December Publisher’s Note

November 25, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

At the end of the year, our schedule gets tossed into the air.

While everyone decorates and parties, TheBurg staff scrambles to meet early deadlines, finalize our stories, and get our monthly magazine into your hands.

The rapid-fire Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Year’s train of holidays is always challenging, and this year is especially tough for us, given the quirks of the calendar.

Nonetheless, no worries. As always, we’ll meet our deadlines, with our print magazine packed with community news, commentary, features, events and fun. And, like each December, this issue focuses heavily on the holidays and how we celebrate here in the Harrisburg area.

This month, we have holiday stories that range widely from local attractions to light displays to seasonal entertainment and more. We also have some great ideas on ways to give back to the community, if that’s on your to-do list.

If it is, we hope that you’ll consider putting something special from TheBurg under your tree, as merch sales help fund our mission of serving this community. Currently, we offer sweatshirts, T-shirts and ballcaps through our website or, if you prefer, just drop by our office. Donning your Burg gear also shows the world (or at least your fellow Wegman’s shoppers) that you support our work and your community.

For the holiday season, we also hope you’ll consider joining Friends of TheBurg, our membership program. To say “thanks,” we’ll send you a Burg-branded tote, delivered right to your door. You’ll also get an invitation to the Burg Bash, a huge annual party to honor our members (and my single-favorite night of the year). To date, we’ve had over 700 individuals, families, groups, companies and organizations become members—so please, join in the fun!

OK, I think I’m all pitched out for the month. It’s time now to turn the page and dig into our annual seasonal issue. TheBurg staff wishes you and your loved ones the happiest of holidays!

Larry, Lauren, Meg, Maddie, Natalie and Lex

Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor

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

Lack of Capitol: In Harrisburg, an absent state workforce shatters small business dreams

November 25, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck

When I first moved to Harrisburg, Aleco’s was my go-to spot for a quick, cheap meal.

At the time, the (very) casual eatery was located at North and 2nd streets, a cozy spot frequented mostly by neighborhood denizens like me.

Aleco’s was run by Jose, originally from Mexico and one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met. If you dropped in at 7 a.m., he’d happily grill up a breakfast sandwich for you. For lunch and dinner, he furiously dished out burgers, cheesesteaks, sandwiches and huge salads. On Saturday nights, the late-night drinking crowd showed up, standing in a long line that often wound up the block, for greasy slabs of pizza at 2 a.m.

The place never seemed to close, and Jose never seemed to take a day off.

Mike, an older guy who lived nearby, waited every week for the Tuesday night pasta special—a mountain of spaghetti, meatballs, salad and garlic bread, all for about eight bucks.

“Look at all this food,” he said to me more than once, marveling at the pile on his plate. “It’s the best deal in town.”

Unfortunately, Aleco’s salad days (excuse the pun) wouldn’t last. About eight years ago, his landlord didn’t renew his lease, wanting the first-floor storefront for himself. So, Jose relocated a few blocks away, just across from the Capitol building, hoping to tap into the state worker market. Unfortunately, by now, we all know how this story ends.

A pandemic, 25,000 missing state employees, empty office buildings—and another Harrisburg small business down the drain, another dream shattered. In late October, I tried to stop in for lunch, but found the doors locked, the always-open place dark and empty. I tried calling, and the phone went unanswered.

Recently, TheBurg was named Small Business of the Year by the Harrisburg Regional Chamber, and, this month, I have the great honor of accepting this award on behalf of my amazing, creative, committed staff.

Because of this, I thought I might write a column about what it takes to be a successful small business in Harrisburg, an admittedly tough place to make it. I even sketched out a few ideas, addressing concepts like consistency, quality, flexibility, responsibility and dedication, which I believe are components of our success.

But then I realized that, no, that’s not enough. In Harrisburg, you can be a business that does all these things right—and still find yourself run over by some force beyond your control.

A pandemic might hit. Inflation may roar. And, worse of all, your Capitol customer base might stop showing up for work. Over the last five years, all these things happened to the hardest-working man in Harrisburg.

Of course, it isn’t only Jose. The catalogue of shuttered downtown businesses is a long one. Just last March, I wrote about another sandwich shop, Deco Grab & Go, which suffered a similar fate, and, well, I could go on and on. The list goes far beyond lunch spots, including law firms, lobbyists, banks, shops, consultants, bars, etc., which, since the pandemic, have closed, downsized or relocated, leaving many buildings half or fully empty.

My phone rang recently and a building owner, clearly upset, told me that he feared losing his anchor tenant, a downtown business that likely wasn’t renewing its expiring lease. He placed the blame squarely on Gov. Shapiro, who continues to allow most state workers, much of the time, to work remotely.

He said that he believed Shapiro had a responsibility either to order all state workers back to the office or to help fund the redevelopment of downtown Harrisburg—say, a one-time $100 million payment to help convert empty offices into residential space, where there is a demand.

Great idea, I told him, but, also, good luck with that. The problem, I said, is that Harrisburg is an orphan. Neither party gives a hoot about its own capital city.

For the Democratic governor, allowing state employees to continue working from home is the path of least resistance. Why rock the boat, upsetting the workforce, even if in-office work is superior? A future Republican governor might try to reverse that. However, that could prove difficult, considering that so many workers have grown accustomed to remote work or hybrid schedules.

Last year, I wrote a column saying that we, in Harrisburg, need to admit that state workers aren’t coming back and move on, opening a new chapter in the city’s history. I imagine a future in which Harrisburg finally fulfills its destiny as a great small city located on a majestic river, with a walkable, mixed-use downtown full of shops, restaurants and attractions. But, sure, such a transition will take gobs of money, and I have no idea where that will come from.

Even if it happened, it’ll be far too late for Jose and the many other small business owners who have become collateral damage since the pandemic. One day, a whole new crop of starry-eyed entrepreneurs will take their place. I can only wish them better luck than the poor souls who, deciding where to locate their businesses, once looked at the sprawling, stately Capitol Complex, with thousands of weekday workers, a guaranteed customer base, and confidently thought, “Well, at least this will never go away.”

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

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

December News Digest

November 25, 2025 | by TheBurg Staff

December News Digest

Williams Re-Elected Harrisburg Mayor

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams won a second term last month, besting the city’s treasurer for the second time this year.

With all precincts reporting, incumbent Williams received 5,096 votes versus 3,837 for Dan Miller, currently Harrisburg’s treasurer.

“Thank you for giving me another four years,” said Williams, at her victory party in Uptown Harrisburg. “I promise as I did before: a new Harrisburg. Now, who’s with me?”

Like Williams, Miller is a registered Democrat. However, he ran on the Republican ticket after narrowly losing the Democratic primary to Williams in May, but garnering enough write-in votes to secure the Republican nomination.

After conceding defeat, Miller said that he gave it his best but couldn’t overcome running on the Republican side in such a Democratic city.

“It’s so disappointing,” said Miller, at his election eve gathering of supporters at the Millworks. “You don’t know how many people told me you have to win. They know that Harrisburg is in a bad place.”

Other than the mayoral race, Harrisburg’s other general election races lacked competition in the overwhelmingly Democratic city.

For City Council, Jocelyn Rawls, Ralph Rodriguez, Ausha Green and Rob Lawson all won, running unopposed for four, four-year seats. For school board, Roslyn Copeland, Danielle Robinson, Brian Carter and Jaime Johnsen all won, running unopposed for four, four-year seats, while Annie Hughes captured the lone two-year seat, also unopposed.

