Events: Outdoor

Annual Wreath-Laying Ceremony for Lydia Hamilton Smith

A historic photograph of Lydia Hamilton Smith, seated on a chair in a dress.Join us at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cemetery for LancasterHistory’s annual wreath-laying ceremony at the gravesite of Lydia Hamilton Smith. Smith was Thaddeus Stevens’ housekeeper, a businesswoman in her own right, and also a devout Roman Catholic who was buried at St. Mary’s upon her death in 1884. Taking place on Smith’s birthday, the ceremony will feature the laying of flowers at her gravesite and remarks by community leaders.

This event is free and open to the public. We are requesting that individuals register for the event so that we may contact them in the event of inclement weather that may cause us to cancel the event. Attendees may register online or by calling 717.392.4633. Please register with an actively monitored cellphone and email address in the event of cancellations.

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Arrival & Parking Information

Attendees are encouraged to use street parking on the 200-block of Park Avenue and enter via the pedestrian-only entrance across from the intersection of Park Avenue and Shippen Street. This provides the easiest access to Lydia Hamilton Smith’s gravesite. (Enter Park Avenue Apartments at 255 Park Avenue in GPS navigation platforms and you’ll be just up the street.)

Attendees can also park inside the cemetery. If driving and parking inside the cemetery, it is best to use 401 New Holland Avenue as your destination in GPS navigation platforms. This will take you to the cemetery’s main entrance. The gravesite is on the opposite end of the cemetery from the auto entrance and attendees can park on the shoulder of the roads nearby.  

Accessibility

St. Mary’s Cemetery and Lydia Hamilton Smith’s gravesite are wheelchair accessible in that they do not have stairs. However, most of the paths, though paved, are cracked, uneven, and have potholes. Access to the gravesite itself is on grass. Spaces to park that are nearest to the gravesite will be reserved for those with accessibility needs.

Note that St. Mary’s Cemetery is adjacent to Lancaster Cemetery, but has its own entrances. You will not be able to access Lydia Hamilton Smith’s gravesite from Lancaster Cemetery.

Dedication/Memorial In-Person Event Off-Site Event Outdoor

February 14, 2026 St. Mary's Cemetery, 401 New Holland Ave., Lancaster 11am FREE | Registration Requested

Leaf & Learn: A Celebration of Arbor Day

A view of the Black Maple’s branches and bright green leaves.

Join the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum on Saturday, April 18 from 10am – 12pm for a special April Nature Series extravaganza, “Leaf & Learn: A Celebration of Arbor Day!” This new, two-hour event features programs for all ages, including a nature Storytime and craft for kids, a tree dedication for America250, and an “all about trees” education program and tree walk of the Tanger Arboretum with Lancaster County Senior Naturalist Lisa Sanchez!

A more detailed schedule to come!

HOW TO REGISTER
The event, “Leaf & Learn: A Celebration of Arbor Day” will take place on Saturday, April 18 from 10am-12pm at the LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Registration opening soon! Please check back later.


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.

 


“Leaf & Learn:” A Celebration of Arbor Day is sponsored by Pine Brook Farm, Inc. and Ever Green Tree & Lawn Care.
Their support enables us to offer this new program to the community for free! Thank you for your generosity!

Children's Program Dedication/Memorial Family-Friendly In-Person Event Nature Series Outdoor Program Tour

April 18, 2026 LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10am-12pm FREE | Registration Requested

2026 Annual Presidential Wreath-Laying Ceremony

Image of Buchanan's grave site in Woodward Hill Cemetery.Join LancasterHistory at Woodward Hill Cemetery for the Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony for President James Buchanan, the United States’ 15th President. Taking place two days after Buchanan’s birthday, the ceremony features the laying of fresh flowers at the gravesite of the former president and remarks by the presiding officer of the Pennsylvania National Guard as well as local dignitaries.

Please check back later for a full schedule.

This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required. For directions to the Cemetery, please click here.

Dedication/Memorial In-Person Event Off-Site Event Outdoor

April 25, 2026 Woodward Hill Cemetery, 508 S. Queen St., Lancaster, PA 10am FREE | Registration NOT Required

Nature Storytime | “Beautiful Bats”

Spring has sprung and so has an all new Storytime program focused on the great outdoors! This June, Storytime “goes wild” with educational books and fun crafts about the natural environment and the critters who call it home, including our own Tanger Arboretum!

