Free live music coming to lunchtime in downtown Harrisburg this December

November 24, 2025 | by Alexandra Jones

Strawberry Square is a mixed-use complex in downtown Harrisburg.

Downtown for lunch this holiday season? If you go to Strawberry Square, you may be able to enjoy free live music while you eat.

Harristown Enterprises announced Monday that it will host a variety of hour-long shows during the week at UPMC Stage. Regional performers and school groups will perform around noon, Dec. 1 through Dec. 19. Groups include the Hershey High School Jazz Combo, the Lower Dauphin Chamber Orchestra, the York/Adams Mennonite Singers, and the St. Joseph School Choir Chimes and Handbells.

“We’re excited to have so many talented people in our region and we welcome them to downtown Harrisburg,” said Brad Jones, president of Harristown, which owns Strawberry Square. “We hope this will bring a wider audience into the city to see the talent that the downtown is offering on our stage.”

Patrons of the Square’s second-floor food court will be able to easily enjoy the music while dining.

Food vendors in the Square include Denim Coffee, Chef Chen’s, Fresca Burger and Chicken Shack, Santa Fe Taco Factory, Sakura Tokyo, Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Taco Bell.

The holiday performances will cap off Dec. 19 with an evening holiday variety show from 6 to 9 p.m., organized by Sara Bozich. The final show will feature DJ EMD. Open Stage, Harrisburg Improv Theatre’s Hyena Skits, the Rhythm Lounge, River the Bubble Musician, Theatre Harrisburg, the Gamut Theatre Group, Paul Hood, and the musical group Oversoon will also take the stage.

For more information on Strawberry Square, visit its website.

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

Burg Review: Take a nostalgic holiday ride with Open Stage’s charming “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas”

November 22, 2025 | by Gina Napoli

Just imagine single-digit-aged Gina in her flannel jammies, wrapped in a patchwork quilt, sitting in front of a humming cathode ray tube television set, eagerly awaiting Kermit T. Frog to introduce Jim Henson’s latest puppeteering masterpiece.

I forgot all about that little girl… until I watched Open Stage’s rendition of “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas.” As soon as this specific Gen-X memory unlocked my subconscious, I found myself singing and swaying along to songs I hadn’t heard or thought about in X# decades. I remembered every dang word. It felt like adjusting the TV’s rabbit ears to bring back every countrified variety show on my old four-channel TV, like the Barbara Mandrell Show and Hee-Haw.

Paul Williams wrote the music and lyrics, and Timothy Allen McDonald and Christopher Gattelli wrote the book based on the children’s book by Russell and Lillian Hogan. Jerry Juhl wrote the television script, “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas,” which will forever live in the collective cultural memory as a Jim Henson classic, frozen in time after the master puppeteer’s passing in 1991.

Open Stage Director Stuart Landon brings us a story as familiar as cozy sweaters and hats topped with pompoms (Jacob Schlenker, costume designer). We peek inside a comfortably rustic Waterville community barn dance, complete with a slide from the hayloft and line dancing to Christmas music by an animated band already toe-tappin’ and a-pickin’ and a-strummin’ and a-thumpin’ (Brad Barkdoll, Adrienne Connaghan, Jon Godinez, Anthony Pieruccini). The setting’s time and place become a character in the story, with Open Stage actors playing Henson’s puppets as live people.

The simple but ironic plot could be lifted from an O. Henry short story. Emmet Otter (Isaac Austin) and Alice “Ma” Otter (Chris Krahulec) can’t afford to buy each other Christmas presents, so they sell their only two things of value to help them win money in a talent show. Austin and Krahulec regale the audience with the hilarious “The Bathing Suit That Grandma Otter Wore,” which is a laundry list of items repurposed from a bathing suit the size of a circus tent. Krahulec’s ballads, “When the River Meets the Sea” and “Our World,” both have a Grand Ole Opry-meets-gospel beauty about them. And their “Ain’t No Hole in the Washtub” is adorably delivered and [Insert Dad joke here] just good, clean fun.

Emmet finds new singing partners when he and his friends Charlie Muskrat (TJ Creedon), Harvey (Drew Patti), and Wendell Porcupine (Luke Rider) form a jug band, thumping and twanging their way through the rhythmic “Bar-B-Que” and “Brothers.” Kudos to Creedom for taking his character next level. Every time he voiced the pre-pubescent Charlie Muskrat character, he reached a dog-whistle frequency, with every line making me laugh no matter what he said.