Democrat Karen Balaban, running unopposed, won a four-year term as city controller. She’ll replace long-time controller Charlie DeBrunner, who did not stand for re-election.

Dauphin County also had elections for several row offices and judgeships this year, with Democrats performing well.

For prothonotary, Democratic challenger Antonio Carreno of Harrisburg unseated the Republican incumbent, Matt Krupp, also of Harrisburg. For clerk of courts, Democrat Tina Nixon of Harrisburg bested the Republican nominee, John McDonald. For county coroner, long-time Republican incumbent Graham Hetrick squeaked past the Democratic nominee, John Harris Jr.

In close races for Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas judge, Democrats Katy Kennedy-McShane and La Tasha Williams defeated Republicans Fran Chardo and Jim Zugay.

Office Conversion Approved

An adaptive reuse project in downtown Harrisburg can move forward, having received the stamp of approval from City Council.

Developer Breneman Properties plans to transform three attached office buildings at 315 N. 2nd St. into a 10-unit apartment building.

Council passed the apartment conversion by a vote of 4-2, with council member Jocelyn Rawls and president Danielle Hill voting against the project. Hill prefaced her vote by saying she would vote “no” because the development did not include affordable housing, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The vacant 8,300-square-foot office building formerly housed the Pennsylvania Healthcare Association. The renovation will include constructing one- and two-bedroom units ranging from 500 to 1,200 square feet. Eight off-street parking spots exist on site.

Units are expected to rent from $1,000 to $1,400 a month, the developer said.

At the same meeting, council approved allowing the city to negotiate and enter into a professional services agreement with Ellen Freedman Schultz and Associates, LLC to develop an urban forestry and watershed education curriculum in partnership with the Harrisburg School District. The city will pay $25,000 for the program, money that will be reimbursed by a federal grant that Harrisburg received in 2023.

In other council action, Yvonne Marie Jackson was appointed to the Harrisburg Housing Authority board.

Council OKs One Project, Tables Another

One major adaptive reuse project can move forward with construction, while another has been tabled.

Harrisburg City Council last month approved one of two projects, giving the green light to an apartment project at the former Polyclinic building and stalling a downtown housing project for seniors.

Council voted in favor of a proposal by Pennmark Harrisburg Holdings, an affiliate of Montgomery County-based Pennmark Management Company, to transform the building that historically housed the Polyclinic Hospital at 2601 N. 3rd St.

The approved land development plan is for phase one of a three-phase proposal for the campus, which includes three buildings. The first phase targets the northernmost building on the property, which previously housed nurses’ quarters and more recently offices, and building out 96 market-rate units, with first-floor commercial space.

Council also voted on a plan by Harristown Development Corp. to renovate 333 Market Street, a 22-story building downtown that previously housed state government offices. At first, council’s vote resulted in a 3-3 tie, with council member Ralph Rodriguez absent.

“I want to maintain affordability, especially for our seniors,” said council President Danielle Hill, who initially voted against the project.

After City Solicitor Neil Grover told council that a tied vote would mean that the project was voted down, council decided to bring the development plan back up for reconsideration. Council tabled the vote for council members to ask further questions of the developer.

Harristown has proposed renovating floors 11 through 19 of the building, which are currently vacant, and creating 81 one- and two-bedroom apartments. Harristown is currently looking for an organization to master lease the units and provide senior housing.

At a previous work session, council members expressed concern about the affordability of the units. Harristown President Brad Jones said that he did not know what the unit rates would be, because they would be determined by the company that master leases the apartments.

Council member Shamaine Daniels advised council members who still had questions or concerns to meet with Jones but said that she believed council should pass the land development plan. If they wanted affordability to be a requirement, council should have the law bureau draft an ordinance, Daniels said.

“As far as I’m concerned, his application met the requirements,” Daniels said. “There’s nothing that mandates affordable housing.”

Hill responded, saying, “We understand that there’s no mandate for affordability, but when we’re dealing with seniors, we want to know a range of something. Being given a blanket answer isn’t sufficient enough for me.”

But Daniels noted what she saw potentially becoming a “recurring issue” if council votes down land development plans that meet all city statutes.

“If it gets denied, then it gets appealed, then we have to spend money defending an appeal that’s not defensible and is just a waste of money for everybody,” Daniels said.

In other news, council voted to accept a $101,000 payment from PennDOT to purchase a plot of city-owned land located in Swatara Township, near Paxton Street and City Park Drive, related to the I-83 widening project.

Grass Campus Playgrounds Open

Harrisburg kids now have another place to play.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg announced that they have constructed two new playgrounds for schoolchildren and the community at their Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life in Uptown.

The playgrounds were built on the Etter Family Green, a large green space on the Grass Campus.

They are already being used by Jewish Community Center participants and students at the Brenner Family ELC and The Silver Academy, housed on the Grass Campus.

Additionally, the playgrounds are open to the entire community outside of school hours, after 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and until dusk on Saturdays and Sundays.

“With immense pride and happiness, we celebrate the opening of our new playgrounds—a vibrant space where laughter, imagination and community come alive,” said Christine Cutuli, the federation’s chief operating officer. “Deepest thanks to every generous contributor who made this dream a reality. Your support and kindness will echo in the joy of every child who plays and learns here.”

The playgrounds, designed by BCI Burke, include slides, enrichment features, seating spaces and a xylophone. The Jewish Federation also upgraded the Etter Family Green with a fence and safety infrastructure.

Funds for the project came through numerous grants, including a Neighborhood Assistance Program grant from Capital Blue Cross, a Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency Non-Profit Security grant and a Dauphin County Local Shares Municipal grant, among others.

The Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life is located at 2986 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.

So Noted

Adam Santucci last month was elected to the executive committee of McNees Wallace & Nurick, a Harrisburg-based law firm. The executive committee is McNees’ senior leadership team, which guides the firm’s strategic direction and operations, according to the firm.

Lacie Parker last month was named regional vice president of Community Options, a national nonprofit that develops housing and offers employment support for people with disabilities. In this position, she will oversee operations in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Hampshire.

Midstate Shows last month announced its first show as part of the 2026 Dauphin County Live Concert Series. Alt-indie band Rainbow Kitten Surprise is slated to take the stage in Riverfront Park on Tuesday, Sept. 15, as part of its “bones” North American tour.

