Celebrate Autumn with Morris Arboretum’s Fall Festival and Designer Scarecrows
Morris Arboretum’s Fall Festival returns Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2, 10am–3pm to the delight of scores of families who look forward to this annual weekend of autumn fun. Celebrating its seventeenth year, this lively festival will have the perfect backdrop, the Arboretum’s glorious landscape. Colorful trees burst forth with hues of orange and red as families gather to make scarecrows, paint a pumpkin, or taste local apple varieties from Weavers Way Co-op. What makes the event so unique is that almost all the activities are geared toward both children and adults, allowing families and friends to spend a wonderful afternoon together. Free with admission. Some activities have an additional fee.
Among the favorite activities is the scarecrow making. The Arboretum supplies all the materials, including the scarecrow frames, straw and a vast selection of clothing to craft a super scarecrow. This is serious business for many folks who are intent on having the “best-dressed” ‘crow around. Visitors are encouraged to come early for scarecrow-making, as many visitors head right to that area to ensure their pick of the best outfit.
Children also enjoy choosing and creating a pumpkin “masterpiece.” Pumpkins can be purchased and painted in a variety of colors and decorated with yarn and buttons. To add to the festivities on both days, guests may learn about the special senses of animals with animal guests from the Elmwood Park Zoo from 12-3pm, or by visiting with Tom Stanton and his falcon, Cleo, at 11am.
Weavers Way Co-op will be joining the Fall Festival fun once again, with a selection of organic, locally-grown produce and other Co-op products. Visitors may delight in sampling the various apple varieties and choosing an assortment to take home.
For the ninth year and more popular than ever, Morris Arboretum’s Scarecrow Walk returns! From Saturday, October 1 through Sunday October 23 entries from the Scarecrow Design Contest will be on display along the Oak Allée. Visitors may submit their vote for their favorite “Sense of Adventure” scarecrow, this year’s theme, to determine the prize winners.
To experience fall color in the Philadelphia area, there is truly no better place to see beautiful autumn trees than at the Morris Arboretum. The Arboretum is home to some of the area’s oldest and largest trees, as well as many trees known for their particularly superb color, including red and sugar maples, scarlet oaks, and black gums. For a bird’s eye view of the trees and the changing colors of the leaves, stroll out on the Out on a Limb canopy walk, the 450 foot long walkway that is 50 feet off the ground, and the star attraction of the Arboretum-wide Tree Adventure Exhibit.
The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania is located at 100 East Northwestern Avenue in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia. The 92-acre horticulture display garden features a spectacular collection of mature trees in a beautiful and colorful landscape. The Arboretum includes numerous picturesque spots such as a formal rose garden, historic water features, a swan pond, and the only remaining freestanding fernery in North America. The arboretum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is also the official arboretum of Pennsylvania. A permanent nationally award winning exhibit, Out on a Limb – a Tree Adventure Exhibit adds to Morris Arboretum’s allure by transporting visitors 50 feet up into the treetops on a canopy walk that requires no climbing. Open weekdays 10am-4pm and weekends 10am-5pm (Apr-Oct). Open late on Wednesdays in June, July, and August until 8pm. For more information, visit www.morrisarboretum.org.
Photo Credit: Christine Pape
Photo Caption: Morris Arboretum’s Fall Festival returns Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2, 10am–3pm to the delight of scores of families who look forward to this annual weekend of autumn fun. Celebrating its seventeenth year, this lively festival will have the perfect backdrop, the Arboretum’s glorious landscape. What makes the event so unique is that almost all the activities are geared toward both children and adults, including scarecrow making! Free with admission. Some activities have an additional fee. www.morrisarboretum.org.