A wonderful part of my job is getting to meet people from around the country and around the world.
I don’t even have to go anywhere—they come to me.
Over the summer, people from Massachusetts, Ohio and Virginia all passed through our storefront door in Midtown Harrisburg. Over the years, we’ve had visitors from states like California, Florida and Texas, as well as countries like Canada, Germany and Ukraine.
These aren’t scheduled visits. They’re just people who pop in to see what we’re about or who want advice on things to do in the city.
I ask them why they’re in Harrisburg, and their answers are always interesting. They’re visiting family. They exited the highway for a bite to eat. They’re here for a wedding or party. We’ve had a few people drop in because they were thinking about moving here.
In August, a brother and sister, one who lives in New England and the other in the Midwest, selected Harrisburg as a midway meeting point. They were walking down the street, saw our merch in the window and decided they had to buy a Burg sweatshirt. Another guy said he hopped off the train, on a whim, for a quick jaunt around town.
I mention this because most residents probably don’t think of Harrisburg as a hotspot for out-of-state visitors and, sure, it’s no Las Vegas. But I can personally attest that we get our share of tourists, wanderers and day-trippers. So, if you see a guy sauntering around downtown, looking a little lost, steer him to the Capitol or the riverfront or to a good restaurant and, just maybe, word will spread from there.
This month, October, is actually a big tourist time throughout central Pa, given all the harvest festivals, leaf-peepers and seasonal events. We have a few ideas of our own in this issue, along with our usual mix of community news, business profiles, dining stories and cultural features.
Many people tell me that October is their favorite month of the year—the cooler weather, the changing leaves. I hope you find something unique and fun to this month, starting right here with TheBurg, always a great place to launch your search.
Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor
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