Summer Celebration 2024
It is hard to believe that in about a week and a half we will be holding our Summer Celebration on the farm. This event will be happening on July 13th from 8am-2pm. We have added a lot of fun and exciting things to go along with everything else you have come to expect at this event. I am SUPER excited about everything going on so I will apologize ahead of time for this being so long.
For those that have not been to this event, it is a nice way to spend the morning on our 200-acre farm at the foot of the Blue Mountains just outside of Carlisle. This event is free to attend and there is no charge for parking.
Oops Sale
May we suggest that you start your day visiting our very large Oops tent to search for bargains among our finished gourds which have a minor blemish such as a run in the paint or a small crack. We put these out in mass at discounted prices and restock throughout the event. Adjacent to the Oops tent, we will have a variety of raw gourd bins for the gourd crafter. You will be able to fill a tall kitchen bag for $10.00. Depending on how much you buy in the Oops tent, you may be eligible to receive a discount on your purchases in the gift shop.
Craft Vendors & Trolley Rides around the Farm
Next, Stroll through our grassy lawn and shop a variety of Artisan craft vendors! Each booth will be filled with artisan-made goodies for you to enjoy!
You can also sign up for a Trolley Ride (for a small fee) which takes you on a leisurely adventure around our beautiful farm to see where our gourds and other crops are planted. The ride takes about 45 minutes. We highly recommend making reservations for the Trolley since they do normally sell out, but we will have some spaces available in case you decide to do this once you get here. Click here to make reservations, Summer Celebration Trolley Rides
Food, Wine, Beer & Live Music
If you start getting hungry, there are many food trucks for you to choose from offering a variety of delicious delectables. Tony Fitting, a local acoustic musician, will be here to provide music from 10:00am-12:00pm. Grab lunch, a glass of wine or a cup of beer, a seat or picnic table and relax.
Shopping
Our 7,000 sq. ft. gift shop will be open form 8am until 4pm and is filled with lots of wonderful gourds for every season, as well as other artisan crafts, gifts, unfinished dried gourds for crafting, food items, and more!
Make sure to sign up for our NEW Rewards Program while you are here. Not only will you get 25% off one regular Meadowbrooke Gourd when you sign up, but if you spend at least $25.00 in our gift shop (after discounts), you can Paint Your Own bird feeder for free by redeeming 25 of your rewards points. You get 1 reward point per dollar spent in our gift shop. Rewards points never expire, and can be used throughout the year to get access to special discounts and perks!
Paint-Your-Own Workshop
Paint Your Own will be happening inside the building from 8am-2pm (last seating will be at 1pm). Here you can paint your own birdhouse ($10.00), butterfly house ($15.00) or bird feeder ($7.50) and make them uniquely yours while supplies last.
Face Painting, Yard Games & Highland Cow Cuddling
Oh Look, Face Painting by Amber will be here painting faces for the young (and young at heart). Taurus and Maddie, adorable Highland cows, will be here for all your cow cuddling needs. Adventures with Taurus and Friends will also be bringing a miniature Pony, goats and rabbits for you to pet.
New this year, we have added some over-sized lawn games such as Connect 4, Jenga, Corn Hole and Ladder Toss. Make sure to bring your friends and family for some fun games of competition.
Blood Drive
For those who wish to help our local community, we will be hosting our very first blood drive. You can sign up inside the building (enter the door by the Blood Bank Van) or you can make an appointment ahead of time by calling 1-800-771-0059. Each day in Central PA, patients at area hospitals utilize between 275 to 300 units of blood and products derived from blood.
Special Wildflowers Teaser!
Teaser: We have grown wildflowers! They are just starting to bloom, and we are hoping they will be in full bloom for this Saturday. If everything aligns, we will be opening up this field during the Summer Celebration for you to come and pick a beautiful bouquet of them for FREE! Much like our sunflowers which we grow in the fall, we will have jars, clippers and plant food for purchase, or you can bring your own. Water will be available by the field and by the handicap ramp at the gift shop for your convenience. We will keep you updated as the event grows closer.
I think I warned you that this was going to be a long one. But if you have kept reading until here, you can see that there is a lot to see and do in only six hours! For more information on our Summer Celebration, please visit Summer Celebration 2024 Information.
Looking forward to a great day. Hope you can make it!
Dori