Happenings: Our September Calendar of Events

August 29, 2023 | by Missy Smith

Museums & Art Spaces

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

BMW Motorcycles Centennial, through Oct. 21

Early Cadillacs, through Oct. 21

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

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

Fall Membership Show—“Art Is,” Sept. 1-Nov. 2

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

“Isolated,” drawings and etchings by Sue Frotscher inspired by unusual natural forms, simple man-made dwellings, and lone figures, through Sept. 16

“KA-POW BOOM,” a visiting exhibit from the U.S. Army Heritage Center exploring the relationship between soldiers and comics, through Sept. 16

“Ordinary Grandeur,” featuring the paintings of Karen Ferrick and sculptural works of John Guarnera, this exhibit focuses on inspiration found in our natural landscapes, Sept. 22-Oct 28; reception: Sept. 22

“Botanicals in Bloom,” paintings by Roberta Iula and sculptural quilts Andrea Finch inspired by nature and plant life, Sept. 22-Oct 28

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

September artist of the month

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

Annual Membership Show, through Sept. 2

“All Fired Up—The Art of Clay and Ceramic,” Sept. 6-Oct. 7; reception: Sept. 10, 3-5 p.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyart.org

Blooming Arts Show and Sale at Hershey Conservatory, Sept. 1-3

HAAA Member Artwork at Backstage Café at the Allen Theater, through Sept. 30

Hershey Public Library Exhibit Galleries, through Oct. 14

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

“Body, Beauty and Brokenness,” figurative paintings by Bruce Herman that explore image and abstraction, Sept. 8-Oct. 8

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

New works by Millworks studio artists

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

Art in the Stacks featuring Kirs Lund

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
PCCA Gallery, 1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Pen & Ink,” featuring the art of Benjamin Ladieu, through Sept. 16

“Mugstravanganza!” with more than 100 mugs created by local artists, Sept. 23-Dec. 31

“Artisan Marketplace of Perry County,” local handmade gifts by local artists, Sept. 29-Jan. 12

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

9th Annual Juried Exhibition, featuring outstanding local and regional artwork, through Oct. 26

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

“Precisely Now,” works by Peggy Washburn, Sept. 1-29

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, Sept. 10-Jan. 7; reception: Sept. 10, 12-4:30 p.m.

“A Flair for Public Service—Genevieve Blatt and C. DeLores Tucker”

“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

“HORSE2AUTO—A Transportation Revolution,” through 2023

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

“Art and Activism at Tougaloo College,” through Sept. 10

“8th Annual Juried Exhibition—Transformative Craft,” through Oct. 15

“Transforming the Commonplace,” works by Catherine Drabkin, Martha Hayden and Karen Antonelli that highlight the experimentation, tactility and play characteristic of collagraph printmaking, through Nov. 12

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

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

“Gscharre und Leichdüche (Tools and Shrouds),” featuring the work of sculptor-photographer Stephen Althouse, through Oct. 22

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

“Perspectives,” a 40th anniversary showcase of art from The Trout Gallery’s permanent collection selected by gallery audiences, through Oct. 16

“Power and Politics—Recent Acquisitions in Photography,” presenting an array of recently acquired contemporary photographs with subjects from sports to hairstyles and tanks to bicycles, through Oct. 28; reception: Sept. 1, 5 p.m.

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

“The Art of Instruction,” work by the educators at Wheel of Light Studio, through Sept 30; reception: Sept. 2, 2-4 p.m.

Read, Make, Learn

AAA Central Penn
1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill
800-421-4552; aaa.com/OnStageAlaska

Sept. 25: On Stage Alaska 2023—Learn about Alaskan Travel at Penn Harris Hotel, Camp Hill, 6 p.m.

Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life
2986 N. 2nd Street, Harrisburg
717-236-9555; www.jewishfedhbg.org

Sept. 11-Oct. 30: Mindfulness & Meditation Mondays, 6:30-7:15 p.m.
Sept. 11-Nov. 6: Entrepreneurship Essentials, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 13: Marketing for Entrepreneurs—The Branding Imperative, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 13-Oct. 18: Digital Photography, Wednesdays, 6-8:30 p.m.
Sept. 20: Marketing for Entrepreneurs—Marketing Plans that Target Your Customers, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 27: Marketing for Entrepreneurs—Your Marketing Mix, 6-8 p.m.

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

Sept. 5-26: Intermediate/Advanced Painting (ages 16-adult), Tuesdays, 1-3 p.m.
Sept. 5-26: September Beginning Oil Painting, Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 6, 13, 20: Pencil & Ink Drawing (ages 9-14), Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27: Start Up Watercolor (ages 17-adult), Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 6-Oct. 11: Fundamentals of Photography (ages 18 and older), Wednesdays, 6:30-8 p.m.
Sept. 9: Copper Enameling, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Sept. 9-30: Figure Drawing (ages 17-adult), Saturdays, 2-5 p.m.
Sept. 11-Oct. 16: Monday Art Club (grades K-2), 3:45-5 p.m.
Sept. 12-Oct. 17: Surface Decoration (ages 16-adult), Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 13-Dec. 6: Middle School Art Club, Wednesdays, 3-5 p.m.
Sept. 14-Oct. 19: Play with Clay at the End of the Day (ages 10-15), Thursdays, 3:45-5:15 p.m.
Sept. 14-Dec. 7: High School Art Club, Thursdays, 5-7 p.m.
Sept. 15: Craft Beer & Clay, 7-9 p.m.
Sept. 15-Oct. 13: Friday Art Club (grades 3-5), 3:45-5 p.m.
Sept. 18: Suicide Loss Survivors (ages 13 and older), 5:30-7 p.m.
Sept. 25-Nov. 6: Ceramics 102 (ages 16-adult), Mondays (except Oct. 16), 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 28-Oct. 12: Weaving on a Frame Loom (adults), Thursdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Sept. 28-Oct. 19: Zoom Creating More Impactful Photos (ages 18 and older), Thursdays, 6:30-8 p.m.
Sept. 30: Spooky Clay (ages 5-12), 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Dauphin County Library System
dcls.org

Sept. 7: Dungeons and Dragons on Zoom, 7 p.m.

