Events: In-Person Event

Nature Series | Creeks & Critters

  • June 7, 2025
  • LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave, Lancaster
  • 10am
  • $10/Adults | $5/Children (17 & Under) | FREE for Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Members
A graphic with the title of the program and an image of the speaker.

A graphic with the title of the program and an image of the speaker.Summer is a fantastic time to explore life in our local creeks. On Saturday, June 7, Lancaster County Park Senior Naturalist Lisa Sanchez will bring the creek to LancasterHistory for our Nature Series program, “Creeks & Critters!” Examine various “critters” representing a sample of life from a creek and learn about the life cycle of the many insects that begin their lives in the water. Aquatic insects, such as dragonflies, mosquitoes, and mayflies, play a valuable role in our ecosystems and help tell us a lot about the quality of the water and the health of our creeks and streams.

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 event, “Creeks & Critters” will take place on Saturday, June 7 at 10am at LancasterHistory. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $10/Adults and $5/Children (17 & Under). 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

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 2025 Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Nature Series is sponsored by Ever Green Tree & Lawn Care! Thank you for your support!

Featured Event Family-Friendly In-Person Event Nature Series Program

June First Friday Open House

Join us on Friday, June 6, for First Friday at the Stevens & Smith Center! From 5-7pm, enjoy a sneak peek of the Stevens & Smith Center, see the incredible progress happening at this future museum, and learn about the road ahead to opening in 2026.

Plus, we’re excited to host the Landis Run Intermediate School 5th Grade for their English Language Arts (ELA) class art presentations: “The Freedom Art Project.” Students will display their art that answers the question “what does freedom mean?”. All are welcome to attend.

The First Friday Open House on June 6 is free and open to the public and does not require advance registration. This event is also family friendly; all ages are encouraged to attend. The event will take place at the Stevens & Smith Center, 45 S. Queen Street, Lancaster. Please use the entrance around the corner on East Vine Street.

This event has also been cross-posted to stevensandsmithcenter.org/events for ease of access.

Open House Family-Friendly In-Person Event Reception

June 6, 2025 The Stevens & Smith Center, 45 S. Queen Str., Lancaster 5-7pm FREE

Wheatland “Go-At-Your-Own-Pace” Tours

McMaster’s portrait of Buchanan hanging above the mantle in Wheatland’s parlor. (Courtesy of Larry Lefever Photography)

Explore President James Buchanan’s Wheatland at your own pace. On this self-guided tour, you can explore the President’s home and see what you want for as long as you want. Tour guides will be stationed around the mansion to provide visitors with information about the spaces, objects, and people who once called Wheatland home.

At-Your-Own-Pace tours are great for families (pick up a scavenger hunt from reception on your way in!) and those who want to take their time viewing the mansion in contrast to our regular ‘guided tour’ experience. Spend as little or as much time (within operating hours!) as you’d like in President Buchanan’s beloved home.

“Go-At-Your-Own-Pace” Tours are only available on Saturday, June 7. Entry times are every 30 minutes from 10am (first tour entry) until 3pm (last tour entry). Ticket purchase also includes self-guided access to LancasterHistory’s museum exhibitions. Tickets are $17/Adult (14+), $15/Senior (65+), $10/Youth (6-13), and free for children 5 and under. LancasterHistory Members receive complimentary admission. This tour is eligible for our Museums for All rate!

To purchase tickets in advance, please go online or call (717) 392-4633. Advance tickets are strongly recommended.

At Your Own Pace Tour Family-Friendly In-Person Event Tour

June 7, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA Tour Entry Every 30 Minutes, 10am - 3pm FREE/Members | $17/Adults (18+) | $15/Seniors (65+) | $10 (11-College ID)
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Open The Door: A Discussion of the History of Race & Baseball in Lancaster County

A black and white image of a young Black man in a baseball uniform.
Keith Kelley began playing for the Lancaster Red Roses in 1951, pitching a no-hitter in his debut. From the Collections of LancasterHistory.

On Sunday, April 26, 1925, the Harrisburg Giants of the Eastern Colored League played the first of five official league games at Rossmere Base Ball Park in Lancaster County. The Eastern Colored League was one of many segregated leagues that existed in the first half of the 20th Century when white owners observed an unwritten but clearly understood rule barring Black players from their teams. Yet despite the bigotry they faced elsewhere, Black owners, players, and fans built the Negro Leagues into a space where they could thrive. From the Harrisburg Giants to Jackie Robinson to Black and brown players in the game today, the history of baseball isn’t just about scores and statistics—it provides a lens through which to view the history of race and democracy in America.

Join LancasterHistory, local historian Jeremy Raff, and Crispus Attucks Community Center’s Young Professionals of Color Network on Tuesday June 17, 2025 for a special event celebrating the Harrisburg Giants and the Negro Leagues. The evening will begin with a short film and panel discussion to celebrate the Giants’ centennial and the opening of LancasterHistory’s latest exhibit Open the Door: The Harrisburg Giants, the Red Roses, and Baseball’s Color Line in Central Pennsylvania. Following the panel, we’ll break into smaller groups for further discussions of sports and race in America.

Schedule of Events

  • 5:30pm –  A Century of Change Film Screening and Panel Discussion
    • A Century of Change, a PBS documentary, tells the story of the Negro National League teams which were not only an economic staple in the Black community, but a source of pride. The panel, moderated by Jeremy Raff, will feature Lancaster historian Leroy Hopkins, baseball historian Ted Knorr, and India Garnett, grand niece of Rap Dixon, a star for the Harrisburg Giants.
  • 6:30pm – Reception
  • 7:00pm – Small Group Discussions

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. To register, please click here or call (717) 392-4633 to register over the phone.

