35th Annual Farmstead Fair at Harriton House

August 31, 2025
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The Farmstead Fair features living history demonstrations from local Revolutionary War reenactment groups as well as unique, 18th century-inspired artisan goods.

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The Harriton Farmstead Fair is held annually on the last Saturday in September with fun for the whole family including games, food & beverage vendors, live music, farm animals, birds-of-prey, craft vendors, living history demonstrations, house tours and more.

Started in 1990 as a way to celebrate the farming history of this site and act as a fundraiser for the Harriton Association, the Harriton House Farmstead Fair has developed into a beloved tradition for families in and around Lower Merion Township. This year is the 35th annual event on Saturday, September 27th.

Harriton House, originally known as Bryn Mawr, was most famously the residence of Founding Father Charles Thomson, the secretary of the Continental Congress. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Returning this year for the Farmstead Fair is the highly anticipated Attic Treasures Sale with items for sale donated by generous neighbors around the Main Line. Need to clean out those closets packed with trinkets and treasures you no longer love? Harriton House is welcoming donations and dropoffs now and up until the fair.

The Farmstead Fair is a truly immersive, historic experience for all and features living history demonstrations from local Revolutionary War reenactment groups and crafts people. Previous demonstrations have included laundry, carpentry, soldier’s rations, scrimshaw, and 18th century medicine. Ben Franklin will also be in attendance. Arts and crafts being presented include 18th century watercolor painting, basket weaving, Coffee with a Colonial and printing with a small portable printing press. There will also be a spinning demonstration and a team of cooks working in Harriton’s late 18th century kitchen to prepare a communal meal for the volunteer living historians.

In addition, everyone can enjoy the lively Harriton farm yard and greet the friendly goats, sheep, and chickens. Harriton’s part-time museum educator Stephen Pierce will have two demonstrations throughout the day of vintage farming tools down by the barn. This is not to be missed!

If you go, do not forget to tag The Harriton House in all your event photos and videos on social media–most especially Instagram stories.