Pennsylvania is steeped in history, with many influences, including those of the Pennsylvania Dutch and the former British colonists. The Keystone State is also brimming with farmlands, mountains and coasts, and offers visitors many attractions throughout the year, including a diverse selection of festivals and events.
Philadelphia Garden and Flower Show is the largest indoor flower show in the world, and offers a botanical bounty of beauty. Gardeners, growers and horticulturists present their best and biggest flowers and flora, while other attractions include landscaping displays, exhibitions, tours, workshops, conversations and lectures. Attendees can of course also peruse and buy a huge range of flowers and garden accessories. Every year, over 250,000 green-fingered enthusiasts attend the event, so if you’re a flower fanatic, you’ll be in good company. Garden fans will also be very much at home in the World’s Largest Garden Party, another plant-based Philadelphia festival.
Philly Beer Week is the largest celebration of beer in the whole of the states, so if you like supping on an ale, there’s no better place to do it. For ten days, the bubbling beer scene of Philadelphia is glorified and gulped, much to the merriment of ale fans across the state. Dozens of breweries offer their very best beers, while the event also hosts tastings, tours, quizzes, dinners, lectures, pub crawls, demonstrations and competitions. Many events here also offer a focus on home-brewing, for those who like concocting a keg of their own, while foodies can attend sessions in which beers and food are paired, enjoyed and consumed together. If you thought you knew everything about beer, Philly Beer Week is here to show you otherwise!
Bethlehem’s Musikfest is the biggest free music festival in the USA, and offers a wide range of artists and genres, with over 500 performances across more than a dozen stages. For ten days, huge names in music blast out some of their best beats - previous artists here have included Maroon 5, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Duran Duran and Ludacris. There are also lots of ethnic food stalls and plenty more attractions. It’s tuneful, it’s chilled, and it’s totally free of charge.
Other festivals in Pennsylvania are dedicated to things as diverse and different as motorbikes, apples, Christmas, arts, folk, African American culture, chainsaws, St. Patrick’s Day and more. Come to the historical Keystone State and join the record books!