Between Philly And Allentown Sits Pennsylvania's Unsung Artsy Hub With A Festival, Theater, And Fun Shops

Imagine your favorite live performer taking the stage at a theater hosting national and international acts. No, you're not in New York or California — you're in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, a tiny yet vibrant hidden gem art hub. Home to around 4,500 residents, Sellersville packs a historic theater, a boutique hotel, a fine dining restaurant, an annual arts festival, and fun shops into just over one square mile.

Sellersville's best-known native is Impressionist painter Walter Emerson Baum, who lived from 1884 to 1956 and helped establish various art institutions and museums north in Allentown, an artsy Pennsylvania city with world-class bites. Before becoming a destination for the arts, settler Samuel Sellers established Sellers' Tavern along the busy Bethlehem Pike stagecoach route in the 1700s. The arrival of the railroad in 1856 fueled cigar manufacturing before the town turned into a creative arts hub. Travelers can reach Sellersville via Interstate 476 from Philadelphia, located 40 miles south and home to a mosaic-filled urban art garden,or Route 309 from Allentown. Those flying into Philadelphia International Airport or Lehigh Valley International Airport can rent a car to explore the area.

Sellersville's artistic energy is on display year-round, but especially each September during the Pennridge Gallery of the Arts, adowntown festivsal featuring artists selling handmade crafts alongside live music and local food vendors. Artists can compete in various categories to to win cash prizes up to $500, as well as Best in Show. The festival also shines a light on the next generation of creatives with an award for young aspiring artists.

If scoring affordable Broadway tickets in New York feels out of reach, Sellersville's thriving arts scene provides a spectacular alternative. Sellersville Theater and the neighboring Washington House Hotel and Restaurant sit side by side, creating an evening of fine dining, entertainment, and a comfortable night's rest in one of 11 boutique hotel rooms. 

Sellersville Theater's intimate stage occupies a restored horse stable built in 1894. It later became the Selvil Theatre, survived several fires, and reopened in 2002 as the live performance venue it is today. Touring comedians and musicians encompassing genres from folk and jazz to rock and country  perform there, with such headliners as Billy Bob Thornton and Sister Hazel. One Google reviewer called it "a wonderfully quaint theater that has stayed true to its roots," while another described it as a "great small intimate venue."

Next door, the Washington House Hotel and Restaurant serves contemporary American cuisine and offers boutique accommodations inside a historic property whose roots date to the 1700s as a farmhouse. Entrees include seared Atlantic salmon with grilled corn risotto and asiago tortellini with saffron butter sauce. One wrote, "We absolutely loved the room, the cozy bar, and the dinner was phenomenal," while another couple, whose anniversary dinner turned into an overnight stay after car trouble, called it the "best decision [they] ever made," crediting the accommodating staff for turning an inconvenience into a highlight of their visit.

Sellersville's creative side also spills out into a collection of independently owned cafés and shops. At the Fizzy Fern, plant varieties and other local arts vendors share the scene with funky espresso drinks and nostalgic craft sodas, along with specially-made lotus-based energy drinks. One Google reviewer praised the café's "plants, local art, trinkets, homemade gifts and more," adding, "the coffee is always made perfectly ... this has become our new little gem!"

Just down the street, The Next Chapter Bookstore is an inviting stop for bookworms near and far. The independent, women-owned shop was founded by mother-and-daughter team Helen and Jess Ward, who turned their lifelong love of books into a welcoming gathering space. Visitors can explore shelves of new and used books while chatting with the owners. One Google reviewer described the store as "a little gem filled with new books, used books and even children's books," adding, "The atmosphere is so inviting. I can shop for hours and not feel rushed. The owners are kind and accommodating."

Two miles northeast in neighboring Perkasie, a walkable hidden gem town full of fun, artistic shops, visitors can browse for colorful gifts at the women-owned boutique Threddies. Or, for something extremely local, Walnut Street Pottery showcases handcrafted tableware created by husband-and-wife artists Matt and Betsy Zimmerman, who transform hand-dug Pennsylvania clay into wood-fired pottery sold from a roadside stand outside their home.