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  • 🍄‍🟫 Mushroom Festival Returns | 🚨 Prothonotary Charged | 🦅 Hoagie Lovers Unite!

🍄‍🟫 Mushroom Festival Returns | 🚨 Prothonotary Charged | 🦅 Hoagie Lovers Unite!

Downingtown Local Pulse Issue Sept 6th, 2025

Author

Chesco Sean
06 Sep

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In Today’s Edition of Downingtown Local Pulse…

🤪 Joke of the day 😆

How do you make a tissue dance?

(Answer Below…)

Hoagie Guru Event in West Chester 12pm-3pm

WEST CHESTER, PA — On Saturday, September 6, hoagie lovers are invited to the inaugural “Hoagie Gurus” event held from noon to 3 p.m. at Lorenzo’s Steaks & Hoagies in West Chester. The event, organized by fans of the iconic sandwich, brings together community members for an afternoon of hoagie appreciation.

Spore, Soup and Showdowns: Mushroom Festival Returns

KENNETT SQUARE, PA — Kennett Square’s annual Mushroom Festival returns for 2025 this weekend, turning State Street into a vibrant mile-long celebration of fungi. The festival features more than 200 vendors offering mushroom-themed food, crafts, and apparel. Highlights include cooking competitions (Saturday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with a finale Sunday at 10 a.m.), a Growers Exhibit showcasing mushroom farming, and extensive family-friendly attractions like bounce zones, puppet shows, and LEGO-building sessions featuring championship builders.

Chester County’s First Democratic Prothonotary Faces Criminal Charge

Former Prothonotary Debbie Bookman

WEST CHESTER, PA — Deborah Bookman, the former prothonotary of Chester County, is facing criminal charges for allegedly using a government-issued credit card for personal purchases totaling more than $3,200. According to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Bookman made unauthorized payments between March 2023 and August 2024 and failed to follow county procedures. The issue came to light after the bank reported missed payments to county officials. Bookman later repaid the money and resigned in October 2024. She has waived her preliminary hearing, and her case is scheduled for trial in Chester County. Bookman was the first Democrat elected to the role and currently resides in Lancaster.

Safe Solar Viewing Event Planned for Exton Park Today

EXTON, PA — Chester County residents can witness the sun in rare form during a solar viewing event hosted by Chester County Parks and Preservation and the Chester County Astronomical Society. The gathering, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Exton Park Trailhead on the Chester Valley Trail, will feature advanced telescopes and solar filters, allowing for a safe and detailed view of solar flares, sunspots, and plasma arcs. The event coincides with the sun’s current solar maximum, a phenomenon that occurs roughly once every 11 years. Registration is required and available online.

Perkiomen Valley Upsets Downingtown West; Coatesville Cruises Past Lincoln

DOWNINGTOWN, PA — Coatesville kicked off its season with a commanding 35–6 win over Lincoln High School of Brooklyn, dominating in all phases of the game. The Red Raiders now turn their focus to next week’s home matchup against Perkiomen Valley—a game that already carries playoff-level intensity. Perkiomen Valley stunned the local football scene with a 17–16 overtime victory over defending District 1 champion Downingtown West

Two New Ways for Local Businesses to Shine in the Downingtown Local Pulse

Downingtown is built on the strength of its small businesses — the shops, restaurants, services, and makers that give our community its unique character. Now, there are two new ways for those businesses to get in front of thousands of engaged local readers through the Downingtown Local Pulse.

We’re introducing two promotional programs designed to give businesses year-round visibility and meaningful connections with our audience:

1. Partner Program

This package gives businesses a featured listing in our Local Business Directory, making it easy for residents to find and support you. Partners also receive:

  • A monthly Business Spotlight article that tells your story.

  • A pinned article on our website for maximum visibility.

  • Exposure to our massive Facebook audience, with each feature shared across our highly engaged social channels.

2. Patron Program

For businesses ready to take their visibility to the next level, the Patron Program includes everything in the Partner Program plus:

  • A top-level ad placement one issue a month, ensuring your brand stays front and center.

Both programs are built to keep your business in the local conversation month after month — not just as an ad, but as a valued part of the community’s story.

Whether you’re a family-run shop, a growing startup, or a well-established local favorite, these programs offer an affordable way to boost your visibility while supporting the Downingtown Local Pulse’s mission to celebrate the people and businesses that make our town special.

Building Business by Building Trust: Free Trade Networking’s Local Impact

DOWNINGTOWN, PA — In this episode, Jenny Leigh sits down with Pat Dicola, the visionary behind Free Trade Networking. Launched during the pandemic, Free Trade has grown from a small Zoom group into more than 30 in-person chapters across the region, including Downingtown. Unlike traditional networking groups, Free Trade emphasizes collaboration over quotas, one-member-per-category chapters, and strong ties to local nonprofits. The result is a community of small business owners who not only support each other but also give back—making Free Trade a fast-growing hub for both business and service in Chester County.

Upcoming local events…

🍽️ Hoagie Gurus Lunch Event (West Chester) - Sept 6, 12pm-3pm

🌶️ Pepper Palooza Downingtown (Kerr Park) - Sept 6, 9am-1pm

🚒 East Fallowfield Touch-a-Truck (East Fallowfield) - Sept 6, 10am-1pm

🍷 Chester County Catalina Wine Mixer (East Goshen) - Sept 6, 2pm

🏭 Labor and the Early PA Iron Industry (Pottstown) - Sept 6, 2pm-3:30pm

🎉 Hickory Park Teen Fest (Upper Uwchlan) - Sept 6, 2pm-5pm

🎉 17th Annual Caln Community Day (Thorndale) - Sept 6th, 3pm-8pm

🐓 Hot Wings N’ Wheels (Thorndale) - Sept 6th, 12pm-4pm

🍩 Cars and Coffee and Donuts (Downingtown) - Sept 13, 9am-11am

Kids’ Day in the Park (Bell Tavern Park) - Sept 13, 10am

Chesco Air Fest and Valley Day (Chester County Airport) - Sept 13, 11am-6pm

Corn Hole Benefit for Vets (Downingtown) - Sept 13, 1pm

Moondawgs Band at Shamona Creek Park (Uwchlan) - Sept 13, 5pm

Downingtown Library Horror Trivia Night (Downingtown) - Sept 19, 6:30pm-9:30pm

Chester County Art Walk (East Goshen Park) - Sept 27, 10am-4pm

Oktoberfest 2025 (West Chester) - Sept 27, 11am-5pm

VFW First Annual Fall Fest (Downingtown) - Sept 27, 2pm (ticketed)

Drive Out Hunger (Downingtown) - Sept 28, 11am-3pm

Kidz Town Fall Fest (CFC Downingtown) - Sept 28, 9:30am-11am

Road to LionCage (Downingtown) - Sept 30, 4pm-7pm

Household Hazardous Waste Collection (Downingtown) - Oct 5, 8:30am-2pm

Jeeps and Java! (West Chester) - Oct 5, 8am-12pm

Downingtown Fall Fest (Downingtown) - Oct 5, 11am-4pm

October Cruse for the Troops (Exton) - Oct 11, 5pm

Exton Park Fall Fest (Exton) - Oct 18, 11am-3pm


House Cleaning

🤪 Joke of the day 😆

How do you make a tissue dance?

You put a little boogey in it 🕺

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