Things to Do in West Norriton

A fused-glass peace sign dangles in a window, its iridescent blue-and-green hues catching glimmers of sunlight. Elsewhere, a shiny yellow-and-black dog formed from clay smiles from its painted-on mouth. These are just two of the many artistic projects students can tackle at The Mud Shack, an art studio brimming with classes in glass fusing, ceramics, and pottery painting. Working artists helm the sessions, guiding pupils toward creating their own magnum opuses in the form of a hand-thrown vase, a mosaic tile, or a mug for holding smaller mugs.

Philadelphia is no longer safe. That’s because Fright Factory, a house of charnel horrors featured as one of America’s scariest Halloween attractions on the Travel Channel, is reopening the portal to its haunted attractions from September 28 to November 3. The sinister site traps unsuspecting guests within four distinct settings, including a lab filled with horrible genetic aberrations, a mausoleum fallen into moldering disrepair, a mutinous asylum, and a physical manifestation of fear itself.

Presented by Gourmet Shows, the annual Taste Philadelphia Festival of Food, Wine, and Spirits showcases hundreds of local chefs, restaurants, and vendors. More than 200 tasting stations pepper the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, including the Taste of Italy Pavilion, where attendees can sample cheeses and wines from Europe’s boot-shaped peninsula. On the expo's stage, meanwhile, local chefs and culinary personalities teach onlookers their cooking techniques and favorite recipes during demonstrations. Attendees will have the chance to watch the likes of Michael Giletto, an award-winning chef whose food is a fusion of international cuisines, and Bethenny Frankel, best-selling author and star of Bravo's Bethenny Ever After, for an additional cost. Other educational events include beer seminars from award-winning writer Gary Monterosso and wine seminars that explain why, despite popular opinion, grape soda doesn’t complement veal as well as chardonnay does.

Visitors to Elfreth's Alley Museum walk the same floors that two dressmakers once did in the 1790s. Today, the museum space’s restored rooms fill two of Elfreth's Alley's 32 historic homes; many of the others are still occupied by families. Staffers relate these houses' history from their construction in 1755 to the roles they’ve since played in a locale known for its connection to the arts and industry. During regular tours, guides share insight into why alleys and side streets were built, how middle-class people lived and worked in the 18th century, and why alleys were never known as roadlets. Visitors can take in exhibits including Fashioning Philadelphia, which recounts the lives of the area’s dressmakers, shoemakers, and tailors through the centuries, and The Irish and Elfreth's Alley in 1900, which tells the story of immigrant family life during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Now in its 13th year, the two-day Taste of Santa Fe brings together talented chefs and the finest area restaurants to celebrate New Mexico's honored culinary tradition. This year's food festivities are helmed by celebrity chef and Santa Fe native John Rivera Sedlar, whose succulent Latin-influenced cuisine has garnered rave reviews, and whose nachos report being chased by the paparazzi. Strap on a wristband to treat your tongue's starved eyes to 25 tastings from any of 50-plus restaurant booths and at least four dessert booths, then frolic through the wine garden to indulge in two glasses of glorious grapeness. Railyard Park will host activities to engage the young'ns, and three stages will host local musical.

The Westboro Area JCC organized this locally focused event, with proceeds benefiting the preschool program of the area. There will be more than 30 restaurants across a wide variety of cuisine types offering samples for hungry attendees. Featured restaurants are primarily from Marlborough, Northborough, Southborough, and Westborough. Though the list of participants isn't finalized yet, confirmed restaurants include Tavolino, CJ's Steakloft, and Not Your Average Joe's, among others. You'll also get to sample palate-cleansing wines and craft beers. While you peruse the lineup of eats and drinks, check out the live and silent auctions taking place, where you can bid on Red Sox tickets, weekend getaways, and local and national goods. View some of 2009's auction lots here.