Winter Wonderland: Park officials and outfitters stress importance of bundling up and getting outdoors with your kids this winter

December 30, 2025 | by Susan Ryder

Illustration by Aron Rook.

Shorter and colder days bring on a kind of hibernation for people as well as animals, but getting outdoors is important for families’ winter wellbeing.

Local parks and playgrounds provide one tool to combat the challenge of cold weather malaise.

“The seasonal changes are felt when you don’t have as much daylight,” said Savanna Berry, environmental educator at Wildwood Park in Harrisburg. “So, getting out when you have time in the daylight is just so necessary for your mental health and getting your body moving.”

Located behind HACC’s campus, Wildwood Park is part wetland, with hiking trails and an education center. There’s plenty to see in the less-green winter landscape; in fact, fewer leaves mean better animal sighting opportunities.

“It’s actually a great time to view the water and especially waterfowl, even from the building, with the leaves off the trees,” Berry said.

With less foliage, visitors can also catch a glimpse of muskrat lodges, small mounds of plant material on the lake. You may even get lucky and see one of these small, beaver-like creatures with a long slim tail, since they are active in the winter.

Should it snow, things get even more interesting.

“There’s always something changing, so you’ll find the [animal] tracks in the snow, you’ll see holes in the snow,” Berry said. “You can even find feather marks on the ground where a bird had flapped. You could be the only person who got to see that track before it melted away.”

Another antidote to the cold is going into Wildwood’s Olewine Nature Center after some time outside. Families can watch the birds at the many feeders at the indoor viewing area, and participate in a community science project, “where we record what birds come to our feeders,” Berry said.

Families can also participate in other winter programming like “Discover Rocks and Minerals” and “Discover Groundhogs,” grouping some time outside with some indoor fun.

Year-Round Fun

Getting that close to nature might not be what all parents are looking for, but they can still get their kiddos moving and outside.

“All of our parks and all of our playgrounds are open all winter long,” said Doug Knauss, Susquehanna Township’s parks and recreation director.

At parks like Crown Point Park, parents can walk the loop surrounding the playground and still keep an eye on the kids. Veterans Park also has an internal walking loop of crushed stone.

“So, you can go out for a nice short walk…get out, gets you moving a bit and gets you outside,” Knauss said.

Lower Paxton Township has 16 parks, with large community parks and smaller neighborhood “pocket parks,” which are open to the public.

Renovated in November, Meadow Brook Park might be a nice visit. Older kids, looking for something other than a walk or equipment, can enjoy geocaching in Lower Paxton Township parks.

“It’s free to do as long as you go on geocaching.com and make your account,” said Michelle Thompson, the township’s community engagement and media manager. “You can hunt and find the 12 caches.”

Both Knauss and Thompson said that folks continue to enjoy the parks in the colder months.

“People love the playground year-round,” Thompson said. “They just wear their hats and mittens.”

Move Your Body

Kids still like to swing on swings, slide down slides, climb the equipment and ride bikes even in the winter. Parents might be a little reluctant—it’s cold.

There’s a solution for that.

“The best way to enjoy the cold is by staying warm,” said Jessica Miller, owner of Earth Artisan & Outfitter in Carlisle. “Get dressed, stay active, move your body.”

The key to keeping warm, according to Miller, is to dress in layers, including a soft moisture-wicking base and a waterproof outer layer.

“I cannot stress enough—dress in layers,” Miller said. “You can always take something off if it’s not needed.”

Don’t forget hats, mittens and a scarf or balaclava (not baklava the dessert, but a tube-shaped piece of fabric that you pull over your head to cover your neck, and face, if needed). Socks and footwear are important to staying warm too. Wear appropriate socks and insulated shoes or boots, even if you’re just headed to the playground.

Miller says that parents lead through example, and if they spend time outside, their kids will too.

“Everyone can benefit from a brain break, put down the phones and devices. Unplug and tune into life around you. This also builds relationships, interactions and communication,” Miller said.

There are a few things to consider when heading outdoors this winter.

Many parks do not have open bathroom facilities during the winter months. Olewine Nature Center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday and does have facilities. Also, clearing roads takes precedence over clearing parking lots, so some may not be plowed soon after a winter storm.

Whether it’s hiking on a nature trail or heading down to the local park, time spent outside benefits everyone.

“Connecting to nature even when it’s cold helps build relationships, with the land, with life, the planet we all call home and with each other,” Miller said.

To learn more about Wildwood Park and Olewine Nature Center, visit www.explorewildwoodpark.org.

For more information about Susquehanna Township Parks, visit www.susquehannatwp.com/parks-recreation/pages/come-see-our-parks.

Find out more about Lower Paxton Township Parks at www.lowerpaxton-pa.gov/165/ParksFacilities.

For more information about Earth Artisan and Outfitter, visit www.earthartout.com.

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Adventure Together: Start the new year off right with positivity jars, family sports and giving back

December 30, 2025 | by Natalie diSanto

There’s a lot of talk about resolutions this time of year.

We create lists of ways to improve our lives, making note of things we hope to change in the year ahead. It absolutely can be helpful to set thoughtful, positive goals when moving into a new year, though if our resolutions don’t go as planned, we often make the mistake of framing difficulty as failure. As parents, we face a constant onslaught of variables while holding the responsibility to demonstrate for our children how to navigate setbacks, how to intentionally work toward goals, and how to care for ourselves and others.

Positive Energy

This new year, we’re trying a positivity jar. The goal of this creation is to inspire new experiences, encourage growth and remind ourselves of how awesome we already are. To make your own positivity jar, ask each member of your family to write down four things they’re grateful for, four kind words or thoughts about themselves, and four things they’d like to put more energy toward. If you follow this 4-4-4 practice, you’ll start with 12 pieces of paper and be set for about three months. Fold the papers and put them in a jar—kudos if you use a recycled container. Let each member of your family decorate their jar to reflect their own unique personality. Easy ways to decorate are paint, bedazzling with sequins and glitter, or covering in stickers. We added a few crystals that we bought from The Plant Witch in Harrisburg to our jars to attract positive energy.

Pick a day of the week to reap the benefits of your hard work. My family picked Tuesday to be “Positivity Jar Day,” and we each pull a paper out of our jars then share our goals or mantras out loud. Sharing can bring families closer together, creating a group sense of accountability and growth. When you run out of papers, have fun writing new, timely statements to keep your jar relevant and brimming with optimism year-round.

Active Fun

One of my goals is to improve my reflexes, or in other words, get better at beating my kid at sports. Unfortunately, the best way to work toward my goal is practice.

We parents can probably agree that it’s an uphill battle to stay active in the winter. By the time my kid gets off the bus, there’s only about an hour of daylight left. But I have a goal to achieve, so I made a pact with my kid that we’d spend at least half of that hour outside, bundled up and playing badminton.

I use the term badminton loosely—it’s more like a combination of tennis and badminton or, occasionally, even baseball and volleyball. We took $15 to the thrift store and bought random sports equipment, and now we combine it in ways that are fun to us, though probably not correct. Our games get so outrageous that we spend most of the time chasing rogue balls or trying to breathe through our laughter. We’re always able to push ourselves and work up a good sweat, improving skills and bonding over physical activity. My 8-year-old cares deeply about the score, but the point isn’t to win (except maybe just once), it’s to accomplish our daily goal of going outside and playing together. It’s a wonderful and simple way to demonstrate setting achievable commitments and sticking to them.

Craft Kits

When the sun sets, pivot to putting energy toward giving back to the community.

Caitlin’s Smiles is a regional nonprofit that distributes art supplies to hospitalized children. People of all ages can volunteer by helping to assemble craft kits for kids. Many children can relate to and understand the joy of being creative. Caitlin’s Smiles seeks to empower children in hospitals to have the opportunity for arts and self-expression, and your family can be part of that effort. Putting together craft kits for kids is a fantastic way for your family to connect while making a positive impact on the lives of other children. Volunteers sign up for two-hour time slots that are varied to accommodate differing schedules. If your family requires unique hours or if you have a group of five or more, reach out to the organizers via their website.

As caregivers, parents and friends, we hold the opportunity to be our children’s greatest teachers. Demonstrating healthy goal setting and positive self-talk, carving out time to be outside and play, and caring for and helping others are beautiful lessons to integrate into our goals for this year and wonderful lifelong values to instill in this new generation of people we’re raising.

