BUCKS COUNTY, PA (January 9, 2017) – Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the bucolic countryside backyard of the City of Brotherly Love, is gearing up for an exciting new year. From monumental anniversaries to historic developments, a visit to Bucks County, PA is a must for 2017! Here’s what’s new in Bucks County for the year ahead.

  • Washington Crossing Historic Park Celebrates its Centennial Anniversary. This popular park is celebrating its 100th birthday with lots of large updates! Restoration of the Grist Mill is on the top of the list, as well as the eventual restoration of many of the buildings, a new garden, and a move for the administration offices from the visitor center to a new building. Washington Crossing Historic Park also plans on hosting their seventh annual ‘Washington Crossing BrewFest’ at the park in May 2017, and is adding their first ever ‘CiderFest’ in October 2017!
     
  • Froehlich’s Farm Turns 75. Bucks County is home to many family-run farms and the Furlong, PA based Froehlich’s is in its fourth generation of ownership. For years, Froehlich’s Farm supplied Campbell Soup their tomatoes and was a staple for produce in the local community. Today, they are famous for their vast selection of greenhouse and nursery plants, pick your own pumpkin patch, Christmas Trees, everyday seasonal items and more.
     
  • Bristol Riverside Theater Turns 30. Located in the heart of up-and-coming Bristol, the renovated movie-house turned theater hosts over 200 performances every year, including mainstage productions, a summer music fest series, reading series, Christmas concert and more. An anniversary gala will be hosted on June 3.
     
  • Oscar Hammerstein’s Estate ‘Highland Farm’ Begins Transformation into a Museum. Legendary lyricist Oscar Hammerstein wrote the words to popular musical plays like Oklahoma!, The Sound of Music and South Pacific at his Doylestown home, Highland Farm. After Hammerstein’s passing in 1960, the homestead passed through several private hands. Today, it serves as a bed and breakfast. But just this past year, Oscar’s grandson, William, received permission to transform it into a museum! Expect to hear a lot more about this estate becoming a tribute to Oscar and his music for all to see with a proposed opening date in 2018.
     
  • Bridge Street Foundation Commences Renovation on ‘The Playhouse Inn.’ The Bridge Street Foundation has begun construction on a new hotel and restaurant in New Hope, PA. Located adjacent to the famous Bucks County Playhouse, the Playhouse Inn will feature 12 rooms for overnight guests, a 200-seat restaurant run by Food Network star and local chef Jose Garces, and a small boardwalk along the riverside. The original building came about in the 1950s and has been vacant and dilapidated for more than a decade. Locals and theater lovers alike are more than excited to see the inn open in Spring 2018!
     
  • Exhibit on 1920s Fashion Photographer Lights Up the James A. Michener Museum. “Charles Sheeler: Fashion, Photography & Sculptural Form,” an exhibit highlighting Philadelphia native and Doylestown resident Charles Sheeler (1883-1965), will be at the Michener Art Museum this Spring/Summer. One of America’s most celebrated modernist artists, Sheeler spent five years honing his skills as a fashion and portrait photographer for Condé Nast magazines Vogue and Vanity Fair. Featuring his work from that era as well as paintings, fashion ensembles, and other photographs, the exhibit is set for March 18 – July 9, 2017.
     
  • Exhibit Featuring Religious Culture’s Fragments “Shakes” Up the Mercer Museum.  “Gather Up the Fragments: the Andrews Shaker Collection” tells the story of Shaker art, religion, and the Faith and Edward Deming Andrews family, prominent scholars of Shaker lifestyle. ‘Shakers’ was a nickname given to those who followed the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing religion and were known to shake during worship services because of their enthusiasm. Approximately 200 household objects, such as baskets, furniture, textiles and more, that original Shakers from the 18th century once used will be on display from January 28 – April 23, 2017. The objects on view are imbued with the Shakers’ timeless, high standard design aesthetic.
     
  • Tourism Office Organizes a ‘Wedding Show’ for Blushing Bucks County Brides-to-Be. Save the date! Visit Bucks County will host a one-of-a-kind Bucks County Wedding Show for soon-to-be brides and grooms at the Newtown Campus of Bucks County Community College. Admission is free and will include access to chat with tons of wedding vendors in the area, like venues, DJ’s, and caterers, DIY workshops and the chance to win prizes such as a romantic overnight stay at the Inn at Bowman’s Hill and a wine-tasting at Crossing Vineyards! The event is set for February 26th from 12:00-4:00pm.
     
  • Bucks County Wine Trail Makes Traveling Easy with its ‘Passport to Bucks.’ For wine connoisseurs, it’s a deal you can’t beat. Until April 30th, ‘Passport to Bucks’ holders can sample one free wine tasting at each of the Wine Trail’s nine wineries for just $20. The Bucks County Wine Trail was launched in 2004 and includes Buckingham Valley Vineyards, Crossing Vineyards, New Hope Winery, Peace Valley Winery, Rose Bank Winery, Rushland Ridge Vineyards, Sand Castle Winery, Unami Ridge Winery and Wycombe Vineyards.

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About Visit Bucks County

Visit Bucks County (VBC) is the official tourism promotion agency for Bucks County. The tourism office, with more than 450 tourism/hospitality partners throughout Bucks County, promotes all there is to see and do to potential visitors and residents. In addition to consumer travel, Visit Bucks County targets sports tournaments, motor coach groups, meetings, special events and weddings. For more information on VBC activities call 215-639-0300, visit VisitBucksCounty.com or stop by the Bucks County Visitor Center located at 3207 Street Road in Bensalem (adjacent to the entrance to PARX Casino).