Philadelphia Honey Festival, Bartram's Garden, Glen Foerd, Wyck House

The Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild announces the return of the Philadelphia Honey Festival on September 7, 9 and 10, 2017 at Glen Foerd on the Delaware, Wyck Historic House and Bartram’s Garden. All three historic sites will be buzzing with three days of activities that include open hive demonstrations, honey extractions, open hive talks, children’s activities, honey tastings, mead tastings, sales from local beekeepers, presentations and a bee-bearding demonstration. Parks on Tap Jr. also makes its official debut for the final day of the Philadelphia Honey Festival 2017 at Bartram’s Garden. This is a mini version of the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy and Avram Hornik of FCM Hospitality traveling beer garden. Entry to all the festival venues, educational activities and demonstrations is free. For more information, visit philllybeekeepers.org or visit each site’s individual website.

Now in its eighth year, the Philadelphia Honey Festival’s goal is raise awareness about the importance of honey bees to our environment, our food supply and our economy, and to promote urban beekeeping and gardening,” Kathy May, Beekeeper, Guild Member, and Honey Festival Organizer. “Buzz-in and join us! Purchase your local Philly honey and enjoy the day - this three day festival really is the bees’ knees!”

The Philadelphia Honey Festival began in 2010 to accompany the placement of an historic marker honoring Philadelphia-born Lorenzo L. Langstroth. Well-known to beekeepers, Langstroth invented the first movable frame hive design based on the principle of “bee space.” You can see the marker at 106 South Front Street in Philadelphia, his birthplace.

The Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild had been founded the previous September (2009) and quickly allied with three historic venues to offer Honey & History activities, which they dubbed the 2010 Philly Honey Fest. Wyck Historic House | Garden | Farm, in the Germantown section of the city, lent their podium to such notable beekeepers as Kim Flottum, Elizabeth Capaldi Evans, Dean Stiglitz and Matt Redman. Beekeepers and the general public alike enjoyed childrens activities at the Wagner Free Institute of Science at 17th & Montgomery. While at historic Bartram’s Garden in southwest Philadelphia, the DaVinci Art Alliance member exhibit featured honey bees in art. Members of the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild opened honey bee hives for the amusement and education of those who dared draw near!

Since 2010, the Philadelphia Honey Festival has been held the weekend after Labor Day; 2017 marks the 8th festival. The venues are purposefully chosen in order to allow Philadelphians the opportunity to attend the festival without traveling far from their neighborhoods. The festival kicks-off on THURSDAY in 2017, at Glen Foerd on the Delaware, the festival’s newest partner. Glen Foerd will feature activities for kids, as well as a Honey Happy Hour for adults. Family-oriented events continue at Wyck Historic House on Saturday, then at Bartram’s Garden on Sunday.

Full details for the festival by venue are as follows:

Glen Foerd on the Delaware (Grant Ave. & Milnor St., Philadelphia 19114) kicks off the first official day of the festival on Thursday, September 7th. The event runs from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. Honey Happy Hour will feature mead and honey beer sampling! The monthly Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild meeting will take place at 7:30 pm with John Cambridge PhD MPH of the Philadelphia Insectarium as the keynote speaker.

“We are so proud to be included as a partner for Philadelphia Honey Festival and to offer support to local beekeepers, bee enthusiasts and those who are just discovering the festival and the wonders of the honey bee," said Glen Foerd’s Director of Programs and Collections Erica Freeman. "The festival is a wonderful way to kick-off the fall season and offers entertainment, shopping, and educational opportunities to both kids and adults alike.”

There is no festival programming on Friday, September 8th.

Wyck Historic House, Garden, and Farm (6026 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia 19144) offers a full day of events on Saturday, September 9th from 10 am – 4 pm. Special features include a Mead Contest, ongoing children’s activities, vendor marketplace, and an informative presentation from Dion Lerman (Environmental Health Programs Specialist from Penn State) entitled: Keeping the Critters Down: Integrated Pest Management for Everyone.

“Wyck has hosted the Philadelphia Honey Festival for seven years and looks forward to the 8th!," said Wyck Executive Director Jennifer Carlson. "This event shows the power of collaboration, from working with the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild and the other hosts, to working with the sponsors and vendors. It all comes together to be an enjoyable and educational festival for our community."

Bartram’s Garden (54th Street & Lindbergh Blvd., Philadelphia 19143) hosts the final day of the festival on Sunday, September 10th from 10 am – 4 pm. Special features include a children’s carnival, a presentation by the Philadelphia Insectarium, Children’s Bee Parade, native plants sale, a marketplace with local crafts, beer and specialty cocktails provided by Parks on Tap Jr., and a presentation by Sam Torres from KeyStone Colonies and beekeeper at Glen Foerd discussing the ins and outs of beekeeping.

“Bartram’s Garden is proud to host the Philadelphia Honey Festival and spread awareness about how much we rely on honey bees," said Bartram’s Garden, Executive Director, Maitreyi Roy. "Honey Fest is a fun family event, and it also shares the importance of stewarding our natural environment so we can ensure that our native bee population thrives. We are proud to partner with the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild on an event that is so important and unique in our city.”

On site, Bartram's will host their annual fall plant sale which offers a broad seasonal selection of perennial plants, trees, shrubs, and vines as well as horticultural staff experts to help answer questions. Roy added, "If you are looking for fall color or fall flowers Bartram’s garden features a mostly native selection of plants as part of the garden’s honey fest. Fall is also one of the best times to plant!"

Also at Bartram's, Parks on Tap Jr. makes it’s debut for the final day of the Philadelphia Honey Festival 2017. This is a mini version of the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy and Avram Hornik of FCM Hospitality traveling beer garden. Parks on Tap Jr. provides similar concessions and amenities as our traditional beer garden, but in a "junior" setup for one day park pop-ups as well as summer long series that run weekly.

Full vendor list at Bartram’s Garden:

Truly Pure and Natural
Clay Kitchen Studio
John and Kira's Chocolates
Tot Cart
Tooth of the Lion
Fifth of a Farm Creations
Mithras Candles
Philly Home Brew
Philly Farm Truck
Stefani Threet Ceramics
Only in the Forest
Sundry Morning
Parks on Tap
Little Baby's
Suzanne Paints
Philadelphia Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion
Peg & Awl
StitchPrism
Baba's Brew
Soap by Alana
henna tattoos by Sandra
Planting Hope Apiary
Natural Awakening Magazine
Inspire
Honest Tea
Keystone Colonies

Philadelphia Honey Festival 2017 will also announce additional programing closer to the event.