Creative Path: The new Harrisburg Arts District crafts an inspired walk

August 29, 2024 | by M. Diane McCormick

Event at the Art Association of Harrisburg. Photo courtesy of Art Association of Harrisburg

Carrie Wissler-Thomas can’t say for sure how the family of tourists from Ohio found their way to the Art Association of Harrisburg.

They had visited Hersheypark and the usual suspects around town, but they wanted to see a gallery, and the Harrisburg Arts District now has an app for that.

“They visited what was going on in the region, and they saw us and they came,” Wissler-Thomas said. “Maybe it was because of Google. I like to think it was the Harrisburg Arts District.”

Opinions differ on whether Harrisburg needs an arts czar, but the new app from Visit Hershey & Harrisburg does some of that coordinating. The app puts the Harrisburg Arts District in the palms of hands, whether those palms belong to visitors or locals looking for a new scene.

With its walkable array of galleries, performing arts groups, murals, shopping, and food and drink, the Harrisburg Arts District was just made for an app that helps patrons customize their own experience.

Critical Mass

The Harrisburg Arts District spans the city’s downtown, Midtown and riverfront. Created by Visit Hershey & Harrisburg, the district now has an app for digital-age relevance. The new app allows visitors to search by categories of murals, performance venues, events, museums, galleries, monuments, shopping and food and drink.

App users can customize their itineraries, curating and mapping the walks that deliver the experiences, sights, sounds and tastes they crave. They can play concise audio narrations describing each of the Sprocket Mural Works’ pieces they’re pausing to see, perhaps learning how Ryan Spahr drew inspiration from the surrounding city for the colorful butterfly of “Arise,” or how the dramatic “Bruja” from Ecuadorian artist Vera Primavera celebrates female empowerment.

A Creative Communities Grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts funded development of the app. Dauphin County tourism grants are helping support ad campaigns promoting the arts district.

The creative sector contributes $30 billion to the Pennsylvania economy, according to PCA Executive Director Karl Blischke. A defined arts district gives that sector a place, he said, and “place is the driver of decisions that are made about where we want to live, where we want to visit.”

The app adds momentum to a growing arts scene that’s contributing to Dauphin County economic development, tourism and a record number of hotel rooms booked, county Commissioner George Hartwick said at the app’s launch in July.

“Sometimes, we don’t even know what’s in our backyard,” he said. “This is an opportunity for us to reacquaint ourselves with all the great assets we have as well as help visitors from around the country have that opportunity.”

Susquehanna Art Museum Executive Director Alice Anne Schwab credited the changing look of Midtown Harrisburg, including a new cocktail lounge going where a saloon once stood, to the “critical mass” of activity in the Harrisburg Arts District.

“More and more, things are happening in this area because people want to be connected to the arts,” she said. “Yes, it drives money, but it drives something that’s even more important—all those feet traveling to our door, to Whitaker Center, to all of the performing arts organizations.

Mural by Sprocket Mural Works

Finer Things

The Harrisburg arts sector comprises organizations and artists who are dynamic enough to thrive on their own without a city arts director or umbrella organization adding bureaucracy, said Art Association of Harrisburg Executive Director Carrie Wissler-Thomas. But the Harrisburg Arts District does need VHH’s cross-promotional marketing, amplified by the app, to attract visitors, audiences and participants, she said.

“It’s hard to reach an audience beyond our own constituency,” Wissler-Thomas said. “All of us share so many people that like the finer things in life—the theaters, the galleries, the art, the fine food and breweries—and this widens our audience.”

Harrisburg-based artist Reina “R76” Wooden watched in dismay when the pandemic wiped out the area’s small galleries. As showcase spaces dwindle, she found her home in a studio at the Millworks, an app presence in Midtown Harrisburg.

Wooden told TheBurg that she has been “barking every four years in the mayoral race” that the city of Harrisburg needs an office of arts and culture. Creation of the Harrisburg Arts District helped fill that gap, she believes.

“Clearly, something has been happening behind the scenes,” she said.

The app is “a great start” and a powerful megaphone for artists and performers promoting their work and their presence, she added. Going forward, she hopes to see more inclusivity, with the addition of smaller galleries, music and spoken word, and a footprint that expands into other parts of the city, including Olde Uptown and Allison Hill.

“If you are going to say ‘Harrisburg,’ it has to be beyond Midtown,” she said. “There are staples in the art world that we as a creative community know, but you want the people who are traveling from outside because they like to find those quirky, small, unique spaces where it’s not just all about, ‘Please buy my food, please buy my beer.’”

Visit Hershey Harrisburg App

The Beginning

The idea for the app originated with Harristown Development Corp. President and CEO Brad Jones, who approached VHH about developing it. The app sticks to downtown, Midtown and the riverfront because research by the VHH director of experience development found that the key to successful arts districts nationwide is walkability.

“We asked if someone is coming and wants to park their car and doesn’t want to move it around, what does that footprint look like?” said VHH Director of Communications Allison Rohrbaugh. “It’s not every arts-related business in the city of Harrisburg. It’s that walkable footprint that says you can come here, and you can spend an entire day or weekend visiting something that’s really accessible and really close together.”

Listed sites and venues also needed a physical presence with reliable hours and established websites to help visitors unfamiliar with the city “easily understand where an arts organization is, when it’s open, and what they can do,” she said.

Some of the listed organizations are VHH partners, but VHH membership is not a requirement, Rohrbaugh said. The list of sites “is always going to flex and grow a little bit.”