Cheers to a new year and the privilege to continue learning and having fun, growing families and community here in central PA.

To learn more about Caitlin’s Smiles, visit www.caitlins-smiles.org.

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Take a Number: Our editor counts down his top 10 Harrisburg news stories of 2025.

December 30, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

The sycamore trees are barren, the Farm Show is upon us, and the Harrisburg beaver has bedded down for the winter. That can only mean one thing. It’s time for my annual review of Harrisburg news stories, a tradition eagerly anticipated each year by at least two of my friends (or so they tell me).

10. Housing Headway
For my annual top 10 list, I have a custom: start with something positive before lowering the boom. In my view, progress made on one of the city’s most intractable challenges—homelessness—is noteworthy. In August, “A Miracle Community” opened in south Harrisburg, offering displaced occupants of “tent city” a more organized, less chaotic place to stay. Moreover, three nearby housing projects hopefully will offer additional, more substantive housing. Despite the progress, this issue isn’t going away anytime soon. Some former “tent city” occupants didn’t move to the new location but onto city streets, creating issues there, especially downtown. Also, there’s simply not enough transitional or permanent housing being built to end the crisis anytime soon.

9. Money Matters
In TheBurg, we write many stories about local budgets: city, county, schools. However, federal and state fiscal policy are typically outside our coverage zone. Not in 2025. Tariff hikes, federal program cuts and budget impasses all offered fodder for a yearlong stream of stories of how national and state policy affected people here in central Pa. Along the way, we interviewed coffee sellers, shop owners, food providers, small businesses, school officials and others directly impacted by the uncertainty, delay and policy shifts. They reported a grab bag of bad outcomes, including price hikes, increased costs, layoffs, hunger and turning away those in need, almost as if, said one person, our own elected officials are conspiring against us.

8. Receiving End
Some things, they say, end not with a bang but a whimper. Such was the case with the Harrisburg School District receivership, which came to a quiet close. Back in 2019, the dysfunctional district was placed under state control, with two receivers running the system for the next six years. The receivership didn’t prove to be a panacea, but the district seemed to run more smoothly than before (granted, a low bar). Then, in June, the receivership expired, with power returning to the elected school board. All in, I’d give the receivership a grade of “B.” Finances and operations stabilized, but student performance continued to lag. Also, both receivers punted on the fate of the old William Penn High School, kicking that can further down the road.

7. Highway to Heck
Back in November 2018, our astute city reporter broke some important news—PennDOT had sketched out a plan to double the width of I-83 running through Harrisburg. Outraged, city officials pushed back, not able to kill the project, but getting it scaled back somewhat. Condemnations and clearings followed before construction finally began about two years ago. But it wasn’t until 2025 that the dust and debris really hit the fan, the year marked by constant demos, detours, closures and gridlock. The city’s largest homeless encampment even became collateral damage, as PennDOT took the land for its project. Indeed, every week seemed to have some I-83-related news, which I expect will continue until the expansion is completed sometime in the 25th century.

6. Fretful Fests
In recent years, Harrisburg’s annual waterfront festivals haven’t been the carefree events they should be, with several serious incidents involving fights and reports (and rumors) of gunfire. For a while, it appeared that we’d make it through 2025 with no major problems, but, unfortunately, that suddenly changed. In the last few minutes of the summer’s last festival, Kipona, a woman in a minivan swerved around a barrier blocking traffic and drove through the heart of closed-off Front Street, seriously injuring several people. A York Haven woman, Elizabeth Ann Bohrer, was arrested at the scene and charged with numerous offenses, including aggravated assault. And, once again, a dark shadow was cast upon what should have been a joyful celebration.

5. More Affordable
A new market-rate apartment building hasn’t been built in Harrisburg in, I don’t know, decades? Fortunately, that doesn’t apply to affordable housing projects, which have popped up all over the city in recent years. In fact, 2025 was a busy year for both groundbreakings and ribbon-cuttings for such projects as Bethel Village, Woodward Lofts and the Savoy, together adding hundreds of affordable units. Some projects even received a share of $8 million in federal grants doled out by the city in October, in addition to other subsidies and assistance. There was even good news for arguably the most troubled affordable development in the city—Governor’s Square—which went into receivership and took the first steps toward rehabilitation.

4. Mayoral Minded
What happens if they hold an election and no one comes? That was my question following Harrisburg’s mayoral primary, which drew only about 5,000 voters. On the Democratic side, the incumbent, Wanda Williams, edged to renomination by just 80 votes over her closest rival, city Treasurer Dan Miller. Miller, though, got enough write-in votes for the Republican nod, marking the fourth straight Harrisburg mayoral election in which a candidate lost in the primary but ran in the general election anyway. In that race, Miller turned up the heat, running a more focused, energetic campaign. Residents responded, and Miller received far greater voter support. However, so did Williams, who proved that it’s tough to beat an incumbent, a Democrat, and, frankly, Wanda Williams, in a citywide campaign.

3. State Security
I’ve long thought that one of the (many) quirks of life here is how estranged the state of Pennsylvania is from its own seat of government—the city of Harrisburg. Having said that, every so often the two converge in a profound way. April 13 was a startling example, as a man scaled the fence to the Governor’s Residence and firebombed part of the building, putting Harrisburg in the national spotlight for several days. A deeply troubled Penbrook resident, Cody Balmer, soon turned himself in, pleaded guilty and, later, was sentenced to decades in prison. The tragedy also cast an eye on the rather lax security at the residence, which, as of this writing, remained in a prolonged, ugly state of safety-focused construction.

2. Market Rate
For the past two years, the Broad Street Market fire, and its aftermath, has been my No. 1 news story in Harrisburg. This year, I’ve moved it down a notch, as the dire state of the downtown eclipsed the dire state of the market. There was even some good news. After more than two years post-fire, work finally began to restore and rebuild the brick market building. On the downside, the price kept escalating. In late September, City Council reallocated $14.4 million for the project, with the cost now estimated at about $23 million—and that was before the mid-December collapse of a large part of an exterior wall. In addition, the city still wasn’t certain how much it’ll eventually recover in an insurance payout, leaving the total financial impact unknown.

1. Downtown Doldrums
I’ll put this as bluntly as I can: downtown Harrisburg is in crisis. Remote work, especially among state workers, has emptied office buildings, deserted streets and slammed small businesses. The governor seems reluctant to order workers back to the office, and the city has shown scant leadership addressing the disaster. Despite this, there were some green shoots of hope, as Harristown continued its decade-long series of office-to-residential conversions, and nightlife impresario Justin Browning debuted a major music venue. Meanwhile, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC, the city and state legislators are teaming on a downtown redevelopment plan, which, I hope, will be major, positive news in 2026.

In the end, I’d call 2025 a mixed bag. For every snippet of good news (affordable housing), there was some bad (another empty storefront). My hope is that, a year from now, I can report a nearly completed market building, more affordable and market-rate housing and solid progress for the downtown. Harrisburg, can you turn my frown upside down?

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

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Arch, Curl, Spiral: The Gyrotonic method represents a different kind of movement

December 30, 2025 | by Ashley Andyshak Hayes

Barb Mullin, right. Photo courtesy of ACS Movement and Alibi Creative.

A Pennsylvania native is bringing her knowledge and love of movement to her own studio space in Camp Hill.

At ACS Movement, Barb Mullin offers one-on-one sessions using the Gyrotonic Expansion System, a practice designed to improve range of motion, stability and spine health.

The Gyrotonic system is similar to yoga and Pilates in that it consists of eccentric movements, where muscles lengthen under tension, as opposed to concentric movements in which muscles shorten under tension, like what happens during a bicep curl. The three-dimensional exercises are performed on a pulley table with adjustable weights and other mechanisms that customize the practice for each person.

Mullin named her studio ACS Movement to represent the three main spinal movement patterns in Gyrotonic: arch, curl and spiral. The movements are designed to be effortless, Mullin said, quoting the system’s founder, Juliu Horvath: “What is gained with ease is retained with ease.”

New System

Horvath developed the Gyrotonic system using his deep knowledge of dance and yoga. A former principal dancer for the Romanian National Ballet Company, he defected while on tour in Italy in the 1970s and eventually made his way to the United States after receiving political asylum.