The jug band’s competition, the Riverbottom Nightmare Band (Fred Lizard, Barkdoll; Howard Snake, Connaghan; Chuck Stoat, Godinez; Catfish, Michael Rodriguez; Stan Weasel, Jason Samarin) rocked out an eponymous title song, serving us “villains” without being too scary.

Throughout the talent show, Waterville’s townspeople take turns showing off their talents. Gretchen Fox (Patty Cole) sings opera. Marilyn Mink (Jasmine Graham) delivers a rousing burlesque performance snippet that allows this play to keep its G-rating. George Rabbit (Creedon) and Melissa Rabbit (Carly Lafferty) tippet-tap dance. Yancy (Bobby Downey) does whatever he does intentionally just a little off-key and un-funny, like a throwback to Fozzie Bear. (And because we are drawing lines between this show and actual Muppets, this reviewer would be those old men critics in the balcony, Statler and Waldorf.) And because every story needs a ghost, Pa Otter (Anthony M.C. Leukus) performs a tender and encouraging “Alice Keep Dreaming.”

By far, the cutest and most charming variety act of the entire production: the children’s squirrely puppet show (Bryce Carter, Nicholas Caton, Beckett Copus, Ian Dandrea, Annie Logan, Xavier Logan, Annika Nguyen, ZJ Park, Selena Swigart and Lucas Terry).

Props to the prop master (Beckey Arney) for fashioning a guitar from a cigar box, and for decorating a Christmas tree where I could almost smell that clumpy paste holding together the paper chains. Also, the contra dancing (choreographer, Zsuzsanna Smith) is energetic and familiar. If you are asked to participate, fifth-grade gym class memory unlocks here.

“Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” is a family show under the parking garage in Waterville, so be sure to send your kids to Open Stage’s watering hole for their very own holiday mocktails. For those old enough to sip out of the jug, there’s a nostalgic themed merchandise selection tucked into the corner, just behind the ticket counter. Just as pleasing as the trip to Open Stage’s inviting space is the nostalgic trip awaiting you, rewinding your memories decades back through time.

Open Stage’s new annual tradition, “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas,” runs Nov. 22 through Dec. 23. For more information and ticket sales, visit https://www.openstagehbg.com/shows/emmetotter.

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

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

November 21, 2025 | by TheBurg Staff

The holiday tree outside Harrisburg city hall

Looking for where to find the city’s parade and tree lighting ceremony this weekend? How about how to get a free ride home from the bars this Thanksgiving? Whatever it is, we’ve got you covered for news in Harrisburg ahead of the holidays. Find all that and more below:

All about serving the community, Harrisburg’s small businesses are gearing up for the holiday season, our magazine story reported

At a school board meeting Tuesday, Harrisburg board members discussed months-delayed state funds and weighed new contracts for security and roof repairs, our online story reported.

Dozens of new trees were planted around Midtown and South Harrisburg last week, our online story reported.

Food columnist Rosemary has a recipe for gnudi for you this month, as seen in our November magazine.

Harrisburg announced its annual tree lighting ceremony, which will take place tonight at the MLK Government Center, our online story reported. The city also announced Harrisburg’s annual holiday parade will take place downtown tomorrow.

Latino Connection Foundation broke ground on an affordable housing project for seniors this week, our online story reported. It’s gained support from once-skeptical neighbors.

Lil Gottlieb’s son reflected on his mother’s time running Lil’s Dress Shop in our magazine story. Lil would have turned 100 this year.

Open Stage debuted its new family-friendly show “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” that will run through the holidays, our magazine story reported

Our Adventure Together columnist has a few ideas for you for winter fun. Indian Echo Caverns is a good educational trip for the family, our magazine story reported

Sara Bozich has suggestions for what to do this weekend, including a Friendsgiving brunch, a downtown Aortic valve concert, and more.

Susquehanna Art Museum has spent the last decade on N. 3rd Street and is celebrating the milestone moment with an exhibit to show how far it’s come, our online story reported. The exhibit will open in December.

Theatre Harrisburg’s “Guys and Dolls” has been wowing attendees, our entertainment reviewer reported. The musical romantic comedy runs through Nov. 23.