Changing Hands

Bailey St., 1245: People First Homes LLC to M. & J. Natal, $107,000

Balm St., 52: R. Rammouni & W. Othman to Dream Kasa Properties LLC, $125,000

Bellevue Rd., 2304: K. Hurst & C. Reinhold to A. Reber & C. Dietz, $495,000

Berryhill St., 1414: O. Conde & N. Esquea to A. Bisono, $67,000

Berryhill St., 1609: C. Wheeler & A. Swann to A. Tejada, $140,000

Berryhill St., 2158: T. Deangelis to Cleveland Association LLC, $110,000

Boas St., 109: J. Holloway & JNB Properties to J. Castro, $180,000

Boas St., 257: M. & J. Rivino to J. Johnson, $194,000

Boas St., 1713: Sunrise River Investments Inc. to A. Ventura & M. de la Cruz, $210,000

Boas St., 1800, 1001 N. 18th St. & 1201 N. 6th St.: Fernandez Realty Affordable Homes LLC to Woodward Lofts LP, $240,000

Briggs St., 2028: AUM Investments LP to DM Capital Holdings LLC, $95,500

Brookwood St., 2462: J. Dodson to A. Madrid, $126,000

Derry St., 2705: E. Beiler to H. Uppal, $150,000

Division St., 503: H. Moyer to B. Saveleski, $148,900

Emerald Ct., 2456: D. Tamang & R. Bhandari to N. Myers, $185,000

Emerald St., 229: M. Temba to HPC Properties LLC, $220,000

Emerald St., 613: JRHeller Com LLC to Chappel Capital LLC, $70,000

Forster St., 1837: D. Hall to House Cash LLC, $110,000

Fulton St., 1734: J. Thomas to R. Simms, $210,000

Green St., 807: V. & A. Jones to K. & A. Burgess, $345,000

Green St., 1509: W. Hughes & I. Wright to M. Murray, $245,000

Green St., 1932: M. & T. Kohera to N. & M. Faubion, $305,000

Hale Ave., 393: F. Ramirez & J. Polanco to C. Wells & C. Kenley, $160,900

Hale Ave., 412: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to J. Perez, $160,000

Holly St., 1709 & 1715: K. Kadel to L. Stewart, $70,000

Holly St., 1933: T. Davis to Echo Propco LLC, $93,000

Hummel St., 426: C. & S. Orellana to C&P Property Management LLC, $70,000

Lewis St., 421: J. Barber to BP Real Estate Investment Group LLC, $153,805

Locust St., 119: HBG Locust LLC to J. & D. Jones, $300,000

Logan St., 2249: Gilligan Realty LLC to Echo Propco I LLC, $82,000

Maclay St., 235: F. Contreras to Rebuild the Capital LLC, $220,000

Market St., 1705: Y. Guzman to A. Diaz, $80,000

Mulberry St., 1811: MR RE LLC to M3 Legacy LLC, $219,900

Naudain St., 1624: S. Brown to JL Mar Investments LLC, $65,000

N. 2nd St., 400: Murphy & Laus Real Estate LLC to Milan Property Group LLC, $650,000

N. 2nd St., 814: Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters to Academy HBG Realty Inc., $232,500

N. 3rd St., 3214: J. & E. Connolly to Red Giraffe Group LLC, $140,000

N. 4th St., 1625: J. Wolfe & K. Hunt to E. & L. de la Cruz, $210,000

N. 4th St., 2242: J. & A. McArthur to J2J Holdings LLC, $72,450

N. 5th St., 2405: Stoute Housing Inc. to J. Moody, $175,000

N. 5th St., 3135: J. Vega to E. Medina & D. Rivera, $273,000

N. 6th St., 1531, 1533, 1539: Buonarroti Trust to Pendleton 1521 North Sixth SPE LLC, $225,000

N. 14th St., 1201: Bedon Flooring LLC to E&R Realty Legacy LLC, $65,000

N. 14th St., 1203: Bedon Flooring LLC to M. Poles Jr., $159,000

N. 15th St., 1523: K. Braddock to E. Cook, $120,000

N. 17th St., 40: Bridger Investments LLC to Halden Horizons Group LLC, $70,000

N. 18th St., 86: DKH Homes LLC to J. Lapp, $73,500

N. 18th St., 122: Gilligan Realty LLC to Knight Development & Management LLC, $80,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 506: I. Hooker to A. Yau, $169,000

Park St., 1632: M3 6 Realty to Nachmo LLC, $83,500

Penn St., 1922: August W. Geise 2005 Trust to H. Rivera, $282,500

Regina St., 1412: M. & R. Rammouni to K&M Home Investment LLC, $80,000

Regina St., 1505: J. Jackson to Leos Property Care LLC, $93,000

Regina St., 1855: Mau Properties LLC to TR Property LLC, $277,628

Rudy Rd., 2488: N. Rivera to 2020 Real Estate Ventures LLC, $60,000

Rumson Dr., 2920: W. & D. Illanes to C. Chapa, $170,000

Showers St., 613: L. Plummer to S. Hull & A. Zimmerman, $269,000

Showers St., 617: D. Nomie to L. Pierce, $229,000

S. 13th St., 401: C., A., F. and S Weaver to M. Ginder, $121,000

S. 13th St., 436: J. Torres to J. Morales, $155,000

S. 13th St., 1449: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to DKH Homes LLC, $60,000

S. 15th St., 537: JRHeller Com LLC to Chappel Capital LLC, $60,000

S. 17th St., 923: J. Hawkins to Richie Property Management Services, $270,000

S. 17th St., 1122: A. Bratina to W. Melgarejo, $135,000

S. 18th St., 1301: House Cash LLC to Family 1st Estate LLC, $135,000

S. 25th St., 736: L. Crowder to B. Epwene, $101,000

S. 26th St., 625: Quick Holdings LLC to Z. & T. Walizer, $180,000

State St., 1412: S. Lee & M. Prokopy to PACC HBG 2 LLC, $190,000

State St., 1426: BRC 2 Properties LLC to Pichardos Realty LLC, $165,000

State St., 1512: Penn RM Properties LLC to Halden Horizons Group LLC, $99,000

Susquehanna St., 2120: W. Sheaffer to JRHeller Com LLC, $146,667

Swatara St., 2109: Swatara St LLC to La Swtara LLC, $90,000

Verbeke St., 1713: R. Green to Cleveland Association LLC, $125,000

Waldo St., 2707: S. & T. Johnson to U. Thapa, $90,000

Walnut St., 1854, 1856, 1858, 1860: A. Sullivan & A. Adams to Zook Rentals LLC, $460,000

Wiconisco St., 529: C&C Homes LLC to M. Bellamy, $160,000

Woodbine St., 633: S. Ali to C. Torres, $157,000

Zarker St., 2045: G&W Rentals LLC to G. Garcia, $143,000

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

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Spark of Support: New organization aims to help families with autism assistance, advocacy

November 25, 2025 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Kyrie, Christina & Kahlik Carden

Christina Carden knows well the challenges of parenting children with autism, as she is the mother of two young sons on the autism spectrum.

“I live and breathe the daily realities that so many families silently endure—juggling therapies, navigating school systems, attending countless appointments, and still showing up for work and community responsibilities,” said the Camp Hill resident.

Such was Carden’s motivation earlier this year for founding K & K Connections—Spectrum Spark Society.

“I just feel, in my heart, that I was meant to do this so that parents don’t feel so alone,” said Carden, who serves as executive director. “Our mission is to uplift, support and advocate for individuals and families affected by autism through education, resources and community connection.”

The “K & K” stands for Carden’s two sons, Kahlik, 16, who attends a charter school with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and Kyrie, 4½, who’s enrolled in an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy program.

About 1 in 31, or 3.2% of U.S. children aged 8 are identified with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, according to estimates provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s Autism Disabilities Monitoring Network. It’s reported to occur in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups and is three to four times more likely in boys than girls.

The latest CDC statistics are up from a previous rate of 1 in 36 children in 2017. In fact, autism rates have risen by about 300% over the past 20 years, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The university cites a partial factor behind this as a recent broader definition of ASD to include some conditions that once had a separate diagnosis, such as Asperger’s Syndrome or Pervasive Development Disorder.

