Spring Green
Although there was never a shortage of interesting things to do locally over the winter, now that spring is here, Lansdowne is absolutely twitching with growth and activity. As our trees and lawns green up, consider greening yourself up a bit. Given the cost of gas, it makes sense to stay close to home and enjoy the proliferation of events occurring practically in your backyard. And before it gets too hot, why not walk to them? Make this the season you increase your stride, not your carbon footprint.

While living green feels like a rather current concept, a good old-fashioned example of environmental consciousness is Arbor Day, first celebrated in the early 1870s. A hundred years later, as kids in the early 1970s, we planted tiny seedlings each year at school on Arbor Day and almost froze doing it. But, thanks to global warming or dumb luck, the weather report for tomorrow, April 25, is perfection, so stroll over to the Arbor Day celebration in Sycamore Park, featuring Mayor Jayne Young, a guest speaker, and short story contest winners from area schools. It’s a great excuse to just sit in the park and relax. Things start at 1:00 pm, Wycombe and Lacrosse Avenues, but get there early for a seat on the stone wall.

Lansdowne’s favorite “green” grocer, Farm Fresh Express, is celebrating a combined first birthday and Earth Day — B’Earth Day, if you will — this Saturday, April 26, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Meet local farmers and small foods producers, and bring a dish made with local foods to share for a locavore potluck lunch. FFE will also be rolling out its new on-line ordering system, making it even easier to shop for food that isn’t better traveled than you are. Farm Fresh Express owners Pam Nelson and Mary Ann Ford source about 90% of the produce and 100% of the dairy (including organic raw milk), meat, and pantry items from local or regional family farms or small foods producers, and that’s what it’s all about these days. 305 Windermere Avenue; 484-461-7884; buylocal@farmfreshexpress.com.

It might be an especially good idea to leave the car at home if you head over to the Lansdowne Folk Club’s 15th anniversary party, a beef and beer fundraiser, this Saturday night. Wear your buffet pants because the $25 admission buys you all the beef, pizza, and beer you want. And throw on your toe-tapping shoes because the food is just a backdrop for three musical acts -- singer/songwriter Robin Greenstein, doo wop acapella group 5-3 Woodland, nouveau blues act The Bob Beach Trio, and rising stars Hoots and Hellmouth, best described with (partial) words like “thumpin’,” “fiddlin’,” and “stompin’.” Doors at the Twentieth Century Club, 84 S. Lansdowne Avenue, open at 7:00 pm and the music starts at 7:30.

Don’t forget! This afternoon is the free closing reception for the Penn Wood High School Art Show, 100 Green Avenue, 4:00 to 7:30:00 pm, with the award ceremony at 6:00 pm.

May 3 — A Day That Will Live in Famy
(Famy — that’s a word, right? Well, it should be.) This is the last Discover Lansdowne before May 3, a day when the borough is chock-full of calendar-worthy items, so we have to tout them now, starting with what’s sure to be a terrific event -- the first Lansdowne Arts and Crafts Show. More than 30 artists and crafters will be filling part of the Lansdowne Avenue parking lot next to Todaro’s Music store between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm Saturday, May 3 (raindate, May 4). Radio station B-101 will be on site between noon and 1:00. Up the street, the Lansdowne Friends School will be holding its annual May Fair, with more crafters, food, music, and fun activities for kids. Over in the Highland Avenue parking lot (behind Dunkin Donuts), the Boys and Girls Club’s giant flea market will be a one-stop version of the town-wide yard sale taking place that day too (free maps are available at Stephanou's Sunoco, Mar-Win Shop and Bag, Doyle's Deli, and the library). Make dinner easy and support a great cause that day by getting some hoagies from the Ladies’ Auxiliary of Lansdowne Station 19. Italian hoagies are $5 each; order yours by calling 610-622-1995, then pick them up between 11:00 and 1:00. (There’s no hoagie info at that last link above, but it’s a website worth visiting regularly to see what great work these volunteers are doing.)

Really, people, if you can’t find something enjoyable to do on May 3, you’re just not trying.


There’s making small changes every day to improve the environment and then there’s really putting your back into the effort. If you have a few hours to spare this Saturday, April 26, grab a pair of work gloves and participate in the annual Darby/Cobbs Creek watershed-wide cleanup. Show up at Bonnie’s Wondergardens on Shadeland Avenue around 9:00 to get supplies and then head to a spot along the creek. Volunteers will be working at more than 30 sites throughout DelCo. This is the 24th year for the cleanup, and the “cricks” really appreciate it. For more info, call (610) 583-0788 or visit www.dcva.org/upcoming.html.

Looking for Volunteers?
Does your community group need to connect with volunteers? The LEDC wants to help. Here's how: Fill out our Need Volunteers form to place your free call for volunteers. We'll list your specific volunteer needs in this space, giving you exposure to many local community-minded folks.

In addition to the many wonderful goings on listed in the column at left, don't miss these upcoming events:

Philadelphia Mandolin & Guitar Ensemble at Regency
The Philadelphia Mandolin & Guitar Ensemble will perform classical music arranged for the mandolin family of instruments and classical guitar at Regency Cafe this week.
Thursday, April 24, 7:00 pm; Regency Cafe, 14 S. Lansdowne Avenue; Free

Lansdowne Symphony: A Family Affair
Music director Irving Ludwig is joing by violinist Michael Ludwig and violist Matthew Ludwig for perfomances of selections by Beethoven, Mozart, and Dvorak.
Sunday, April 27, 3:00 pm, Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, 601 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Drexel Hill
For more information visit http://www.lansdowneso.org
$15 General admission, $12 Seniors, $5 students

Lansdowne and Friends Read Their Favorite Poems
In celebration of National Poetry Month, bring your favorite poem or two (by someone other than yourself) to share.
Sunday, April 27, 2:00 pm, Twentieth Century Club; Free

View the complete listing of local events

Do you have an event to announce?
Send your upcoming events to events@lansdownesfuture.org to have them included in this space!

MARKET COUNTDOWN:
The Lansdowne Farmers market returns in 29 days!
See you there on Saturday, May 24, 2008!

Market Update
We’re in the height of our special event planning for this year’s Market, and here’s what we’re looking for: community groups that want to have events in conjunction with the Farmers Market, small and home-based businesses, home bakers, and canners and preservers. If you fit any of these categories and want to get some Market time, let us know.

Arts & Crafts Show: The LEDC is seeking artists and crafters to participate in the Lansdowne Arts & Crafts Show, to be held Saturday, May 3, in the municipal parking lot on North Lansdowne Avenue next to PNC bank (site of the Farmers Market). Tables are available for $25 per artists; for exhibitor information and further details please see this application form.

Facade Grants: Grants are available to business owners in the central business district for facade improvement. This program can provide up to a 50% match for qualified businesses. For more information please contact Gary Chilutti by calling 484-461-7001 or sending an email to Gary@LansdownesFuture.org.

Fundraising: Help the LEDC make Lansdowne even better by making a tax-deductible contribution today. Funds are used to support projects such as the Lansdowne Farmers Market, Lansdowne Arts Festival, Lansdowne Loves Movies, and all sorts of great stuff (including this newsletter!). Gifts can be made online at www.LansdownesFuture.org/donate.

Volunteer: Yet another way to make Lansdowne a great town...volunteer for the LEDC. We have spots open in Facade Design, Organization, Promotions, and Economic Restructuring. To volunteer, please contact Gary Chilutti by calling 484-461-7001 or sending an email to Gary@LansdownesFuture.org.