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission announced the re-launch of its Sober Ride Home program ahead of Thanksgiving, our online story reported.

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

Renovations, upgrades at several Harrisburg parks nearly done as grant deadline quickly approaches

November 21, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Construction in progress at Gorgas playground on the 2500 block of Jefferson Street

Harrisburg is on track to finish several major park upgrades in the coming weeks, but is up against the clock to complete renovations before grant funds expire.

In October 2022, the city was awarded a $13 million reimbursement grant by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for improvements at Reservoir, Wilson, 7^th & Radnor and Gorgas parks, with a deadline to spend the funds in the coming months.

Three of the parks, Wilson, off of Rumson Drive in Allison Hill, 7th & Radnor sports field in Uptown and Gorgas playground, adjacent to the sports field, seem to be on track for a December completion date. However, work to construct a “spray alley” at Reservoir Park in Allison Hill appears to have just started, as fencing was only recently installed around the construction site in the park.

According to the city’s contract with DCED for the grant money that’s funding all four park upgrades, all $13 million needs to be spent by Jan. 31, 2026 in order for Harrisburg to receive the full amount.

However, as of Nov. 14, Harrisburg had only submitted one invoice to DCED for $2,500, which is being processed, according to DCED.

The $13 million came from the state’s Community Development Block Grant-CARES Act (CDBG-CV) funding, money the state received from the federal government to address COVID.

Harrisburg Director of Communications Mischelle Moyer said that Wilson, 7^th & Radnor and Gorgas parks are currently under construction and slated to be completed by the end of the year. When visiting the construction site at 7th & Radnor park and Gorgas playground, construction workers told TheBurg that they would likely be done in early December.

New basketball courts and pavilion at 7th & Radnor sports park

Plans for 7th & Radnor included a complete overhaul. New basketball courts, a new pavilion, a dugout, a walking path and other features were already constructed. The contractors on site said that the park is about 80% complete, with mostly paving, concrete and electrical work yet to be done. Much of that is weather-dependent as winter months approach.

At Gorgas, new playground equipment has been installed. Paving work is still needed, as well as installing a rubber surface around the equipment and electrical work.

Contractors also estimated that Wilson was at about the same stage. Planned upgrades there include playground equipment, restrooms and pavilions as well, although none were visible on-site as of this week.

Parks and Recreation Director Sasha Ross previously told TheBurg that work at Reservoir Park would begin this past Monday and said that she was confident it would be completed by the grant deadline. When visiting the park on Thursday, fencing blocked off a large section, including grass and parking lot space and construction machinery was on site, although no construction work was visible at the time.

Plans for Reservoir Park include constructing a spray alley with water features, among other updates.

Fencing has gone up at Reservoir Park

According to DCED, the budget for each park is as follows:

7th and Radnor Park and Gorgas, $6,122,000
Reservoir Park – Spray Park Alley, $3,601,116
Wilson Playground, $3,001,116
Project administration, $281,499

According to the contract, the city must incur all of the funds by the end of the contract or unspent funds will be revoked. The contract states that the city has 30 days after the deadline to submit invoices. Moyer did not respond to questions about how much money has been spent so far.

DCED said that the city may reallocate funds among the approved CDBG-CV activities if requested and approved by DCED.

A DCED spokesperson confirmed that Harrisburg requested a 30-day extension from its previous Dec. 29, 2025 deadline. This is the third extension that Harrisburg has received for the grant, which originally would have expired at the end of 2023.

At a November 2024 City Council meeting, when discussing the grant money, city Solicitor Neil Grover stated that DCED had “insisted” that they could not change the Dec. 31, 2025 deadline to spend the money. However, they now have an additional 30 days.

DCED officials said that Harrisburg explained extension requests as due to “delays by COVID-related scarcity of design/engineering contractors and supply chain constraints,” as well as “the complexity of the parks project that extended the environmental review, design/engineering, and contracting for economies of scale aspects of the project.”

Construction in progress at Wilson Park

When initially awarded the money, the city had a fifth project that they were set to receive money for: improvements to Jackson Lick pool. However, the city in 2024 reallocated the $5 million that would’ve gone to the pool to the other four parks, saying that, because of legal issues with the pool, the project would not be able to be completed by the grant deadline. Harrisburg was facing legal negotiations around the pool’s ownership with the Harrisburg School District, which owns the property.