Secondly, the school notes that more public health programs now include screenings at wellness visits for children ages 18 to 24 months. Parents, caregivers and community members are also said to have greater awareness of symptoms, with the disorder more accepted in the general community.

Organizations like Carden’s help erase any remaining public stigma over ASD.

“I want a neurotypical child to feel that it’s OK to be friends with a neurodiverse child,” she said.

So far, K&K Connections offers family support services that include parental support groups via its website and navigating resources that help families access needed services.

The organization also offers access to youth and teen programs, educational advocacy and sensory friendly events, such as a “Boo Bash” autism art festival that took place in October. Carden also creates a monthly K & K newsletter for all registered to the organization’s website.

Carden presently runs and funds the organization on her own, in addition to holding a full-time job. However, she’s taking steps to obtain a nonprofit status for K & K that offers eligibility for obtaining financing grants and partnerships.

“Christina is really passionate about autism, and her passion is awesome,” said Nicole Williams, Carden’s work colleague. “Obviously, she has personal experience. It takes a very special person to deal with autism, and she has that experience.”

So, what keeps her going?

“Every day is something new with children on the spectrum,” Carden said. “It blows my mind whenever Kyrie learns a new word like ‘stop’ or ‘no.’”

Kyrie is a Level 2 non-verbal child on the autism spectrum who uses sign language and an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. Kahlik is considered on a high-functioning spectrum level and recently returned to attending school because he “missed the socialization,” his mother noted.

“As parents in the autism community, we’re often not seen and not heard,” Carden said. “That’s what we go through on a daily basis. We are tough. We have our moments, but we can’t let our kids see it.”

For information or to register for K & K Connections—Spectrum Spark Society, visit www.knkconnections.net, Facebook or phone 717-612-8446.

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Everything You Need: Morning Glory will remind you of general stores of yore

November 25, 2025 | by Dan Miller

Marlin Enoch

Back in the day, before big box retail and the internet came to rule the world, you could find a general store in just about every small town.

It was a place owned and run by local folks, where you could stock up on basics like toothpaste, shampoo, a can of vegetables, toilet paper and coffee—maybe a simple homemade toy or knick-knack or two to brighten up the walls of your home.

It was a place where, if you were short on cash, the proprietor said it was OK. He—or she—figured you were good for it the next time you came in.

You can still find some of those places today. One is Marlin Enoch’s “Morning Glory” store on the square in Hummelstown.

The sign outside reads “A Family Store,” and that’s what Enoch intends it to be.

“I have something in here for every aspect of a family, from clothing to toys to furniture to decor,” he said. “It just goes on and on and on. When a person walks in here, I want them to be able to find something that they need.”

Enoch thought Hummelstown a good place for his store because of all the rental units in town, many four and five stories high. His furniture is lightweight, easy to carry and inexpensive, so “a person doesn’t have to go into debt to supply their apartment.”

By Myself

This is Enoch’s second version of Morning Glory in Hummelstown. He opened his first store on W. Main Street in March 2024.

It was only a few blocks off the square in this walkable town, but in a quiet residential area where foot traffic plummeted when winter weather set in.

He moved to his present location on the square, across the street from the local newspaper and a bank, in February 2025, but it took several months before he could reopen.

In the meantime, he took a part-time job at a grocery store to help make ends meet, as he didn’t want to borrow any more money.

He liked the job at the grocery store and the steady paycheck. But, at age 69, the work to prepare the new space and move everything while juggling a part-time job was a challenge.

“All this in here, I did it all by myself,” Enoch said, with a touch of pride. “One lady, she lives on the west end, she came in and said, ‘I’ve watched you Marlin, I saw you tie that stuff on the hood of your car with your trunk wide open traveling down the road.’”

Torn between the security of the part-time job and his passion for running his own retail business, Enoch gave notice to the grocery store at the beginning of November. Out on a limb, once again.

Entrepreneurialism is in Enoch’s blood. His father Clarence was his own boss for as long as Enoch could remember. He had a hauling and janitorial service and later opened a used furniture and appliance store.

Everything Enoch knows about business, he learned from his dad. From his mom, Mary, a homemaker, came much more. She molded his character, his faith in God and a love of caring for people.

“She used to tell me, ‘Marlin, if I can’t do kindness and be kind to somebody and help somebody today, I have no purpose for living.’ I believe that was instilled inside of me.”

Tough Decisions

Enoch worked for a vending company in Middletown for 15 years until being laid off, and then a car dealership in Hershey another 10 years before getting laid off again.

He struck out on his own in 2008, running small retail stores in Harrisburg until one day a call came from a doctor about his mom’s condition at a nursing home.

She had Alzheimer’s disease, and her organs were shutting down. The doctor gave her fewer than 10 months to live.

Enoch prayed about what to do. God told him to close his store and bring his mother home, he said.

“It was such a tough decision. I was afraid because being self-employed, that’s your livelihood. You don’t have sick days; you don’t have vacation days. I was fearful, but I followed God’s direction.”

After his mom died, Enoch, also a minister, opened a church in New Cumberland called House of Bethel. He pastored there for two years until the owner sold the building housing the church.

Two years later, a pastor, moving his wife and family to Houston, asked Enoch to “keep the doors open” at his church in Harrisburg until a full-time preacher could be found. Enoch led the flock for 18 months.

His desire to preach the gospel never left him. But he’s come to realize he doesn’t have to be standing behind a pulpit to do that.

Enoch believes his ministry now has evolved.

“Minister to the people who walk through my door, to show them love and kindness and to show them there are people that will treat them fair and will appreciate them for being a customer,” he said. “That’s what I have been doing for the last 10 years.”

Morning Glory is located at 13 E. Main St., Hummelstown.

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Community Corner: Notable December Events

November 25, 2025 | by Missy Smith

Holiday Market

Dec. 1: Penn Cumberland Garden Club hosts its 55th annual Holiday Market Benefit & Lunch at Penn Harris Hotel, Harrisburg, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy a luncheon, a presentation and a floral demonstration. www.penncumberlandgardenclub.org

Holiday Trains

Dec. 1-29: Take a magical journey at the Hershey History Center, 40 Northeast Dr., Hershey, viewing a festive display of model trains with intricate tracks, scenery and locomotives. Exhibit is included with admission. www.hersheyhistory.org

Giving Tree

Dec. 2: Join Dauphin County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for a virtual Giving Tree-Lighting ceremony, 5:30 p.m. at the Linglestown Christmas Tree at the Square, 5967 Linglestown Rd. Enjoy free hot cocoa and cookies. www.dauphincountycasa.org

Christmas Show

Dec. 3-7: Shop the 41st annual Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show for gifts, decor, apparel, jewelry, seasonal items, gourmet food and more at the PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg. www.pachristmasshow.com

Light Show

Dec. 3-31: Enjoy the holiday season at the Christmas Spirit Light Show at Clipper Magazine Stadium, 650 N. Prince St., Lancaster, with a festive drive-thru light show, including hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights, synchronized to Christmas music. www.christmasspiritlightshows.com

Book Launch

Dec. 5: Army Heritage Center Foundation will host a book launch and signing for “Operation Desert Storm” by Col. Frank Hancock, a West Point graduate and Dickinson College adjunct professor, at Whistlestop Bookstore, 129 West High St., Carlisle, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. www.armyheritage.org

