Fathers Day

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. In today's busy, fast-paced world, it's often tough for fathers and sons to share as many moments together as they'd like. But this Father's Day weekend (June 19 and 20), the Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau suggests eight memory-making experiences in Valley Forge and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania guaranteed to create some real quality "father-son" time.

Begin by celebrating America's forefathers at the annual commemorative March-out of the Continental Army at Valley Forge National Historical Park. On Saturday, June 19, Park rangers, Oneida Indian Nation members and a battalion of volunteers will host living history demonstrations and a mini-encampment at the Park's Muhlenberg Brigade. Cannon-firings will take place at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

For a slapstick fix, "nyuk, nyuk" it up at The Stoogeum, in Ambler, the world's first and only museum dedicated to the Three Stooges. This 10,000 square-foot, three-story building houses close to 100,000 pieces of memorabilia, as well as an 85-seat theater showing classic Stooges movies. Get in on an open house on Saturday, June 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If your Pop's a nature-lover, Green Lane Park, located in Green Lane, is the place to go for an abundance of outdoor adventure. A 3,400-acre expanse with three bodies of water, it offers the peace and calm of fishing and boating, or the exhilaration of hiking and mountain biking trails, tennis and more.

Does Dad have a need for speed? Satisfy it with a zip-line experience from the highest point in Montgomery County, at Spring Mountain Adventures, in Spring Mount. Afterward, bring him down from the adrenaline rush with a cold one and a snack at the Tiki Bar @Spring Mountain.

For some playful payback for all those years of responsible parenting, make dad "eat paint" as he crawls, sprints, and takes cover from "enemy fire" on 10 unique battlefields, at Poco Loco Paintball, in New Hanover. Outfox the "old man" on the colorfully-named Chapultepec Castle, Shanghai Village and Hell's Highway fields of fire. And be sure to clean him up before bringing him back home to Mom.

If that's not enough reciprocity for you, stop in at Krazy Village, in Limerick, to subject Father to Balladium Ball. Armed with UltraViolet foam ball-filled air cannons, teams of players fire at each other across a colorful black light arena. Under barrages of enemy fire, players scramble for more ammunition in a race against time. For payback, make sure you and dad are on opposing teams...but if it's all about bonding, soldier on side-by-side. Either way, it's chaotic, safe fun.

Let Dad be a kid for the day at Arnold's Family Fun Center, in Oaks. Go-kart racing around two indoor tracks, laser tag, skee ball and more than 80 arcade games will let him escape all his grown-up worries and cares.

Or go "wild" at the Father's Day Cookout at Norristown's Elmwood Park Zoo, Sunday, June 20. And after filling up on BBQ and beverages, he can marvel at the nation's largest open-air bald eagle exhibit, safari through the zoo, watch a live animal show, and "Meet the Keeper." Preregistration is required.

A Father's Day card may not survive the weekend. A gift may soon be forgotten. But moments shared together with Dad in Valley Forge and Montgomery County will be remembered for a lifetime.

For more information about these and other events, as well as how to book affordable accommodations for Father's Day weekend in Valley Forge and Montgomery County, please visit www.valleyforge.org.

The Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ltd. is a nonprofit, membership-based sales and marketing organization that aggressively promotes the Valley Forge area and Montgomery County as a convention site and leisure visitor destination by encouraging patronage of its 500-plus member hotels, restaurants, attractions and services. The Bureau's Web site, at www.valleyforge.org, serves visitors, meeting planners, tour operators and residents.