Springfest!

Join Historic RittenhouseTown Sunday April 18th at our barn for a free outdoor celebration as we mark the changing of the season with spring themed activities. The mini festival combines Earth Day, spring welcome & International Day of Monuments and Sites is a family-friendly event in the heart of nature, offering a variety of free programming and tours that celebrate both renewal and sustainability. Don’t forget to check out our blooming magnolia grove and arboretum!

Hearth Week: Historic Cooking & Modern Connection, A Celebration of Fire, Flavor, and History!!

Hearth Week: Historic Cooking & Modern Connection, A Celebration of Fire, Flavor & History

From Sunday, May 24th through Sunday, May 31st, join us for an immersive week of hearth cooking, living history, and shared meals. Throughout the week, our historic site comes alive with the crackle of wood fires and the aroma of traditional recipes as guests experience a rotating series of hearth-centered events and meals inspired by colonial cooking, traditional German fare, and locally sourced ingredients. This week of programming features hands-on and communal experiences, historic and modern fiery flavours and more! Our activities will bring together neighbors, community and new friends to revive the colorful village life of the industrial village. Some of our events include happy hours, hand tossed pizzas, bread baking, serving true to the Wissahickon dishes, Firefly nights with smores and bubbly brunches and some guests from Indian King Tavern, In Riva, Young American and more! This hearth cooking series is brought together by Historic RittenhouseTown and The Historic Foodways Society of the Delaware Valley.

The Historic Foodways Society of the Delaware Valley (HFSDV) is a not-for-profit group of individuals and institutions dedicated to the promotion and understanding of food and its place in and contributions to history. While traditionally concentrating on 17th Century through 19th Century cooking, the HFSDV has hosted over 30 years, programs throughout the year including visits to historic sites, hands-on-hearth cooking, and food history talks and lectures by noted academics — all of which normally include a tasting of period food. Many of the programs focus on the rich foodways of the Philadelphia region.

Looking For a tour of the Historic 1707 Homestead?

Private Tours are available year round, email us at information@rittenhousetown.org to schedule one today!

Regular tour hours are available on Saturdays Memorial Day through Labor Day on Saturday from 12p-3p.
Tours start on the hour and last 45 minutes. Cash and Venmo accepted. $10 per person, Kids under 8 are free.

52 Weeks of Firsts

In 2026, America turns 250, and Philadelphia is throwing the ultimate yearlong celebration. After all, we’ve been first in freedom, first in innovation and first in fun for 250 years.

The Philadelphia Historic District Partners have assembled 52 Weeks of Firsts, from world-changing inventions to beloved traditions, with a new “Saturday First-ival” every week, each one happening in one of more than a dozen neighborhoods across this city. Expect live performances, pop-up experiences, family fun and plenty of Philly flavor.

Plan your trip, grab your crew and be part of the celebration that could only happen here — in the city that was first in everything worth celebrating.

By the way, exactly what is a Philadelphia First?

A Philadelphia First is something that happened here before anywhere else. These Firsts highlight the moments, places and creations that took root in Philadelphia, not individual achievements. From inventions to institutions, they’re the sparks that shaped a city of doers, dreamers and difference-makers. Because in Philly, history doesn’t just live here, it began here.

Historic RittenhouseTown has been picked as the celebration site for week 26, to celebrate the life and accomplishments of William Rittenhouse!

“Long before Wi-Fi and word processors, there was paper and it all started at Rittenhouse Town. Discover the handmade beginnings of America’s paper trail and the mill that made it happen.”

On Saturday, June 27, 2026, the first paper maker in the United States will kick off at Historic RittenhouseTown with a variety of activities for the celebration! Please mark your calendars to celebrate with us!

Check out our awesome on-site vendors!