You may think festivals only pop up during warmer months. That’s a fair assessment. But the offerings in Berks County extend well beyond the Memorial Day to Labor Day stretch. A few date back to the 19th century while others originated post-COVID, but all offer a wide range of food, beverages, attractions and music.
June 28-July 6
PHOTO COURTESY GREATER GOVERNOR MIFFLIN COMMUNITY DAYS
GREATER GOVERNOR MIFFLIN COMMUNITY DAYS
Now in its 48th year, this weeklong community fair organized by the Greater Governor Mifflin League helps local organizations raise funds and unites the community. Located at the Governor Mifflin Intermediate School, the event features dozens of food and game stands along with rides. This year’s free nightly entertainment includes Elvis Tribute Artist Jeff Krick Jr., Lovelace - The 70's Band, The Uptown Band, a reunion of funk band Burning House and the Nicks in Time Tribute to Stevie Nicks/ Fleetwood Mac. The event is best known for ending with a bang, with its Saturday night fireworks display considered to be one of the best offered in the county.
June 29-July 7
PHOTO COURTESY KUTZTOWN FOLK FESTIVAL
Kutztown Folk Festival
Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, the oldest continuously operated folklife festival in the U.S. attracts thousands to the Kutztown Fairgrounds for a metaphorical (and literal) smorgasbord of offerings: hours of live music, dozens of family-friendly activities and tons of Pennsylvania Dutch food. Events include the Best of Show live quilt auction, the largest quilt sale in America, on July 6; a Mountain Mary exhibit celebrating the local Oley Valley sainted healer; the Country Kitchen Experience, a Pennsylvania Dutch meal prepared in front of ticket holders; Pennsylvania German dialect classes; Back Roads & Barn Stars Country Ride, a motorcoach ride through the countryside narrated by Patrick Donmoyer of the PA German Cultural Heritage Center; and the always-popular July 4 parade. Admission is free for children 12 and under at the festival, which was a top 3 pick in the Best Cultural Festival in North America category in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice for three consecutive years.
kutztownfestival.com | 888.674.6136
July 10-July 13
PHOTO COURTESY BERKS COUNTY FAIR
BERKS COUNTY FAIR
Celebrating its 170th year, the Berks County Fair is the oldest in the county and the second oldest in the state. Known as the Reading Fair for much of its existence, the recently rebranded event updated its attractions this year, including the return of rides and new contests such as bale decorating, LEGOS® , Knex and tractor games. Making its inaugural presence is the Fulton Bank Junior Fair Board, a program aimed at helping youth learn about the workings of the fair. There will be free entertainment each night along with ticketed events on the track, including the Jess Zimmerman Band, a rodeo and tractor pulls. Admission is free, but there is a $5 parking donation per vehicle. A $20 wristband provides unlimited rides per night.
theberkscountyfair.com | info@theberkscountyfair.com
July 26-27
Berks Summer Fest
Berks Summer Fest sprung from a reimagining of Berks Arts’ Bandshell Concert Series in City Park, which commenced every summer from 1991 through 2022. Last year’s inaugural consolidated event was planned for two days in June at FirstEnergy Stadium before inclement weather bumped it to September. Performers included Sound Judgement, Scotti Mann and Richie Cannata & The Billy Joel All-Star Band. Organizers hope this year’s edition will bring back the fans without the winds. (As of press time, this year’s lineup had yet to be announced.)
berksarts.org/summerfest | info@berksarts.org
Aug. 5-10
PHOTO COURTESY KUTZTOWN FAIR
KUTZTOWN FAIR
Though not quite the oldest fair in Berks County, the Kutztown Fair has entertained families since the 1870s. This year’s iteration, held at the appropriately named Kutztown Fairgrounds, is the 153rd edition. Attractions include live music, livestock exhibits, rides, midway shows, country line dancing, farm and craft exhibits, racing and horse and carriage rides. Gates open at 4pm every day, except Saturday when they open at 2pm for children’s day. A $10 wristband provides unlimited rides each day.
kutztownfair.com | 610.683.7696 | kutztownfair@gmail.com
Aug. 31
PHOTO COURTESY TASTE OF HAMBURG-ER FESTIVAL
TASTE OF HAMBURG-ER FESTIVAL
A meat and greet held in downtown Hamburg the Saturday before Labor Day, the Taste of Hamburg-er Festival has become a late-summer staple. For the 21st annual edition, nearly two dozen vendors — a few from Hamburg, others from throughout Berks County, others from as far away as Allentown and New Jersey — will try to top each other with their toppings. Normal options are available for traditionalists, but adventurous eaters have all kinds of concoctions from which to choose: a burger topped with brisket, pork, bacon and macaroni and cheese; a bacon cheeseburger with a glazed doughnut as the bun; a burger topped with American cheese, horseradish sauce, dill pickles and potato chips; Puerto Rican-style seasoned ground beef with lettuce, cheddar cheese and homemade pink sauce served on crunchy plantain; a burger served on homemade Belgian Waffles; a burger served on two funnel cakes and topped with cheese sauce and bacon; and dozens of others. Four stages of music will be offered along with magic shows. There will not be a professional burger eating contest this year.
tasteofhamburger.com | 610.562.3106
Sept. 19-21
Jeff Schaeffer
77TH ANNUAL OLEY VALLEY COMMUNITY FAIR
One of Berks County’s prime examples of coming together for good, the Oley Valley Community Fair works because the community makes it a success. And that includes hundreds of volunteers working behind the scenes, including Oley Valley High School students, who get excused from school for the privilege. Staged at the Oley Fire Company Fairgrounds, the event includes exhibits, music and other entertainment, rides, a pumpkin weigh-off, a hay/straw bale decorating contest and a car and antique tractor show. Members of nearly two dozen churches and other community groups organize the food stands, which offer the fair’s trademark french fries along with hamburgers, soups, baked goods, funnel cake, ice cream and much more. There is no admission fee to enter the event. Parking is available at the Fairgrounds for $5 per car.
oleyfair.org | 610.987.3469 | oleyfair@gmail.com
Sept. 6-7
ALEXANDER_BEREZA
Red hot chili pepper close-up, transparent background.
