Peddler's Village Repeats As No. 1 Regional Tourist Destination

Doylestown PA

17 June, 2022

1:50 PM

Description

LAHASKA, PA — For the second consecutive year, Peddler's Village has been named the number one tourist attraction in the Philadelphia region, surpassing Valley Forge National Historical Park, Longwood Gardens and even Independence National Historical Park in the number of visitors. The designation was announced in May by the Philadelphia Business Journal after the outdoor Bucks County shopping destination posted a whopping two million visitors in 2021. Prior to 2020, the village had been ranked among the top five destinations in the Philadelphia region. "We at Peddler's Village are both pleased and enthusiastic that we are able to deliver to our guests satisfying experiences, whether shopping, dining, or enjoying one of our free, family-friendly events," said Bob McGowan, chief operating officer of Peddler's Village. "We are grateful to the many people who have visited Peddler's Village over the years and have continued to support our small businesses, and we thank them for helping us reach these incredible milestones in village history." Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Peddler's Village visitor traffic has been steady over the past two years. Even during 2020, when the shops, restaurants and other village operations were closed for an extended period in accordance with state mandates, people flocked to the village after the re-opening in record-breaking numbers, deeming its outdoor setting a "safer" environment than others, according to Christine Hensel Triantos, the village's director of marketing and communications. Notably, Triantos said Peddler's Village saw a significant uptick in weekday visitation of guests who desired an equally satisfying experience without the larger crowds often drawn to weekends. The visitation trends continued in 2021, with shops achieving the highest level of retail sales in the 60-year history of Peddler's Village. Triantos gives a shout out to the village's landscape and maintenance team who she said has worked very hard over the past few years to maintain the gardens and the scenic beauty of Peddler's Village "so when people come and visit there is serenity and a peacefulness that I believe people appreciate with all the things happening in the world." As of June 2022, Triantos said retail space in the village is 100 percent leased, with two new shops opening its doors this summer at the village: The Cloak and Wand of Mystic, Connecticut, and Nissley Vineyards of Lancaster County. The news of the designation comes as the village is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Peddler's Village was created in 1962 by Earl and Sheila Jamison, a very young couple "who had an amazing vision and worked very hard to create the village as we know it today," said Triantos. "I'd like to think that Earl would be very proud of the fact that we have been named the number one tourist attraction in the Philadelphia region," said Triantos. "It was always his dream to create a place where people could come and relax and experience warm hospitality and feel a sense of history and enjoy the bucolic beauty of Bucks County." Throughout the year, Peddler's Village is celebrating its anniversary with weekly gift giveaways. "People can enter through our website," said Triantos. "We're giving away more than $12,000 worth of prizes, including merchandise from our shops, overnight stays at the Golden Plough Inn, dinners at our restaurants, passes to the Giggleberry Fair Indoor Family Fun Center and a host of other prizes." Another major event, "Bucks County Beach Days: Sand Sculptures in the Village," features a free summer-long display of spectacular sand sculptures created by internationally recognized sand artists. The sculptures feature a number of familiar Bucks County attractions and landmarks, including Fonthill Castle in Doylestown, the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, a Bucks County Covered Bridge, Washington Crossing the Delaware and, of course, Peddler's Village. "They are quite stunning," said Trantos of the sculptures. "They have been very well received by the public. We also have sandboxes located throughout the village where children and families are invited to play and enjoy their time at Peddler's Village." Additionally, Peddler's Village is hosting monthly celebrations, including its Summer Block Party which takes place on weekends in June, Bluegrass & Blueberries in July, and Peach Month in August. The village is also continuing its outdoor summer events, including comedy and murder mystery shows, under its massive canopy. For more information about Peddler's Village, visit PeddlersVillage.com or call 215-794-4000.