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

Sept. 12-Dec. 9: Gamut Theatre Academy

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

Sept. 7, 14, 21: Speech Links, 10:30 a.m.
Sept. 11: Paws 2 Read, 6 p.m.

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

Sept. 5: Curl up with the Classics—“Watership Down,” 10-11 a.m.
Sept. 5: READ to Dogs, 6:30-8 p.m.
Sept. 6: Moving Forward Book Group, 1-2 p.m.
Sept. 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27: Autumn Baby & Toddler Storytime, 10-10:30 a.m.
Sept. 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27: Autumn Children’s Storytime, 11-11:30 a.m.
Sept. 6, 13, 20: Device Advice, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28: Language at the Library—Spanish, 10-11 a.m.
Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28: Meditation to Calm the Mind, 12-12:30 p.m.
Sept. 8: Film Friday, 2-4 p.m.
Sept. 11, 18, 25: Book Explorers (ages 3-6), 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Sept. 12: Genealogy Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sept. 12: Tween STEAM Meetup, 3-4:30 p.m.
Sept. 12: Tween LEGO Meetup, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 14, 21: Meet and Greet Library Pups, 10-11 a.m.
Sept. 15: Peaceful Poses Adult Yoga, 9-10 a.m.
Sept. 15: Peaceful Poses Children’s Yoga Story Time, 10-10:45 a.m.
Sept. 18: Frederickson Writes on Zoom, 6:45-8:45 p.m.
Sept. 19: Plot Twisters Teen Writers Group, 6-7 p.m.
Sept. 20: Ask a Dietician, 9:30 a.m.
Sept. 21: Tween Epic Comic Club, 6-7 p.m.
Sept. 25: Fredricksen Reads, 7-8 p.m.

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

Sept. 14: Stained Glass Feather Workshop, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 16: Decorative Tray Workshop, 2-4:30 p.m.
Sept. 29: Indigo Dyeing, 6-8 p.m.

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

Sept. 21-Nov. 9: Intro to Improv, Thursdays, 7-10 p.m.
Sept. 12-Oct. 31: Musical Improv 1, Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m.

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

Sept. 5: Hershey Area Pokémon Club, 5:30-7 p.m.
Sept. 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28: Penn State Hershey—Mothers & Babies, 10:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Sept. 5, 19: Silent Book Group at Starbucks in Hershey Towne Square, 10-11:30 a.m.
Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27: Walking Hershey, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Sept. 7, 21: Teen Zine, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sept. 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28: Storytime for Everyone, 11 a.m.
Sept. 12, 19, 26: 1, 2, Whee!, 10:15 a.m.
Sept. 16: Chess Tournament, 10 a.m.
Sept. 16: DIY Card Class, 11 a.m.
Sept. 30: Dried Flower Wreath, 11 a.m.

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

Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26: Parent and Toddler Together, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26: Tea & Stitches, 10 a.m.
Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26: Storybook STEAM, 6 p.m.
Sept. 7, 14: Beginning Mah Jongg, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28: Mah Jongg, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Sept. 8, 22: Dungeons & Dragons, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 13: Mad About Mysteries, 7-8 p.m.
Sept. 18: Monday Night Book Club, 7 p.m.
Sept. 23: Trivia at Home—90s Sitcoms, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 26: Tabletop Game Night, 6-8 p.m.

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

Sept. 7: Book Bingo at Kline Library, 5:30 p.m.

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

Sept. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Passageways, 2 p.m.
Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24: Young Adult Group, 4 p.m.
Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27: Common Roads (ages 12-17), 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 9: QTPOC Advisory Group, 6-8 p.m.

Madeline L. Olewine Memorial Library
2410 North 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-232-7286; dcls.org

Sept. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Speech Links, 10:30 a.m.

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

Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26: Tales with T.A.I.L.S., 6-7 p.m.

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

Sept. 5: An Evening with James McBride, 7-8 p.m.
Sept. 9: Children’s Storytime and Book signing with Jessica Whipple, 10-11 a.m.
Sept. 9: An Evening with Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki, 6-7 p.m.
Sept. 16: Book signing with Doug Wolfberg, 1-3 p.m.
Sept. 20: An Evening with Todd Mealy and Todd Allen, 7-8 p.m.
Sept. 23: Children’s Storytime with Amy June Bates, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sept. 26: An Evening with Michael E. Mann, 7-8 p.m.

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

Sept. 2: First Saturday open studios and artist demos, 2-5 p.m.
Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26: Trivia with Cheaters Never Prosper, 6 p.m.
Sept 9: Advanced Fluid Art, 12-3 p.m.
Sept 10: Bundle Dye Workshop, 1-3 p.m.

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

Sept. 23: Fungi Foray, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

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

Sept. 1, 15: Musical Mornings (ages 2-5), 10:30-11 a.m.
Sept. 2, 16: New Cumberland Public Library Book Sales, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sept. 6: STEAM Scene (ages 6-12), 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27: iPhone Class for Adults, 2-3:30 p.m.
Sept. 7: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sept. 7: Block Party (ages 0-3), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Sept. 8: Movers & Groovers (ages 2-5), 10:30-11 a.m.
Sept. 8: Dungeons & Dragons (ages 13-17), 4-6 p.m.
Sept. 9: Teen Craft Kits (ages 13-17), 10 a.m.
Sept. 11-Oct. 23: Fall Storytime & More (ages 2-5), Mondays, 10:30 a.m.
Sept. 12: Tales for Tails (ages 6-12), 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Sept. 12-Oct. 24: Fall Book Babies (ages 0-2), Tuesdays, 11:15 a.m.
Sept. 13: Kid Builders (ages 3 and older), Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Sept. 14: Tumble Tots (ages 0-3), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Sept. 16: Couponing for Extreme Savings, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sept. 16: Children’s Book Writers Critique Group, 2-4 p.m.
Sept. 18: Monday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Sept. 18: Fall Family Book Bingo, 6-7 p.m.
Sept. 27: Wednesday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Sept. 27: PennWriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.
Sept. 28: Embroidery Workshop, 1-3 p.m.
Sept. 30: Crafty Crafters Club, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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

Sept. 1: Passport to the Universe, 1 p.m.
Sept. 1-3: Earth, Moon & Sun, 11 a.m.
Sept. 1, 3: Faster Than Light, 2 p.m.
Sept. 2: Faster Than Light, 12 p.m.
Sept. 2: Earth, Moon & Sun, 1 p.m.
Sept. 10: Gallery Walk, 12 p.m.

