Jolly Job: Local Santas share what it’s like to be the big star of December

November 29, 2023 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Kevin Williams. Photo by Robert Cornelius.

This month, you may see one sitting on a throne at the mall, handing out gifts at a holiday party or bringing up the rear as the big highlight of the town parade.

They’re professional Santa Clauses, and this is their season for breaking out the custom-made red suits, fur-trimmed hats and black boots.

To the casual observer, these Kris Kringles may seem interchangeable, but they’re not. Each one brings a unique twist to spreading joy during this festive season.

Kevin Williams of Camp Hill started his business, Santa-A-Go-Go, in 2015 and has been enjoying a role where there are few downsides, other than the occasional frightened child or rare skeptic who tugs at his beard, only to discover that it is indeed genuine.

“I grew it out a couple years back, and it came in white,” he said.

Most of Williams’ time is spent attending private parties, senior centers and corporate events, but he also visits children’s homes.

“Parents will sometimes leave presents outside for me, and I’ll put them in my big Santa sack and arrive at the house at a scheduled time before Christmas,” said Williams, who then hands the gifts over to the eagerly waiting child.

Williams reminisced about his own childhood, when Santa would call like clockwork every Christmas Eve.

“That was always fun and, when I visit with children, I realize that I am giving them something they can talk about as they get older and realize what their parents did,” he said.

Williams often dons his Santa suit and rides with the top down and the heat on in his red convertible that bears the license plate, “Ho Ho Ho.”

“People are so happy to see Santa, and I’ll see minivans speeding to catch up, and I’ll watch the back window go down as kids smile and wave,” he said. “It’s just magical.”

Williams was inspired to give back to charity after his wife had a bout with breast cancer. He chokes up when he reflects upon those dark times.

“She went to Johns Hopkins for treatment, so I make appearances there to lift everyone’s spirits,” he said.

His wife’s oncologist is located in Camp Hill and, each year, the office of Andrews and Patel gives him the name of a family affected by cancer. Williams then touches base with the parents to schedule a day to visit after finding out which presents are on the children’s wish list.

“Friends and relatives step in to give us donations because we all know that cancer is expensive, and we purchase gift cards to restaurants to help out,” he said.

Williams said that he meets a wide range of people while making his rounds.

“I was in a senior independent living facility and sat down with a bunch of gentlemen and asked a man in his 80s what he wanted. Quick as a whip, he said he wanted an attractive 60-year-old woman with a liquor store,” he said, with a chuckle.

Not all visits provoke laughter. Williams told of a time when he visited a low-income housing development.

“A kid looked at me and asked for a pair of gloves,” he said. “That caused me to pause and reflect on what we take for granted. That tugged at my heartstrings.”

Traditions

Tom Miller, who operates Massages by Miller in Camp Hill, said that he caught the Santa bug back in 1985 when he worked for Red Lobster, which held Christmas parties for kids.

“I started out borrowing suits and eventually bought my own and upgraded the suits and accessories over the years,” said Miller, who, like Williams, attends business parties, family gatherings and senior living events.

Miller said that he especially loves the smiles that Santa elicits from children.

“It gives them a chance to be kids,” he said. “Because of technology, they used to believe until about age 11, but now you’re lucky if it’s 7 or 8.”

Over the years, Miller has seen changes in gift requests.

“The older kids used to ask for Hot Wheels, trucks and dolls,” he said. “Now, it’s Xboxes, iPads, phones and computers.”

Miller remembers fondly a particular experience, when he was able to hop aboard a fire truck from the West Shore Fire Company for a public Santa visit.

“Riding on the fire truck was a big check off my bucket list,” he said.

Miller chuckles when he recalls one year driving to Syracuse in his Santa suit.

“I stopped at a McDonald’s to call my parents since I was running late, and we had a big snow that week,” he said.

As Miller climbed the snow banks to use a pay phone, a local policeman stopped by to ask if everything was all right. Miller told him that he needed to check in with Mrs. Claus.

“I told him there would be a few extra donuts in his stocking for checking on Santa’s safety, and he laughed and thanked me as he drove off,” Miller said.

One thing that tickles Miller the most is when the kids grow up and continue the tradition.

“The kids that came to see me when I started doing Santa are now bringing their own kids,” he said.

Over the Top

Sean Straining’s first foray into Santa world was a cold call that materialized into an annual event about eight years ago.

“I work as a clown during the year, and someone asked if I’d like to try being Santa,” he said. “I did and I loved it.”

He calls his Santa acting just a little more taxing than his clown gig.

“I am over-the-top jolly, jovial, bigger than the room and not as reverent as the other ones I’ve seen,” Straining said.

Over the years, one thing that’s remained consistent is that younger children, 6 years and under, usually want dolls, cars and Legos.

“At that age, they’re not yet looking for electronics,” Straining said.

He’s also happy when the siblings who no longer believe in Old Saint Nick seem content to hang back and appreciate watching their sister or brother sit on Santa’s lap and list what they want on Christmas morning.

“It’s nice that they don’t ruin it for their siblings,” he said.

Over the years, Straining has learned how to bring the scared children out of their shells.

“I lower myself to their level and allow them the power to come to me,” he said, adding that the gig has given him much joy. “It’s neat, awesome, incredible.”

So, wherever you see the Jolly Old Elf this year, you might just want to give him a wink, knowing that you’ll keep his secret. Just remember that we all possess the power to spread a special kind of joy this magical season—a kind that lives within the hearts of all those who dare to imagine.

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

Singing into the Season: T’is the month for professional holiday choral concerts

November 29, 2023 | by Rachel Curry

Gettysburg Choral Society

Even before Black Friday, the swell of a busy holiday season can seem insurmountable.

Fortunately, this month, Harrisburg-area choral groups have an antidote to all the bustle—an hour or two of lovely seasonal song.

“We don’t take time to pause,” said Linda Tedford, artistic director and founder of Susquehanna Chorale, commenting on the state of our hectic lives.

Experiencing choral music that’s beautiful and meaningful, Tedford said, can restore the peace and reflection that people often forget to hold dear as everything buzzes around them.

Susquehanna Chorale is one of the region’s choral groups mounting holiday concerts this December. The 40-voice choir has been putting on professional performances for more than four decades. In fact, the group is a multi-generational affair consisting of youthful voices ages 24 to those much more mature.

For this year’s holiday concert, Tedford has selected a range of music across different time periods of history.

The “Candlelight Christmas” concert series, performed at a trio of locations in Dauphin County, includes classical texts and modern carol arrangements alike.

“The atmosphere, the poinsettias, the beautiful venues and the feeling of coming away from the clutter of the holiday seasons is what I’m trying to achieve,” Tedford explained.

While surrounding the audience by candlelight, The Susquehanna Chorale will perform “Salvation Is Created,” a Russian piece composed by Pavel Chesnokov in the early 20th century. Audiences can also expect “Magnificat” by Charles Theodore Pachelbel (composed in the late Baroque era of the 18th century) and some pieces by American composers, including Gwenyth Walker and Randol Alan Bass.

In contrast to the more serious classical texts, Tedford has included a new arrangement of well-known holiday songs such as “Jingle Bells,” “Deck the Halls,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” among other favorites. The chorale also will feature an audience sing-along for two pieces during the performance.

“I try to emphasize to the singers that the main thing is communication with the audience, communication of the joy of singing choral music, the joy of singing together, and the joy of giving our audiences something that is very meaningful and relevant to today’s society,” Tedford said.

Cantate Carlisle, a choral ensemble spearheaded by artistic director Michelle DiBona Trefren, is putting on its own holiday concert series that nods to Disney’s 100th anniversary. The concerts, taking place at the First United Church of Christ, surrounds the motif, “We see eye to eye when we act heart to heart.” This idea stems from “A Goofy Movie,” which featured the song “I 2 I” and that the chorus will sing in an a cappella arrangement.

“I felt like that was an important message for our community,” Trefren said.

Cantate is balancing the novelty of Disney with classical music, as well as more contemporary carols. “The Many Moods of Christmas” (arranged by Robert Shaw and Robert Russell Bennett), “There Shall a Star from Jacob Come Forth” (from Felix Mendelssohn’s oratorio “Christus”), and “Glow” (composed by Eric Whitacre and commissioned for Walt Disney World’s nighttime show, “World of Color: Winter Dreams”) help make up this lineup.

In its December series, Cantate will feature the tenor bass ensemble and soprano alto ensemble separately, making for a moment when the low voices and the high voices get to be featured independently of one another. The audience, Trefren said, always appreciates this moment. Guest string and wind instrumentalists add to the performance’s complexity.

Further to the south, the Gettysburg Choral Society will present its Christmas concert entitled “Joy to the World!” in the Church of the Abiding Presence on the campus of the United Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg on Dec. 1. Under the direction of John McKay, the 40-voice choir and guest organist Peggy Haas Howell will perform pieces from Robert Shaw, Alice Parker and other composers in a chapel with satisfying acoustics.

If you miss that early-month concert, the choral society will hold another performance a week later, just south of the Mason/Dixon line in the lovely college town of Emmitsburg, Md.

