October Community Corner
Archaeology Dig
Oct. 1-4: State Museum of Pennsylvania will conduct its annual excavation at Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg. Archaeologists will be on site weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come see what they find. www.statemuseumpa.org
Business & Industry Night
Oct. 3: West Shore Chamber of Commerce hosts its 69th annual Business and Industry Night, 2 to 6 p.m., at Radisson Hotel Harrisburg, Camp Hill, showcasing members’ products and services. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, prizes, giveaways and networking. www.wschamber.org
Open House
Oct. 3: Schein Ernst Mishra Eye hosts an informative presentation on LASIK with the surgeons and staff at its Harrisburg office, 10 Capital Dr., 6 to 7:30 p.m. Enjoy an adult beverage and light fare and enter a drawing for free LASIK (must register and attend to win). Have your LASIK questions answered and receive discounts. www.seegreat.net
Book Event
Oct. 3: Join Dauphin County Library System in welcoming Garth Stein, bestselling author of “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” to Market Square Presbyterian Church, 20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg, for a discussion of his novel, which is now a motion picture, 7:30 to 9 p.m. Q&A session will follow, with book sales and signing. www.dcls.org
Book Festival
Oct. 3-6: Midtown Scholar Bookstore, 1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, hosts the seventh annual Harrisburg Book Festival. With 20 visiting authors, the festival will showcase a diverse, award-winning lineup with panel discussions, keynote presentations, book signings, story times and more. www.hbgbookfest.com
UPNEXT Fest
Oct. 3-18: UPNEXT Fest is a celebration of central PA tech companies and the organizations and meet-ups that support them. Attend morning coffees, conferences, meet-ups, happy hours and more. www.upnextfest.com
Praise Conference
Oct. 4-5: Praise Community Church, 705 S. Ogontz St., York, hosts “The Shout” Youth Conference, which will feature NBC’s “World of Dance” finalist, Poppin’ John, who will speak, perform and offer dance tutorials. www.faithlikebirds.com
HBG Flea
Oct. 5: Shop the HBG Flea for local art, vintage treasures and curated curios, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. www.hbgflea.com
Trolley Fest
Oct. 5: Enjoy fall foliage on the Liberty Liner and San Diego LRV 1019 at the Rockhill Trolley Museum, 430 Meadow St., Rockhill Furnace, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fare is $10 for adults and $6 for kids. www.rockhilltrolley.org
Open House
Oct. 5: Wildheart Ministries, 333 S. 13 St., Harrisburg, will host an open house and self-guided tours, 1 to 4 p.m., for visitors to explore the group’s headquarters and learn about its work to revitalize Allison Hill. www.wildheartministries.com
Arts Festival
Oct. 5: The 36th annual free Little Buffalo Festival will be held at Little Buffalo State Park, 1579 State Park Rd., Newport, 12 to 6 p.m. Take in live music on three stages, listen to poetry readings in the Writer’s Nook, browse an array of art vendors, get creative in the Buffalo Kids craft area, and sit in on some sustainable and art-themed workshops. www.littlebuffalofestival.com
Food Fest
Oct. 5-6: Enjoy homemade Slavic and Eritrean specialties at Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church, 5501 Old Locust Lane, Harrisburg, for the Slavic “Plus” Food Festival, 12 to 3 p.m., which includes a basket raffle and vendor fair. www.ctshbg.org
Fall Meet Week
Oct. 9-12: High-performance cars are in focus during the Eastern Regional Fall Meet, Hershey’s annual antique car show and festival. View period automobiles, see racecar demonstrations and visit the flea market. On Oct. 9, attend the annual “Night at the Museum” dinner and reception, 6 to 10 p.m. www.aacamuseum.org
Curiosity Kids
Oct. 10: Visitors, ages 3 to 6, and families can enjoy “Curiosity Kids—Build a Nest!” at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 North St., Harrisburg, 11:30 a.m. Experiment with making a nest with found materials. www.statemuseumpa.org
Open House
