More than 40 of the region’s best artists will exhibit and sell a variety of work including paintings, photography, wood creations, mixed media, jewelry, pottery, glasswork, fiber creations, and ceramics. Artists were juried in by a committee of art experts, ensuring only the highest quality of exhibited work. Judges will select show winners, awarding $2,000 in cash prizes. One artist will receive the Founders Award and Peddler’s Village will purchase the artwork for the Jamison Family’s art collection on permanent display in the Village.

The Village will swing with the smooth sounds of the area’s finest jazz, blues and pop musicians. The schedule of entertainment includes:

Saturday, June 2

Noon – 2:00 p.m.: A Perfect 5th, Main Green Gazebo
Don’t miss this entertaining jazz ensemble.

1:00-3:00 p.m.: Peter Pix, Courtyard
Lots of personality plus incredible cover tunes.

2:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Rendition, Main Green Balcony
Energetic, swinging and always entertaining jazz ensemble

Sunday, June 3

Noon – 2:00 p.m.: The Overtones, Main Green Balcony
This duo performs songs that span generations.

1:00-3:00 p.m.: Tony Alosi, Courtyard
A songwriter/singer with a unique mix of blues, funk, R&B and smooth jazz.

1:00 – 3:00 p.m.: Jersey Harmony Chorus
Strolling a Capella Choir.

2:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Eric Mintel Quartet, Gazebo
Energetic, swinging and always entertaining, the Eric Mintel Quartet has entertained audiences from the White House to the Kennedy Center.

The Peddler’s Village 50th Anniversary Landscape Design Competition in partnership with Delaware Valley College also kicks off this weekend. The following three DelVal students were chosen from a group of 10 landscape design students who competed for their designs to be planted on the Peddler’s Village Street Road Green flower beds: Christopher Casola, Junior, Ornamental Horticulture/Environmental Design; Cecilia Probst, Junior, Ornamental Horticulture/Environmental; and Kristen Ryan, Senior, Floriculture. The public can vote at Peddler’s Village for their favorite design from June 2 through August 13. The winner of the competition will be announced on September 15.

The show is held rain or shine. Admission and parking are free. For more information, please visit www.peddlersvillage.com or call 215-794-4000.

Watch the Civil War brought to life at Peddler’s Village Civil War Days, Friday, May 11, through Sunday, May 13.

Experience the thrill of a Civil War living history and reenactment! Travel back in time as you watch infantry, cavalry and artillery units in battle scenarios. Watch President Lincoln address the troops and deliver the Gettysburg Address. Walk through the confederate and union camps to see how the troops lived, attend a Civil War wedding, take a Candlelight Camp Tour and enjoy musical performances by the Providence Brigade Brass Band and the 69th PA Irish. 

Civil War Days begins on Friday with a mid-day program for school and community groups from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit seven Living History stations on the following topics: A Soldier’s Life; Drill and Marching; Firing the Civil War Musket; Civil War Medicine; Officer in the Civil War; Artillery, and Commissary.

Reservations are recommended for school and community group visits on Friday, May 11. For more information and to make reservations, please call 215-794-4000.

Saturday schedule, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.:

Sunday schedule, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.:

Peddler’s Village Civil War Days takes place on the Street Road Green. Admission and parking are free. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.peddlersvillage.com/ or call 215-794-4000.

Fresh, luscious strawberries!

May is National Strawberry Month and we’re kicking off the celebration with the Annual Strawberry Festival on Sat., May 5, and Sun., May 6.

The origin of the Strawberry Festival goes back to the very first Peddler’s Village festival, May Day, which started in 1967 and evolved by 1978 into today’s event. As Peddler’s Village celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2012, the annual Strawberry Festival is still full of festive foods, exciting family entertainment and the same warm country hospitality as the first event.

May Day 1967 was the first Peddler's Village festival

Tented carts offering strawberries prepared in every way possible line the winding brick pathways of the Village, from cream-topped strawberry shortcakes and freshly baked pastries to warm strawberry fritters, strawberry preserves, and pies overflowing with the luscious fruit.