City Director of Economic Development Jason Graves called the app “just the beginning of what could be happening” to bring more people to the community.

The app and its direct links to the websites of listed organizations is “very cool,” said Wissler-Thomas.

“It’s wonderful,” she said. “It’s a miracle. It gets the word out there for all of us. All the culture groups do such wonderful things. There’s no denying that it’s hard just getting the word out to people beyond our members. It’s now reaching people beyond that.”

For more information, visit www.visithersheyharrisburg.org or just download the app.

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Musical Mindset: Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz tunes up for another Jazz Walk, looks toward future

August 29, 2024 | by Kawena Jacobs

Justin Morell. Photo courtesy of Amy Spangler and Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz.

September in Harrisburg brings many things: a crisp fall breeze to cut through the heat, the beginning of trees turning all sorts of warm hues and, of course, jazz music drifting through Midtown courtesy of Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz’s (CPFJ) annual Jazz Walk.

The free, one-day jazz festival transforms local businesses and organizations alike into pop-up jazz clubs, allowing anyone to enjoy the music, whether the listener is a seasoned jazz enthusiast or a curious passerby.

“It’s an opportunity for people to discover jazz without paying for a ticket,” CPFJ’s Operations Manager Sara Bozich said.

This year’s event will take place Sept. 6 with familiar spots such as the Midtown Scholar Bookstore, Millworks, TheBurg and the Historic Harrisburg Association hosting shows.

CPFJ Board Vice President Dave Wagner said featuring local artists is a crucial part of the Jazz Walk’s success, drawing a larger crowd and more support when people are familiar with the performers.

“There’s a lot of competition for entertainment these days, and jazz is one of the things that we want to continue to keep on everybody’s mind,” Wagner said.

Pursuit Coworking will act as CPFJ’s hub for the evening. The space, Bozich said, will include a winery on site for refreshments, tables and information from the event’s sponsors and maps and cards to keep track of where all the performances will be.

Patrons will also be able to purchase tickets for CPFJ’s fall concerts, the Dauphin County Jazz and Wine Festival on Sept. 7 and 8 and sign up for their new and updated membership program.

Last year’s Jazz Walk featured over 40 artists in various groups and bands across 14 venues, which, Wagner said, was the most venues they have had in recent years.

“I think that it went over very well operationally and functionally,” Wagner said. “The music was awesome. It’s just a great vibe to go on down there.”

Flowing Well

CPFJ began in 1980, started by jazz pianist Steve Rudolph, lawyer Lee Swartz, local radio DJ Russ Neff and Jack Snavely, who worked in finance. Rudolph said the group wanted to grow the presence of jazz in Harrisburg and keep jazz artists coming through the city.

“I think Jack Snavely was the one who actually first said the words, ‘well, let’s form a jazz society,’” Rudolph said.

From local artists to touring national acts, CPFJ organized and hosted a slew of concerts in their early years. Rudolph credits the success to the support system that arose around the group.

“I think the heart of the organization from the beginning was the amount of volunteers that we had who were seriously into music,” Rudolph said.

The first Jazz Walk kicked off not long after CPFJ’s founding and was born from the larger jazz festival they would hold in the 1980s, which Rudolph said received a great deal of financial support from local charities and art organizations.

“One of the things we would have at the jazz festival, which was usually a three- or four-day event, [was] a Jazz Walk,” Rudolph said. “And in the ‘80s, there were probably six or seven clubs in downtown Harrisburg, right on 2nd Street, that had offered jazz on a regular basis.”

Since then, the prevalence of jazz in Harrisburg has dwindled, but Rudolph does not worry about losing it to time.

“The music is too strong to be denied,” Rudolph said. “So, it’ll always be happening, but on what level is always a curious thing to find out.”

Along with the Jazz Walk and concerts, CPFJ runs educational camps for children interested in playing jazz music, like their jazz camp at Messiah University. Last year, 80 kids attended.

“The focus of the organization now is a little more towards education and a little less towards presentation, but it seems to be flowing quite well,” Rudolph said.

Bozich was hired in May of this year and believes her expertise in marketing and management can help the organization with its ongoing mission.

“My goal with Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz is to help elevate the organization, ultimately resulting in a more robust membership and programming so that people continue to enjoy and love jazz music,” Bozich said.

For more information on Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz, visit www.friendsofjazz.org.

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The Arts Squared: In downtown Harrisburg, cultural events enhance church, community

August 29, 2024 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Barbara Passeri-Warfel

Houses of worship meet many needs—spiritual, communal and educational. Increasingly, they also offer arts and cultural programs.

Though not unique to churches in downtown Harrisburg, one standout program is Arts on the Square, a series of musical and visual arts events presented by Market Square Presbyterian Church.

Launched in the 2019-20 season with a program that included a concert by the Vienna Boys Choir, Arts on the Square’s next season was suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic, but has resumed continuously since.

“It is the congregation’s desire to share with the community the beauty and majesty of God through music and art,” said communications manager John Robinson.

Held throughout the church’s calendar year, the programs feature international, national and local musical performers and often local or regional visual artists. Artistic director Tyler Canonico, minister of music and organist at the church, and art gallery coordinator Beth Hager plan a program with the help of a team of nearly a dozen volunteers.

The kind of music featured in Arts on the Square is varied, ranging from sacred to pop, from the classics to jazz, said Canonico. In this context, the arts are more than artistic.