Tedford said that members of her group, the Susquehanna Chorale, give up every Monday night from September to December to prepare for the holiday concerts. This is a common theme among the chorales of the region, all so they can ensure a peaceful, invigorating and worthwhile time for audiences.

“The singers and I take this responsibility as something kind of sacred,” Tedford said.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Cantate Carlisle
“We See Eye-to-Eye When We Act Heart-to-Heart”

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m.
First United Church of Christ
30 N. Pitt St., Carlisle

www.cantatecarlisle.org

Gettysburg Choral Society
“Joy to the World!”

Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.
The Church of the Abiding Presence (Chapel) at United Lutheran Seminary
61 Seminary Ridge, Gettysburg

Saturday, Dec. 9 at 3 p.m.
Basilica of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
339 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, Md.

www.gettysburgchoralsociety.org

Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus
“Bring on the Holi-Daze!”

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.
Heidelberg UCC
47 W. Philadelphia St., York

Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m.
Unitarian Church of Harrisburg
1280 Clover Lane, Harrisburg

Saturday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m.
Bergstrasse Evangelical Lutheran Church
9 Hahnstown Rd.,Ephrata

Sunday Dec. 17 at 3 p.m.
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
121 Spring St. Middletown

Saturday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
22 6th St., Lebanon

www.harrisburggaymenschorus.org

The Harrisburg Singers
“Comfort and Joy”

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
St. Joseph Catholic Church
400 E. Simpson St., Mechanicsburg

Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m.
Trinity Lutheran Church
2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill

www.theharrisburgsingers.org

Susquehanna Chorale
“Candlelight Christmas”

Friday, Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts
Messiah University
600 University Ave., Mechanicsburg

Saturday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Leffler Chapel, Elizabethtown College
1 Alpha Drive, Elizabethtown

Sunday, Dec. 17 at 4 p.m.
Market Square Presbyterian Church
20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg

www.susquehannachorale.org

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

A Century to Savor: Pronio’s Market puts the special in specialty

November 29, 2023 | by Deborah Lynch

Hershey is a town of tourists and transplants.

It’s also a town with a short, yet rich history whose population was once two-thirds Italian American. It’s the third-, fourth- and fifth-generation natives who help to foster the sense of community in what can otherwise seem like a town of strangers.

No place better exudes community and caring than Pronio’s Market, a downtown staple located at the corner of Caracas Avenue and Valley Road. In a country that has watched downtowns morph from busy centers of life to empty streets, Pronio’s has remained an anomaly as a small, family-owned anchor of community.

Since 1983, Mike Pronio has run the store, taking over from his father, Vincent, who took over from his father, Michele, who founded it in 1919.

So, exactly what kind of store is Pronio’s? It’s a taste of Italy, with a touch of central Pa.

Locally, Pronio’s is famous for its specialties, which are made in-house. These include sausages, deli salads, strombolis, meatballs, meatloaf, ham loaf and baked goods. The meats are cut and ground fresh seven days a week, and local produce is stocked when available.

Pronio’s son, James, has procured products from five different Italian specialty vendors, including cheeses, sauces and other goodies from DiBruno Brothers, the large South Philadelphia Italian specialty purveyor. Shelves also feature goods from other local cooks and bakers including Thom’s Bread from Lancaster, Chocolates by Tina Marie in Hummelstown and Handmade Pasta by Jean Marie.

“People aren’t going to come here for Cheerios and Bounty towels,” Mike Pronio said.

Incredible Place

While many families might plan trips to grandma’s house or the Caribbean over Christmas, the Pronio children fly across the country to help their dad run the store during its busiest time. With a two-fold customer rush, Pronio’s four adult children help to fill the gaps, doing everything from manning the register to helping their dad make sausage until 2 or 3 in the morning on Christmas Eve.

“I don’t know what we would do without them,” Pronio said of daughter Ellen who lives in Colorado, son James who lives locally, daughter Natalie in New York, and son Matthew in Texas. “They make the pilgrimage every year to help out over the holidays.”

None of this is lost on filmmaker Michael Accorsi, whose fondest memories are childhood visits from his Baltimore-area home to his Italian grandmother in Hershey when she would line him up with grocery orders from all of her friends, sending him back and forth to Pronio’s to fill their requests.

“When I think of the old times, it’s Pronio’s,” Accorsi said. “I’ve got to tell that story. It’s such an incredible little place.”

So, he did, in a 30-minute film, “Pronio’s: A Cornerstone of Hershey History,” which came out in July.

The film opens and ends with owner Mike Pronio helping customers to their cars and loading grocery bags. Baggers offer to take groceries to the cars for every customer at Pronio’s, rain or shine. No job is too small for the owner, and it carries through to all of his staff.

Deli workers not only slice the meats and cheeses, they also prepare the salads, strombolis and soups from family recipes.

Shelley Dohner, who started at Pronio’s at age 19 and now has been there for 40 years, is Mike’s right-hand person. She orders for the whole store, deals with specialty vendors, and prices the goods, does most of the computer work, schedules, unloads trucks, runs the cash register, bakes and hops into the deli if it’s short-handed.

“If I would get run over by a truck, the store would be fine,” Pronio said. “If she [Dohner] would get run over by a truck tomorrow, I would throw the keys away and say, ‘I’m leaving.’ She knows this store from one end to the other. That kind of sense of responsibility is just hard to find.”

Just as Pronio praises his employees, particularly for showing up whether rain, snow or COVID, they return the love of the workplace he has created.

“It is pretty much a family atmosphere,” Dohner said, explaining that her nephew works as a butcher, her best friend is a deli worker, she’s known another worker since high school, and Betty Bracale, a cashier for 31 years, “is just like another sister to me.”

Bracale tried to retire five years ago, but that lasted fewer than three months.

“I didn’t have anybody to talk to,” she said, noting her close relationships with customers. “I had a lady come in. Her mom had passed away. I asked her how she was doing, and she said, ‘I had to come in for a Betty hug.’ I’m a hugger. If you see me walking around and going to the side, they know a hug is coming.”

Pronio also employs people with disabilities. He works with Hershey and Lower Dauphin School districts to help young people in need of more supervision acclimate to the world outside of school. Many of them stay on or return as employees.

“Some of them become part of the fixtures here,” Pronio said.

Heart of Gold

Pronio’s retains all the values of a store three generations strong.

“It’s never lost its core identity from what it was on day one,” said longtime patron John Dunn.

He noted that the family has always helped those in need with credit and care packages. Most recently, Pronio’s has been collecting donations of money and clothing for Ukraine. Mike Pronio also sends frequent care packages to those in the military.

“They are like family because of their heart of gold,” Dunn said. “They are so unselfish and sensitive to the needs of those that truly need.”

Philanthropy, great service and attention to customer desires set Pronio’s apart.

“This store shouldn’t be here,” Pronio said. “Where do you find the store that has the whole selection of things you need in one stop? The people in this town seem to want to see this store survive. They support us; we support them.”

Stop almost any Pronio’s regular, and they will echo what Ernie Accorsi—Michael’s dad and former general manager of the Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants—said in the film: “We should be thanking them.”

Pronio’s Market is located at 236 W. Caracas Ave., Hershey. For more information, visit www.pronios.com. To view the film about Pronio’s, go to https://vimeo.com/843728222.

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

Naughty But Nice: Scrooge & Cindy Lou get unwrapped this month at Open Stage

November 29, 2023 | by Stuart Landon

“A Christmas Carol”

As the Open Stage staff decorates the lobby with garland and puts the finishing touches on the holiday scenery and costume designs, anticipation builds for the return of two cherished productions: “Who’s Holiday!” and “A Christmas Carol.” The two shows have become staples for central Pa. audiences and artists.

Nicholas Hughes has played the role of Ebenezer Scrooge since the professional theatre company first staged “A Christmas Carol” in 2000. Based on the classic story of redemption by Charles Dickens, the show follows Scrooge as he is visited by ghosts on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, Rachel Landon is taking her fourth turn as Cindy Lou Who in “Who’s Holiday!” an irreverent parody twist on the story of the Grinch.

The artists behind these iconic characters sat down to discuss their holiday shows, playing this month during Open Stage’s 38th season in downtown Harrisburg. The two veteran performers were happy to give a glimpse into the festive worlds the company brings to life each holiday season. Whether you’re in the mood for irreverent comedy or a classic tale of redemption, Open Stage promises a festive month of shows that capture the heart of the season.

Q: It’s been nearly a quarter century of you embodying Ebenezer Scrooge, Nick. Rachel, this is your fourth season as Cindy Lou. How do you approach your roles each year and keep it fresh?

Nick: Well, it sort of provides its own impetus. It doesn’t get repetitive over time. Audience members come voluntarily…

Rachel: Thank goodness.

Nick: They return again and again because they enjoy it. And I do too. It’s a bit like revisiting an old friend. Scrooge is a character with layers, and, each year, I find something new to explore. There’s a depth and richness to his journey that makes it rewarding. Mr. Dickens himself toured and gave recitals of his story time after time for many years. Probably managed to make a different rendition of his wonderful story. I hope to emulate that.

