Saturdays at Burnside
Visit Burnside Plantation on the First Saturday of the month for family fun!
First Saturday of the Month
One Saturday each month we invite visitors to stop by Burnside Plantation for historic fun! Visitors will be able to learn more about our “farm in the city” which has been a part of the Moravian community since 1748. Visitors of all ages can take a look inside the Burnside House and barn and see colonial cooking demonstrations in the Summer Kitchen. Every month visitors can take some delicious foods home with them with a donation as part of the Burnside Garden “Point and Pick.” Families can enjoy a craft each month and a number of fun activities like nature walks, storytime, and hands-on history lessons.
Volunteering at Burnside: We need your help to keep the fun going! Please contact Keith Sten ksten@historicbethlehem.org to learn about volunteer opportunities at Burnside.
Weekly Activities include:
- Meet the Gardeners
- Peek inside the Burnside House
- Experience the Summer Kitchen
- Complete the Burnside leg of the Heritage Trail
- Monthly and weekly kid's crafts and activities
- Burnside Barn Tour
June 4
Wacky Windchime - Wind and weather can be fun when you make your own windchime!
Make a Father’s Day Gift - Celebrate the dad in your life with a barn-related craft and get a tasty old-fashioned recipe.
Nature walk - Wind and Weather on the Farm - How important is weather for a farm or garden? Learn how farmers prepare their crops for different types of weather, then explore the power of wind by making your own mini kite to fly!
June 25
Pollinator Week - Learn why pollinators are important for a garden like the ones at Burnside. Check back soon for more information about workshops offered by the Penn State Master Gardeners.
Make a Pollinator craft – Make your own bee or butterfly to take home and learn about the important role of pollinators
July 2 - Blueberry Festival Preview
Very Berry! – learn all about berries and make a fun fruit-themed craft right in time for berry season.
Hands-On History: Explore the Burnside Barn - What would a farm be without a barn? Explore why the barn at Burnside was so important and discover some of the tools used on the farm that made work easier.
September 3 - Apple Days Preview
Apple Pencil Topper - Create a cute apple-shaped pencil topper, perfect for starting the school year right!
Hands-On History: Colonial School Day - Kids will learn about education in colonial Bethlehem. What topics did they learn? Do you think you can write with a quill pen?
October 1
Mini Scarecrow Craft - Make your own mini scarecrow and learn about the harvest season at Burnside.
Pumpkin Painting
Nature Walk – Who Lives Here? A farm just wouldn’t be the same without animals! Learn about some of the animals that would have lived on an early farm like Burnside. What animals can be found around Burnside today?
November 5
Farmyard Ornament – learn about the purpose of a butter mold for a colonial kitchen and use molds to make your own clay ornament.
Hands-On History: From Sheep to Spindle - Did you know that in colonial times most families had to make their own clothing? Discover how certain plants and animals on the farm helped them make fabric.
Open to all: You Point, We Pick!
The award-winning Colonial Garden at Burnside Plantation is bursting with organically grown produce, herbs, and flowers now available to all visitors!
We welcome the public to visit the garden on the first Saturday of every month June 4 - October 29 between 9:30am and 12:00pm for You Point, We Pick! Visitors can point out anything you'd like to take home, and our volunteers will pick it for you in exchange for a donation of your choice. Cash and credit will be accepted. Visit throughout the season as all different vegetables, herbs, and flowers will be in bloom!
Please bring your own bags, baskets, or buckets, as we will not provide any materials other than the plants.
Please Note: The Colonial Garden at Burnside Plantation is not pick-your-own. We use many of our plantings for charity and educational purposes. Availability of all items is not guaranteed, and produce is first-come, first-served.
Kid's Activities
Kids will be able to discover the Colonial Garden and do a fun farm craft during their visit. Every month there is a new craft to make each weekend with extra activities on certain weekends. These outdoor activities and crafts are fun for visitors of any age! See the monthly schedule below.
Monthly Activity - Available every weekend in October!
Mini Scarecrow Craft - Make your own mini scarecrow and learn about the harvest season at Burnside.
October 23rd& 30th - Pumpkin decorating
Paint a pumpkin to celebrate the fall harvest at Burnside!
October 30th- “Colonial Trick or Treat”
Visit Burnside in style in your Halloween costume and go trick or treating for some colonial goodies!
Love Gardening?
Watch Head Burnside Volunteer Gardener, Pat Corpora, speak with Mike McGrath from PBS39/WLVT's You Bet Your Garden about:
- The history of Burnside's fabulous garden
- What we plant there today
- And how you can get involved!
Volunteers make the garden and activities at Burnside Plantation possible each year.
For more information, please contact the Visitor Center:
1.800.360.TOUR | info@historicbethlehem.org