Red hot chili pepper close-up, transparent background.
BOWERS CHILE PEPPER FESTIVAL
Commencing at the time of year when the summer weather begins to cool down, the Bowers Chile Pepper Festival gives the heat one last extreme hurrah. The 28th annual edition at William Delong Memorial Park in Bowers will once again present dozens of vendors tempting fans of all things hot with their fiery concoctions. Music will be offered by the Chile Pepper Ramblers. Most stands offer free samples, but be warned: if you don’t have experience with high-octane offerings, tread lightly. Otherwise…well, it won’t be pretty. For those who like to show off their tolerance, a jalapeno eating contest will be offered at 1pm on Sept. 7.
Nov. 22-24
7TH ANNUAL Reading Blues Fest
Debuting in 2017 as a fall complement to the Berks Jazz Fest, the Reading Blues Fest has become a highly anticipated event in its own right. Most of the events take place in the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in downtown Reading, where fans can enjoy concerts, lunches, brunches and after-parties. The lineup for this year’s event has yet to be announced, but prior headliners have included keyboard legend and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Booker T. Jones; vocalist Shemekia Copeland; guitar virtuosos Tommy Castro, Tinsley Ellis and Jonny Lang; and the Allman Betts Band, featuring the sons of three founding members of the Allman Brothers Band.
readingbluesfest.com | 610.898.1930 | info@berksarts.org
April 4-13, 2025
34TH ANNUAL BERKS JAZZ FEST
The crown jewel of local festivals, the world-renowned Berks Jazz Fest has succeeded beyond the wildest expectations of the organizers, who founded the event in March 1991 to help out the local hotels during a slow time of year. Originally a three-day festival, the event’s success allowed it to expand to six days in its sixth year and 10 days starting in year 10. Today it attracts roughly 40,000 fans annually from across the globe. Over the years it has showcased a rich mosaic of jazz icons, including the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Wynton Marsalis, Grover Washington, Jr., George Benson, Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Billy Cobham, the Manhattan Transfer and Chick Corea. Tickets for next year’s iteration go on sale Saturday, Dec. 14.
berksjazzfest.com | 610.898.1930 | info@berksarts.org
West Reading Events
Penn Avenue, the spine of West Reading, is the site of multiple highly anticipated festivals throughout the year: Fall Fest and Art on the Avenue draw upward of 30,000 attendees, organizers say
PHOTOS COURTESY ART ON THE AVENUE
- WEST READING FALL FEST Sept. 21 Celebrating its 17th year, Fall Fest features more than 200 craft and retail vendors, all kinds of food and beverage options and music on multiple stages. Family-friendly activities include bounce houses, pumpkin painting and a dunk tank.
- ICE ‘N SPICE FEST Jan. 2025 This relatively new three-day festival places works by ice sculptors along Penn Avenue, where shops and restaurants offer special promotions in connection with the event. Prior editions also included a Cocoa Crawl in the afternoon of the final day, featuring participating boutiques offering hot beverages to those who registered and donated.
- WEST READING CRAFT PRETZEL & BEER FEST April 26, 2025 Reading was once hailed as the Pretzel Capital of the World and is now informally known as Pretzel City. So, it only makes sense for the county in which Reading resides to commemorate National Pretzel Day (April 26) with a lip-smacking event. Held on the final Saturday of April, the Craft Pretzel & Beer Fest allows festival-goers to indulge in numerous varieties of craft pretzels and beer, browse vendors and enjoy live music.
- ART ON THE AVENUE June 2025 Showcasing local and regional artists while allowing an opportunity for artists of all ages to create public works, Art on the Avenue will commence for the 31st time next June. About 200 vendors will set up shop at the event, which also features abundant food, beverages and live music.
visitwestreading.com | westreadingicenspice.com | 610.685.8854
May 2025
PHOTO COURTESY APPLE DUMPLING FESTIVAL
APPLE DUMPLING FESTIVAL
One of those bellwether attractions that lets you know Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer, is right around the corner, the Apple Dumpling Festival has offered old-timey county fair fun for more than 60 years. Located at Willow Glen Park just off Route 422 in Sinking Spring, the event offers rides, games, entertainment, crafts, vendors and food, including thousands of homemade apple dumplings. Held nightly, a pageant features girls competing for Little Miss Apple Dumpling, Junior Miss Apple Dumpling and Teen Miss Apple Dumpling.
appledumplingfest.com | 610.777.6388
June 19-21, 2025
PHOTO COURTESY KEMPTON FAIR
KEMPTON FAIR
Held the third weekend of June on the grounds of Kempton Community Center, the nonprofit for which the event functions as a fundraiser, the Kempton Fair features livestock shows — steer, goat, dairy and sheep — live music, line dancing, rides, games, food, a beer and wine garden, truck and tractor pulls, crafters and artisans and more. A fireworks show tops off Friday’s offerings, unless it rains, in which case the display moves to Saturday.