According to DCED, out of the grant awardees announced in October 2022, all have completed their projects except for Harrisburg and Tioga County – both of which are underway. Harrisburg received the largest grant award of all other projects awarded in the same funding round.

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

Muralist paints Harrisburg storefront windows ahead of the holidays

November 21, 2025 | by Alexandra Jones

Muralist Katie Trainer works on a window at Bacco Pizzeria and Wine Bar.

Downtown is getting some fresh window paint ahead of the holidays.

Lebanon-based artist Katie Trainer has been painting businesses’ storefront windows all week along the 2nd Street corridor. Sometimes, she’s running between several at a time, touching up one while others take time to dry in the cold air.

“I call it marathon painting,” she said on Friday. “Let’s get them up as fast as we can, and get them cute and clean and pretty. It’s rapid fire.”

The City of Harrisburg and Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District collaborated to bring Trainer downtown ahead of the holiday season to paint windows in bulk, free of charge for the businesses, for the second year in a row.

Cafe Fresco’s window shows Harrisburg’s Capitol inside a snow globe.

The muralist hopes to do close to 20 storefronts this year and has been knocking on businesses’ doors as she moves along, painting a keyboard piano on Carley’s Ristorante & Piano Bar, a Capitol-themed snow globe on Cafe Fresco, and the words “Merry Christmas” nested in ball ornaments on the side of BurgerYum.

Sydney Musser, social media and marketing specialist at the Downtown Improvement District, applauded Trainer for her creativity.

“It definitely adds a lot of holiday cheer downtown,” Musser said.

As she works, the artist takes input from business employees, customers, and sometimes passersby about what to put on the windows. For example, she said, the Christmas elves and snowflakes on the side of Bacco Pizzeria & Wine Bar were a request from the restaurant’s employees.

Xavier Cruz, general manager at Bacco, was impressed with how the images turned out and how quickly Trainer worked.

“As soon as I told her the idea, she ran out and started,” he said.

Likewise, Trainer painted Anna Rose Bakery & Coffee Shop per employee input with cats and cupcakes. According to owner Zach Madar, the window paintings have already been a big hit.

“That black cat on the top there was just a guy walking by, and he was like, ‘Hey, are you doing more cats? Could you add my cat?’” Madar explained.

He said Trainer also took input from a neighbor.

“The little cupcake houses were the kid next door’s idea,” Madar added. “She asked him what he’d want to see on the windows.”

Cats and cupcake window paintings on Anna Rose Bakery and Coffee Shop.

Trainer said she loves taking inspiration from people around the city like this and that talking to people passing by about the art has been very rewarding for her.

“I had an incredibly inspirational moment two days ago with a woman who told me that she had given up hope in life, and that the paintings brought her back to her childhood, and gave her hope again to try to do better,” Trainer said. “I was so touched by it.”

To learn more about Katie Trainer, visit her website.

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

Central Pennsylvania Welcomes WOW WINDOWBOXES™: Custom Curb Appeal For Every Season

November 20, 2025 | by Admin

Central Pennsylvania is blooming with excitement as WOW Windowboxes™ expands into the region, bringing its award-winning four-season window box and planter designs to homes and businesses throughout Harrisburg, Hershey, Lebanon, Carlisle, and surrounding communities.

Led by local owner Dave Miller, the Central PA franchise delivers the beauty and ease that WOW Windowboxes is known for nationwide: custom-built planters, seasonal plantings, and professional installation with automatic irrigation systems—all designed to make curb appeal effortless and extraordinary.

“Whether you’re in Hershey, Carlisle, or Lebanon, Central Pennsylvania has a deep sense of pride in its homes and neighborhoods,” said Dave. “Our goal is to make it easy for residents to enjoy that beauty year-round with a WOW experience from start to finish.”

