This spring, Peddler’s Village, a countryside shopping, dining, lodging, and family entertainment destination in the heart of historic Bucks County, PA, will be presenting its first ever Best of the Nest Birdhouse Competition & Display, a five-week event produced in partnership with the Bucks County Audubon Society at Honey Hollow and AIA Bucks County, a local chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The display will be on view from April 13 through May 19, 2024; entries are due on April 1. Cash prizes will be awarded to winners. Admission to the display is free and open to the public.
The Best of the Nest event is the newest addition to the lineup of Peddler’s Village year-round competition and display themes that include PEEPS®, cupcakes, scarecrows, photography, and gingerbread.
Celebrating nature, habitats, and human creativity, Best of the Nest will showcase unique birdhouses designed, built, and detailed by members of the public. Categories include Traditional, Whimsical, Bucks County Landmark, Natural Habitat, Professional, Student (ages 12-17), and Kids Only! (ages 11 and under). People of all ages and abilities are encouraged to take part, and entries from those in the design/build industry are particularly welcome. Cash prizes range from $25 to $400.
People interested in entering the competition but who first want to learn more about birds and birdhouse-making are invited to attend the free “Make a Better Birdhouse: Helpful Hints” program on Sunday, March 17. At 1 pm, the Bucks County Audubon Society at Honey Hollow will present “Fantastic Feathered Friends,” which will educate attendees about bird habitats and behaviors, how to spot them, and why birds are so important to our natural world. At 2 pm, members of the Bucks County Chapter of the American Institute of Architects will present “Birdhouse Style – Thinking Outside the Box,” which will include a brief history of birdhouses, the elements of birdhouses, what makes each house unique, and basic design principles such as form and function.
Judging criteria for the competition will include: overall appearance/composition of the design; originality/use of materials; craftsmanship; “fit” in the category; level of difficulty in the design and execution; and suitability for bird type (natural habitat category only). One birdhouse will also be selected by visitors by popular vote to receive a People’s Choice award; the prize for the People’s Choice award will be a $350 Peddler’s Village restaurant gift card.
Birdhouses must be dropped off on Sunday, April 7 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Cock ‘n Bull. Voting for the People’s Choice award will take place through May 5 via the Peddler’s Village mobile app, free on iOS and Android, or via paper ballot. Voting is limited to one ballot per person per visit, though additional ballots can be obtained by donating on-site to either the Bucks County Audubon Society at Honey Hollow or and AIA Bucks County’s George J. Donovan Memorial Scholarship.
Also taking place during the Best of the Nest: Birdhouse Competition & Display will be a free scavenger hunt in which guests can find inanimate birds native to Bucks County “hidden” throughout the Village. Materials and details can be obtained at the Visitor and Event Center.
Upcoming spring events at Peddler’s Village include an old-fashioned egg hunt and Easter dining during the weekend of March 30-31; a Cupcake Decorating Competition from April 29 through May 12; the annual Strawberry Festival on May 4 and 5; Food Truck Thursdays on May 23 and June 20; and the Bucks Fever Art & Sculpture Exhibition from June 15 through June 30. A call for entries for the Bucks Fever Art & Sculpture Exhibition will be announced soon.
For more information about other upcoming festivals and events, visit PeddlersVillage.com or call the Peddler’s Village Hospitality Center at 215-794-4051.
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