Saturday, October 10, 2015 was Chocolate Walk day in Lititz, and for those who did not manage to score tickets, there was no need to fret. Three other great events within an easy drive offered a range of activities, from free play on vintage pinball machines to strolling among classic cars. Here were the top picks for the weekend.
White Rose Game Room Show in York
The White Rose Game Room Show is a spectacular annual gathering of vintage arcade games held at the York Fairgrounds. The show features pinball machines, classic video games, slot machines and other coin-operated amusements, many brought in by their owners from across the country.
The best part is the price. For a modest admission fee, visitors get free play all day on hundreds of machines. That makes the show a rare chance to try games that have long since disappeared from arcades and bowling alleys.
The show is also a marketplace. Collectors looking for spare parts for their machines, or hoping to become owners themselves, can buy from vendors and private sellers.
Many of the games are kid-friendly, which makes the show a natural outing for families. It is a great way for generations to connect, as grandparents show grandchildren the games they played decades ago.
When: Saturday only, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: $15 for adults for all-day machine play, $5 for children ages 6 to 12, and free for children 5 and under.
Where: Old Main Building, York Fairgrounds, York.
AACA Eastern Regional Fall Meet in Hershey
Car lovers had their own destination in Hershey, where the Antique Automobile Club of America held its Eastern Regional Fall Meet on the grounds and parking lots surrounding Hersheypark and the Giant Center. Admission was free.
Touted as the largest antique car show in the country, the Hershey meet has been held annually since 1955. It is known as one of the largest shows and flea markets in the nation, with more than 1,250 show cars, 1,000 car corral spaces and 9,000 flea market spaces.
The 2015 event highlighted the era of big-block, high-performance cars and featured vintage car races. At noon in front of the Giant Center, the show celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Shelby. Rare cars, hard-to-find parts and visitors from around the world make the meet a fixture of the fall calendar.
When: Saturday.
Where: Giant Center and Hersheypark parking lots, Hershey.
More information: hersheyaaca.org.
Latin American Festival at Long’s Park
In Lancaster, Long’s Park hosted a celebration of Latin American culture through music, dance and food from a variety of countries. The family-friendly festival aimed to educate, enrich and entertain.
The lineup was impressive. It included an all-female, 10-member mariachi band and a 13-member steel drum band, along with Native American drummers and dancers, Andean music, and Puerto Rican cultural music and dance. Featured performers included Frankellys, Liza + Willie, and salsa singer Paquito Guzman.
Long’s Park, one of Lancaster’s most beloved green spaces, is a natural setting for a festival, with open lawns and an amphitheater.
When: Saturday, noon to 9 p.m.
Where: Long’s Park, Route 30 and Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster.
For families planning the day, the three events were spread out enough to pick one and settle in, or close enough to combine a morning in York with an afternoon in Hershey or an evening of music in Lancaster. Fall weather in south-central Pennsylvania is often at its best in early October, and the forecast favored getting outside.
A full weekend
Together, the three events showed just how much the region offers on a single fall weekend. Whether the interest was arcade nostalgia, automotive history or a vibrant cultural celebration, there was a way to fill the day within a short drive of Lititz. And for anyone who missed the Chocolate Walk, there was always next year.