Town Wide Yard Sales

2016

Yard Sale/Garage Sale Season is upon us!  For bargain hunters, Saturday becomes one of the most anticipated days of the week.  While area and individual homes are great places to find deals and usually take only the morning, town wide yard sales are a treasure hunters dream and can usually take all morning and afternoon to comb through the goodies.  With the price of gas constantly rising, town wide yard sales are becoming more popular as you can just park it and walk it!  So check out this list of town wide yard sales, if one is not listed please comment below and I will add it to the list!

APRIL

Audubon Town Wide Yard Sale: April 16  from 8am to 2pm
Raindate: April 23

Haddon Heights Town Wide Yard Sale (Spring): April 30th
Raindate: May 7

Delanco Town Wide Yard Sale: April 30th  9am. Stop by Washington Fire house on Burlington Ave to pick up a map!
Raindate: None

Wenonah Town Wide Yard Sale: April 30th at 8am
Raindate: Unknown

MAY

Laurel Springs: May  beginning at 8:30am 

Riverside: May  from 8am to 2pm
Raindate: May 10

Riverton's Treasure Day: May 7th  from 8am to 3pm
Raindate:   Food and drinks are available from town restaurants and many homes sell drinks, pretzels, and hot dogs.  Bathroom facilities, food, and tables are available at the Church (whose name escapes me at the moment!). Great small town to park it and walk it.

Haddon Township Town Wide Yard Sale: May 7 from 8am to 2pm
Raindate: May 14

Westville Lions Club Community Yard Sale: May 3  from 8am to 2pm  Thomas West Park
Somerdale Town Wide Yard Sale: May 
Raindate:  May 20


JUNE 

Collingswood Town Wide Yard Sale: June   from 8am to 2pm
Raindate: June 13

Oaklyn Town Wide Yard Sale: June  from 8am to 2pm
Raindate: June 20th

SEPTEMBER

Edgewater Park Town Wide Yard Sale : September  beginning at 8am.

Merchantville Town Wide Yard Sale: September th  beginning at 9am. Maps will be available at the following locations the morning of the sale: Borough Hall, News Nook, McFarlan’s Market and the Merchantville Diner. 

Delran Town Wide Yard Sale: September  beginning at 8 am. 

Delanco Fall Town Wide Yard Sale: September beginning at 9am.

OCTOBER

Haddon Heights Town Wide Yard Sale (Fall): October 
Raindate: October 

The Museum Pass Program

Burlington County Library
Location: 5 Pioneer Boulevard, Westampton, NJ 08060 

Website: http://www.bcls.lib.nj.us/

Bathrooms: Yes

Parking: Yes 

Eating: Bookseller's Cafe with tables

Program Cost: FREE with Library Card

Around the area: Burlington County Library Amphitheater 

UPDATED 6/14/2015
________________________________________________________________________________

Summer is back! Time to take advantage of   your local library's Museum Pass program which will give library card holders admission to area museums for FREE!

This past winter break my family and I had the chance to try out this program at our county library and we. are. hooked!! We received a museum pass to the Garden State Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill. This pass allowed FREE admission for up to six people over 4 DAYS!! This particular pass also allowed a 15% discount at their Discovermore Toy Store.  Admission to the museum is $10.95 for adults and children over 12 months. For a family of six to visit the museum for one day, it would cost $65.70. For that family to visit the same museum over a span of 4 days, it would cost $262.80!! What a great savings!

 

I had been calling the library every morning and an hour prior to closing  for three days, so when the library finally said the pass was available you should have heard the loud cheers coming from my mouth the kids' mouths! I swear I heard the ringing of bells and a choir of angels singing "Hallelujah!" The Discovery Museum pass is quite popular and hard to come by so we felt quite fortunate to be able to use it to its fullest over our break from school. Our next big break is in April (and of course the summer) and you can bet that I will be checking out the other museum passes available from our library:

Updated list of the museum passes available with your Burlington County Library Card. Check the library website for the branches that carry the passes:  (6/14/2015)

• Garden State Discovery Museum 
• Brandywine River Museum 
• National Liberty Museum,  
• Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
• Morris Arboretum  Click here for a Review!
• Grounds for Sculpture 
• Battleship NJ 
• Roebling Museum   
• Academy of Natural Sciences 
• PA Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology 
• Air Victory Museum
• Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge 
•  Alice Paul Institute at Paulsdale 
• NEW! Paws Farm Nature Center 
• NEW! Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center 

Passes for Museums in New York City:

• Museum of Modern Art 
• Guggenheim Museum 
• NEW!! Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum

 So how do you get your hands on the passes? Here are all the details and tips for the Burlington County Library System. 