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

Sept. 9: Kids Art Club—Transformative Craft (ages 8-12), 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Sept. 27: Teen Art Club—Mixed Media Painting (ages 13-17), 6-8 p.m.

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

Sept. 9: Autumn Celebration Second Saturday—pinch pot pumpkins and artist demonstrations, 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Sept. 16: Intro to Hand Building, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Sept. 22: Wild Horses Painting Class 6-8:30 p.m.
Sept. 23: Intro to Wheel, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Sept. 27: Macramé Pumpkins, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 30: Resin Pendant Class, 11 a.m.
Sept. 30: Chain Maille Byzantine Pattern Bracelet Workshop, 1 p.m.

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

Sept. 3: Sunday Evening Bird walk, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 7: Natural Dyeing with Walnuts and Indigo, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 9: Volunteer Work Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Sept. 9: Fall Wreath Workshop, 8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
Sept. 14: Greenbelt Connector Walk, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Sept. 16: Upcycled Crafts, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sept. 17: Flower Walk—Goldenrods, Asters and Other Fall Surprises, 1:30-3 p.m.
Sept. 27: Preschool Storytime—Fall at Wildwood, 10-10:45 a.m.
Sept. 29: Campfire S’mores and Stories, 7-8:30 p.m.

Live Music

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

Sept. 1: Pennsylvania Gospel Music Festival
Sept. 10: The Man in Black—A Tribute to Johnny Cash
Sept. 16: The Beach Boys
Sept. 24: Craig Morgan
Sept. 28: “The Price is Right Live!”
Sept. 30: Martina McBride

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

Sept. 8: Erik Terrell and Rachel Fogletto
Sept. 9: Cash Unchained—The Ultimate Johnny Cash Tribute
Sept. 10: Paul Thorn
Sept. 14: Pat Metheny
Sept. 15: Keller Williams
Sept. 16: Sam Morril
Sept. 29: Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs

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

Sept. 17-24: “Finding Nemo Jr.”

Boneshire Brew Works
7462 Derry St., Harrisburg
717-469-5007; boneshire.com

Sept. 14: Shawan Rice
Sept. 28: West & Ward

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

Sept. 1, 15, 29: Ted Ansel
Sept. 2, 9: Chris Emkey
Sept. 7: Doctor Nyce
Sept. 8, 22: Roy Lefever
Sept. 9: Chris Emkey
Sept. 13, 16, 23, 30: Anthony Haubert
Sept. 14, 28: Andrea Britton
Sept. 27: Chris Purcell

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

Sept. 16: Frankie Valli Tribute Show

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

Sept. 6: Shinyribs
Sept. 8: The Split Squad, The Jellybricks
Sept. 16: U2topia
Sept. 20: Joan Osborne

Gretna Music
gretnamusic.org

Sept. 3: Wister Quartet
Sept. 10: Bach’s Brandenberg Concertos with the Sebastians

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

Sept. 1: SOC Duo
Sept. 2: Curtis Smith
Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26: Kirk Weiss
Sept. 8: Dave Kelly Duo
Sept. 9: Josh Krevsky Duo
Sept. 15: Dan Jamison
Sept. 16: Joe Cooney
Sept. 22: Lil Brother Band
Sept. 23: Keara Rose/Tequila Mule
Sept. 29: Tim Colgan
Sept. 30: Noel Gevers

Greystone Public House
2120 Colonial Rd., Harrisburg
717-829-9952; www.greystonepa.com

Sept. 1: Aaron Daniel Gaul
Sept. 2: Noel Gevers
Sept. 3: Ryan Mayersky
Sept. 8: Dave McCullough
Sept. 9: Curtis Smith
Sept. 15: Tim Colgan
Sept. 16: SOC Duo
Sept. 22: Dave Kelly Duo
Sept. 23: Corinna Joy
Sept. 29: North Mountain Ramblers

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

Sept. 2: Dizzy Wright & Jarren Benton
Sept. 2: Deadlands
Sept. 7: Chase Matthew
Sept. 8: Dropout Kings
Sept. 9: Brotality
Sept. 10: Bipul Chettri
Sept. 11: Jinjer
Sept. 12: Giovannie & The Hired Guns
Sept. 12: Beast in Black
Sept. 14: Marauda
Sept. 15: Asking Alexandria & The Hu
Sept. 16: Teenage Bottlerocket
Sept. 16: Son Little
Sept. 19: The Soul Rebels
Sept. 19: The Happy Fits
Sept. 20: Drowning Pool & Saliva
Sept. 22: Further Seems Forever & The Juliana Theory
Sept. 29: Steve Hofstetter
Sept. 30: Borgore

Harrisburg University Presents
concertseries.harrisburgu.edu

Sept. 13: ZZ Ward (XL Live)
Sept. 16: Mt. Joy (Riverfront Park)
Sept. 17: Trey Anastasio (Riverfront Park)
Sept. 19: Tash Suliana (The Forum)
Sept. 26: Broken Social Scene (XL Live)
Sept. 28: Margo Price (XL Live)

Hershey Symphony
717-533-8449; hersheysymphony.org

Sept. 23: A Little of This, A Little of That at Hershey Theatre

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

Sept. 1: Emily’s ToyBox
Sept. 2: M80 Band
Sept. 8: The Luv Gods
Sept. 9: Colt Wilbur Band
Sept. 15, 16: Funktion
Sept. 22: Stonewood
Sept. 23: Connor Kirk Band
Sept. 30: Flying Ivories Philadelphia

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

Sept. 9: Concert at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Sept. 23: Concert at Essex House