APOLLO5

This season includes world-famous German concert organist Felix Hell, who last played at Market Square Church in 2000, when he was 14 years old. “Carols by Candlelight” features the Sanctuary Choir and orchestra, with carols sung by the audience. APOLLO5 is a pre-eminent British vocal ensemble singing in a wide variety of styles. And for the first time, a silent film classic, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” will be shown, with dramatic accompaniment by New York City organist Jason Roberts.

“The church is one of the premier venues in the city,” Canonico said. “We use the beautiful sanctuary, with recently enhanced acoustics, for musical performances and historic Geneva Hall for visual arts exhibitions. Our choir regularly performs with orchestra or our organ, the newest in the city, built in 2019.”

Among the featured visual artists this year is Barbara Passeri-Warfel of New Cumberland. She will offer an eclectic mix of paintings, drawings and fabric wall hangings. Next up, Market Square Church members Susan Hoover and RonPoorman will present “Camera Perspectives,” a photographic joint exhibition.

“We can hang about 40 to 50 works in Geneva Hall,” Hager said.

In 2023, Friends of Arts on the Square was established to allow church members and the public to support its programming through a membership organization.

“These donations, as well as support from foundations and others, allow us to offer free or low-cost programs to everyone in our community,” said Robinson.

Market Square Presbyterian Church is located at 20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.marketsquarechurch.org/concerts.

Square Season

The 2024-25 Arts on the Square season begins this month and runs through the spring.

Musical Performances

Sunday, Sept. 29
Felix Hell, organ
Playing the J. Nedra Schilling Organ/Orgues Létourneau Opus 136

Sunday, Oct. 27
Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quintet
Musicians play “sacred jazz”

Sunday, Dec. 22
Carols by Candlelight
Holiday favorites with choir and orchestra

Sunday, Feb. 16
APOLLO5
British vocal ensemble showcases jazz, pop, classical and early sacred music

Sunday, April 6
Junghoon Park, piano
Works of Bach, Rachmaninoff and Gershwin

Friday, May 16
“The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
New York City organist Jason Roberts accompanies the 1923 silent film classic

Art Gallery

The gallery is open on the dates below and one-half hour after each musical performance.

Barbara Passeri-Warfel
Opening reception: Sept. 29
12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Joint photography exhibition by Susan Hoover and Ron Poorman
Opening reception: Jan. 19
12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“Our Core Values in Art”
Opening reception: March 16
12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

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Part Intention, Part Surprise: Market Square Concerts intros its 2024-25 season

August 29, 2024 | by Lori M. Myers

Jasper String Quartet

Peter Sirotin doesn’t just shut his eyes and throw darts at a dartboard as a way of picking musical groups for a new season of shows.

As co-director of Market Square Concerts, he makes a “concerted” effort to have reasons for his choices. He listens, he connects, he thinks. Ask anyone who has enjoyed MSC’s rich variety of performances, and they’ll tell you that his picks are stellar.

“We spend a great deal of time listening to young performers and seasoned artists, as well as considering cultural relevance of different programs to our contemporary experience,” he said.

Sirotin also trusts his audiences. Their feedback plays a vital role, particularly in decisions about inviting artists back. Yet Sirotin will go beyond what is expected. He also loves to surprise and give music lovers new experiences. The 2024-25 season of shows is no exception.

These new experiences begin on Sept. 25 at Temple Ohev Sholom with the award-winning Calidore String Quartet, a group that debuted with MSC a few years ago and is back by popular demand. Described as intimate with a “refined balance,” and as having “grunge-band grit,” Sirotin admits to the group’s distinct style of playing.

“Calidore String Quartet offers an electric energy, tremendous dynamic range combined with an unusual clarity of individual voices,” he said. “I was thrilled to invite the Calidore String Quartet back for the opening of our season with a program exploring three centuries of string quartet evolution through compositions by Mozart, Beethoven and Korngold.”

Next on the schedule is the Philadelphia-based music ensemble Tempesta di Mare on Nov. 9 at the acoustically splendid St. Michael Lutheran Church on State Street. The program, “Cruel Amaryllis,” traces the evolution of madrigal in early 17th-century Italian music.

The popular “Stuart and Friends” program follows on Jan. 5 at Market Square Presbyterian Church. The event will celebrate Maestro Stuart Malina’s 25th anniversary in Harrisburg with two masterpieces: Messiaen’s transcendent “Quartet for the End of Time,” written during the darkest days of World War II, and Dvorak’s uplifting “Piano Quintet in A Major.”

Malina will be joined by clarinetist Richie Hawley, violinists Alexander Kerr and Peter Sirotin, violist Michael Isaac Strauss and cellist Julian Schwarz.

“I am really looking forward to performing the marvelous Dvorak Quintet with the group,” Sirotin said.

The following month, on Feb. 22 at Market Square Presbyterian Church, pianist Mark Markham will perform a recital showcasing groundbreaking works by Brahms, Ravel and other composers, written in their twenties. The recital is a part of Markham’s artistic residency in Harrisburg, which will include his appearance as a soloist with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, performing Ravel’s “Piano Concerto for the Left Hand.”

“This unique masterpiece was dedicated to pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm in World War I but developed new techniques of playing, which allowed him to continue performing with the left hand alone,” Sirotin said. “In March of 2025, the world will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Ravel’s birth, which is a wonderful opportunity to bring Mark Markham back to Harrisburg for an artistic residency featuring Ravel’s music.”