While dancing with the Houston Ballet, he ruptured his Achilles tendon, which put his dancing career on hold. The injury led him to explore yoga as a way to heal and recover, and he studied the practice for many years. The insights he gained during his yoga practice inspired the creation of a new exercise method, which he named “Yoga for Dancers.”

As he introduced this new exercise system to people in the U.S., interest from both within and outside the dance community grew, so Horvath developed a variation of the program that was accessible to those with or without a background in dance.

This format became the basis of Gyrokinesis, a practice of choreographed, seated movement. He also developed the specialized equipment and exercises used in the Gyrotonic method. Today, the system is used by more than 13,000 trainers in more than 80 countries, according to the Gyrotonic website.

Mullin has an extensive background in both Pilates and Gyrotonic instruction. She discovered both disciplines while living in New York City in the 1970s, and she spent more than a decade there studying and teaching Pilates. In 1991, she opened the first Pilates studio in Orange County, N.Y., and later moved her practice to Austin, Texas, where she became fully certified in Gyrotonic instruction. She then taught on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula for five years.

In 2024, she moved back to Pennsylvania to be closer to family and began looking for a venue to share her knowledge of the Gyrotonic method with others. She found a space alongside Absolute Pilates and several other fitness-related businesses on Trindle Road.

Slow, Flowing

Anyone can benefit from Gyrotonic exercises, Mullin said, including experienced athletes, people recovering from injury or surgery, seniors looking to age well, and those who just want to increase their ease of movement in everyday activities.

The movements can help improve balance for people involved in activities or sports that rely heavily on one side of the body, such as golf, pickleball or tennis, and can benefit those with chronic conditions like multiple sclerosis or fibromyalgia, she said.

The slow, flowing movements, along with mindful breathing, help to reduce stress, decompress the spine and joints, and increase overall wellness, Mullin said.

Throughout her career, Mullin has worked with people in all phases of life, from those in their teens to those in their 90s and has seen how exercises like Pilates and Gyrotonic have helped increase and extend quality of life.

“You really can change people’s lives,” she said.

ACS Movement is located at 3514 Trindle Rd., Camp Hill. Sessions are by appointment only; call 512-810-7347 or email [email protected] for more information.

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Fast Food, Italian Style: This sausage soup is a healthier alternative to a burger and fries

December 30, 2025 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Have you ever raced home from a busy day at work or other activities and immediately faced the question of what to do for dinner?

Often, our first impulse is to grab a burger from our favorite fast-food place or look for a frozen pizza you know you stashed in the freezer.

There are better options. I am proposing that one simple pound of Italian sausage (either sweet or hot) is your salvation for a quick and healthy dinner. You can bake the sausage with a little water at 350 degrees for about an hour and 15 minutes. Cover the pan for half that time, then uncover to lightly brown. Add a baked potato and a green salad and you are done. Italian fast food!

When I was growing up, Italian sausage was part of our meal rotation. Many Harrisburg Italians traveled to a shop in Steelton, the little town south of Harrisburg, to get authentic Italian sausage. A family friend always picked some up for us. My mother insisted that any sausage she cooked contain finocchio. Finocchio is the sweet anise flavoring from the fennel plant. She wouldn’t accept any other!

But today, Ryan Hummer at the West Shore Farmers Market offers a variety of wonderful sausages including cheddar cheese, pecorino cheese, jalapeno, maple and even blueberry. I usually stick to either Italian sweet or hot for most of my recipes. But experimenting with the others is fun.

So, back to your busy day and no dinner. How about homemade soup on a cold January evening? Tastes of Italia magazine provided this favorite recipe for me, which is a complete dinner filled with protein, carbs and vegetables. It is so easy to tweak. Use spinach or kale instead of escarole, pasta shapes instead of angel hair, chicken broth instead of beef, and any kind of Italian sausage you like. Grab a glass of an Italian red while you are putting it together.

Zuppa di Salsiccia (Sausage Soup)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 celery stalk, diced
2 medium Italian sausage links, casings removed and crumbled
A pinch of dried red chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, diced
4 cups beef or chicken broth
3 cups water
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
A small bag fresh spinach, rinsed and chopped
4 ounces of pasta broken in pieces or 4-ounce small pasta shapes
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions

In a large pot, combine the olive oil, onions, rosemary and celery; cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.
Add the sausage, red chili flakes and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until sausage is nicely browned.
Add broth, water, tomato paste, beans and spinach.
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add pasta and cook until al dente.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired.

Place in soup bowls, pour some wine, grab a little baguette of bread, and you have dinner.

Now I admit, you need to have several staple ingredients on hand (pantry items, as they say). But the sausage could be waiting in the freezer, and the spinach can be frozen too.

Fresh and healthy homemade soup. Fairly quickly. And enough for lunch the next day!

Maybe a burger and fries once in a while….

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January News Digest

December 30, 2025 | by TheBurg Staff

No Tax Hike in Harrisburg Budget

Harrisburg City Council last month passed the city’s 2026 municipal budget, which does not include a property tax hike.

The total budget, including the capital projects fund, state liquid fuels fund and neighborhood services fund, among others, is $127.3 million. The general fund portion is $88 million.

Preceding the final vote, council made significant changes to Mayor Wanda Williams’ initial budget proposal, including rejecting raises for Williams and other elected officials.

Council also eliminated salaries for the city’s interim business administrator, project director for business administration/LERTA and the police bureau’s director of community engagement and relations. Council also zeroed out the city’s portion of the salary for the interim director of building and housing development, which supplements the portion of the salary funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

At press time, Williams had not yet signed off on the budget. She also had the option to veto the entire budget or issue specific line-item vetoes.

At the mid-December meeting, council also reconsidered and approved a land development plan for 333 Market Street, a downtown office building that previously housed state government offices. Harristown plans to renovate floors 11 through 19 and create 81 one- and two-bedroom apartments for use as senior housing. The company is currently in search of an organization to master lease the apartments.

In addition, council renewed the city’s lease agreement with the Broad Street Market Alliance for another year. The approved extension was initiated because the market is required to have an up-to-date lease for state funding that it was awarded.

In other news, council voted to extend the city’s LERTA program, which provides tax break incentives to developers. City officials have said that they drafted a new, updated LERTA bill, but are waiting for the Harrisburg School District to review it.

School District Hires Acting Principal

The Harrisburg School District Board last month hired an acting principal for Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus.

Longtime school district employee Roma Benjamin will temporarily fill the post, which has seen significant turnover in recent years.

Former John Harris principal Christopher Sattele, who began in October 2024, left the district for another position. Superintendent Benjamin Henry said the district will conduct a national search this February for a permanent principal.

“We want to have a little bit more time to go through the process of finding a more permanent person for this role, versus moving someone in immediately,” Henry said of the appointment.

The district approved Benjamin’s employment contract, including a $138,000 salary, with an 8-1 vote. School board member Danielle Robinson voted no.

Prior to this role, Benjamin had been working as a support supervisor within the district. She served as principal at Rowland Academy last year, but was placed on administrative leave in February after being accused of harassment for allegedly shoving a 13-year-old student. The case has since been closed.

The board also used its last meeting of the year to review its general fund budget for 2025-26 with updated state funding numbers. The district had previously estimated what state subsidies it expected to receive due to Pennsylvania’s lengthy budget impasse, explained Chief Financial Officer Marcia Stokes in a presentation during the meeting.

“This is really as a result of the state’s delay,” she said of the budget amendment.

Stokes further explained that the state budget had added an additional $3.2 million to the district’s general fund budget, bringing its total to $216.3 million.

For the 2025-26 school year, the state gave Harrisburg $88.1 million for basic education, $8.7 million for special education, and $18 million in grant funding.

Water/Sewer Rates Rise

Harrisburg water and sewer customers will pay about 6.3% more for service in 2026, according to new rates set by Capital Region Water (CRW).

In late November, the CRW board approved its new rate structure, which will increase the monthly bill for the average residential customer by $6.06, from $95.76 to $101.82, according to the Harrisburg-based utility.

“The CRW team carefully considered these rates to strike a balance between covering necessary operational costs and providing fair and equitable charges to customers,” CRW said, in a statement.