For Thursday, June 4, we’ll read Beautiful Bats by Linda Glaser (illustrated by Sharon Lane Holm):

“Little Brown Bats are shy, gentle animals with strong toes and big ears and round black eyes.” Find out how bats fly, where they sleep, what they eat, and other fun bat facts. Bats will fascinate the young naturalist after he or she is introduced to this rhyming nonfiction picture book. Watch the Brown Bat glide through the sky, learn how he finds mosquitoes, and see him neatly fold his wings at night, as told by a little girl. Beautiful Bat Facts, a glossary, includes more bat facts and information about conservation efforts. 

Nature Storytime is free and open to the public. Books and crafts selected are suggested for ages 5-8 years of age, but all ages are welcome. We kindly ask one adult (18 years or older) attend per household. Nature Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. Registration is appreciated to guarantee space and supplies for all children. To register, please click the link below or call 717.392.4633.

Register for June 4 Storytime

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

June 4, 2026 LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10-11am FREE | Registration Requested

Nature Storytime | “Where Butterflies Grow”

Spring has sprung and so has an all new Storytime program focused on the great outdoors! This June, Storytime “goes wild” with educational books and fun crafts about the natural environment and the critters who call it home, including our own Tanger Arboretum!

For Thursday, June 11, we’ll read Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder (illustrated by Lynne Cherry):

In a field of lacy leaves, a small caterpillar hatches, grows, and sheds its skin, becoming a smooth, green creeper. It eats and changes some more, then in a sequence of remarkable close-ups, spins a silken sling in which to pupate—until it finally bursts forth as a brilliant black swallowtail butterfly. Includes suggestions on how children can grow butterflies in their own gardens.

Nature Storytime is free and open to the public. Books and crafts selected are suggested for ages 5-8 years of age, but all ages are welcome. We kindly ask one adult (18 years or older) attend per household. Nature Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. Registration is appreciated to guarantee space and supplies for all children. To register, please click the link below or call 717.392.4633.

Register for June 11 Storytime

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

June 11, 2026 LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10-11am FREE | Registration Requested

Nature Storytime | “Owls”

Spring has sprung and so has an all new Storytime program focused on the great outdoors! This June, Storytime “goes wild” with educational books and fun crafts about the natural environment and the critters who call it home, including our own Tanger Arboretum!

For Thursday, June 18, we’ll read Owls by Gail Gibbons:

With their striking appearance and distinctive hoot, hoot, owls are one of the most recognizable birds in the world. But did you know there are more than 140 types of owls living in the world? Gail Gibbons’ “Owls” celebrates the similarities and differences in the many species of owls, from large to small, living in diverse environments and making many different kinds of nests. The book covers basics of owl behavior, information on how they hunt, and the many factors that have led some types of owls to become endangered.

Nature Storytime is free and open to the public. Books and crafts selected are suggested for ages 5-8 years of age, but all ages are welcome. We kindly ask one adult (18 years or older) attend per household. Nature Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. Registration is appreciated to guarantee space and supplies for all children. To register, please click the link below or call 717.392.4633.

Register for June 18 Storytime

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

June 18, 2026 LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10-11am FREE | Registration Requested

Nature Storytime | “Frogs”

Spring has sprung and so has an all new Storytime program focused on the great outdoors! This June, Storytime “goes wild” with educational books and fun crafts about the natural environment and the critters who call it home, including our own Tanger Arboretum!

For Thursday, June 25, we’ll read Frogs by Gail Gibbons:

Growing from tiny tadpoles to massive master jumpers, frogs and their life cycles are fascinating. How far can frogs jump? Why do their eggs look slimy? Answer these questions and many more in this illustrated introduction to amphibians. With her signature bright, well-labeled diagrams and simple text, Gail Gibbons introduces the habitat and life cycles of frogs and gives an overview of common frog behaviors. Important biology vocabulary is introduced, defined, and reinforced with kid-friendly language and clear illustrations–plus a page of intriguing frog trivia and clear diagrams that show how frogs are different from toads. Bonus material is included about the unique role frogs play in the environment.

Nature Storytime is free and open to the public. Books and crafts selected are suggested for ages 5-8 years of age, but all ages are welcome. We kindly ask one adult (18 years or older) attend per household. Nature Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. Registration is appreciated to guarantee space and supplies for all children. To register, please click the link below or call 717.392.4633.

Register for June 25 Storytime

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

June 25, 2026 LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10-11am FREE | Registration Requested