West Chester Events Only Email: May 13 - May 19

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Mid-May is here. The temperatures are warming and event season is in full swing. Quite literally with Friday’s return of virtual golf on Gay St. Plus, there’s a community festival, front porch concerts and a unique look at the art community. Enjoy!

This Saturday morning could be filled with coffee and a bagel, a morning run, a trip to the West Chester Growers Market, a visit to an art studio on the Chester County Studio Arts Tour or it could be spent mowing. Zippy Lawnz wants to put an end to wasted Saturday mornings. 

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Not only do you not need to supervise, but you don’t even need to be home while it works.

Once the job is complete, the Zippy Lawnz electric robotic lawn mower returns to its docking station to charge so it is ready for the next cut. No fuel. No oil changes. No equipment repairs, and best of all, no more sweaty, itchy Saturday mornings. 

What else could you be doing with your Saturday? Visit ZippyLawnz.com to find out. 

This is a sponsored post.

Events of the Weekend:

Porchfest

West Chester’s Porchfest celebration returns for the fifth time on Saturday. This completely volunteer-run festival involves local and regional musicians playing free concerts on local porches. Music runs from 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. in yards from Miner St to Price, Church to Bradford Ave. (View the festival map here.) There will also be several food options available. 

New this year, Adventure Bunny is coming to Everhart Park from 2 to 4 p.m. Kids can watch the bunnies race, hold them in a basket, and listen to a bunny-themed story. On the stage front there will be a variety of new and returning artists including the Mummers Kazoo Band which is returning for the second time. You can find the complete band schedule and listen to them perform here. 

Also, remember, if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of trying to find street parking (remember many streets will be closed), there will be a continually running shuttle available from the WCU M & Q lots. The shuttle starts at 12:30 and will run through 7:30 p.m.  Learn more here. 

May 16, 1 -7 p.m. This is a free community event. This is also a rain-or-shine event. If the weather is forecasted to be severe, a decision to cancel will be made by 9 a.m. 

Chester County Open Studio Tour 

This year, the massive county-wide peek behind the curtain involves 172 artists representing 59 studios and includes 18 locations in West Chester. New this year, photographer Sheila Startup and painter Kaity Lacy Dempsey will be showcasing their work alongside ceramist Nancy Salamon at 349 W. Barnard St., mixed media artist Eric Schraedley is showing for the first time at his new studio at 810 E. Market St. Rustin art teacher Denise Vitollo will be showcasing her work at her 404 Price St. studio alongside painters Philip Hill and Paula Rhoads, and a collection of artists will be exhibiting at the Chester County Art Association on Bradford Ave., Ginkgo Arts Studio on S. High St., and the Corner Arts Collective on S. Matlack St.

May 16 - 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; May 17 - 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Click here for a map of participating locations. This is a free community event. 

May 16 is Vintage Store Day

This year, downtown West Chester has nine shops participating in the international celebration of independent brick-and-mortar vintage shops. If you have not had a chance to check out West Chester’s retail scene lately, it has added several really cool stores over the last couple of years - many of the vintage variety. Participating on Saturday will be Clara Mae Company, DRK MTTR, Green Eyed Lady, JOJO & CO., Malena’s Vintage Boutique, Ree Gallagher Studio + Gallery, The G Spot Modern Retro Thrift Boutique, The Woman's Exchange, and Tiger Snake Vintage.

A big thanks to this week’s presenting sponsor, The Dance Center. Under the direction of Donna Muzio, and the official school of the Brandywine Ballet, the Dance Center has been behind the area’s best dancers for more than 50 years. Visit their website to learn more.

Mark Your Calendars:

May 13 – A Silk Memory Restitched, Chester County History Center, 225 N. High St., 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Recreate an 1819 sampler. Embroiderers are invited to join internationally noted instructor Amy Mitten to learn how to recreate a reproduction of a Chester County sampler stitched in 1819 by Hannah Wilson (1802 – 1870), while attending West Marlborough School.

May 13 – Trails & Tales: The Conservation Story of Starr Farm Park, Starr Farm Park, 1079 Skelp Level Road, 5:30 p.m. Join East Bradford Township and the Brandywine Conservancy for an interactive guided hike through Starr Farm Park, exploring the conservation journey that transformed this historic Quaker farmstead into a protected public landscape. Registration required. 

May 13 – Murder Mystery Hike, Oakbourne Park, 6 -7 p.m. Follow clues, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets hidden along the trail. Tickets: $35

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May 14 – Helping Hands Amazing Race, Historic Chester County Court House, 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. 

