Are you someone who "can't get enough" of Halloween? Then consider a road trip to Haunted Hills Estate at 236 Rolling Hills Estate Road in Uniontown, Fayette County. Legend has it that in the early 1900s Eleanor and Edgar Hill held an annual autumn festival on their 100-acre estate where visitors would roam the many trails. Then, one eerie night, Edgar reportedly discovered his wife hanging from the rafters.   According to the legend, Edgar went insane and the next year took revenge on all the visitors for Eleanor’s death. He buried their bodies all over the estate and it's said the ghosts of…

October brings with it the haunted happenings of Halloween, and those who are unafraid to search for ghosts need look no further than Shocktoberfest, a spook-tacular seasonal extravaganza located at 94 Park Avenue in Sinking Spring, Berks County. Located just outside Reading, Shocktoberfest has been a choice destination for those who revel in a good fright for the last 20 years, and has been ranked one of the top haunted events in the U.S.  Visitors can choose from up to four interactive adventures and attractions on the Monster Midway, including the Prison of the Dead and the Biohazard …

More than 160 artists will line Union Square in historic New Hope, Bucks County this weekend, where they will sell their work at the New Hope Outdoor Arts & Crafts Festival. Primary goals of the festival are to promote arts and crafts traditions, and to uphold the legacy of fine art in New Hope, which has long been renowned as an artists' colony."Keeping the tradition of arts and crafts alive in New Hope is important to me. My husband, Fred Eisen, is a leather craftsman in New Hope who also feels the same," said Sharon Flanagan, festival chairperson. "Although I love technology, I also revere…

How "green" are you? Sure, you recycle, you don’t leave lights on, and maybe you turn the water off when you brush your teeth, but there is so much more to "going green." That's why, for the seventh year in a row, the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association (MAREA) has organized an event that offers all kinds of advice and information for those in pursuit of green living.  Well worth the cost of fossil fuel emissions to get there, the 7th Annual Pennsylvania Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival this Friday through Sunday at the Kempton Community Center in Kempton, Berks County, …

If you think Labor Day is only about hot dogs and hamburgers, realize that for the past 17 years it has been all about the garlic at the Pocono Garlic Festival, which will be held this Saturday and Sunday at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area, just off Exit 309 of Interstate 80.  Hands down one of the best garlic festivals around, it features garlic grown and harvested by farmers in the Northeast. Food vendors, crafters, artisans and entertainers will be incorporating garlic into just about everything at the festival.    More than 50 food vendors will be creatively using 3,000 pounds of the pungent …

For all the outdoors lovers who can’t wait for the fall hunting season, the folks in Berks County have planned the 6th Annual Lehigh Valley Hunting and Fishing Extravaganza, which will take place Friday through Sunday at the Kempton Fairgrounds. With a flea market, hands-on outdoor skill activities for the entire family (including the dog), demonstrations and prizes, "extravaganza" seems to be an understatement. “This has everything a regular sports show has -- new products, sales of outdoor gear, outfitters, manufacturers with their new products and a heck of a lot more -- even an outdoor …

Take a trip back to the 16th century this weekend at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. Now in its 31st season, the PRF offers visitors a chance to make merry amid knights and ladies as well as jugglers and jousters. The "castle doors" will open at 11:00 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 30.  The theme for this weekend being "Chivalry and Romance," visitors will be wooed by bawdy rogues and flirtatious wenches, who will transport them to the Elizabethan era. "('Chivalry and Romance' is) the perfect theme to celebrate love throughout the Shire,” said Candace Smith, Communications & …

This weekend, baseball buffs and historians will want to check out a unique celebration dedicated to preserving the legacy of one of the original Major League Hall of Famers. The small community of Factoryville, Wyoming County, will pay tribute to its hometown hero Friday and Saturday, when the 16th annual Christy Mathewson Days are held in honor of the turn-of-the-century pitcher who is still considered one of baseball's "greats." Born on Aug. 12, 1880, and raised in Factoryville, Mathewson was among the first five inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 (his induction was posthumous …

With summer quickly slipping away, time is also running out for that family vacation you were hoping to take. If you procrastinated about making reservations at the shore, finding pre-Labor Day lodging will be almost impossible now. So what is a family to do? Woodloch Resort, located in Hawley, Wayne County, offers families a convenient all-inclusive getaway in the Pocono Mountains. The best part about the vacation at Woodloch -- besides the hospitality -- is that you won’t have to leave the resort for a wide variety of activities, including Broadway-style shows, outdoor activities on Lake …

Looking to kick your family camping excursion up a notch? Why not add a festival that stretches across three towns and through the lush mountains of western Pennsylvania to your vacation itinerary? At the Mountain Days Festival in and around Prince Gallitzin State Park, Cambria County, visitors can snowshoe on the beach, take guided hikes, or learn new disc golf techniques while enjoying excursions to local museums, historic landmarks and restaurants in the nearby towns of Fallen Timber, Coalport and Patton. Prince Gallitzin State Park is named for a Russian nobleman-turned Roman Catholic …

