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MEET ALL THE THINGS YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON
For every person, for every season: there’s a Greater Reading event or attraction for that. We’re Baseballtown, the Pretzel Capital of the World, and we’ve got hundreds of miles for trails for whatever you have planned. There’s history, art, music, and all the festivals you could want.
That’s Greater Reading.
ART
If creativity is your thing, or if you’re hoping to be inspired by a local artist, you’ll find the beauty and creativity you’re looking for right here. Visit the GoggleWorks in downtown Reading, where you can see artists in their studio element, and view the latest installations that showcase international, national, and local contemporary artists.
Pop-up exhibitions at the hip industrial space, Loft at 505, provide an intimate look at rotating art galleries, while simultaneously providing non-traditional event rental space. Live music is often an integral part of this cultural experience, and guarantee a great night out!
If you’re ready to become a part of our maker culture, jump in and take a class. Find one at the GoggleWorks, Yocum Institute for the Arts, or one of our many other local studios, and channel your personal creativity!
Annual art celebrations include Arts Festival Reading, bringing thousands of visitors to explore and purchase the works of established and emerging artists. The arts are expanding here, with galleries across the county and public art in unexpected places, like the many murals that can be found in West Reading’s Cherry Street Mural Corridor.
SHOPPING
Handcrafted, walk-able shopping is here.
Vibrant display windows. Unique gifts and wares. Fresh brewed coffee, a draft kombucha, and create-your-own doughnuts. Custom-made jewelry, a yoga studio, fresh flowers, mixed in with the occasional hair salon or clothing boutique. Do you have a visual yet? Throw in some crepes, craft cider, and a cheese plate to top it off. These are just a few of the sensational benefits of our small business community in Greater Reading, where you can really have it all.
With four Main Street locations, we have many walkable shopping experiences that will allow you to shop, dine, and enjoy entertainment all in one spot. Whether you’re looking for a date-night or a girl’s day-out, our diverse retail offerings have something for everyone. Our community embraces the #shopsmall culture year-round—and so can you.
CULTURE
Have you ever played Monopoly? More specifically, ever landed on the Reading Railroad? This real-life railroad holds a strong piece of Reading’s industrial legacy, in addition to a robust history, rich with culture and diversity.
Here, you can engage with the past around you in some unexpected places. You might take a train through time as you board the Colebrookdale Railroad. Or come face-to-face with an Egyptian mummy when you walk through the Reading Public Museum, which has delighted visitors for over a century.
More of an outdoor explorer? Check out one of PA’s greatest natural wonders, Crystal Cave, and spelunk your way through time! Or, check out our World War II Weekend at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, which brings thousands of history + aviation fans to our regional airport.
Greater Reading’s unsurpassed history per mile is waiting to be explored. Take a self-guided tour through a historic homestead, or experience the Reading Symphony Orchestra in a historic theater. From family-friendly to the hottest musical, community theater is at its best at Genesius Theater, entertained by the region’s most talented, local actors.
FOOD
Foodie culture thrives in Greater Reading.
Pennsylvania ranked top 10 in the nation on Thrillist’s latest state rankings for food in 2018. Our own Greater Reading was called out by name for its role in the state’s acclaimed food scene. Why the shout-out? It’s the variety, the authenticity, the cultural diversity, and the connection to our history of agriculture and innovation.
The downtown Reading food scene is a microcosm of the delicious offerings of Greater Reading. Seek out farm to table at cozy cafes like Wild Sage Coffee & Kitchen. Get a classic meal at the Peanut Bar, and throw your cares to the wind, like the many peanut shells on the floor. An upscale lunch or date night can be yours at culinary innovator Judy’s on Cherry. And go on a taco crawl throughoutReading. From local favorites Tacqueria Jimenez to TacoNTento, you can get an authentic taco (or, let’s be honest- tacos, plural) for a great price.
Countywide, local restauranteurs offer a variety of big-city tastes right here. Plan a day at any Main Street, and you’ll access the best in food and more.
Organic is more than a label. In Greater Reading, your produce won’t have to travel far. Local farms carry free-range eggs, organic produce, and farm fresh dairy products. Get to know a farmer—and find your favorite farmstand or farmers market. In Greater Reading, local food is always ripe for the picking.