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

Sept. 8: Hotel California A Salute to the Eagles
Sept. 15: Tanya Tucker

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

Sept. 8: Time For Three

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

Sept. 16: The U.S. Army Band
Sept. 17: Mendelssohn Piano Trio 25th Anniversary
Sept. 22: Messiah University Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Winds Concert
Sept. 22: Sphinx Virtuosi

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

Sept. 23: DJ Kynz

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

Sept. 16: Green River, Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute
Sept. 23: Enter The Haggis

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

Sept. 8-17: “Space Oddity—A Celebration of David Bowie”

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

Sept. 5: The Friel Sisters
Sept. 8: Eileen Ivers

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

Sept. 8: September Songs—A Night of Music for Suicide Prevention
Sept. 9: The Spiritual Messengers
Sept. 10: The Unforgettable Big Band
Sept. 12: Harrisburg Jazz Collective

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

Sept. 26: Gov’t Mule

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

Sept. 8: The Used
Sept. 9: RAEL The Music of Genesis
Sept. 11: Dinosaur Jr.
Sept. 13: ZZ Ward, Jaime Wyatt
Sept. 15: moe.
Sept. 16: Out of The Void, Chime
Sept. 21: Kick The INXS Experience
Sept. 22: Geoff Tate
Sept. 23: Warren Zeiders
Sept. 26: Broken Social Scene, Hannah Georgas
Sept. 28: Margo Price, Brit Taylor
Sept. 29: Eric Johnson
Sept. 30: Grace Potter

The Stage Door

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

Sept. 28: “The Price is Right Live!”

Capital Opera Harrisburg
capopera.com/harrisburg

Sept. 15-17: “They’re All Like That” at Epiphany Lutheran Church, Harrisburg

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

Sept. 1-16: “Guys and Dolls”
Sept. 22-Nov. 11: “Escape to Margaritaville”

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

Sept. 20-Oc.t 7: “The Little Mermaid” w/Popcorn Hat Players
Sept. 22: TMI Improv

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

Sept. 8, 9: Asif Ali
Sept. 15, 16: JL Cauvin and Ben Jones
Sept. 17: Jamie Lissow
Sept. 20: Magic Hunks Girls Night Outrageous!
Sept. 22, 23: Tom Daddario and Ray

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

Sept. 8, 10: Level 2 Class Show
Sept. 15, 17: Level 1 Class Graduation Show

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

Sept. 14-16: “Sponge Bob: The Musical”

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

Sept. 1: Disney Junior Live on Tour—Costume Palooza
Sept. 9: James “Murr” Murray
Sept. 14: Kathleen Madigan
Sept. 20: “Wild Kratts Live! 2.0”
Sept. 28-30: Joy Koy

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

Sept. 9, 16, 23: “How I Became a Pirate”

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

Sept. 1-17: Ken Ludwig’s “Shakespeare in Hollywood”

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

Sept. 10: Brian Regan

Narçisse Theatre Company
[email protected]; www.narcissetheatre.org

Sept. 1-3, 6-9: “Doctor Faustus”

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

Sept. 8-17: “Space Oddity—A Celebration of David Bowie”

Sept. 19, 27: Black NewsBeat with Dr. Kimeka Campbell

Oyster Mill Playhouse
1001 Oyster Mill Road, Camp Hill
717-737-6768; www.oystermill.com

“The Golden Gays—Ring Ring! It’s the Libertine Belle Murder Musical”

Theatre Harrisburg
513 Hurlock St., Harrisburg
717-232-5501; theatreharrisburg.com

Sept. 8-17: “A Rock Sails By”

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

Sept. 30: ORIGINS/Freemind Freestyle

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

Sept. 23: A Magical Night with John Westfort

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PA Bred, Country Made: Ben Gallaher’s debut album conveys his roots, his influences

August 29, 2023 | by Skye Leppo

Ben Gallaher

For rising country musician Ben Gallaher, there was no backup plan.

“It’s been a lifelong journey,” the 31-year-old said, reflecting on how his career has worked out so far. “It’s just all I’ve ever wanted to do, and it’s just been a huge blessing.”

The Camp Hill native, who’s been living in Nashville since 2011, started playing guitar at the age of 6 and never looked back.

“I knew this was what I was going to do,” he said. “I look at it as a God thing. I got blessed from a young age to know exactly what I was supposed to do.”

And listening to his debut full-length album, “Country in the House,” (released this past April via Stone Country Records), one can definitely hear his passion for playing guitar, which he said is “mostly self-taught.” He shines on tracks such as “Lovin’ You Gets in the Way,” with multiple chords whispering hints of ‘80s rock influences.

Gallaher, who also writes most of his own songs, said he didn’t really get into rock until he was in high school.

“[I] grew up on ’90s country music,” he said. “It wasn’t strictly really one artist or band. It was a combination of everything: Brooks and Dunn, early Tim McGraw records, Tracy Lawrence… and then early 2000s country, so Keith Urban growing up was an influence for me. Vince Gill, too—he’s just such an incredible guitar player.”

Gallaher’s creativity is apparent in his work. Listeners can tell he spends a lot of time writing songs inspired by all kinds of experiences. His song “Roots Grow Down,” inspired by his relationship with his wife Monica, is a pure love ballad, but “there’s some heartbreak songs on there, which is the furthest thing from my life right now.”

“My hope is that listeners feel something and connect with them when they hear it, through a lyric or guitar solo,” he said. “That’s the cool part about music, the connection it can have no matter where you’re at in life.”

Gallaher also shared his challenges with making “Country in the House” from an editing standpoint, saying that one of the hardest parts was trimming down the tracklist to just 15 songs, “because you get so attached to them.” One of his favorites from the album, which he loves performing live, is his hit song, “Still A Few Cowboys Left.”

“It’s one of the best responding songs—people are singing it all over the place,” he said. “We got a chance to film the music video at the Four Sixes Ranch [a setting on the show ‘Yellowstone’], so that was a really cool experience that got people excited.”

Same Cloth

Gallaher said that his album contains just two songs that he didn’t write.

He has a very hands-on process in every aspect of his music, working frequently with his longtime friend and collaborator, songwriter Carlton Anderson.