Makers Market

Dec. 5: Shop for gifts at the Holiday Makers’ Market at Ware Center, 42 N. Prince St., Lancaster, where you’ll find unique crafts, jewelry, fine art, homemade soaps and more, by local artisans, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Millersville University’s National Society of Black Engineers will collect winter wear donations. www.artsmu.com

Rock Food

Dec. 5: River 97.3 and the Central PA Music Hall of Fame present Rock the Food Bank, a benefit concert at XL Live, 801 S. 10th St., Harrisburg, 7 p.m. The show features the Van Wirsing Valen Talen Tribute and The Jelly Bricks, among others. All proceeds benefit the Central PA Food Bank. www.theriver973.iheart.com

Light Parade

Dec. 5-6: Camp Hill hosts the Parade of Lights for Toys for Tots on a walking trail through Willow Park, 6 to 8 p.m. New, unwrapped toy donations are requested as admission. www.camphillborough.com

Black Nativity

Dec. 5-7: Sankofa African American Theatre Co. returns to the West Shore Theatre, 317 Bridge St., New Cumberland, for its annual gospel musical celebration, Langston Hughes’ “Black Nativity.” Performances are 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 and 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 7. www.sankofatheatrehbg.com

Greens & Gifts

Dec. 6: Shop for festive greens and gourmet gifts at the Gettysburg Garden Club annual Christmas Greens & Gourmet Gifts sale at Gettysburg Fire Hall, 35 N. Stratton St., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. www.gettysburggardenclub.org

HBG Flea

Dec. 6: Explore the HBG Flea for local art, vintage treasures, curated curios and unique gifts, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Strawberry Square, 320 Market St., Harrisburg. The mission of the HBG Flea is to create a platform for community growth by bringing artists, small businesses and patrons together. www.hbgflea.com

Mystery Parties

Dec. 6: Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, hosts mystery parties for tweens and teens to solve a fictional “Murder at the Ugly Sweater Party.” The tween session (ages 9 to 12) runs 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., and the teen session (ages 13 to 18) runs 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Attendees should wear ugly holiday sweaters. www.fredricksenlibrary.org

Elegant Progressions

Dec. 5-6: Kidney Foundation of Central Pennsylvania and the Historic Harrisburg Association host the 34th annual Elegant Progressions over two evenings, 5:45 to 11 p.m. An all-inclusive reservation includes transportation between stops for hors d’oeuvres and aperitifs, a formal dinner and a dessert buffet. www.historicharrisburg.org

Holiday Homes

Dec. 6: Strasburg Heritage Society hosts the 14th annual Strasburg Holiday Home Tour, with unique historic district homes decorated for the season, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Presbyterian Church Event Center will have tickets, lunch, greens and vendors beginning at 9:30 a.m.. www.strasburgheritagesociety.org

Natural Ornaments

Dec. 6-7: Use items found in nature to create unique holiday ornaments at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Craft ornaments using provided materials like pinecones and milkweed pods. Pre-registration is required. www.explorewildwoodpark.org

Festival of Trees

Dec. 6-21: View Christmas trees decorated with handmade ornaments and trimmed by local garden clubs at Fort Hunter Tavern House, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg, Saturdays and Sundays, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Trees will be up for raffle, and a selection of ornaments available for purchase. www.forthunter.org

Toy Train Exhibit

Dec. 6-21: Keystone Model Railroad Historical Society returns to Fort Hunter Centennial Barn, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg, with a display of HO gauge trains that travel over a large layout representing communities in central PA and interactive elements, Saturdays and Sundays, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. www.forthunter.org

Wilson Commemoration

Dec. 7: The Woodrow Wilson Birthday Association of Cumberland County will host a dinner to mark its 100th anniversary at the West Shore Elks, 108 St. Johns Rd., Camp Hill. Social hour begins at 12 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. buffet lunch and an address by historian Richard Striner. www.arundelynn.com

Mansion Concert

Dec. 7: Manor on Front, 2917 N. Front St., Harrisburg, will host a Mansion Concert with Swearingen & Kelly with Jon Beedle at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. Guests should register for the invitation list on the Mansion Concert website. www.mansionconcert.com

Photo Display

Dec. 9-Jan. 24: View photographs entered in Friends of Wildwood Park’s annual contest in the Olewine Nature Center, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg. Vote for your favorite photos. Winners announced at a reception on Dec. 14 at 1 p.m. www.explorewildwoodpark.org

Holly Luncheon

Dec. 9: Friends of the New Cumberland Library hosts their annual Holly Luncheon, with entertainment by the Cedar Cliff Singers Octet, at Foundation House, 100 Bridge St., New Cumberland, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The performance is free to attend, and the luncheon is $10 per person. www.newcumberlandlibrary.org

Food Rally

Dec. 11: Enjoy fresh, savory foods at the New Cumberland Food Truck & Restaurant Rally every second Thursday of the month, 5 to 8 p.m. Grab dinner from food trucks or New Cumberland restaurants and enjoy shopping and promotions. www.newcumberlandpa.org

Curiosity Kids

Dec. 12, 19: Kids ages 3 to 6 are invited to the State Museum of Pa., 300 North St., Harrisburg, to learn about the winter solstice on Dec. 12 and 1970s and 1980s holiday traditions on Dec. 19, 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Curiosity Kids events included with general admission. www.statemuseumpa.org

Contra Dance

Dec. 12: Harrisburg Area Contra Dance Association hosts a 2nd Friday Contra Dance with live music, 8 to 10:30 p.m., at Silver Spring Presbyterian Church, 444 Silver Spring Rd., Mechanicsburg. There will be a free beginner lesson at 7:30 p.m. www.harrisburgcontra.org

Christkindlmarkt

Dec. 13: Enjoy a holiday outing at the Lower Paxton Christkindlmarkt, a traditional German Christmas market with more than 100 juried craft vendors, craft activities, German and festival food, a live nativity, pictures with Santa, live music, dancing and more, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.facebook.com/LPChristkindlmarkt

Lessons & Carols

Dec. 14: Pine Street Presbyterian Church, 310 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, presents “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” service of scripture and song at 4 p.m. A gala reception will follow. https://maps.pinestreet.org

Candlelight Tour

Dec. 14: The 52nd annual Candlelight House Tour will showcase Harrisburg residences and architectural landmarks decorated for the holidays on a self-guided tour, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission ticket includes a 60-plus page guidebook with a map and property descriptions. www.historicharrisburg.org

Candlelit Carols

Dec. 14: Enjoy Arts on the Square’s Carols by Candlelight at Market Square Presbyterian Church, 20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg, 4 p.m., with its 50-voice Sanctuary Choir, an orchestra and harpist. www.marketsquarechurch.org

3rd in The Burg

Dec. 19: Explore the best of Harrisburg during 3rd in the Burg, the monthly arts and culture event, where you can visit and enjoy galleries, restaurants and art spaces throughout downtown and Midtown, 6 to 9 p.m. www.thirdintheburg.org

Chorale Concert

Dec. 19-21: Susquehanna Chorale presents its Candlelight Christmas Concerts, with a variety of traditional and contemporary seasonal pieces. Enjoy a holiday concert on Dec. 19 at Messiah University; Dec. 20 at Market Square Presbyterian Church, Harrisburg; and Dec. 21 at Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren. www.susquehannachorale.org

Sips & Sweets

Dec. 20: Attend the Sips & Sweets Market at The Winery at Hunters Valley, Liverpool, for a holiday shopping and tasting event with local bakers and sweet makers, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guests can enjoy holiday cocktails, mulled wine and spiked hot chocolate and cookies, cupcakes and candies. www.huntersvalleywines.com

