Good to Know

Swarmageddon

In late April, the 17-year Brood XIII and 13-year Brood XIX periodic cicadas will co-emerge for the first time since 1803. But our area gets only its usual annual cicadas in August, missing the swarm. Though noisy, cicadas are harmless, remaining underground, sucking sugar from tree roots during their hibernation. When they emerge, they sprout wings, make noise, mate and die several weeks later, providing nutrients to birds and plants when they die. RIP. CicadaMania.com.

Green Days

This month, celebrate a nature trifecta: National Parks Week (April 20–28), Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 26). Observe all three earthy holidays at once by visiting one of our nearest national parks, such as Valley Forge National Park in King of Prussia or First State National Park in New Castle, DE. And consider planting a tree in your yard. More at NPS.gov.

Celluloid Celebration

Honor National Movie Theater Day on April 23 by visiting your local temple of cinema and show your appreciation for these timeless community gathering spots. Visit (and support) local independent theaters such as the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, Phoenixville’s Colonial Theatre and West Chester’s Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center. Grab some popcorn for this fun holiday and catch a re-released Oscar winner — or next year’s nominees. BrynMawrFilm.org. TheColonialTheatre.com. UptownWestChester.org.

History Retold

Calling all history buffs! A new documentary, Battle of Brandywine: Forging the American Spirit, is coming just in time for West Chester’s 225th birthday. Check out the trailer on YouTube featuring West Chester native, author and historian Bruce Mowday’s commentary on the history of the largest and second longest single-day battle of the American Revolution. The project, spearheaded by Mowday and preservationist Randall Spackman, seeks to inspire a greater appreciation for preserving historic landmarks.

Local Story

Searching for a new read? Check out The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store (Penguin Random House) by National Book Award winner James McBride, named Barnes & Noble’s 2023 Book of the Year. Set in Pottstown in the 1920s and ‘30s, the story focuses on the Black and Jewish residents of the Chicken Hill neighborhood and features some familiar names and places — the Pottstown Mercury, Pennhurst Asylum, Bethlehem Steel. Find it at your local independent bookstore or library. JamesMcBride.com.