Author Archives: Maddie Conley

Days of Wine and Apples: Harvest time is festival time in central Pa

September 29, 2025 | by M. Diane McCormick

2025 Corn Maze at Mt. Airy Orchards

Yoga. In the dark. With wine. Is this heaven?

It is when it’s Grandview Vineyard’s Spooky Yoga.

“Just to come out and howl at the moon a little bit,” said yoga instructor Deb Slider. “People really let loose. There’s laughter. Nobody can see you, so you’re free to be your own self. Friends come in groups. We’ll call them packs since we’re howling.”

Or maybe you prefer the peaceful mystique of pick-your-own apples, when families are together “as opposed to everybody going in different directions,” notes Karen Paulus, co-owner of Mt. Airy Orchards, Dillsburg.

“Not only is it a beautiful view as you’re walking through an orchard, but you’re picking an apple,” she said. “You can’t get healthier.”

It’s October, and the days of wine and apples return to central Pennsylvania. These four traditions savor the tastes of fall’s favorite treats.

Spooky Yoga at Grandview Vineyard

Slider not only teaches yoga. She is also a Level 3 sommelier. She started Spooky Yoga, a one-night event, to celebrate her love of Halloween, wine and yoga.

There in Mt. Joy, darkness is falling by the time class starts in Grandview Vineyard’s Cove, a serene setting for downward dog. Slider brings music, “a bit of a light show,” and jack-o-lanterns that she and her kids make.

“People go all out,” Slider said. “They bring it. People decorate their mats. I’ve had witches, full out bringing their witches’ brooms. I’ve had people doing something as simple as wearing Halloween leggings. I’ve had devils. Everybody surprises me how much they get into it over the years.”

This year, Slider will be “a little dragon” in leggings and black sweater, plus dragon wings and mask.

“Last year, the Northern Lights came through,” she said. “Right at the beginning of our yoga, someone said, ‘Oh, my gosh, look up,’ and the sky was purple and pink. We just took a minute to take that in before we got started.”

Tickets include a glass of Grandview estate wine—maybe the tart Albarino, Precious Pink dry rosé or effervescent Moscato. Some participants get a bottle to bring to the Cove, or they hang out après-yoga.

Winery-based, Halloween-themed yoga ushers in the harvest moon and incoming season, Slider said. Wine and yoga “go hand in hand.”

“You’re relaxing, and yoga’s supposed to be relaxing for the mind,” she said. “Wine just helps relax the body and the mind a little bit more.”

Spooky Yoga in the Vineyard, Oct. 9, 7 p.m., Grandview Vineyard, Mt. Joy. www.grandviewwines.com.

Mt. Airy Orchards Fall Fun

As Paulus and her husband, Dan Paulus, have owned Mt. Airy Orchards for 26 years, pick-your-own days have grown into a fall festival of fun. Come for the apples. On weekends, stay for the corn maze. And pedal karts. And jumping pillow. And homemade cider donuts.

In the orchard, available apple varieties depend on what’s ripe for the picking—maybe Fuji, Pink Lady or Granny Smith.

“It’s definitely a family activity,” Paulus said. “On fall weekends, we have not just the apple picking but pumpkins, as well. We’ll have tractor-pulled wagon rides.”

In the Mt. Airy Fall Fun ticketed admission area, this year’s corn maze is themed for—hold on to your Elmo stocking cap—Sesame Street. The area also includes a cow-decorated barrel ride, an innertube slide (“like snow tubing without the snow”) and a jumping pillow.

“We tell people all the time that this is not just for kids,” Paulus said. “The jumping pillow is my favorite thing to do.”

After the jumping is done, sidle up to the Kitchen at Mt. Airy Orchards for chicken corn soup, burgers, wraps, apple dumplings and apple crisp, “and of course, ice cream and milk shakes.”

And fact-check us on this, but there’s probably a law saying you can’t leave without house-made cider donuts and apple cider from Kime’s Cider Mill, Bendersville, in the heart of Adams County apple country.

“It’s excellent cider,” said Paulus. “We think Kime’s makes fantastic cider. It is central Pa. cider, made from local apples.”

Mt. Airy Orchards: Pick-your-own, daily through late October. Fall Fun admission area, weekends through Nov. 2. Ages 3 and up are ticketed. www.mtairyorchards.com/fall.

Winery at Hunters Valley Fall Festival

Growing up in New Jersey, Amber Keister cherished autumn pumpkin picking at a local farm. When she and her husband bought the Winery at Hunters Valley, she knew that the annual Fall Festival had to include pumpkin picking.

“We’re going to do a tractor ride, and about halfway through, there will be pumpkins for people to pick, and hop back on the tractor, and then we’re going to have pumpkin painting,” she said.

Amber and Bryan Keister bought the venerable Perry County winery this year, intent on retaining a community hub while branching into new local partnerships. The festival’s new activities include the pumpkin picking, courtesy of a collaboration with a local farm, and York artist Janeen Hershey of PaintAway leading a live, ticketed painting class.

With food trucks and craft vendors, the festival offers visitors a day of shopping, dining and wine, overlooking the Susquehanna River.

“The leaves will be changing by then, so it’ll be a beautiful view,” Keister said.

In its wines, the Winery at Hunters Valley aims for accessibility, ranging from dry to sweet. Apple-wise, the Spiced Apple wine delivers autumnal tastes of fall spices, ready to be enjoyed cold or warmed and mulled. The Cranberry Wintry Nights’ sweet-tart blend of cranberries and apples is just made for chilly nights by a fireplace.

Fall and wineries are symbiotic, said Keister. She and her husband fell in love with the Winery at Hunters Valley because “people are just so happy when they come here.”

“It’s a farm and a vineyard,” she said. “It’s nature. You’re outside in the summer, but sometimes, it gets too hot. In the fall, you want to take in the fall views. Everything feels so much prettier.”

The Winery at Hunters Valley Fall Festival, Oct. 18, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Liverpool. www.huntersvalleywines.com/events.