On March 26 at the Derry Presbyterian Church in Hershey, the young, award-winning Trio Gaia from Boston will make its MSC debut. This delightfully eclectic program includes works by Schumann, Debussy, Reena Esmail and Gabriela Lena Frank, whose “Four Folk Songs” were inspired by melodic motifs and rhythms of her mother’s homeland, Peru.

Concluding the season on April 27 at Temple Ohev Sholom will be a performance by the award-winning Jasper String Quartet. The group will perform a playful and rustic program surveying folk influence in music by European, Russian, Korean and American composers from the classical era to present day.

Sirotin calls music a “powerful antidote to the growing anxiety and isolation in our society.” He has kept that power in mind as he went about creating this upcoming season. What will resonate with the audience? What will uplift listeners in these trying times?

“Attending live performances and sharing powerful musical experiences with people of different ages, backgrounds and political views help build community,” he said “Great music, like all great art, has an ability to connect us with the life experience of people from different eras and cultures. It entertains and inspires, provides emotional support and educates.”

For more information on Market Square Concerts, visit www.marketsquareconcerts.org.

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Creative Days: All-art weekend returns at the New Cumberland Music + Film Festival

August 29, 2024 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Linda Perry

Last year, Jonny Leahan and Pamela Cullen learned that their town of New Cumberland longs for—and appreciates—culture, entertainment and community.

That’s why the duo is heading up the second annual New Cumberland Music + Film Festival, slated for this month in the downtown area. More than a dozen films and music performances are on tap at various spots in the borough.

“It was such a success last year that we decided to hold it again,” Leahan said.

The inaugural event taught the organizers a lot of lessons, so it’s a bit easier organizing for the sophomore year, Cullen stated.

“Last year, we were kind of flying blind,” she said. “Now we know there’s a market for this.”

This year’s event offers exclusive film screenings and music concerts throughout the weekend at the West Shore Theatre, with other music performances at Source the Space. Additionally, buskers, or sidewalk musicians, will offer periodic free performances in the Third Avenue alleyway adjacent to the theater.

“Buskers give a fun, neighborhood vibe to the event, and there are no tickets required for the street music,” Leahan said. “There’s also music improv at Source the Space, and lots more musical surprises in store.”

The festival is an innovation of the New Cumberland Collective, a group of locals who began with the idea that “neighbors and members of the community can come together to make things happen,” according to the group’s website.

Other collective events include an annual Pride Festival and The Wind Down, a “chance to meet folks in our community paired with vibe-y local live music,” held the fourth Sunday of each month at the West Shore Theatre.

The Music + Film Festival is “our most expansive event with it being multi-day,” noted Cullen, who serves as the collective’s vice president. New Cumberland’s “small town feel” is what she likes best about doing things in the community, she said.

“New Cumberland is very walkable,” Cullen said. “It’s very likely that you’ll run into people you’ll know here.”

To Cullen, the borough offers “the best of both worlds”—a small town but one with cultural assets.

“The West Shore Theatre is a gem,” she said. “It has a great sound system, so it’s not hard to get bands to play here.”

The festival’s music schedule includes Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, an “indie rock band based out of Philly,” on Saturday, according to Leahan.

“We’re really excited about having this band,” he said.

On tap for Friday’s opening night is Aortic Valve, which offers “incredible audiovisual performances,” Leahan said.

“This will make our opening night something to remember,” he said.

The scheduled opening night film is “Eno,” a “groundbreaking” generative documentary about ambient music innovator, songwriter and visual artist Brian Eno, formerly of Roxy Music. Eno also is renowned for his production collaborations with David Bowie, U2 and Talking Heads.

“This is a generative documentary, so it is never the same twice,” Leahan noted. “The filmmaker is using AI for a bespoke version made just for our festival. We’re really lucky to have this for our audiences.”

Also scheduled is the film, “Luther: Never Too Much,” a chronicle of vocal virtuoso Luther Vandross. Directed by Dawn Porter, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was also featured at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

“We’re really lucky to have this,” Leahan said. “(Vandross) started out backing Bowie, (Bette) Midler and many others. It’s a story about how he overcame the odds to become the greatest vocalist ever.”

In addition, the festival will feature a “magical art” poster by New Cumberland native Stephen Michael Haas, creator of New Cumberland’s Neato Burrito mural and an illustrator for TheBurg.

“There’ll be lots more announcements coming up, too,” Leahan said. “Everything will be announced on our website. We’ll have a range of events for all kinds of people and all kinds of tastes.”

The 2nd Annual New Cumberland Music + Film Festival takes place Sept. 20 to 22 in downtown New Cumberland. For more information, advance ticket purchases and event sponsorship, visit www.newcumberland.co/music-film-festival.

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Walk of the Town: Gallery Walk paints the city red and blue and purple and . . .

August 29, 2024 | by Bob MacGinnes

Jonathan Frazier

The annual art rite of passage that heralds the start of the fall season, Gallery Walk, rolls out its 36th edition on Sept. 8.

There may be no better person qualified to lend an artist’s eye to this grand event than Jonathan Frazier of the Art Association of Harrisburg. As one of the Seven Lively Artists in the region, Jonathan is truly a renaissance man. “Artist” is at the top of the list, along with musician and intrepid traveler, someone as comfortable in New Orleans as his own beloved Harrisburg.

