Events: Family-Friendly

Research Center Annual Book Sale

light-skinned woman with blond hair wearing a green and white scarf and rust colored sweater holds up an antique book in front of a table of books in a library.

The Research Center Book Sale is back! Get the chance to browse and buy books from the personal collections of LancasterHistory’s staff and volunteers. Expect to find offerings from all genres, for all ages! 

The Research Center Book Sale will take place on Saturday, September 12 from 10am – 3pm at the LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster. The sale will take place indoors in the Research Center, and there is no entry fee to browse the sale. Cash or card is accepted for purchases; card preferred. Final sale of all items. No returns or exchanges.

Family-Friendly In-Person Event Sale

September 12, 2026 LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10am-3pm No Entry Fee

Music on the Lawn, Matt Hostetter

Singer and songwriter Matt Hostetter

Music on the Lawn returns this summer with more fantastic local bands in James Buchanan’s backyard! This family- (and dog-) friendly event welcomes attendees to relax and enjoy an evening outdoors with live music. September’s concert features Matt Hostetter, a Lancaster-based singer and guitarist whose musical style encompasses American roots like folk, blues, and jazz. 

Registration is required. Walk-ins are welcome. Concerts are rain or shine. LancasterHistory members get in free. Kids are free. Concerts are open to the public, and it’s a $10 donation for Adults. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own blanket or chair and pack a picnic if they like! Dogs on leash are welcome. Reminder: the Tanger Arboretum works really hard to beautify the grounds and keep all living things healthy. We ask that visitors treat the plants, flowers, and trees with extra kindness! No climbing trees, please, as tempting as it is!

 

         Thank you to our 2026 Music on the Lawn sponsors for bringing music to the community!

Music on the Lawn Family-Friendly Outdoor Performance

September 19, 2026 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 5pm-7pm $10 Donation/Adults (+18) | Free for Children
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Edible Insects

A woman wearing a green t-shirt and hat stands in the forest.
Lisa Sanchez

Join the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum on Saturday, October 24 for a creepy, crawly, but tasty Nature Series program on “Edible Insects” featuring Lisa Sanchez, Senior Naturalist at the Lancaster County Environmental Education Center. Entomophagy—the eating of insects—is practiced unintentionally daily by everyone through eating processed and packaged foods and fresh fruits and vegetables. On October 24, you’ll learn about edible and inedible insects and how these tasty critters can be a good source of protein. Plus, we’ll put insect tastiness to the test and cook up some edible insects for attendees to try.

Lisa J. Sanchez has been a naturalist at the Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation Environmental Center for 30 years. Teaching students of all ages to explore and value the wonders of nature is her passion. She enjoys helping people reconnect with the earth through education and observation. Lisa can often be found in her garden or kayaking on the river.

HOW TO REGISTER
The program, “Edible Insects” will take place on Saturday, October 24 from 10-11am in the Carriage House at the LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $10/Adults (18+) and Free for Children 17 and Under (must be accompanied by an adult). Friends of the Tanger Arboretum members receive complimentary admission, but should still register for the program. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 717.392.4633. Advance tickets recommended as walk-in tickets are not guaranteed.

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE

Please note that eating insects at this program is completely voluntary. Those who wish to try some insects must sign a liability waiver at the program.

Membership gets you more! Membership to the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum not only supports the care and conservation of this local natural resource, but also gets you great benefits such as complimentary admission to Nature Series programs! Learn more about membership and sign up today here.

The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum is a member of the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admission Program. AHS Reciprocal Admission Program members may register for tickets in advance and must show a valid membership card upon checking in. AHS Members should contact Emily Miller, emily.miller@lancasterhistory.org, with any questions or to register for tickets in advance.

This event is hosted by the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum. The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum, a subsidiary organization of LancasterHistory, helps foster public interest in, and support for, the maintenance and development of the Tanger Arboretum as a community asset. To learn more about the Arboretum or to become a member, please visit the Arboretum’s webpage.

 

The 2026 Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Nature Series is sponsored by Pine Brook Farm, Inc. and Ever Green Tree & Lawn Care.
Their support enables us to offer these programs for the community and free tickets for children! Thank you for your generosity!

Family-Friendly In-Person Event Nature Series Program

October 24, 2026 The Carriage House at the LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10-11am $10/Adults (18+) | FREE for Children | FREE for Tanger Members
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