Candlelight Mansion

Dec. 20: Experience Fort Hunter Mansion, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg, by candlelight and see the historic halls decked for the holidays while hearing about past traditions. The tour is offered at 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. www.forthunter.org

Dance Night

Dec. 21: Harrisburg USA Dance Chapter #3009 invites dance enthusiasts to a dance lesson at 2 p.m., followed by three hours of social dancing in ballroom, swing and Latin style, at PA DanceSport, 585 E. Main St., Hummelstown. All levels are welcome. Facebook: USA Dance Chapter #3009 Harrisburg Area PA

Candlelight Service

Dec 24: Historic Salem UCC, 231 Chestnut St., Harrisburg, hosts its annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 6 p.m. Enjoy holiday decorations, special music, carols and listen to the Christmas story. Worship closes with a candlelit singing of “Silent Night” followed by refreshments. www.salemuccharrisburg.org

Last Laughs

Dec. 31: Gamut Theatre, 15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg, will ring in the new year with “Last Laughs of 2025,” a series of short comedy shows by TMI Improv Comedy Troupe. Three showtimes begin at 9, 10 and 11 p.m. www.gamuttheatre.org

Noon Countdown

Dec. 31: Families are invited to ring in the New Year early at Popcorn Hat Players’ 33rd annual “Countdown to Noon,” New Year’s Eve party. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and the show, “The Ugly Duckling,” beings at 11 a.m. Attendees can dress up, walk the red carpet and celebrate with noisemakers and a balloon drop. www.gamuttheatre.org

Celebrate NYE

Dec. 31: Celebrate New Year’s Eve with the whole family at The Hershey Story, 63 W. Chocolate Ave., at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Kids can get in the spirit stomping on bubble wrap and taking part in fun activities. www.hersheystory.org

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Light Makes Right: Some of the best holiday displays can be found in the neighborhoods

November 25, 2025 | by Susan Ryder

Photo from “Christmas Lights on Clouser,” courtesy of Lori & Brian Foust.

Climbing into the car on a cold December night to drive around and see the holiday lights is a tradition for many—but where does one find these luminous treasures?

One place is the home of Lori and Brian Foust in Mechanicsburg. Better known as “Christmas Lights on Clouser,” this display has a 30-plus-year history of bringing joy to those who view it. The Fousts fell into the tradition of hosting the lights.

“The former owners did it for 25 years,” said Lori Foust.

They weren’t obligated to hold a display but felt compelled.

“We’ve just always liked Christmas, and we knew the house was known for it, so we decided to continue it,” she said.

While the Fousts inherited the tradition, they didn’t inherit all the lighting and had to start collecting from scratch.

Their large garage loft stores all of this Christmas magic. Neatly lined up and organized, the army of blow mold (large, colorful plastic figures, lit from within) Santas, candles, snowmen and candy canes await their mission. Not visible is the 20-foot, blow-up Santa and blow-up snowmen that will sit in a forest of lighted trees—and the bins upon bins of lights.

Christmas wreaths and lights began peeking out of the bushes and hanging on poles in October. The Fousts don’t do this alone.

“We have neighbors, friends and family that come over,” Foust said.

Speaking of which: How do the neighbors feel about the nearly 6,000 cars that drive through the one-third-mile display?

“They’re all in,” Foust said.

In fact, neighbors also decorate. The Fousts refer to those displays as “the opening act to the main event.”

Friendly Competition

Another local light display that started small and continued to grow is “Holiday Lights in the Park” at Adams-Ricci Park.

“Everyone’s idea was, let’s just do the pavilions, simple, easy. We have five or six of them,” said Charley Gelb, township commissioner and president of Friends of Recreation at East Pennsboro Parks, a nonprofit that organizes the event.

Then people began noticing dark areas in between the pavilions that just had to be filled.

In its fifth year, this drive-through experience runs three days, the first Thursday through Saturday in December. The park’s trees and fences are wrapped in lights, sponsor organizations light the pavilions, and families and nonprofits take a hand lighting the open spaces. New this year are the animatronic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” characters Yukon Cornelius, Hermey the Misfit Elf and a huge Abominable Snow Monster.

“We have them!” Gelb said.

All of this sounds like a lot of work—and it is. But for folks who might want to light the night, but can’t climb a ladder, or simply don’t have the time, other options exist. Harrisburg-based Utopian Lighting can create this holiday magic for you.

“For a lot of people, it’s just being a part of the Christmas spirit, decorating their homes,” said owner Nikos Phelps.

Hanging lights isn’t safe for everyone, so Utopian is happy to do the job and participate in some neighborly rivalry.

“You see neighborhoods that have some friendly competitions,” Phelps said.

Gelb and Foust both cited community engagement for holding their displays.

“We had people come through that were kids and now bring their kids,” Foust said.

The lights also help to assist organizations and people. Holiday Lights in the Park sponsorships and a $5 donation per carload help fund projects in East Pennsboro Township.

“We have eight staff and administration for the township and recreation,” Gelb said. “[We ask] ‘What is it that you need this year?’”

Through donations, Christmas Lights on Clouser assists a young man with muscular dystrophy, Operation Warm Hearts, The Nobody’s Cats Foundation and Wounded Warriors Project.

To keep the holiday light viewing a fun, philanthropic event, there are a few things to know about driving through these displays. Lights on Clouser is open every night—rain, shine or snow—unless the roads are dangerous, beginning the Friday after Thanksgiving, generally through Jan. 1. Both events are drive-through, which means staying in your car and continuing to move. No pictures with Santa; a wave will have to do.

Christmas Eve at Lights on Clouser is a very busy night, so expect waits and traffic out on to Clouser Road. East Pennsboro Township has its tree lighting at Adams Ricci the Wednesday before Holiday Lights in the Park opens, so that adds an extra evening of fun.

Holiday Lighting experiences happen all over the Harrisburg region. If you know where to find them, they can provide plenty of holiday spirit. Regardless of where and when you view, consider the words of Lori Foust: “Be happy. Be merry.”

Light Fare

There are many other popular neighborhood light displays in the Harrisburg area. Here are a few good locations, according to Utopian Lighting.

Braeburn Estates, Mechanicsburg
Messiah Lifeways, Mechanicsburg
Wentworth Estates, Enola
Orchard Glen, Mechanicsburg
Deavon Woods, Plowman Ridge Road, Harrisburg
Amber Fields, Harrisburg
Meadow View, Mechanicsburg
Jillian Way, Hummelstown
Willow Creek Lane, Hummelstown area
Breeches Run, Boiling Springs
Kitchen Kettle Village, Lancaster

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Christmas Past: This season, step back in time with “historic” holiday events

November 25, 2025 | by M. Diane McCormick

Pine Street Presbyterian Church

Bradley Smith stands in the historic Ephrata Cloister saal, amid the community chapel’s dark benches and peaked ceiling.

For some people today, he says, Black Friday kicks off the holidays. For others, it’s a concert of 18th-century hymns written by devout German immigrants living in a communal society.

“There’s something unique about being in a space like this, hearing 280-year-old songs, that you can’t really get in other places,” said Smith, administrator of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission site. “You’re transported to the moment. You walk in the door, and you’re immersed in the 1700s.”