NIGHTLIFE & EVENTS
It’s Friday night. Where are you headed? If you’re in Greater Reading, the problem won’t be finding something to do. It will be finding the time to do it all.
A vibrant downtown. Premiere entertainment venues. Arts, live music and theater, and sports for all ages. Food and drinks galore. It’s here. We boast multiple indoor and outdoor entertainment venues with hundreds of shows each year. Arena experiences, salsa dancing in downtown Reading, and vintage venues for nationally and internationally-recognized performers are happening throughout the year. Looking to scope out a new band without the traffic or suffocating crowds? You’ve got to come to Greater Reading!
Festivals are what we live for. Whether you’re in our more urban core or our more rural surroundings, you’ll find gatherings with music, food (of course), and the best in drink selections. Our Oktoberfest was ranked #1 in the nation by USA Today and was ranked among the world’s best by Business Insider. We hold an entire festival to celebrate (and eat) hamburgers. Neighborhood block parties are legendary. Yep – we know what a great party looks like.
Did we mention a renowned annual jazz festival and a film fest where you can feel as close to the arthouse as you can get? Or maybe you want more pop-ups. Whether it’s a beer garden, a first Friday, or an art exhibition that will make you think you’re in a New York gallery, yes—they’re here too.
Ditch the FOMO and plan your itinerary in Greater Reading.
OUTDOORS
Want to explore some of the most extraordinary green space around? Greater Reading has an unmatched trail system, meaning you won’t have to travel far for safe, accessible fresh air and fun. While names like the Neversink Mountain, the Schuylkill River, Gravity Trail, and the Witches Hat might take some getting used to, their views and amenities won’t. Flora, fauna, and trails geared for any level, from children to the advanced hiking enthusiast, you’ll find the outdoor adventure you’re looking for in Greater Reading.
Reading is an IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association) Bronze-Level Ride Center – a coveted designation for our destination-worthy mountain bike trails, and the only such center in the Northeast. Beyond the IMBA designation, we’re also a cycling destination. The annual Reading Radsport Festival includes races for kids as well as amateurs, and ends with a thrilling professional cyclist showdown with tons of spectator heckling to add to the hype!
You’ll find unspoiled terrain in our area, where you can feel free of development or traffic. Find friends to share a hike with or join a meet-up group. Have a furry hiking companion? Take them on many of our dog-friendly trails! When you hit your first trail, you’ll be hooked. Luckily, there are over a hundred miles of trails for you to explore!
BREWS
We’re in the heart of a brew hub. Greater Reading boasts eight breweries within a ten-minute drive of one another, with another handful just miles down the road in any direction. As a whole, PA boasts over 350 breweries, all within a day-trip away from here. Whether you’re populating your Untappd account, sampling the latest styles in suds, or looking for a day out with family – breweries are serving up experiences for everyone. This isn’t just beer anymore, it’s a movement. And it’s happening right here.
The creativity of the craft beer culture in Greater Reading takes you anywhere from an old firehouse to a haunted lodge, incorporating history and deep Reading roots into the careful curation of their beer + food menus. Find endless entertainment with offerings including: beer gardens, live music, a strong outdoor enthusiast following, unique events, and pet-friendly/ family-friendly environments.
Beyond our infatuation with good beer, we have our very own distillery, fantastic wineries, and shops specializing in beer from around the world. BYO food to some of these locations, or enjoy vast menus with anything from vegan to farm to table.
SPORTS
Greater Reading is athletic, competitive, and successful. Don’t worry: we’re also fun.
There’s something special about our competitive drive and culture of success. The Reading Royals, the city’s first professional hockey franchise, won the ECHL’s Kelly Cup in 2013. And the Reading Fightin’ Phils, winners of multiple Eastern League championships, are our Philadelphia Phillies affiliate.
Here, you’ll find an area that’s not just steeped in sports history, but actively a place where we cheer for the home teams! We’re called Baseballtown for a reason: our rich history in baseball dates back to our first professional team, the Reading Actives, in 1875. Today the Reading Fightin’ Phils provide family entertainment, and some of the best firework displays on the East Coast!
There’s a long list of sports legends, pros, and Olympians that hail from Greater Reading too. Join us and get in on the action.
