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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Dance Lesson: Annual “Nutcracker” performance brings ballet to schoolkids

November 25, 2025 | by Ashley Andyshak Hayes

Photos courtesy of Eduardo Patino and the Pennsylvania Regional Ballet

Attending a live performance of “The Nutcracker” is a holiday tradition for many people, whether it’s by a major ballet company or a local dance school.

The Pennsylvania Regional Ballet’s annual staging of the Christmas classic includes a unique feature. In addition to offering performances for the public, the dance company offers free performances for local school districts to introduce students to ballet and the theater experience.

The school began hosting the educational performances in 2002, offering free tickets to students in the Harrisburg School District and providing low-cost tickets to students at other public, private and charter schools in the region.

“We do our best to invite all schools in south-central Pennsylvania, but our particular emphasis is ensuring tickets to the Harrisburg School District so that their students can come at no cost,” said Denise Brinley, president of the ballet school’s board of directors. “We’re trying to cultivate the experience of ballet for all children. It’s very inspiring to see it all come together.”

The goal is to bring ballet and the arts to communities that might not have the opportunity to see ballet, stated Victoria Silva, the school’s co-artistic director and a former student.

“That’s an important part of our mission—to expose children to the arts and open doors to them,” she said.

The educational performances include live narration, which Brinley said is especially helpful for children who don’t know “The Nutcracker” storyline. The school faculty refreshes the choreography for the performances each year, allowing them to highlight the unique skills within the student body.

“Students all have the opportunity to perform, and we can be much more inclusive in this version,” Brinley said.

The children, Silva added, get very excited.

“The chaperones are sometimes surprised by their behavior, because the kids are entranced for two hours,” she said. “There is a lot of real reaction in the audience, and the students thrive off of that. They feel they’ve given something back to the kids in the seats.”

Classes that attend the educational performances receive supplemental materials to use in their classrooms, including information on theater etiquette, basic dance poses, the history of “The Nutcracker” and related games and activities.

“It prepares them for what the theater experience is going to be like and what they are going to see on stage,” Silva said.

Brinley said that some schools come every year.

“It’s part of their curriculum,” she said. “It’s a really wonderful way to kick off the holiday season.”

Rigorous Program

The Pennsylvania Regional Ballet was established in 1988 as Cumberland Dance Company. The school moved to its current location in Enola under Artistic Director Sandra Carlino during the 2003-04 season and adopted its current name the following year.

The school currently enrolls about 100 students ages 3 to 18. Unlike some other dance schools, the Pennsylvania Regional Ballet has no audition process, fostering an inclusive environment for all students.

“We believe everybody can be a dancer,” Silva said.

Erin Stiefel-Inch, the school’s co-artistic director, was a professional ballerina herself and wanted to enroll her daughter in a quality dance program when she was young.

“I could see the care the teachers took with the students,” she said. “The education that they get is top-notch. No matter what the aspirations are, the school shapes the individual.”

Stiefel-Inch’s daughter is now a professional dancer in New York. Other students do not pursue dancing professionally, but take the lessons learned at the school and apply them to other areas of their lives. Brinley’s daughter danced with the school for 13 years, and she said she can see how that shaped her daughter’s experience.

“It is a rigorous program, and what they put into it, they get out of it,” she said. “They learn discipline, respect and care, and make friends and bonds that will last a lifetime. I feel my daughter’s engagement here shaped who she is and who she will become.”

The school offers scholarships for students in need and free instruction for boys and young men to encourage more males to explore dance.

“Having access to the arts is a really special thing for communities,” Brinley said. “These are things that lift us up and bring us happiness.”

The Pennsylvania Regional Ballet will perform “The Nutcracker” for the public at The Theatre at the Scottish Rite in Harrisburg Dec. 6 and 7. More information and tickets are available at www.prballet.org.

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Songs of Support: “Joy to the Burg” returns, raising spirits and money through local music

November 25, 2025 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Tom Diecidue

What began as a modest idea—just a handful of local musicians recording holiday music to help neighbors facing the cold—has grown into one of central Pennsylvania’s most meaningful traditions.

Through “Joy to the Burg,” area artists lend their voices, creativity and time to support shelters and housing programs that serve the most vulnerable in the region.

The charity project was founded in 2019 by Sheldon Jones, then a newcomer to Harrisburg, who saw people sleeping on the sidewalks and wondered how he and other musicians could help. They decided to put together a Christmas album to raise money for the unhoused.

The effort gained momentum when Jones partnered with Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area (CCU), an organization supporting people facing poverty and housing insecurity in Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties.

Local Artists

One of the project’s strongest advocates is Brandon Valentine, executive director and founder of the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame, a nonprofit formed in 2019 to uplift and strengthen the local music scene.

“The CCU did it on their own for a few years, then pulled us in to facilitate the relationships with the local artists,” Valentine explained.