Rachel: Cindy is a lot of fun to play. You have a different audience every night who gets to experience the story. Cindy Lou’s story is a comedy and a tragedy. The funny stuff comes from the bad things that have happened to her. Each year, I find new moments in the script and in her character. It is the same old story, but it’s new for me every single day.

Nick: Cindy Lou has such a catastrophic and deprived existence, but she remains cheerful. Yet, there’s Mr. Scrooge, presumably living with money rolling in, but so grumpy and miserable. What a counterpoint. Whoa!

Q: After 24 productions and countless rehearsals, what keeps you coming back to “A Christmas Carol” each year?

Nick: It’s an honor and a privilege to be part of this annual production with a wonderful cast, many of whom come back to the show year after year. Forging those connections each year—it’s what makes this tradition truly special. Plus, I believe we had the best audiences last year, the highest percentage of seats filled in the theater!

Q: And Rachel, why Cindy Lou again? What keeps you coming back?

Rachel: It’s the massive paycheck that I get.

Nick: Damn right.

Rachel: In all seriousness, I think she’s such a wonderful and unique character. I tell my students [at The Alsedek Theatre School of Open Stage] that what we do should be fun. When you’re on stage, you should be having a good time, even when telling a dramatic story.

Nick: And it is different every time. It’s new every year. Every performance, actually.

Q: What lessons do you take from these stories during the holiday season, Rachel?

Rachel: It’s all about gathering. Both Cindy Lou and Scrooge’s stories share the idea of connecting once again to the outside world after a long time away. Christmas represents being with the ones you love, having a good time, sharing laughter and love.

Q: These shows have become traditions for Open Stage and for the community. Why do you think each show has such a strong following?

Nick: For me and my fellow cast members, this production is Christmas. It dominates three months of our year. For those who attend every year, it’s something familiar, but it’s also exciting and better. Every year, it gets better. The costumes, the adaptation, the choreography, the spectacle and even the themed drinks at the bar!

Rachel: I’ve heard it said about both shows that, “It’s not Christmas until I see ‘Who’s Holiday!’” or “until I see ‘A Christmas Carol!’” This time of year is when families and friends gather, and people want to do something special. Theater is the perfect thing to do together for the holidays!

Q: What do you want people to take away from these shows?

Rachel: Cindy Lou tells us to be kind, to “surround yourself with people who are kind, and if they don’t treat you that way, watch out, beware.” I want audiences to walk away thinking about that. Let’s all choose love, family and kindness.

Nick: We also want to reward people for making the effort to go out and see a live show. It makes life richer and more enjoyable. Everyone should join us downtown for a show.

Rachel: Absolutely, but folks should get their tickets now because both shows sell out. Don’t wait!

Nick: I see people who casually know me; they see that my hair and beard are beginning to grow at this time of year. They say, “Oh yes. Oh you do that thing! You’re Santa Claus” or whatever. And they, say, “Oh well, I really have been meaning to come to that show. I should go.” “Well, look,” I say, “this is year 24, so really, you shouldn’t leave it too long.”

“Who’s Holiday!” and “A Christmas Carol” run through Dec. 23 at Open Stage, 25 N. Court St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.openstagehbg.com.

Stuart Landon is the producing artistic director of Open Stage.

UPCOMING EVENTS

At Gamut Theatre
www.gamuttheatre.org
717-238-4111

Gilbert & Sullivan’s
“H.M.S. Pinafore”
Dec. 1, 2, 3

Popcorn Hat Players
Countdown to Noon
Dec. 31 at 11 a.m.

TMI Improv
Last Laughs of 2023
Dec. 31 at 9 p.m., 10 p.m. & 11 p.m.

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

“Who’s Holiday!”
Now to Dec. 22
Cindy Lou is back and funny as ever.

“A Christmas Carol”
Dec. 2 to 23
The 24th annual production

“A Very Court Street Cabaret Christmas!”
Dec. 8 to 22
Late-night shows of holiday tunes

NYC Showtune Drag Queen
Paige Turner: Slay Ride
Sat., Dec. 9 at 7:30pm

Tony Wayne & The Figgy Pudding Band
Sunday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Rock & jazz arrangements of Christmas favorites

Black Newsbeat with Dr. Kimeka Campbell
Tuesday, Dec 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Be in the live studio audience of this talk show

EFF Live! Holiday Edition
Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 9:30 p.m.
An evening of naughty (not nice) fan fic

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

Your Move: Roll the dice at Harrisburg Board Game Day

November 29, 2023 | by Alex J. Hayes

Photo courtesy of Harrisburg Board Game Day.

On a Saturday in late July, 344 people arrived at Whitaker Center in downtown Harrisburg shortly before 10 a.m.

Some came with friends, some came alone. Many arrived with large backpacks full of games, while others were empty-handed.

Whitaker Center is a place where people can discover art, music, theater and science. On this day, the exploration was focused on one hobby—board games. Teenagers, adults and senior citizens spent 10 hours laughing, learning, connecting, winning, and, at times, getting a little frustrated.

Harrisburg Board Game Day brings hobby enthusiasts to the state’s capital annually. The event began about six years ago as Midtown Board Game Day and has since grown in size and focus.

Organizer Matt Caylor said Board Game Day has three goals: bring people together, celebrate the gaming hobby, and introduce people to Harrisburg.

“We want people to see the city is safe, it is clean, and there are things to do here,” he said.

People often come to Harrisburg for game day and then spend an additional day discovering its food and beverage scene, architecture and history.

“I tell people from across Pennsylvania the state Capitol is a beautiful building that you own—come see it,” Caylor said.

Caylor and his wife, Manda Shafer, have been game enthusiasts for about a decade after being introduced to them at a comic book convention. They play regularly, and Shafer is preparing to publish her first game, called The Establishment. Like many others, their attraction to board games centers around challenges and personal connections.

“We are taking our phones and putting them in our pockets,” Caylor said. “We are playing together, and there is not this device between us.”

Board games give introverts the opportunity to meet new people without awkward chit-chat.

“We have something to do and can build community connections,” Caylor said. “It gives a framework to develop friendships and make new connections.”

Perfect Fit

At Harrisburg Board Game Day, there are several ways to participate.

Some people host tables and display signs that state, “looking for players.” Others know which games they want to try and focus on those gatherings. Board game publishers also occupy space so they can teach people their creations and answer any questions.

The Bodhanna Group of York, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the use of tabletop games as therapy, brings a portion of its 1,000-title collection for attendees to borrow.

The entire event is free. Players raise money for Whitaker Center through donations, raffles and T-shirt sales.

Harrisburg Board Game Day is growing from an event to an organization. In May, they host a board game yard sale at Pursuit Coworking on 3rd Street in conjunction with the Midtown Yard Sale. The all-volunteer group is exploring a third event and working toward acquiring its official nonprofit status.

The next Harrisburg Board Game Day isn’t until next August, but those interested in exploring the hobby do not have to wait that long. New and experienced players can find board game nights on Meetup.com. Harrisburg Board Game Day also regularly posts opportunities on its Facebook page.

“Most of the hosts spend more time teaching games and inviting people in than playing themselves,” Caylor said. “They are doing this because they are passionate about the hobby.”

He also encourages those interested in learning more to visit one of the area’s five board game shops—The Adventurer’s Guild in Susquehanna Township, Lazarus Games in Harrisburg, Blue Moon Games in Lemoyne, Eclipse Gaming Café in Carlisle and UrTurn Games & Gifts in Palmyra. Shop owners and staff are always eager to discuss players’ interests, time commitments, and strategy levels to help them find the perfect fit, Caylor said.

Caylor has met some of his closest friends through his beloved hobby, and he is excited to help others make similar connections.

“We have been through birthdays, weddings, divorces and the pandemic,” he said. “We never would have known each other if it were not for board games.”

To learn more about Harrisburg Board Game Day, visit its Facebook page or email [email protected].

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

Grape Expectations: A trip to Lake Erie resulted in deeper appreciation for PA wines—and some gift ideas

November 29, 2023 | by M. Diane McCormick

Image courtesy of Mazza Vineyards

“Let’s go taste the regent, and then we’ll go back and taste some wine.”

Lovely words, heard in the very vineyard that birthed those wines. The regent grapes we tasted right from the vine were almost ready for this year’s vintage. The wines waiting for us came from past harvests.

This was a tour of Erie wine country. Hosted by Mazza Vineyards, the venerable Pennsylvania winemaker, I sipped Mazza’s portfolio of wines crafted in close partnership with local grape growers. By introducing new wines and reintroducing the classics, the experience raised new possibilities for holiday gift giving.

In the Beginning

Come to Erie, where grape-friendly conditions are infused into soil formed by glaciers and into air moderated, temperature-wise, by the 9,900-square-mile Lake Erie.

Everywhere you go, there are grapevines, in sprawling expanses or tucked between homes. The industry jumpstarted with Welch’s and its circa-1897 juice plant built in Westfield, N.Y., just over the Pennsylvania line.