1. You must be a card holder of the Burlington County Library System and be in good standing. So pay your overdue fees!
2. Passes are picked up and returned at the library in which you borrowed them. It must be handed to a staff member directly and not put into the book drop.
3. You can call the library to see if they have the passes available and reserve it for up to ONE hour.
4. You can check out a pass for each museum only ONCE in 6 months. For example, I checked out  the Discovery Museum pass in December. I will not be able to check out that pass again until June. In the meantime I can check out any of the other remaining museums.
5. You can check out the pass for 4 days. (Tip: Check the museums for their special events and try to check out the pass for that event)
6. They will charge you $5 if you are late returning the pass or damage and/or lose the case. If you lose the pass you pay for the cost of pass (essentially they are memberships and they are costly, so don't lose the pass!!). 

Here are other area libraries with similar programs. Click on the links for more information.  

• Mercer County Library
• Princeton Library
• Philadelphia Free Library
• Wilmington Public Library and North Wilmington Branch carry Delaware Children's Museum passes.
• Somerset County Library
• Mt. Laurel Library

"Check out" your museum passes today!

Morris Arboretum

Click on the pictures for a larger view

Location: 100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Phialdelphia PA

Website: http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/index.shtml

Bathrooms: Yes, some with changing tables

Eating area: Yes, Compton Cafe on site, and vending machines, 

Attractions: 92 acres of lush gardens and sculptures, Out on a limb tree canopy walk, miniature village and Garden Railway, various historical buildings, and refreshing fountains

Around the Area: Quaint town of Chesnut Hill and Wissahickon Valley Park (Forbidden Drive)

Fee: Kids under 3: Free, Kids 3-17: $7.00, Adults: $16.00

 Or get FREE passes for the whole family with your Library Card with their Museum Pass Program

The kids and I took advantage of this gorgeous summer day to check out the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.  We scored FREE passes for 2 adults and 4 children for FOUR days by checking out the passes through our local library's Museum Pass program.  That is a savings of $184 for our family!! I LOVE the Museum Pass!  

                

We were most excited to explore the "Out on a Limb" exhibit and to climb 50 feet above the ground into the trees! The kids had a great time pretending to be birds sitting on the eggs, and  jumping on the rope netting and seeing how far they were from the forest floor! The kids also had a great time putting the huge megaphones on their ears to listen to the sounds of the forest! 

Our next stop was to see the miniature Garden railway exhibit. This seasonal exhibit features renditions of storybook and historic buildings made of natural materials set in the garden complete with naturally made tunnels and overhead trestles.  The kids had a blast following all the trains and watching them appear over their heads,  moving under trees, and crossing over small waterways.  Of course...there is a Thomas train for fans! 

Our next favorite stop was the Log Cabin.  This exhibit provides some much needed cool shade, a refreshing dip in the stream and a splash of water from a old fashioned water pump! Parents will find some much needed R&R on the chairs while the kids tidy up the cabin, play school, build with Lincoln logs, or splash around and explore the stream! The kids LOVED this historic building.

Throughout the arboretum you will discover various species of trees and flowers, interesting works of art and sculpture, cool insects, and refreshing fountains and streams! 

Tips:

• Check the weather before planning your trip.  It's all outdoors!
• Check the event calendar for lots of fun activities!
• Wear comfortable shoes, there is a lot of walking!
• Strollers and wheelchairs are fine! Most of the walkways are paved.
• Visit the Visitors Center and get your "passport".  The kids get them stamped at various exhibits. The passport also has great educational information and activities related to the exhibits. Also, pick up some Family Fun cards for extension activities!
• If you kids are anything like mine, you might need to dress them in bathing suit trunks!  Or at the very least bring a change of clothes and maybe some towels...in case someone gets wet!
• Wear sunscreen!
• Two words....insect repellent!
• Pack snacks and lunches and eat at the dining behind behind the Visitors Center. There is a cafe on site and drinking and snack vending areas scattered throughout the arboretum if you are in a pinch.
• Before or after your trip, head down to the quaint town of Chestnut Hill! The kids can eat and play at the Little Treehouse Cafe, and enjoy ice Cream from Brendenbecks! Bruno's is another great spot for food (right on the corner of Germantown Ave.and Northwestern Ave.) with easy access to  Wissahickon Valley Trail (Forbidden Drive). 

Have fun exploring The Morris Arboretum!

It's Christmas Time in the City!

