Community Calendar

The Community Calendar

A central part of LancasterHistory’s mission is to support the needs and interests of history-oriented organizations in our region and to bring into greater focus the extraordinary opportunities for learners of all ages to experience America’s past in Lancaster County and the surrounding region. LancasterHistory is proud to provide this Community Calendar to highlight upcoming events of history-focused institutions and organizations.

Looking for LancasterHistory’s main events calendar? View events calendar.

How To Submit An Event

If you are an authorized representative of a Lancaster County-based, history-focused institution or organization, please fill out our Community Calendar Submission form to submit your event for inclusion on this webpage. Before submitting, however, we highly recommend you review our Community Calendar Guidelines [PDF, 217kb].

A LancasterHistory staff member moderates this Community Calendar. Questions about this calendar can be directed to info@lancasterhistory.org.

Submit Event to Community Calendar

COMMUNITY CALENDAR GUIDELINES [PDF, 217KB]

Calendar Guidelines & Disclaimers

Each submission will be reviewed and must be in compliance with our Community Calendar Guidelines [PDF, 217kb]. LancasterHistory will do its best to make sure all information on this calendar is correct and up-to-date. Despite our efforts, some information may be incorrect or may have been submitted incorrectly to us. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Listings below may contain URLs to other organizations’ or institutions’ websites or ticketing pages, or other third-party URLs. These URLs do not constitute official endorsement on behalf of LancasterHistory and are for informational purposes only. LancasterHistory is not responsible for those URLs, the content found on those webpages being linked to, or those website’s privacy policies and policies on collecting data.


Lancaster Rock & Mineral Club Display & Lecture

Who: Lower Susquehanna Archaeology Society
What: Presentation 
When: Sunday, August 3 |2-3pm
Where: Blue Rock Heritage Center
Cost:  Free. No, tickets or registration is not required. 

Join us on August 3rd, Sunday at 2:00 and meet Christopher Haefner, Paleontologist from Lancaster County, PA.  Chris is the founder of the Lancaster County Fossil and Mineral Club in 2013.

Presentation focuses on the Lower Cambrian Age fossils of the area, plus various rocks, and minerals. Lower Susquehanna Archaeology Society is sponsoring the presentation to enhance the identification of lithic & fossil materials encountered by archaeologists in the field. Plus take a self-guided tour of the various displays and artifacts of the local area which range from 16,000 years ago to present.  (Free Event-Open to the Public)

Relax at the air-conditioned center and enjoy learning about the natural world.


African American Heritage Walking Tours

Who: African American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania
What: Tours
When: Saturday, August 9 | 11-2pm 
Where:  Depart from Crispus Attucks Community Center
Cost: Adult$17/ Senior (65 and older) $10 / Students (6-18) $5 / Under 6 Free. Registration is required.
 
Southeast Lancaster 

The Southeast Area tour highlights that liberation is up to African Americans, whose experiences represent a complex connection to their past—both the trauma of enslavement and the resilience of their heritage. This tour brings to life the triumph of the African American community as it built a culture of service, faith, and social activism, alongside the tragedy of Urban Renewal, which saw the demolition of 14 square blocks of thriving businesses, churches, and civic associations. The fabric of the community was ruptured as individual homes were replaced with public housing and vibrant community spaces were obliterated. This tour traces the life stream and economic castration of that community, which was attacked by the policy of Urban Renewal, but which has not been forgotten or erased. No reservations needed.

Saturdays: August 9, September 13, October 11, November 8 | Depart from Crispus Attucks Community Center

Downtown Lancaster 

Focused largely on the Underground Railroad, including four authenticated sites, tour features African agency and resistance to an institution that has kinship to economic, political, and social/cultural forces which fueled the nation’s early growth and beyond; an institution which dehumanized the enslaved and enslaver alike. Because the Underground Railroad was by necessity secret, uncovering the details of its existence has required a great deal of detective work. Local African American history, such as that shared on this tour, is the vital lifeblood that gives rise to an authentic national history. This tour includes the latest research and recent discoveries which further reveal the rich fabric of African American history in Lancaster before and after the Civil War. No reservations needed.