Jonathan’s IG handle is “@landscape.painter,” an appropriate appellation wherever his canvas and brush find him. From painting surreal shotgun shacks found in the Big Easy to serene “snapshots” of life on the Susquehanna, Jonathan captures it all. His specialty is “en plein air” (painting in the open air). As a group, the Lively Artists are now comprised of 11 painters who create, travel and exhibit together as often as possible.

Jonathan recently shared “that if weather conditions are fortuitous,” you won’t want to miss the tour of Harrisburg murals, offered by Sprocket Mural Works. Sprocket was honored earlier this year for their 100-plus works throughout south/central PA, receiving Theatre Harrisburg’s award for “Distinguished Service to the Arts in the Capital Region.” The mural tours last about an hour and are one mile long, offering an insider’s look at the many murals donning walls in Midtown and downtown Harrisburg. Tours will depart from the Capitol building on the hour from noon to 3 p.m.

Harrisburg independent art galleries total three. Ted Walke is the “grand-pere” of the downtown scene at his 1839 Federal-style row house, Gallery @ (608) 2nd. With two floors of lowbrow, surreal, pop and fantasy art, the gallery features Ted’s signature style, along with other local surrealist artists. Say hello to “Munky Bear” when there, and thanks to Ted and Linda for the Gallery Walk brochure.

Midtown finds the grand dame, Vivi of Vivi on Verbeke, and partner, Jackson Boyd, securely ensconced at 258 Verbeke St. This Haight-Ashbury outpost makes a charming place to drop in. Paintings, photography, pottery, pouchettes, pendants and any other “P’s you can mind” … all add up to a potent portrait of peaceful pieces. Vivi is most excited about having prints for sale of her local landmark paintings. Jackson’s photography is stellar and often mirrors the same locales but from a different lens, literally.

Meanwhile at 1006 N. 3rd Street, Julia Mallory is the new kid at her address, the eponymous, Ten Oh! Six Gallery. Throwing “her hat into the ring” for its initial foray, or should it be taking the easel into the street (that sounds a bit dangerous), this gallery is just up the block from TheBurg office. Julia, artist/author/aerialist, takes her art to a highwire act of activism and advocacy for all. The author has penned a series of books, “Black Mermaids,” expanding conventional ideas from another perspective.

Contrena Baltimore, Civic Club president, and Reina Wooden, art maven, will be on hand to welcome visitors to the Overlook Mansion for a day of art from the “Magnificent Seven,” plus one, Ms. Wooden herself. The art posse is comprised of Bryan “King Prolifik” Hickman, Elliot Arylide, Carrie Feidt, LensWorthy Imagery, Mixtic, Toro Comics and Iquan Summers. Reina reported, “I invited artists of different ethnic backgrounds to showcase the art they love to create. Every piece tells a story of that person’s lineage and experiences. The Civic Club welcomes all to be part of its cultural heritage during Gallery Walk 2024.”

Millworks art studios will be open for brunch for the Gallery Walk tour. The bonus during this special event is that the majority of the 35 or so in-residence creatives will be present with works available for purchase. The gift shop is open and stocked with items from floor to ceiling. Midtown Scholar (& Georges) will showcase Robinson’s Fine Art and Prints. Enjoy a wide range of read-ables, collectibles and drinkables.

Houses of worship are built on art as their main foundation. Sacred spaces are meant to beautify the world with their stained-glass windows. Salem United Church of Christ highlights the stained-glass art of Diane Hoffer, while Zion Lutheran Church showcases Diane Foster’s paintings. St. Michael’s Lutheran features York artist Jeannine Dabb’s expressionist paintings. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Riverfront Gallery breaks from the pack with its groundbreaking exhibit, “Feminine Divine,” offering open-ended interpretations of God “as an entity that transcends gender.”

Both Harrisburg museums offer unique takes as the State Museum of Pennsylvania unveils its annual “Art of the State” with free admission. Up 3rd Street, the Susquehanna Art Museum showcases the solo show from Elaine Elledge, “Margins and the Height of the Sun,” on view in the main lobby. It is a wonder to behold and learn of the personal meaning behind her impactful imagery on the impermanence of beauty.

New to Gallery Walk this go-around, the LGBT Center can be found at 1323 N. Front St. Amber Roadcap is the contact there for the event. She shared that artist Craig Bomberger’s work will be featured. In checking with the Historic Harrisburg Association, it appears that the ever-ready Mr. Bomberger will be doing an in-person painting demonstration. So, to avoid any confusion, please check “Craig’s List” first. The Historic Harrisburg Resource Center is full of archival treasures, vintage photos and ephemera from the bygone years of our city. Art Association members Thom Kulp, Tom Banks and Ron Steficek all lend their artwork to the institution’s walls.

It’s also time to visit the McCormick Riverfront Library, a repository of reads, records and rarities. The “R” that starts “refreshment” can be found at the library’s newly opened Wildflower Coffee. Next, head over to the Historical Society of Dauphin County on S. Front Street for county artifacts, architecture and art. History provides the perfect segue to education, and Jonathan referenced a piece of his own personal history with Capital Area School for the Arts predecessor, Harrisburg Arts Magnet School, where he spent a large portion of his senior year back in 1989. Now located in Strawberry Square, CASA will highlight mixed-media student art, one of the six disciplines offered through its vigorous, full-day program of study.

All this talk about “AI” … in Harrisburg it refers to “Art Impresario,” Carrie Wissler-Thomas, CEO of the Art Association of Harrisburg for 46 years. Carrie is the main catalyst behind this annual event. She and the association’s director of exhibitions, Nate Foster, have cooked up a special “members only” show titled “Heroes and Heroines.” There are no rules attached to the criteria, so the entries may be surprising. Imaginary or real, historical or present day, the possibilities are endless.