“We’ve written tons [together],” Anderson said. “On his record that he’s put out, we wrote ‘Country Boy’ and we wrote ‘Quote the Bible’, and then we’ve got a ton more” that are still unreleased.

Both songs speak to where both men come from.

“That’s one of the cool things we connect on, with me coming from Texas, and him coming from PA,” Anderson said. “When we met in Nashville, it was kind of a seamless friendship. We were cut from the same cloth, you know?”

Gallaher echoed similar sentiments when speaking about his view of the genre and music making, too.

“People have said, ‘You’re from Pennsylvania, you sing country?’” he laughed. “Country isn’t about location or where you live. It’s how you live, standing up for each other, the American spirit, having each other’s backs and getting up again.”

Anderson, who’s now based in his hometown of Boerne, Texas, is a songwriter who connected with Gallaher when they both were starting to get their footing in Nashville in the early 2010s, after Anderson found Gallaher performing through a YouTube video.

“He is just a phenomenal guitar player—a one-in-a-generational talent on the guitar, just the real deal. He was playing at Tootsie’s or some bar in Nashville and I was like, ‘Damn, this guy is amazing, that’s exactly what I want to be doing,’” Anderson said. “I hit him up to see if he was looking to join a band, and he said he was doing his own thing. So, once I moved to Nashville, we reconnected there and kind of just rolled from there.”

Before Gallaher moved to Nashville to pursue music, he was often playing around central Pennsylvania to get experience at open mic nights.

“I heard somewhere from a young age, start a fan base in your hometown because if they don’t like you there, they won’t like you anywhere,” Gallaher said. “So, I started building a fan base here with my acoustic stuff.”

Within a few months of moving to Nashville in 2011, he was packing places every time he would come home to play in PA.

“All those fans were there from the beginning and I got to connect with them—that’s the coolest part,” Gallaher said. “There’s something really special about playing in central PA. There’s a different kind of energy that I love.”

For more information on Ben Gallaher, visit www.bengallaher.com and his social media sites. He’s slated to perform locally on Oct. 8 at the I-105 FallFest Country Music Festival, Overlook Community Campus, 605 Granite Run Dr., Lancaster (Manheim Township). For more information, visit www.wiov.com/fallfest.

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Musical Notes: Show Me September

August 29, 2023 | by Skye Leppo

For me, there’s a little feeling of magic whenever September rolls around.

I don’t know if it’s the hint of pumpkin spice in the air, the nostalgia of Lisa Frank-adorned school supplies in clearance bins, or an absolutely stacked lineup of concerts to catch when the weather is exactly right. Need further evidence? Please continue reading. Happy show bouncing!

DON’T MISS

Mt. Joy, 9/16, HU Presents Summer Series, Riverfront Park

It is an indie rock lover’s paradise in Harrisburg this month, with the pinnacle being Philly’s own Mt. Joy delivering their special blend of jaunty yet slightly melancholy rock’n’roll to the main stage at Riverfront Park. The band’s beautiful lyrics, anthemic Americana-infused rhythms and visual psychedelic influences are going to make for a great live experience. (If you don’t believe me, check out the band’s shows at Red Rocks and Lollapalooza for more support).

Tash Sultana, HU Presents, 9/19, The Forum

Aussie Tash Sultana has been on my concert bucket list for a looong time, and I’m so pumped they’re making a tour stop in Harrisburg (at a venue with some of the best acoustics in the region, no less). Sultana is a masterful multi-instrumentalist, bringing together their talents on guitar, vocals, piano and keys, percussion, beatmaking, harmonica, bass… the list literally goes on and on, and on… and on. Their moody hit, “Jungle,” is a good intro track, but be sure to check out “Pretty Lady,” “Notion,” and “Bitter Lovers.” By the time this column is published, Sultana’s latest EP, “Sugar,” will be out, which we’ll likely hear performed live at the Forum.

FOR NOSTALGIA’S SAKE

Broken Social Scene, HU Presents, 9/26, XL Live

If you lived for the post-rock indie scene in the early aughts, this is for you. The Canadian rock supergroup Broken Social Scene’s iconic “You Forgot It In People” album turned 20 last year, and the band is bringing their anniversary tour here for a special show at the end of the month. The band’s been known to have as few as six musicians on stage, or as many as 19—feel free to DM me with your best guess on how many will join them on this tour stop, and, if you’re right, maybe I’ll buy you a drink. To redeem, you’ll find me softly weeping along in the crowd.

FOR CONSIDERATION

Son Little, 9/16, H*MAC

What an amazing time to be living in Harrisburg when there are at least two awesome shows scheduled for the same night, just miles apart (and on more than one night this month, might I add!). I caught Son Little as an opening act for Leon Bridges in 2016, and was absolutely blown away by his talent. He’s currently touring to support his 2022 LP, “Like Neptune.” If you want to hear some truly excellent R&B, I highly recommend checking him out.

Honorable Mentions

Lynyrd Skynyrd & ZZ Top, 9/9, Hersheypark Stadium

Dinosaur Jr., 9/11, XL Live

HU Presents ZZ Ward, 9/13, XL Live

New Cumberland Music + Film Festival Opening Show ft. Le Ghast, 9/15, SOURCE Creative House

The Why’re Reunion Show, 9/16, West Shore Senior Center (yes, really)

Shawan Rice w/West & Ward, 9/17, West Shore Theatre

HU Presents Summer Series Trey Anastasio and Classic Tab, 9/17, Riverfront Park

The Happy Fits, 9/19, H*MAC

Joan Osborne, 9/20, The Englewood

Further Seems Forever & The Juliana Theory, 9/22, H*MAC

Red Hot Chili Peppers w/St. Vincent, 9/27, Hersheypark Stadium

HU Presents Margo Price, 9/28, XL Live

WXPN Welcomes Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, 9/29, Appell Center for the Performing Arts

WXPN Welcomes Grace Potter, 9/30, XL Live

Borgore, 9/30, H*MAC

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Maize Craze: Corn isn’t just for cobs

August 29, 2023 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

I have spent the last 54 years of my life trying to convince my family that corn is a wonderful summer vegetable. My mother didn’t do anything fancy with it, but it was always on our dinner table at summer’s end. Boiled and smothered in sweet butter and salt, corn was always a special treat.

