She Wore It Well: A reflection, an appreciation on the centennial of the first Mary Sachs store.

August 31, 2018 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Mary Sachs

On Sept. 6, 1918, a young immigrant from Russia with little formal education opened a clothing store in downtown Harrisburg that would become legendary for its elegance and high fashion.

Mary Sachs dominated the entrepreneurial world of the capital city for decades—until her death in 1960—eventually earning the moniker, “Merchant Princess.”

At first, Sachs sold only upscale women’s clothing, but, eventually, she expanded the store to include several departments. Satellite stores in Lancaster and Reading followed.

Sachs was nothing if not resourceful and determined. After a fire destroyed her original store in 1931, she constructed a new, expanded one, in 1932.

In time, she also became known for her charitable work, earning the additional title of “Princess of Philanthropy.” Eleanor Roosevelt, the country’s first lady and a good friend, declared, “Few can ever match her generosity.”

Historic Harrisburg Association, along with the Mary Sachs Charitable Trust, is now honoring this centennial and her legacy with a celebration that will launch 100 years to the day that Sachs opened her Harrisburg store.

The celebration will highlight three cornerstones of Sachs’s importance to the capital city, said David Morrison, HHA’s executive director.

“One is her introduction of world-class fashion retailing and an international following,” he said. “Second, her elegant shop on N. 3rd Street opposite Capitol Park helped establish downtown Harrisburg as a thriving center of commerce and culture. Then there was her charitable work, helping the needy and inspiring those who were well off.”

Retail Royalty

The remembrance actually begins on Sept. 5 with “Harrisburg’s Merchant Heritage and the Legacy of Mary Sachs,” a “Smart Talk” segment with host Scott LaMar that will air at 9 a.m. on WITF.

Then, at noon on Sept. 6, a “Centennial Ceremony” and live TV newscast will take place in Capital Park, near the former Mary Sachs store at 208 N. 3rd St., a Lawrie & Green landmark building that still stands and bears her name.

That same day, a new exhibit, “Harrisburg’s Merchant Heritage,” will open at the HHA Resource Center in Midtown, with an opening reception that begins at 5:30 p.m. Local historian Jeb Stuart, whose father was a business associate of Sachs, is curating the exhibit.

The 35-panel exhibit will cover the retail legacy not only of Sachs and Stuart but of such famed entrepreneurs as the Goldsmiths, Troups and others. It will include photos of downtown landmarks, pictures of other important buildings, newspaper clips and some of the ads for which Sachs was famous.

“The exhibit will focus on the capital city’s historic architecture, buildings and places,” said Stuart. “Imagery drives it.”

One special aspect will be the half-dozen Mary Sachs dresses owned by Alyce Spector, a community leader, from the days of her trousseau. Alyce’s husband, Morton, has been a long-time advisor to the Mary Sachs Charitable Trust.

In addition, the exhibit will be one of 30 stops along Gallery Walk, sponsored by the Art Association of Harrisburg, on Sunday, Sept. 9.

Future programming includes a walking tour of the “Retail Landmarks of Downtown Harrisburg” and a panel discussion on “Harrisburg Retail Royalty” at HHA.

A Revival

Sachs’s star still hasn’t faded.

Both the State Archives and the Dauphin County Historical Society have collections of material by and about her. And, if you search online for “Mary Sachs Vintage Clothing,” you’ll find some of the items from her stores.

Then there’s the continuing work of the Mary Sachs Charitable Trust, which she founded. These many years later, the trust is still doing great things, such as offering college scholarships for local students.

“We are proud of the Mary Sachs story from a business as well as a philanthropic perspective and strive to continue her legacy through significant scholarship aid to young women in the tri-county area (Dauphin, Perry, Cumberland) who are going to college with a major in either fashion design, retailing or general business,” said Paul Hoch, a great-nephew of Mary Sachs and chair of the Mary Sachs Trust.

Sachs’s 42-year reign as Harrisburg’s “Merchant Princess” coincided with the city’s golden age, shaped in part by a thriving climate of locally owned downtown retail establishments and other independent urban businesses, Morrison said.