But grape growers can sell only so much juice, and, in the 1960s, Doug Moorhead led a successful campaign allowing wineries to sell directly to the public. In the wake of the Pennsylvania Limited Winery Act of 1969, Robert Mazza founded his family winery in 1972.

In this region, every bottle sings with history. The setting helps. I took my first sips of Mazza’s The Perfect Rosé while standing on a ridge overlooking the vastness of Lake Erie. Just beyond the cliff, a young bald eagle swooped past.

Our cliffside lodgings were at Lakeview on the Lake, a charmingly retro, family-owned lodge with motel rooms and cottages spread around a grassy quad. I stayed in an auto court cottage straight out of the classic movie, “It Happened One Night”—not the donut-dunking one, but the knotty pine-walled, “Take me with you” one. I was tempted to hang a “Walls of Jericho” blanket.

Grape to Glass

Lake Erie’s cooler climate and breezy days compare to wine regions in Germany, nurturing the whites Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris, plus red Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.

It all starts with the growers, close collaborators with Mazza in planning each year’s harvest and vintages.

Bill Semelka, whose father originally grew juice grapes, now grows regent, Riesling, Cabernet Franc and Itasca, a new cool-climate variety from Minnesota for a fruity, dry white. There on a bluff, air movement keeps the vines dry, for grapes that ripen earliest.

Standing in the vineyard, we sipped wines made with “right-here grapes,” in the words of Mazza Brand Ambassador Blaine Ballard. The regent plays well as a blend, I learned, giving a lift to Cab Franc or Merlot. The regent-chambourcin was rich and lively, closing with a hint of apple.

At Szklenski Farms, in Harborcreek Township, Blaine again set up a tasting table from the back of his truck. This time, he lined up dozens of glasses in rows of four.

This was a “vertical tasting,” comparing one wine across vintages. We sipped the Cab Franc made from Szklenski grapes in 2016, ’17, ’19 and ’20. The two elders were the clear winners, left to age gracefully and reach their full mellow.

The ’19 and ’20 were no slouches, though. As explained by Mario Mazza, second-generation general manager and vice president, the tasting proved that the Szklenski Cab Franc is no fluke. In agriculture, there will always be crop failures, like the season at Semelka’s farm when the regent grapes, “you just looked at them funny, and they’d fall off.” But a good wine from year to year demonstrates the consistency in farming practices needed to create “a commonality of structure and architecture,” Mario said.

As a later tour guide, Director of Distilling & Brewing Joe Nelson, would say, every glass brims with the symbiosis of grower and maker.

“We do what we’re good at,” he said. “We hire people who are good at what they do.”

A Travel Guide

A vineyard is a unique place to taste wine, but a cavern? Now we’re talking character and mystery.

Mazza operates three Lake Erie wine country sites, each a unique destination. Let’s start with the cavern.

In 1864, the owners of Erie’s first commercial winery built a stone cave where horse-drawn carts brought grapes for storage. Fast forward to 2006, when Robert Mazza bought the decrepit property in North East and restored it as South Shore Wine Company.

Descend into the cavern for a taste of Mazza’s Coupe Collection of sparkling wines. Our breakfast mimosas paired beautifully with bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches from an Erie eatery, and that was fine with Mario. You don’t need a special occasion to enjoy sparkling wine, he said. Open a bottle and take the tedium out of Tuesday.

Mazza’s logo features grapes, grain and hops. Why? Because Mazza established New York State’s first combination winery, distillery and brewery. Just over the Pennsylvania-New York line, in picturesque Chautauqua County, you can while away the evening on the patio or in the tasting room at Mazza Chautauqua Cellars/Five & 20 Spirits and Brewing, a.k.a. The Westfield Wonder.

Sip on rye whiskeys and bourbons in straight traditional or finished in different barrels for added levels of complexity, all made with local grains. On the brewing side, choose from pale ales, stouts, seasonals, a cream ale that hearkened back to my college days and the uniquely Erie-ish Grape Lakes American Wheat, flavored with a hint of concord grape.

Finally, explore Mazza’s origins by visiting where it all started—Mazza Vineyards in North East, the company’s first winery and tasting room. Here, we saw clusters from that morning’s harvest hand-loaded into a presser separating grapes from stems. I reached into the bin to feel and taste the sweet mash, grapes picked at just the right ratio of sugar and acid on their way to fermentation.

The tasting room exudes Old World charm, with red tile floors, stucco walls and bottles on a mantel decked out in mantles of wine-competition medals.

This room celebrates tradition, including Mazza’s La Famiglia line honoring winemakers who have come, over the years, from five continents. The collection is “technique-focused,” said Mario, such as the dry Appassionato made by drying the grapes on a rack.

“We are always building on their legacies,” Mario said. “You have to work as a team. I continue to learn from them all the time.”

Guide for Giving

A bit of knowledge helps when pairing the right wine or spirit with the right loved one.

The Perfect Rosé: For the perky friend who always cheers you up. Nice and bright. Pairs nicely with spicy.
Mazza Chautauqua Cellars Riesling (Nutt Rd. Vineyard): For the wisecracker in your life. Semi-dry, made from grapes all grown on the same block. This was where I learned that a distinct whiff of turpentine is desirable. I’m still trying to process that.
South Shore Wine Company Lemberger: For the friend who’s ahead of the curve. Lemberger, a wonderful discovery for me, produces a peppery, dry red.
Five & 20 Spirits and Brewery Déjà Vu Bourbon: For the whiskey aficionado who’s equal parts sweet and roasty. Begins life in new, charred American oak barrels. Then, it’s transferred for a 24-month stay to casks that recently held Five & 20’s Commiseration Imperial Stout.
Mazza Vineyards Ice Wine of Vidal Blanc: Surprise the friend who swears on dry wines only. Harvesting day is all-hands-on-deck, when—and if—the temperature plummets to 17 degrees. Even community volunteers bundle up and pitch in. The tradition behind it gave me a new appreciation of ice wine. It was fruity and dense, with some acidity blunting the sweetness.
South Shore Wine Company Pét Nat Riesling: For the hazy IPA lover who’s wine-curious. The ancestral Pétillant Naturel method creates fizz by bottling juice while it’s still fermenting. Increasingly popular for its lack of additives.
South Shore Wine Company Sparkling Pinot Noir: Perfect for a certain writer for TheBurg. A cheery, dry sparkler with notes of black cherry and ripe plum. As Mario said, a bubbly lift for an ordinary day, but also the ideal glass to raise when saying, “Happy holidays, everyone!”

For more information on Mazza Vineyards, visit www.enjoymazza.com. For more information on Five & 20 Spirits and Brewing, visit www.fiveand20.com.

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

Colonial Christmas: Rosemary heads south for a Tidewater holiday nosh

November 29, 2023 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

In the fall of 1973, along with my husband and parents, I took my one and only trip to Williamsburg, Va.

I was enchanted. It was a sun-splashed weekend with bright days and cool nights. The fall leaves, most of them a bright, buttery yellow (maybe maples?) almost glittered in the sunshine.

My father, who normally preferred traveling to Italy or New York City, walked ahead of us on the beautiful, wide streets, taking one photograph after another. These photos became the basis of his “Williamsburg Collection”—watercolors of the tree-lined streets and quaint buildings of this magical colonial town. We still have several of these paintings hanging in our home.

The food we savored during our little trip to Williamsburg was different than anything I had ever eaten before: peanut soup and Cornish hens at the King’s Arms Tavern, salmagundi salad at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern, and an elegant lobster dinner at the Williamsburg Inn.

I returned home with “The Williamsburg Cookbook” and, over the last 40-plus years, have made and treasured so many of its recipes: pork chops with sweet potatoes, pound cake, ham with brandied peaches, and wassail Christmas punch. I made Chowning’s Tavern “Welsh Rabbit with Beer” for years. It was an easy dinner.

Because of Williamsburg’s location in the tidewater area of Virginia, seafood dishes are offered in abundance at all of its inns and taverns. As the “Williamsburg Cookbook” notes, “Water and fish are everywhere in tidewater Virginia,” and, “Residents who live along the rivers can scrape up shellfish by the bushel.” Especially oysters!

The first Christmas Eve after our Williamsburg trip, I made some wonderful “scalloped oysters” as part of a late-night buffet. I decided to make them again this year as a first course to a Christmas Eve dinner. The recipe below was originally served at a Williamsburg restaurant called the Travis House, which was built in 1765 and restored in 1930. I think even the non-oyster lovers among you may enjoy them, but don’t let the amount of butter scare you!

Williamsburg Travis House Oysters

Ingredients

1 cup butter
¾ cup all-purpose flour (Wondra flour works great)
1½ teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
½ clove garlic, minced
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
½ medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 quart fresh shucked oysters in their “liquor”
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ to ½ cup cracker crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease a 2-quart casserole or six ramekins with PAM or softened butter.
Melt the cup of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Remove from the heat, add the flour, and whisk until smooth.
Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is light brown.
Add paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic, onion and green pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the oysters and their liquor, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and stir well.
Pour into your prepared casserole and sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Small ramekins also work nicely here instead of a larger casserole, especially when serving the oysters as a first course.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.
Serve while still warm.