Now, my family seems to reference certain barnyard animals whenever I announce that fresh corn is on the menu. But I am not deterred. I am always looking for ways to “dress-up” corn in the summer or incorporate it into unexpected ingredients.

I love homemade chicken corn soup, although it is so much work to make. I once made wonderful corn fritters. They were more like pancakes and were sauteed lightly in olive oil. They were great with a grilled entrée. And tortellini with a creamy corn sauce actually did appeal to my husband, though it took some encouragement. And for the last couple of summers, I have found some wonderful chilled corn salad recipes that have replaced macaroni salads and potato salads for our Sunday cookouts.

The recipe that follows is from “Taste of Home,” a collection of recipes from cooks all over the country. I love it because it pairs simple grilled shrimp with fresh basil (the one thing I have luck growing), sweet corn, ripe cherry tomatoes (still sweet and juicy in September) and avocado. It’s all you need for a late summer, one-dish meal.

Note about the corn: The recipe calls for the ears to be cooked briefly in boiling water, cooled, and then cut off the cob. But I often cut the kernels off the cobs, sauté them in a skillet in a little butter until toasty, and then proceed with the recipe. You can also grill the ears first until slightly charred and then cut the kernels off the cob. Use the method you like best.

Grilled Shrimp with Corn

Ingredients

4 medium ears sweet corn, husked
½ cup packed fresh basil leaves
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt, divided
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

In a pot of boiling water, cook corn until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
In a food processor, pulse the basil, the olive oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt until blended.
Cut corn from the cobs and place into a bowl (sometimes a little messy).
Stir in the tomatoes, pepper and remaining salt. Add the chopped avocado and 2 tablespoons of the basil mixture. Toss gently to combine.
Thread the shrimp onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Brush with the remaining basil mixture. Grill, covered, over medium heat until shrimp turn pink, about 2 to 4 minutes per side.
Remove shrimp from skewers and serve with the corn salad.

Note on cooking the shrimp: If you don’t have skewers, you can grill the shrimp on a perforated grill pan. Even easier!

I will continue my search for innovative ways to cook corn. My little grandchildren still ask for corn on the cob. But I am making inroads with the rest of the family. A corn milk bellini anyone?

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A Wonderful Bond: A father and daughter develop an unplanned connection in the excellent “Scrapper”

August 29, 2023 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Photo by Kino Lorber

It takes a special sort of film to win the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, and it is absolutely no surprise that “Scrapper” claimed that title. Writer/director Charlotte Regan has proven her worth with her first feature, a delight of a story full of pain, laughter and love.

Georgie (Lola Campbell) has it all figured out. She has to, really. Her mother has died, and she’s told all her teachers that her uncle has moved in, appeasing them all into complacency so that she can be left alone to care for herself.

She works tirelessly (and not so legally) to pay rent in her mother’s absence and provide for herself. And she’s doing a pretty good job—apart from the fact that her main source of income is stealing and reselling other kids’ bikes (her best friend, Ali, played by Alin Uzun, helps her with that, as well as keeping her company and being a great sounding board for ideas). But it is clear, if only to the audience, that such a life is not going to be sustainable in the long run.

Enter Jason (Harris Dickinson). He has not been a part of Georgie’s life at all, and now he’s suddenly here to get to know her—a detail that Georgie certainly hasn’t overlooked. But Jason is possibly more of a child than Georgie at this point, and his concept of a father is vague and incomplete.

Cutting between the main narrative and quick, mockumentary-like scenes of peripheral characters talking about Georgie, the film details the journey of this father and daughter as they get to know the only family they have left and form an odd but wonderful bond.

But the true dynamite of this story is of Georgie working through her grief. The way that Georgie holds her mother in her mind is tender and childlike—in fact, this is the only way we see Georgie really act like a child. She doesn’t really know what to do with her grief, so she channels it into survival.

Jason, on the other hand, focuses less on grief and more on the overwhelming responsibility that he’s stepping into. A lot of his reactions are not the typical “dad” reaction—he’s still learning that. But we do see an effort on his part to learn.

Though every actor in “Scrapper” makes the film enjoyable in their own way, Campbell is by far the scrappy belle of the ball. Her humor is on point, and the bridled emotion she has in several scenes makes Georgie all the more relatable. Her chemistry with not only Dickinson, but also Uzun, truly makes the film stand out.

From the relationships and character development to the comedic timing and overall atmosphere of the film, “Scrapper” is a film you should be sure not to miss. The film will play at Midtown Cinema in September.

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

September Events At Midtown Cinema

Late Night Frights
“Night of the Living Dead”
Friday, Sept. 8 at 9:30 p.m.

“An American Tail”
Saturday, Sept. 9 at 11 a.m.

“Do the Right Thing” (Restoration)
Sunday, Sept 10
Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 7:15 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night
“Donnie Darko”
Friday, Sept. 15 at 9:30 p.m.

Sunday Doc Series
“I Am Not Your Negro”
Sunday, Sept. 17 at 5 p.m.

“Tokyo Pop” (Restoration)
Sunday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.

Down in Front! Presents
“Voyage of the Rock Aliens!”
Friday, Sept. 22 at 9:30 p.m.

Late Night Frights
“The Babadook”
Friday, Sept. 29 at 10 p.m.

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Heroes & Rebels: A Bowie tribute beams down into Open Stage this month

August 29, 2023 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

The cast of “Space Oddity,” Brad Barkdoll, Sabrina Williams, Tyler Shadle, Jasmine Graham, TJ Creedon, Maggie Haynes.

It’s been seven years since we lost one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

Known for his shifting, experimental sound and eccentric stage persona, David Bowie was instrumental in shaping many different genres of music while holding authenticity close to his heart. Every step of the way, he made music that meant something to him.

While we no longer physically have David Bowie himself on this earth, we still have that music. And we’re gonna play it.

Open Stage’s tribute show, “Space Oddity,” does its best to encapsulate the best bits, which is a hard task as Bowie’s music spans decades and genres.

