Sweet Treats at the Philadelphia Honey Festival


Bee prepared, the Philadelphia Honey Festival is right around the corner. See what all the buzz is about from September 7th to the 9th as the city’s beekeeping community comes together to raise awareness about the importance of bees, while having fun and tasting delicious products. Activities range from kiddie crafts to cooking demonstrations to honey-based beer tastingsFranklin Fountain and Little Baby’s will be among the businesses participating.

Read on for highlights from the un-bee-lievable schedule.

On Friday September 7th the Honey Festival takes place at The Wagner Free Institute of Science.

The day starts with demonstrations and hands-on activities for kids from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by honey tasting and samples of honey comb ice cream from The Franklin Fountain. Stick around at 2:30pm for Beekeeping 101 and book signing by Aaron Birk, the author of graphic novel The Pollinator’s Corridor.

From 5-6pm visit the Honey Happy Hour to taste mead from Stonekeep Meadery and beer made with honey from Barry’s Home Brew, Prism Brewing Company, and Earth Bread + Brewery. Franklin Fountain will be handing out more ice cream samples and there will be chances to win a gift certificate to Triumph Brewing Co.

Saturday September 8th activities take place at The Wyck Historic House and Garden.

Prominent honey bee researcher Dr. Deb Delaney will give a lecture on wild bees and representatives from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania will present 300 Years of the Philadelphia Honeybee.

Throughout the day there will be children’s hands-on activities, honey tastings, honey product vendors, and food and drink concessions as well as bee hive demonstrations.

From 3-5pm there will be a free after hours tasting of honey beers at Brewer’s Outlet on7401 Germantown Avenue just two miles from the Wyck House.

Sunday September 9th the Festival ends at Bartram Gardens.

All day long Bartram will be holding its Annual Fall Plant Sale and from 10-2pm children’s craft and science stations will be open. Kids can even build their own costumes and march in the Be-A-Bee parade.

At 10:30 am Jimmy McMillan of Barry’s Home Brew will be demonstrating how to brew beer at home followed by honey-based beer tastings at 1:30pm.

Pennsylvania’s Honey Queen Jessica Long will demonstrate cooking with honey at 11am and 2pm, each followed by a mead tasting by Stonekeep Meadery at 12pm and 3pm.

And last but not least, Little Baby’s Ice Cream will be in attendance throughout the day to give out samples of their treats made with honey.

For more information, visit the Philadelphia Honey Festival official site.