Broken out, the 2026 rates are as follows:

Water charge: $11.63 per 1,000 gallons (average increase of $2.47 per month)
Wastewater charge: $11.43 per 1,000 gallons (average increase of $3.18 per month)
Stormwater charge: $7.18 for most residential customers (increase of 41 cents per month)

According to CRW, the 2026 budget focuses on critical areas such as “infrastructure improvements, water quality initiatives and environmental stewardship,” as it continues a decades-long effort to reduce wastewater flowing directly into area waterways during rain events.

Last year, the average monthly bill for CRW customers in Harrisburg rose by 3.7%.

Home Sales, Prices Rise

Harrisburg-area home sales and prices both rose in November, according to the latest report on previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 502 homes sold, compared to 474 homes in November 2024, while the median sales price increased to $290,000 from $275,000, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 233 houses changed hands in November, versus 214 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price rose to $261,950 from $250,000, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 242 home sales compared to 240 the prior November, while the median sales price increased to $335,000 from $314,297, GHAR said.

In Perry County, 32 homes sold in November, versus 18 homes a year earlier, as the median sales price decreased to $214,000 from $237,500, according to GHAR.

The pace of home sales slowed a bit in November, as “average days on market” rose to 32 days versus 28 days in November 2024, GHAR said.

So Noted

Amma Jo, an accessories boutique, reopened in downtown Harrisburg last month, offering handbags, accessories, gifts and art. The shop is returning to a new spot within Strawberry Square, where it has operated previously.

Christine (Christy) Pavlakovich was promoted last month to chief operating officer at Members 1st Federal Credit Union. In her new role, Pavlakovich will oversee retail and branch operations, risk and compliance, legal, physical security as well as human resources and learning and development, according to Members 1st.

Dauphin County last month passed a $221.9 million general fund budget for 2026, a slight decrease from the 2025 budget. Nonetheless, the 2026 spending plan includes a 9.75% property tax hike. The increase comes on top of a 21.8% property tax hike in 2025 following two decades with no increase at all.

Jason Stouffer has been named CEO of York-based Kinsley Construction, the company said last month. Stouffer, who has spent his entire career at Kinsley, replaces Christopher Kinsley, who retired in 2025. In addition, third-generation family members, Andrew and James Kinsley, have been named co-COOs.

Jennifer Craighead Carey last month was re-elected for a second two-year term as managing partner and chief executive officer of the Barley Snyder law firm, a 130-attorney firm with offices throughout the eastern half of Pennsylvania. Craighead Carey has been with the Lancaster-based firm for over 30 years and is its first female managing partner.

PA Dairymen’s Association last month announced this year’s special Farm Show milkshake flavors: strawberry (red), vanilla (white) and raspberry (blue) in honor of the country’s 250th birthday this year. The 2026 Farm Show takes place Jan. 10 to 17, with the food court debuting on Jan. 9.

Pennon, the parent company of WITF, has gifted LNP/Lancaster Online to a new nonprofit, Always Lancaster, led by former National Public Radio host David Greene, according to WITF. In mid-2023, WITF received LNP as a gift donation from Steinman Communications, the long-time owner of LNP.

Tom Baldrige last month was named the interim president and CEO of Pennon, the parent company of WITF, as the area’s public broadcasting outlet continues to look for a permanent leader. Baldrige, the former longtime president of the Lancaster Chamber, replaces Ron Hetrick, who resigned in October.

The Vegetable Hunter, one of central Pa.’s few vegan restaurants, last month closed its original location in downtown Harrisburg, which opened in 2014 and later included a micro-brewery. It previously had closed locations in Hershey and Carlisle.

Zeroday Brewing Co. announced last month that it was closing its flagship taproom on N. 3rd Street in Harrisburg, citing rising costs and reduced foot traffic. The company will continue its brewery operations and distribution, as well as its two nearby “outposts” inside the Broad Street Market and Midtown Cinema.

Changing Hands

Balm St., 36: Capital Venture LLC to K. Grun, $90,000

Balm St., 115: BSM HSH LLC to L. Cabrera, $139,000

Balm St., 120: A. Rakibu to Atico de Horno LLC, $58,500

Bellevue Rd., 1930: I. Mitchell to Breneman Properties LLC, $99,900

Berryhill St., 1413: L. Weikel to Shutter Real Estate LLC, $90,000

Berryhill St., 1607: Keystone Properties Solutions LLC to Paavan Synergy LLC, $132,500

Berryhill St., 1635: BAJ Holdings LLC to H. Dhillon, $154,500

Capital St., 901: C. Lenz to TPB Advertising Properties LP, $207,500

Croyden Rd., 2932: P. & J. McLeod to J. Jeffries, $163,000

Cumberland St., 1327 & 1329: P. Jenkins to N. Ovalles, $115,000

Derry St., 1529: M. Heredia to D. Ortiz, $155,000

Derry St., 2016: V. Thi & L. Tran to J. Espinal, $155,000

Emerald St., 228: C&A Fix Hold & Flip LLC to D. Adams, $189,000

Emerald St., 243: G. Neff Inc. & City Limits Realty to S. Jefferson, $106,000

Evergreen St., 23: Destiny Harrisburg LLC to Bencosme Realty LLC, $155,000

Forster St., 1931: Bedrock Capital Management Inc. to M. Guisso, $55,000

Graham St., 50: PKM Enterprises 369 LLC to J. Evans, $234,000

Green St., 1112: M. Fitzgerald to BHW Capital LLC, $220,000

Green St., 1824: B. Goodling to A. Reed, $185,000

Green St., 1920: PKM Enterprises 369 LLC to S. Mazur & E. Graham, $270,000

Hale Ave., 443: B. & J. Hamilton to A. & J. Karim, $120,500

Harris St., 435: BCR-2 Properties LLC to W. Robinson, $235,000

Herr St., 1614: E. Andrades to S. & J. McCowin, $155,000

Hoerner St., 137: Williams & Williams Properties LLC to Bridger Investments LLC, $80,000

Holly St., 1938: C. Ettinger to P. Harris, $149,500

Kensington St., 2126: C. Watkins to EA Capital LLC, $68,383

Jefferson St., 2308: JMR Ventures LLC to BZDEL Global Investment LLC, $116,000

Lenox St., 2005: G. Bender to R. Ward, $129,995

Logan St., 1627: Culcay Remodeling & Guagua Remodeling LLC to A. Pieruccini, $169,900

Logan St., 1933½: Figueroa Enterprises LLC to R. Burgos, $110,000

Market St., 1404, 1406: 1406 Market Realty LLC to 1404 1406 Market Street LLC, $210,000

Market St., 1625: D&F Realty Holdings LP to J. Charles, $189,900

Market St., 2333: P. Sanders to J. & S. Thomasma, $210,000

Mulberry St., 1222: NR Group to Mirzavill LLC, $160,500

N. 2nd St., 2644: G. & T. Morcol to S. & C. Perfetto, $355,000

N. 2nd St., 2530: Blessed Investments LLC to M. Booker, $207,000

N. 2nd St., 2650: D. & C. Fasching to N. Davidson, $375,000

N. 2nd St., 2702: H. & A. Markovitz c/o B & M. Schatz to E. & J. Camacho, $346,000

N. 3rd St., 1223: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Vaughn Real Estate & Investment Properties LLC, $150,000

N. 3rd St., 1717: G. Sprigg to Segio Mannino LLC, $150,000

N. 4th St., 3300: R. Musser to S. Spade, $62,000

N. 6th St., 1000: Third Street Realty Co. to D. & J. Williams, $500,000

N. 6th St., 2128: Archie Group LLC & Head Huncho LLC to Williams & Williams Properties LLC, $100,000

N. 6th St., 3202: M. Strine to PACC Homes & Development LLC, $95,000

N. 7th St., 2156: R. Harvey to J. Rovera, $92,500

N. 7th St., 2300: D&F Realty Holdings LP to Moin Realty LLC, $325,000

N. 17th St., 111: Bill Culwell Enterprises Inc. to W. Smith, $124,650

N. 17th St., 1000: A. Augustine to H. Tambo, $220,000

N. 18th St., 700: J. Stevenson to CG Home Buyer LLC, $60,000

N. 18th St., 918: HBG Rents LLC to E. Garcia, $164,000

N. 19th St., 712: A. Smith to J. Alfonesca, $149,900

Norwood St., 913: D. Pietz to Cashflow Cartel LLC, $55,000

Penn St., 1320: CG Home Buyers LLC to Ortiz Family Investments LLC, $105,000

Penn St., 1421: City Limits Foundation to J. Nimmerichter, $131,500

Penn St., 2131: A. Rasheed & U. Sheikh to BZDEL Global Investment LLC, $145,000

Radnor St., 644: JO Properties LLC to MK Plumbing HVAC & Electrical Services LLC, $50,000