He added that, after many decades in decline, Harrisburg retail is experiencing a revival. He cited the numerous small businesses that have opened in recent years, including Midtown Scholar Bookstore, Provisions grocery store and numerous new shops along N. 3rd Street.

“It’s an age that hasn’t completely passed,” he said.

The Historic Harrisburg Association Resource Center is located at 1230 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For information about the Mary Sachs centennial and “Harrisburg’s Merchant Heritage,” visit www.historicharrisburg.com, call 717-233-4646 or e-mail [email protected].

Fashion Shows

Mary Sachs opened her first store on Sept. 6, 1918. The centennial will be celebrated with a series of events.

Sept. 5, 9 a.m.: “Harrisburg’s Merchant Heritage and the Legacy of Mary Sachs,” a “Smart Talk” segment with host Scott LaMar on WITF. Rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
Sept. 6, noon: “Centennial Ceremony” in Capitol Park across from Mary Sachs building, 208 N. 3rd St. Living relatives of Mary Sachs and other dignitaries will commemorate the opening of her famous store.
Sept. 6, 5 to 7:30 p.m.: Opening reception for new exhibit, “Harrisburg’s Merchant Heritage and the Legacy of Mary Sachs,” Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, 1230 N. 3rd St.
Sept. 9: Harrisburg Gallery Walk, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.: “Harrisburg’s Merchant Heritage and the Legacy of Mary Sachs” exhibit is featured at Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, 1230 N. 3rd St.
Sept. 22: Walking Tour: “Retail Landmarks of Downtown Harrisburg,” a new narrated tour led by Jeb Stuart and David Morrison. Meet at Capitol East Wing fountain. Fee, payable on arrival, is $15, $10 for HHA members, $5 for students.
Oct. 23: Historic Harrisburg Monthly Education Program, “Harrisburg’s Retail Royalty.” This panel discussion features members of prominent local merchant families from decades past, plus current, 21st-century entrepreneurs. Open to the public free of charge at 6 p.m. Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, 1230 N. 3rd St.

It’s the Ripe Time: Use those last garden tomatoes for panzanella.

August 31, 2018 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

If you’re like me, when September rolls around, it’s often a bit of a surprise. How could summer be over already?

I’m always left to wonder why February and March seem to pass so slowly. Nevertheless, for those of us who love the beautiful, fresh produce of summer, farm stands are still overflowing with sweet corn, peppers (especially red ones), eggplant and, of course, tomatoes that taste like tomatoes should.

Italian cooks find innovative ways to use the abundance of late summer tomatoes, from making a simple marinara sauce with nothing more than chopped tomatoes, a little garlic and chopped onion and lots of fresh basil to roasting them with olive oil for a pasta topping that is slightly reminiscent of sun-dried tomatoes. Tomatoes are stuffed with breadcrumbs and cheese and find their way into the classic eggplant relish, caponata.

Italian cooks are also known for their reluctance to waste food. Rinds of Parmesan Reggiano cheese are tossed into soups, especially minestrone. Leftover pasta may be used in a pasta torte. And leftover vegetables find their way into fritattas and egg omelets.

But one food that Italian cooks hate most to waste is bread. Leftover crusts are grated and saved for meatballs. Focaccia bread may be cubed, browned in oil, and used as croutons. And the classic papa al pomodoro is no ordinary tomato soup. It is made with summer’s best tomatoes and stale bread.

One of the best-known Italian recipes is panzanella. Panzanella is tomato bread salad. It is best if made this time of year with ripe, red tomatoes whose juices are transformed, along with vinegar, into wonderful vinaigrette. The bread must be good Italian or French bread and, ideally, a day or two old. Panzanella originates from the Tuscan region of Italy and, like so many Italian dishes, probably no two versions of it are exactly alike. Some call for the bread to be soaked in water, while others dictate that the stale bread cubes be first browned in olive oil. The original panzanella recipe was made with unsalted Tuscan bread, which most of us would likely find unsavory.

