Date: Sunday, October 8, 2023

About the festival

Sunday, October  8, 2023

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The 38th annual Fall for the Arts Festival returns to Chestnut Hill on Sunday, October 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., transforming Germantown Avenue into an outdoor arts and craft marketplace. The popular family-friendly, pet-friendly event features live demonstrations, children’s activities, live music, culinary delights, and boutique shopping. The streets between the 8000 and 8600 blocks of Germantown Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic to provide ample space for visitors and vendors.  (For a list of 2023 Vendors, click here.)

An urban village, Chestnut Hill is well-known for its lush gardens and trees lining the cobblestone streets of Germantown Avenue, as well as architecture spanning three centuries. The Fall for the Arts Festival offers the perfect opportunity to throw on a sweater, grab a Pumpkin Latte, and spend the day exploring a neighborhood brimming with boutique shops highlighting the latest fashion trends while dining at one of the many restaurants serving up delectable dishes for patrons.

The Fall for the Arts Festival attracts more than 200 talented and diverse artists and vendors from the Mid-Atlantic region and locations as far away as New Mexico. A unique array of artistic choices are on display and for sale, including oils, watercolors, etchings, photography, sculpture, pottery, wood crafts, jewelry, and accessories!

Highlights Include (Please check HERE for a continually updated activity list)

  • Makers Village (Germantown Avenue from Abington Avenue to Willow Grove Avenue) where visitors can watch artists, including glass blowers, weavers, potters, and other crafters, demonstrate their craft!
  • Entertainment at Stagecrafters (8130 Germantown Avenue)
    • Photobooth: 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
    • Stiltwalker: noon to 2:00 p.m.
    • Scene-N-Action Productions Co. (SNAPCo.): noon to 12:30 p.m.
    • Amazing Carson Tarot Card Reader: 1 to 3 p.m.
    • Children’s Theater (Rapunzel) : 1, 2, and 3 p.m.
  • Fun Fest at Jenks Elementary School (8301 Germantown Avenue) – Head to the playground at Jenks Elementary School, where children under 10 can have their faces painted, enjoy arts and crafts, play games, and enjoy tasty food options for all!
  • Live Music:
    • Bethlehem Pike Stage (8701 Germantown Avenue)
      • 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dukes of Destiny
      • 2 to 5 p.m. Variable Elements
    • Book Sales: Hilltop Books(the non-profit bookstore of the Friends of the Chestnut Hill Library) will host gently used book sales at two locations:
      • The intersection of Germantown Avenue and Bethlehem Pike
  • Caroline the Electric Carriage, brought by Carriage Horse Freedom – location TBD
  • Subaru Display presented by Glanzmann Subaru at the intersection of E. Highland and Germantown Avenue
     

For those taking public transportation, Chestnut Hill can be accessed by several SEPTA services: two SEPTA Regional Rail lines — the Chestnut Hill East and Chestnut Hill West, and SEPTA Bus Routes 23, 77, 94, 134, and L.

For those driving, Chestnut Hill is only 25 minutes away from Center City and just a short drive from New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C., with access to multiple major roadways like the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Pennsylvania Route 309, and interstates 476 and 76. All roads lead to Chestnut Hill!

Presenting Sponsor:

Special thanks to our Community Partners: 

Silver Sponsors:

             

Photos and Video

Artist Painting