Louisiana transplant, artist Kathleen Joffrion, took a page from the headlines over five decades ago. Her stunning painting, photographic in nature, is of oarsman Tom McClean, who set the record for rowing 2,300 miles in 70 days across the Atlantic. He accomplished this at the age of 26 only to smash that record at the age of 44, which still stands today. At 82 years of age, Mr. McClean, who resides in Scotland, will visit the historic AAH in person the day after Gallery Walk. Another hero for our times is woodcarver extraordinaire and ex-infantryman Dave Hilsinger, who offers a tribute to the vets of the Vietnam conflict titled “War Dogs,” carved of Pennsylvania walnut.

There you have it, up to the minute, down to the wire. The countdown is on for Gallery Walk #36. Thanks to Jonathan Frazier for his anecdotal thoughts as well as his landscape paintings of central Pennsylvania. Lastly, a heartfelt appreciation for Carrie Wissler-Thomas of the Art Association of Harrisburg, a living legend.

Gallery Walk takes place on Sept. 8, noon to 5 p.m., at locations throughout Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.artassocofhbg.com.

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Taste of Culture: A new restaurant serves elegance, Black culture in Harrisburg

August 29, 2024 | by Jolie Lloyd

Jameson Christopher

What happens when a contractor finds himself with extra building space to fill?

He starts a restaurant, of course.

Or, at least, that’s what Jameson Christopher did.

“It wasn’t a life-long dream,” he said. “I never thought I’d want to start a restaurant.”

And yet, he opened Coda Rouge earlier this year on N. 6th St. in Harrisburg.

Sometimes, people hyperbolically refer to an especially tasty meal as “life-changing.” But, for Christopher, crab cake Benedict genuinely transformed his life. Out to eat one night, he enjoyed the dish so much that he asked to meet the chef.

That’s when he met Sachiko Baez, and the two began talking. Christopher told her about the building he purchased in 2019 for his painting and contracting business. It had extra space, including a commercial-grade kitchen he had specially constructed for his mother that then was largely unused.

Baez told Christopher about her life-long dream of starting her own restaurant.

“A lightbulb went off. I was like, ‘Wow, I can actually utilize this space and give Sachiko her dream she always wanted,’” Christopher said. “And that’s how Coda Rouge came about.”

Coda Rouge serves fine-dining-style breakfast and brunch daily, with plans to open for dinner hours. It also offers desserts made by Christopher’s mother, pastry chef Lisa Christopher.

It’s hard to pinpoint the exact cuisine served, as the dishes come from a wide variety of influences, such as Japanese, Italian, French, Central American, Spanish and South Asian.

“We couldn’t pick just one. That’s not who we are,” said Baez, who serves as the head chef. “We’ve been influenced by many different cultures and have many cultures in our backgrounds. So, we want to represent that.”

Christopher and Baez’s different passions and skillsets work well together to present a warm, welcoming, meaningful and cozy space to serve delicious dishes, they explained.

“Our creativity fits together,” Baez said. “I bring him food ideas, and he has a vision of how this place should look.”

Sophisticated Space

When you first walk into the seemingly ordinary brick building, you’d never expect what you’ll find inside.

“People come in here and say they feel like they’re somewhere else, somewhere nice. And it’s not just young people saying that. It’s even older people who have traveled all over,” Christopher said. “They feel like it’s a place where they can relax.”

The elegant space has a welcoming and comfortable ambiance that makes you feel like you’re at home, but also in a high-end restaurant. The hall near the entrance is lined with colorful paintings of Black jazz musicians by local artists. The dining area continues this artistic theme, with more local works and decorative elements that contribute to the overall mood.

In addition to the restaurant, the building, called “The Continental,” includes lounge areas upstairs and downstairs, offering visitors a place to relax and enjoy the vibe.

“We want to show what sophisticated Black culture is,” Baez said.

Christopher’s mission is to broaden the horizons of young people in Harrisburg by making Coda Rouge accessible to those who might not otherwise have the chance to enjoy fine dining.

“Youth have to be exposed to different things,” Christopher said. “A lot of times, inner-city youth, like when I was growing up, we don’t have that opportunity. We don’t really know what nice restaurants offer. We can’t go to those nice art galleries. I want to expose the youth to all that.”

Christopher also wants to show an example of the benefits of hard work.

“No one handed this to me,” he said. “I want to show [the youth] what you can do as a self-starter.”

The Legacy

To Christopher, perhaps the most important part of the whole place is the mural that spans the outside of the building.

The painting, by Harrisburg-based artist Bryan “King Prolifik” Hickman, prominently features a group of the Tuskegee Airmen, Black military pilots and airmen who fought in World War II. The mural includes Charles Petty Sr., Christopher’s grandfather.

Local kids often stop by and look at the mural, Christopher said, and ask him “who that man was.” This gives Christopher an opportunity not only to brag about his grandfather, but to share vital Black history with those who have never heard of the Tuskegee Airmen.

“It’s an educational thing,” he said. “The history in schools needs to get better. People taking pictures next to it made me feel really good.”

Coda Rouge is even named after the Tuskegee Airmen, who were nicknamed the Red Tails because of the red-colored tails on their airplanes. “Coda” means “tail” in Italian, and “rouge” means “red” in French, Christopher explained.