Founded in Cincinnati in 2009, WOW Windowboxes has grown from a small local business into a nationally recognized brand that redefines outdoor décor. Each franchise combines local expertise with WOW’s proven systems to deliver consistent quality, style, and service in every community it serves. From the tree-lined streets of Hershey’s Cocoa Avenue to the historic charm of downtown Carlisle, WOW Windowboxes celebrates Central PA’s seasonal beauty with plantings that evolve throughout the year—vibrant spring blooms, lush summer color, fall textures, and festive winter arrangements. With optional automatic irrigation systems, homeowners can enjoy year-round curb appeal without the hassle of daily maintenance.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Dave and the Central Pennsylvania team into the WOW family,” said Bret Schneider, Founder and President of WOW Windowboxes. “Central PA has that perfect blend of small-town heart and big vision—exactly the kind of community where WOW thrives. Dave brings the same passion for creativity, quality, and customer care that has been our foundation since day one. We can’t wait to see the region come alive with WOW-worthy color and design.” Dave will be at booth 330 at the Pennsylvania Christmas + Gift Show at the PA Farm Show Complex from Dec 3-7.

For more information or to schedule a consultation for your home or business, visit wowwindowboxes.com/centralpa or call 717-370-9693.

ABOUT WOW WINDOWBOXES™
WOW Windowboxes™ creates custom window boxes and planters designed, installed, and refreshed seasonally to provide beauty year-round. With a focus on design, service, and quality, WOW makes it easy to enjoy flowers without the hassle. Central Pennsylvania marks the company’s newest franchise, continuing its expansion to share “WOW-worthy” curb appeal nationwide.

Sponsored Content

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

November 20, 2025 | by Sara Bozich

Plan your weekend with my weekly list of things to do around Harrisburg and central PA!

What you’ll find ⤵️

For something new: A Friendsgiving Brunch at Allenberry on Sunday; Early Ones Only at Capital City Music Hall Friday (“the dance party that doesn’t ruin tomorrow”)

Worth noting: Aortic Valve at Strawberry Square (3rd in the Burg), Harrisburg Holiday Parade Saturday, A Celebration of Color at Susquehanna Art Museum, Camp Hill’s annual Candy Cane Walk on Sunday

Things on my agenda this weekend: Wine Dinner, Aortic Valve, Museum reception, Candy Cane Walk

🆕 Quick Weekend Links: Thursday • Friday • Saturday • Sunday

New + Noteworthy

you know, ICYMI

My 2025 Hoilday Gift Guide just dropped! 👀
SoMa Christmas Market is Nov. 30 with shopping, gift wrapping, boozy hot cocoa booth, Santa, and more!
See what else you missed on the blog
and check out the new “Extras” section at the very bottom

Sara’s Top Picks

for the group chat

Thursday is Beaujoais Day! I used to make a practice out of this. Visit note and select FWGS stores to try this year’s vintage! (Pro tip: Bring to Thanksgiving — it’s a crowd-pleaser — and you want it gone by the new year)
Cafe Fresco has a special menu available during the Harrisburg Holiday Parade on Saturday
📤 Share this with the friend who always asks, ‘What’s going on this weekend?’
👨‍💻 Submit your events for the Weekend Roundup

Thursday

Walks on Thursdays at Sunset with The Plant Witch | Free | Harrisburg
Rhythm Ride: Friendsgiving at H2L Studio | $ | Mechanicsburg
Hip-Hop Barre Express at H2L Studio | $ | Mechanicsburg
YPOC Friendsgiving at Broad Street Market | $ | Harrisburg
Beaujolais Nouveau Day at note | Free | Harrisburg
Nina Scarcia at The Sturges Speakeasy | $ | Harrisburg
A Very Grinchy Christmas Tree Lighting | Free | Elizabethtown
The Most Wonderful Weekend @ Tröegs Brewery | Free | Hershey
Tasting Event Featuring Hidden Still Spirits at Oscar’s Cigar & Sports Lounge | $ | Palmyra
Outback presents STEVE-O: The Crash and Burn! Tour at The Appell Center | $ | York
King 810 at Capital City Music Hall | $ | Harrisburg
Paul Bunyan Presents: Riddle M, Mold Gold, and Nera! at West Art | $ | Lancaster
Open Mic and Jam at The Abbey Bar | Every Thursday Night!| Free | Harrisburg
The 2025 Christmas Show: Deck the Halls at American Music Theatre | $ | Lancaster