I have always wanted to spend a few days in Williamsburg during the Christmas season. The festivities are said to last almost the entire month of December: the flaming yule log, strolling carolers dressed in colonial garb, and a holiday dinner known as the “Crown of the Turtle Feast” at the King’s Arms Tavern.

I guess my dreams of a Williamsburg Christmas are far from my Italian tradition, but they are a nice little change. My ancestors might have enjoyed the rich eggnog I made for years, as long as there were some Italian pine nut cookies to go along!

Whatever you are cooking (or eating) this holiday season, I wish you happiness and peace.

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

Musical Notes: Sleigh Your Concert Season

November 29, 2023 | by Skye Leppo

Amidst the season’s “Album of The Year” countdown listicles and modern takes on holiday tunes of yore, I hope you’ll find some time this month to enjoy live music too, whether you’re just out enjoying caroling from passersby or dancing at a concert.

I’m equally as pumped to catch a few gigs live as I am to spin “A Very Special Christmas” on vinyl, which I scored at a yard sale after noticing the signature Keith Haring cover of the record—a fave find of this year’s adventures. Wishing you all a joyous season with lots of great tunes!

SEE YOU ON THE DANCE FLOOR

HU Presents The Maine, 12/7, XL Live

Emo dance rockers The Maine are bringing their latest tour to Harrisburg for a night of pop punk goodness early this month. They’ll probably flash back to a few goodies from their skater sound of 2008’s “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop,” but the five-some did release their ninth studio LP earlier this year, so I imagine you’ll hear some bangers from that record, including “dose no. 2” and “blame.”

FA LA LA LA FOLK

Girl Named Tom, 12/8, Hershey Theatre

Girl Named Tom, a folk pop trio of siblings, hits the stage at Hershey Theatre on Dec. 8 for an evening of hypnotic harmonies on the “One More Christmas” tour. You may recognize the group from “The Voice,” where they held the distinction of being the first group ever to win the competition during Season 21. They released their first original single earlier this year, “What A View,” and, according to their website, more original tunes are on the way.

FOR CONSIDERATION

Start Making Sense, 12/29, XL Live

I normally wouldn’t add a tribute band to this roundup, but Start Making Sense is as close to the Talking Heads as you’ll see shy of catching David Byrne playing a surprise gig somewhere. The New Wave icon’s Broadway show, “Here Lies Love,” will have taken its final bow by the time this column hits print.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Jazz Is Dead featuring Alphonso Johnson, Steve Kimock, Pete Lavezzoli & Bobby Lee Rodgers, 12/1, XL Live

The Egyptian Lover, 12/8, H*MAC

Straight No Chaser, 12/10, Hershey Theatre

Susquehanna Folk Music Presents An Irish Christmas with John Doyle & Mick McAuley, Dec. 15, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of York

The Dirty Sweet & Friends, 12/15, XL Live

From Ashes to New, 12/16 & 12/17, H*MAC

Cirque Dreams Holidaze, 12/21, Hershey Theatre

Observe the 93rd Album Release Show, 12/30, XL Live

YAM YAM, 12/31, XL Live

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

Happenings: Our December Calendar of Events

November 29, 2023 | by Missy Smith

Museums & Art Spaces

AACA Museum
161 Museum Dr., Hershey
717-566-7100; aacamuseum.org

“A Celebration of 20 Years—Going Back in Time,” through fall 2023

“Muscle Cars—Past and Present,” through April 20

Austin-Healey, through April 20

“Legacy Series—Dodge Challengers Then & Now,” through April 21

Art Association of Harrisburg
21 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-236-1432; artassocofhbg.com

“Nothing Pretty” collective, featuring the artwork of Sean Arce, Tina Berrier, Ted Walke and Krissy Whiski, through Jan. 5

Arts on the Square
20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-257-1270; marketsquarechurch.org

Fiber artist Gloria McPherson, through Dec. 17

Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC)
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

“Art for the Holidays” gift market, through Dec. 23

“Pulled—The Art of Print Making,” showcasing hand-pulled prints, through Dec. 23

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

December artist of the month

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

Mid Penn Bank Art Show Reception, through Dec. 1

The Annual Holiday Show, through Dec. 31

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyart.org

Hershey Public Library Exhibit Galleries, through Dec. 9

Backstage Café at the Allen Theater, Dec. 1-Jan. 20

Lebanon Picture Frame & Fine Art Gallery
847 Cumberland St., Lebanon
LebanonPictureFrame.com

“Spaces and Faces,” fine art collages by Katherine Horst, Dec. 1-Jan. 27; artist reception, Dec. 1, 5 to 8 p.m.

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

“Cover Design,” featuring a collection of book cover designs by David Fassett, Dec. 8-Feb. 4

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St.; Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

New works by PD Murray, R Lo, The Huckle Buckle Boys, April Henbest, through Dec. 10

New works from Paul Vasiliades, Pat Frese, Marsha Souders, Rachelle Lowe, Judy Kelly and Marjorie Taylor, Dec. 12-Jan. 14

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

Art in the Stacks featuring Shelly Lipscomb, Dec. 1-31

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House, 67 N. 4^th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“TIME,” featuring historical clocks from the Landis Collection, alongside contemporary artwork, Dec. 14-March 21

“Art on Tour” at the PA state Capitol, Dec. 1-31

Perry County Council of the Arts
PCCA Gallery, 1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Mugstravanganza!” with more than 100 mugs created by local artists, through Dec. 31

“Artisan Marketplace of Perry County,” local handmade gifts by local artists, through Jan. 12

Rose Lehrman Art Gallery
One HACC Drive, Harrisburg
717-780-2435; hacc.edu

“Student Honors Photography,” through Dec. 8

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

“Art of the State,” an annual juried exhibition open to Pennsylvania artists and craftspeople, through Jan. 7

“Game Changers: Pennsylvania Women Who Made History,” celebrating women from across the state in diverse fields and detailing the contributions they made and challenges they faced in their lifetimes

“HORSE2AUTO—A Transportation Revolution,” through 2023

“From the Collections—Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Campaign Material,” through 2023

“Benjamin Franklin & Pennsylvania—300 Years, through April 2024

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; susquehannaartmuseum.org

“The Hidden Museum, 2018,” installation in which viewers are challenged to locate “hidden” works of art, through Dec. 31

“Diane Arbus—10 Years,” featuring key images from this famous period of the artist’s work, through Jan. 21

“Shifting Forms—5 Decades of Abstraction,” traces radical shifts made by abstract artists over the last 50 years, through Jan. 21

“In the Grass, With a Baby,” paintings and drawings by Lee Nowell-Wilson through Feb. 18

“The Shop Presents—Essentials,” Shelby Wormley explores barbershops and beauty salons in Black and brown communities during the global pandemic, through a series of photographs, through Feb. 25

Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery
Lebanon Valley College
101 College Ave., Annville
717-233-8668; lvc.edu/gallery

“Scatter Terrain,” representations of peculiar landscapes, architectural and intimate domestic corner by 25 contemporary artists, Dec. 17

The Trout Gallery
Dickinson College
240 W. High St., Carlisle
717-254-8159; troutgallery.org

“Souvenirs of Ruin,” works by Italian artist, archaeologist and architect Giovanni Battista Piranesi, through Feb. 10

“Disruptive,” a diverse selection of prints, sculpture, photographs and drawings that present disruptive combinations of texts and images from the 19th century to present day, through April 6

Wheel of Light Studio
3738 Peters Mountain Rd Halifax
wheeloflightstudio.com

“Home for the Holidays,” through Dec. 31

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; explorewildwoodpark.org

2023 Photo Contest Display of photographs that feature all of Dauphin County’s parks, Dec. 12-Jan. 27; reception and winners announcement: Jan. 14, 1 p.m.

Read, Make, Learn

Capital Blue Cross Connect
4500 Marketplace Way, Enola
capitalbluecrossconnect.com

Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: BOOMer Strong, 10 a.m.
Dec. 1, 15, 29: Virtual Booty Blast, 9:30 a.m.
Dec. 4, 11, 18: Virtual Adult Art Class, 11:05 a.m.
Dec. 4, 11, 18: Virtual Kids Art Class, 12:05 p.m.
Dec. 4, 11, 18: Tai Chi, 4 p.m.
Dec. 4, 11, 18: Virtual Pilates, 5 p.m.
Dec. 4, 11, 18, 28: BOOMer Fit, 9:30 a.m.
Dec. 5, 12, 19: Virtual Yoga for Back Health, 10 a.m.
Dec. 6, 13, 20: Strong & Fit, 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 7, 21: Fit Chicks at Enola Store and virtual, 4:15 p.m.
Dec. 8, 22: Virtual Barre Insanity Express, 9:30 a.m.
Dec. 13: Virtual INSpired, 9 a.m.
Dec. 14, 28: Boomer Fit Zoomer at Enola Store and virtual, 4:15 p.m.

Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC)
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

Dec. 2: Make an Ornament (ages 5-12), 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 2: Copper Enameling Workshop, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Dec. 5, 12: Intermediate/Advanced Painting, 1-3 p.m.
Dec. 5, 12: 2-Week Beginning Oil Painting, Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 6: Mixed Media Small Gifts of Art, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dec. 6, 13, 20: Intro to Linocuts (ages 11-17), Wednesdays, 3:30-5 p.m.
Dec. 9: Holiday Ornament Workshop, 9-11 a.m.
Dec. 9: Hiding in the Pines Painting, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Dec. 16: Snowy Path & The Foggy Day, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dec. 22: Winter Art Workshop (ages 5-12), 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Dauphin County Library System
dcls.org

Dec. 9: Reading the Rainbow Book Club at Elementary Coffee, Harrisburg, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

East Pennsboro Library
98 S. Enola Dr., Enola
717-732-4274; eastpennsborobranch.org

Dec. 6: Horsehead Ornaments (ages 8 and older), 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Dec. 7: Mini Yarn Hat Ornaments (ages 8 and older), 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Dec. 9: Bingo for Books, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 12: Air Dry Clay Gnomes (ages 8 and older), 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Dec. 13: Pine Cone Owls (ages 8 and older), 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Dec. 15: Friday Fun—Holiday/Winter Craft
Dec. 15, 29: Holiday Story Time (ages 3-6), 11-11:30 a.m.
Dec. 16: Raising Readers Story Time (ages 3-6), 10-10:30 a.m.
Dec. 16: Drop-in STEM Day, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Dec. 19: Clothes Pin Sheep (ages 8 and older), 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Dec. 27: Bingo for Books, 6:15-7:15 p.m.

East Shore Area Library
4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg
717-652-9380; dcls.org

Dec. 9: Figment Forge Writing Group, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 11: Mamas ‘n Dramas, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 14: Craft Café, 5-7 p.m.

Elizabethtown Public Library
10 S. Market St., Elizabethtown
717-367-7467; etownpubliclibrary.org

Dec. 2: Knitter’s Group, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28: Fiber Artists, 3-5 p.m.
Dec. 9: LEGO Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 16: K-Pets Therapy Reading Sessions, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dec. 19: Baby Musik Time, 9:50-10:30 a.m.
Dec. 19: Preschool Musik Time, 10:30-11 a.m.

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

Dec. 1: Chess Club, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Dec. 4: ESL Conversation Circle, 7-8 p.m.
Dec. 5: Curl up with the Classics—“Arms and the Man,” 10-11 a.m.
Dec. 5: READ to Dogs, 6:30-8 p.m.
Dec. 5, 19: Plot Twisters Teen Writers Group, 6-7 p.m.
Dec. 6: Moving Forward Book Group, 1-2 p.m.
Dec. 7, 14, 28: Device Advice, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28: Meditation to Calm the Mind, 12-12:30 p.m.
Dec. 8: Film Friday, 2-4 p.m.
Dec. 8: Peaceful Poses “Nutcracker” Children’s Yoga Story Time, 10-10:45 a.m.
Dec. 9: Tween STEAM Escape Room, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Dec. 9: Teen STEAM Escape Room, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Dec. 11: Philosopher’s Roundtable, 2-3:30 p.m.
Dec. 12: Tween LEGO Club, 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 18: Frederickson Writes on Zoom, 6:45-8:45 p.m.
Dec. 20: Ask a Dietician, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Dec. 21: Tween Epic Comic Club, 6-7 p.m.

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

Dec. 2: Holiday Wine Glasses/Water Goblets, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Dec. 6: Boxwood Christmas Tree, 6–7:30 p.m.
Dec. 7: Mosaic Christmas Tree, 6–8 p.m.
Dec. 9: Kids Christmas Workshop, 1–3 p.m.
Dec. 10: Mixed Media Christmas Tree Trio, 1–3 p.m.
Dec. 17: Country Snowman Painting on Wood (ages 12+), 1–3 p.m.
Dec. 29: Snow Mouse Painting, (ages 8+), 2–4 p.m.

Hershey Public Library
701 Cocoa Ave., Hershey
717-533-6555; hersheylibrary.org

Dec. 2: Fused Glass Class—Glass Inlay Wooden Tray, 12-4 p.m.
Dec. 2: Prose Writing Workshop, 1-4 p.m.
Dec. 2, 9, 16: Chess Club, 1-3 p.m.
Dec. 2, 16: Fused Glass Class—Snow Scene with Snowman, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Dec. 4, 11: Books and Babies, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
Dec. 4, 7, 14: Storytime for Everyone, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
Dec. 5, 19: Silent Book Group, 10 a.m.
Dec. 5, 12: 1, 2, Whee!, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
Dec. 5, 12: Hershey Area Pokémon Club, 5:30-7 p.m.
Dec. 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28: Penn State Hershey—Mothers & Babies, 10:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Dec. 5, 12, 19: Girls Who Code, 6 p.m.
Dec. 6: LEGO Club, 4-4:45 p.m.
Dec. 6: Library Happy Hour, 6-7:45 p.m.
Dec. 6: Open Book Group, 6:30-7:45 p.m.
Dec. 7, 21: Hershey Quilters, 12:30-4 p.m.
Dec. 9: Christmas Wreath Workshop, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Dec. 9: DIY Card Class, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Dec. 11: Storytime for Everyone, 11-11:30 a.m.
Dec. 12: Philosopher’s Round Table Discussion Group, 2-3:30 p.m.
Dec. 16: Cocoa Area Fiber Enthusiasts, 10 a.m.
Dec. 29: Play Day for Families, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Joseph T. Simpson Public Library
16 N. Walnut St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0171; simpsonlibrary.org

Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22: LEGO Time, 10:15 a.m.
Dec. 4, 11, 18: Rhyme Time, 10:15-10:35 a.m.
Dec. 5, 12, 19: Tea and Stitches, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 5, 12, 19: Storybook STEAM, 6-7 p.m.
Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27: Toddler Time, 10:45-11:05 a.m.
Dec. 7, 14, 21: Story Time, 10:15-11 a.m.
Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28: Mah Jongg, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Dec. 8: Dungeons & Dragons (grades 6-12), 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 9, 23: Block Party, 10:30-11:25 a.m.
Dec. 9, 23: Puzzle Party, 11:35 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Dec. 11: English Conversation Club, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Dec. 18: Monday Night Book Club, 7-8 p.m.
Dec. 23: Trivia at Home—Christmas, 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 28: Tabletop Game Night, 6-8 p.m.

Kline Library
530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg
717-234-3934; dcls.org

Dec. 1, 15: Silent Book Club, 3:30 p.m.
Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27: Teen Gaming Club, 3 p.m.
Dec. 6: Book Bingo, 5:30 p.m.

The LGBT Center of Central PA
717-409-5781; centralpalgbtcenter.org

Dec. 2, 9, 15, 22, 29: Passageways, 2 p.m.
Dec. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Young Adult Group, 4 p.m.
Dec. 6, 13, 20 27: Common Roads (ages 12-17), 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 9: QTPOC Advisory Group, 6-8 p.m.

McCormick Riverfront Library
101 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-234-4976; dcls.org

Dec. 4: Sewing Club, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Dec. 5: Calling All Coders!, 5-6 p.m.
Dec. 7: Exploring zSpaces, 5-6 p.m.

Middletown Public Library
20 N. Catherine St, Middletown
717-944-6412; middletownpubliclib.org

Dec. 5, 12, 19: Tales with T.A.I.L.S., 6-7 p.m.
Dec. 5, 12, 19, 26: Storytime & Craft, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dec. 7: Booklover’s Book Club, 6-7 p.m.
Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28: LEGO Club, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Dec. 18: Mystery Book Club, 6-7 p.m.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St.; Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

Dec. 2: Fluid Art, 12-3 p.m.
Dec. 8: Candle Making, 6-8 p.m.

National Civil War Museum
One Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg
717-260-1861; nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

Dec. 9: Lessons in History—“Longstreet, the Confederate General Who Defied the South,” 1-2 p.m.

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

Dec. 2: Wreath Workshop, 9-11 a.m., 11:30-1:30 p.m., 2-4 p.m.