Families and friends stroll along, stopping to taste plump strawberries dipped in chocolate, sip a refreshing strawberry smoothie, and to watch strawberry pastries sizzle in an old fashioned iron kettle and then savor the crispy, sweet treats sprinkled with powdered sugar. Everyone picks up a few pints of fresh strawberries, Pennsylvania Dutch strawberry butters and Cock ‘n Bull chunky preserves to enjoy at home.

Between tasting the delightful treats, visitors enjoy the all day live musical entertainment and more than 45 displays of unique handcrafted works from the region’s finest artisans on the Street Road Green. Live musical entertainment throughout the Village and creative activities in the children’s crafts area round out the weekend’s activities.

Each afternoon at 3 p.m., the crowds gather on the Main Green to cheer on their favorite contestants in the Strawberry Pie Eating Contests. The winning pie eaters proudly display their blue ribbons for the cameras with whipped cream still clinging to their faces. What a perfect ending to a celebration of the strawberry and the best of Bucks County Heritage!

The weekend schedule includes:

Saturday, May 5
10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Daisy Jug Band in the Gazebo
12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.  Banjo Man Strolling the Village
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.           Acoustic Road, Courtyard
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.           Stiltwalker Strolling the Village
2:00-2:30 p.m.              Aubreylyn Zazyczny, Main Green
2:30-3:00 p.m.              Photos & Memories Winner Announced, Main Green
3:00 -3:30 p.m.             Strawberry Pie Eating Contest on the Main Green Balcony
3:30 – 6:00 p.m.            Blue Roots Bluegrass Band, Gazebo

Sunday, May 6
12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.       Dance Junction Dancers, Main Green
12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.    The Mango Men, Gazebo
12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.     Banjo Man Strolling the Village
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.               Peter Pix, Courtyard
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.               Stiltwalker Strolling the Village
3:00 – 3:30 p.m.               Strawberry Pie Eating Contest, Main Green Balcony
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.       Got StringsYouth Orchestra, Main Green
4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.       The Overtones, Main Green

 The event hours each day are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission and parking are free and the festival is held rain or shine. For more info, please visit www.peddlersvillage.com or call 215-794-4000.

Planting a Red Sunset Maple, left to right: Peddler's Village Grounds Supervisor Mark Foresman; Delaware Valley College Professor Robert Staudt; Peddler's Village CEO James C. Miles; and Donna Jamison, 50th Anniversary Committee Chair

Peddler’s Village selected Arbor Day to launch the multi-year 50 Trees for 50 Years program to honor the national day as well as the our horticultural heritage. Millions of visitors over the decades have enjoyed the award-winning gardens and landscape of Peddler’s Village.  

In conjunction with Delaware Valley College, Peddler’s Village is selecting 50 beautiful trees to enhance our Bucks County landscape. Professor Adjunct Robert Staudt of DelVal joined Peddler’s Village CEO James C. Miles, Grounds Supervisor Mark Foresman and Donna Jamison, Peddler’s Village 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee Chair, to break ground on Arbor Day for the tree planting program. Mark Foresman read excerpts of the traditional Arbor Day Proclamation commemorating J. Sterling Morton who first proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture in 1872 a special day for the planting of trees.

The Peddler’s Village 50 Trees for 50 Years program kicked off with the planting of the following trees in 2012: Red Oak, London Plane, Weeping White Pine, Red Sunset Maple, Paperbark Maple, Double White Horsechestnut, Green Pillar Pin Oak, Jersey Silverbell, Japanese Snowbell, Scarlet Oak, and Yellowwood.

Jeanne Schmalz, Executive Housekeeper of the Golden Plough Inn at Peddler’s Village, is the recipient of the Spirit of Hospitality 2012 Department Manager of the Year Award by the Pennsylvania Tourism & Lodging Association (PTLA).

Jeanne Schmalz, Executive Housekeeper at the Golden Plough Inn, with Peddler's Village Chief Executive Officer James C. Miles

The PTLA held its Annual Spirit of Hospitality Awards Reception and Dinner on April 23, 2012, at the Sheraton Harrisburg – Hershey Hotel. These prestigious awards recognize exceptional performance, commitment and achievements in the hospitality and tourism industry throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The presentations were made by: James Purdum, CHA, General Manager, Penn State Hospitality Services, The Pennsylvania State University and Chairman of the PTLA Board of Directors and Brett Thackara, Meteorologist for Harrisburg-based ABC27.

