Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
SUMMER’S HERE
From Brandywine River Museum of Art to Longwood Gardens, there’s plenty to do
KENNETT SQUARE » Summer returns to the Northern Hemisphere on Tuesday.
Nature is abuzz with beauty, birds are singing as the dawn rises each day, and thunderous lightning storms are ahead too. Of course, for youth, and perhaps most importantly, school is outof-session.
To be sure, there is plenty to do this summer in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
“Soak up the fun and brilliance of summer in Chester County this summer,” said Nina Kelly, director of marketing and communications for the Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau. “From festivals and amazing exhibitions to floating down the river in a canoe, there is so much to see and do. Shop and dine charming main streets like West Chester, Kennett Square and Phoenixville, many of which offer open air dining.”
Two big upcoming summer events include Light: Installations by Bruce Munro, which begins June 30, at Longwood Gardens and the Philly Balloon and Music Festival, from July 1 to July 4 in Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds in Glenmoor, she said.
“For the Visitors Bureau, we look forward to Longwood Gardens Festival of Fountains and this year a fantastic Light Exhibition,” Kelly said. “Inviting guests to engage outdoors at festivals and events, outdoor beer gardens and dining is a great summer sell.”
Kelly shared highlights on several flagship events en route to Chester County this summer:
Summer art
Folks can also enjoy powerful artwork at the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art. Located along the Brandywine Creek off Route 1, the grounds span both Chester and Delaware counties.
“Viewing art in person, especially in a museum, is a very different experience than seeing it on a screen, whether it’s a computer, television, or even film screen. In person, the finer details
and textures of the works of art are much more evident,” said Amanda Burdan, senior curator for the Brandywine River Museum of Art.
“With those details, you are immersed in the object. Seeing the brushstrokes of a painting makes an instant connection to the artist who made the work, you can feel the vigor of the brushwork or the delicacy of the artist’s touch,” Burden said. “The size and scale of a work are also very difficult to convey in reproductions. Often the details and the scale are important considerations for the artist in creating the work, which are only truly experienced in person, as the artist intended.”
“There are a lot of things to do and enjoy at the Brandywine River Museum of Art this summer, starting with our two special exhibitions that recently opened: Gatecrashers: The Rise of the Self-Taught Artist in America and Dawoud Bey: Night Coming Tenderly, Black,” said Andrew Stewart, Director of Marketing & Communications at Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
“We also have a full slate of programs and events for all ages coming up, including our Free First Sunday at Brandywine program, held on the first Sunday of the month.”
Further, thanks to PECO, the museum shall be able to offer free admission on First Sundays now through October, Stewart said.
“With the exception of July, we also offer engaging family activities and special performances during these events, thanks to the support of PNC Arts Alive. Beyond our First Sundays program, we have a series of online art lectures, in-person art making workshops, outdoor plein air painting events, and a variety of musical performances on deck for the summer,” he said.
Specifically geared for families, the Brandywine also offers Museum Explorers Workshops, returning on Thursday mornings in July, plus monthly “Stroller Tours” held on the second Friday of each month, Stewart noted.
Historic experiences
There are countless opportunities to bike and hike along historic American Revolutionary trails in the region that have been, for generations, preserved through the Brandywine Conservancy in partnership with landowners and municipalities.
“For those looking to explore specific trails related to the American Revolution, our 113-acre Birmingham Hill Preserve is a great place to start. This Preserve is open to the public every day from dawn to dusk featuring a perimeter trail around this historic and hallowed ground, which was at the heart of the Battle of Brandywine,” said Grant DeCosta, director of Community Services, Brandywine Conservancy.
“In addition, we recently produced an illustrative ‘Hiking Through History’ map that outlines where visitors can hike, bike, drive and explore the region’s Revolutionary War history, including an outline of the troop movements and significant events from the Philadelphia Campaign of 1777,” DeCosta said.
The maps are available for free at the front desk of the Brandywine River Museum of Art and can also be downloaded online via the nonprofit’s website. And bikers, stay alert. “Coming up on Saturday, September 17 at the tail end of the summer, our ‘Bike the Brandywine’ event is finally returning for its fifth year, following its pandemic-related hiatus,” DeCosta said.
“This is a wonderful event for cyclists to enjoy three different scenic routes that explore the beautiful Brandywine Creek Greenway and surrounding countryside, including natural and historic areas that have been preserved by the Brandywine Conservancy,” DeCosta added.
This summer, while people can keep busy and adventurous visiting both local, state or county parks in Chester and Delaware counties and elsewhere in the Greater Philadelphia Region, there is a new preserve that has been permanently conserved that is noteworthy.
“The opening of the Glenroy Preserve is a huge conservation success story,” DeCosta said.
“Back in 2020, the Brandywine, in partnership with the Oxford Area Foundation (OAF), acquired 577 acres of the Glenroy Farm, situated along the Octoraro Creek in Chester County.”
DeCosta continued, “The Brandywine then facilitated the transfer of this property to OAF, who now owns and manages the land.”
Recently, Glenroy Preserve opened up as a publicly accessible nature preserve, he said.
“The land consists of beautiful open meadows, wildflower fields, mature and successional woodlands, numerous streams and ponds, and five miles of trails,” DeCosta said. “This was a project that was long in the works, and we are so thrilled that it can finally be enjoyed by the public this summer.”