Little Buffalo Apple Festival

Red delicious apples. Popular for eating. Not great for cider. Seems their high juice content can make the cider watery. Maybe a nice blend of Stayman, Winesap and Jonathan packs that apple-y punch.

“It really does depend on the apple mixture,” said Mindy Wilt, environmental education specialist, Little Buffalo State Park, Newport. “The taste varies quite a bit.”

The “core” of the Little Buffalo Apple Festival is cider made in an old-fashioned press in historic Shoaff’s Mill. There’s also apple butter boiled onsite, cornbread and a look at corn meal being ground in the mill.

In recent years, the festival has grown into a celebration of conservation, outdoor recreation and local craft vendors. Park partners showcasing their vital work include Pennsylvania Bat Rescue and Perry County Beekeepers Club.

A spinner, weaver, potter and blacksmith will give live demonstrations of their artisanship. Kids can make arts and crafts, and they can “churn” their own butter by putting a dollop of cream in a container to shake.

“That’s always a hit,” Wilt said. “You see the kids walking around with their little containers, shaking them up.”

And there are critters. Birds of prey will swoop onto the gloved hand of a falconer. On Sunday, a forester will bring—yikes—rattlesnakes.

“It’s a really good festival,” Wilt said.

If you like the free taste of your freshly pressed cider, made from apples grown at Maneval’s Orchard in Richfield, you can buy a jug from Perry Historians, a park partner that also cooks the festival’s apple butter.

Pennsylvania state parks are free, distinguishing them from other states’ parks and their day-use fees, Wilt said. Then again, “donations are entirely welcome” to support the Little Buffalo friends group, which hosts the festival and funds projects such as the park’s ADA kayak launch and its inclusive playground.

“We’re hugely grateful, and donations stay here in the park,” she said. “To be able to provide all of these activities completely for free is really special.”

Little Buffalo Apple Festival, Oct. 18 and 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Little Buffalo State Park, Shoaff’s Mill Day Use Area. www.events.dcnr.pa.gov/event/apple-festival.

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Falling for Foliage: Autumn in Harrisburg is a perfect time for nature lovers

September 29, 2025 | by Colin McGuire

Fort Hunter. Photo courtesy of Dauphin County Parks and Recreation.

Everyone knows it, but few can fully articulate it.

It’s that feeling of floating into the ether the second the sun sets on Labor Day. We might know the days have been getting shorter and the temperatures cooler, but it isn’t until the first week of September that those feelings awaken within our consciousness.

It’s autumn. It’s time to go outside. It’s time to explore the countless picturesque outdoor sites that Pennsylvania—and especially the Harrisburg area—provide.

“It’s one of my favorite things to do,” said Michelle McKeown, program and community engagement manager for Dauphin County Parks and Recreation. “This is the time of year I love to go on hikes and see the fall foliage. There are places around here that are absolutely gorgeous.”

McKeown isn’t the only one heaping praise upon central Pennsylvania’s autumn scenery. In its fall foliage report, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources claimed that Pennsylvania has a “longer and more varied fall foliage season than any other state in the nation.”

It would take a lot to convince McKeown otherwise. While there are many options for any outdoor enthusiast within the area, she was quick to tout Detweiler Park and its “Introduction to Trail Running” program, which takes place Oct. 2, 9 and 16. Among the hiking elements it addresses for participants are pacing, safety and proper form.

“Detweiler offers some short walks, but the foliage is just fantastic,” McKeown noted. “And if you are interested in getting into hiking—but you might not know much about it—these programs really do help you get your feet wet. There are some great local organizations that offer these programs, and now is the best time of year to take them on.”

For those interested in learning how to experience the sights from water instead of land, McKeown pointed out that kayak training classes are also offered in and around the Harrisburg area this time of year.

If experience isn’t an issue, McKeown suggested a handful of trails that typically attract nature lovers in the autumn months. The Fort Hunter Conservancy will be the venue for a fall foliage hike on Oct. 19. Part of the “Adventure Awaits” series, attendees will be offered the opportunity to examine plants, trees and other foliage that paints the trail, which includes an extremely steep final portion.

A similar offering is set for Nov. 15, at Wildwood Park, where a group will gather to explore some of the park’s less-traveled trails. Clocking in at three miles, the hike is also part of the county’s “Adventure Awaits” series. Fans of Wildwood will be treated to a tree walk on Oct. 26, during which a volunteer will teach attendees how to identify trees using bark and leaves in their full color.

Still, as McKeown pointed out, immersing yourself in nature during autumn isn’t limited to trail hikes. A “Trick or Treat Trek” is slated for Oct. 26 at Fort Hunter Park, and it’s designed to get parents and children alike out into the wild, complete with treats at stops along the trail.

“It’s meant to be an alternative for Halloween for people who might not feel safe in their communities,” McKeown pointed out. “But it’s really fun because all the kids come dressed up in Halloween costumes.”

In all, she said, the Harrisburg area is a gold mine for activities that naturally spotlight the beauty of the area’s fall foliage. Between the state parks, countless trails and family-friendly activities, now is the time of year that leaves McKeown with little time to breathe.

“It’s definitely the busiest time of year for us,” she said. “I try to do what I can to enjoy it myself because I have a deep love and appreciation for nature and I also have a 4-year-old, who I hope has some of the same experiences I had as a child. I try to get him out in nature as much as I can because such an important part of my childhood was being outside and in the country.”

As for if she’s fully ready to see the calendar change into the autumn months, McKeown wasted no time expressing how she felt.

“Oh, this is absolutely my favorite season,” she said. “This summer has been so oppressively hot and humid, that I cannot wait for fall to really kick into gear.”

“When it’s 55 degrees in the morning, and I can comfortably put jeans on,” she quipped, “I’m like, ‘Yes!’”

For more information on Dauphin County Parks & Recreation, visit www.dauphincounty.gov/government/support-services/parks-recreation.