Each year, musicians come together to record a new holiday album to benefit the unhoused. As the word got out, more artists wanted in.

“In the beginning, the albums had 10 to 15 tracks,” Valentine said. “Now, it’s more like 20 to 30.”

Nick Mucci, CCU’s director of development, said that some of the songs are original and some are traditional. Contributors have included well-known local artists and groups like The Groove Rebels, the Susquehanna Chorale, Greg Platzer, The Jellybricks, No Last Call, The Starving Musicians and many others.

The effort has raised more than $214,000 over the years—if you count the money made from a much-anticipated annual party that attracts 200 to 300 people and features bands that participate in the project. The benefit concert takes place this month at the Abbey Bar in Harrisburg.

So Many Ways

“Joy to the Burg” isn’t limited to a single seasonal concert. Over the years, it’s grown to include other events and activities.

Last month, the artist D-Bo! performed on a float in the Harrisburg holiday parade.

“We’ve been collecting items for homeless shelters, and Ollies (brought) along 20 to 30 employees to collect donations from those in attendance at the parade,” Mucci said.

He added that items like hand warmers, ramen noodles, hot chocolate packs, disinfectant wipes, coffee, beanies and gloves are always needed.

Also, holiday greeting card sets, curated in partnership with the Susquehanna Art Museum, help support the cause and are available for purchase. The sets feature artwork by local artists including Carol Scott, Stephen Michael Haas and Ross Tyger, to name a few. The cards are available online.

There are so many ways to help the needy, and “Joy to the Burg” seems to discover more each year. From albums to parade floats to benefit concerts and greeting cards—these are just a few ideas that have gained traction.

Mucci said that his organization is proud to be part of a very important mission that helps our most vulnerable.

“Bringing together the arts community with the local social services network is a win for all,” he said. “I’m a big believer that music is good for the soul. There is a need for beauty in the world—and artists understand that.”

The “Joy to the Burg” concert takes place Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Abbey Bar, 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.joytotheburg.com or their Facebook page.

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Mistrust + Intrigue: “The Secret Agent” is an expertly filmed political thriller that merits attention.

November 25, 2025 | by Gabriel Brown

Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent” breathes on its own.

Anchored by a layered performance from a magnetic Wagner Moura, the film propels itself forward through its beating heart, carnival week in 1977 Brazil, a moment of raucous revelry in the face of military dictatorship, each of which have claimed the lives of dozens of civilians. In the chaos, political refugees dart around Brazil, fleeing to safety in the country from the fascist oppression they face from the militarized police.

Wagner Moura brings suave and cunning to his portrayal of refugee Armando, undercover as Marcelo, hoping to be able to lie low in the town of Recife with his son. However, the police are only a couple steps behind, and it’s a matter of time before the local corrupt officials figure out exactly who he is.

We spend a lot of time with Armando in this immense film, and Moura is up to the task. Mendonça knows exactly how he works and coaxes regret, passion, care and understanding out of mere glances from Moura. I had a lump in my throat in a scene of simple dialogue between Armando and his son.

On a story level, Mendonça expertly weaves mistrust and intrigue around every corner and in every alley, as the police ask too many questions. “The Secret Agent” plays like a noir and gradually unravels the mystery of who Armando really is, who is looking for him, and what he’s looking for. This certainly could come across to some audience members as sluggish pacing, and the runtime is certainly a tall order at 160 minutes. However, the world of 1977 Brazil that is created is so rich and warm that I enjoyed every moment of time I spent with these characters.

Visually, look forward to a sumptuous feast—and I’m not just talking about Wagner Moura. The production design, costume department and casting conjure a lived-in and grimy 1970s Brazil and its many players. Shot using anamorphic Panavision lenses and vintage equipment, the visual language plays very much like the blockbusters of the era, with wide boom shots and beautifully framed action and character moments that play like prime Spielberg. (“Jaws” is directly referenced with a plot point that is better experienced on the big screen, so I won’t spoil it!)

Nina Simone believed that artists had a sacred duty to reflect the times in their work. Perhaps it is out of providence, or a convenient historical parallel, but I consider it a fulfillment of Simone’s wish that Mendonça’s work on this film is receiving the release and attention in America that it deserves. I hope that the Academy will recognize it for what it is and reward it as such—a down-to-earth and diverse thriller that entertains its audience with unmatched craft while educating them on the dangers of unchecked power, crafted with extreme care and expertise by a master filmmaker.

“The Secret Agent” opens soon at Midtown Cinema.

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.

December Events
at Midtown Cinema

Late Night Frights
“Krampus” (2015)
Friday, Dec. 5, 9:30 p.m.

“Black Christmas” (1974)
Friday, Dec. 26, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday Morning Cartoon
“The Polar Express” (2004)
Saturday, Dec. 6, 11 a.m.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)
Saturday, Dec. 13, 11:15 a.m.