Years ago, the building that now houses Coda Rouge was known for a much different legacy, Christopher said. The building housed a white-owned establishment that upheld segregation, not allowing Black people to enter or even be on the property of the building, he said.

Now, Coda Rouge stands as a pinnacle of Black excellence.

“I’m not just doing this all for myself,” he said. “I’m able to give back something to the community, something from our history, from African American history.”

Coda Rouge is located at 2013 N. 6th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.thecontinentalhbg.com.

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Adventure Together: Spend a weekend on the water, at the farm or in a hands-on learning center

August 29, 2024 | by Natalie diSanto

View from the Pole Steeple Trail

With Labor Day at the beginning of many school calendars, we can debate whether the educational system aims to throw a wrench in recently rewelded schedules or provides a break after building new routines. Whatever the intent (if there is one), Labor Day offers an opportunity for adventuring to be temporarily unbound from afternoons and two-day weekends, allowing families to enjoy September in central PA early this month.

When the heat persists, check out Laurel Lake in Cumberland County for a sandy beach and swimming area. Kayaking is allowed, and the blooming lotus are a joy to paddle around, especially with turtle heads playing hide and seek in between. Fishing is encouraged, and the lake has healthy supplies of perch, pickerel, bass and stocked trout. Laurel Lake is part of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, which boasts nearly 1,000 acres of forested land at the northern conclusion of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range. Pine Grove’s Pole Steeple Trail is a short, but steep 0.75-mile hike that leads to a breathtaking vista of the mountains and surrounding Michaux State Forest. Hikers have an opportunity to merge with the Appalachian Trail near the viewpoint. Pine Grove Furnace State Park is the halfway mark for the AT, making it a point of interest for fans of the longest hiking-only footpath in the world.

Participate in the reclamation of previously farmed land by joining York-based Horn Farm’s Riparian Tree Tending Volunteer Days on Sept. 14 and 15. The work done by Horn Farm volunteers aids efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and, consequently, the bay itself. Horn Farm provides opportunities for folks to engage with agriculture, learn about sustainability, and participate in the benefits of rural living. They host programs such as elderberry foraging, nature journaling and identifying bird calls by ear. Horn Farm offers all-ages programming with regular Critter Crawls for young ones and internship opportunities for teens. Their spectrum of events is diverse and pedagogical, rounded out by professionals and enthusiasts from our local community.

Keystone Kid Space is an interactive indoor option for spending an afternoon, welcoming youth ages 6 and older to hands-on learning. The facility, located in York, is a place for kids to go all-in, immersing themselves in creative and STEAM activities in a space built just for them. The highlight for parents is The Hangout, a nook that overlooks Codorus Creek, which has Wi-Fi and serves refreshments so we can relax or make art of our own while the kids are safely stretching the boundaries of their imaginations. Keystone Kid Space participates in the “Museums for All” initiative that offers free or discounted tickets to families who receive SNAP/EBT benefits.

When the adventures are over, the week begins anew, which brings about another point of division that arises during the school year: spirit days. Whether you love them or hate these themed days, try using them to connect with your family by fully embracing the chaos. Throw your own family spirit days in correlation with those at your kid’s school. Maybe this means wearing something that matches the theme of the day or family members writing down something they are proud of. Make time to share your family spirit day contributions and be excited about each other’s creativity. Amongst the ever-changing landscape of school and life, there are always ways to celebrate the spirit that keeps us going.

Pine Grove Furnace State Park is located at 1100 Pine Grove Rd., Gardners. For more information, visitwww.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/PineGroveFurnaceStatePark/Pages/default.aspx.

Keystone Kid Space is located at 10 Hamilton Ave., York. For more information, visit www.keystonekidspace.org.

Horn Farm is located at 4945 Horn Rd., York. To learn more, visit www.hornfarmcenter.org.

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Safe Space: Local programs offer youth a place for fun, learning, de-stressing during after-school hours

August 29, 2024 | by Susan Ryder

B Shop Boys and Girls Club participants

As the new school year begins, many working parents are faced with the quandary about what to do with their tweens and teens after school.

A number of factors help determine whether kids stay home alone: maturity, comfort being home alone, and how well they get along with their siblings. But this decision is solely up to parents because Pennsylvania has no law specifying what age children are permitted to be home alone. Kids that age are clamoring for freedom, though they often require supervision. Thankfully, there are options for parents.

The Link 4 Youth in New Cumberland offers an after-school program from 3 to 6 p.m. for fourth- to 12th-grade students. When the students arrive, “they get that first hour to de-stress,” said Saundra Colello, executive director. The program offers opportunities to expend the pent-up energy from a day of learning at school—climbing the rock wall, shooting hoops, playing tag around the building, or simply just sitting and relaxing.

Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg provides a similar after-school experience for children, with a wider age range of 6 to 18 years old.

“It is an activity-based program,” said Arnold Taylor, director of programs and a previous Harrisburg club participant.

Taylor said that, while people often think that the club is a school or a daycare, it’s neither.

“What we’re looking to do here is to allow children to come into the Boys & Girls Club, find what their niche is, and help them grow that niche to help them grow their skills,” he said.

Like The Link 4 Youth, the club aims to keep kids off the streets and out of trouble during the after-school hours. At the very least, parents don’t want their kids scrolling social media or playing video games all afternoon.

“So parents don’t have to worry about where their kids are—if they are safe, if they are in a good place,” Taylor said.

Link takes the fight against phone scrolling one step further and has the youth put their phones in a clear lockbox.