May 14 – Snapology: Jedi Masters, West Chester Public Library, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Kids will use Lego bricks to design and build their very own light saber-inspired models. Ages: 5-12 Registration required. 

May 14 – Yappy Hour, Levante Brewing, 5 – 7 p.m.

May 14 – Birds and Brews, Oakbourne Park, 5:30-7:15 p.m. Hike with an avid birder. Discuss a local brewery. Limited to Westtown residents only. Registration required.

May 14 – All That’s Purple Gala, Mendenhall Inn, 6 – 10 p.m. Help the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County (DVCCC) celebrate 50 years of impact. Enjoy a two-hour open bar, live entertainment, and both silent and live auctions — all while helping shine a light on hope and healing. Tickets: $200 if purchased before May 1. 

May 14 – West Chester Unplugged Appy Hour Event, Bookmarks, 100 E. Gay St. 7 p.m. Attendees will discuss Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation and the follow-up, The Amazing Generation. No prior reading required. Snacks provided.  

May 15 – Virtual Golf on Gay St., Gay St closure in front of the Post Office, 4 – 8 p.m.

May 15 – 17 – The Prom, Uptown Theater, 7 p.m. showings Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. showings Saturday or Sunday.  Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, THE PROM tells the story of four big-personality Broadway stars who are desperate for a comeback. Performance by Uptown Studio. Tickets: $33/adult; $27 student.

May 15 – Trivia Night, Sunshine Rotary, Goodwill Fire Co., 6 p.m. The money raised by the event is for our 501 (C3) Foundation which supports non-profits in the community. This event is SOLD OUT

May 15 – American Patriarch: Author Talk with H. W. Brands, Philips Autograph Library, 7 – 8:15 p.m. From historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist H. W. Brands comes an inspiring portrait of George Washington that examines his unrivaled leadership in the birth of America. The event is free but registration is required. 

May 15 – WCPL Virtual Trivia Night, West Chester Public Library, 7 – 8 p.m. There are four categories of 10 questions each to challenge you. This event is free but registration is required. 

May 16 – West Chester Walking Club, meet at La Chic Boutique, 9:30 a.m.

May 16, 17 – Chester County Studio Art Tour, various, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday.  Experience a weekend of art, inspiration, and discovery at the 16th annual Chester County Studio Tour. Not sure where to start? This app will help.

May 16 – Chess Club, West Chester Public Library, 10 – 12 a.m. For ages 5 – 15. No registration required. 

May 16 – Walking Tour: Revolutionary West Chester, Chester County History Center, 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. This new walking tour celebrates America 250 and will transport you back in time to the village of Turks Head where Chester Countians eagerly awaited news of the revolution in the local tavern. The tour covers about 1.5 miles in a 90-minute walk. Ticket: $16

May 16 – West Chester Porchfest, southwest quadrant of the Borough, 1 – 7 p.m. Stroll from home to home and enjoy live, local talent on the beautiful porches of historic West Chester. Food trucks and children’s activities add to the festivities. This is a free local event.

May 16 – Community Festival, Good Fellowship Ambulance, 600 Montgomery Ave, 2-4:30 p.m. Join Good Fellowship for a family-friendly community festival to celebrate 75 years of service to our community and recognize the lifesaving work of EMS professionals. The afternoon will include station tours, equipment demonstrations, police/fire and ambulance displays and much more. This is a free community event.

May 17 – Great American Cleanup-Crebilly Preserve, 6:30-9 a.m. The Westtown Environmental Advisory Council will lead this cleanup effort on roads surrounding the Crebilly Preserve. Meet at the Westminster Presbyterian Church parking lot (10 West Pleasant Grove Road) to receive PPE and safety review. 

May 18 – Storytime in the Park, Oakbourne Park, 10:30 – 11 a.m. Open to all. Bring a blanket! 

May 18 – True Crime on Trial, Brickside Grille, Exton, 6-9 p.m. Historians from the staff of CCHC present the evidence and give the audience a chance to reach a verdict. Based on true events. Tickets required. 

May 19 – Primary Elections – check your polling location here.

May 19 – Storybook Adventure Hike, Oakbourne Park, 11 a.m. -12 p.m. Join for a series of themed, family-friendly outdoor adventures designed for children ages 3 to 8.  Tickets: $13/child; Adults are free. Registration required. 

View the full event list here. 

Up next: The West Chester Weekly Roundup comes out Friday. See you then!

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