Friday

3rd in the Burg
Aortic Valve at Strawberry Square | Free | Harrisburg
THE NIGHT SHIFT — 3rd in the Burg at Whitaker Center | $ | Harrisburg
November Third in the Burg at Susquehanna Art Museum | Free | Harrisburg
Friends of Midtown Social Night at Elementary Coffee | Free | Harrisburg
Electrolyte Powder Workshop with The Plant Witch at Agape Elixir Bar | $ | Harrisburg
Harrisburg Tree Lighting at the MLK Building | Free | Harrisburg
open mic at Consciousness Coffee | Free | Lemoyne
Christmas Tree Showcase at Hershey Gardens | $ | Hershey
Girl’s Night 💋Barre & Bling — Cardio Barre Express & Custom Clip + Hats at H2L Studio | $ | Mechanicsburg
The Most Wonderful Weekend @ Tröegs Brewery | Free | Hershey
Greg Owens and Tony Mayo at Harrisburg Comedy Zone | $ | New Cumberland
DJ Admatix at Freshido Bar + Kitchen | Free | Harrisburg
Rivers Live at The Abbey Bar | $ | Harrisburg
Joe Cooney and Friends at Big Bottom Brewing | Free | Dillsburg
The Warped Tour Band Emo Pop Punk Night at XL Live | $ | Harrisburg
Early Ones Only at Capital City Music Hall | $ | Harrisburg
2000s Party with Y2Kids at Capital City Music Hall | $ | Harrisburg
The Life of a Showgirl: Swifties Night at Karma | $ | Harrisburg
Theatre Harrisburg presents GUYS AND DOLLS at Whitaker Center | $ | Harrisburg
Oyster Mill Playhouse presents No Sex Please, We’re British | $ | Camp Hill
The 2025 Christmas Show: Deck the Halls at American Music Theatre | $ | Lancaster
Latin Fuzion Fridayz at Level 2 | Harrisburg
Christmas Candy Lane at Hersheypark | $ | Hershey
Hershey Sweet Lights | $ | Hershey

Saturday

Saturday Morning Yoga at Boneshire Brew Works | $ | Harrisburg
Harrisburg Holiday Parade 2025 | Free | Harrisburg
Dash for the Stache 5K at Adams-Ricci Park | $ | Enola
Beginner Bootcamp at H2L Studio | Free | Mechanicsburg
Thankful for Wine Weekend at Gruver Farms | Free | New Cumberland
Christmas Marketat Sage Lane Cottage | Free | Dillsburg
The Wandering Maker: November Market | Free | Dover
Christmas Tree Showcase at Hershey Gardens | $ | Hershey
Gobbler Bash 2025 at BAPS Motor Speedway | $ | York Haven
The Most Wonderful Weekend @ Tröegs Brewery | Free | Hershey
November Cocktail Class at Midstate Distillery | $ | Mechanicsburg
Screening at Midtown Cinema: COLOR Documentary | $ | Harrisburg
A Celebration of Color at Susquehanna Art Museum | $ | Harrisburg
Holiday Humor w/ Comedian Matt Moyer & Friends at Hotel Indigo | $ | Harrisburg
Greg Owens and Tony Mayo at Harrisburg Comedy Zone | $ | New Cumberland
Noah Gundersen at Capital City Music Hall | $ | Harrisburg
Shelter Cat / Scratch Pad / GLIF / Bog Creeper Live at RecordSmith | $ | Mechanicsburg
Shine Delphi & Colebrook Road at The Ware Center | $ | Lancaster
Webby at Capital City Music Hall | $ | Harrisburg
West Art Presents the Final Boss Big Band | $ | Lancaster
Knorrwood: “Over the Shire & Far Away” Renaissance Celebration @ Englewood | $ | Hummelstown
Met Gala -1 Year Anniversary Party at Karma | $ | Harrisburg
Warren Zeiders at GIANT Center | $ | Hershey
Strand Centennial Spotlight: JAY LENO at The Appell Center | $ | York
Oyster Mill Playhouse presents No Sex Please, We’re British | $ | Camp Hill
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas at Open Stage | $ | Harrisburg
Gamut Theatre Group presents The Mikado, Eh | $ | Harrisburg
Theatre Harrisburg presents GUYS AND DOLLS at Whitaker Center | $ | Harrisburg
The 2025 Christmas Show: Deck the Halls at American Music Theatre | $ | Lancaster
Ciroc Saturdays at Level 2 | Harrisburg
Brewery Tours: York City Walking Tour | $ | York
Brewery Tours: Cruise York County | $ | York
Brewery Tours: Lancaster City Walking Tour | $ | Lancaster
Brewery Tours: Lancaster City Walk-a-Bout! | $ | Lancaster
Christmas Candy Lane at Hersheypark | $ | Hershey
Hershey Sweet Lights | $ | Hershey