This inclusive event welcomes participants of all ages and backgrounds who wish to engage in constructive dialogue. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for disruptive behavior to ensure a respectful environment for all attendees.

If you have any questions, please contact Starleisha Gingrich, Education and Programs Manager at LancasterHistory, (starleisha.gingrich@lancasterhistory.org) or Josh Hunter, Director of the Crispus Attucks Community Center (jhunter@caplanc.org).

Presented In Partnership with Crispus Attucks Community Center and Young Professionals of Color Lancaster

The logos for Crispus Attucks Community Center and Young Professionals of Color Lancaster.

Film Screening In-Person Event Panel Reception

June 17, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 5:30 - 8pm FREE | Registration Requested
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Juneteenth Coffee Hour & Storytime

The book cover for "Juneteenth for Mazie" features an illustration of a young Black girl with her arms up in celebration. A crowd of people gather behind her with American flags.

“On Juneteenth National Freedom Day, we celebrate the end of race-based chattel slavery in the United States. We celebrate this important event in our political, economic and social history. At the same time, we acknowledge the burden that slavery has left for us all.” –Blanding Watson, President of the Lancaster Branch of NAACP

On Thursday, June 19, join LancasterHistory and the Lancaster Branch of the NAACP at the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy for a special coffee hour and children’s storytime to celebrate Juneteenth! At 9am, enjoy light breakfast treats before settling down for storytime, featuring two special guests who will read the books Juneteenth for Mazie (by Floyd Cooper) and All Different Now (by Angela Johnson). After storytime, we’ll make a craft for kids to take home.

Juneteenth Coffee Hour & Storytime is free and open to all ages. Book selections are suggested for readers 12 years of age or under. Registration is appreciated to ensure we have craft supplies for everyone. Click here to register online for Juneteenth Coffee Hour & Storytime or call (717) 392-4633 to register over the phone.

Juneteenth Coffee Hour & Storytime will take place at the Stevens & Smith Center, 13-15 E. Vine Str. in Lancaster, formerly 45 S. Queen Str., from 9 – 10am. Please use our main entrance on East Vine Street.

All are invited to join us for a walk to City Hall for the Juneteenth Flag Raising after the program concludes.

About The Books:

Juneteenth for Maizie (Written & Illustrated by Floyd Cooper)

Mazie is ready to celebrate liberty. She is ready to celebrate freedom. She is ready to celebrate a great day in American history. The day her ancestors were no longer slaves. Mazie remembers the struggles and the triumph, as she gets ready to celebrate Juneteenth.

All Different Now (Written by Angela Johnson, Illustrated by E.B. Lewis)

Through the eyes of one little girl, All Different Now tells the story of the first Juneteenth, the day freedom finally came to the last of the slaves in the South. Since then, the observance of June 19 as African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. 

 

Presented in partnership with the Lancaster Branch of the NAACP

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event

June 19, 2025 The Stevens & Smith Center, 13-15 E. Vine Str., Lancaster, PA 9 - 10am FREE | Registration Requested
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2025 Annual Gathering of LancasterHistory

A color illustration of Thaddeus Stevens, James Buchanan, and a frog caddie playing golf.
Artwork by Mike Abel

Enjoy a summer evening of history and fellowship on Wednesday, June 25! Savor decadent light bites and refreshing cocktails, explore captivating exhibits, and stroll the lush grounds of the Tanger Arboretum. Challenge your friends to lively games and learn about what’s ahead at LancasterHistory! And, don’t miss our exciting new way to directly support artifacts and projects: investing in our “Pet Project” Program.

All proceeds from the Annual Gathering benefit the education and public programs of LancasterHistory.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

  • Beginning at 5:30pm: Cocktails & decadent bites
  • 6pm: Brief Remarks by Robin Sarratt, President & CEO of LancasterHistory
  • Special Opportunities throughout the Evening
    • Old Buck’s Wine Pull
    • Lawn Games
    • Sneak Peek of New Historic Artifacts
    • “Pet Project” Adoption Fair

RESERVATIONS

Tickets are available at the levels below. Each level is preceded by the name of said level (ex. “Preservation Pioneer”), followed by the price per person. Each ticket includes admission to the event, light bites, and drinks. The higher the level, the more support you give to LancasterHistory. While some table seating will be available, this event is not a sit-down dinner but an elevated cocktail party.

  • Individual Ticket: $100/person
  • Heritage Champion: $250/person
  • Preservation Pioneer: $500/person
  • LancasterHistory Legend: $1,000/person

A portion of each ticket level is tax deductible. For higher levels ($250 and up), an added benefit is attendees name(s) listed on the event program.

RSVP by June 16, 2025 by completing one of the following:

Unable to attend but want to show your support? Consider making a gift! Thank you for your generosity!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

There is ample parking available on-site at LancasterHistory. “Dressy casual” dress is suggested for this event (ex. sundresses, khakis with blazer, collared shirt, etc…).

 

Special Thanks to Our Event Partner

Groff Funeral and Cremation Services logo

With thanks to the following partners for their ongoing support of educational programs at LancasterHistory

Various logos for businesses.

Fundraiser In-Person Event

June 25, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603 5:30-7:30pm Tickets Begin at $100
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