Reel St., 2734: I. Bah to Sunnyside RE Enterprise LLC, $135,000

Ross St., 630: M. Morgan to R. Santos & F. de Quinones, $140,000

Royal Terr., 153: Faraone Properties LLC to Echo Propco LLC, $82,500

Royal Terr., 117: S. Helivett & C. Ramirez to DM Capital Holdings LLC, $85,000

Rumson Dr., 361: M. DePasquale to M. Russo, $185,000

Seneca St., 224: D. Daley to S. Jones & D. Magaro, $164,900

Seneca St., 321: J. King & J. Brown to C. Roque, $100,000

S. 2nd St., 308½: D. Manning to A. Joseph & B. Yacoub, $200,000

S. 19th St., 1121: M. & B. Davila to Rojas Remodeling LLC, $142,000

S. 23rd St., 629: A. & J. Fitzgerald to Upscale Home Improvement LLC, $95,000

State St., 231, Unit 201: Murphy Huether Property Investments LLC to F. Clark, $175,000

Sycamore St., 1725: W. Winters & C. Deane to J. Serrano, $125,000

Waldo St., 2644: G. Neff to M. Almodovar, $134,900

Woodbine St., 218: D&F Realty Holdings LP to M. Espinal, $83,500

York St., 1933: R. Adam to Atras de la Quema LLC, $58,500

Zarker St., 1945: M. Strine to PACC Homes & Development LLC, $85,000

Harrisburg property sales, November 2025, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Ice Cycles: With a little preparation, you’ll be biking in a winter wonderland

December 30, 2025 | by Susan Ryder

Eric Tuttle rode into Camp Hill’s Holmes Cycling & Fitness from his five-mile bike commute like he didn’t get the memo that it was cold outside.

He likes riding in the winter and thinks that cyclists should give it a try.

“The hardest thing about getting on your bike in the wintertime is taking the step out, just get out,” said Tuttle, an avid cyclist and employee at Holmes. “Then once you’re out, you’re there, you’re doing it.”

The staff in the shop nodded in agreement.

“This time of year, it’s a little harder to get out,” said Don Kessel. “But once you’re done, you don’t regret it.”

The next most difficult thing might be dealing with the cold weather. Biking in the cold needs some special attention.

“What most people don’t take into consideration when they hop on a bike in the winter is the speed factor,” said Sharyn Kocevar, business manager at InGear Cycling & Fitness in Hummelstown. “It’s actually lowering the temperature.”

In the summer, that cool down is refreshing. In the winter, not so much, especially if riders aren’t expecting it. Riding slower in the winter actually helps riders stay warmer, said Tuttle.

“We like to say that there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad equipment,” Tuttle said.

That equipment includes clothing. The old adage, dress in layers, is an adage for a reason—it works. Tuttle said that he runs a bit warmer, so he may wear less gear than others.

“It’s all different per person,” he said.

Stay Warm

There’s no need to go and buy lots of expensive gear.

Ski clothing, running clothing or just general cold weather clothing is fine. It’s a good idea to have a place to put those layers if you need to shed them. Kocevar has a bike rack with a bag.

“You can incorporate some of your normal cold weather gear but be prepared with what to do with your layers,” he said.

Extremities typically take the biggest beating from the cold.

“When it’s 30 degrees, it’s more of a challenge for your toes, ears and fingers,” Tuttle said.

Hand warmers are a good solution, but Tuttle has a suggestion to make them more efficient.

“You think, ‘My toes are cold, so I’m gonna get those toe pieces that go in my boots,’” he said. “And your fingers are cold, so you’re going to put them there too.”

However, Tuttle suggests placing the warmers by the pulse points at the wrist and ankle. The blood flowing past these points will heat up the entire extremity.

For folks who have more trouble in the cold, heated vests, socks and gloves are available.

“You can adjust the temperature and warm that area of your body that needs to stay warm,” Kocevar said.

Riders also need to keep hydrated in the winter, which also can warm them up.

“I sometimes take a warm liquid and my regular water, and I’ve mixed in a bouillon cube,” Tuttle said.

Worth It

Conditions are another area of challenge for winter biking. Many road cyclists put up their bikes for the winter, but for those who continue to ride, there are a few things to consider. For one, prepare for a different riding experience.

“They don’t do street sweeping in the wintertime,” Kocevar said. “And that’s what keeps the loose gravel and the trash off the shoulder.”

When it snows, even on plowed roads, the shoulder can be gone. Knowing your route is key to keeping safe for the commuting cyclist, said Kocevar.

Conditions on trails can vary, too. Part of the trail can be nice and clear and another part slushy, snowy or icy, making traction challenging. Lowering your tire pressure can help with this.

“When you lower the air pressure in your tire, you give yourself a wider surface area for traction,” said Kocevar.

Preparedness is more important in the winter. With fewer folks on the trails, a rider must know how to change their own tire or make other simple repairs. Walking five miles with a bike in the summer is one thing; walking five miles with a bike in the winter is another thing altogether.

“Carry a lock if you need to secure your bike and go back and get it later and have a phone-a-friend option,” Kocevar said.

This preparedness makes for a better riding experience, so riders are more apt to go out again.

So, where can folks cycle in the winter? Rail trails provide a great option. Their flat terrain and sandy, gritty texture provide an easier ride with more grip.

“Find something small nearby,” Tuttle said. “We live within driving distance of rail trails here—the main thing is to get out and try it.”

If a solo ride doesn’t sound like fun, Holmes has group biking opportunities listed on Strava.com. Included in the mix are social rides, ladies-only rides, training rides and mountain rides. And if a person needs a little courage to make the leap, Holmes is there to help.

“We’re all here to talk about it,” Tuttle said. “That’s what we all do, that’s what we live for.”

In a group, or solo, in the snow or gritty trail, riding in the winter provides exercise and allows riders to continue to do something they enjoy through the winter months. Riders shouldn’t let the season stand in their way.

“It’s worth it, and a lot of people just get nervous to try it,” Tuttle said.

For more information about Pennsylvania Rail Trails, visit www.railstotrails.org/state/pennsylvania.
For more information on Holmes Cycling & Fitness, visit www.holmescycling.com.
For more information on InGear Cycling & Fitness, visit www.ingearcycling-fitness.com.

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Fit for All: New program emphasizes exercise for special needs

December 30, 2025 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Fit Abilities participants

Joleen Bingham, of Lewisberry, said it “broke my heart” that there’s “not a lot of fitness” for the special needs population who surpass school age.

That’s why Bingham, whose two of three children are on the autism spectrum, founded Fit Abilities at 13 Stripes Fitness in October with Estreya Rosado of Hershey.

Although Bingham no longer is with the program, Rosado continues to run Fit Abilities at the former 13 Stripes Fitness in Dillsburg, now rebranded as Avenger Athletics. Rosado also plans to expand Fit Abilities to Avenger Athletic locations in West Hanover Township and Newport at a date “to be determined in the first quarter of 2026,” she said.

“This is a program designed to make fitness and movement safe, supportive and truly inclusive for people with intellectual and physical disabilities, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries and more,” Bingham said.

Rosado said that she and Bingham started the endeavor to help “an underserved population.” She is CEO of Avenger Athletics, offering strength training, weight training, life coaching and more, in addition to Fit Abilities.

So far, the program offers small group classes and one-on-one coaching for clients ages 16 and up, with expansion planned for school-age children in January. Rosado said that she also would like to see Fit Abilities partner with other organizations for greater access to the disabled population in the future.

Fit Abilities’ groups are intentionally set at a maximum of six participants, so that each person receives dedicated attention.

“Whether you’re working out one-on-one or with a group, you’ll always be seen, heard and encouraged,” the program’s website states.

Fit Abilities also notes that “everyone’s starting point is different,” so workouts are designed around each participant’s current mobility, coordination and comfort level.

Bingham said that she’s leaving it up to her two children whether they sign up for Fit Abilities sessions. “They can make up their own minds to participate,” she noted.

