Firebird Festival has been on my radar for years (tickets in the past sold out too quickly), but I…read morefinally made it this year, which luckily was the first year it was open to all / free to all! If you want to do the Firebird Festival, here are some tips from my experience. First, get on their email list. All the info will be emailed, including updates on building the bird, ways you can help, and volunteer opportunities. When they say they light the bird at 8pm, YES IT WILL BE LIT AT 8pm, AND IT WILL HAVE BURNED DOWN TO ITS FEET BY 8:15pm!!!! My last photo was taken at 8:13pm, as I walked away, and the structure had burned, collapsed, and was just a big bonfire + phoenix claws. And SO MANY PEOPLE were still descending on the park, thinking "it's only 8:15, I've got plenty of time" ummm, no. I passed at least 300 people wondering if any of them understood that all that was left was good live music and some drunk hook-up options. But the party continues until 11pm, so for the childless crowd, there you go. If you do care to see the bird, be there at least a half hour before 8pm. The drum procession into the field happens at 7:30, and is very cool to see, plus is a part of the ceremony and theatrics of it all. Then, dancing, chant music, fire dancers, etc. all circle 'round the bird. You can really see all they've developed over the years in the choreography, creativity, and attention to details. There were a lot of kids there, babies to teens, all ages. I was worried about my preschooler being afraid of the fire, or the idea of burning an animal figure. I made sure to show some kid-friendly YouTube videos ahead of time, and educate about this mythological creature, and it's meaning. I stressed that a new young bird rises from the ashes, according to legend, and that this bird was pretend, made of wood by volunteers. They ask for people to bring lunches to the volunteers in the months (yes, building starts in SEPTEMBER) leading up to the festival, and if I'd had time I would have done that and taken my kid to see that process. It's my plan for next year. Anyway, it went over pretty well. No kids were crying. Mine was a little sad at first, but then pretty fascinated by the fire. I don't recommend positioning yourself close to the fire with kids; it's scary and overwhelming for them. My preschooler was a little nervous when we were somewhat close, but did better from afar, where we saw a lot more kids as we walked out. The show really is something worth checking out at least once. They make a different style of bird each year (always a phoenix, but in different poses and styles). The bird is always about 25' high, made of wood. This year the bird had rainbow lights as eyes, and a mechanical beak that opened and closed. It also had a plume of branches sticking out its head. It looked partridge-y, but still I could distinctly see a phoenix. It was beautiful! As you can see in my photos, they projected a colorful light show into the body of the bird, which was equally beautiful. In addition to the phoenix, there are vendors, food options, and live music. A Boy Scout troop was selling hot chocolate ($3/cup) and offering apple bread and brownies but asking for donations on those. Sadly, a lot of people just took the baked goods and gave nothing, which was totally despicable. Those kids were working so hard, and giving up their own leisure time to enjoy the festival so these greedy drunk-high jerks could rob their baked goods. Ew! The live music was really very quiet. I had a hard time hearing it 50' away. There are residences all around Veterans Memorial Park, where it's held, so I guess noise had to be kept down. Stinks. Speaking of, there were a row of port-a-potties available, and the scent of weed every 3 square feet, with a cop every 10 square feet. Multiple fire engines were right nearby and ready. Everything was extremely well organized. There were police officers controlling traffic, guarding blocked off roads, and there to assist in the crowds. Shuttle busses ran from three different municipal lots (all full very early), and walking was possible from the downtown area, if you were up for a 1.5mi journey. We had best luck parking by a church in a nearby residential neighborhood, and walking from there with a stroller. I definitely recommend the Firebird Festival! But make it your focus of the evening. Everyone who thought they'd have a nice dinner downtown and then catch the shuttle or walk over to the festival was sorely disappointed to arrive when there was nothing left to see.

I love fire, it can be very theatrical…read more Generous volunteers make this awesome free event happen each year. It's the family-friendly, East Coast mini-version of Burning Man. OK, maybe not but still a great time. Fire dancers? Check. Live music? Check. Local artisans? Check. Happy friendly hippies? Check Comfort food? Check Large wooden object burned to the ground while revelers clap and cheer with joy? Check.