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Frights & Delights: Fall into autumn tourism in Northeast PA

September 29, 2025 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Man scares unsuspecting visitors at Jim Thorpe’s Fall Foliage Festival.

Fall is a great time to take a road trip to the many businesses and attractions in the northeast Pennsylvania region.

Shopkeepers in the area prepare early to welcome leaf peepers, festival-goers, Halloween fans and more.

Spooky Season

Two businesses that gear up to embrace spooky season are Reaper’s Revenge in Blakely and Horror Hall in West Nanticoke.

John Rinehimer, board chairman of Horror Hall, has been watching the attraction grow.

“When we started this in 1984, we had between 3,000 and 4,000 visitors,” he said. “Today, it’s grown to between 10,000 and 11,000.”

The venue serves as a community center during the off season. Proceeds not only help keep the lights on in the 35,000-square-foot facility, but benefit area charities like the Pennsylvania Wounded Warriors, little leagues, school choirs and police units, to name a few.

The fun starts in the parking lot with food vendors, stilt walkers, jugglers, fire-eaters and other acts to captivate attendees.

Once inside, visitors are treated to a stage show to learn the rules before continuing to a 20- to 25-minute walk, which evokes startled jumps, screams and laughs.

“Guests are entertained from the minute they arrive to when they leave,” Rinehimer said.

Horror Hall is open weekends throughout October and culminates with even more horror on Nov. 1—one that is so horrific that it requires a waiver, according to organizers.

Along those same lines is Reaper’s Revenge, which is located just outside of Scranton. The attraction launched in 2009 and delivers a spine-tingling, fright-filled experience with more than five attractions. The Haunted Hayride, Lost Carnival, Delirium, Pitch Black and Sector 13 provide thrills for thousands of fright-seekers every year. For the less brave, Reaper’s Revenge offers a daytime show, “Lil’ Grim’s,” which includes the hayride and Delirium walk-through. The night show runs weekends, through Nov. 2. Lil’ Grim’s runs Saturdays and Sundays in October.

Catching Colors

For those seeking a calmer fall adventure, the Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton offers scenic train rides that showcase the region’s changing foliage. According to Park Ranger Megan Stevens, options range from 30-minute rides through the historic Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad to day-long excursions with layovers, live entertainment, food trucks and more.

Another event that celebrates fall is the Fall Foliage Festival, held in the picturesque town of Jim Thorpe every October. This year’s celebration kicks off on Oct. 4 and runs weekends through Oct. 19. During this time, businesses and restaurants run specials, and many offer Halloween treats for the kids, while vendors are on hand selling homemade arts and crafts. Those who visit the town will also be able to experience the beauty of the autumn colors on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. The Autumn Leaf Train runs from Oct. 1 through Nov. 16 and takes passengers on a 45-minute roundtrip excursion for a scenic view of the Lehigh Gorge’s fall foliage, including views of the river, cliffs and mountains.

At night, consider supporting a good cause by signing up for a ghost tour run by the Jim Thorpe Rotary. Proceeds benefit summer programs for children. The walk lasts about one hour and is recommended for ages 7 and up.

Hiking & History

The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area touts 150 miles of hiking and biking trails, offering stunning views of the breathtaking beauty of nature’s brilliance.

Those who venture into the borough of Delaware Water Gap, just minutes away from Stroudsburg, will encounter historic places like the Appalachian Trail’s oldest hiker hostel, the Deer Head Inn, also known as the longest continually running jazz club in the country.

Nearby, there’s the Antoine Dutot Museum and Gallery, which is open weekends in October. The museum operates in a historic red schoolhouse, which dates to 1870 and tells the story of the town’s tourism heyday when Delaware Water Gap used to attract half a million tourists each year.

Businesses in the borough are also open for unique shopping experiences like those at the Shoppes at Castle Inn. Located in a historic hotel dating to 1906, the Inn features a toy shop, art gallery, ice cream, antiques and more.

And for something a little different, consider popping into Sango Kura, Pennsylvania’s first and only sake brewery. It operates as an izakaya-style restaurant, serving handcrafted sake and Japanese pub fare.

Summer may be over, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to be. From haunted thrills to historic train rides, Northeast Pennsylvania offers many ways to celebrate autumn with activities that appeal to visitors and locals alike.

NEPA Bound

Interested in learning more? Visit the following websites for additional information.

Reapers Revenge: www.reapersrevenge.com

Horror Hall: www.horrorhall.com

Jim Thorpe Rotary Ghost Walks: www.facebook.com/JimThorpeRotaryGhostWalks

Steamtown: www.nps.gov/steamtown

Deer Head Inn: www.deerheadinn.com

Antoine Dutot Museum and Gallery: www.dutotmuseum.org

The Historic Castle Inn: www.castleinnpa.com

Sango Kura: www.sangokurasake.com

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Country Creative: Two Morrows Treasures is a rustic haven for artistic pursuits

September 29, 2025 | by Alex Hayes

Kathy & Mick Morrow

Treasures, creativity and friendship merge in one Perry County store.

In the heart of the surrounding farmland, Kathy Morrow is stitching together her dreams and helping others to do the same.

A 30-minute drive from Harrisburg, filled with views of southcentral Pennsylvania mountains, brings art and antique enthusiasts to Two Morrows Treasures on Stiles Drive in Marysville. The store’s name is a nod to the two Morrows at the helm—Kathy and her husband Mick. Some of the treasures are from Kathy’s own hands, while others are works from creators who Kathy has built relationships with over the years.

Kathy opened the store in 2016 and expanded it when she ended her finance career in 2023. The endeavor is more than a retirement gig but also a leap into a passion for art that began as a young child who dabbled in embroidery, macrame and sewing.

“I didn’t want to be 90 years old, look back and have regrets,” she said.

Two Morrows features Kathy’s rug hooking patterns and punch needle patterns as well as crafts, goat milk soap, furniture from local craftsman, crocheted items, antiques and wool—lots of wool. So much wool is needed, Kathy said, to support the store’s other purpose, to be a creative space for new and established artists.