Ahh, there is nothing like Christmas in the city. Something about the hustle and bustle, the decorated store windows, and numerous festivals and events that to make the holidays feel extra special. A favorite family tradition of ours is to visit Philadelphia to get into holiday mood! The magic of Christmas is always around and will leave everyone smiling and feeling festive.

The Macy's Grand Court Light Show 
13th and Market Street
Show is every hour on the hour
FREE 
http://www.wanamakerorgan.com/xmas.php 
Friday, Nov. 25 - Friday, Dec. 23: 10am-8pm
Saturday, December 24th: 10am-5pm Christmas Day: Closed
Monday, Dec. 26-Friday, Dec. 30: 10am-7pm
Saturday, December 31: 10am-5pm.
Crowds are thinner Mon.-Thurs. and after 4pm Fri. thru. Sun. 

A perfect family outing, the Christmas Light Show and Wanamaker Organ Concert at Macy’s is a Philadelphia tradition that dates back half a century. Come to the famous Center City store — housed in the historic Wanamaker Building — to watch snowflakes, ballerinas and reindeer float beyond the four-story-high velvet curtain of the Grand Court atrium. During the light show, more than 100,000 bright, energy-efficient LED lights combine to create fantastic holiday images. The lighting display is accompanied by festive music from the world-renowned Wanamaker Grand Organ.

Dicken's Village at Macy's
13th and Market St.
3rd Floor (Holiday Lane)
FREE
http://www.wanamakerorgan.com/xmas.php  
Friday, Nov. 25 - Friday, Dec. 23: 10am-7pm
Saturday, December 24: 10am-5pm
Christmas Day, December 25: Closed
Monday, Dec. 26 - Friday, Dec. 30: 10am-7pm
Saturday, December 31: 10am-5pm.

A Philadelphia tradition for more than 20 years, the third floor of Macy’s is transformed into “Dickens Village” for the holiday season. The 6,000-square-foot Village brings Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol to life with more than 100 fully animated figures reenacting 26 of the story’s most memorable moments.

The Comcast Holiday Spectacular 2011
1701 John F Kennedy Blvd
One Comcast Center
10-8pm, on weekdays it is until 5pm
Show runs every hour on the hour, lasting 15 minutes
FREE
http://www.visitphilly.com/museums-attractions/philadelphia/the-comcast-holiday-spectacular/ 

A holiday spectacle unlike any other! It is shown on the state-of-the-art Comcast Experience Video Wall and is filled with sights and sounds of the season. New this year, enjoy scenes from George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” performed by the renowned Pennsylvania Ballet along with updated scenes of the holiday.
The Holiday Spectacular also features a magical sleigh ride through the snow covered Pennsylvania countryside, the majestic sounds of a 64-piece orchestra, and more.

 
The Reading Terminal Holiday Railroad
12th & Arch Streets
Friday, November 25 – Saturday, December 31
Open Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm & Sundays 10am-5pm
Closed Christmas Day
Location: Piano Court in the Market
FREE
http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/events/

Kids and adults alike will delight in this 500 sq.f. model railroad display with almost a third of a mile of track! Twelve working train lines rumble through a multitude of miniature scenery including Center City Philly, a Christmas Village, and snow-covered countryside.

Christmas Village
1500 Arch Street, LOVE Park

November 24 – December 24, 2011
Sunday-Thursday  11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday-Saturday  11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
FREE
http://www.philachristmas.com/28-0-About.html

Philadelphia will once again transform into European wonderland during the third annual Christmas Village at Love Park. More than 50 vendors from all over the world will occupy over 80 quaint, wooden booths for the month-long Christmas Village at Love Park. Browse for the perfect gift, like Christmas ornaments from Germany; enjoy European food, sweets and drinks, such as Bratwurst and “Lebkuchen (gingerbread); and watch to performances from area bands, dance groups and more.Don’t Miss the massive Kathe Wohlfarhrt tent features popular Christmas gifts from Germany, including glass ornaments, music boxes, nutcrackers and incense smokers.

Smith Kids' Play Place in the Park

Location: East Fairmount Park, Philadelphia

Website: http://smithkidsplayplace.org/

Bathrooms: Yes in the Mansion playhouse and Bathroom Access from the outside playground

Eating area: YES on the Mansion covered side porch

Attractions: 6 1/2 acre playground, Giant Wooden Slide, 24,000 sq. ft.Indoor Mansion Playhouse 

Around the area: The Philadelphia Zoo, The Please Touch Museum, Mann Music Center

 Fee: FREE (donations are appreciated)

The Smith Kids' place is an impressive mansion indoor playhouse and outdoor playground that your kids will L.O.V.E!! You must make time to visit this truly unique play area! Smith has been getting a lot of press recently and has becoming pretty popular, but this is not a new play area at all...in fact it opened in 1899 and has been a favorite play place for Philadelphia area children for over a century!

