Each week we map out a road trip in the region. If you have a suggestion for a great one, e-mail roadtrip@post-gazette.com or write: RoadTrip The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 34 Blvd. of the Allies Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Jimmy Stewart Film Festival schedule Here is the schedule for the Jimmy Stewart Film Festival sponsored by the museum every Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. throughout the months of May and June: May 12 and 13 -- "An American Tale: Fievel Goes West," featuring the voice of Jimmy Stewart. May 20 -- "Anatomy of a Murder" May 26 and 27 -- "Harvey" June 2 and 3 -- "The Glenn Miller Story" June 9 and 10 -- "Destry Rides Again" June 16 and 17 -- "Rope" June 23 and 24 -- "The Man Who Knew Too Much" June 30 and July 1 -- "Shenandoah" For additional information on the film series or festival week activities, visit www.jimmy.org or call the museum at 724-349-6112.

May is a good month for flowers, but it's an even better month if you're a Jimmy Stewart fan.

That's because the legendary actor was born in May (May 20 to be exact), and every year his hometown of Indiana, Pa., holds the Jimmy Stewart Festival.

This year it's May 12-19 and RoadTrip believes it's a good reason to take a drive along Route 22 East to Route 119 North to Mr. Stewart's birthplace.

The week kicks off at 2 p.m, Saturday with the opening of the museum's new children's center.

The center, which is part of the museum, focuses on Mr. Stewart's childhood and includes the twin bed he slept on as a youngster.

There will be children's activities including a visit by one of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood's" favorite neighbors, Mr. McFeely, and Michelangelo the Magician.

The Jimmy Stewart Film Festival, which begins this weekend, will continue throughout the month of May, but there will be no Saturday matinee May 19 because of festival activities.

The highlight of the week is the Harvey Award Dinner, which is being hosted by comedian Rich Little and broadcast personality Nick Clooney.

This year, the Harvey Award is being given posthumously to Bing Crosby. Crosby's wife, Kathryn, who starred with Stewart in the film "Anatomy of a Murder," will receive the George Bailey Award.

The award dinner will be held at 6 p.m. May 19 at the Rustic Lodge, 2199 Oakland Ave.

About 10,000 folks a year visit the Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana, which was chartered in 1805 as the county seat of Indiana County.

Its historic district has a number of buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including the James Mitchell House, the Old Jail and Sheriff's Office and the Old Courthouse.

In front of the new courthouse is the Jimmy Stewart Statue, which Mr. Stewart dedicated on May 21, 1983, for his 75th birthday.

The courthouse is at the corner of Eighth and Philadelphia streets near the James Stewart Museum, located on the third floor of the Indiana Free Library at 845 Philadelphia St.

Across the street from the courthouse is a sundial that marks where the hardware store owned by Mr. Stewart's father, Alex, once stood. Mr. Stewart's Oscar for "The Philadelphia Story" was displayed in the hardware store window along with other memorabilia.

But to get the best sense of Mr. Stewart's wonderful life, a visit to the museum is a must.

Last year for the 10th anniversary of the museum, it was reconfigured to follow a timeline of Mr. Stewart's life, said executive director Tim Harley. "We added text panels that placed his history on the larger history of our nation and the world," he said.

On display are artifacts from the family hardware store, which was demolished in 1968, and mementos from his service in the Army Air Corps during World War II including his general's uniform.

As expected there are numerous movie posters and memorabilia, such as the propeller of the plane used in the film "The Flight of the Phoenix," which was signed by the entire cast.

But there are some other interesting items, too. Last year, the museum acquired the oak front door of Mr. Stewart's home at 918 Roxbury Ave. in Beverly Hills.

"When that door came into our possession I asked Kelly Stewart [Mr. Stewart's daughter] if she remembered who she opened that door for," Mr. Harley recounted.

Among the famous folks she greeted were Nancy and Ronald Reagan and Gregory Peck and his wife, Veronique.

The museum also has the "V for victory" sign that Mr. Stewart's father made for his homecoming following the war. His father hung the sign on top of the courthouse and it is seen in the Life magazine cover photo of Mr. Stewart being lauded by his hometown.

Jimmy Stewart, his wife, Doris, and children had a tradition of eating twice a week at L.A's famed Chasen's restaurant, Mr. Harley said.

When the restaurant closed, the museum purchased the booth the family used.

During the festival, the museum will unveil its latest exhibit, "Dear Mr. Stewart," which is a collection of things that were given to Mr. Stewart by his fans.

They include drawings, paintings, poems, handmade things given to him personally or sent to his publicist.

His daughter has written a statement about how her father felt about the gifts and how they were a part of their home in Beverly Hills.