Two Morrows Treasurers offers a variety of classes, including punch needle patterns, woolly tree crafts and beginner rug hooking. Kathy encourages everyone who is interested to try a class and ignore any self-instilled notion that they “aren’t artistic.”

“It’s not hard, just try it,” she encourages.

During Kathy’s classes, participants sit at long tables in a circle. As they work on their individual projects, the common goal of creating helps relationships grow.

“It’s like a sisterhood,” she said. “We talk about problems and projects we are trying to finish up.”

Kathy has met many new friends through Two Morrows Treasures and has expanded the reach of her art beyond Stiles Drive. She fondly recalled two women entering the store shortly after it opened in September 2023. They were there “just to check things out,” but a friendly conversation led to Kathy joining the Magdalena Rug Hooking Group. She also takes her art to local shows and festivals.

Kathy is the artistic connector on the Two Morrows team. Mick refers to himself as “the maintenance man,” but like many artists, he casually undersells his contributions.

The store’s rustic appearance is complemented by a woodsy smell emanating from the knotty pine boards that Mick hung throughout the space. Mick also helps Kathy set up for classes and shows and chats with the many visitors who come through their doors, some from distant cities and states. Some days, Kathy and Mick give the store’s name an artistic interpretation when more Morrows, their grandchildren, add even more energy.

Ultimately, Kathy’s goal is for her art to evolve alongside others. She teaches classes in mediums she is experienced in and welcomes others to do the same.

“There is so much satisfaction when you have an idea, start something, and it turns out exactly as you imagined,” she said.

Two Morrows Treasures is located at 130 Stiles Dr., Marysville. For more information, visit www.twomorrowstreasures.com and their Facebook page.

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Culture & Cocktails: Bellefonte checks all the boxes for a fall weekend away

September 29, 2025 | by M. Diane McCormick

Talleyrand Park. Photo by Diane McCormick.

“Luxembourg? No, it’s Bellefonte.”

Sure, it’s boosterish, but the framed 1954 Pittsburgh Press article inviting readers to replace the European vacay with a trip to Bellefonte, Pa., isn’t entirely off brand. Today’s Bellefonte still slows down time—a haven of calm in an Old World package of astounding architecture and roller-coaster streets.

Add friendly people, hip nightspots, historic lodgings, a picturesque park, and a rich vein of Pennsylvania and African American history, only 10 miles from Penn State but a world away. For a choice in secluded getaways, Bellefonte checks the boxes.

Well Preserved

Bellefonte’s history is steeped in the region’s iron ore, first mined in the 18th century and, by the 19th century, supplying half of the iron demanded by a booming U.S.

For architecture lovers, Bellefonte is considered one of the nation’s best-preserved towns. As soon as I arrived, I meandered the steep streets in a state of wonder.

Gingerbread adornments. Ferns on verandas. Stately stone mansions. Behind every bit of Georgian grandeur and Victorian flourishes are stories of grit and heartbreak, from the ironmasters, bankers, industrialists and entrepreneurs who built Bellefonte’s homes and institutions.

I stayed in a miracle of preservation and contemporary reuse. Gamble Mill Inn dates to 1894, replacing a burned-down flour mill that had stood on Spring Creek since 1786.

In 1975, a 22-year-old shop teacher launched a mill restoration that won a reprieve from the wrecking ball. Today’s chapter dates to 2021, when brothers Chris and Jon Virgilio restored the mill, with its signature gabled roof, into a self-operating inn housing 16 vintage-contemporary suites, plus cocktail bar, restaurant, speakeasy event space and boutique.

At the inn’s Republic cocktail bar, it’s drinks only—and what drinks! My meticulous, gin-based Ann Marie fizzed and refreshed. Cody Jones, co-owner with his wife Megan Marcaurelle-Jones, told me they retained the imposing brick pillars, once part of a grain elevator, for ambience, and they are now dotted with pins that people have added in the last four years.

The inn’s Creekside Restaurant offers intimate dining inside and out. I ate alfresco on a pleasant mountain evening, enjoying the highly recommended, sweet-tangy Korean chicken.

If I hadn’t promised my editor a story on Bellefonte, I could have stayed at the Gamble Mill Inn without venturing out.

But I did, and happily so. The Historic Bellefonte Train Station is a good place to start. Learn about local attractions or board a ride from the Bellefonte Historic Railroad to explore fall foliage, play bingo, or wind through local farmlands and forests.

Surrounding the station, the time-capsule Talleyrand Park hugs the willow-lined creek and waterfall dam. I expected Harold Hill to pop into the gazebo, leading his 76-trombone “Music Man” band.

Up the hill—seriously, bring your walking shoes—I found the shops, pubs, restaurants and museums of downtown Bellefonte.

Twin establishments, Governors’ Pub and Talleyrand Tavern, honor the seven state governors of the 18th and 19th century with Bellefonte ties. Their presence is everywhere. Five were Pennsylvania govs, including Bellefonte native Andrew Curtin, who left his mark as a founder of the Gettysburg National Cemetery and in Harrisburg’s Camp Curtin, the sprawling staging ground for Civil War troops.

Bellefonte’s lively shops include the Print Factory, a small but mighty indie bookstore with an antiracist, feminist and queer-inclusive mission. The Great Mish Mosh is packed with dazzling antique furniture and oddities, including a jukebox and a sepia photo of a winsome Victorian belle labeled, “Antique Gilded Frame & Woman of Your Freaking Dreams!”

The welcoming Helen Foxx & Co. boutique effortlessly blends fun fashion and jewelry. On the Bellefonte Square, the sprawling FaithCentre thrift store can keep thrifters on the hunt for days, and sales—my flowy Maggy London dress is killer—support FaithCentre’s food bank, emergency aid and pet food pantry.

Bellefonte has leveraged its industrial past into today’s industrial chic. The circa 1899- Match Factory complex—hey, all those tiki-bar matchbooks had to come from somewhere—is home to Big Spring Spirits, Pennsylvania’s first LEED-certified distillery.