Some panzanella recipes include peppers, anchovies, olives, mozzarella cheese and capers. I was even able to find one version that calls for polenta cubes instead of bread. But the recipe that follows is classic and easy. Its focus is on wonderful tomatoes and good country bread and tastes very much like summer.

PANZANELLA SALAD

Ingredients

2 ripe, red tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces (save a few whole leaves for garnish)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil (more if needed)
3 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
6-8 thick slices of good quality Italian or French rustic style bread (stale bread works best!)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, onion and torn basil. Drizzle the mixture with the ½-cup olive oil, the vinegar and salt and pepper. Toss gently to evenly coat the vegetables.
Cut the bread into cubes or tear it into bite-sized pieces. Place half the bread in a wide and shallow bowl and spoon on half of the vegetables.
Layer on the remaining bread and then the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Toss the salad before serving and add more salt and pepper if needed. I like to add a little extra vinegar.
Garnish with the basil leaves and serve immediately.

You can experiment by adding different ingredients to your panzanella salad. There are so many intriguing vinegars out there these days. I have been having fun with black cherry and pineapple vinegars from Williams-Sonoma, as well as a strawberry balsamic from Olio in Lititz.

This is another one of those classic Italian dishes that absolutely will not work without the best ingredients: good olive oil and vinegar, crusty bread and ripe summer tomatoes. It is a very simple dish that can be made a few hours ahead (but no longer) and paired with grilled chicken, steak or fish.

So hold on to summer a little longer. Save that half-loaf of Italian bread that’s been languishing in your breadbox since last Sunday’s pasta dinner. Grab those tomatoes on your counter that are just a little bit soft. A delicious panzanella salad is waiting.

Community Corner: Notable September Events

August 31, 2018 | by Missy Smith

September Community Corner

HBG Flea
Sept. 1: Shop the HBG Flea for local art, vintage treasures and curated curios at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit hbgflea.com.

Button Box Fest
Sept. 1-2: St. Lawrence Club of Steelton, 13 Highland St., hosts Steelton Button Box Bash gathering of button box players, Sept. 1, 5 to 11 p.m., and Sept. 2, 12 to 3 p.m., with accordion music, dancing and refreshments. Cost is $10 on Saturday, $5 on Sunday. Visit Lawrence Club Facebook page.

Kipona
Sept. 1-3: Enjoy the 102nd Annual Kipona Festival in Riverfront Park and City Island with food vendors, live music with bands, handmade art and crafts, a biergarten, Native American pow-wow, canoe races, music, carnival games, children’s activities and more. Visit harrisburgpa.gov.

Archaeology at Fort Hunter
Sept. 5-Oct. 5: State Museum of Pennsylvania will conduct its annual excavation at Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg. Archaeologists will be on site weekdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit statemuseumpa.org.

Mary Sachs Centennial
Sept. 6: A tribute to legendary retailer Mary Sachs begins at Capitol Park, across the street from her famous store at 208 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, at noon, then continues with the opening reception of “Harrisburg’s Merchant Heritage and the Legacy of Mary Sachs,” 5 to 7:30 p.m., at Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, 1230 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Visit historicharrisburg.com.

PA Art Tour
Sept. 7: Join docents at State Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 North St., Harrisburg, at 12:15 pm., for a final look at the annual “Art of the State” exhibition. Visit statemuseumpa.org.

River House Concert
Sept. 7: Lysaght River House Concert Series presents Bob Barry & Friends’ “The Fifty Year Journey” in two concert sets, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at 5258 N. Front St, Harrisburg. Tickets are $45. Call Piano One Records for ticket availability. Visit garylysaght.com.

Jazz & Wine Fest
Sept. 7-9: The 12th annual Dauphin County Jazz & Wine Festival will be held at Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg. Local and national artists will join area wineries for the three-day event. Weekend passes are $50 in advance, $60 at the door. Visit dauphincounty.org.

