2024 Spring Events Around Philadelphia

March! Spring! Well, its almost spring. We got a tease of spring weather at the end of February and should be hitting the 50s and 60s consistently in the next few weeks. It's a great time of year, to get out in the sun, and shed those heavy jackets and gloves. Get your pale skin, back into the sunlight so we all don't look like ghosts when we go to the beach for summer vacations. There are plenty of things in our area happening this spring that can get you out of the house and hopefully begin to get a bit of a base color on you before the sun kicks into high gear.

Head on down to Main Street in Manayunk on the third Sunday in April. Food trucks and Manayunk restaurants take over Main Street with Food, wine, and craft beers. Free to go, pay for your food and drinks as you buy them. Main Street on a sunny spring day is a great place to be.

Its a perfect time to be out and about in the city. You can find booths lining the Rittenhouse area serving food, wine, beer, and art.

A multi-day event at Peddler's Village. If you've never been here for one of their seasonal events like the scarecrow, apple, or strawberry festival then you should try to put it on your list. Plus they have a Freewill Brewing tasting room there!

The best type of food in the world is probably Italian food. Argue it if you want, but you're wrong. Plus wine, desserts, games, and a greased pole. Need I say more? A great event.

Head out to Devon for America's oldest horse show and country fair. Maybe while you're there you'll see a horse crip walking. Keep an eye out for Snoop scouting horses for his next music video.

There are many great events in the Philadelphia area this spring, but you can get the whole schedule for 2024 at VisitPhilly.com.

If you're someone who dislikes the snow and ice, then you probably have been loving this winter. Warmer temperatures have flourished throughout the U.S., including in Pennsylvania. But, that also means more bugs and ticks. Moreover, tick bites aren't something to take lightly. Now, health agencies across America are warning that this year's tick season is going to be extra bad.

So, why will there be more ticks this season? It's simple. A warmer winter means that the tick population didn't die off like it would have in freezing temperatures. That means there are going to be way more ticks attacking both humans and pets.

What makes ticks so dangerous? They could be carrying the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease. "The bacterium can be transmitted by the blacklegged tick, if infected," the Michigan DNR says on its website. They add that it's "the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States." Moreover, the Pennsylvania Department of Health notes that ticks can also cause Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis, Powassan Virus, STARI, Alpha-gal Syndrome and Borrelia miyamotoi disease. Not cool.

So, what exactly is a tick? It's an arthropod, like a spider. "Ticks have 8 legs, are very small, and attach to a person or animal to suck blood. In Pennsylvania, many ticks carry diseases," the Pennsylvania Department of Health notes. "Ticks can be found anywhere: outdoors in areas with long grasses and weeds, leaf piles, the woods, and even in your own yard." That said, it's important to protect yourself and avoid tick bites. That doesn't mean you have to totally avoid going outdoors. But, you need to be cautious. I love being outdoors in the warm months, and I also live near the woods. So, I'm going to be extra mindful of ticks this season. Here are some expert tips I'm following, and you should, too.

If you're going outdoors, make sure to take precautions. The Pennsylvania Department of Health suggests treating clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. "Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remain protective through several washings," they state. Also, use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. Finally, wear light-colored clothing.

Of course, the best thing to do is to avoid any contact with ticks. So, try to avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass or fallen leaves. If you are in those areas, walk in the center of the trails. Just stay away from that tall grass at all costs.

When you get inside, check your clothing for tickets. Remove any tickets that you find. Also, "Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors," according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. They also suggest to examine gear and pets, shower soon after being outdoors and check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Finally, shower as soon as you come indoors.

When you come indoors, do that full body check for ticks. They tend to hide under the arms; in and around the ears; inside belly button; back of the knees; in and around the hair; between the legs; and around the waist. That's according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Take it seriously if you get a tick bite. "If you develop a rash or fever within a month of removing a tick, see your doctor as soon as possible," the Michigan DNR says. "Be sure to tell your doctor about your recent tick bite and when the bite occurred."

If you get a tick bite, above all, remain calm. It can be scary, but if you catch it in time, there are things that can help. That's why it's so important to do early detection and look all over your body and clothes after being outdoors. So, you don't have to say no to going out doors, but say no to ticks.