Bucks/Lehigh Valley Beer and Wine Trail

For the first time, our group is going to check out the Celtic Classic, an annual weekend-long celebration of Celtic (mostly Irish and Scottish) culture, music, sport, food and more in the Lehigh Valley.

We'll meet up late in the afternoon on Saturday to see what's what. Here are some of the things that will be happening during that timeframe:

• Caber toss competition
• Massed pipe bands
• Border collie demo
• Irish dancers from O'Grady Quinlan Academy
• Music from the Rogue Diplomats, Kilmaine Saints, The Ogham Stones, Screaming Orphans, Seamus Kennedy, Pilgrims of Deep Run, Steel City Rovers, On the Lash, Emish and Gerry Timlin
• Celtic storytelling

And of course there will be beer, including Guinness, Harp, Smithwick's and Magner's (cider) plus Miller Lite, Smirnoff Ice products, Bailey's Irish Cream and Teeling Irish Whiskey.

We'll meet starting at 4 p.m. in the Tavern in the Glen space, close to Sand Island. I have another meetup earlier that afternoon so that's the earliest I can get there. If you'd like to start earlier and help organize this event, let me know and I'll make you an event organizer.

Feicfidh mé ann thú! That's Irish for see you there!

It's the first Saturday in October, fall is in full swing, the leaves are changing colors, it's apple season, so let's enjoy the fruits and scenery of the season with a trip to Hardball Cider in Mount Bethel (Upper Mt. Bethel Twp, Northampton County)

Hardball Cider was founded in 2013 by Geoff Deen, a former Moravian College baseball player. Geoff made cider from apples grown on his family farm, Elvern Farms, in Mount Bethel, just as his father did before him. The name brought together his family's tradition of making fresh-pressed cider and his love of baseball.

Mass production began in 2014, local distribution in 2015 and Hardball Cider was served at Coca Cola Park, Citizens Bank Park and other stadiums by 2016. Geoff even won $10000 pitching his cider to Shark Tank investor Barbara Corcoran on the Rachel Ray Show.

By 2019, Hardball Cider had opened its own taproom on the farm in Mount Bethel, weathering Covid a year later with its large outdoor space. Hardball Cider now produces apple and pear cider plus wine on its farm. Food trucks, live music and a bucolic rural setting, complete with a scenic lake, are all a part of the experience.

We'll get things started at 1:30 p.m. Don Chuy Tacos is the food truck. It's always fun to check out a new place (for us) and this figures to be well worth the visit so join us to ring in the fall season.

See you there!

We're stretching into the Poconos for this one as we continue our fall explorations with a trip to the new Brix Brewhouse in Brodheadsville (Chestnut Hill Township), Monroe County.

Opened in May 2026, Brix Brewhouse is located in the former West End Fire Company station, built in 1953. The brewery features rotating taps of small-batch house brews. Current selections include a light pilsner lager, amber ale, American wheat ale, session IPA, brown ale and blonde ale. They serve their own food including sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, salads, mac and cheese and more.

It's a unique indoor space and outdoor seating is available, weather permitting.

We'll get things started at 12:30 p.m. for drinks and lunch. See you there!

The fall fun continues on the summit of Blue Mountain for this one as we combine a 4-mile trail walk on the famous Appalachian Trail with lunch at the trailside Thunderhead Lodge in Andreas (West Penn Township, Schuylkill County).

The Thunderhead Lodge, originally the Blue Mountain Summit Inn, AKA Dorward's Inn, turned 101 this year. The original facility that opened in 1925 was a hotel with cabins for lodging and, later, a tap room.

Early owners of the property also operated a service station and refreshment stand here. The current owners took over in 2019, made some renovations and rechristened the business Thunderhead Lodge.

Past iterations included the Blue Mountain Summit Restaurant, which also operated as a bed-and-breakfast, the Restaurant on Rascal Hill and Gambrinus Bavarian Restaurant, which hosted many an Oktoberfest in its day.

Thunderhead Lodge remains a popular stop for day-hikers and thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. It's common to see them pass through the restaurant with their hiking and camping gear. We'll get into the spirit of things with a short 4-mile out-and-back trail walk from the parking lot across the road from the Thunderhead Lodge to the New Tripoli Campsite and Spring.
Drinks and lunch to follow at the lodge.

After lunch, head outside for marshmallows, s'mores, campfire songs and ghost stories around the fire pit, hosted by LoriAnne.

See you there!