The Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center

05/11/2026

Pennsylvania German Day - June 27, 2026, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Join us for a sampler of Pennsylvania German language, musical performances, humor, and folk culture!
With food by the Kutztown Lions Club.
Location: Heritage Center Farm, 22 Luckenbill Road, Kutztown, PA 19530.
Rain Location: DeLight E. Breidegam Building, 15155 Kutztown Road, Kutztown PA 19530.
Virtual option available, email us for a link at [email protected].

04/14/2026

Join us for a collaborative event with the Historic Barn & Farm Foundation of Pennsylvania for the 2026 Barn Tour "Decorated Barns of the Pennsylvania Dutch" produced in cooperation with the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University. Registration Required, limited seating, sign up now!

https://pahistoricbarns.org/2025/08/25/decorated-barns-of-the-pennsylvania-dutch/

03/24/2026

Join us for a special screening of the award-winning film The Fries Rebellion on March 28, at Easter on the Farm at 3pm at the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University. The Fries Rebellion film was produced by the Lower Macungie Township Historical Society, and will be screened as part of the cultural programming at Easter on the farm, running from 11am until 4pm, with egg hunts at 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The screening will be held in the Freyberger Schoolhouse at the farm of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, Kutztown University, located at 22 Luckenbill Road, Kutztown PA 19530. Easter on the Farm is free to the public, and donations are appreciated.

03/16/2026

KUTZTOWN, PA – Celebrate Pennsylvania German Easter traditions and the vibrant folk culture of the region at Easter on the Farm, March 28, 2026, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, at the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University, located at 22 Luckenbill Road, Kutztown, PA 19530. Easter on the Farm is a free, fun, and educational event for the whole family featuring folklife demonstrations, live musical performances by some of the region’s finest folk musicians, kid’s activities, animals, local folk artists, and our annual Easter egg hunts (12:30 pm and 2:00 pm)!
Enjoy exquisite displays of traditional crafts created by local artisans from the The Reading-Berks Chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, and a children’s craft tent will engage young and old with the region’s holiday traditions.
Experience historical and cultural demonstrations like traditional hearth cooking with Becky Manley, and Pennsylvania German baked goods in the woodstove by Terry Berger in the summer kitchen. Don Edris of Iron Oak Creations will demonstrate traditional blacksmithing on a coal forge and Laura Reppert will demonstrate willow, reed, and grass basket-making.
Take in some live Pennsylvania German music with Mike and Linda Hertzog (12:00 pm) and children’s music with Keith Brintzenhoff (1:30 pm). Enjoy a tasty lunch from the Kutztown Lion’s Club before weaving your own basket or scratching an Easter egg. Don’t miss a special 3:00 pm screening of the award-winning film The Fries Rebellion, produced by the Lower Macungie Township Historical Society.
Meet the fabulous potbellied pigs with Puddin Heartland before you pop by the book stand to find new selections from the Heritage Center’s Annual Publication Series. Enjoy a family-friendly day of fun, and entertainment at Easter on the Farm!
Don’t forget to visit our new headquarters at the DeLight E. Breidegam Building to explore our featured exhibition “Healing Herbs and Vibrant Roots: Transatlantic Botanical Traditions Among the Pennsylvania Dutch.”
Pick up a copy of the newest volume to the annual Heritage Center publication series, Sauer’s Herbal Cures: America’s First Book of Botanical Healing, by William Woys Weaver, hot off the press and available the Heritage Center bookstand.
For more information, follow PGCHC on Facebook and Instagram, visit pagerman.org, or call 610-683-1589.

03/12/2026

03/09/2026

Check out our latest episode of the Pennsylvania German Hour on BCTV, featuring a Keynote presentation from the Heritage Center's Pennsylvania German Futures Conference. This will be Part 1 of a series of speakers and panels from the event on the Pennsylvania German Hour.

A look at the PA German Futures Conference held on Nov 14, 2025, introduced by Patrick Donmoyer from the Pennsylvania German Heritage Center in Kutztown.Orig...

03/04/2026

Mark your calendars! The Heritage Center will be holding an egg scratching activity on March 14th at 1p.m. at the DeLight E. Breidegam Building, led by staff members Sarah Edris and Melissa Geary. This event is free and supplies will be provided. Registration is required and space is limited, so be sure to email [email protected] to reserve your spot!

02/25/2026

Join us for the 85th annual Berks County Fersommling - a celebration of all things Pennsylvania Dutch, featuring a special performance by the The Shooflies. Be sure to reserve your tickets by March 10! Contact Linda Alspach at [email protected] or 484-955-1245. See you there!

01/05/2026

Start the year right with the 2026 Pennsylvania Dutch Calendar.
This year's calendar features the barn star paintings of Frances W. Barr Kremp (1899-1972), a public school teacher in Reading, Pa. For over thirty years she documented different barn stars primarily in Berks and Lehigh Counties through watercolor and sketch mediums. Kremp helped to preserve the artistic legacy of the stars in the region and their connection to the local culture. As a bilingual calendar, all of the text is in Pennsylvania Dutch and English for ease of use in families that wish to explore their Pennsylvania heritage. (28pp. full-color illus. Masthof Press, 2025.)
https://www.pagerman.org/2026-pa-dutch-calendar/
To order the calendar online, visit: https://www.masthof.com or download a printable order form at https://www.pagerman.org/2026-pa-dutch-calendar/

12/23/2025

While we know Christmas is two days away, we are already looking forward to the New Year and the annual meeting of Groundhog Lodge #1. Tickets are available and postcards will arrive soon to those who have previously registered! This event is open to the public and welcomes both women and men to attend. Dialect humor, Pennsylvania Dutch food, and a performance by the Shooflies are the highlights of this event, happening February 2nd. We hope to see you all there! Please mail your postcard (or print the one seen here) with a self addressed envelope by January 15th. Email [email protected] with any questions.