Quality of Life

As many know, physical activity is an important component in maintaining health, well-being and quality of life. For people with disabilities, physical activity fosters daily living activities and independence. It also helps reduce anxiety and depression.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, one in four adults is living with a disability defined as seriously affecting walking or climbing stairs, hearing, seeing, concentrating, remembering, making decisions, completing errands alone and dressing or bathing.

In turn, adults with disabilities are more likely to have obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes or cancer than adults without disabilities, the CDC states. Physical activity is important as it can reduce the risk and/or help manage these chronic conditions.

Unfortunately, less than half of U.S. adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (i.e. mobility disability) report taking part in aerobic physical activity. Of those who are active, walking is the most common activity, yet adults with disabilities report more environmental barriers for this activity than those who aren’t disabled.

That’s where Fit Abilities fits in.

“People with special needs are special just like everyone else, but their brain works a little differently,” Bingham said. “They look at life a little differently.”

In addition, the relationship goes both ways, benefiting both the participants and the instructors.

“I like that I get to help people,” Rosado noted.

For more information about Fit Abilities at Avenger Athletics, visit www.13stripesfitness.com or call 717-420-9898.

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Happenings: Our January Calendar of Events

December 30, 2025 | by Missy Smith

Museums & Art Spaces

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

“Mustang Then and Now,” through April 18

“Old School Rods and Customs, through April 19

SAAB Showroom, through April 19

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

“All Access Harrisburg,” highlighting Pennsylvania’s capital city through the lenses of photographers William Hicks, Dr. Eliseo Rosario, Ron Steficek and Michael Yatsko, through Jan. 8

“Women of the Permanent Collection,” featuring a variety of female artists from the 20th century with their own distinctive style and unique perspective, through March 27

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

“Contain—CALC’s 2026 Juried Show,” an exploration of vessels, depictions of vessels and vessels as a metaphor, Jan.9-31

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

January artist of the month

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

Art & Craft Featuring Millersburg, Jan. 1-31

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyart.org

HAAA Member Artwork at Hershey Public Library, hallway gallery, through Feb. 14

HAAA Member Artwork at Hershey Public Library, community room, through May 30

Historical Society of Dauphin County
John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion
219 S. Front St., Harrisburg
717- 233-3462; dauphincountyhistory.org

Mansion Tours, Tuesdays-Friday, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

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

Senior Art Educator Exhibition—B.S. Art Education Program, Jan. 17-Feb. 1; reception: Jan .17, 4:30 p.m.

Works by Ali Wunder and Emily Fussner, Jan. 23-March 3; artist’s talk and reception: Jan. 23, 4:30 p.m.

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

Holiday gift shopping, a collection of work by Millworks in-house artists, ready to take off the wall and wrap up, through Jan. 11

New works by Jemar Sweets, Kate Gambini, Rea Ann Ross, Richard Souders, Marsha Souders, Spencer Jackson and Steve Barber, Jan. 12-Feb. 15

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

Mixed media work by Kristen Wierman, Jan. 16-April 4; reception: Jan. 16, 5-8 p.m.

“Ned Smith Unseen,” Jan. 3-March 21

“Cryptids of Pennsylvania and the Appalachian Trail,” through Jan. 10

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

Art in the Stacks—Rebekah Richmond, Jan. 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
PCCA Gallery, 1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“My Pleasant Splendid,” pressed flower pictures by Judy Bouder, through Jan. 3

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

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

“Bannered Heroes—Celebrating Pennsylvania’s African American Veterans,” presented by Beta Pi Boulé, the Harrisburg chapter of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity (the Boulé)

“Horse2Auto—A Transportation Revolution”

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

“Mixed Mythology,” works by Mary Curran that draw on a deep reverence for the natural world and explores how humans make sense of their surroundings, through Jan. 4

Dōshi Gallery Juried Exhibition—“Nightfall,” exploring the concept of oncoming night, whether metaphorically or through medium and technique, Jan. 9-April 5

“SAM Celebrates 10 Years—An Anniversary Exhibition,” through Feb. 15

“If Herr Street Could Talk,” the homecoming exhibition of award-winning abstract artist and Harrisburg native, Alteronce Gumby, through Feb. 22

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

“A Measure of Value,” works by Faith Ringgold, Sue Coe, Andy Warhol, the Guerilla Girls and others that consider how art and artifacts intersect with economic principles of markets, Jan. 16-April 4

“Her Dreams Are True,” a new perspective on the role of archives, museum collections and the personal memory in Apsáalooke (Crow) artist Wendy Red Star’s prints and photos, through Feb. 7

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

“Gather and Release,” paper quilts by Elaine Elledge, through Jan. 30

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

“Cabin Fever—What Saves an Artist from Insanity and Boredom,” an eclectic show in a variety of mediums to brighten up the dreary days of winter, Jan. 7-Feb. 21

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

2025 Photo Contest Display, showcasing Dauphin County parks photographs, through Jan. 24
Read, Make, Learn

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Swing dance classes, 6:30-9 p.m.

The Art Center School & Galleries
18 Artcraft Dr., Mechanicsburg
717-697-2072; theartcenterschoolandgalleries.com

Jan. 20, 27: Abstract Painting (ages 9-14), 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 20-Feb. 24: Functional Pottery (ages 12+ with parent or guardian), Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Jan. 21-Feb. 25: The Ceramic Studio (adults), Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Jan. 22-Feb. 12: Acrylic Painting (adults), Thursdays, 1:30-3 p.m.
Jan. 22-Feb. 12: Intermediate/Advanced Pastel Painting (adults), Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 22-Feb. 12: Pottery Wheel Throwing, all levels (adults), Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 22-Feb. 26: Pottery for All (ages 15+), Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.

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

Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Strong + Fit, in person and virtual, 10 a.m.
Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26: Gentle Yoga, 9:30 a.m.
Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26: Fitness Flow, 4:15 p.m.
Jan. 5, 19: Virtual Pilates, 5 p.m.
Jan. 6: Exploring the Dimensions of Wellness, 11 a.m.
Jan. 6: Chair Yoga at York Connect Store, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Virtual Menopause Workshop, 12 p.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Virtual INSPIRE, 9 a.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Virtual Pilates, 12 p.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Kickboxing + Strength, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Ready, Steady, Action! at Enola Store and Virtual, 4:15 p.m.
Jan. 14, 28: Virtual Cooking Demo, 12 p.m.
Jan. 21: Connect—Health & Wellness and Beyond Webinar, 10 a.m.

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

Jan. 10: Indigo Dyeing (ages 15-adult), 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 12-Feb. 16: Wheel 101 (ages 16-adult), Mondays, 7-9 p.m.
Jan. 13: Storybook Studio (ages 2-5), 10:30-11:15 a.m.
Jan. 14-Feb. 18: Wednesday Wheel 102, Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 17: Making Collage Pagers, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Jan. 17, 24: Morphology (ages 9-14), 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Jan. 19: Level Up! (ages 5-12), 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Jan. 20: Suicide Loss Survivors (ages 13-adult), 5:30-7 p.m.
Jan. 23: Craft Beer & Clay, 7-9 p.m.
Jan. 24: Put Your Color Pedal to the Metal (ages 13-adult), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 24: Collage as a Fine Art (adult), 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Jan. 31: Beaded Besties (ages 5-12), 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 31: Abstract Painting, 12-3 p.m.

Dauphin County Library System
dcls.org

Jan. 3: Once Upon a Rainbow at LGBT Center of Central PA, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 13: Books on Tap at Rubber Soul Brewery, Hummelstown, 6-7 p.m.

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

Jan. 3 Figment Forge, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Crafting with the Classics—Frankenstein, 5:30-7 p.m.
Jan. 14: Secure Your Future—Retirement Income Planning, 1-2 p.m.
Jan. 15: Sip and Speak, 3-4:30 p.m.
Jan. 17: Minds Matter Harrisburg, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Jan. 18: East Shore Cinema, 2-5 p.m.
Jan. 20: Around the Word in 12 Fairytales, 5-5:45 p.m.
Jan. 21: Investing with Confidence, 1-2 p.m.
Jan. 26: The Stitch Sitch, 2-3:30 p.m.
Jan. 28: Life Insurance Essentials—Planning for Every Stage, 1-2 p.m.

