Destinations | Princeton Magazine

Celebrating 45 Years of Scarecrows in the Village

Celebrate fall! An autumn tradition kicks off on Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and 15 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pa. For six weeks, more than 100 scarecrows line the brick pathways of the Village. Some are inspired by famous characters, some are humorous, some are scary, and all are handmade by area residents and organizations. The display is free and on view daily through October 27. Guests are invited to vote on their favorite scarecrows, and the creators of the winning scarecrows receive prizes.

The festival includes entertainment, outdoor treats, pumpkin painting, and scarecrow-making workshops. Click here for the schedule of events.

Experience the Past on Saturdays at Howell Farm

Take a step back in time to the year 1900 at Howell Living History Farm with its special Saturday events. Try Canning & Pickling on Saturday, August 17; a Fiddlin’ Contest and Picket Fence Art Show on Saturday, August 24; and the 41st annual Plowing Match on Saturday, August 31. The events are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the farm, a facility of the Mercer County Park Commission, located at 70 Woodens Lane in Hopewell Township. more

Visit the Flower Garden at Pretty Bird Farm

View the colorful flowers in the private garden and more at Pretty Bird Farm in Rosedale, Hunterdon County, on August 24 through the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program. The farm will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a $10 donation to the Conservancy. more

Saying Goodbye to Ocean City’s Wonderland Pier

Kids and adults alike who love the amusements in Ocean City take note: Gillian’s Wonderland Pier will close after this season.

A letter on gillians.com from owner Jay Gillian states that he is retiring after 47 years. Wonderland and 6th Street Pizza (the complex is at 600 Boardwalk) will be open through the summer, but visitors to Ocean City might want to visit and take advantage of some specials:

Until August 30, there are unlimited rides “after dark” on Sunday nights from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. for $25.

Wristband Days are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; $25 for unlimited rides from 4 to 6 p.m.

And Tuesday through Thursday, from 4 to 6 p.m., rides are three tickets each. more

Take a Self-Guided Tour of the Bridges of Bucks County

(Photo courtesy of Visit Bucks County)

Nearby Bucks County, Pa., is the home of 12 picturesque covered bridges, with locations along the Delaware River and inside state parks. Take a self-guided Bucks County Covered Bridge driving tour, crossing the county’s remaining covered bridges with the help of a map or a mobile app courtesy of Visit Bucks County. more

“Color Purple” at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

(Photo Courtesy of Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival)

There is still time to enjoy the long-running summertime Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University in the Lehigh Valley, Pa.

The musical The Color Purple runs until August 4. This year’s “Extreme Shakespeare” play is the romantic adventure Cymbeline, also running until August 4. A children’s show, Winnie-the-Pooh & Friends, runs until August 2, and “Shakespeare for Kids” until August 3.

This season, co-leaders Jason King Jones and Casey William Gallagher curated a lineup centered around the theme of “Persistence of Love,” reflected in each play or musical selected. more

Jersey Fresh Produce in Season at Trenton Farmers Market

Juicy corn, sweet blueberries, succulent tomatoes, and crunchy cucumbers are among other produce and homemade breads, pies, salads, and specialty stands at the Trenton Farmers Market in Lawrence Township.

A farmer-owned cooperative since 1939, the market is New Jersey’s oldest continuously running farmers market. Located on Spruce Street since 1948, it also carries Amish meats and poultry, kielbasa, cheese, and barbecued rotisserie chicken as well as homemade entrees at vendors such as Pulaski Meats, which specializes in Polish, German, Hungarian, Ukrainian, and Russian food items. more

Learn How to Foster Native Plants in Your Garden

Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve in New Hope, Pa., offers classes and events related to gardening and natural habitats, such as the series Learn All About How and Why to Foster Native Plants in Your Landscape.

In the June 8 class, Focus on Ferns, Ed Lignowski, Ph.D., will show how to identify many native ferns as well as highlight their evolutionary history and unusual reproductive habits, their natural habitats, and usefulness in native plant gardens. more

Take an Armchair (or Car) Tour of the Delaware River

If you are an armchair traveler, or prefer to go by car, you can take an audio tour and learn about the history, geology, and preservation of the Delaware River along a scenic and historic 40-mile route from Bordentown to the riverside towns of New Hope (Pa.) and Lambertville.

D&R Greenway Land Trust and TravelStorysGPS have teamed up to create “Seldom Told Stories of the Delaware River.” The TravelStorys apps use GPS technology to create hands-free, self-directed driving tours. Short, podcast-style audio tours are easy to download to your smartphone to hear authentic local lore and information about the river and its surroundings. Travelers can navigate from either northbound or southbound routes, or they can join at any point in between. Travelers can pause the story, leave the car to visit a site, and restart it when they return.