Saturdays:  September 6, October 4, November 1 | Depart from City of Lancaster Visitor Center


“The Backbone of our Country: Women of the Civil War”

Who: Millersville Area Historical Society 
What: Presentation 
When: Saturday, August 9 |9-10:30am 
Where: Millersville Borough Administration & Police Building 
Cost:  Free. No, tickets or registration is not required. 

The Millersville Area Historical Society will host a slide-presentation titled “The Backbone of our Country: Women of the Civil War” when it meets at 9 a.m. Saturday, August 9, in the Millersville Borough Administration & Police Building, 100 Municipal Drive (doors open at 8:30 a.m. and lock at 9:15 a.m.).

The speaker will be Columbia native and Civil War Historian Cindy Beaston, founder of the General Welsh Post 118: Civil War Roundtable (CWRT), which meets at the Columbia Public Library and is the only CWRT currently operating in Lancaster County.  A graduate of Columbia High School, Beaston studied WWII military history while in college and has spent over a decade learning about the many circumstances that led to the most infamous four years in American History.

Before the Women’s Suffrage Movement in the 1920s, women were shaping the country during the Civil War. Beaston says women—as spies, activists, nurses and wives—truly helped the war effort and shaped our country to what it is today; she will discuss numerous examples of their efforts during her presentation, which will conclude with a Q & A session.

Beaston, whose work has been published in newspapers, has given lectures at nursing homes and public centers and taken students on walking tours in Wrightsville and trolley tours during Columbia’s RiverFest.

Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. For more info, contact Phil Gerber at 717.872.8837 before noon or at pge8507@aol.com.


A Civil War Ladies Aid Society 

Who: Manheim Historical Society 
What: Presentation 
When: Sunday, August 10| 3-4pm 
Where: Fasig House 
Cost:  Free. No, tickets or registration is not required. 
 
Join the Patriot Daughters of Lancaster for a living history presentation, dressed in period attire, as they discuss how women throughout the American Civil War supported the cause of abolishing slavery. This Free program is scheduled for Aug. 10 at 3pm in the Fasig House (air conditioned). Due to limited space – Register with this link https://forms.office.com/r/WphZYpmPS3 or Call 717-665-7989 to leave name, phone # and number of guests.

Visit both Fasig and Keath Colonial houses to have free tours with no need to register for tours. The Fasig Colonial House is open from 1- 3pm until closed for program. Keath Colonial House will be open from 1-4 p.m.


Manheim Historical Society’s Annual Ice Cream Social

Who: Manheim Historical Society 
What: Presentation 
When: Sunday, August 17| 1-4pm 
Where: Manheim Railroad Complex 
Cost: Ice Cream requires purchase, free museums

Manheim Historical Society’s Annual Ice Cream Social is held every year on the third Sunday of August at the Manheim Railroad Complex, 210 South Charlotte St. Manheim from 1 – 4 PM. It benefits the Historical Society’s Acquisition Fund to continue to acquire Manheim-related historical items celebrating the town of Manheim, PA. This year’s event features music by the Stone Soup String Band, Kreider’s ice cream and Celebrity Dippers-Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society from Manheim Central High School. Free tours of the air-conditioned railroad complex, which contains items from Henry W. Stiegel’s iron and glassmaking companies, the restored 1881 railway station with men’s and women’s waiting rooms and offices, and Manheim businesses throughout history. The Birney trolley will be available for rides depending on the weather. All ages are welcome.

100 Years of Popcorn

Who: Reist Popcorn Company
What: Special Event
When: Saturday, September 13| 4pm-9pm
Where: The Reist Farm
Cost: No, tickets or registration is not required.
 

Join us to celebrate 100 Y’EARS of Popcorn with a special Community Day on Saturday, September 13, 2025! We’re hosting an unforgettable event at Reist Farm in Mount Joy, PA to thank you, our amazing community, for being part of our journey. Entry is free for everyone!

The day will be filled with excitement, including free hot air balloon rides, a corn maze, hayrides, and fun games for all ages. There will be food vendors, live performances, and fireworks to close out the night. We’re planning to make the evening truly special.

For 100 years, Reist Popcorn Company has been proud to bring farm-to-table, non-GMO popcorn to your homes. We’re incredibly grateful for the continued support of our community and can’t wait to celebrate this milestone together.

Please note that seating will not be provided, so we encourage you to bring your own chairs or blankets to enjoy the event comfortably.

Let’s make some amazing memories, stay tuned for more updates as we count down to the big day!