Plant Sale & Garden Tour
Sept. 9: Manada Conservancy will host a Native Plant Sale and Garden Tour, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 108 Banbury Circle, Hummelstown. Shop for plants, native perennials, trees, shrubs and vines and visit the gardens of a Manada Conservancy board member. Visit manada.org.

Gallery Walk
Sept. 9: Explore 22 galleries and exhibit spaces to enjoy art, music and refreshments during the Art Association of Harrisburg’s 30th annual free Gallery Walk. Event runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout Harrisburg, including in many non-traditional art spaces. Visit artassocofhbg.com.

Restaurant Week
Sept. 10-21: Harrisburg’s premier dining event returns, spanning two weeks, Sept. 10-14 and 17-21. Visit HarrisburgRestaurantWeek.com for participating venues and specials.

9-11 Observance
Sept. 11: Pennsylvania National Fire Museum, 1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg, will host a 9-11 anniversary observance. Starting at 8:46 a.m., the museum will hold a series of events. Visit pnfm.org.

Photo Talk
Sept. 11: Maryland photographer Cam Miller will discuss her “Daily Photo Walk” at Harrisburg Camera Club, 7 to 9 p.m., in the Giant Community Room, 3400 Trindle Rd., Camp Hill. She will share tips and photos to inspire other photographers. Visit harrisburgcameraclub.org.

Friendship Flowers
Sept. 12: Harrisburg Chapter #18 of Ikebana International will celebrate 60th Anniversary of “Friendship through Flowers” with a special program and luncheon at Trinity Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill. Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging. For reservation and membership information, contact [email protected].

Puppies and Pints
Sept. 12: Join Harrisburg Young Professionals at HMAC, 1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., for “Puppies and Pints,” benefiting Miffy’s Animal Rescue. Miffy’s will bring several dogs that need a forever home. Visit hyp.org.

Leadership Talks
Sept. 13: Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC will host “Rebels, Renegades & Pioneers” half-day leadership conference at HMAC, 1110 N. 3rd St., 8 to 11:30 a.m. Speakers will discuss their leadership journeys and paths to success. Visit harrisburgregionalchamber.org.

Mega Mixer
Sept. 13: Join members of West Shore, Carlisle Area, Mechanicsburg and Shippensburg chambers of commerce for the 12nd Annual Mega Mixer at the U.S. Army Heritage Center Foundation, 950 Soldiers Dr., Carlisle, 5 to 7 p.m. Registration required. Visit wschamber.org.

Country Gala
Sept. 14: Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, 176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg, hosts “A Country Gala” fundraising event, at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy food stations, live and silent auctions, musical entertainment and more. Visit nedsmithcenter.org.

20th Celebration
Sept. 14: Join HYP for its 20th Anniversary Celebration at the Hill Society at Hilton Harrisburg, 1 N. 2nd St. The pre-party reception will be held, 5 to 6:30 p.m., with the main event, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Live music by Klock Entertainment. Learn more at hyp.org.

Foreign Films
Sept. 14, 28: Join Fredricksen Library for “In Between,” a story from Palestine on Sept. 14, and “Kinyarwanda,” a film from Rwanda, on Sept. 28. Showings are at 2 and 7 p.m. Visit fredricksenlibrary.org.

Arts Festival
Sept. 15: Hummelstown Arts Festival will be held at the Hummelstown Fire Co., 249 E. Main St., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy works by juried artists, a silent auction, live music, a wine bar and catered appetizers. Visit the Facebook page: Hummelstown Arts Festival.

Food Truck Fest
Sept. 15: The 2018 Wish Upon a Food Truck Festival will be held at AACA Museum, 161 Museum Dr., Hershey, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Event includes food trucks, entertainment, children’s activities, music, a special wish reveal and more. Visit wishuponafoodtruck.org.

Mugs & Music
Sept. 15: Explore downtown Mechanicsburg shops, galleries and eateries, with mugs in hand, to participate in tastings at more than 20 merchants, 12 to 4 p.m. Mugs can be purchased at Brittle Bark, 33 W. Main St., Caromal Colours, 13 E. Main St., and Civil War and More, 10 S. Market St. Visit downtownmechanicsburg.com.

