Step inside five beautiful homes, enjoy gourmet meals during Spring Market Faire of Kitchens
If you go
What: Spring Market Faire of Kitchens
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, April 27
Where: Five homes in central and northern York County
Tickets: $20 each and available at Christmas Tree Hill stores in York (2801 S. George St.; 4000 W. Market St. and 2840 Whiteford Road) and Futer Brothers Jewelers at 2820 Whiteford Road. Call Betty Hooker at 266-1025 or Sue Zitnick at 266-1491 with questions. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
Online: york-pa.aauw.net/
An emerald green, marble and bubble glass island; French influences found in cherry cupboards and black granite countertops; and original brick walls and windows overlooking downtown York — these unique elements are just a few of the surprises in this year's Spring Market Faire of Kitchens.
Sponsored by the York branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) once every two years, the five-kitchen tour invites the public to take a look at several renovated kitchens across York County from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, April 27.
Members of the AAUW, including event chairwoman Carol Little, started their search for willing homeowners in September, seeking what Little calls "a diversity in styles."
This year, the Faire includes the arts and crafts cottage of Peter Danko and Susan McDaniel, furnished with items made with recycled materials and designed by the owners; a 1965 split-level home owned by Keith Noll that was remodeled in 2012 to include multiple levels of floor space for entertaining; a French-influenced home owned by Steven and Francoise Snell overlooking the York valley near Rocky Ridge; a centuries-old stone farmhouse owned by Peter and Linda VanGiesen; and the home of Diana Graham, located in "The Lofts" of downtown York, a refurbished factory that housed Pullman Motors in the 1800s.
"Everybody seems really excited to see the apartment at the Lofts," Little said. "It's something that is different, so a lot of people are curious about it."
Tickets for the Faire are $20 each, and have been on sale since mid-March, although Little expects to sell out. Attendees — the tour typically attracts 450 — are welcome to visit the homes in any order, where an AAUW volunteer will share some information on the kitchen and the owners before a local chef provides a cooking demonstration.
The event "is really a great gesture of generosity on the part of the chefs," Little said, as they donate both the food and their time. Recommendations for whom to ask come from AAUW members, friends and the public, resulting this year in participation by Red Brick Bakery & Tea Room, The Paddock on Market, The Front Porch Tea Room, Victor's and Wyndridge Farm.
"Wyndridge Farm was so popular this year, we felt very fortunate to get (Matthew Siegmund)," Little said. "We try to also vary the type of thing that's being offered. You don't want more than one seafood item, for example."
"Although, you can have all desserts and people would be happy," she said, laughing.
And if a glimpse inside these unusual homes or a chance to taste springtime offerings from York County's best chefs isn't enough to pique your interest, each home will also host a pop-up shop of a woman-owned business: The Strawberry Shop, Park Street Pantry, two artists from Makers Dozen, Collage Specialty Boutique and an AAUW Bake Sale will showcase their wares.
"Maybe you find something neat for a Mother's Day gift," Little said. "It's just another aspect of the tour to add some enjoyment to it."
Proceeds from the day benefit scholarships awarded by the AAUW to women from York County or with York County ties whose graduate or undergraduate work relates to an issue important to women. The program emphasizes not just financial need but also the candidate's field of study and how it contributes to the advancement of women or applies to a field that women are not normally involved in, Little said.
"The mission of the AAUW is to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research," Little said. "Education is generally the way out of poverty for women, and for anybody, really. The tour is a chance to get out and have some fun while supporting that mission."
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