From the Harley Davidson factory to authentic Italian cheeses to the circuit boards used to make traffic lights, the Made in America Tour will give you a first-hand look at the businesses in York, PA that are part of your every day life!
I was recently invited by Explore York to get a sneak peek at some of the businesses that will be open for the Made in America tour!
The Made in America Tour runs from June 12-15, 2019 and will feature over 40 local businesses that are ready to welcome you for demonstrations and presentations! It’s a fully interactive experience that allows you to see all the artistry and innovation that’s right here in York County!
It’s easy to go through your day to day life and take for granted all the products you use and the food you eat. The Made in America tour helps those products come to life right in front of you! You can watch a potato come right off the truck and eventually turn into a potato chip. Watch a block of wood turn into a gorgeous violin that will be played on stage.
Plan your trip today, and you’ll be amazed by all the products that are made right here in Pennsylvania!
Farm to Table Experiences
It’s only fitting that we start with the farm to table tours, since the main kick-off event will be held at Perrydell Farm!
Perrydell Farm Dairy
Whether you make it to the kick-off event or you just visit Perrydell at some point during the Made in America tour, you’ll be tickled with how up close and personal you can get with the calves! They’re friendly and love to be petted so be sure to bring your kids along too!
They also have cows that love to get scratched! It was hysterical watching this big guy hit all the right spots with this rotating scratcher!
As part of the Made In America tour, you’ll also be able to get a tour of the milking and bottling facilities. An insider’s view of how they make their famous chocolate milk and ice cream that you must stop into the store to try!
Martin’s Snacks
I can’t imagine anyone in Central PA isn’t familiar with Martin’s Kettle Cook’d potato chips! This family-owned company has been in business for over 75 years and is offering you a tour of their facilities to see how they make their famous potato chips and popcorn.
If you time your tour right, you’ll get to see one of their large trucks getting lifted right up into the air to shake all those potatoes out! Then they travel down another conveyor belt to get rid of all that extra dirt before heading into the factory.
A steps later and you’ll be just feet away from these pretty little things!
Don’t forget to take a couple minutes to head into the store at the front of the building. They sell a bunch of their products at amazing prices!
And how perfect is this popcorn packaging for the Made in America tour! I just had to grab a quick picture! Plus they have other bags with different presidents that are equally as cool!
Caputo Brothers Creamery
I’ll be honest… I thought we were heading to an ice cream shop with this one! To my immense pleasure, though, it was a cheese shop!
I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing the cheese flight was that we had! The owners have traveled to Italy many, many times and have brought back recipes for authentic, handcrafted Italian cheeses that are to die for!
As part of the Made in America tour, you’ll also be able to enjoy a cheese tasting as well as receive a guided tour of their cheese cave and their processing plant.
Be sure to browse the shop out front and be on the look-out for their homemade pepper jelly. It was a perfect pairing with the cheeses! They also offer culinary tours to Italy and cooking classes right there on site!
Flinchbaugh’s Orchard & Farm Market
During the Made in American tour, Flinchbaugh’s Orchard and Farm will let you follow the path an apple takes from growing to harvest to coring and peeling. The final result is a dried apple slice for a healthy and homegrown snack!
Alpacas of York Tours
This is a little more “Farm to Body”, but either way it was definitely a highlight for me! Visit this gorgeous farm and walk right out in the fields to pet and interact with the alpacas!
They’re playful and funny and I could have spent all morning hanging out with these cool animals!
Be sure to check out the store for handcrafted socks, dryer balls, yarn and more!
And a little hint, I had one alpaca following me around for quite awhile. He was nuzzling right up to me and was super playful! Apparently he loves the smell of peppermint, and I had a pocketful of peppermints and one in my mouth at the time! So bring along a peppermint and you might just get some extra snuggles!
This is just a sampling of the farm and culinary related stops on the Made in America tour! Be sure to check out the full list and schedule of events HERE.
Arts and Manufacturing Tours
From touring Harley Davidson Factory to getting a backstage tour of the Appell Center’s two theaters, the arts and manufacturing industries are thriving in York County and they’re excited to offer you tours in June!
Bluett Bros. Violins
I played the violin (not well) for over 10 years as a child. I literally never gave any thought to how the instrument was made, though!
The shop is small but fascinating with patterns and forms for all types of stringed instruments. We were there on the day a young apprentice was working on building a violin from scratch and it was so neat to see someone just starting out.
You’ll also be able to talk to the master luthier himself about famous instruments he has made or worked on and what goes into the process of constructing one.
The Guitar Spot USA
Staying with the music theme, The Guitar Spot USA is not only south Central PA’s largest musical shop, but the owner also apprenticed with the Bluett Bros. when he was first getting started!
Housed in a gorgeous historic building, The Guitar Spot USA stocks over 300 guitars, offers lessons for all levels and ages and even has a spot in the back for performances!
I walked in and literally gasped because it was all just so impressive!
Candi J. Duda Stained Glass
Right across the street from The Guitar Spot USA is Candi J. Duda Stained Glass & Garden Art. I quite literally have never thought about the process of creating a piece of stained glass art before and found it fascinating!
As part of the Made in America tour, you’ll meet the artist herself and see a demonstration and learn about the process to creating beautiful pieces of stained glass.
When we visited, one of her employees was starting on a series of goddess pieces so we were able to see the very beginning stage with large sheets of stained glass.
Through to another goddess piece where she had already started cutting and piecing the puzzle together.
Sunrise Soap Company
I barely got my foot in the door here because I was so tickled by the outside decorations and bubbles blowing! But I am so glad I did because the whole shop is quirky, colorful and smells amazing!
With a “Make Your Own Station” in the back, you can truly be the artist that contributes to Made in America! You can choose to make your own soap, bath bombs and other body care products! You choose the molds, scents and colors!
Electronic Manufacturing Services Group
I’ll be honest, I saw this on the itinerary and I wasn’t too excited. I’m not much of a technical girl and didn’t think it would appeal to me. And then I walked in and was like… woah!!
I literally had no idea circuit boards like this were made so close to home! EMSG produces circuit boards that we use every day in everything from traffic signals to dentist equipment to LED lights and model trains! It’s amazing how many different ways we use circuit boards that are created right here in York County!
To see all of the other arts and manufacturing stops on the Made in America Tour, be sure to check out the full schedule HERE.
Made in America Tour in York PA
And that my friends is only about 1/4 of the all the stops on this year’s Made in America Tour in York, PA! It’s a full 4 days but an incredible way to get to know the local community and support businesses that are making their products right here in America!
Explore York has made the schedule as easy as possible for you if you follow these easy steps:
- Download the brochure HERE and be sure to take a look at it before the events starts. It outlines exactly what to expect at each stop (i.e. is there an admission charge, is it handicap accessible, are bathrooms available, are there age restrictions, etc.).
- Explore York also runs a contest during the Made in America Tour so be sure to download your 2019 Passport HERE. If you get it signed at 5 or more businesses, you can be entered to win!
- Not every shop is open on the same days or at the same times. Print out the 2019 schedule HERE so you can plan your trip accordingly.
- Visit Explore York for more information on the tour and to see the FAQ. Don’t forget, this year’s tour runs from June 12-15th!
- Follow Explore York PA on Instagram and don’t forget to tag any pictures with#ExploreYorkPA