Wayne Landon, longtime fan of Bowie and producer of the show, notes that bringing Bowie’s music to the stage again is the ultimate tribute to a great musician.

“Bowie always liked to collaborate,” he said.

And what a collaboration this will be. With six vocalists and a band, the show presents the full range of Bowie’s music career, in all its extravagance.

And it’s a show that aims to bring together all the different shades of Bowie fans, including the musicians involved in “Space Oddity.” Jasmine Graham, who sings in the show, didn’t discover Bowie until much later in life.

“I was more a Michael Jackson fan,” she said. “But I’ve been surprised by a lot of [Bowie’s] lyrics, like ‘This Isn’t America.’ I didn’t expect them to go that deep.”

The show hopes to capture that surprising vibe that was so common for Bowie. TJ Creedon, staging director for the show, promises it will be like you’re in a room with “some rockstars from Mars.” From the costumes to the musical sets to the lights, the show can be nothing but a good time for all.

“Maybe it will even encourage some non-theater people to come out,” Creedon said.

Brad Barkdoll, who shares the role of musical director with Tyler Shadle, said that he, and everyone involved, is excited to share the performances with an audience.

“We’re coming together to showcase someone who was a little strange and who wrote fantastic music,” Barkdoll said. “It should be a good time.”

“Space Oddity” runs Sept. 8 to 16 at Open Stage, 25 N. Court St., Harrisburg, and Sept. 17 outdoors at Italian Lake Park, N. 3rd and Division streets, Harrisburg.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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

Popcorn Hat Players
“Rapunzel” en Español
Sept. 16 at 1 p.m.

TMI Improv
Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Popcorn Hat Players
“The Little Mermaid”
Sept. 23, 30 at 1 p.m.

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

“Space Oddity”
A Celebration of David Bowie
Sept. 8 to 16 at Open Stage
Sept. 17 at Italian Lake Park

EFF Live!
An evening of erotic fanfiction
Sunday, Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Black NewsBeat with Dr. Kimeka Campbell
Sept. 19 & 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Join us in the studio audience for an episode taping.

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

Harrisburg students commemorate anniversary of March on Washington with march downtown

August 28, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School students march in downtown Harrisburg.

On their first day of school, local students marched in downtown Harrisburg to commemorate the anniversary of a historic day.

Students and teachers from St. Stephen’s Episcopal School marched on Monday in honor of the 60^th anniversary of the March on Washington.

Monday marks 60 years since over 250,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C., to advocate for civil rights for African Americans. The march was also when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.

Holding homemade signs and signing songs, St. Stephen’s school students marched from their N. Front Street building to Harrisburg’s MLK City Government Center. The whole school, including pre-K through eighth grade students, staff and parents participated.

“This is a great way to start the school year,” said Michelle Loucas, head of school for St. Stephen’s. “We wanted to honor those who came before and did so much work, but also acknowledge that there is a lot more change that needs to come. These kids are the future.”

St. Stephen’s third grade teacher JoAnn Baldwin teaches a lesson on the history of the March on Washington, at Harrisburg’s MLK City Government Center.

Once the group reached city hall, third grade teacher JoAnn Baldwin shared a lesson on the March on Washington and encouraged students to be change makers in their community. Mayor Wanda Williams also greeted students.

To close out the event, staff lead students in singing “This Little Light of Mine,” before marching back to their school building.

“What better way to acknowledge the history than to have a march,” Baldwin said.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School is located at 215 N. Front St. For more information, visit their website.

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Burg Review: The Head And The Heart deliver energetic night for HU Presents Summer Series concert

August 28, 2023 | by Skye Leppo

The Head and the Heart on the Riverfront Park stage on Saturday night

Seattle indie folk/pop outfit The Head And The Heart graced the stage at Riverfront Park on Saturday night for a fun, career-spanning set that delighted the crowd of 2,500 that turned out for the concert.

Opening with the title track from the band’s 2022 album, “Every Shade of Blue,” violinist and singer Charity Rose Thielen quickly shared that it was the band’s first time in Harrisburg, and the other front persons, Jonathan Russell and Matt Gervais (who is married to Thielen), echoed throughout the night how glad they were to be here.

New tracks and old favorites alike, including “All We Ever Knew” and “Ghosts” from the band’s early releases, were welcomed by a crowd that sang along almost all night.

Frequently engaging in chatter between songs, the band took breaks to admire the moon and shout out to all the listeners on pontoon boats, and had glowing remarks for their tour mates who opened the show, Jonathan Peyton and his family of musicians, including his wife Abigail.

Russell, in particular, shared a lot of personal connection to songs, including his time writing “10,000 Weight in Gold” from the perspective of his own father often being absent for work, then realizing how much it rang true for himself as well.

Thielen’s harmonizing vocals on “Dreamer” really showcased her lovely alto voice that stood out so prominently in the band’s early albums, including their eponymous debut and “Let’s Be Still.” Her vocals shone again on “Tiebreaker,” which sounded amazing live.

The fan engagement was high, with the band inviting audience members into a “firefly moment” with a crowd full of cell phone lights during “Let’s Be Still,” followed by a raucous sing along during “Lost In My Mind.”

Gervais “drew the short straw” for the night and entertained the crowd with a solo number, “Everything Equals Out,” while the rest of the band took a brief break, sharing that he’s been working on this song for the better part of five or six years, but it hasn’t found a home on any albums yet. It was a lovely acoustic tune and showed off his tenor very well, and was a surprisingly sharp performance considering he’s never played it live before.

The band returned swiftly and kept the energy high with hits like “Honeybee,” “Missed Connection,” and their more recent track, “Virginia (Wind in the Night).”

A spirited and rich singalong of one of their folksier songs, “Down in the Valley,” followed, ending the band’s “scheduled” set before they returned for an encore that included a mesmerizing, “GTFU,” “Shake” and a stripped back but highly enjoyable rendition of my favorite song of theirs, “Rivers and Roads.”