“How to Train Your Dragon” (2010)
Saturday, Dec. 27, 11 a.m.

Holiday Film Series
“Gremlins” (1984)
Saturday, Dec. 6, 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 7, 7 p.m.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)
Saturday, Dec. 13, 9:30 p.m.

“The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 20, 11 a.m.

“Elf: Buddy’s Sing and Cheer Along Edition” (2003)
Friday, Dec. 19, 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 21, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)
Sunday, Dec. 21, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 7:15 p.m.

“White Christmas” (1954)
Sunday, Dec. 21, 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 25, 7:15 p.m.

Down in Front! Comedy Riffing
“Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” (1964)
Friday, Dec. 12, 9:30 p.m.

National Theatre Live
“Mrs. Warren’s Profession”
Sunday, Dec. 7, 5 p.m.

“The Fifth Step”
Sunday, Dec. 28, 5 p.m.

Open Mic Night
Tuesday, Dec. 2
Tuesday, Dec. 16

Trivia Night
Tuesday, Dec. 9
Tuesday, Dec.23

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Breakfast, Over Easy: Poached elevates our favorite meal of the day

November 25, 2025 | by Molly Pavlovich

A plate of eggs poached to perfection and a small stack of golden pancakes are placed on the table, still steaming. The aroma of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee blend into a scent that is equal parts breakfast and bliss.

For Doug Smeltzer, that’s the kind of morning worth waking up for.

The longtime restaurateur—owner of Black n Bleu on the Carlisle Pike in Mechanicsburg—has turned his personal love of breakfast into a new venture: Poached, Mechanicsburg’s latest brunch spot.

“We’re excited to be providing Black n Bleu-quality food at Poached,” Smeltzer said. “When you dine at either restaurant, you’re guaranteed to get a dish that is both delicious and made with quality ingredients.”

Opened in partnership with Jason Minor, Black n Bleu’s general manager, Poached has transformed the long-loved breakfast spot for locals, Diener’s, which was a downtown Mechanicsburg staple for more than two decades. Smeltzer and Minor are preserving the appeal of the morning meal for Diener’s dedicated patrons but have given the space and menu a fresh new feel.

Warm wooden paneling received a few coats of brightening blue and white paint, and time-worn booths were replaced with an open concept layout. Coupled with a flooring upgrade and additional lighting, the restaurant has been reimagined to feel both new and familiar.

“Many of our current customers were frequent diners at Diener’s, and everyone has been surprised at the transformation when they walk in,” Minor said. “But it’s a pleasant type of surprise. We’ve received nothing but positive feedback so far.”

The Poached menu features everything from a traditional breakfast spread to a brunch burger, cinnamon bread French toast, several unique variations of eggs Benedict, smoothies and specialty coffees.

“I’ve tried just about everything on the menu,” Smeltzer said. “My favorite is a dish we call ‘The Poached,’ which is a hashbrown casserole with sausage and three poached eggs, topped with sauteed onions, peppers, tomatoes, Cajun cream sauce and crumbled bacon. It’s been a customer favorite so far, too.”

While their breakfast fare is their biggest draw, bringing in busy crowds on Saturday and Sunday mornings, the Poached partners hope to build up a dedicated customer base for lunch.

Open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, in addition to weekends, the menu’s more lunch-like offerings include salads—one topped with two poached eggs and reminiscent of their popular breakfast casserole—a filet mignon melt, a hot ham and cheese sandwich, and a soup of the week.

“I was counting down the days for them to open,” said Sydney Markel, a Dillsburg resident who regularly dined at Diener’s. “I’m so glad that we could keep a brunch spot downtown as it’s such a great space for the community to come together and support a local business. Poached has already become a weekend favorite for me.”

Poached is located at 135 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Italian Tastes: Take a trip to Camp Hill for an authentic slice of Sicily

November 25, 2025 | by Alex Hayes

Ornella Russo

Ornella Russo has loved Camp Hill’s small-town charm since moving to the midstate from Italy in 1999.

She visits often when she is not running Millennium Pizzeria in Dillsburg, and this fall began sharing her love language with the west shore area: food.

Bella Sicilia Bakery & Deli on Erford Road offers authentic Italian pastries, gelato and deli favorites. Since opening in October, the store has welcomed a steady stream of customers seeking a taste of Italy.

For Russo, Bella Sicilia is more than a business venture. It is an opportunity to connect to her roots and share her culture. She has visited her homeland often since moving to the area 26 years ago and loves the Italian tradition of enjoying pastries on Sunday before visiting family members.

Italians start every day with a sweet, she said, and Bella Sicilia has plenty of options filling its four-tiered pastry case, including cannoli, fruit tarts, eclairs, cookies, cake, beignets and more. All items are made daily in the store’s open kitchen, and customers are invited to peek inside to see the magic being created.