Jeanne was accompanied at the awards dinner by Peddler’s Village CEO and PTLA board member James C. Miles and a group from the Village representing the Golden Plough Inn and Corporate Office. 

“Peddler’s Village is thrilled to have Jeanne win this statewide competition of the Pennsylvania Tourism and Lodging Association as the Department Manager of the Year. Her tenure, her dedication, her ever-present smile and willingness to assist were recognized by the judges. We knew all along and are pleased to have it acknowledged by the statewide agency in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that Jeanne is a winner. We are happy that several of her fellow staff members were present to cheer her on. Congratulations, Jeanne!” said Jim Miles.

Jeanne was one of three nominees in the Department Manager category selected from hotels throughout the state. Jeanne has served at Peddler’s Village for 36 years, the past 5 years at the Golden Plough Inn and 31 years in Peddler’s Village restaurant management and operations. She is a 25-year resident of Buckingham Township.
 
The PTLA is a private, non-profit, membership-based association that exists to advocate, support, promote and enhance the tourism and lodging industry within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Grab the girls for a night out at Earl’s Bucks County! Ladies Night on Thursday, May 10, will feature the most amazing Skinny Girl cocktails, hor d”oeuvres, fabulous door prizes and giveaways from the following Peddler’s Village shops: Signatures by Karen Thompson, Lace Silhouettes Lingerie, Skin ‘n Tonic and Town Crier Bakery. Only $30 per person, plus tax & gratuity, for all that! Call 215-794-4020 for more info and reservations.

On this day last year, the largest functional Rube Goldberg machine claimed the Guinness World Record. The 2011 Purdue University Rube Goldberg machine shattered the world record for most steps ever successfully completed by such a machine. In 244 steps, the “Time Machine” traces the history of the world from Big Bang to the Apocalypse before accomplishing the assigned everyday task of watering a flower. The record set by the Purdue Society of Professional Engineers Rube Goldberg Team has been sanctioned by the Guinness Book of World Records and the World Records Academy.

Visit the record-breaking machine on display at Giggleberry Fair in Peddler’s Village to get inspired to enter your own in our Peddler’s Village Rube Goldberg Challenge! Check out the rules and regs on our website at http://www.peddlersvillage.com/promotions/50th-anniv/rube-goldberg-challenge.aspx or call Peddler’s Village Hospitality Center at 215-794-4000.

Get Your Buttonwood Grill Growler Giveaway!

Enter to win a Buttonwood Grill Growler in time for opening day on Monday, March 5!

Just click here to “like” the Buttonwood Grill Facebook page and  you’ll be entered to win this 2 liter signature growler, perfect to take home your favorite brew from the expanded draft beer lineup.  The winner will be announced on the Buttonwood Grill and Peddler’s Village Facebook pages at the end of opening day on March 5.

General Manager David Zuckerman said he’s really excited about the expanded list of seasonal crafts, standard drafts and Belgians on tap.

“We’re opening Buttonwood Grill with a 20 line draft program plus two nitro lines. We’ll have 10 tap handles of craft beer, 10 taps of macros and a 50 bottle list. For craft beer fans, we have a fair representation of different styles, both local and imported, 34 craft beers in all between on tap and in bottles. Other than domestic, we have strong emphasis on Belgium like the Chimay Cing Cent White and St. Bernardus Abbey ABT 12% De Proef K-O Blonde,” he said.

Want more variety? Ask your server about the Mix and Match to go option where you can choose up to 12 bottles to take home.With a large bar that can sit over 20 people comfortably, a few high tops for some beer, casual drinks and burgers, plus five flat screen TVs to hang out and watch the game, Buttonwood Grill is a friendly and laid back spot with great food and a stellar beer lineup for locals and the after work crowd.

Stay tuned to the Peddler’s Village website for upcoming draft lists and Buttonwood Growler Giveaways!

