When Is The First Day Of Fall 2021? Events In Southeastern PA

PENNSYLVANIA — Whether you love it for that first sip of hot apple cider, crisp nights around a bonfire or trick-or-treating with your kids, fall is just around the corner in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

No matter how you choose to mark the arrival of falling leaves and cooler weather, the first day of fall is Wednesday, Sept. 22.

The autumnal equinox isn’t a daylong event but rather occurs at the exact moment the sun crosses the celestial equator — that’s at 3:21 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

However, the best parts of fall arguably last the entire season. While the coronavirus pandemic undeniably altered fall last year, many of your favorite activities are returning in full force this year.

SEE ALSO: 2021 Fall Foliage Peak Map: When Leaves Are Best Across America

Whether it’s a well-loved community celebration or a simple Friday spent at a high school football game, here are a few fall events to look forward to in the Philadelphia region this fall:

Peddler's Village Scarecrow Competition

The popular New Hope outdoor mall is once again hosting its annual scarecrow competition. Visitors will be able to vote on their favorites of more than 100 custom-made scarecrows through Oct. 31.

Longwood Gardens Autumn's Colors

Don't miss the fall colors and seasonal features at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square. From Oct. 2 through Nov. 14, guests can see foliage changing colors and enjoy exhibits such as the Garden Railway, Pumpkin Playground, and the Chrysanthemum Festival.

Fringe Festival

Philadelphia's annual contemporary arts festival is once again bringing groundbreaking artists to various venues across the city through Oct. 3. Visit the festival's website above for a complete list of events slated for this year.

Shadybrook Farms Fallfest

Yardley's Shadybrook Farms is offering wagon rides, a corn maze, light shows, apple and pumpkin picking, live music, bonfires and more. Fallfest is open Wednesdays to Sundays through Oct. 31

Linvilla Orchards Pumpkinland

A staple in the Philadelphia region, Media's Linvilla Orchards has opened is Pumpkinland for family fun now through Nov. 7. In addition to 100 tons of pre-picked pumpkins, Linvilla also offers apple picking, hayrides, corn and straw bale mazes, and more.

Eastern State Penitentiary Halloween Nights

This year, the historic penitentiary in Philly's Fairmount neighborhood is shifting its Halloween plans to include more informative experiences, cocktail lounges, and live music, while still offering bone-chilling haunted houses Sept. 24 through Nov. 13. Visitors can learn more and buy tickets via the link above.

Boo At The Zoo

On Saturdays and Sunday from Oct. 16 to Oct. 31, the Philadelphia Zoo will host its annual Halloween event Boo at the Zoo. Guests can enjoy fall festivities while in costume during the Boo at the Zoo weekends. Full details have not been announced so stay tuned to Patch for more information.

6abc Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade

The annual Thanksgiving Day parade is all set for 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25. You can take in the parade's float, performances, balloons, and more live in person on the Ben Franklin Parkway or live on 6ABC.

The word equinox comes from the Latin words “aequus,” which means “equal,” and “nox,” which means night. That’s led to the perception that everyone worldwide sees the same amount of daylight and nighttime, but it’s not the absolute truth. To be precise, daylight lasts about eight minutes longer than nighttime on the day of the equinox.

Here are five other things to know about the September equinox:

1. It’s not guaranteed, but the chances of seeing stunning aurora borealis displays increase after the fall equinox, according to NASA. Both the spring and fall equinoxes are good aurora seasons, but autumn produces a surplus of geomagnetic storms — almost twice the annual average.

2. The date of the September equinox varies. Usually, it’s on the 22nd, as it is this year, or the 23rd, but it can occur as early as Sept. 21 or as late as Sept. 24.

A Sept. 21 autumnal equinox hasn’t occurred in several millennia, but some folks alive today may see it the next couple of times it rolls around, in 2092 and then again four years later in 2096. And the first day of fall hasn’t fallen on Sept. 24 since 1931, and that won’t happen again until 2303.

Here’s the reason: A year is defined as 365 days by the Gregorian calendar, but it takes the Earth 365¼ days to orbit the sun. What this means is the autumnal equinox occurs about six hours later than it did the year prior, which eventually moves the date by a day.

3. Thank Canada for spectacular fall sunsets with more vivid pinks, reds and oranges than at any other time of the year. The Weather Channel offers an explanation: As dry, clean Canadian air begins to sweep across the country, fewer colors of the rainbow spectrum are scattered by air molecules. That means the reds, oranges, yellows and pinks make it through for your sunset-viewing pleasure.

4. No matter where you are in the world, the sun will rise due east and set due west during the fall equinox (the same thing happens during the spring equinox). For the directionally challenged, it’s a good time for a reset. Go outside around sunset or sunrise, find a landmark and mark the sun’s location in relation to it.

5. Fall isn’t just a time for the human world to start buttoning things up outside. It’s rutting — or mating — season for deer, elk and moose. Males will battle it out by thrusting their antlers together until one of them gives up or dies.

Swans, geese and ducks begin their migration south. Frogs burrow deep into mud holes to wait out the winter. Chipmunks retreat to their underground tunnels. Bears eat and drink almost nonstop as they prepare for hibernation.

One thing is for sure — take advantage of the sunshine before the cold of winter creeps in. The winter solstice is Tuesday, Dec. 21, just in case you’re keeping track.