Photos by Skye Leppo

SET LIST

Every Shade of Blue
Don’t Show Your Weakness
All We Ever Knew
Ghosts
Down in the Valley
10,000 Weight in Gold
Dreamer
Tiebreaker
Let’s Be Still
Lost in My Mind
Everything Equals Out (unreleased track, never performed live before)
Honeybee
Missed Connection
Virginia (Wind in the Night)
Down in the Valley

ENCORE

GTFU
Shake
Rivers and Roads

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Community Comment: “Political interference must stop”

August 28, 2023 | by Lamont Jones

Lamont Jones

My name is Lamont Jones a candidate for Harrisburg City Council. I am writing this article about my experience as a candidate who has faced many challenges, including being sued because of my background, but I believe mainly because I don’t align with a few political interrupters on the local level. Political interference must stop; it has gone on long enough in the City of Harrisburg.

Being a political candidate can prove to be challenging enough. From tirelessly raising funds to compete, making oneself vulnerable to public ridicule, and experiencing long lasting emotional distress from being attacked by political opponents, running for office can weigh heavily on one’s psyche.

Here in Harrisburg, these challenges are further compounded by political interference. However normal political interference has become nationally, the experience of political interference in the commonwealth’s capital has proven to significantly hinder the city from moving forward. It affects voter turnout, morale, and faith in the electoral process. We have become a city disillusioned by the voting process as a result.

There has been a longstanding history of political figures who have utilized both financial resources as well as judicial influence to interfere with the process of our residents being able to support and further vote for their desired candidates. Far beyond a vetting process, these political predators have not only ensured that their own agendas have been adopted, but that they are able to utilize those same resources to recruit other individuals into their system of corruption citywide. Under the disguise of “fair and free” elections, these political combat strategies have ensured that their control is longstanding and virtually uncontested. By politically hijacking voter turnout through voter intimidation, monopolizing mail-in ballots through the exploitation of civic ignorance and mis-education and installing local influencers to gain favor in their agenda, Harrisburg has seen a legacy of political hijacking. The effects of this strategy have lasted through continued recruitment of easily manipulated and vulnerable political hopefuls, oftentimes sought out to be puppets who barter unethical practices for financial or social gain.

Many of the players from past administrations have come and gone, some of the key players involved still exist today, with emboldened control over entire political parties, offices, and social positions. They feel entitled to the reins of this city. The political process being hijacked no longer allows for voters to feel hopeful in their city. It makes voters feel voiceless, unable to advocate for their deteriorating city. While our city suffers through failing school systems, poverty, violence and civil unrest, our political system has been unable to serve as a means in which communities can have advocacy and leadership. Political hacks through petition challenges, the filing of frivolous lawsuits, and the continued king-making and handpicking of each elected official have come at a price to our city. It cost us then, and it continues to cost us today. We must not allow history to repeat itself.

I ask the real citizens and electors of Harrisburg to stand alongside me to end this type of political interference, educate ourselves on how to best combat legal, but unethical, means of political interference to end what has plagued Harrisburg city resident for decades. We must stop electing people we know are controlled by this well-maintained machine that has no real interests in giving our citizens a better quality of life. We must not be easily swayed to elect “lifelong residents” if their lifetime residency has been spent selling their souls to this corruption. We must end the old way of accepting politics as usual and understand this as a unique and growing concern for Harrisburg city. Most importantly, we must usher in a new group of dedicated leaders ready to serve this great city.

The saying goes, “If you don’t know your history, you’re bound to repeat it.” Harrisburg, a city already experiencing the generational devastation from past leadership, must not allow this saying to play out any longer.

Let’s stand together and pull our city back from the reins of political puppeteering.

Lamont Jones is a Democratic nominee for Harrisburg City Council.

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

August 25, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Local officials and project partners ceremonially broke ground on Bethel Village, affordable housing for seniors, on Tuesday.

It has been a full week of news in Harrisburg. From ground breakings to school board meetings, we’ve covered it all. In case you missed anything, all of our reporting is listed and linked, below.

Bethel Village, an affordable housing development for seniors, broke ground on N. 6^th Street in Harrisburg, our online story reported. The 46,000-square-foot building will include 49 one- and two-bedroom affordable units.

Cedar Crest High School boasts a unique feature—a planetarium. In our magazine story, read about how the school uses the teaching tool as a visual aid for astronomy education.

Danielle Martin has always recognized the importance of education in her life and it’s something she’s sought to instill in her daughters. In our magazine story, read about how the single mother has recently received her doctorate, with her daughters also taking the next step in their educational journeys.

Gun violence victims are memorialized in a display outside of the Harrisburg Quaker Meeting House on N. 6th Street, our online story reported. The memorial features about 50 T-shirts with the names of Harrisburg area residents whose lives were lost to gun violence.

Harrisburg School District officials, at a board meeting, amended their 2023-24 budget and approved the hiring of several new principals, our online story reported. Receiver Dr. Lori Suski also announced that the district will discuss its decision to demolish the vacant William Penn High School and accept public comments, at their Sept. 12 board meeting.

Impact Harrisburg awarded the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce & CREDC with a grant to help increase contracting opportunities for diverse businesses, our online story reported. The grant will help the organization implement recommendations from a disparity study the city completed.

Kate Browne, an international artist, has been working in Steelton on the seventh installment of her “Cocoon” art series, our online story reported. The art installation will include residents’ memorabilia and audio from interviews with residents and local historians.

The Little Miss Black US of A pageant celebrates and empowers young Black girls around the country. This year, two Harrisburg girls are representing the commonwealth in the competition, our magazine story reported.

Our publisher, in a blog post, reflects on how much the Broad Street Market has meant to him since he first moved to Harrisburg. He also shares his optimism for the future of the market.

Sara Bozich has something for everyone to enjoy this weekend in Harrisburg. Find all of her suggestions, here.

The Susquehanna Art Museum’s art auction to raise funds for the Broad Street Market exceeded its goal, our online story reported. The auction included plein air paintings and drawings by 14 local artists.

Uptown Partners, the owner of the Residences at Governor’s Square, will seek to change the status of their bankruptcy filing, our reporting found. The change from Chapter 7 to Chapter 11 bankruptcy should give them additional time to attempt to sell the beleaguered affordable housing development in Harrisburg.

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