Nestled in the heart of Chester County, Caln Township, known locally by most as Thorndale, hosts a Community Day each year. An impressive show of the many local businesses and services, this is a fun day for all Chester County families, not only residents of the township!
Basics:
• Address: 253 Municipal Dr, Thorndale, PA 19372
• Event Annual Date: September
• Admissions: Free
• Website: http://www.calntownship.org/community-day.html
Know Before You Go:
• Ample Parking
• Stroller Friendly
• Port-A-Potties Only (Although there are many local businesses nearby like Giant, if you needed a real facility in a pinch)
• Food and Drink Available for Purchase
• Beer Garden
• Lots of Kid and Family Friendly Activities from Community Partners
• Live Music
Our Experience
This past weekend, we decided to attend our first community fall festival of the season which happens to be right in our own backyard: Caln Community Day. The event takes place along G.O. Carlson Boulevard, which the Caln Police closed for the event. There is ample parking; Caln Park is located adjacent to the festival and there are many businesses along Municipal Drive who were allowing parking at their facilities. We opted to park at Thorndale Plaza (the adjacent shopping center), as we had several errands to run after attending the event.
Upon arriving into the event area, we were greeting with a fire truck and a large armored police vehicle which was a hit among the more adventurous boys and girls attending the festival excited to “touch a truck”. The entire boulevard was lined with vendors including non-profit, governmental, and for-profit businesses. Many of the booths had free give-aways or items for purchase. There were several food vendors as well so plan to visit during a mealtime to enjoy the food offerings with the family while exploring the event! There were many featured activities for children as well, including a neat mini-escape room from Escape the Room West Chester! Speaking of mini, there was a mini Beer Fest happening at the event as well, with live music and food in a beer garden like setting (pictured). There were many kids dancing and running around having a great time while their parents enjoyed a cool libation. As parents who enjoy a beverage on occasion, we are always appreciative when an event creates a family-friendly atmosphere in the designated drinking areas.
The event day culminated with a fantastic fireworks display in the evening. Pro Tip: the average family could enjoy the event in about 1-2 hours (depending on if you decide to eat and drink while there) so plan your visit around that to time the fireworks perfectly! Overall, this is a great community celebration to kick off the “fall festival season” and we were glad we attended!
Kidding Around in Chester County 