Ways to Celebrate Women’s History Month

March is Women's History Month, a month-long celebration of women's achievements.

Here are a few ideas of things to do in Bucks County (and nearby) to honor extraordinary women, including educational events, books and articles to read, and fun and inspiring things to do with your gal pals!

Votes for Women: A Visual History at the Brandywine River Museum of Art

When: Now through June 7
Where: 1 Hoffmans Mill Road, Chadds Ford

The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which granted women the right to vote—although many voting struggles persisted for marginalized groups following its ratification. The long road to women’s suffrage, spanning the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, played out very differently from political movements today. In the absence of televised and digital media, the suffragists spread their message through magazines, political cartoons, posters, plays, parades, and even through fashion. This exhibition will examine the visual culture of the suffrage movement, revealing how the “look” of women’s rights developed along with the important visual strategies that propelled the campaign.

Women's History Month at The Betsy Ross House

When: Now through March 28, select dates
Where: 239 Arch Street, Philadelphia

Living history performers will portray female activists and history makers throughout the month. On Suffragette Saturdays (every Saturday in March), heroic suffragette and native Philadelphian Dora Lewis tells visitors stories about arrests, hunger strikes and other struggles she faced during the suffrage movement.

Women's History Month at the National Constitution Center

When: Now through March 31
Where: 525 Arch Street, Philadelphia

August 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which expanded the right to vote to women across the country. This year in honor of the anniversary, the National Constitution Center will offer a wide variety of programs and events celebrating this constitutional milestone. Visitors will get to know the women who fought to get the amendment passed, examining the strategies they employed, as well as exploring the language and symbolism of the suffrage movement. Programs will kick off in March for Women’s History Month and include the “Four Harriets” program, the “Votes for Women” educational music video workshop that looks at the women’s suffrage movement—inspired by the music of Lady Gaga, and a special self-guided tour highlighting important moments in women’s history.

You can also download their FREE 2020 Civic Calendar! This year's calendar commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment by celebrating extraordinary American women throughout history.

Brilliantly Resilient LIVE! Event

When: Saturday, March 7 from 8:30 a.m. to noon
Where: Cornerstone Club, 847 Easton Road, Warrington

Everyone has one—past, present or future. How do you keep your train wreck from becoming your story? How do some people come through stronger while others never recover? Mary Fran Bontempo and Kristin Smedley, two past Happening List Winners, are presenting Brilliantly Resilient Live. This life-changing event will share strategies and successes in discovering resilience, surmounting challenges, and uncovering brilliance. So that YOU can thrive in the face of adversity and beyond. Find out more here.

Ladies Night Out: Mixed Media Collage

When: Friday, March 13 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Where: Michener Art Museum, 138 Pine Street, Doylestown

Women of all ages are welcome to attend this unique workshop, appropriate for beginners and experienced artists alike. Self-expression, experimentation, and all-out fun are the focus. Refreshments will be served. Tickets are $35 for members, $45 for non-members. Register here.

Bucks County Community College Wordsmiths Series: Novelist Carole Maso and Poet Cheryl Baldi – CANCELLED DUE TO HEALTH CONCERNS

When: Friday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Newtown Campus, 142 of Tyler Hall, 275 Swamp Road, Newtown

Bucks County Community College’s Wordsmiths Reading Series presents award-winning novelist Carole Maso and former Bucks County Poet Laureate Cheryl Baldi.

Maso is the author of novels Mother and Child, Ghost Dance, and The Art Lover; a collection of short-fiction stories, an essay collection, and many other books. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Lannan Fellowship. Maso is a Professor of Literary Arts at Brown University in Rhode Island.

Baldi, the 1989 Bucks County Poet Laureate, was a finalist for the Robert Frasier Poetry Award and the Francis Locke Memorial Award. Her work also was nominated for the 2008 Best New Poets Anthology. Her first poetry collection The Shapelessness of Water was published in 2018, and she is currently working on a second, In the Golden Hour. Baldi has taught at Bucks County Community College, worked as a freelance editor, and facilitated community-based workshops exploring women’s lives through literature.

This is a free event.

Kristin Chenoweth in Concert: For the Girls

When: Friday, March 13 at 8 p.m.
Where: The Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia

Actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth is known for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked on Broadway and the TV series Glee. She'll be performing songs from her most recent album, For the Girls. On the album, she covers songs by iconic women singers such as Whitney Houston, Doris Day and Barbra Streisand.

39^th Annual Bucks County Women’s History Month Award

When: Thursday, March 19 at 5:45 p.m.
Where: James-Lorah Memorial Home Auditorium, 132 Main Street, Doylestown

The Bucks County Women’s History Month Award is presented to a Bucks County woman who best exemplifies the social, intellectual, and creative contributions women have made to the future and quality of life for Bucks County residents. This year, the committee is proud to celebrate Celia Sharp, a member of the League of Women Voters of Bucks County. Volunteering consumes a good part of Celia’s time, with social justice being the center of her work in the community. She advocates for the disenfranchised, the disabled, the undocumented, the uninsured, immigrants, and those with special needs.

The Women’s History Month ceremony marks an evening of community celebration and inspiration for all of Bucks County during National Women’s History Month. The ceremony and reception will be held Thursday, March 19 at the James-Lorah Memorial Home Auditorium. Enjoy refreshments starting at 5:45 p.m.; the program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a tour of the James-Lorah House from 4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m., prior to the ceremony. The event is open to all with tickets costing $15 in advance or $20 at the door. All proceeds from the event are donated to a charity of the honoree’s choosing. Click here for more information.