occasions this weekend.
Grim Philly’s (www. grimphilly. com) “Dark Philly History Tour” will run nightly throughout the winter.
Participants can walk with excursion advisors from the grounds of America’s first White House, Congress, and Liberty Bell to homes and sites in Hamilton, Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and more than 10 other Fathers Fundadores. La astonishing filth of espionage, murder, sexual license, and blackmail sheds light on the secrets of 1776 with a ghost story or two along the way. This excursion is well documented. And his consultant is a historian.
Tickets are $35.
The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia (215-413-1997, www. ghosttour. com), the Ghost Tour of Lancaster (717-687-6687, www. ghosttour. com) and the Ghost Tour of Strasbourg (717-687-6687, www. ghosttourArraycom) run winter and will offer a strangely entertaining evening with authentic ghost stories and authentic haunted houses.
The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, in the e-book “Ghost Stories of Philadelphia, PA. ,” is a candlelit walking tour through the secret alleys and gardens of Independence Park, Society Hill, and Old Town, where ghostly spirits, haunted houses, and spooky cemeteries abound.
Participants can discover the ghost lore of America’s most historic and most haunted city with stories from the founding of William Penn’s colony to present-day hauntings.
The activity is open year-round – weekends, December-February; every night, March-November. Tickets are $24.
The Lancaster Ghost Tour and Strasbourg Ghost Tour are in the “Lancaster, PA Ghost Stories” eBook.
Participants of the Lancaster Ghost Tour explore the long-forgotten mysteries of one of America’s oldest cities, with haunting tales of supernatural awakenings, fatal curses, and forlorn lovers. The tour provides the opportunity to observe three hundred years of Red Rose City’s haunted history. thorny past. Tickets are $20.
The Ghost Tour of Strasburg is a candlelight walking tour of the quaint and historic town of Strasburg in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Visitors will experience an entertaining evening with a costumed tour guide spinning tales of haunted mansions, eerie graveyards, and spirits that roam the night … in a town lost in time. Tickets are $20.
“TreeTrails Adventures Trevose” (301 West Bristol Pike, Trevose, treetrails. com/trevose-pa) is an adventure park full of fun and challenging situations for adventurers of all ages.
Participants can revel in the excitement of TreeTrails Adventures as they swing through the trees of the new adventure park. They will be able to revel in the thrill of climbing and ziplining over the forest floor with family, friends, colleagues or teammates.
The park, founded at the Phoenix Sport Club in Bucks County, offers two tactics for reveling in rock climbing: TreeTrails Adventure Park and KidTrails Park. Young Explorers can take miniaturized tours at the adjacent KidTrails Park.
General Park Admission prices are: Main Park Adult Tickets (Ages 12+), $59; Main Park Youth Tickets (Ages 7–11), $51; KidTrails Tickets (Ages 4–7), $12.
Wonderspaces at the Fashion District (27 North 11th Street, Philadelphia, philadelphia.wonderspaces.com) is an experiential, interactive arts venue.
Taking advantage of the good fortune of annual temporary exhibitions in San Diego and its first permanent location in Scottsdale, Arizona, Wonderspaces opened a 24,000-square-foot gallery in Philadelphia two years ago.
Wonderspaces features 14 art installations that all play with the idea of perspective. The artwork ranges from award-winning virtual reality short film about a dinner party-turned-alien abduction, to a room where visitors digitally paint the walls with the movement of their bodies.
New artworks are exchanged every few months, creating an ever-changing exhibition throughout the year.
Tickets are for access at an express date and time. Visitors can stay as long as they wish during opening hours. The average amount of time spent experiencing the exhibit is 90 minutes.
A few installations contain flashing lights, images, and patterns that may trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. All visitors must sign a waiver prior to being admitted into the space. Adult supervision is required for visitors under 16.
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