Community Calendar
The Community Calendar
A central part of LancasterHistory’s mission is to support the needs and interests of history-oriented organizations in our region and to bring into greater focus the extraordinary opportunities for learners of all ages to experience America’s past in Lancaster County and the surrounding region. LancasterHistory is proud to provide this Community Calendar to highlight upcoming events of history-focused institutions and organizations.
Looking for LancasterHistory’s main events calendar? View events calendar.
How To Submit An Event
If you are an authorized representative of a Lancaster County-based, history-focused institution or organization, please fill out our Community Calendar Submission form to submit your event for inclusion on this webpage. Before submitting, however, we highly recommend you review our Community Calendar Guidelines [PDF, 217kb].
A LancasterHistory staff member moderates this Community Calendar. Questions about this calendar can be directed to [email protected].
Submit Event to Community Calendar
COMMUNITY CALENDAR GUIDELINES [PDF, 217KB]
Calendar Guidelines & Disclaimers
Each submission will be reviewed and must be in compliance with our Community Calendar Guidelines [PDF, 217kb]. LancasterHistory will do its best to make sure all information on this calendar is correct and up-to-date. Despite our efforts, some information may be incorrect or may have been submitted incorrectly to us. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Listings below may contain URLs to other organizations’ or institutions’ websites or ticketing pages, or other third-party URLs. These URLs do not constitute official endorsement on behalf of LancasterHistory and are for informational purposes only. LancasterHistory is not responsible for those URLs, the content found on those webpages being linked to, or those website’s privacy policies and policies on collecting data.
Lancaster Vice Walking Tours
What: Tours
When: Saturday, June 7, 1-4pm
Cost: $19, available at lancastervice.com. Registration is required.
Did you know Lancaster was once infamous as a “wide open” city for vice? Around 1900, police and other officials encouraged and even participated in prostitution, gambling, and drinking
On this history tour, walk the streets of Lancaster with an expert guide and learn about the brothel keepers, bartenders, and pool hall hustlers who shared the streets with corrupt politicians and righteous reformers a century ago.
Discover the history of wage-earning women, Lancaster nightlife, and changing sexual values through the stories of the men and women of Lancaster’s red-light districts.
African American Heritage Walking Tours
What: Tours
When: Saturday, June 7 & June 14, 11-2pm
Cost: Adult$17/ Senior (65 and older) $10 / Students (6-18) $5 / Under 6 Free. Registration is required.
Downtown Lancaster
Focused largely on the Underground Railroad, including four authenticated sites, tour features African agency and resistance to an institution that has kinship to economic, political, and social/cultural forces which fueled the nation’s early growth and beyond; an institution which dehumanized the enslaved and enslaver alike. Because the Underground Railroad was by necessity secret, uncovering the details of its existence has required a great deal of detective work. Local African American history, such as that shared on this tour, is the vital lifeblood that gives rise to an authentic national history. This tour includes the latest research and recent discoveries which further reveal the rich fabric of African American history in Lancaster before and after the Civil War. No reservations needed.
Saturdays: June 7, July 5, August 2, September 6, October 4, November 1 | Depart from City of Lancaster Visitor Center
Southeast Lancaster
The Southeast Area tour highlights that liberation is up to African Americans, whose experiences represent a complex connection to their past—both the trauma of enslavement and the resilience of their heritage. This tour brings to life the triumph of the African American community as it built a culture of service, faith, and social activism, alongside the tragedy of Urban Renewal, which saw the demolition of 14 square blocks of thriving businesses, churches, and civic associations. The fabric of the community was ruptured as individual homes were replaced with public housing and vibrant community spaces were obliterated. This tour traces the life stream and economic castration of that community, which was attacked by the policy of Urban Renewal, but which has not been forgotten or erased. No reservations needed.