“I want to be an ambassador of my origin and mix passion, tradition and family,” Russo said.

Bella Sicilia offers a rotating selection of 12 in-house-made gelatos—a dense, decadent, frozen Italian dessert.

Heartier fare is available among the many sandwiches for sale in the store’s deli, made with imported Italian meats and cheeses and served on focaccia bread or semolina. Those wanting to experiment at home can purchase crudo, mortadella, salami, soppressata and other Italian deli items individually.

Bella Sicilia has only been open about two months, but it already expanded in November when it debuted its hot bar featuring dishes such as lasagna, pasta and chicken parmesan.

Authenticity is important to Russo, so Bella Sicilia imports as many ingredients as possible from Italy. Italians do not use many additives, such as high fructose corn syrup, so the many selections have a pure, rich taste. Also, consistency is key.

“Our offerings become comfort food for people,” she said. “They want to find the same taste.”

Russo started planning for Bella Sicilia in late 2024 and sent her son, Nicholas Faraone, on a two-week food tour of her homeland.

“I went to the best delis in Palermo,” he said. “It was a lot of fun for me.”

Russo and Faraone complement each other well. She focuses on the details.

“Italians eat with the eyes,” Russo said. “I want everything to be very close to perfect.”

Faraone’s passion is customer service. Those who visit the store for the first time may be overwhelmed by its many offerings, but he enjoys taking time to explain the food and its origin to them. He’s also likely to talk you into trying affogato, an Italian dessert combining espresso and gelato. He appreciates a symbiotic relationship with his customers and encourages them to share feedback.

The two also appreciate their employees, who take the time to understand Bella Sicilia’s offerings so they, too, can be ambassadors of Russo’s homeland.

Bella Sicilia has a few tables so customers can enjoy their selections cafe-style. To-go orders and delivery options are also popular, and catering is available for corporate or private functions.

Russo and Faraone appreciate the new friends they have made through Bella Sicilia and are excited to meet others wanting a taste of Italy on Erford Road.

Bella Sicilia is located at 79 Erford Rd., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.bellasiciliapa.com.

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Sweet Finish: Tiramisu for Christmas—you got a problem with that?

November 25, 2025 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Maybe you are like me.

As much as I love Christmas, the many holiday duties or “festivities,” if you would rather call them, can take their toll. For many years of my family’s life, I felt that it was my time-honored responsibility to knock myself out at Christmas.

Now, dessert for Christmas dinner was no exception. I have quite a history. There were the annual favorites. A southern pound cake with bourbon-soaked walnuts, red and green glazed cherries, and golden raisins also soaked in bourbon. Then every year, I made an old English plum pudding, which was steamed for hours in a boiling kettle of water and refrigerated until the big day. It was served with “hard sauce” and was lit at the table with flaming brandy (really).

I once made something called a “Nesselrode Pie” and now I don’t even know what that is! (I think it was pink and had fruits and nuts in it.)

But recently, I was browsing through some of my cookbooks and found a perfect dessert recipe for Christmas dinner or anytime. It was in the “Sopranos Family Cookbook,” which is as much a collection of anecdotes based on the famous TV series, “The Sopranos,” as it is about cooking. It is a delightful journey through the lives of the show’s characters and the food they loved.

I found a recipe for tiramisu, the classic dessert that you can almost bet you will be offered in a traditional “red sauce” Italian restaurant. I have never made it at home, but this recipe was enticing because it seems elegant and easy. Tiramisu is a rich dessert, so a small piece will do. And, besides, my guests were starting to say “no thank you” to the plum pudding!

The Sopranos Tiramisu

Ingredients

1 pound mascarpone cheese (can be found in most supermarkets in the cheese case)
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons amaretto liquor or cognac
1 cup heavy cream
24 Italian “ladyfingers” (found in the “imported” section in grocery stores)
1 cup brewed espresso coffee, at room temperature
½ cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the mascarpone, sugar and amaretto until smooth.
In a chilled bowl (important) with chilled beaters, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into the mascarpone mixture.
Lightly dip half of each ladyfinger in the espresso and arrange them in a single layer in the bottom of an 8-inch square pan.
Gently spread half the mascarpone mixture on the ladyfingers.
Sprinkle with half of the chopped chocolate.
Dip the remaining ladyfingers into the espresso.
Top with the remaining mascarpone mixture, spreading it smooth.
Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving. The tiramisu should be cold.

There are many versions of tiramisu out there, changing with the types of alcohol used (rum or Strega liqueur work too). But the recipe above is lovely with the sweet blush of the almond amaretto.

There will be no need to stick a sprig of holly into your tiramisu or light it on fire at the table with brandy. It will impress as it is.

Buon Natale to all TheBurg readers!

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