RSVP required - select from dates below: $20 donation/seat
people, places, events and important local sites that helped to shape our nation!
05/30/2026 | 1-5 pm | Event: Ye Olde Yardleyville Festival! | Gather Place & Yardley Friends Meeting
JOIN US for a free, family-friendly celebration of America’s 250th anniversary! Experience 19th-century life in Yardley, Bucks County—featuring Quaker heritage, untold African American history, and the village’s Underground Railroad legacy.
Festival Timeline of Events | Saturday May 30, 2026 | 1-5pm
The festival unfolds as a journey between two historic Yardley Borough locations, offering distinct yet interconnected perspectives on Yardley’s past—Quaker settlement and African American heritage—woven together through shared stories of community, faith, and freedom. Join in at either and/or both locations any time throughout this time.
>Hop on the free shuttle bus service that will be driving between each location continually (walkable as well).
1:00 PM – Yardley Friends Meeting House | 65 North Main Street, Yardley Pa 19067
Event Begins
Guests are welcomed by event facilitators, followed by an acknowledgment from Yardley Mayor Caroline Thompson.
Attendees may explore the Quaker experience of historical displays and engaging 18th--century-inspired storytellers and enjoy traditional Olde English desserts.
1:30 PM – Gather Place at the Historic AME Church of Yardley | 188 South Canal Street, Yardley, Pa 19067
Inside the church, guests will learn about the AME Church (established in 1877) and the early African American communities of Yardley. Abolitionist reenactors will share powerful stories of resilience and freedom.
Inside: Attendees can enjoy may explore historical displays and 19th-century-inspired storytellers
Outside: Attendees can enjoy activities under the big white tent, food, soft sounds of inspirational music
3:00 PM – Program Options
Option 1:
Join the Underground Railroad Guided Walking Tour, beginning at Gather Place and following along on the Delaware Canal State Park towpath (Lock #5) (Limited to 30 walkers – RSVP required – contact us at 215.595.2722: info@gatherplace.org
Option 2:
Continue back to the Quaker experience at Yardley Friends Meeting House - explore historical displays and engaging 18th--century-inspired storytellers and enjoy traditional Olde English desserts.
4:15 – 4:45PM – Yardley Friends Meeting House | 65 North Main Street, Yardley Pa 19067
Closing Program & Event Conclusion
Live program by Lucretia Mott and Frederick Douglass, orations to depict their abolitionist speeches at Newtown Hall of the 1850s
4:45 – 5 PM
- Door prize drawing
- Closing remarks
05/30/2026 | 3 pm | Gather Place Underground Railroad Walking Tour of Yardley Borough, Pennsylvania:
As part of the Ye Olde Yardleyville Festival (Free and Open to the Public), Gather Place invites the community to experience a powerful and educational journey through Yardley Borough’s hidden history.
This one-hour guided walking tour begins at the historic African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church of Yardley (1817 / 1877 / 1956), home of Gather Place—“The Bucks County Community Space.” Located on the historic “Boatyard Lot,” once owned by the Yardley founding family, this site offers a meaningful gateway into the region’s layered past.
Participants will explore documented and speculated Underground Railroad sites, uncovering Yardley’s connections to Bucks County and the broader national network that supported freedom seekers. These stories of courage, resistance, and community remain vital as we reflect on America’s 250th Anniversary.
The tour also highlights the often-overlooked history of Yardley Borough’s African American community, including the legacy of the Derry family, the Borough’s oldest known Black family lineage whose descendants remain part of the community today.
Walking along the Delaware Canal towpath (est. 1831), participants will visit key locations such as the site of the Aaron LaRue General Store and learn about the Yardley Ferry, where records document the use of enslaved labor crossing the Delaware River.
Walking Event Highlights:
- Historic AME Church of Yardley (starting point)
- The “Boatyard Lot” & Yardley founding family history
- Underground Railroad routes (documented & speculated sites)
- Stories of freedom seekers, abolitionists, and local allies
- Delaware Canal history & towpath experience (1831)
- Site of Aaron LaRue General Store
- Yardley Ferry & documented crossings of enslaved individuals
- Legacy of Yardley’s African American community
- The Derry family—multi-generational local history
Participants may enjoy the full festival or register specifically for this guided tour. Space is limited to 30 walkers. Advance RSVP required.
Contact: 215.595.2722 | info@gatherplace.org
Join Us in Making a Difference
Gather Place Museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Pennsylvania State organization. Headquarters at the Historic African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church of Yardley (est.1877) located in the Historic District of Yardley Borough, Bucks County Pa.
We are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and dedicated to preserving history, celebrating culture, and fostering community engagement in Bucks County & beyond!