Pull up a stool, here’s a little local history with your beer.

The corner where the Buttonwood Grill stands was once part of the vast William Penn land grant. In 1700, Penn sold 500 acres of what was to become the village of Lahaska to James Streater. Over the next century, this land was subdivided many times for family farms, homes, and businesses. In the mid-1800s, Joseph Shaw built a stone tavern on the corner of Old York and Street Roads which became THE spot  in central Bucks county for locals and travelers. Fast forward 120 years and dozens of owners later, proprietors Matthew and Mary Hartigan named the tavern the Buttonwood Inn after the old Buttonwood tree that still welcomes people at the door.

To honor its legacy and our 50th anniversary, we’re bringing back the Buttonwood name to the historic building. Since the food and drink offerings have changed somewhat since the 19th century, we sat down with Jim Perillo, Peddler’s Village Restaurant Director,  to find out what’ll be on the menu when the restaurant opens in a couple of weeks.

VI:  What kind of food and drink menus did you come up with for the new Buttonwood Grill?

JP: The new menu is geared toward local taste; a beer-centric menu with a serious focus on burgers. Expect a nice selection of craft beers and great comfort food with a progressive twist.

VI: The menu has a featured section called “The Butcher’s Burger.” What’s that all about?

JP: We set it up so you create your own burger. Pick out a style of burger and sides from six choices: traditional Plain Jane, Mediterranean, Cheeseburger, Buffalo Blue Cheese, Southern Onion ‘n Bacon, or SW Border. Then, choose what kind of burger you want: our proprietary Butcher’s Grind, turkey, salmon, bison, or black bean/quinoa/feta.

For the beef burgers, we’re grinding our own proprietary mix of choice Chuck, Brisket & Short Rib fresh every day. It’s a medium grind so the burger stays soft and very juicy. These are all half pounders—we won’t be playing cards with hockey pucks on the grill! Plus, we’re grilling them old school on a flat top and serving them with a steak knife straight down through the buns, which are griddled brioche rolls. And you can choose your burger “Between the Buns” or “Naked.”

VI: What other comfort dishes will we find?

JP: There’ll be made to order, individual-sized, thin crust pizzas fired on stone and served on boards. We’re taking a fresher approach, using greens and seasonal items. The burgers and pizza will be offered all day but lunch will have some sandwiches and dinner will have larger plate entrees.

We’re also offering The Fish Market menu every day at dinner, where you can choose from 2-3 fish specials and select the way you like it—grilled, blackened, or seared with your choice of seasonings and sides.

VI: What are you planning for dessert?

JP: We’re making some classics—tiramisu and a flourless chocolate cake with a s’mores twist and and a pint of apple crumb ala mode.  All desserts will be made in house.  Also, our fresh house baked potato Focaccia will be on the table for lunch and dinner–half tomato pie, half plain.

VI: What can we look forward to for breakfast?

JP: Breakfast will be a down & dirty breakfast—a good, solid, comfort breakfast– from corned beef hash to omelets and eggs Benedict and great pancakes that we’ll change seasonally.

VI: What’s up with some of these menu names like “The Meathead,” “Plain Jane,” or “The Twisted Greek”?

JP: We want people to have fun with it so we’re lighthearted on the menu, but completely serious with what’s on the plate. When I go out I don’t want to go somewhere pretentious, I want to relax and have great food.

VI: Sounds like the menu will really complement the beer or is it vice versa?

JP: We’re planning a broad range of beer so that the food and brews complement each other. We’re opening with 20 craft beers on tap and 50 types of bottled beer. We’re excited about our Buttonwood Growlers and our mix ‘n match take out program.

Thanks, Jim. Next week, I’ll be talking with General Manager David Zuckerman about the Growlers and craft beer program that will make the most devoted beer geek, or even William Penn, smile. (The founder of Pennsylvania was also the first United States Brewmaster.) Stay tuned…

In honor of Peddler’s Village 50th Anniversary, Giggleberry Fair is offering $50 off its award-winning birthday party package for your child when held on a Friday! Restrictions may apply. Please call Giggleberry Fair for details at 215-794-4047.