Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Philadelphia, PA

Happy coming New Year!

Wait, what? OK, most of us no longer celebrate November 1st as the beginning of the year, but folks used to. Yes, it turns out that Halloween used to be the Celt's New Year's Eve bash--including costumes to confuse the dead (because hey, even the dead like a good New Year's Eve bash). Obviously, you'll find the roots of our current trick-and-treating holiday in the serious Celtic holiday of Samhain.

So, you may not want to get into the whole "wear costumes to scare off the dead" part of Halloween's history, but if you'd like to take your kiddos to experience a bit of the historic Celtic life (including awesome Celtic music), see some great costumes, and maybe even pick out a great costume for you (or, you know, your kids), well then--head on out to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair!

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair is held every year for twelve weekends, with the final weekends being celebrations of Halloween. There are all kinds of tricks and treats scheduled--some spookier than others--and some wonderful Celtic bands playing toe-tapping music throughout the weekend. If you go in costume, there are prizes!

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair is held at the Mount Hope Estate & Winery, located Manheim, PA (quite near Lancaster). On the way you'll see plenty of farms where you can stop and pick your own pumpkins, have some hot cider, and have other fall treats.

But mostly go to the Fair to enjoy the Queen, Knights, jousting and other fun historical stylings and, as they say at the Fair, "party like it's 1569." What a great way to celebrate Halloween! Even if you have to drag along a reluctant husband like me. Ahem.