Saturdays: June 14, July 12, August 9, September 13, October 11, November 8 | Depart from Crispus Attucks Community Center
Learn more by visiting https://www.aahsscpa.org/guidedwalkingtours
Rissers Mennonite Church 250th Anniversary
What: Multiple Events
When: Saturday, June 14 & June 15, 12:30-7pm
Rissers Mennonite Church was started by Peter Risser, along with his family and others, who settled in America in 1739. Join the Rissers Mennonite Church in celebrating its 250th anniversary from June 14-15, 2025 with a variety of events. For more detailed information, please click here
“Court-Martial of Paul Revere”
What: Presentation
When: Saturday, June 14. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. and lock at 9:15 a.m.
Cost: Free and open to the public
The Millersville Area Historical Society (MAHS) will host a free-to-the-public presentation titled the “Court-Martial of Paul Revere” when it meets at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 14, in the Millersville Borough Administration & Police Building, 100 Municipal Drive. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. and lock at 9:15 a.m.
The speaker will be Stephen J. Shaw, a retired military officer and teacher, published author, and world traveler who recently returned from Egypt.
Shaw says the story of Paul Revere is the story of the American Revolution. As an ordinary citizen living in extraordinary, turbulent times, Revere played key roles during the colonial tax fight, in the Boston Massacre, with the Boston Tea Party, and in the Battle of Lexington & Concord. He was a better messenger than a soldier, according to Shaw, whose PowerPoint presentation will explore Revere’s family, home and business, and little-known court-martial. A Q & A session will close the meeting.
Shaw, who served in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Dominican Republic Rebellion, retired as a Command Sergeant Major after 25 years of military experience between his active duty with the United States Marine Corps and the Pennsylvania National Guard. For the past ten years he has been a volunteer mentor with Lancaster County’s Veterans Court, a treatment court that provides participants with opportunities to pursue appropriate therapy while addressing associated legal problems. His book, German & Spanish Military Rings: A Historic Perspective, is the only publication in print that provides a historical context for military-themed rings; it will be available at the meeting.
Although admission is free, donations are appreciated. For more details, contact Phil Gerber at 717.872.8837 before noon or at [email protected].
“Planemakers (wood tool) of Manheim 1806-1847 & Others of Lancaster County”
What: Tours
When: Sunday, June 15, 1-4pm
Cost: No, tickets or registration is not required. Open to the public.
Todd Hostetter, Lancaster County tool historian, collector, and lecturer, will speak at 2 p.m. about the tool planemaker, which was used to shape wood into a flat, smooth surface for woodworking. Todd will bring some pieces from his collection to demonstrate.
In addition to the program, the Railroad Station Complex museums will open from 1 pm to 4 pm. Explore the 1881 Train Station, Stiegel-style Glass, Iron Stove Plates, Manheim Industries/Kendig Library Exhibition, and Model Train Exhibit. Hitch a ride on our Trolley or take part in the 19th Century Manheim Industrial Revolution Walking Tour (if the weather plays nice)! All activities are free!
Juneteenth Celebration at Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
What: Tours
When: Thursday, June 19, 10-4pm
Cost: $4-6 HALF PRICE (thanks to the generous support of our sponsors: Discover Lancaster & Members First)
Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum is proud to announce that it will host Lancaster’s annual Juneteenth Celebration on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Organized in partnership with the Lancaster Chapter of the National Action Network (NAN), this year’s event marks a historic first for Landis Valley as part of our 100th Anniversary celebration—a year dedicated to honoring community, heritage, and the diverse stories that shape Pennsylvania’s past.
Juneteenth in Lancaster has a legacy rooted in the Strawberry Street Festival, the earliest known African American celebration in the county, believed to date back to 1905. Revived in 1997 by Paul Culbreth and Darlene Colon as a Juneteenth event at Thaddeus Stevens College, this celebration has grown into a cherished tradition honoring emancipation and African American culture. Now, for the first time, Landis Valley is honored to serve as the host site for this living history experience, aligned with our mission to preserve and interpret the full spectrum of Pennsylvania’s heritage.
Find out more here at Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum website.