Oct. 10: Circle School of Harrisburg will hold an open house so students and parents can learn about self-directed, democratic education. The event runs 6 to 8 p.m. at the school, 727 Wilhelm Rd., Susquehanna Township. www.circleschool.org
Foreign Film
Oct. 11, 25: Join Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, for “35 Visages, Villages,” a film from France, on Oct. 11, and the U.S. film, “Moonlight,” on Oct. 25. Showings are at 2 and 7 p.m. www.fredricksenlibrary.org
Meet the Author
Oct. 12: University of Pittsburgh African American Alumni Council, Harrisburg, presents an afternoon with Jack Daniel, former Pitt professor and provost, at Crawdaddy’s, 1500 N. 6th St., Harrisburg, 1 to 4 p.m. Daniel will discuss his book, “Navigating a Predominately White University While Black.” Books will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefitting scholarships. 717-877-8164
Brew Fest
Oct. 12: The Arc of Cumberland & Perry Counties Foundation hosts Spirits of the Community Home Brew Competition & Festival at the S. Wilson Pollock Center for Industrial Training, 262 Silver Spring Rd., Mechanicsburg, 1 to 5 p.m. Guests (21+) can sample craft beer from area home brewers and enjoy food, music and a silent auction. Proceeds benefit CPARC. www.cparc.org
5 Mile Run
Oct. 12: Join Harrisburg Young Professionals on City Island for the 6th Annual HYP 5 Miler to benefit HYP Outreach Initiatives, Downtown Daily Bread, LGBT Community Center of Central PA, Young Professionals of Color Greater Harrisburg and RASE Project. Kids’ fun run begins at 8:30 a.m., and the race starts at 9 a.m. Stick around for music, food and beer. www.hyp.org
Fall into Holidays
Oct. 12: Jumpstart holiday preparations at “Fall Into Christmas Marketplace” at Grace United Methodist Church, 309 Herman Ave., Lemoyne, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event features crafts, white elephants, collectibles, a children’s boutique, vintage and antique items and a silent auction. www.graceumlemoyne.org
Volunteer Work Day
Oct. 12: Head to Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, to help with continuing park and habitat enhancement projects, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Snacks, tools and work gloves will be provided. Bring a water bottle. www.wildwoodlake.org
Family Fun Day
Oct. 12: Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, 176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg, hosts a Fall Family Fun Day, 12 to 4 p.m. Enjoy “The Great Migration” presentation by ZooAmerica and family activities including pumpkin chunkin’, painting and carving. www.nedsmithcenter.org
TEDx Harrisburg
Oct. 14: Fourth annual TEDx Harrisburg will be at Whitaker Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Take in an evening of dialogue centered on the theme “Chaos,” featuring a diverse lineup of speakers and topics. www.tedxharrisburg.com
New Member Social
Oct. 15: Join Harrisburg Young Professionals for its new member social at Café 1500, 1500 N. 6th St., Harrisburg, 6 to 8 p.m. This event is for new and prospective members. RSVP to attend. A cash bar and full menu will be available. www.hyp.org
Book Sale
Oct. 16-19: Friends of Kline Branch Library will host a book sale at Paxtang Municipal Building, 3423 Derry St., Harrisburg. A members’ preview sale will be held Oct. 16, 5 to 7 p.m., and the public sale will be held Oct. 17 to 19. New and gently used books, videos, CDs and other items will be available for purchase. www.dcls.org
Business After Hours
Oct. 17: Mingle with business professionals at Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC’s free networking event at PSECU, 1500 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, 5 to 7 p.m. www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org
3rd in The Burg
Oct. 18: Enjoy the best of Harrisburg during 3rd in the Burg, the monthly arts and culture event at galleries, restaurants and art spaces throughout downtown and Midtown, 6 to 9 p.m. www.thirdintheburg.org
Harvest Fest
Oct. 19: Central Penn College, 600 Valley Rd., Summerdale, hosts “A Very Hippie Harvest” in honor of Woodstock’s 50th anniversary, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The festival will feature inflatables, live music, food trucks, vendors, pumpkin carving, face painting, raffle baskets and more. www.centralpenn.edu
