Bucks County's Peddler's Village celebrates 50 years in 2012

TIME-TRAVEL back 50 years, and locals passing by the intersection of what is now Route 263 and Street Road in Bucks County wouldn't have had much reason to pull over. Tucked into the rolling hillside just a few miles outside of New Hope was a six-acre plot that held a ramshackle assemblage of chicken coops, a barn and a dusty antique shop that had clearly seen better days.

It took the vision of one man, Earl Jamison, to imagine something else - a destination for tourists, a place to shop, eat and recreate. Jamison bought the four acres and turned it into Peddler's Village, now 42 acres of entertainment and shopping that has hosted more than 25 million guests in the past five decades. There's a family entertainment center, a full-service day spa and even a hotel.

As Donna Jamison remembers it, her father's unfaltering commitment was the underpinning of her childhood, a focus of hard work and dedication that affected, in all kinds of ways, his family of five children. Earl and his wife, Sheila, were young entrepreneurs, founders of Bountiful Acres farm and garden market as newly marrieds at the tender age of 19. When some real estate became available up the road, Earl jumped at it.

"When I think of them starting the village when they were 27 years old with five kids, I just can't imagine it," Jamison recalled. Although her parents divorced in the 1970s, her father's love affair with Peddler's Village was unwavering - and something he passed on to his children. Jamison, who like her siblings worked in Peddler's Village every summer and holidays growing up, was chief operating officer of the attraction until 1997, when she retired to have her own family.

"I think my dad was ahead of his time is so many ways," said Jamison. "From his commitment to environmental stewardship to the many festivals that take place throughout the year. Now it seems like the norm, but back then, it was something really unique."

As it looks toward another decade - and as we look toward the holiday shopping and celebrating season, here are:

1. Jump-start the holiday spirit.

This weekend's Christmas Festival is an example of what brings a wide cross section of visitors to Peddler's Village. Besides the chance to gander at 130 decorated gingerbread houses and bask in the glow of 1 million - yup, million - twinkling holiday lights, there's the Saturday morning arrival of Santa and the missus, a marching band parade, carolers and a chance to visit Santa's workshop at Giggleberry Fair, the family fun center.

2. Get pampered.

Skin 'n Tonic is a fab day spa and salon that doubles as a destination spa for girlfriend reunions coming from Philly, New York and beyond. Besides the usual array of cushy body treatments, manicures and pedicures and salon services, Aussie-born owner Kerian Bray is a certified oncology aesthetician who specializes in working with people in treatment for cancer or other health issues that compromise their skin. 215-794-3966, www.skinntonic.com.

3. Shop till you drop.

Whether you're window shopping or after serious retail therapy, the 65 shops at Peddler's Village fill the bill. With its gorgeously manicured outdoor setting, shopping at the village is a bracing alternative to mall malaise. Although the retail mix leans toward the country kitsch, there are browse-worthy boutiques, shoe stores and accessory shops.

A few standouts: Artisans Gallery for contemporary American crafts and handmade jewelry; Cookery Ware Shop to feed the needs of your favorite home cook; Village Flower Shoppe, with its array of Christmas decorations at every price point; and House of Coffee for fair-trade beans from around the globe.

4. Festive festivals.

Christmas cheer is only the tip of the iceberg at the village. An ongoing calendar of special events and interactive festivals draws throngs eager to fete the strawberry season, weigh in on a scarecrow decorating contest and gander at artisan quilts, depending on the season.

5. Channel your inner Rube Goldberg.

As part of the 50th-anniversary fete, and as a nod to Earl Jamison's penchant for tinkering, there's a Rube Goldberg Challenge planned for July. Named for cartoonist Reuben Lucius Goldberg, the contest charges entrants with designing and building a contraption that uses the most complex process (20 or more steps) to complete the simple task of inflating and popping a balloon. First prize, $1,000! www.peddlersvillage.com/rube-goldberg.aspx.

6. Pass the prime rib.

Opened with the village in 1962, the Cock 'n Bull restaurant is about as traditional as it gets, with floral drapes, Windsor-style chairs and lots of wood accents. A great place for a multigenerational meal, Cock 'n Bull maintains its rep for meat-and-potatoes specialties, from prime rib to chicken pot pie and meat loaf. If you, too, are turning 50 in 2012, bring proof of age and the Cock 'n Bull will buy you dinner.

7. Belly up to the bar.

Take a break from shopping for tasty pub fare and a beer at either Hart's tavern or Peddler's Pub. Done up like a British pub, Hart's is casual and relaxed. Try the chili served in a loaf of house-baked bread. Kids can munch on chicken strips or a grilled cheese sandwich, and the food comes out fast and hot, which definitely cuts down on the whining.

Adjacent to the Cock 'n Bull, Peddler's Pub is a downstairs rathskeller only open for lunch on weekends and during holidays and festivals, another casual spot to refresh and refuel.

8. Campy dinner theater.

Peddler's Pub is also used for murder mystery dinner theater on weekends, a production called something hilarious like "Gilligan's Island . . . of Death" or, come New Year's Eve, "Who Killed the King of Rock 'n Roll" - a great excuse to bring in an Elvis impersonator. Dinner is included in the $51.95 price ($95 for New Year's Eve, with a fancier menu and champagne toast).

9. Life is a carousel.

Kids of all ages will love the 1922 Philadelphia Toboggan Company (P.T.C.) carousel at Giggleberry Fair, one of the grandest produced during the Golden Age of Carousels. Earl Jamison restored it to its original splendor in 1998.

10. Dine at Earl's Bucks County.

Three years ago, when he came on board as director of food and beverages, Jim Pirello was aware the village wasn't known for its innovative fine dining. Along with restaurant general manager David Zuckerman, Pirello shook things up with Earl's Bucks County, a stylish contemporary bi-level restaurant named for the village founder.

The jewel in the Peddler's culinary crown, Earl's Bucks County emphasizes local purveyors. Although the list changes, most recently the kitchen was getting micro greens and vegetables from Blue Moon and None Such Farms in Buckingham, homegrown turkeys and chickens and pastured beef from Bolton in Silverdale, and OwowCow Creamery for small-batch ice cream in Ottsville.

There's a lively bar scene, a fab wine list designed by Zuckerman and a wonderful menu of small, seasonal plates. Try the salt-roasted beets with walnut crusted local goat cheese or the daily flatbread, which might arrive topped with a tangle of arugula and prosciutto or a savory sauté of wild mushrooms. Lots of good wines by the glass, along with an artisanal cocktail list make Earl's a happening spot just about every night of the week.