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

Dec. 1, 15: Block Party (ages 0-3), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dec. 1-31: December Scavenger Hunt—Sweet Treats (ages 0-12)
Dec. 1-Jan. 5: Beanstack Challenge—Kid Cocoa Challenge (ages 0-18)
Dec. 2, 16: New Cumberland Public Library Book Sales, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dec. 4: Monday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Dec. 4, 11: Cozy Storytime & More (ages 2-5), 10:30 a.m.
Dec. 5, 12: Cozy Book Babies (ages 0-2), 11:15 a.m.
Dec. 6: Kid Builders (ages 3 and older), 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Dec. 7: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 7, 21: Musical Mornings (ages 2-5), 10:30-11 a.m.
Dec. 8: Tumble Tots (ages 0-3), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dec. 8: Dungeons & Dragons (ages 13-17), 4-6 p.m.
Dec. 9: Secret Santa Workshop, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dec. 9: Teen Craft Kits (ages 13-17), 10 a.m.
Dec. 12: Holly Luncheon—The Story of the Little Drummer Boy, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Dec. 12: Tales for Tails (ages 6-12), 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Dec. 13: Wednesday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Dec. 14: Candy Cane Coding (ages 5 and older), 6-7 p.m.
Dec. 14, 28: Movers & Groovers (ages 2-5), 10:30-11 a.m.
Dec. 16: Couponing for Extreme Savings, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 18: Let it Snow! Snowy Stories and Crafts (ages 2-5), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dec. 22: Ugly Holiday Sweater Party (ages 3 and older), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 29: PlayDoh Paloozza (ages 2-5), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dec. 16: Children’s Book Writers Critique Group, 2-4 p.m.
Dec. 30: Crafty Crafters Club, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Palmyra Public Library
50 Landings Dr., Annville
717-838-1347; palmyra.lclibs.org

Dec. 4: Genealogy Group, 10-11 a.m.
Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27: Smart Start Storytime, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
Dec. 11: Palmyra Public Library Book Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 18: BYO Craft Nights Adults 18+, 4:30-6:45 p.m.

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

Dec. 2: Drop-In Art at the Newport Senior Citizens Center, 3-5 p.m.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

Dec. 1, 16: Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
Dec. 1-29: We Are Stars, 11-11:30 a.m.
Dec. 1-29: From Earth to the Universe, 12-12:30 p.m.
Dec. 1-29: Two Small Pieces of Glass, 2-2:30 p.m.
Dec. 2, 6, 7, 8, 14: Constellations, 1 p.m.
Dec. 6: Homeschool Program, 10 a.m.
Dec. 6: Homeschool Program, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 6: Stargazing—Tonight’s Sky Live Chat, 2-2:45 p.m.
Dec. 8: Curiosity Kids—Color, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Dec. 8: Curiosity Kids—Wild Canines of PA, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Dec. 13: Colonial Pennsylvania Holiday Traditions, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Dec. 15: Virtual Program—The Ice Volcanoes of Erie, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
Dec. 22: Toys and Games—1950s and 60s, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 23: Family Gallery Tour—Paleontology, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Dec. 27: Light up the Night, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Dec. 27: Family Gallery Tour—William Penn, 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 28: Discover PA with the Giant Map, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Dec. 30: Noon Year’s Celebration, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Wheel of Light Studio
3738 Peters Mountain Rd Halifax
wheeloflightstudio.com

Dec. 2: Winter Luminaries, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 2: Clay Snowmen, 1-2:30 p.m.
Dec. 2: Wine Bottle Lights, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Dec. 9: Clay Trees, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Dec. 9: Winter Second Saturday Holiday Open House
Dec. 9: Winter Luminaries, 1-2:30 p.m.
Dec. 16: Clay Sampler, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; explorewildwoodpark.org

Dec. 2: Girl Scouts Cadettes—Night Owl, 4-8:30 p.m.
Dec. 3, 10: Natural Ornaments, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Dec. 9: Birds and Coffee with Appalachian Audubon, 10-11 a.m.
Dec. 14: Make and Take Holiday Décor, 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 17: Reindeer Workshop, 1:30-3 p.m.
Dec. 22: Sunset Winter Solstice Hike, 4-5:30 p.m.
Dec. 30: Kids Discover—Winter (ages 9-12), 12-2 p.m.

William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library
200 W. Second St., Hummelstown
717-566-0949; dcls.org

Dec. 2: Dance Me a Story, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Live Music

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

Dec. 1-30: “The 2023 Christmas Show—The First Noel”

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

Dec. 1: Jazz in the City
Dec. 1: Tab Benoit with The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Dec. 3: A Holiday Celebration with Nathan & Claire Avakian
Dec. 14: Cherry Poppin’ Daddies Christmas Canteen
Dec. 16: Zoso—The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience
Dec. 16: Dru Hill

Arts on the Square
20 S. Second St., Harrisburg
717-257-1270; marketsquarechurch.org

Dec. 10: Carols by Candlelight—A John Rutter Christmas

Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar
204 Locust St., Harrisburg
717-909-9191; carleysristorante.com

Dec. 1, 8, 15, 31: Ted Ansel
Dec. 2, 16, 30: Anthony Haubert
Dec. 6, 20: Mathias Cabbell
Dec. 7, 9, 23, 27: Chris Emkey
Dec. 13: Chris Purcell
Dec. 14, 21, 28: Andrea Britton
Dec. 22, 29: Roy Lefever

Central PA Friends of Jazz
friendsofjazz.org

Dec. 10: George Burton—The Yule Log (HACC, Rose Lehrman Center)

Cumberland Singers
cumberlandsingers.org

Dec. 3: Christmas Coffee House at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Mechanicsburg
Dec. 15: White Winter Hymnal Concert at Community Church of New Cumberland
Dec. 16: White Winter Hymnal Concerts at Fishing Creek Salem UMC, Etters
Dec. 17: St. Peter Lutheran Church, Mechanicsburg

East Shore Area Library
4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg
717-652-9380; dcls.org

Dec. 6: Holiday Music with Ray Holland and Lizzy Baldwin

The Englewood
1219 Research Blvd. Hummelstown
717-256-9480; englewoodhershey.com

Dec. 9: Sugar Mountain—Tribute to Neil Young

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

Dec. 11: Harp & Handbells Concert

Gettysburg Choral Society
gettysburgchoralsociety.org

Dec. 1: Christmas Concert at United Lutheran Seminary, Gettysburg

Greystone Brew House
303 Golf Club Ave., Dillsburg
717.347.0632; greystonebrewhouse.com

Dec. 5, 12, 19, 26: Kirk Weiss

H*MAC
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

Dec. 1: Nonpoint, (hed)p.e., Sumo Cyco
Dec. 8: The Egyptian Lover
Dec. 9: Styles P
Dec. 12: Knuckle Puck & Friends
Dec. 15: DMVU & Toadface
Dec. 16-17: From Ashes to New
Dec. 30: That Arena Rock Show
Dec. 31: Emo Night

Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus
harrisburggaymenschorus.org

Dec. 2: Holiday Concert at Heidelberg UCC, York
Dec. 3: Holiday Concert at Unitarian Church of Harrisburg
Dec. 16: Bergstrasse Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ephrata
Dec. 17: St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Middletown

Harrisburg Singers
theharrisburgsingers.org

Dec. 2: Carol Concert at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Mechanicsburg
Dec. 3: Carol Concert at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Camp Hill

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra
The Forum at 5th and Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-545-5527; harrisburgsymphony.org

Dec. 2-3: A Rodgers & Hammerstein Celebration

Harrisburg University Presents
concertseries.harrisburgu.edu

Dec. 7: The Maine at XL Live

Hershey Theatre
15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey
717-534-3405; hersheytheatre.com

Dec. 2: Hershey Symphony presents “Holiday Spectacular”
Dec. 8: Girl Named Tom
Dec. 10: Straight No Chaser

Hollywood Casino
777 Hollywood Blvd., Grantville
717-469-2211; hollywoodpnrc.com

Dec. 1: 3 AM Tokyo
Dec. 2: Downtown Sound
Dec. 8: Cellar Sessions
Dec. 9: Shake Shake Shake
Dec. 15: Until Sunrise
Dec. 16: Funktion
Dec. 22: Cazhmiere
Dec. 23: Honeypump
Dec. 29: Vertigo Vultures
Dec. 30: Smooth Like Clyde
Dec. 31: Sapphire, The Luv Gods

Keystone Concert Band
145 E. Main St., First Floor, Mechanicsburg
717-329-7541; keystoneconcertband.com

Dec. 2: Concert at St. Andrews in the Valley Episcopal Church, Harrisburg
Dec. 9: Concert at All Saints Episcopal Church, Hershey

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

Dec. 5: Glenn Miller Orchestra
Dec. 10: Tanya Tucker
Dec. 12: Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

Dec. 1: Symphony Orchestra Concert

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

Dec. 3: Messiah University Christmas Concert
Dec. 5: Messiah University Musica Nova—Student Compositions
Dec. 8: Christmas with the Annie Moses Band
Dec. 9: Josiah Provan and Joseph La Marca
Dec. 10: Messiah University Guitar Ensemble
Dec. 15: Susquehanna Chorale Concert—“A Candlelight Christmas”

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Cafe
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

Dec. 15: Luca Savarino Quartet

Open Stage of Harrisburg
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

Dec. 8-22: “A Very Court Street Cabaret Christmas!”
Dec. 10: Tony Wayne & The Figgy Pudding Band

Susquehanna Chorale
One College Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-533-7859; susquehannachorale.org

Dec. 15: Candlelight Christmas Concert at Messiah University
Dec. 16: Candlelight Christmas Concert at Elizabethtown College
Dec. 17: Candlelight Christmas Concert at Market Square Presbyterian Church, Harrisburg