I was soooooooo excited to check out the annual Whoopie Pie Festival! Who doesn't like these moist…read morecakes, with a nice creamy icing in between?! Held on the grounds of the Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn, this festival offers cute events such as a Whoopie Pie Treasure Hunt (hundreds of them are all hidden on the grounds in brightly-colored foil); a Whoopie Pie Race (you just grab a pie and run AHAHAHA); watch a Whoopie PIe Long Launch (whoever hits the target/gets close enough, wins!); play Whoopie PIe Checkers (if you're a checker master, you can go through the Tournament Rounds); participate in a Whoopie Yell Off (in your loudest voice, giving a shout-out for some Whoopie Pie love); watch/participate in an Amateur Whoopie Pie Eating Contest (watching who can eat dozen the quickest?); watch the participating chefs make the largest Whoopie Pie ever, and even get the opportunity to decorate your own Whoopie Pie :P There are also local artisans and craftsmen in which you can check out their items to purchase, for yourself or as gifts. If you're hungry, you can grab a meal at the Hershey Farm restaurant, or just stuff yourself silly with the variety of Whoopie Pie flavors they have available :D The variety of flavors they had for these pies were quic amazing - when you walk up to the main tent, you are given a plastic bag. There long aisles of compartmentalized wooden crates with labels of the flavors (such as Lemon Poppy Orange Cream Cheese, Oreos, Rocky Road, Death by Chocolate, Confetti with Strawberry, Banana with Orange Cream Cheese, etc.). I was a little disappointed that the pies have been refrigerated, and even though they were saran-wrapped, they were dripping with water, making them a little soggy T____T Once you fill your bag to your heart's content, you pay at the cashiers by the exit area. The place was definitely packed to the brim, and moving around was a little tight. Parking on the Farm was not allowed and needed to be done at nearby establishments (such as the outlet store); from there, a free shuttle (school bus) came every so often for a pick-up (this was another adventure, as so many violations were violated - the driver forced about 4 people per seat, trying to get as many people in the bus as possible :O We actually walked back from the festival, as the traffic was horrendous, in addition to some of the construction that was going on. An interesting festival to check out when you're in the Lancaster County area! :D +annual Whoopie Pie Festival :D +parking at nearby establishments +free shuttle offered

Saw the Ferri's wheel from 95 on Saturday night so me and a friend pulled over. We didn't know it…read morewas a Polish Festival until we reached the tents. The festival was pretty small but still had a variety of fun looking rides and games. All the fun stuff you associate with a carnival including the funnel cakes of your childhood. Parking was easy enough to find in the huge lot opposite Frawley Stadium but getting out (in the evening) was a nightmare.

This year they dio have much foods and foods were ok . We went here at night to explore little bit…read moreabout Poland . Well , first thing hit my eyes, it was a t-shirt with a word print on it ' I am polish , I can't stay calm ' . Lol , I think it is right . Because I went to checkout something, there had an old man who was so mean to me , said that price is $120, don't touch it . Wtf . But we had fun anyway though

The 2nd annual Choctoberfest (CF) took place yesterday in ChocolateTown Square on a perfect autumn…read moreday. The music from local bands was playing, beer was being poured, bites were being eaten and -most importantly- the chocolate was sweet. All of those things came together for a family-friendly fall festival. I heard about the event on Yelp and decided to check it out. I'm glad we went on such a gorgeous day. Admission was free and parking was easy at the lot across from the theater. One of the nice things about a small festival is that you don't have to walk for miles to see everything. The area for listening to the bands was a great spot for viewers; they had haystacks for seating and tall tables throughout the park for drinking and eating. The lights strung from the trees were a nice touch. However, the tents area was cramped, crowded and not where I wanted to be. I wish they had a better space to spread them out. Luckily, once people got their items, they were able to move over to park area. The lines weren't too long, thankfully. I didn't eat any of the bites, but I did try one of the beers and it was good. In the back, they also had some activities for the kids. There was a bounce house, chalk drawing, free pumpkins and bags to paint, Frisbee Toss and a few others. They also had some portable toilets along with a hand washing station, which was good for those chalky fingers! I would definitely go back next year and I bet they will continue to grow. It seemed like a well-organized event and Hershey is a nice town to visit. I'm not a fan of festivals in general but CF is my type of small-town festivals. I'll be back!

From the owner: oin us for Choctoberfest 2023: A celebration of bands, beers, bites, and chocolate!…read moreThe 8th annual Choctoberfest will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2023 from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm in ChocolateTown Square Park, located at the corner of Chocolate and Cocoa Avenues in Downtown Hershey. Join us with family and friends for a fall afternoon full of great live music, local craft beer, delicious food from downtown restaurants, and, of course, chocolate! Choctoberfest offers an array of activities for all ages to enjoy and is free and open to the public, with food and beverages available for purchase. Check back as we detail more of the events for the day!

Very late posting this review, but the PA Renaissance Faire was awesome! Very big, and plenty of…read moreevents with food and vendors. Parking was really easy as well, and lots of fair-goers in costume which was cool. The weekends are themed and family friendly. We really liked the Scotch Egg stand. The jousting tournament was very cool (kind of like Medieval Times dinner tournaments, if you've been to those before)

Really nice Ren Faire. Lots of characters walking around to interact with. The performers were all…read moregood as well. We got to see the last performance of Don Juan and Esmeralda which was a real treat. Food was all good and lines were not long at all. The kids had a blast, we'll be back.

