This weekend, Chestnut Hill‘s 40th annual Fall for the Arts Festival will be in full swing with a packed slate of cultural activities set for Sunday, Sept. 15.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Germantown Avenue (between the 8000 and 8600 blocks) will house a slew of events all centered around its arts and crafts marketplace. This family-friendly, pet-friendly festival features live demonstrations by skilled artisans, children’s activities, music, culinary delights, and boutique shopping all in one area.
The Fall for the Arts Festival is not just a celebration of creativity, but also a showcase of local culture and community, a release notes. The festival attracts more than 200 talented and diverse artists and vendors from the Mid-Atlantic region and locations as far away as New Mexico.
What visitors can find when strolling around is a mix of oils, watercolors, etchings, photography, intricate sculptures, crafted pottery, plus, a variety of wood crafts, jewelry, and accessories.
Other standalone highlights at the Fest include wreathmaking, oil pastel crayon art, ceramics and woodworking demonstrations in the Makers Village, book sales at Hilltop Books, live entertainment at Stagecrafters, live music on the Bethlehem Pike Stage, plus, Schmitters, hot dogs and beer being served up by McNally’s Tavern.
Later on in the fall season, Philadelphians can also head to the picturesque area of the city for Chestnut Hill Conservancy’s 7th Annual Night of Lights Streetscape Exhibition. The event will kick off on Oct. 3, and runs nightly until Oct. 9. From 7 to 9 p.m. every evening during its run, Germantown Avenue will turn into an exhibition of local histories and illuminated architecture.
As a release notes, seven storefront windows will project archival images from the Conservancy and other archives, including Historic Germantown and Springfield Township Historical Society. Colorful lights will also theatrically highlight often-overlooked architectural features of neighboring historic buildings as well.
The opening ceremony will take place on Oct. 4, from 6:45 to 7 p.m. with some festivities to follow.
In addition to the projections, this year’s event will also feature a brand-new digital laser show on the 8300 block of Germantown Ave. by Mid Atlantic FX, and for the first time since the exhibition began, Night of Lights will also feature archival films digitally mapped to project onto 8318 Germantown Ave.
“Every year, we look forward to our beloved Night of Lights Germantown Avenue streetscape exhibition,” said Conservancy Executive Director Lori Salganicoff in a statement.
“This seventh Night of Lights will reveal otherwise hidden layers of history. The Conservancy is excited by new features and thrilled to collaborate with Historic Germantown and Springfield Township Historical Society again to showcase their archival materials. We can’t wait to transform Chestnut Hill’s vibrant commercial corridor with archival and modern images, colorful lights, and a rich diversity of fascinating stories.”
For more information on Chestnut Hill’s Fall for the Arts Festival and the 7th Annual Night of Lights, visit chestnuthillpa.com
