Experience a world of opulence, social grace and turn-of-the-century glamour during Mercer’s 20th annual Victorian Weekend, which begins Friday evening with an old-fashioned ice cream social, sponsored by Eastern Star Chapter 180, before and during Mercer Community Band’s “Victorian Concert” at 7:30 on courthouse square.

The band, under the direction of Dr. Hendley D. Hoge, will host guest instrumental soloist Dr. Brian Kiser. Kiser, a tuba player virtuoso, will perform “Blue Bells of Scotland,” a traditional Celtic folk song, and “Tiger Rag,” a piece that was first recorded by the legendary Dixieland Jazz Band in 1917.

Guest vocal soloist Zachary Luchette, a junior at St. Vincent College and a student of Diana Walters, will offer renditions of “Love Songs Medley” and “I’ve Got Lots o’ Nottin’ ” from George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.”

Warm-up entertainment will be provided by Lawrence County Brass at 6:15 p.m. Take a lawn chair.

The Grand Victorian Weekend Parade gets moving at 10 a.m. Saturday.

An art and craft show and period children’s games and activities will be set up on the courthouse lawn Saturday and Sunday.

Mercer County Historical Society will lead Underground Railroad walking tours featuring abolition supporters, and a tour of Mercer Citizens Cemetery featuring prominent personalities buried there and their impact at that time in history.

The 10th unit of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, Civil War re-enactors, will set up a camp behind the society’s headquarters. Visitors are welcome to tour the camp and visit with the soldiers.

The Victorian/Civil War Ball in the Courthouse will be from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday with music by The Anonymous String Band and a caller for dances such as The Virginia Reel. Guests are encouraged to dress in costumes but it is not required.

A classic and antique car and motorcycle show is set for noon to 4 p.m. Sunday with registration from 10 a.m. to noon at North and South Diamond streets. Cars and motorcycles will be parked on North and South Diamond streets. Dash plaques and goodies bags will be awarded to the first 200 cars. Door prizes will be awarded at 4:30 p.m. at the bandstand.

Sunday’s bandstand entertainment will be “The Great Pretenders” from 1 to 5 p.m. 

Also on Sunday, a Victorian Weekend Tea Party and House Tour is set for 1 to 5 p.m. After a guided tour, you are welcome to have tea and crumpets in a selected area at each house.