There’s a lot more happening in Kennett Square than fungus spawning.
While the Pennsylvania community proudly protects its title as Mushroom Capital of the World, it took more than bushels of baby bellas for Kennett Square to be ranked fifth on Budget Travel Magazine’s list of America’s Coolest Small Towns.
The town received more than 44,000 online votes to claim the fifth spot. (Look for the rankings in the September issue of the magazine.)
In the meantime, here are five mushroom-free reasons to visit Kennett Square.
1. Murder Mystery Art Stroll. There haven’t been any real murders in Kennett Square in recent memory, but every year there’s a fake one. The Kennett Amateur Theatrical Society will stage its murder mystery on August 6 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., during the monthly First Friday Art Stroll. After a body is discovered, folks wander between downtown restaurants, stores and galleries, questioning suspicious subjects and trying to piece together clues to catch the killer.
2. The Kennett Flash. Tucked a few steps off the main drag, this BYOB concert venue hosts a variety of local and national acts in an intimate (as in, buy your tickets in advance) setting. The shows are inexpensive, parking is free and for a $4 fee you can bring a six-pack of your own suds. On July 30, the venue is hosting the Riverside Jam, an annual benefit show for LiveConnections.org, an organization that creates music programs for kids and the special needs community in Philadelphia.
3. Fresh food. Mushrooms aren’t the only things growing around Kennett Square. Dozens of local farmers peddle everything from goat's milk cheese to handmade guacamole to nectarines during the Kennett Square Farmers Market, held each Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at State and Union streets, through the end of October. Check out what’s growing this week on the Farmers Market blog: http://ksqfarmersmarket.wordpress.com.
4. Ice cold beer. More than 60 local, regional and craft breweries will offer up an outpouring (literally) of their best work for the 13th Annual Kennett Brewfest, to be held on Oct. 2 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Whether you like it hoppy, malty or somewhere in between, the Brewfest has something for every beer lover. Tickets are $40 and they go fast, so now’s the time to start drawing straws to see who will be the designated driver.
5. Free entertainment. Check out Anson B. Nixon Park for proof that a good time can be had with an empty wallet. The park is hosting a variety of no-cost events this summer, including a Zydeco concert on July 28 at 7 p.m. and a Family Fun Fest, complete with music, games and hayrides, the July 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information about all of the events, visit historickennettsquare.com.
And if you really want mushrooms, they can help you with that, too.
By Adam Zewe
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