Cowboys and cowgirls from all over the U.S. and Canada will ride into Benton, Pa. this weekend for what has been called the best rodeo east of the Mississippi River. That’s right, you don’t have to travel to Texas to see a professional rodeo show! Less than two hours' drive northwest of the Lehigh Valley, the 27th Annual Benton Rodeo is being held through July 17, and it promises to be a hoot and a holler. If you thought all the cowboys had retired to greener pastures, you are quite mistaken. They're alive and well, as you'll see at the rodeo, where cowboys and cowgirls will demonstrate their…

If you went to the original Woodstock, toured with the Dead or at any point in your life felt like a hippie love child conceived a stone’s throw away from an outdoor stage on a traveling tour, theMidsummer Meltdown #2 presented by Jibberjazz productions is your key to unlocking your inner flower power. Even though the Midsummer Meltdown is only in its second year, Jibberjazz has produced more than 13 festivals since 2005 as part of their mission to showcase diverse musical talent. Their concerts have generated quite a following and attracted talented musicians. “You can rest assured you will …

Even if you are not of Pennsilfaanisch Deutsche (Pennsylvania Dutch) heritage, the Kutztown Folk Festival is a tradition worth celebrating over the Fourth of July weekend. Held at the Kutztown Fairgrounds July 2-10, the Kutztown Folk Festival is the oldest folk-life festival in America and--in its 62nd year--is a reminder that Pennsylvania Dutch culture is still alive and well in these parts. “The festival originally started over the Fourth of July because the Pennsylvania Dutch are very patriotic people,” said Dave Fooks, director of the festival. “And, I believe it was Harry Truman that …

When the thunder rolls into Johnstown, it won’t be because of the weather. Instead, the storm will be thousands of bikers rolling into town in their chrome- and leather-clad glory, Thursday through Sunday. One of the fastest growing biker rallies in the Northeast, Thunder in the Valley will feature a bike parade, motorcycle displays and demonstrations of biker skills. “Over the four days, we are predicting 225,000 bikers,” said Olivia Bragdon, Communications Coordinator for the Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Everyone who comes here from out of town feels …

What do you get for the dad who has everything? How about a weekend of relaxation in the greatoutdoors? Fly fishing on a lake or in a river is far better than the traditional tie. Whether Dad is looking for a weekend with the boys or the whole family, Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures can be your gateway to some of the best fly fishing on Spring Creek, Big Fishing Creek, Penns Creek, Spruce Creek and the Little Juniata River near State College in central Pennsylvania. While Yellow Dog schedules destination-based angling adventures, arranges fly fishing guides and accommodations in the central…

If you are one of those people who have their head in the clouds or a gaze fixed upon the heavens, the New Garden Festival of Flight Air and Car Show is the weekend getaway for you. Now in its 40th year, the air show features aerobatic performances, demonstrations that hearken back to a time of pin-up models, victory gardens and WWII bombers. “You will see some of the best pilots in the world doing all kinds of things planes and gliders are not supposed to do,” said Jon Martin, Airport Manager. In addition to the air show, the event will showcase “the kind of classic cars that will make you …

This weekend you won’t have to travel far to feel like you're on vacation. The Sands Casino-Resort Bethlehem has opened its hotel and is taking reservations. What would make you want to spend a weekend at a hotel in Bethlehem? Lots of fun things to do, of course! Your weekend full of events will begin with Emeril Lagasse’s Gala Dinner on Saturday and end with the Grand Tasting at the Second Annual Lehigh Valley Food & Wine Festival. The glitz and glamour of the Sands casino's slots, table games, entertainment and will complement your staycation, of course. On Saturday, start your day by …

Memorial Day is a holiday often commemorated with events held in honor of U.S. military personnel who have given their lives in battle over the centuries. Many families also host backyard picnics, but few people have experienced the day as it was experienced by those who first celebrated it in the village of Boalsburg in Centre County, Pennsylvania, in 1864. Almost 150 years ago, Boalsburg resident Emma Hunter and two of her friends went to lay flowers on the grave of her Hunter's father, Dr. Reuben Hunter, who died of yellow fever while attending to the wounded soldiers during his service in…

What do you do on a rainy spring weekend when you really need some fun and family recreation? There is one place I can think of to go: Great Wolf Lodge.  Located in the nearby Poconos, Great Wolf Lodge has cornered the indoor waterpark market with its luxurious, yet rustic resort in Scotrun, just off Interstate 80. When you arrive, you will see a sign that says “CAUTION: AWESOMENESS AHEAD,” and it means what it says. The Great Wolf waterpark itself boasts 14 huge slides within Coyote Canyon and Fort Mackenzie--the giant water play area--along with the Cub Paw Pool, which features a zero-depth…

How many people can honestly say they know where their food comes from? Sure, you buy it in a store and sometimes you can even pick the cut of meat you want from a display case, instead of purchasing it pre-wrapped in plastic on a Styrofoam tray. Vegetables are displayed in bins from which you can choose local and even organic varieties, but where does it come from before it hits supermarket shelves? If you've ever had questions about the food you eat, organic farming or sustainable agriculture, a “farm vacation” might be just the weekend getaway you never knew you needed. From farm to table…