In an eclectic tasting room and patio overlooking Talleyrand Park, servers are happy to share the details of the Black Raspberry Flip, made with Talleyrand cream bourbon, or the Centrepolitan, Centre County’s version of a cosmopolitan made with Big Spring vodka and cranberry shrub from the local Tait Farm.

For shabby chic, I delighted in the seashore vibe of My Café Buzz, a coffee-gift-repurposed décor shop. Their banner proclaimed “Famous Cinnamon Buns.” Could they stand up to the even-famouser Ye Olde College Diner grilled stickies from State College? Yes, they did—doughy twists topped with cream cheese icing and bottomed with cinnamon goo worth licking off the wrapper.

While we’re at My Café Buzz, where I encountered the world’s largest German shepherd, let me mention Bellefonte’s dog friendliness. They are everywhere—pacing the serene waterfront walk, panting on pub decks, going into stores. One brave soul took her collie pup into The Great Mish Mosh, undaunted by the “you break it, you bought it” rule of antique shops.

Culture & Events

Bellefonte’s artistic institutions showcase a cherished history and culture.

The Centre County Library and Historical Museum displays artifacts from Bellefonte’s past, including a dress reportedly worn to an Abraham Lincoln inaugural ball and a model of the monumental statues sculpted by Bellefonte native George Grey Barnard for the Pennsylvania Capitol.

In the heart of downtown, the delightful Bellefonte Art Museum houses collaborative exhibits, works by local artists, the children’s Makery at the Museum art studio, and a poetry alcove where you can write a haiku that will be dispensed from a vending machine.

Climb to the museum’s third floor and enter one of Bellefonte’s most consequential historical eras. Bellefonte served as an Underground Railroad stop, and here in a historic mansion owned by a Quaker family before the Civil War, the Art Association has created a permanent exhibit on that era, highlighted by Lino Toyos’ moving installation depicting the men, women and children who could have sheltered there.

This year’s fall events in Bellefonte include Talleyrand Fall Fest and annual Halloween parade, Oct. 25. The Oct. 18 “Let the Spirits Move You” Ghost Tour Tasting Trail promises “a haunting good time” of tastes and tales, told in different venues that include the Great Mish Mosh, once a morgue whose “guests,” paranormal investigators say, are still hanging around.

If you’re looking toward the holidays, get your Dickens on with Bellefonte Victorian Christmas, with music crawl, outdoor winter market, indoor arts and crafts, holiday-themed train rides, and of course, carriage rides, Dec. 12 to 14.

Bellefonte takes visitors to another era, and it does have its sleepy side, but a wave of energy and youthfulness courses through the businesses and trendy spots. History propels the town forward. Bellefonte embraces a proud past, a bright future, and above all, a reverent stewardship for its breathtaking beauty.

For more information on Bellefonte, including a roundup of events, establishments, train rides, tours, culture and more, visit www.bellefonte.com.

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Horror Humor: Open Stage puts the vamp in vampire with “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors”

September 29, 2025 | by McCaffrey Martone

Photo by Open Stage.

Transylvania transports to Pennsylvania in Open Stage’s upcoming production of “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.”

This is a retelling of Bram Stoker’s classic gothic tale, but with added camp, absurd humor and a drop of sexiness.

If you are looking for a night full of laughter and Halloween vibes, Open Stage, in the heart of downtown Harrisburg, is the place to be.

“This is not a traditional Dracula,” said Stuart Landon, the show’s director and Open Stage’s artistic director. “It is the same story but told with tongue firmly planted in cheek.”

You can expect physical gags, silly voices, crazy costumes, quick-changes, and if you’re into monsters, a Dracula you’ll want to sink your teeth into. To those loyal to the original, not to worry; this version is surprisingly faithful to the book, but with a lighthearted twist.

If sexy Dracula isn’t enough, maybe the bar at Open Stage with vampire-themed beverages will turn you. There will be a photo opportunity that includes a giant set of fangs, so you are encouraged to dress up to your heart’s desire. If you’re scared to go alone, take a friend along with you, just make sure they’re of a different blood type. We like options. Oops! Did I say that out loud?

Without spoiling a story that’s been around for over a century and redefined gothic horror, this version starts with a real estate agent named Jonathan Harker who meets with a particularly strange client. After a series of blood-curdling and ridiculous events, Harker and his fiancée, Lucy, enlist the help of the infamous vampire hunter, Van Helsing, and so begins their pursuit of the wicked Count Dracula. Naturally, they get into some tomfoolery and antics along the way.

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” was written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen and originally opened off-Broadway in 2023. In a short time, it has made waves throughout the United States and even across the pond in London. At Open Stage, Landon is excited to bring to Harrisburg the unique ways in which his ensemble of skilled actors has added their own unique flair to the production.

This cast features only five players filling dozens of roles. “With everyone playing multiple roles, it’s impressive to see them all take on each character and give them life equally,” said Brad Barkdoll, who plays Count Dracula. “It’s so fun to watch.”

The rest of the cast includes Isaac Austin as Jonathan Harker, Joellen Terranova as Dr. Westfeldt, Jasmine Graham as Lucy and Anthony M.C. Leukus as both Mina and Van Helsing. The understudies are Luke Rider and Areanna Kroll.

The remaining production team is comprised of Stacy Reck (production stage manager) and Chris Krahulec, McCaffrey Martone and Evelyn Dorman (assistant stage managers). Lighting design is by Tristan Stasiulis, costume design by Jacob Schlenker and prop design by Becky Arney. Kalina Barret serves as technical director. Sound design is by Victoria Deiorio, with audio support from Anthony Pieruccini and Wayne Landon.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of comedy horror or just an enjoyer of fun things, be prepared for a journey through high energy and goofy entertainment that will leave you bloodthirsty for more. Your seat is awaiting you at Open Stage.

