Hundreds of people gathered at Bolton Mansion in Levittown on Sept. 12 for an annual fall festival featuring food trucks, family activities, vendors, historical reenactors and tours of the historic mansion.
The event marked the beginning of the fall event season at Bolton Mansion and offered something for visitors of all ages.
“It’s a family-friendly event where the whole family can come out, have a fun day, take tours of the mansion and enjoy themselves,” said Tara Barth, Bolton Mansion events director, who is also a member of the mansion’s board with her husband.
The festival featured about 70 vendors and crafters and 17 food trucks, along with a mobile skee-ball trailer, fire truck rides, pony rides, face painting, balloon art and sand art.
Ghost Busters of New Jersey was also on hand, along with Red from Red Robin and Action Karate’s Shark. A DJ provided upbeat music throughout the day, while a Revolutionary War encampment gave visitors a look at life during the 18th century.
“The biggest draw for families was the food trucks and vendors and the kids were most excited about and the activities like the pony rides and face painting,” Barth said.
The event also attracted families who have made it part of their annual fall tradition.
“We come here every year. It’s a great way to kick off the fall," said Kelly from Fairless Hills, who brought her two young children to meet the Ghostbusters from their favorite movie.
Aubrey, 6, of Levittown, enjoyed looking at the stuffed animals and taking part in the activities.
“I enjoy coming because I like the diversity at the different food trucks and Aubrey likes the pony rides. It’s a nice way to bring the community together,” her mother said.
The festival also provided an opportunity for local groups to raise money. Caleb and Jaxson, both 10, from the Levittown United Travel Team, collected donations for their fall and spring seasons. The funds will help pay for new uniforms, tournaments in the Levittown and Philadelphia area and indoor facility fees for winter workouts.
The Revolutionary War encampment was another popular attraction. Joe McDermott, captain of the 1st Crossing Volunteers, 18th Century Reenactors, from Crossing Community Church, said the group wanted visitors to better understand what a Colonial militia camp looked like.
“We are here to show people what a Colonial Militia camp looked like and how the women followed behind the military. None of us would be here today if it weren’t for these people who did this 250 years ago,” McDermott said.
For some visitors, however, the main attraction was Bolton Mansion.
“My husband and I came just to take a tour of the Bolton Mansion. We live in Bucks County and have always wanted to take a look inside and hear about the history," said Tracy Patterson of Levittown. "When we read about this event, we thought this would be a perfect time to come see it while enjoying the rest of the attractions here."
The mansion’s history dates to the late 17th century. Phineas Pemberton, who became one of William Penn’s chief administrators in Bucks County, purchased his initial 400 acres in 1683 and built a house on that property. He later purchased the property that became Bolton in 1699, and built a new Manor House there, which he called "Pemberton" but was later renamed "Bolton" by his descendants. On this second property that became Bolton, a small stone cottage had already been built in 1687, where it still stands today.
Tours offered during the festival gave visitors a shortened introduction to the mansion’s history and architecture.
About 40 tours were conducted through the mansion during the day, Barth said. The abbreviated tours were offered every half hour, allowing visitors to learn about the mansion while still enjoying the rest of the festival.
For those who wanted a more detailed look, Barth encouraged them to return for a private tour with the mansion’s head historian.
“I think some people don’t come for the mansion specifically; they come for the event, but when they get here and we announce we are doing tours, they decide to go on a tour to see what it’s all about," she said. "Some of them love it so much they end up wanting to volunteer or get involved in some other way."
The mansion also draws visitors from outside the area because of its historical significance.
“What makes this place so special is that we are a historical site and there are many people who like to come visit the historical sites in the community and see what they are all about,” Barth said.
Barth said the strong turnout at the festival was especially meaningful as the organization works to raise awareness of Bolton Mansion and restore the historic property.
“It made me very happy to see all those people here because we are trying to bring more awareness of the Bolton Mansion and bring more people here,” she said. "We are working hard to restore the mansion back to its original beauty so we can do even more events and tours here and make it even more beautiful for our community.”
The September festival was the first of several fall events planned at Bolton Mansion. The next major event is scheduled for Oct. 17, when the mansion will host Bolton: Food Truck Fest & Trick-or-Treat. The event will include food trucks, vendors, a DJ and trick-or-treating from noon to 2 p.m., and kids are encouraged to dress in costume.
“Most vendors, food trucks and volunteers at the mansion will be handing out candy to the children,” said Barth.
The mansion is planning to offer a kid-friendly Halloween-themed house featuring a short tour that introduces children to the history of the mansion in a fun, non-scary way followed by Halloween-related crafts and activities.
Additional events scheduled this year include the Fall Foodie Fest on Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with tours, activities and food trucks, followed by the Grinchmas/Holiday House on Dec. 5 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., also with tours, activities and food trucks. Visits with Santa will offer family photo opportunities on Dec. 12 and 13, and Candlelight Tours will be held on Dec. 12.
For information about Bolton Mansion or upcoming events, visit boltonmansion.org.
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