Sunday

Sunday Tea at The Willows at Ashcombe | $ | Mechanicsburg
Kundalini Yoga with Keane Living at Consciousness Coffee | $ | Lemoyne
Sundays at Stumpy’s! | $ | Hershey
Friendsgiving Brunch at Allenberry | $ | Boiling Springs
Queens of KARMA: WICKED Drag Brunch | $ | Harrisburg
Downtown Camp Hill Association’s Candy Cane Walk | Free | Camp Hill
Merry Merchants Outdoor Holiday Market | Free | New Cumberland
Christmas Marketat Sage Lane Cottage | Free | Dillsburg
The Find Events: November Makers Market | Free | York
Makers at the Museum at the Hershey History Center | Free | Hershey
The Most Wonderful Weekend @ Tröegs Brewery | Free | Hershey
Christmas Tree Showcase at Hershey Gardens | $ | Hershey
Trans-Siberian Orchestra – The Ghosts of Christmas Eve at GIANT Center | $ | Hershey
Sound Healing Meditation at H2L Studio | $ | Mechanicsburg
Thankful for Wine Weekend at Gruver Farms | Free | New Cumberland
Dueling Pianos at Appalachian Brewing Company! | Free | Mechanicsburg
A MOTOWN CHRISTMAS at The Appell Center | $ | York
Court Street Cabaret at Open Stage | $ | Harrisburg
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas at Open Stage | $ | Harrisburg
Gamut Theatre Group presents The Mikado, Eh | $ | Harrisburg
Theatre Harrisburg presents GUYS AND DOLLS at Whitaker Center | $ | Harrisburg
The 2025 Christmas Show: Deck the Halls at American Music Theatre | $ | Lancaster
Christmas Candy Lane at Hersheypark | $ | Hershey
Hershey Sweet Lights | $ | Hershey

Extras

Coronet Park to open in early 2026. If you want to check it out, make sure you’re on my email list.
Want to share an ‘extra’? Email Sara with interest!

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

Susquehanna Art Museum will highlight a decade of growth with new exhibit

November 19, 2025 | by Alexandra Jones

In the Susquehanna Art Museum’s education wing, Director of Education Rachel Abell holds an illustration of VanGo! by Armando Veve that will be featured in the exhibit.

The Susquehanna Art Museum is celebrating a decade in its permanent home on N. 3rd Street.

To mark the milestone, SAM’s director of education Rachel Abell is curating a special show that will open in December in the museum’s education gallery: “SAM Celebrates 10 Years: An Anniversary Exhibition.”

Abell is assembling a collection of photos to tell the story of how the museum made its home in Midtown’s old Keystone Trust Bank building. It was a huge move for the institution, born in 1989 as a roving “pop-up” museum that displayed art in community storefronts and other areas.

“We’ve grown so that we can bring more impactful exhibitions to the area, more household-name artists. But we’ve never lost that community connection,” said Abell, who has been with the museum since 2023.

When SAM moved to the old bank building in 2015, it added a wing onto the building. This created the Marty and Tom Phillips Family Art Center, which houses SAM’s education classroom, and the Beverlee and Bill Lehr Gallery, a climate-controlled zone for traveling art exhibits.

Abell plans to highlight some of SAM’s biggest exhibitions, which the Lehr Gallery has made possible.

“We’ve had exhibitions of Pablo Picasso. We’ve had exhibitions of Edvard Munch,” Abell said. “It’s a really big deal to have such recognizable names.”

SAM also hosted Katsushika Hokusai’s woodblock print “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” in 2022. “To have that here in the capital city was so exciting,” Abell said.

An illustration of VanGo! by artist Armando Veve in 2018, done with graphite on paper.

She praised SAM for hosting a wide array of contemporary artists.

“Some are recognized in the canon of art history and others are local,” she said. “That’s what I think makes us really special.”

