| |
Shopping Deals Are Annual Rite of Spring in Amish Country
Published 03/08/2010
(Lancaster, Pennsylvania) - Roll up your pant legs, pull on your boots, and head out to one of Lancaster County’s famous mud sales in 2010. Enjoy a day of great buys with our Amish neighbors – interweaving family, food, and fun – all for the benefit of local fire companies.
Thousands of Amish and “English” (as the rest of us are known) flock each year to the heart of PA Dutch Country for these traditional events on Saturdays from mid-February to early April, so named for the condition of the thawing ground. Both intimate and authentic, mud sales are perfect for browsing, bidding, and buying, as out-of-towners mix easily with locals and soak in Lancaster’s renowned hospitality and heritage.
What’s more, you’ll never believe the value and variety of what’s on offer – hand-stitched quilts (donated by Amish women's groups), hammers, buggies, sleigh bells, milk bottles, toys, farm equipment, livestock, produce, furniture, and even antique lightning rods.
To ward off the last of winter's chill, the fire companies' ladies auxiliaries provide sustenance in the form of Pennsylvania Dutch culinary favorites like steaming chicken corn soup, funnel cakes, pot pie, birch beer, chicken barbecue, and lots of hot cider and coffee.
And the best values are snapped up by those who get there early. With start times of 8 or 8:30 a.m., tourism officials advise to stay the night before and wake up for the Lancaster County shopping spree.
Inviting and never dull, this annual rite of spring is a can’t-miss event.
Lancaster County is a blend of urban style and rural splendor, and the PA Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau is dedicated to promoting its many rich cultures, from the Amish to the arts. Travelers can take in our vibrant downtown city life – featuring galleries, great dining, specialty shops, and live music – or explore some of the surrounding towns and villages to get a sampling of the heritage, food, craftsmanship, and hands-on activities for which Lancaster is famous.
See www.discoverlancasterpa.com. Lancaster is also part of Pennsylvania’s Dutch Country Roads region, a true vacation destination where country meets city and the past lives side-by-side with the present.
|
|