Maybe it started with Charles Dickens, but “Christmas Present” and “Christmas Past” are linked together like “figgy” and “pudding.” Even as the holidays reach a frenzy, the midstate’s historic sites and events invite guests to step into the past for getaways that teach about holiday traditions, create memories, and offer moments of reflection.

Simpler Times

Today’s downtown Ephrata is a product of the railroad’s arrival around the Civil War. Every December, Christmas at the Cloister concerts relocate downtown—metaphorically, at least—a few blocks south, to its origins of humble wooden structures built on 150 acres of rolling hills.

“If you were here 280 years ago, when we walk out that door, this is the town of Ephrata,” Smith said.

Nearer to home, in Susquehanna Township, the eventful, monthlong Christmas at Fort Hunter includes six longstanding traditions that were written into the indenture established by the foundation that ceded management of Fort Hunter Mansion and Park to Dauphin County in 1980.

Christmas at the Mansion tours, running through December and the annual Victorian Tea, are the longest-running events, introducing visitors to 19th-century gentility in a mansion decked out in elegant greenery with help from the Garden Club of Harrisburg.

About 9,000 visitors attended 2024’s events, including the Keystone Model Railroad Historical Society’s toy train exhibit that is “by far the most popular event,” said Park Manager Jessica Webster.

Nostalgia for a “simpler” time could be the attraction to history at the holidays, believes Webster, using quote marks intentionally.

“The modern world is so inundated with the lights and technology (and holiday music!) and shopping that people enjoy experiencing moments without all the modern ‘noise’ and expectations,” she said in an email. “Most modern Americans probably wouldn’t actually enjoy the lack of plumbing and electricity full time, but being able to step back in time for an hour or so can be a nice break from the modern world.”

In downtown Harrisburg, at Pine Street Presbyterian Church, the majestic sanctuary will resound, for one performance, with the globally known “Nine Lessons in Carols and Scripture.”

The Pine Street Chancel Choir is accompanied by a brass quintet, percussion and guest organist Matthew McMahan at the church’s four-manual, 83 rank, Skinner/Möller organ with 5,219 pipes.

The service’s solemnity and history convey peace, said Music at Pine Street Artistic Director Joseph Garrison. If audience members think about why they attend, the era’s uncertainties “certainly influence people once they’re here,” he said. “I think it reminds them of what may be more important than some of the things going on in the world. These things will pass, but this stands the test of time.”

Nearby, inside the Historical Society of Dauphin County’s John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion, the annual Deck the Halls celebration entices attendees with an astonishing array of decorated cakes and cookies—historically themed in past years after such classics as “The Nutcracker” or “Around the World in 80 Days.”

Sweets bring back memories of holidays past, said HSDC Executive Director Christine Turner.

“I remember making those with my grandma,” people will say.

Learning Moments

History offers origin stories and lessons that put our times in perspective, say the keepers of Christmases past.

This year, HSDC’s Deck the Halls dessert array takes attendees on a tour of all 50 states for America 250, marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Each tray will be accompanied with a brief description answering the question, “Why is this a traditional cookie?” Many emerged from the cultures of immigrants or enslaved people—the shoo-fly pies of the Pennsylvania Dutch, and the benne wafers baked with sesame seeds probably brought to South Carolina by West Africans.

“You can really tell where people came from geographically and then tell that story,” Turner said.

Garrison has brought the “Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols,” with its mix of Christmas choral works and scripture readings, to Pine Street Presbyterian Church every year since 2020 (adapted then for COVID but now in real life).

The original “Nine Lessons” of 1880 lured Christmas revelers out of pubs and into church through Christmas carols—increasingly popular but, despite their religious lyrics, creatures of the secular world.

After the horrors of World War I, the dean of King’s College, Cambridge, a former Army chaplain, revised the service into the program that spread to churches worldwide.

“Born from the profound grief and turmoil of the First World War, mere weeks after its conclusion, it embodies a powerful narrative of resilience and hope,” writes Anglican Compass.

Though the song selection varies every year, the service always begins with a solo voice singing “Once in Royal David’s City.” For many listeners, that moment heralds the arrival of Christmas, said Garrison.

“I love putting that service together because it’s so rich in history,” he said. “It’s not the great antique. There’s something to talk about in the history of how quickly it spread to the world.”

Ephrata’s Christmas at the Cloister concert transports visitors to the 18th century, when the order’s celibate members and “householder” families from the surrounding community gathered for services rich with the harmonies of vocal music.

Every year, the program includes hymns composed by cloister members—male and female.

“Music historians believe that this is the first place in North America that we can document that women composed these hymns,” Smith said.

After Christmas and New Year’s Day, Ephrata Cloister’s Lantern Tours will plunge visitors into the turbulent winter of 1777. Student historians will reenact the months after the Battle of Brandywine when the cloister, with its large buildings and location near Philadelphia but out of reach of the British, served as a Continental Army hospital.

As archaeological digs have found, guests of the contemplative community brought dice and weapons, as well as disease.

“This completely disrupts their entire world,” Smith said. “They were taken over by dozens and dozens of soldiers, doctors, sick and injured patients. The cloister members were pacifists. This creates what must have been very mixed feelings for them. This is a very different group of people, but the cloister offers help.”

Made for Memories

Learning about Christmas Past enhances enjoyment of Christmas Present by illustrating “why some holiday traditions came to be,” believes Webster. Fort Hunter’s Victorian Tea is augmented by demonstrations of 19th-century holiday treats made over an open hearth and the traditional delight of clear toy candy (from George Kopp and TheBurg’s own Gina Napoli).

Fort Hunter’s Festival of Trees, cosponsored by the Harrisburg Area Garden Center, demonstrates how Christmas trees weren’t widely popular in the United States until newspapers printed a photo of Britain’s Queen Victoria and her family, including Prince Albert, surrounding a tabletop Christmas tree from his native Germany, Webster said.

At Pine Street Presbyterian, sharing sacred music steeped in centuries of history “sets the tone for the season,” Garrison said.

“It is speaking in ways that maybe the spoken word or the sermons can’t,” he said. “Music has the power to open our hearts and minds in ways that we didn’t know they could be opened.”

And while the $10 ticket for Christmas at the Cloister, sponsored by Ephrata Cloister Associates, makes it “a little bit of a fundraiser,” its meaning goes much deeper, Smith said.

“It’s safe to say that the point of the event is to bring community together and just enjoy the Christmas season as a community,” he said.

If You Go

The following events are mentioned in this story. Please check ahead before you go as some are ticketed, require reservations or have limited seating.