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” runs from Oct. 4 to Nov. 1 at Open Stage, 25 N. Court St., Harrisburg. For tickets and more information, visit www.openstagehbg.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

At Open Stage
www.openstagehbg.com
717-232-6736

EFF Live!
Outrageous live readings of naughty fan fiction
Thursday, Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m.

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors”
A wild, fast-paced farce with fangs
Oct. 4 to Nov. 1

CASA Presents: “Almost, Maine”
A whimsical, romantic comedy in nine short plays
Oct. 16 to 19

Black NewsBeat: Trick, Treat & Truth
Real talk meets reflection and celebration
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 7 p.m.

Court Street Cabaret
An open mic-style night of Broadway and beyond
Sunday, Oct. 26, 6 p.m.

BaRPG
Drunken role-playing and chaotic quest
Thursday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Flavor Oasis: New family-run business brings New York-style, Dominican eats to the neighborhood with store and food truck

September 29, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Yeni and Leo Pena

Leo Pena is what you might call a born entrepreneur.

When he was young, he helped manage his family’s many grocery stores in his home country of the Dominican Republic. Later, he ran a restaurant in New York City. These days, he hustles from sunup to sundown, serving customers at his Allison Hill store and food truck patio.

It’s hard to believe that Leo and his wife Yeni opened QuisQueya Grill & Delights, on 13th Street, near Chestnut, only six months ago. Customers already walk in and know the couple and call Leo with special, off-menu food orders.

The place is busy, and Leo has mostly handled things solo. He mans the cash register, he keeps things clean, and he works the grill, cooking everything from New York-style chopped cheese sandwiches to Dominican fried pork belly, chicharron, and his self-proclaimed “best burgers in town.”

“I make everything. I’m here every day,” he said. “I want to do it right—you know? I make sure everything’s perfect.”

While the shop has been open for months, Leo began his food truck, parked in the adjacent courtyard, on Labor Day weekend. The truck offers a fusion of cuisines from different Latin cultures in a colorful, welcoming outdoor space. Painted bottles, lights and plants hang from a pergola shading several picnic tables. Bright umbrellas suspended above the patio bring a fun flair to the space.

Leo said he has an eye for décor, and customers have noticed the attention to aesthetics.

Patrons can order breakfast, lunch and dinner inside and choose from dinner options outside at the truck. Everything is fresh and made with quality ingredients—a point that Leo stressed. The pastrami sandwich is a crowd pleaser, as well as stuffed and fried plantains and empanadas. There are seafood, soup and taco options. They even make their own juices with flavors like passionfruit, guava and mango.

“It’s hard to find something like this,” Leo said of the grocery store/food truck hybrid concept. “When people start work early, like 7 or 8, I’m open. When they finish work in the nighttime, like 11, I’m still here.”

Yeni said that people are responding well to the store, even taking pictures of the décor and spreading the word around town. Some may even hang out to play Dominican-style dominos on the game table outside.

“People come here and spend hours sitting and eating,” Yeni said. “We want them to feel happy like we’re family.”

Extra Mile

For Dominican Republic natives, QuisQueya will especially feel like home, even just from the name, which Leo said roughly translates to “beauty,” and which many natives lovingly call their country. The shop also sells many Dominican treats, like ice creams and baked goods shipped from oversees.

Harrisburg resident Arlienny Hernandez is from the Dominican Republic and has lived in New York City, just like the owners. She loves that, at QuisQueya, she can get dishes that hail from both places. The new food truck and courtyard remind her of places she went to in New York.

“The food tastes good, and it feels like home,” she said.

As business has kept growing, Yeni decided to transition from her previous job to work full time at the business with Leo. The couple is grateful that the community is excited about and supportive of the shop.

Ultimately, Leo and Yeni want QuisQueya to be a fun family spot where people can sit outside and join in on karaoke nights and let Leo know how they want their steak cooked when he’s manning the grill.

It’s a vision that he’s had since he first saw the vacant storefront and gravel lot.

“I said, ‘This is what I want. I’m going to fight for that,’” he said. “Everything you see here, it was in my plan. It’s amazing because it was a lot of work.”

That willingness to put in long hours and hard work is what can make or break a business. Leo has the passion and determination and plans to keep the momentum going with future additions and upgrades.

He believes his success is a testament to young people of the value of hard work.

“They’re surprised when they ask me, ‘Who’s store is that?’ and I say ‘mine.’ They’re thinking like, they can do it,” he said. “I say, ‘You can do that. Just focus on what you want. You gotta work hard; you gotta go the extra mile.’”

QuisQueya Grill & Delights is located at 34 S. 13th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Pick of the Patch: Have family fun while finding the perfect pumpkin—and smash, mash, but don’t trash it when the season ends

September 29, 2025 | by Gina Napoli

Photo courtesy of Gina Napoli

Picking your own pumpkin at a local patch is a childhood memory-maker, and the best kind of family scavenger hunt.

Nothing feels more like autumn to me than an afternoon field trip hunting for that perfect pumpkin, hidden among their shady peek-a-boo leaves. I remember the pumpkin patches of my childhood as an entirely wholesome experience, with farms offering hayrides, coloring pages with orange and green crayons, obstacle courses, train and tractor rides, and peep-board photo ops. A dixie cup of apple cider and popcorn in a brown lunch bag rounded out each trip.

Local pumpkin farms have upgraded this field trip since I was a kid, becoming autumn destinations offering trendy attractions. Some choice local pumpkin farms have enough activities for kids to fill an entire afternoon, and then return another day to do them again.

Mt. Airy Orchards, owned by Dan and Karen Paulus, has been operational in Dillsburg for several decades. They offer the typical farm activities kids expect to find, plus a huge jumping pillow, a mega slide and a corn maze—proof that there are other fruits and vegetables to get excited about too.