There is so much to do and so many things to play at the indoor playhouse and outdoor playground that you should plan on spending several hours at the park. At the playhouse mansion there are covered porches with picnic tables for having snack,lunch, or for a birthday party.  If you need snacks, there is a vending machine available with access from the outdoor playground. One reason I love coming to the Smith Play Place is the location! It is so easy for this suburban Mom to get to, the parking is plentiful, and there are so many other attractions(The Please Touch Museum, The Mann Music Center, and the Philadelphia Zoo)  within close proximity that you could easily spend the entire DAY in the Fairmount Park area.

Yes, THIS is the playhouse!

The beautiful and big (24,000 sq. ft) Mansion playhouse is the first thing you will see upon entering Smith Kids's Place. The large expanse of lawn in the front of the mansion is also another great place to have a picnic. The kids can run around, toss a ball, or just enjoy the view of this historic building.  The playhouse has three floors of fun and so many ways for kids to stretch their imagination! On the first floor, the kids can put on a puppet show, ride a train, and play house!

Take a flight of stairs down to the basement area to find the area set up like a street scene complete with a working traffic light and bikes for all kids to ride around and a trains to ride or climb!

On the top floor, play with building blocks, trucks, a shopping cart, puzzles, a play house with babies and more! The book room is also located on this floor. Pull a book from the shelves, sit at the tables and read or just enjoy the view!

A view of the outdoor playground

So, all of that was just the indoor mansion playhouse....now for the outdoor playground which is the size of 6 football fields!  You kids will enjoy the famous wooden slide, the giant spider web with trampoline, the pirate ship, the tire and saucer swings, and TONS more! This playground is A.M.A.Z..I.N.G!!!  There is even a special tot lot for the tiny youngsters and plenty of benches for adults to take a rest...because you are going to need it! Take a look at just some of the fun at the outdoor playground:






Tips:

• Make sure before you make the trip to check the weather.  SMITH reserves the right to close the Playground or Playhouse in the event of inclement weather, including rain, snow, excessive heat, etc. So be sure to check the forecast before making plans to play at the park.
• The park has lots of special events that go on throughout the year. Check out their events calendar and became a fan on facebook to be kept up to date!
• Bring sunscreen! The park does have some nice shade, but you will be exposed to the sun so bring the sunscreen
• To make the most of your trip to the Fairmount Park area, Visit Smith Park, then have an early dinner, and then go to the Please Touch Museum on their First Wednesday where admission is only $2! Or, go the Mann Music Center for a morning concert and then head to the park to play and have lunch!

See you at Smith!

Best Weekend Fun Events!

So much to do this weekend! Here are just a FEW of my favorites. Make sure to check the Family Penny Pincher calendar for event details and for additional events happening this weekend! 

Saturday, July 30th 

• Gloucester County 4-H and Peach Festival (Mullica Hill, NJ): Visitors can watch our equestrians lead their horses in exercises in precision, place an auction bid on a hog, lamb or goat raised by a 4-Her, watch the judging of our rabbit or goat shows, learn all about cows from dairy and beef club members, cheer for their favorite in the dog obedience class, learn how to raise a pet bird from members of the exotic bird club, slither around to the reptile club exhibit, and enjoy the hog costume contest. FREE Admission.  $10 parking/per carload (Click on link for $1 off coupon) Runs Saturday and Sunday.

• Mercer County 4-H Fair (Howell Living History Farm, Lambertville, NJ) The fair includes 4-H animal shows and exhibits; food and homemade ice cream; hay rides; pony rides; music; farm tours and demonstrations; milking demonstrations; spinning, felting, and fiber demonstrations; egg grading demonstrations; children’s crafts and activities; and displays by the Master Gardeners of Mercer County and the Mercer County Equestrian Center. FREE Admission/FREE Parking (Please bring a canned good donation in support of Rutgers Against Hunger.  Runs Saturday and Sunday.

• Wildwood Surf Fest (Wildwood, NJ): FREE surf lessons ~ surf vendors and artists ~ bbq and luau ~ after hours admissions to Raging Waters Waterpark ~ FREE concert featuring The Following, The Dan Brown Duo and more!

• Cooper River Fine Arts Festival (Cooper River Park, Cherry Hill, NJ):  New Jersey's Premier Fine Arts Festival is sponsored by the Philadelphia Inquirer and will take place along the scenic Cooper River. Cooper River Park (346.55 acres) runs through Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Collingswood and Haddon Township. Runs Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm.