“They can see their phones because the lockbox is clear,” Colello said. “So, they have security that ‘my phone is still there,’ but they’re not allowed their phones.”

These programs make access easy. Link provides transportation at no cost for schools in the West Shore School District. Boys & Girls Club provides transportation for $25 a week from Harrisburg School District schools, as well as a few private schools. There is no general program fee for The Link 4 Youth. The Boys & Girls Club has a $20 yearly fee, but scholarships are available for costs associated with the program.

Neither program limits attendance to geography.

“If you live in Texas, and can get here today, you can,” laughed Taylor.

The B Shop Boys and Girls Club is another, smaller after-school program, primarily focused on hands-on learning. Joshua Barker began the Harrisburg-based nonprofit four years ago. Barker grew up in a tough area of Brooklyn, N.Y., he said.

“I understand the importance of kids having after-school programs to keep them engaged and out of trouble,” he said.

Barker, a licensed contractor, involves middle and high school youth in helping renovate buildings that are then used for lower-income housing. The shop will work on transforming an office building into eight apartments.

“My wife and I, what we want to do is teach kids life learning skills, one of them being skill sets, vocational trades,” he said.

Participating youth also get a small stipend.

“The reality is that kids want to get money,” Barker said. “We can’t ignore that fact.”

The shop focuses on students’ current realities, as well as possibilities for the future.

“It’s a safe place to go and learn and get knowledge and leave with a skill set,” Barker said. “You can go anywhere in the world with skills.”

After the kids get the wiggles out at The Link 4 Youth, they offer formal programming including an on-site garden, speakers, an optional Bible study and other options. Boys & Girls Club provides tutoring, career readiness, health and wellness, and basic life skills. Taylor said that students often aim for sports as a career path, and the club helps them find plan “B” and plan “C.” Many students aren’t aware of all the options available to them, he said.

The after-school hours can be relaxing, fun and safe for students. For parents who have decided that their children need a more supervised afterschool life, there are programs available at little to no cost to help make that happen.

“Our motto is to provide a safe, positive place for kids,” Taylor said.

The Link 4 Youth is located at 1120 Drexel Hills Blvd., New Cumberland. For more information, visit www.thelink4youth.org.

Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg has several locations in the city. For more information, visit www.bgchbg.org.

For more information about The B Shop Boys and Girls Club, contact them at [email protected] or 717-882-7736.

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Musical Notes: Pop Goes September

August 29, 2024 | by Skye Leppo

On a recent road trip, my beloved and I spent a large part of the drive discussing what truly was the “Song of the Summer” for 2024. We agreed on top contenders and had a lot of criteria to consider on what “makes” a song of the summer—and arrived at different answers.

Our list was pop-heavy, though I’d argue the song of the summer is almost always pop by nature. I’m counting “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk (2013) as the only exception to that rule in recent memory.

The four tracks we debated were “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, “Apple” by Charli XCX, and “Pink Pony Club” and “Good Luck, Babe!” both by Chappell Roan. And we both agreed that a tight top five would have to include “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan. Sorry, y’all, it’s Chappell’s world, and we’re just living in it.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this—send me an email at [email protected]!

ECCENTRIC & ICONIC

9/8, Gogol Bordello, XL Live

The Eastern European art punk experiment known as Gogol Bordello has been playing together for 25 years—somehow both the blink of an eye, and yet, the band’s eclectic rock opera sound has a certain timelessness to it. Frontman Eugene Hütz has continued delivering catchy punk music with a European via Lower East Side twist, heard on the band’s ninth album, “Solidaritine” (2022), which I’m sure they’ll play a few tracks from at the concert.

SOMETHING IS HAPPENING IN NEW CUMBERLAND

9/20, Aortic Valve; 9/21, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, West Shore Theatre

Full disclosure that I am one of the key organizers for this, but I’ll be dead chuffed if some of you come join us for the second New Cumberland Music + Film Festival, Sept. 20 to 22. Lots of fun musical features abound throughout the weekend at various locations. We’re hosting the inimitable Aortic Valve at the West Shore Theatre’s Arts & Ed Center for a ticketed dance party on Friday, Sept. 20. Then indie rock legend Clap Your Hands Say Yeah will headline on Saturday, Sept. 21 at the West Shore Theatre, with local openers Le Ghast. All details and ticket information can be found at www.newcumberland.co/music-film-festival.

ROCKSTAR TREATMENT

9/20, Post Malone, Hersheypark Stadium

One of pop music’s most popular and surprising acts, Post Malone is seemingly featured on every other track on today’s Top 40 charts. You may know this trap/pop/R&B/hip-hop artist from his signature shaky vibrato on hits such as “Sunflower,” “Circles,” “Congratulations,” and, most recently, “I Had Some Help” (with Morgan Wallen) and Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight.” There are a thousand entry points to Posty’s music, as he’s affectionately called among fans. He’ll perform at Hersheypark Stadium on Sept. 20—his live shows look extremely fun.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

9/7, The Lemonheads, Lovedraft’s Brewing Co.

9/11, Bowling for Soup w/Wheatus and Don’t Panic, H*MAC

9/14, Dark Star Orchestra, XL Live

9/15, Styx, Hershey Theatre

9/17, Jon McLaughlin, The Englewood

9/21, Harrisburg University Presents Pete Yorn, XL Live

9/28, Stevie Nicks, Hersheypark Stadium

9/28, Deerhoof, The Abbey Bar

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