Patchwork Pumpkin Farm in Grantville also offers a host of fall activities, with many revolving around the season’s orange gourd. In addition to traditional pumpkin carving, proprietors Patrick and Kristy Mitchell set up a “de-crafting” station for smashing pumpkins. A bulk order of Patchwork’s pumpkins even appeared at a World Wrestling Entertainment event in Hershey last year. I’m not usually one to start a food fight, but smashing a pumpkin and yelling my boss’s (editor’s?) name sounds like cool stress relief.

You would think that smashing so many pumpkins, splattering and scattering seeds thither and thus, would propagate pumpkin plants for next year. But our farmers are much more intentional than that.

Although pumpkins are a 100-day crop, Patrick Mitchell assured me “the list of farm chores stretches year-round.”

To enrich the soil and help control weeds, farmers plant a cover crop during spring. You can plant pumpkins in full sun because they provide their own shade. Farmers sow seeds in the summer, continually watering, fertilizing and praying for good weather. When it’s too cold for any crops, it’s time to research new seed varieties and pest control.

So much goes into cultivating the perfect pumpkin.

Karen Paulus said, “An ideal pumpkin has good color, sturdy, has a great stem, and stands up well.”

Patrick added that one should look for a pumpkin that “feels heavy for its size, has unmarked skin, no soft spots, and has a strong, green handle, free from blemishes.”

Into the Oven

What to do with your pumpkins after your homeowner’s association sends you a nastygram to remove all gourds from your porch? Pumpkin pie is the logical answer, but I don’t quite have an heirloom family recipe I trust.

As far back as I can remember, after every Farmers Fair parade, we would drive from downtown Dillsburg to the top of my grandparents’ mountain, just to have a slice of my grandmother’s locally legendary pumpkin pie. Her “secret” recipe calls for boiling the fleshy neck of the pumpkin only, yielding filling so smooth that you would think it was pudding. Nanny always cooked from scratch, still wastes nothing, and one day I will ask her what she did with the other parts of the pumpkin.

But today, I’m throwing shade at my grandmother. My cousin Patty once caught Nanny at the grocery store the week prior to Farmers Fair, buying a stack of frozen pie crusts. Patty charged each family member 50 cents to learn this secret, and made almost $9 that day. Do I suspect Nanny’s pie filling maybe had Libby’s on the label? You bet I have trust issues.

Karen Paulus, a trustworthy surname synonymous with local farming, shares some of her favorite pumpkin recipes, like pie, cookies and cheesecake, on Mt. Airy Orchards’ website.

If you don’t feel like boiling your own pumpkin flesh to make these goodies, you can visit their bake shop. There’s even pumpkin ice cream. If you try to pass Paulus’ homemade goodies off as your own at the family potluck, I’ll keep your secret for 50 cents.

I don’t bake much. But after carving my pumpkin, I rinse, dry, season and roast the seeds on low heat. Not a secret family recipe, and not a technique worthy of Mrs. Rosemary Ruggieri Baer’s column, but still a fall family favorite.

Smashing in a different way, Kristy Mitchell has assisted guests with marriage proposals, writing, “Will you marry me?” on a pumpkin that the girlfriend just happened to find. The agritourism setting makes a Patchwork Pumpkin proposal an ideal photo op.

“I guess you could say we help to create new families,” Patrick said.

A pumpkin patch is a perfect destination to bring your own family. Pro tip… whether a pumpkin is considered a fruit or a vegetable, don’t tell your kids they’re healthy, or they’ll stay in the corn maze all day and won’t help you look for one.

Pumpkin Patchwork Farm is located at 311 S. Faith Rd., Grantville. For more information, visit www.patchworkpumpkinfarm.com.

Mt. Airy Orchards is located at 522 E. Mount Airy Rd., Dillsburg. For more information and pumpkin recipes, visit www.mtairyorchards.com/fall/pumpkin-patch.

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Adventure Together: Autumn is the perfect time to embrace change and try something new as a family

September 29, 2025 | by Natalie diSanto

View from the Front Street Susquehanna River access

Keeping in step with nature by aligning with the changing seasons, I decided to mix things up and take the family to a previously unexplored Susquehanna River access this month.

The section of Front Street between Fort Hunter and the Route 39 Junction has more to offer than a gorgeous view of the water. There are placards along the walkway that provide information about the region sponsored by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. You may be surprised to learn that Harrisburg has its own Water Gap called the Susquehanna Water Gap, and it is a registered National Landmark. You can observe the gap where the river cuts through the mountains just north of Fort Hunter Park. We were shell-shocked to learn that some common river turtles, red eared sliders, are considered invasive since their numbers skyrocketed when pet owners began releasing them into our waterways.

About halfway along the corridor is a river access located almost directly across from the Pizza Hut on Front Street. It has a fairly steep incline, so we pretended to be ducks and waddled slowly down to the rocky banks of the Susquehanna.

This river access is a perfect place for a picnic during these cool autumn days. We packed snacks from home, but if you’re looking to pick something up on the way, stop by Joe’s Kwik Stop or Two Brothers Pizza nearby. If you plan ahead, correlate your adventure with the open hours of Alvaro’s bakery on Front Street for the best cannoli in town.

In the water, we found crayfish, snails and clams. These tiny crustaceans, gastropods and bivalves are building blocks for many Susquehanna River food webs. Challenge your little to identify distinctive traits on each tiny creature they find. Some questions to ignite critical thinking are: Does this creature have a shell, and, if yes, is the shell hard or soft? Is the shell round, pointy or hinged? How does the creature move around? Is it slow or fast? What type of food does this creature eat and what type of creatures eat it? Encourage your kiddo to bring a notebook to draw their specimens and take notes.

Try to Fly

While playing in the river, we learned about ecosystem interconnectivity and the value of little creatures in a big world. Fishing is also an excellent activity to let kids see this phenomenon firsthand. Many of the fish in the Susquehanna love to feast on bugs and, since we didn’t want to hurt any of the little creatures we just found, we decided to try our hand at tying flies.