Spaghetti Dinner
Oct. 19: Central Pennsylvania Womyn’s Chorus will hold its annual spaghetti dinner, 4:30 to 8 p.m., at Colonial Park United Church of Christ, 5000 Devonshire Rd., Harrisburg. Enjoy an all-you-care-to-eat pasta dinner for $10. Kids ages 6 to 10 eat for $5, and kids 5 and under eat for free. Proceeds benefit the chorus. www.cpwchorus.org
Costume Days
Oct. 19, 20, 26, 27: Show off your Halloween costume on historic trolley car rides at the Rockhill Trolley Museum, 430 Meadow St., Rockhill Furnace. Children in costume ride free (must be accompanied by adult); adults are $8; and children without costume are $5. www.rockhilltrolley.org
Books on Tap
Oct. 24: Dauphin County Library System hosts Books on Tap at Sturges Speakeasy, 400 Forster St., Harrisburg, 5 to 6 p.m. The book club meets to dive into new genres and forms while getting to know other readers. This month’s book is Erin Morgenstern’s “Night Circus.” www.dcls.org
Nature at Night
Oct. 26: Take an after-hours walk at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Then make s’mores around a campfire and sip apple cider, while taking in a not-so-scary Halloween story. Kids can dress as their favorite animal or in a costume. Bring a trick-or-treat bag. Cost is $5. www.wildwoodlake.org
Halloween Fundraiser
Oct. 26: Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus presents a “Memorable Characters” Halloween Fundraising Party at Lounge 704, 704 N. 3rd St, Harrisburg, 8 to 11 p.m., featuring local drag personalities. Dress in costume as a memorable character from film, stage, screen or history to win a prize. Admission is $10. www.harrisburggaymenschorus.org
Boos & Brews
Oct. 26: Perry County Council of the Arts hosts Boos & Brews, a Halloween fundraiser to support local arts programming, at River Bend Hop Farm and Brewery, 1800 Lower Bailey Rd., Newport, 6 to 10 p.m. Admission is free, but a percentage of food and drink purchases benefit PCCA. Guests can enter a costume contest for a small fee to win prizes. Enjoy music and karaoke, local brews, food and more. www.perrycountyarts.org
Howl-O’Ween
Oct. 27: Celebrate pets at “Howl-O’Ween: Pets at Fort Hunter,” 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg, 12 to 3 p.m. The event includes a pet and owner costume parade, a photo booth, kids’ activities, pumpkin painting, vendors and food for sale. www.forthunter.org
Trunk or Treat
Oct. 27: AACA Museum, 161 Museum Dr., Hershey, will host “Trunk or Treat,” 12 to 3 p.m. Kids are invited to dress in Halloween costumes, decorate their own goodie bags and hunt for treats in the museum. Watch Halloween-themed videos in the indoor drive-in theater and see a hearse vehicle display. www.aacamuseum.org
Halloween Party
Oct. 27: State Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 North St., Harrisburg, will host the family-friendly “Great Pumpkin Day,” 12:30 to 3 p.m. Participate in the costume contest and parade, enjoy holiday games, snacks and magic. Tickets are $5. www.statemuseumpa.org
Benefit Concert
Oct. 27: Church organist Harry Strack will present a concert of his original works and arrangements for organ and piano during a free benefit concert at Grace United Methodist Church, 309 Herman Ave., Lemoyne, 3 to 4:30 p.m. A free will offering will be taken to benefit the church. www.graceumlemoyne.org
Historic District Forum
Oct. 28: Historic Harrisburg Association hosts “Neighborhood Preservation, Historic Districts and Community Building,” with panelists discussing the city’s historic neighborhoods, evolving historic district guidelines and other issues facing buildings in historic districts. The event begins at 6 p.m. at Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, 1230 N. 3rd St. www.historicharrisburg.com
Fall Storytime
Oct. 30: Kids ages 2 to 5 are invited to Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, for a story session, 10 to 10:45 a.m. Stories, songs, rhymes, play and a take-home craft will introduce children to the joy of books and language. www.wildwoodlake.org
