Social Profile
Food & Drink
Various regions in Pennsylvania have their own specialities. In the Pocono Mountains area, superb local mountain trout is featured in many restaurants. Pennsylvania Dutch food is a unique variation of German cuisine, including pickles, relishes, apple butter, dumplings, pretzels, molasses and shoo-fly pie (a sweet dessert made with molasses). Seven sweet and seven sour dishes are served in a type of smorgasbord. A variety of sausages and cold cuts originate from this region, such as the delicious Lebanon bologna and dried beef. The best restaurants for this unique cuisine can be found around Lancaster. The legal age for drinking is 21 in Pennsylvania and bottled liquor is only sold in State stores.
Theatres & Concerts
In Philadelphia, summer performances in the round are staged at the John B Kelly Playhouse. The city’s opera house and concert hall is at the Academy of Music, the home of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The huge Mann Music Center in Fairmount Park stages summer concerts. Visitors can see Broadway musicals in Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center, while the ornate Heinz Hall is home to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. In large cities and many smaller towns throughout Pennsylvania, visitors will find orchestras, playhouses and dance troupes.
Nightlife
There are numerous dinner theatres, nightclubs, jazz clubs and ethnic entertainment throughout Pennsylvania’s towns and cities.
Shopping
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have always been famous for antiques and handicrafts. The main shopping areas in Philadelphia include the Bourse, Head House Square and New Market. The second-largest shopping complex in the USA, The Plaza & The Court at King of Prussia, lies to the north of the city. For budget shoppers, Franklin Mills (just outside Philadelphia), Grove City (north of Pittsburgh) and Reading have hundreds of factory outlets, offering the chance to pick up name-brands at reduced prices. In addition, there is no sales tax on clothing and shoes in Pennsylvania. Antiques buffs should stop in Adamstown, where over 1500 dealers display their wares every Sunday.
Sport
The new Lincoln Financial Field is home to the Philadelphia Eagles football team.
Special Events
The following is a selection of special events occurring in Pennsylvania in 2005: Feb 5-13 Philidelphia International Auto Show, Punxsutawney. Feb 18-20 Greater Philadelphia Mid-Winter Scottish and Irish Music Festival and Fair, King of Prussia. Feb 19 11th Annual Tobyhanna Ice Harvesting Festival. Feb 27 17th Annual Ice Tee Golf Tournament, Lake Wallenpaupack. Feb 13-15 Greater Philadelphia Mid-Winter Scottish and Irish Music Festival and Fair, King of Prussia. Mar 6-13 Philadelphia Flower Show, Philadelphia. Mar 12 St Patrick's Day Celebrations, Blakeslee. Mar 19-20 Reggae Festival Weekend, Tannersville. Apr 23 Native American Heritage Day, Horsham. May 14-15 32nd Annual Mercer Museum Folk Fest, Doylestown. Jun 9-12 Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival, Philadelphia. Jul 12-Aug 1 Under the Stars Movie Series, Doylestown. Sep 3 McLain Celtic Festival, Carlisle. Oct 7-9 Applefest, Franklin.
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