Before moving to the 1923 bank building, SAM occupied spaces briefly in Strawberry Square and the Kunkel Building in downtown Harrisburg. The art museum held its first exhibitions in Midtown at 1401 N. 3rd St in January 2015.

“SAM Celebrates 10 Years: An Anniversary Exhibition” runs Dec. 3 through Feb. 15. To learn more about the Susquehanna Art Museum, visit its website.

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

Local program to offer Uber vouchers to prevent DUIs over Thanksgiving

November 19, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Officials announced the Sober Ride Home program in July 2024.

A local program will help people get home safely after a night out.

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission announced the re-launch of its Sober Ride Home program for the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend.

The initiative, which has been offered over several previous holiday weekends, provides free Uber vouchers to local bar and restaurant patrons in an effort to prevent DUIs.

“A lot of folks will be celebrating with family and friends this Thanksgiving, and we want everyone to get where they’re going safely,” said Andrew Bomberger, executive director of the TCRPC, which partners on Sober Ride Home with Uber and Commute PA. “Using a free Uber voucher is an easy, effective way to prevent a tragedy over the holiday weekend.”

The program will operate from 7 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 26-29, ending Sunday morning. Vouchers will be offered in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties.

Drivers who have consumed alcohol at bars and restaurants can visit the Sober Ride Home website, scan a QR code, and access a one-time, non-renewable Uber voucher for $20. Local bars and restaurants will also be promoting the effort.

Vouchers are available while supplies last.

Sober Ride Home is funded through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration and the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program.

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

Harrisburg School District to receive months-delayed state funds; board weighs contracts

November 19, 2025 | by Alexandra Jones

The Harrisburg School District’s administration building.

At a meeting Tuesday night, following four months waiting for state funds tied up in a lengthy budget impasse, Harrisburg school board members reviewed the district’s financial state.

A treasurer’s report presented at the meeting showed the school district had more than $60 million in its coffers at the end of the federal fiscal year in September, about $10 million less than the same time last year, according to Chief Financial Officer Marcia Stokes. Stokes attributed the lower 2025 total to Pennsylvania’s delay in passing the state budget.

The district heavily relies on state funding and was forced in June to pass its 2025-26 general fund budget without the state having passed its own budget, which decides how much money the district receives. For the 2025-26 school year, the state will send Harrisburg $88.1 million for basic education and $8.7 million for special education. The district will also receive $18 million in grant funding.

Stokes added that, due to the delayed state funds, the district opted not to pay its charter schools for the time being.

“It would have been a significantly greater discrepancy had we paid our bills,” she said.

Now that the significantly delayed state budget has passed, officials said they were relieved.

“I’m just glad to see that the budget has been passed to continue our support for our children and our services here in the district,” board President Roslyn Copeland said.

The board also voted 5-4 Tuesday night to hire an armed guard from St. Moritz Security Services for the district’s administration building at 1010 N. 7th St. at $35.60 per hour.

Superintendent Benjamin Henry said it was an appropriate safety measure.

“We don’t have anyone to really control who comes in and out of our office in this building,” he said.

The security guard will work Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m..

Additionally, the board discussed $2.1 million in contracts for roof restorations for four school buildings: Foose Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Camp Curtin and SciTech. The work would be done by Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance.

Members also weighed extending a license agreement with Harrisburg-based Wildheart Ministries to continue operating the Hill Farm, located on district-owned property at 18^th Street and Eugene Alley, through November 2028. Wildheart uses the land to grow food and provide educational opportunities for students.

Board member Danielle Robinson questioned the length of the contract, as previous contracts between the district and Wildheart had been one year.

Board member Annie Hughes spoke in favor of the longer term.

“Farms have to plant a year ahead, so a yearly agreement is very difficult for a farm to manage,” she said.

Chief Operations Administrator John Reedy noted the board can end the contract prematurely, if needed.

The board is slated to vote on the roofing and Hill Farm contracts at next week’s board meeting.

If you like what we do, please support our work.

Become a Friend of TheBurg!

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

Plan your weekend with my weekly list of things to do around Harrisburg and central PA!

What you’ll find ⤵️

🆕 Quick Weekend Links: Thursday • Friday • Saturday • Sunday

New + Noteworthy

Sara’s Top Picks

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Extras

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like

You May Also Like