The Susquehanna Folk Music Society
717-745-6577; sfmsfolk.org

Dec. 15: An Irish Christmas with John Doyle & Mick McAuley

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

Dec. 8: The Swingin’ Jazz Nutcracker Suite

West Shore Theatre
317 Bridge St, New Cumberland
717-759-5464; westshoretheatre.org

Dec. 8: Motown with a Twist with Shea Quinn, Erica Lynn Everest, Dr. Nyce & Friends
Dec. 9: Adam Pascal
Dec. 22: The Uptown Band Holiday Extravanganza
Dec. 29: Acute Inflections

Whitaker Center
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

Dec. 1: Judy Collins
Dec. 2: An Evening of Rush by Solar Federation

XL Live
801 S. 10th St., Harrisburg
717-409-8975; xlhbg.com

Dec. 1: Jazz in Dead, Alphonso Johnson, Steve Kimock, Pete Lavezzoli, Bobby Lee Rodgers
Dec. 2: Lil Skies
Dec. 7: Harrisburg University presents The Main
Dec. 8: Caligula Blushed
Dec. 9: EPMD
Dec. 15: The Dirty Sweet & Friends
Dec. 16: Big Something, The Ries Brothers
Dec. 22: The Warped Tour with The Airwaves & Age Against the Machine
Dec. 23: Back in Black ACDC Tribute
Dec. 29: Start Making Sense
Dec. 30: Observe the 93rd, Take the Name Dinosaurs in Paris, The After Hours, Pine Creek Academy
Dec. 31: Yam Yam, AMFM, Chalk Dinosaur

The Stage Door

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

Dec. 2: Cat & Nat Unfiltered
Dec. 9: Greater York Dance presents “The Nutcracker Ballet”
Dec. 10: Greater York Dance presents “Holiday Show”

The Belmont Theatre
27 S. Belmont St., York
717-854-3894; thebelmont.org

Dec. 1-10: “Elf”

Carlisle Theatre
44 West High St., Carlisle
717-258-0666; carlisletheatre.org

Dec. 8-17: “A Steampunk Christmas Carol”

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

Dec. 1-31: “A Christmas Carol The Musical”

Gamut Theatre Group
15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-238-4111; gamuttheatre.org

Dec. 1-3: Gilbert & Sullivan’s “M.S. Pinafore”
Dec. 31: Last Laughs of 2023

H*MAC
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

Dec. 14: Filthy & Fabulous Holiday Drag Show

Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center
1000 S. Eisenhower Blvd, Middletown
717-939-9333; thehcpac.org

Dec. 8-10: “Seussical Jr.”

Harrisburg Comedy Zone
110 Limekiln Rd., New Cumberland
717-920-5653; harrisburgcomedyzone.com

Dec. 1: The Divas Down Under “Jingle Bell Rock” Drag Show
Dec. 1, 2: Matt Holt and David Beck
Dec. 8, 9: Kevin McCaffrey and Zach Sims
Dec. 15, 16: Jay Nog and Mike Keegan
Dec. 29-31: Jeff Leeson

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

Dec. 1: Free Improv Jam, REAL Fast Coast Wives of Central PA, All Over the Place, Bandito, Rites of Passage, Elderprov, Gingersnaps
Dec. 2: Kid Friendly Mixer, Solo Sleepover, Clown Car, Love Triangle, Euphoria
Dec. 8: Free Improv Jam, 4th Cousins, Naïve Scammers, Our Bizarre Adventure, Leg of Lamp
Dec. 9: Free Mixer, This Show Will Self Destruct, Ham Juice, Barbra, Tiny French Cigarettes
Dec. 15: Free Improv Jam, Original 6, Holy Moly, Bondfire Society, Girlzilla, Team Z, Same Each
Dec. 16: Free Mixer, Next Level, Uncomfortable, Rockstar Goes Supernova, Blackest Thing Ever
Dec. 22: Free Improv Jam, 4th Cousins, Naïve Scammers, Our Bizarre Adventure, Offbeats
Dec. 23: Free Mixer, Phil’s Arcade, Cosmic Trash, Elderprov

Hershey Area Playhouse
830 Cherry Dr., Hershey
717-533-8525; hersheyareaplayhouse.com

Dec. 7-10: “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

Hershey Theatre
15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey
717-534-3405; hersheytheatre.com

Dec. 6: Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
Dec. 16-17: Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet presents “The Nutcracker”
Dec. 21: Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Dec. 26-31: “Come From Away”

Keystone Theatrics
The Playhouse at Allenberry
1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs
717-258-3211; keystonetheatrics.com

Dec. 1-17: “White Christmas”

Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg
915 S. York St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0535; ltmpa.com

Dec. 1-11: “One Christmas Eve at the Evergreen Mall”

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

Dec. 14: Terry Fator—”A Very Terry Christmas”

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

Dec. 8-17: “A Christmas Carol”

Open Stage of Harrisburg
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

Dec. 1-23: “Who’s Holiday!”
Dec. 2-23: “A Christmas Carol”
Dec. 9: Slayride! with Paige Turner

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

Dec. 1, 3, 8, 10: Fall Senior Series

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

Dec. 13: Irish Christmas in America

West Shore Theatre
317 Bridge St, New Cumberland
717-759-5464; westshoretheatre.org

Dec. 1-3: Black Nativity presented by Sankofa African American Theatre Company

Whitaker Center
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

Dec. 9-10: Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet presents “The Nutcracker”
Dec. 16: Studio 22 Dance Academy presents “A Holiday Classic”

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

Silent Partnership: “Fallen Leaves” seems to be a cynical love story—we think

November 29, 2023 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Photo by Variance Films.

Oh, boy. Sometimes you can see the theory of a film while watching it without actually seeing the praxis.

This is exactly the case with “Fallen Leaves,” helmed by Aki Kaurismäki.

It was clear that Kaurismäki had something to say, and he was so close to saying it, but what resulted is a wobbly story that needs to be carried by abrupt humor and tragic character flaws. Spoiler alert: they definitely dropped the casket.

The film is meant to be a sweet love story of two lonely people who overcome obstacles to be together.

Ansa (Alma Pöysti) keeps getting shuffled from job to job by nearly cartoon-like circumstances. Her solace is the occasional drink with her friend, Tonja (Alina Tomnikov), and returning to her apartment to half-listen to news of the war on the radio.

In contrast, Holappa (Jussi Vatanen) job-hops to enable his alcoholism, routinely finding himself at the bars with his friend, Rauno (Martti Suosalo), and returning to his bunk to half-listen to news of the war on the radio.

Ansa and Holappa first see each other across the bar, but do not meet until a while later when the bar shuts down and Ansa finds herself once again without a job.

Then their quirky relationship begins, traipsing along like a gritty Finnish version of “Napoleon Dynamite.”

Usually, this would be the point where the audience roots on a couple that clearly has chemistry but is bombarded by obstacles.

Unfortunately, Ansa and Holappa have very little chemistry, barely even looking at each other (let alone speaking) on their dates—a fact that is further cemented when the characters point out that they don’t know each others’ names after the first date.

Perhaps this is meant for comic relief. Alternatively, it gives the vibe that these poor people are so lonely that they accept the first person who comes their way as a substitute for love. (Was that Kaurismäki’s intention? You decide.)

We get snippets of these characters’ backstories with the hope that their arcs will culminate in a satisfying way, but the story wraps up too easily for that satisfaction to fully be realized.

Overall, “Fallen Leaves” seems to have bones, but no flesh. But perhaps that is just a jaded critic’s take. Decide for yourself when the film comes to Midtown Cinema this December.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

December Events At Midtown Cinema

December Film Openings

“Dream Scenario”
“Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé”
Friday, Dec. 1

“The Boy and the Heron”
Friday, Dec. 8

“Fallen Leaves”
“Maestro”
Friday, Dec. 15

“The Color Purple”
“Ferrari”
Monday, Dec. 25

“Poor Things”
Friday, Dec. 29

Special Holiday Features

“It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)
Sunday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 23 at 11:30 a.m.
Sunday, Dec. 24 & Tuesday, Dec. 26 at 7 p.m.

“White Christmas” (1954)
Sunday, Dec. 3 at 7:10 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 23 at 12 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 24 & Monday, Dec. 25 at 7:10 p.m.

“Home Alone” (1990)
Sunday, Dec. 10 & Sunday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989)
Sunday, Dec. 10, Sunday, Dec. 17 & Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7:15 p.m.

“Elf” (2003)
Sunday, Dec. 10 & Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m.

“Die Hard” (1988)
Saturday, Dec. 16 & Friday Dec. 22 at 9:30 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Late Night Frights Series presents

“A Christmas Horror Story” (2015)
Friday, Dec. 1 at 9:30 p.m.

“Violent Night” (2022)
Saturday, Dec. 9 at 9:30 p.m.

Family Film Series presents

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)
Dec. 2, 9, 16, 23 & 24 at 11 a.m.

Sunday Docs Series presents

“I Am Santa Claus” (2014)
Sunday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m.

Down in Front! comedy riffing presents

“Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” (1964)
Friday, Dec. 8 at 9:30 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night presents

“Gremlins” (1984)
Friday, Dec. 15 at 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7:45 p.m.

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

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like