Peddler's Village Celebrates 60 Years With Festivals, Giveaways

LAHASKA, PA — Peddler’s Village, Bucks County's beloved shopping, dining, lodging, and family entertainment destination, is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2022.

Recently named as the region’s number-one tourist destination by the Philadelphia Business Journal, Peddler’s Village was created in 1962 by Earl Jamison, a young entrepreneur who foresaw success in melding locally-owned specialty shops and restaurants with colorful gardens, distinctive buildings, and rural hospitality.

Today, Peddler’s Village is a thriving attraction that welcomes more than two million visitors from around the globe each year — though it is still a family-owned business headed by Earl’s daughter, Donna Jamison Cave.

“We are excited to celebrate the success built by Earl Jamison and so many others over the past sixty years,” said Bob McGowan, chief operating officer of Peddler’s Village. “So many family memories have been planted—not only by the Jamisons and other families who have rooted their businesses here, but also by the many thousands of visitors who were introduced to the Village as children and now bring their grandkids."

In keeping with decades-old traditions interrupted only by the COVID-19 pandemic, Peddler’s Village will host a number of annual festivals and events in 2022 including the Apple Festival, Grand Illumination, Scarecrows in the Village and the Gingerbread Competition and Display.

2022 also brings a revival of month-long village themes that feature weekend entertainment and daily restaurant specials: Strawberry Month in May, Summer Block Party in June, Bluegrass and Blueberries Month in July, and Peach Month in August.

Excitingly, this anniversary year will introduce a major all-new, summer long event: Bucks County Beach Days: Sand Sculptures in the Village, which was inspired by a similar 30th anniversary event at Peddler’s Village and is funded in part by Visit Bucks County.

The popular PEEPS in the Village display will return in March, and traditional tastes—in both food and beverage form—will take center stage during the Red, White & Blue BBQ Bash weekend in July and OctoberFeast in the fall.

Admission to all weekend festivals and displays is free and open to the public.

In addition to the planned events, Peddler’s Village will be celebrating its 60th anniversary with 60 giveaways beginning in the spring. The theme will be: 60 years, 60 shops, 60 giveaways.

All members of the public will be eligible for the free giveaways, which will include prizes ranging from Peddler’s Village shop merchandise to dinner at one of the Village restaurants to overnight stays at the Golden Plough Inn.

"It’s a very personal place, one that inspires connections and history and reflection," McGowan said. "Peddler’s Village has evolved through the years in significant ways, but at its core remain the warm hospitality and personal interaction that have been lost at other modern destinations.”

Festivals and events during this anniversary year will include:

Winter
• January Sales Event (through Jan. 31) – Savings throughout the Village on apparel, accessories, home goods, furniture, art, specialty foods, books, gifts and collectibles, and more.
• Fire & Frost Fun (Jan. 7 and 8) – Local ice sculptors create stunning sculptures throughout the Village grounds while guests can enjoy live entertainment, including fire artistry, outdoor food and drink, and family activities along with a Find Jack Frost scavenger hunt.
• Share the Love Weekend (Feb. 12-14) – A Valentine’s Day weekend featuring shop sales, culinary highlights, and live weekend entertainment.
• Winter Wedding Show (Feb. 20) – Engaged couples in search of the perfect wedding venue can sample hors d'oeuvres and wedding cake, tour event spaces and bridal suites, and get to know local vendors, from florists to DJs and musicians.

Spring
• PEEPS® in the Village (March 11-April 24) – View colorful PEEPS®—a Pennsylvania-produced specialty– displayed in not-so-natural but very creative habitats, including dioramas, sculptures, and 2-D wall art. Prizes awarded for best entries.
• Celebrate the Green (March 19 and 20) – In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, guests can enjoy special menus at Village restaurants, promotions, live entertainment, and a kid-friendly leprechaun hunt.
• Strawberry Month (weekends in May) – Taste a wide variety of strawberry treats, savor strawberry-inspired specials, and enjoy live entertainment and family activities on weekends in May.
• Bucks County Beach Days: Sand Sculptures in the Village (late May through Aug. 31) – Have a day of fun in the sun during the summer-long Bucks County Beach Days: Sand Sculptures in the Village event! View larger-than-life sand sculptures featuring popular Bucks County attractions and play in sandboxes designed for family fun. The event is funded in part by Visit Bucks County.

Summer
• Summer Block Party (weekends in June) – Stroll all five of the Village neighborhoods to experience a variety of live entertainment, food and beverages, and activities for guests of all ages.
• Red, White, & Blue BBQ Bash (July 2-4) - A classic all-American barbecue picnic with live entertainment, delicious food, and family activities.
• Bluegrass and Blueberries Month (weekends in July) - On weekends through July, plan your visit to enjoy a selection of blueberry-inspired specials and treats, bluegrass and country music, and family activities.
• Peach Month (weekends in August) - The Village will feature peach treats, live entertainment, food, children’s activities, and sizzling summer savings in every shop during the Village-wide Summer Sidewalk Sale from August 5-7.

Fall
• Scarecrows in the Village (Sep. 5-Oct. 29) – Stroll the Village to see a hundred creative, colorful, and spooky scarecrows created by Philadelphia-area residents and organizations. Guests are encouraged to vote for their favorites, with cash prizes offered to winners.
• OctoberFeast (Saturday, Oct. 15 and Sunday, Oct. 16) – A Village spin on the traditional German festival with a beer garden, wine and spirits, food trucks, live music, and family activities.
• Apple Festival (Saturday, Nov.r 5 and Sunday, Nov. 6) - Get your fill of apple treats and take home a bushel fresh from local orchards at our annual Apple Festival! Enjoy live entertainment, food specials, and family activities all weekend long.

Holiday Season
• Grand Illumination Celebration (Friday, Nov. 18) - The Village lights up at 6:15 p.m. sharp! Watch as Santa and his helpers flip the switch to illuminate a million holiday lights during an evening of local entertainment, complimentary hot cider, and more.
• Merchants’ Open House (Nov. 18-20) Preview our merchants’ holiday gift-giving ideas.
• Gingerbread House Competition and Display (Nov. 18-Jan. 7, 2023) More than one hundred gingerbread masterpieces, including contest winners, are on public display in the festively adorned Red Barn.
• Small Business Saturday (Saturday, Nov. 26) –Find the perfect holiday gift at one of over 60 locally owned shops and businesses at Peddler’s Village.
• Holly Jolly Weekend (Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4) – Celebrate the holiday season at Peddler’s Village with all-day festivities and Santa Parades beginning both days at 1:30 p.m.

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This article originally appeared on the New Hope-Lambertville Patch