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

Jan. 3: Knitter’s Group, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Card Making Group, 5-7 p.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Fiber Artists, 3-6 p.m.
Jan. 10: Fiber Artists, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

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

Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Food and Farm Discovery Zone (ages 3-5), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Baby Rhyme Time, 9:15 a.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Active Toddler Time, 10-10:30 a.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Toddler Storytime, 10:30-11 a.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Preschool Storytime, 11-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Meditation to Calm the Mind. 12-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Elementary STEAM Drop in, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Teens Teaching Tech, 4-5 p.m.
Jan. 17: CPR Heart Saver, 1-4:30 p.m.
Jan. 22: Disney Storytime, 9:30-10 a.m.
Jan 24: Book Dragon Club— Craftivism, 6-8:30 p.m.

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

Jan. 10: Winter Wreath Workshop, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 25: Winter Glass Painting, 2-4 p.m.

George & Hettie Love Memorial Library
530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg
717-234-3934; dcls.org

Jan. 3: Otherworldly Book Club, 12-1 p.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Exploring Egypt, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Jan. 8: Love Friends Book Bingo, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Jan. 10: Knit One, Crochet Too!, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 17: Silent Book Club, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 29: TBD (To-Be-Read list) Jars, 4-5:30 p.m.
Jan. 31: Write On!, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

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

Jan. 13-March 3: Level 2—Game of the Scene, Tuesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Jan. 22-March 12: Level 1—Intro to Improv, Thursdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyart.org

Jan. 6-Feb. 17: Oil and Acrylics, Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Jan. 15-Feb. 19: Water Media, Thursdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Jan. 14-28: Portrait Painting, Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Hershey Gardens
170 Hotel Rd., Hershey
717-534-3492; hersheygardens.org

Jan. 11, 18, 25: Winter Walk, 2-3 p.m.
Jan. 14, 21, 28: Winter Wednesdays Family Series—Winter Animal Adaptations, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 17: Winter Bird Watch, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 23: Eco-Fiction Book Group, 12-12:30 p.m.

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

Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Drop Off Your Extra Craft Supplies, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Jan. 6: Hershey Area Pokémon Club, 5:30-7 p.m.
Jan. 6: Mysteries, She Wrote Mystery Book Club, 6:30-8 p.m.
Jan. 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29: Penn State Hershey Mothers & Babies, 10:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 7: LEGO Club, 1-2 p.m.
Jan. 7: Spontaneous Sparks Improv Class with Gamut Theatre, 2-3:30 p.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Community Crochet Night, 6-7 p.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Teen Time, 2:30-4:15 p.m.
Jan. 12: Hershey Area Neighbors and Newcomers, 10:15 a.m.-1 p.m.
Jan. 12: Read to a Hockey Player, 4-4:45 p.m.
Jan. 15, 29: Hershey Quilters, 12:30 p.m.
Jan. 16: Play Day for Families, 10-11 a.m.
Jan. 17: Cocoa Area Fiber Enthusiasts, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 20: Splash of Serenity—Watercolors for Relaxation, 2-3:30 p.m.
Jan. 20, 27: Silent Book Group, 10-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 26: Books and Babies, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
Jan. 26: Storytime for Everyone, 11-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 27: 1, 2, Whee!, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
Jan. 29: Storytime for Everyone, 10:15-10:45 a.m.

Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education
4945 Horn Road, York
717-757-6441; hornfarmcenter.org

Jan. 10, 24, Feb. 7: Ecological Restoration Certificate, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Jan. 21-Oct. 10 (meeting monthly): Beekeeper Training Program, 6-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 25: Walk the Seasons—Winter, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Jan. 27: Dude, Grass is so 1753, 6-7:30 p.m.

Johnson Memorial Library
799 East Center St., Millersburg
717-692-2658; dcls.org

Jan. 21: Weekday Getaway, 4-5:30 p.m.
Jan. 26: Winter PJ Party—Stuffy Drop Off, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Jan. 27: Winter PJ Party—Stuffy Drop Off, 6-7 p.m.

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

Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Passageways, 2 p.m.
Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25: Young Adult Group, 4 p.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Common Roads (ages 12-17), 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 10: QTPOC Advisory Group, 6-8 p.m.

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

Jan. 27: Coloring for Adults!, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

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

Jan. 20: Snapology, 5-6:30 p.m.

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

Jan. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: LEGO Club, 6-7 p.m.
Jan. 3: Open Studio, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26: STEAM Club, 6 p.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Tiny Tots Storytime, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Wee Readers Storytime, 1-2 p.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Tales with T.A.I.L.S., 6-7 p.m.
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29: Teen Time, 4-5 p.m.
Jan. 10: Community Table Top Game Time, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 20: Sensory Storytime, 6-7 p.m.

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

Jan. 18: An Afternoon with Alice Feeney, 4-5 p.m.
Jan. 21: An Evening with Chuck Klosterman and Spike Eskin, 7-8 p.m.

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

Jan. 3: Abstract Mixed Media Acrylics—Working Large, 9-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 13: Crafty Stitches, 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 17: Clay Critters, 1-4 p.m.

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

Jan. 7: Pre-K Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
Jan. 10: Winter Hike, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

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

Jan. 1-5: Snow Globe LEGO Contest (ages 5 and older)
Jan. 1-31: Crystal & Gem Scavenger Hunt (ages 0-12)
Jan. 1-31: Read With Benny Winter Reading Challenge (ages 0-18)
Jan. 2: Cozy Winter Cookie Decorating (ages 5 and older), 2-3 p.m.
Jan. 3, 10, 17: Take and Makes (ages 0-12)
Jan. 3, 17: Book Sales, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Jan. 5, 19: Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 5-Feb. 23: Winter Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5), 10:30-11:15 a.m.
Jan. 6: Brush Hour Art Club (ages 12 and older), 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Jan. 6-Feb. 10: Winter Book Babies (ages 0-2), Tuesdays, 11:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 7: Piece Seekers, 6-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: iPhone Class, 6-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 8: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 8: Musical Mornings (ages 2-5), 10:30-11 a.m.
Jan. 9: Tumble Tots (ages 0-3), 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 10: Teen Craft Kits (ages 13-17)
Jan. 13: Shelf Love, 6-7 p.m.
Jan. 13: Tales for Tails (ages 6-12), 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 15: Toddler Time (ages 2-3), 10:30-11 a.m.
Jan. 15: Winter Library Olympics (ages 5 and older), 5-6 p.m.
Jan. 16, 30: Block Party (ages 0-3), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 22: Movers and Groovers (ages 2-5), 10:30-11 a.m.
Jan. 22: Murder at the Planetarium (ages 12 and older), 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 27: Junior Scientists (ages 5 and older), 5-6 p.m.

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

Jan. 5: Genealogy Group, 10-11 a.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Strength & Stretching 50+, 10-11 a.m.
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28: Smart Start Storytime, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Jan. 12: Book Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 15: Debut Author Book Club @ Book Bar, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 26: BYO Craft Nights Adults 18+, 4:30-6:45 p.m.

Panacea Healing Arts
701 N. Mountain Rd., Harrisburg
484-373-9109; panaceahealingarts.com

Jan. 5: Crystal Bowl Sound Immersion, 6-7 p.m.
Jan. 12: Gentle Yoga & Sound Immersion Savasana, 6:30-8 p.m.
Jan. 19: Monthly Community Central Pennsylvania Psychedelic Society Meeting, 6:30-8 p.m.

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

Jan. 5-Feb. 16: Pre-K Class Series—Creativity and the Elements of Art, Mondays, 10-11 a.m.
Jan.14-28: Introduction to Pottery—6-Week Beginners Class, Wednesdays, 6 p.m.

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

Jan. 2-4: Faster Light
Jan. 2-4: Passport to the Universe
Jan. 9: Storytime, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 9: Curiosity Kids—Crayons, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 16: Tin Shop, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 17: Storytime, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. 17: Franklin Inventions, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Jan. 21: Let It Snow!, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 23: Curiosity Kids—Magnets & Magnetism, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 23: Virtual Program—Revolutionary Things, 12:15 p.m.
Jan. 30: GG1 Locomotive, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 31: Buttons, Badges and Pins!, 10 a.m.