Christmas at the Cloister
Historic Ephrata Cloister
Dec. 8 and 9, 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
www.ephratacloister.org

Christmas at Fort Hunter
Christmas at the Mansion tours, Dec. 2 to Dec. 23
Toy Train Exhibit and Festival of Trees, Nov. 29 to Dec. 21
Victorian Tea and Holiday Demonstrations, Dec. 7
www.forthunter.org/Christmas-at-fort-hunter

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Pine Street Presbyterian Church
Dec. 14, 4 p.m.
www.pinestreet.org

Deck the Halls
Harris-Cameron Mansion
Dec. 4, 5 p.m.
Tours Tuesday to Friday, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
www.dauphincountyhistory.org

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Musical Notes: Seasonal Sounds

November 25, 2025 | by Skye Cadzow

Tom Diecidue

I’m not going to subject you to a Pitchfork-style breakdown of top albums for the year, but boy did we get spoiled with excellent releases in 2025. Here are a few favorites that have low-key blown my mind from this year:

“Everybody Scream,” Florence and the Machine
“Lux,” Rosalia
“Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party,” Hayley Williams
“Never Enough,” Turnstile
“Mayhem,” Lady Gaga

Also, in the holiday spirit, here are a few music orgs doing wonderful work to help our neighbors, if you’re able to give:

The River 97.3 and Central PA Music Hall of Fame (CPMHOF) are organizing a “Rock the Food Bank” Benefit Concert at XL Live on Dec. 5; find details at xlhbg.com.
Moonpeak Productions welcomes guests to bring donations to any show at the Abbey Bar, which will be donated to the Central PA Food Bank. Additionally, they’re partnering with CPMHOF and Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area for the seventh annual “Joy to the Burg” fundraiser on Dec. 14, supporting our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness. Find details at abcbrew.com/harrisburg/abbey-bar.
Capital City Music Hall is collaborating with 717 Entertainment and Defiant to host a “Toys for Tots” benefit show on Dec. 6.

MIDWINTER FOLK
12/9, Susquehanna Folk Music Society Presents Windborne: Music of Midwinter, Unitarian Church of Harrisburg
Windborne’s haunting harmonies are the perfect soundtrack for this time of year. Expect to hear familiar songs styled in a new and unexpected way, alongside songs from Windborne’s 2024 album, “To Warm the Winter Heart.” Put the record on and feel right at home with old English carols and Lithuanian wassails for a more rustic experience to welcome the yuletide.

ROCK ON
12/14, Heart, GIANT Center
Few musicians made a bigger impression on 13-year-old me than Heart did. I constantly had their greatest hits compilations on repeat on my iPod (and, I bet, I could still belt out all the words to “Alone,” “Barracuda” and “These Dreams” if put to the test). Pioneers of rock and roll, Heart’s Nancy and Ann Wilson still have the vocal chops to bring a packed arena to its knees to hail the queens of rock. There are still limited tickets to this show, but if seeing Heart is a bucket list item for you, like it is for me, I wouldn’t wait to snag a few seats.

If your friends or favorite local band have a show coming up or you’ve caught word of a cool gig that should be on our radar, drop me a line at [email protected].

HONORABLE MENTIONS

12/6, The Local Honeys w/Abby Hamilton and Virginia Masland, The Abbey Bar
12/11, Pentatonix: Christmas in the City Tour, GIANT Center
12/14, “A Carpenters Christmas” w/Jillian Rossi, West Shore Theatre
12/15, “A Merry Rockin’ Christmas” w/Michael Cavanaugh, Whitaker Center
12/18, WXPN Welcomes Samantha Fish, XL Live
12/19, Holiday Variety Show, Strawberry Square (FREE)
12/31, Crack New Year’s Eve Tribute to Creed & Nickelback, XL Live (FREE)
12/31, New Year’s Eve w/The Martini Bros., West Shore Theatre
12/31, New Year’s Eve w/The Dirty Grass Players and Treesap, The Abbey Bar

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“Beautiful in Every Way”: Susquehanna Chorale’s holiday performances take on new meaning as legendary conductor readies retirement

November 25, 2025 | by Colin McGuire

Linda Tedford

For years, the Susquehanna Chorale’s holiday season has taken the same shape.

Come mid-December, the award-winning group stages its annual “Candlelight Christmas” concert for a weekend. Each year celebrates holiday music, traditional carols and a candlelight rendition of “Silent Night” that some in the choir call “magical.”

This year’s celebration—performed this month at three different venues in the Harrisburg area—will be different. And that difference will have little to do with song selection, performance or even the unpredictable winter weather.

Instead, 2025’s program will mark the final time Linda Tedford will be the one leading it.

“I’m nostalgic,” Tedford said recently while considering her history with the performances. “I’m also reflective. It’s a savoring-the-moment kind of thing.”

Earlier this year, Tedford announced that the current, 45th season will be her last. And while her final performance as a conductor isn’t slated until August 2026, the Christmas program has consistently been one of the chorale’s most celebrated events.

Not only is it one of the most popular live events of the holiday season, it’s also a tradition for the singers who take the stage. In turn, that tradition—along with Tedford, herself—has held a special place in many of the performers’ hearts.

Among those performers this year will be Gwen Lehman, a former chairperson of the chorale’s board. Having joined the group in 2009 with her husband, she initially met Tedford in the 1980s, when both were singing with a different group. Decades later, Lehman noted how much the chorale world will miss Tedford once she steps away.

“She has really forged a true ensemble,” Lehman said. “I’ve never sung for any director who has Linda’s ability to create a tight ensemble sound that’s the result of not just skills we’ve developed, but the family culture she creates. She treats everybody equally.”

To mark her final Christmas program holding the baton, Tedford explained how she picked pieces for the event that reflect both her history with the chorale as well as forward-thinking titles—two of which with be world premieres. Despite the time and thought she has put into curating a memorable set list, Tedford stated that one staple would be impossible to leave out, especially during her final year.

“We always end with ‘Silent Night,’ and it’s in candlelight, surrounding the audience,” she said. “It’s always a beautiful, exquisite moment when the venue is completely quiet and it’s dark, except for the candles. People say they want to come especially to hear that every single year. It’s become such a tradition.”

Lehman echoed those thoughts, even if it meant the chorale had to learn about the carol’s inclusion the hard way.

“Linda got tired of doing it one year, and the audience was deeply upset,” Lehman said with a slight chuckle. “So, now we make sure to do it every year. It’s such a special moment, and I know it’s become a family tradition for people in the area because they always tell us about it.”

Family Culture

So, what’s next for Tedford? She said that, once her conducting commitments are fulfilled in 2026, she hopes to travel with her husband and spend more time with her grandchildren. The Susquehanna Chorale has taken up so much of her time, effort and brain power over the years that it will be nice to finally “sit down after all of this,” she said.

Tedford’s absence will be noticed and her presence missed, Lehman added, as she reflected on how close the conductor has become with everyone in the group.

“It will be different without her,” Lehman admitted. “I will miss what we have. You need a sense of teamwork to be able to create beauty, and it will take time to develop that kind of family culture that we’ve enjoyed so much under Linda.”

As for Tedford, she’s not unaware of the weight that this holiday’s program carries as the dates for performances inch closer to the final bow.

“It’s going to be hard,” she said. “Actually, it’s going to be very hard. When I get the feeling of, ‘Wow, this is my last ‘Silent Night’ with the crowd.”

She paused to gather her thoughts.

“I’ve been doing this all my life,” she continued. “I’ve been singing in choirs since high school—over 50 years of doing this. I’ve seen students grow up, have babies, establish lives, and I’ve been part of their lives all this time. Every concert we’ve done, I’ve treasured the opportunity to be with these singers.”

Of course, she said, she’s going to miss it.

“Whatever you’re coming from, I’ve wanted our concerts to be an hour and a half of reflection, joy and the experience of community,” Tedford said. “It’s been beautiful in every way.”

The Susquehanna Chorale’s Candlelight Christmas concert takes place Dec. 19 at the High Center at Messiah University; Dec. 20 at Market Square Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg; and Dec. 21 at the Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren. For more information, including tickets and subscriptions, visit www.susquehannachorale.org.

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