The goal of fly fishing is to trick a fish into thinking your hook is a bug. Depending on the age of your little and the equipment available to you, consider experimenting first with a “mock fly,” using a pipe cleaner instead of a hook. We opted to use a real hook but put a dab of hot glue on the sharp end so no one would get stabbed while crafting. I’m by no means a professional fly tier and admittedly thrifty, so, to create our ties, I repurposed some embroidering thread. We used the thread to create the base of our bug. If you’re interested in fly-tying with proper equipment, support your local sporting goods store where they can steer you in the right direction.

For the purposes of fun and artistic experimentation, we wrapped our fishing hooks with embroidery thread about 20 times to create a fat little bug shape. Next, my kid wanted to add buttons, which we did, rendering our hooks unsafe for fishing. Despite being unusable, the craft was fun and got my kid excited to learn and play at the crossroads of science and art, so I highly recommend it.

Treat Time

While in the mind of disguising one thing for another, Halloween and trick or treat are coming our way this month! If you’re looking for an awesome free event in the Harrisburg area to celebrate, check out the Bash at the Brownstone. Held every year on the Wednesday before trick or treating night at the Reservoir Park Brownstone, this event is quickly becoming a staple of central PA spooky festivities. The first year we went, there was a bubble machine, a costume contest, free hot dogs and crafts for kids. A different year, they had a fog machine and a magician. This year, they anticipate adding face painting as well as some other spooky surprises.

Despite the season change, October is the month when the Earth seems perfectly balanced between summer and winter. As parents, balance can be a nearly impossible goal to strike. Try to take this month to strengthen your fulcrum, clearing the scales and honoring a momentary center.

To learn more about the Bash at the Brownstone keep an eye on the www.harrisburgpa.gov/services/events.php page.

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Bien Venue: Music and stars highlight Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra’s 2025-26 season

September 29, 2025 | by Lori M. Myers

Walk into the Forum auditorium before start time for a Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra concert, and it is right then and there that the show begins.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a long-time fan, you can’t help but be in awe of this place, which is as glorious and majestic as the music that wafts out its doors. Every nook and cranny, everywhere your eye wanders, is a work of art.

“The building is comprised of eight varieties of marble from Africa, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Tennessee and Vermont,” said Matthew Herren, HSO’s executive director. “The ceiling is painted on individual canvas sections and decorated with constellations and depictions from the Zodiac. More than 1,000 stars are shown in their proper position.”

The stars are also aligned “in their proper position” on stage for HSO’s 2025-26 season, led by Music Director Stuart Malina. Herren admits he’s excited about every one of the concerts being performed at The Forum, HSO’s home for 96 years.

For instance, there is something for all musical tastes in the Masterworks Series of shows. On Nov. 8 and 9, audiences will take a 100-year orchestral odyssey, from Benjamin Britten’s “Four Sea Interludes” to Richard Strauss’ “Death and Transfiguration,” then Stacy Garrop’s “Becoming Medusa,” until the final stop with Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.”

On Jan. 10 and 11, HSO will present Zoltan Kodaly’s “Dances of Galanta,” Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s Symphony #6, “Pastorale.”

The Feb. 14 and 15 concert, “Mozart and More,” opens with Mozart’s Symphony #35, “Haffner,” and concludes with Louise Farrenc’s Symphony #3. The presentation also includes a new work for four players and numerous instruments (including wine glasses!) by Viet Cuong entitled, “Re(new)al.”

On March 14 and 15, Anna Clyne’s “Masquerade” will be performed, along with the rarely heard Symphony #2, “Fantaisie Symphonique,” composed by Kurt Weill just before his escape to France during World War II. Wrapping up the March performances is Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphony #3, which the composer proclaimed was one of his best pieces.

While Herren is excited about the full slate of performances for the 2025-26 season, he admits to being particularly thrilled about what will be presented on April 18 and 19—”The Verdi Requiem.” The orchestra will be joined by The Susquehanna Chorale, The Messiah University Concert Choir and Choral Arts Society, along with soloists Othalie Graham, Sabrina Carten, Israel Lozano and Ben Wager, who will combine their talents and glorious sounds.

“‘The Verdi Requiem’ stands out to me as a beloved, timeless masterpiece,” Herren said. “It shows off everything, all on a grand operatic scale. This one is not to be missed.”

Rounding out the Masterworks Series on May 9 and 10 is Jean Sibelius’ “The Swan of Tuonela,” Bela Bartok’s “Concerto for Orchestra,” and pianist Joyce Yang playing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto #1.

Special programs, such as Musical Chairs, Check Out the Symphony, and Student Rush Tickets, offer discounts for Masterworks concerts and Youth Orchestra performances.

Opening the Capital Blue Cross POPS Series on Oct. 25 and 26 is “To Whitney with Love” where “American Idol” finalist, LaKisha Jones, celebrates the great ladies of soul, including Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston.

“LaKisha has a wonderful personal story, and this is a program packed with greatest hits by remarkable female artists,” Herren said.

Singer and pianist Paul Loren returns to HSO on Dec. 6 and 7, performing the swinging hits of Frank Sinatra in “Come Swing with Me.” Audiences will delight in some of Sinatra’s best, including the tunes “Come Fly with Me,” “My Way,” “The Best Is Yet to Come” and others.

HSO journeys to the Great White Way on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, spotlighting music from wonderful Broadway shows, including “Hamilton,” “Wicked,” “Spamalot” and others. The POPS Series then moves from stage to screen on Feb. 28 and March 1 with scores from cinema including themes from “Casablanca,” “Gone with the Wind,” “Cinema Paradiso” and more. The POPS series winds up with “The Music of Billy Joel” starring Michael Cavanaugh on April 25 and 26. Cavanaugh was the original star of “Movin’ Out,” Twyla Tharp’s Tony-Award winning Broadway show.

For those young and young at heart, HSO also offers Young Persons’ Concerts in the fall and spring, playing for about 2,000 students. The fall production will feature highlights from the November Masterworks Series. The spring production will feature Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” and includes staging by the Really Inventive Stuff theater group.

All this music, under the stars

For more information on the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, visit www.harrisburgsymphony.org.

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