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

Jan. 8: Homeschool Happenings, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

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

Jan. 2: Dumpling Snow Folk Workshop, 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 6: White Evergreen or Snowflake Mosaic, 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 9: Acrylic Snowy Tree Painting Class, 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 10: Hand Built Clay Tree Luminary, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jan. 16: Hand Built Mug Workshop, 6-7:30 p.m.
Jan. 24: Clay Smoker Faerie House Workshop, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

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

Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27: Wednesday Wellness Walks, 1-2:30 p.m.
Jan. 10: Birds & Coffee with Appalachian Audubon Society, 10-11 a.m.
Jan. 24: Kids Discover—Rocks and Minerals (ages 5-10), 1:30-3 p.m.
Jan. 27: Winter Lecture Series Intro to Homesteading—Start Where You Are, 7-8:30 p.m.
Jan. 28: Preschool Storytime—Winter at Wildwood, 10-10:45 a.m.
Jan. 31: Pressed Flower Valentines, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

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

Jan. 3: Crafternoon, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Jan. 5: Bored Builders Needed! 5-6 p.m.
Jan. 9: Blood Drive, 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Jan. 24: Build Your Own Terrarium, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Live Music

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

Jan. 22: Hank Azaria and The EZ Street Band—A Springsteen Celebration
Jan. 23: Bill Engvall
Jan. 24: Elvis Birthday Bash with Mike Albert & Scot Bruce
Jan. 25: Mike Albert’s Elvis Gospel Show with The Stamps Quartet
Jan. 31: The Sixties Show

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

Jan. 8, 15, 22 Open Mic Night
Jan. 17: RIFT Phish Tribute w/ Sons of Pitches
Jan. 23: Cris Jacobs w/ The Adventures of Matte Black
Jan 29: DJ Brownie of The Disco Biscuits w/ Funkbot
Jan. 31: The Grateful Allman Band Experience

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

Jan. 2: Jazz in the City
Jan. 17: York Symphony
Jan. 23: The Bacon Brothers
Jan. 24: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Jan. 30: Gabe Dixon, Cumberland Honey

Capital City Music Hall
234 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
capcitymusichall.com

Jan. 17: Tantric
Jan. 20: Atmosphere, Sage Francis, R.A. The Rugged Man, Kool Keith, Mr. Dibbs
Jan. 23: Lez Zeppelin

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

Jan. 2, 14: Anthony Haubert
Jan. 7, 14: Dr. Nyce
Jan. 10, 24: Chris Emkey
Jan. 22, 28: Andrea Britton

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

Jan. 24: Eaglemania—Eagles Tribute Band
Jan. 30: Hollywood Nights—The Bob Seger Experience

Englewood Hershey
1219 West End Ave., Hummelstown
717-256-9480; englewoodhershey.com

Jan. 24: U2topia

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

Jan. 31: Jack Daniels

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

Jan. 10-11: Beethoven and Barber
Jan. 31-Feb. 1: “Bravo Broadway!”

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

Jan. 10: Popcorn Hat Players presents “Little Red Riding Hood, 11-11:45 a.m.

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

Jan. 2: The Uptown Band
Jan. 3: Blue Morning
Jan. 9: Amish Outlaws
Jan. 10: Funktion
Jan. 16: Emily’s Toybox
Jan. 17: The Audio Files
Jan. 23: Turning the Tide

Market Square Concerts
marketsquareconcerts.org

Jan. 7: Kerson Leong

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

Jan. 18: Peter Sirotin and Friends

Metropolis Collective
17 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg
717-458-8245; metropoliscollective.com

Jan. 9: Mark Steiner & His Problems
Jan. 16: Downstrokes, Mighty Joe Castro and The Gravamen

Pine Street Presbyterian Church
310 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-238-9304; pinestreet.org

Jan. 11: Talon Smith

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

Jan. 11: January Jam & Song Swap
Jan. 17: Damn Tall Buildings
Jan. 31: Crys Matthews

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

Jan. 23: Forrest Brown
Jan. 30: Colebrook Road
Jan. 31: Captain Mike & The Shipwrecked (Jimmy Buffet tribute)

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

Jan. 16: Best of The Eagles

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

Jan. 16: DEFIANT
Jan. 17: Appetite For Destruction
Jan. 23: Reilly and the Pick ‘Em Ups, Seneca & Slick Willie
Jan. 29: Tom Hamilton
Jan. 30: Badfish, Beach Fly

The Stage Door

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

Jan. 8: The Outlet—Music & Poetry Open Mic
Jan. 17, 18, 25: “King Lear” presented by OrangeMite Shakespeare Company
Jan. 31: Doktor Kaboom—Under Pressure!

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

Jan. 2-3: “An Inspector Calls”

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

Jan. 9-Feb. 7: “Clue the Musical”

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

Jan. 14-31: Popcorn Hat Players present “The Snow Queen”
Jan. 16-18: “Edward III”
Jan. 23-25: “Hamlet”
Jan. 30: TMI Improv

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

Jan. 23-25: “Finding Nemo Jr.”

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

Jan. 2, 3: Kevin Lee
Jan. 9, 10: Jay Nog and Mike Keegan
Jan. 16, 17: Mark Gregory and Granville Bazemore
Jan. 23, 24: Josh Phillips

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

Jan. 9, 11: Level 1—Intro to Improv Class Graduation Show

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

Jan. 15-Feb. 1: “Death of a Salesman”

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

Jan. 16: “Dancing with the Local Stars”

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

Jan. 8-11: “Beetlejuice Jr.”
Jan. 16: EFF Live!
Jan. 25: Court Street Cabaret

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

Jan. 9-26: Agatha Christie’s Rule of Thumb

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

Jan. 25: The Magic of John Westford

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

An Agonizing Call: “The Voice of Hind Rajab” is a tough, harrowing but necessary film to see

December 30, 2025 | by Gabriel Brown

Photo courtesy of WILLA.

Few films evoke the justified buzz of Kaouther Ben Hania’s Golden Globe-nominated docudrama, “The Voice of Hind Rajab.”

The film broke records at the Venice Film Festival this year, where it won the Grand Jury Prize, and its 23-minute standing ovation became the longest ever recorded at a film festival.

Hind Rajab was a 5-year-old Palestinian girl driving through the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza with her uncle, aunt and three cousins when the Israeli Defense Forces attacked their car, killing everyone but her. She called the emergency services, staying on the phone with them for hours, until the military killed her too.

The centerpiece of the film is the original recorded audio of Hind’s call, recovered from the Red Crescent database for the cast, playing emergency call center operators, to act alongside. In this film, you are listening to the voice of a 5-year-old child at her most desperate and alone, on the day of her murder—one of tens of thousands who’ve died in the war.

As much as they want to, no one in the call center is able to physically help Hind, and the frustration as they deal with the Israeli military’s red tape to confirm a safe route for their rescuers turns to suspense, to hope, and then to dread. This feeling of desperate helplessness is stomach-churning, as the callers watch and listen to the senseless violence from a distance. There’s nothing they can do.

It feels reductive to address a film like this on a technical level, but this film knows exactly what it is, and the weight of its truth. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, instead executing technical skill on a very high level to reinforce the story.

Ben Hania employs a cinema verité style that relies heavily on close-ups, delicate focus adjustments, and handheld camerawork to capture the claustrophobic and frenetic drama of the film. In particular, the visual motif of the soundwave of Hind’s call conjuring the lifeline on a heart monitor continues to cross my mind—an extremely effective and simple way to showcase the immediacy of the situation.

“The Voice of Hind Rajab” is not a call to action, but rather a cry out in darkness. There is evil and injustice in this world, but beyond helping where and how we can, sometimes all we can do is turn our gaze to see its reflection in our eyes. Do not avert your eyes. Do not miss this film.

“The Voice of Hind Rajab” opens at Midtown Cinema in early 2026.

January Events
at Midtown Cinema

Down in Front!
Comedy riffing
“Rocketship X-M” (1950)
Friday, Jan. 9, 9:30ish

3rd in the Burg Movie Night
“Nacho Libre” (2006)
Friday, Jan. 16, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday Morning Cartoon
“My Neighbor Totoro” (1988)
Saturday, Jan. 17, 11 a.m.

Late Night Frights
“Videodrome” (1983)
Friday, Jan. 23, 9:30 p.m.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com. Gabriel Brown serves as assistant manager at Midtown Cinema.

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

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