If you don’t feel like venturing out, take an armchair tour of “Seldom Told Stories of the Delaware” by visiting the TravelStorys tour page and clicking on “Explore This Tour Remotely,” and following the prompts. more

Philly Home & Garden Show 2024

The Philly Home & Garden Show will take place February 23 through 25 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks in Oaks, Pa. The event center will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, February 23; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, February 24; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, February 25. more

“Experience the Battle of Princeton” on Jan. 7

On Sunday, January 7, the Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS) will mark the 247th anniversary of the Battle of Princeton with its signature educational event, “Experience the Battle of Princeton.”

The event will begin at 9:45 a.m. with introductions and comments on the background of the battle. Members of the public are urged to arrive at the site by 9:15 a.m. to secure space and parking. A narrated reenactment of a portion of the Battle of Princeton will begin at 10 a.m. featuring reenactors portraying Crown and Continental forces. The reenactment will conclude by 11 a.m. more

Princeton Holiday Trolley Tours

Image Source: Palmer Square and Princeton Holiday Trolley Tours

On December 9 and 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Princeton Holiday Trolley Tours will take visitors past some of the town’s most significant sites. 2023 marks a complete re-design of the popular experience with an expanded route that will teach participants about the area’s prize-winning thinkers, writers, scientists, and noteworthy history. From Woodrow Wilson and Albert Einstein to F. Scott Fitzgerald and Toni Morrison, this tour is action-packed! more

Lake Carnegie

A Princeton Treasure

By Laurie Pellichero | Photography by Charles R. Plohn

Andrew Carnegie portrait by Howard Russell Butler. (Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum, Scotland)

It all began with a portrait. In 1902, steel magnate and noted philanthropist Andrew Carnegie was posing for painter Howard Russell Butler, Princeton University Class of 1876, when Carnegie brought up the many lochs he had built in his native Scotland. Butler, a former member of the University rowing team, took the opportunity to inform Carnegie of the cramped rowing conditions along the Delaware and Raritan Canal, where the team practiced but also had to deal with freight traffic traveling between New York and Philadelphia. This had forced the rowing program to disband in 1886.

Butler suggested a building a dam at the confluence of the Millstone River and Stony Brook, which would flood the swamps around the Washington Road Bridge, creating a reservoir that would be a much better option for the University’s team. According to Princetoniana, it was an idea that Carnegie quickly embraced. more

First Washington Crossing Reenactment for 2023

The reenactment of George Washington crossing the Delaware River in 1776 is one of the region’s most popular and well-attended traditions. Taking place on Sunday, December 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the famous Crossing will also be accompanied by Colonial Era activities, learning sessions, and games. Jason Q. Bohm will narrate events in the Historic Village and children’s author Jenny Cote will be sharing two of her novels. The day promises to include fun and learning for all. more

So Much To See, So Much To Learn

Gap Years Take Off, and Not Just for Pre-College

By Wendy Greenberg | Photos courtesy of Center for Interim Programs

Within about 10 minutes of chatting with Holly Bull and Kate Warren, you begin to think about all the experiences you want to have, all the places you want to go, and how you can realize what you always thought was beyond your time constraints and logistical ability. You make a note that when ready, you will call Holly and Kate. more

Fall Festivals

By Donald H. Sanborn III

“Autumn leaves don’t fall; they fly,” Delia Owens writes in Where the Crawdads Sing. “They take their time and wander on this, their only chance to soar.” Those who are fortunate enough to be in Princeton and the surrounding areas this autumn will want to take time to wander to the many fall festivals. Mark your calendar for these upcoming events: more

LHT Full Moon Ride 2023

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail’s Full Moon Bike Ride is an out-of-this-world experience! This year’s night of music and fun with a moonlight ride through Mercer Meadows Park is on Saturday, September 30 from 7 to 10 p.m.

Bring your own picnic dinner and dance to the music of a live techno DJ before the ride. Attendees can also participate in decorating their own bike before the start of the event. more

Montgomery Promenade Hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony

Image Source: SJC Ventures

On Tuesday, September 26 from 3 to 4 p.m., a ceremony was held to launch the groundbreaking of Montgomery Promenade, a Whole Foods-anchored shopping center coming to Montgomery Township. The 292,700-square-foot center will be located on Route 206 at 1200 State Road. This site has sat undeveloped for more than 15 years and is now being developed by SJC Ventures, an Atlanta-based commercial development firm that specializes in mixed-use communities. more

Annual Halloween Night Hike at The Watershed Institute

Join The Watershed Institute in Pennington for a journey through the woods on a crisp autumn night. This Halloween tradition will take place on October 28 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Groups will be led by a trail guide in 15-minute increments. Along the way, learn about the characters in an Irish folktale as the story itself seems to unfold along the path. more

Newark History Society Event Live and Online at Newark Public Library

On Tuesday, September 19 beginning at 6 p.m., Newark Public Library will present a special program entitled “Black Liberation: Seeking Freedom in 18th and 19th Century Newark.” The event will be held at Newark Public Library, but participants may also join the program virtually at https://www.njpac.org/event/black-liberation-seeking-freedom-in-18th-and-19th-century-newark/. It is requested that those who are joining in person or virtually RSVP either way at the indicated link. more