• Philadelphia Dance Day 2011: All dance enthusiasts–regardless of experience or even coordination–are invited to take part in this citywide celebration of dance. There will be something for everyone, from creative movement for preschoolers to absolute beginner adult ballet to hip-hop for all ages. Participants can pick and choose as many workshops as they like. All the venues are located within three miles of each other; several within walking distance. ALL FREE

• Kids in Center City Playdate: Come to the Comcast Center for some family-friendly fun. Join Music Monkey Jungle, a live interactive musical and movement educational class for little music monkeys and their parents who love them. Don't forget to bring sturdy shoes for participation as well as a camera to capture the fun.Market merchants will offer kid-friendly treats and crafts, including fun and educational activities from the Pennsylvania Ballet. FREE from 11:30am to 1:30pm

 

 

• ART/GAGE by Magic Gardens (South Street, Philadelphia): The 1000 block of South Street will be closed off to traffic, with the festival spilling into the streets featuring more 30 art and food vendors. From noon to 6pm.  To attend the performances within Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, the cost is $15 for an all-day pass, $10 for a day (1:00-5:30) or evening (5:30-10:00) pass. Visitors can purchase a Family Pass that accommodates two adults and up to three children for $25, or tickets for kids are $5. Click here for more information:

Sunday, July 31st

• Franklin Square's Birthday Party (Philadelphia): Celebrate five seasons of fun at Franklin Square this Sunday, July 31, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., at a special birthday celebration. Bring the whole family to sign a giant birthday card, eat Birthday Bonanza Sundaes at SquareBurger, enjoy face painting, birthday “craftivities” and more. The first 55 children get free rides on the carousel and free sundaes!

•  2nd Street Festival (Northern Liberties, Philadelphia): The neighborhood is closing off N. 2nd Street between Germantown and Fairmount for a (free!) supersized block party filled with six blocks of beer gardens, workshops, art, food, music and other merchandise vendors. Noon to 10pm

  Have a great weekend!

Mann Music Center: Young People's Concert Series

Young People's Concert Series
2013 Season - "Capture the Culture"
  Mon. July 8:  Cirque Zuma Zuma
Mon. July 15: The Rock School for Dance Education
Mon. July 29: Rising Stars of Tomorrow
Mon. August 5: Black Violin 
Cost/Parking: Free

"From 2011". My family and I have visited the Mann several times for many free events, but we recently went to a performance called "Global Passages" which was part of the Young People's Concert Series. The performance was an hour and 15 minutes and my 3 and 4 yr old were glued to the stage for every minute!

This annual FREE series makes "high-quality and culturally diverse performing arts programs accessible to all children in an informal atmosphere. Performances by professional and emerging artists offer our young people a chance to experience and be inspired by the talents of others their age!"

Every week for 5 weeks the Mann presents a different cultural exploration through dance and music. On July 17th, the culture of South America was explored through "Inca Son" and on July 20th "The Rock School For Dance Education" presented a new fusion of dance.

The more recent program, "Global Passages" featured the music, songs, and dance of China from the Philadelphia Chinese Opera Society, Latin America from Saboricua: The Roots of Salsa Music and Dance, and Africa with the Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble.  

My 3 year old son was dancing to the music, while my 4 year old daughter was fascinated by all of the colorful costumes!  It really was a very exciting and entertaining performance.  Not once did my kids whine for food, the potty, or to leave! For Moms of little ones, you know that is a sign of a successful show!

The Family Penny Pincher's Experiences, Tips, and Suggestions

• Location: I love the location of the Mann because it is so easy for this suburban Mom to get there!  I simply get off the Philadelphia Zoo exit.  Turn right at the stop sign, go through the light at the zoo and continue going straight! It is very close to the Please Touch Museum. It is also not far from the Smith Kids Play Place so this is a great place for the kids to get out their energy before or after events at the Mann and nice place for lunch or snack.
• Parking: For free events it has been the case that Parking is free as well and there always seem to be plenty of it!  If parking is full or there is a charge, you can find parking along Parkside Ave. directly parallel to the Mann.
• Bathrooms/Food: The bathrooms are located right inside the entrance gates to the right and concession stands sell food and water right inside the gate as well.
• Seating: Tickets are not required for free concerts. Seating is general admission and first come, first serve. You only need to register for free concerts if you are in a group of 30 or more. If you want good seats, get there EARLY!!
• Weather: The Mann is an outdoor venue, but the concert area is covered.  So make sure to get a seat inside the covered area not on the lawn.
• HAVE FUN!