I took my family here, and it was amazing that we had a great time. My 16 year old and my 8 year…read moreold loved it. I got some great photos of my wife and kids. Lots of photo opportunities

Kind of a letdown. $12 admission for something that takes 15 minutes - max, to walk thru. It was…read moreok. I imagine if you had children, it'd take longer but definitely not on my list to go back to

Tulip Days at Flinchbaugh's Orchard had been popping up all over my social media feed, and with…read more200,000 tulips in bloom, I knew I had to make it happen. My spring adventure schedule was packed, so I didn't make it out until the very last day--but I was determined to catch those blooms before they were gone! I purchased my ticket ahead of time through their website, which was quick, easy, and made me feel totally prepared for my first visit. My adventure buddy and I selected the 12:30pm time slot, and when we arrived right on time, there were a lot of cars--but everything was so well organized that parking was a breeze. It was clearly marked, easy to navigate, and because guests were arriving in staggered time slots, it never felt overwhelming. Before heading out to the fields, we popped into the farm market--and WOW! Super cute, surprisingly large, and packed with everything from baked goods to houseplants and gifts. Prices were reasonable, and it was definitely worth taking a few minutes to browse. Check-in for the tulip field was just as smooth. We walked up to the check-in hut, had our QR codes scanned, grabbed our wristbands, and were on our way within maybe two minutes. For 12:30pm on the final day of the event, I was honestly expecting a line--major kudos to Flinchbaugh's for keeping things moving so efficiently. And then... the tulip field. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! Now, it was the last day, and you could tell in the front sections where tulip cutting had been allowed--some blooms were missing, some areas looked a little trampled, and things were definitely a bit worn. But here's where Flinchbaugh's really impressed me: they had clearly marked sections further back as "PHOTOS ONLY - NO CUTTING," and those areas were stunning. Full, vibrant, untouched rows of tulips that made for incredible photos and a much more immersive experience. We spent about an hour wandering through the fields, taking photos, and enjoying all the thoughtfully placed photo prop stations. Another huge win--those props were spaced out perfectly. No long lines, no crowding, no awkward waiting around. You could just move from one spot to the next and actually enjoy the experience without feeling rushed or packed in. I've visited a few flower fields over the past year, and this was by far the most organized and least chaotic. Everything--from parking to check-in to field flow--felt intentional and well thought out. I'm personally more of a "leave the flowers where they grow" kind of person, so I loved being able to simply walk, admire, and take it all in. For me, this was the perfect way to kick off my 2026 flower field adventures--and it set the bar high! At $10 for admission, this was an incredibly reasonable way to spend a few hours soaking up sunshine, enjoying beautiful blooms, and making a little springtime magic on a Saturday afternoon. I'll absolutely be back next year--just maybe a little earlier in the season to catch even more of those blooms at their peak!

I was advertised by the marketing team that tulip picking was occurring till 5 PM. I drove an hour…read moreand a half and when I arrived there I was told that tulip picking ended two hours prior, AND after we drove we decided to look around the market for some food because it was a long drive and we found one single cookie for a dollar fifty and we thought WOW! that it cheap, maybe this place isn't that bad after all. When we arrived to the register, they said it was priced wrong!, it was FIVE DOLLARS! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!! THE COOKIE WAS MAD RAW! my girlfriend HAD A BITE of the cookie and she is feeling AWFUL this morning BECAUSE of the COOKIE! HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!

This was so fun to walk around during a busy Saturday morning! Despite the 80° weather, the place…read morewas packed. My friend and I had fun touring not only the inside, but several shops that had set up outside the day we came. Plenty of fresh produce, homemade goods, flowers, and fun things to look at. I wish the air control was a little better, coming on such a hot day! We preferred to be outside as it was very stuffy inside. Still a very fun spot to walk around, and a much bigger farmers market than I am used to. We ended up, leaving with several items, and were very happy with our purchases!

One of my absolutely favorite places in Lancaster. There is a great variety of stands for any mood…read moreyou are in. If you only visit Lancaster for a few days this is one of the places you have to go. My favorite stands: 1) S. Clyde Weaver has insane specialty sandwiches and is one of my favorite delis. I typically get a large roast beef sandwich with mayo, lettuce, tomato, and the sweet bell peppers. The peppers are my favorite and I always ask for as many as they are legally allowed to give me. Caution: the large subs are ginormous so I usually eat half then save the rest for later. The bread holds up pretty well and doesn't get super soggy, but if you plan to eat it the next day, I would forgo the tomato which can get a bit slippery. 2) Kom Essa features the best breakfast sandwich around. It's greasy, but if that's something you don't mind, this is a must try. 2) Mean Cup is for anything coffee/caffeine related. This might be the best coffee in Lancaster. I practically give all my money to their storefront shop on Harrisburg Pike. 3) Shady Maple is the perfect stop for sweet treats: donuts, whoopie pies, etc. They used to have the best maple bacon long johns (hear me out) but I haven't seen them there for a while. 4) The Candy Stand is nostalgia central for me. Pretty much any type of candy you can think of, you can find there. This was a staple for me when I was younger. 5) Long's Horseradish features the best horseradish you can buy in a gagillion different flavors and variations.