Crab Fest
Sept. 15: West Shore YMCA and Trinity High School, 3601 Simpson Ferry Rd., Camp Hill will host the 2nd Annual Central PA Crab, Beer and Wine Festival, 4 to 8 p.m. A portion of proceeds benefit the Central PA Food Bank. Visit pacrabfest.org.

Leisure Bike Ride
Sept. 16: Harrisburg Bicycle Club’s Three Creek Century ride will be held 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., beginning at Penn Township Fire Dept., 1750 Pine Rd., Newville. Details, schedule and times can be found at threecreekcentury.com.

Fort Hunter Day
Sept. 16: Celebrate fall with a craft show, children’s crafts and games, hay rides, carriage rides, exhibits, farm animals, music, food and more, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg. Visit forthunter.org.

Heart Walk
Sept. 16: 2018 American Heart Association Capital Region Heart Walk will be held 12:30 to 4 p.m. on City Island, Harrisburg. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m., and the walk starts at 2 p.m. Visit heart.org/capitalregionwalk.

Curiosity Kids
Sept. 20: Young visitors and families can enjoy “Curiosity Kids—Walk Like the Animals” at the State Museum of PA, 300 North St., Harrisburg, 11:30 a.m. Explore animal footprints and see if you can move your body like the animals. Visit statemuseumpa.org.

Business After Hours
Sept. 20: Mingle with business professionals at Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC’s free networking event at David’s Furniture & Interiors, 5078 Jonestown Rd., Harrisburg, 5 to 7 p.m. Visit harrisburgregionalchamber.org.

Archaeology Meetup
Sept. 21: Join Dr. Kurt Carr, senior curator of archaeology, 4 to 6 p.m., at Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., to discuss and view this year’s archaeological excavation. Carr will discuss current and past excavations. Visit statemuseumpa.org.

Healthy Kids
Sept. 16: Children 2-14 are invited to join Healthy Kids Running Series, a nonprofit that provides a five-week program that gets kids active. The first of five consecutive Sunday afternoon races starts at 5 p.m. at George Park, 300 Nyes Rd., Harrisburg. Visit HealthyKidsRunningSeries.org.

Fall Book Sale
Sept. 20-23: Shop the Friends of Fredricksen Fall Book & Media Sale at Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill. The library will hold a special preview sale on Sept. 20, 2 to 8:30 p.m., and a bag sale on Sept. 23. Visit fredricksenlibrary.org.

3rd in The Burg
Sept. 21: Enjoy the best of Harrisburg during 3rd in the Burg, the monthly arts and culture event at galleries, restaurants and art spaces throughout downtown and Midtown. Check out what’s happening at thirdintheburg.org.

Fall Fest
Sept. 22: Junior Board of the YWCA Greater Harrisburg will host its 9th Annual Fall Fest at Camp Reily, 300 Camp Reily Rd., Harrisburg, 4 to 7 p.m. This event features beer and wine tastings, food and live entertainment. Visit ywcahbg.org.

Women’s Retreat
Sept. 22: Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon St., Harrisburg, will host a Women’s Retreat, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Learn about YWCA programs for women, work on a project to benefit the women of the YWCA, and enjoy a rejuvenating activity. Registration is $10 before Sept. 7, $15 at the door. Register at the church or call 717-561-0510.

Sci-Fi Day
Sept. 22: Eighth annual Sci-Fi Day will be held at the Harrisburg Mall, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free event features authors, actors, cosplayers, panel discussions, artists, a costume contest and more. Visit shopharrisburgmall.com.

Celtic Fest
Sept. 22: Head to the 2018 Celtic Craic Music Fest at Harrisburg Postal Picnic Grounds, 1500 Roberts Valley Rd., for live music, Irish and Scottish dancing, bagpipes, beer, wine, food, vendors, kids’ activities and more, 12 to 10 p.m., in support of Methodist Home for Children and Veteran’s Promise PA. Visit celticcraicmusicfest.com.

Celebrate Wildwood
Sept. 23: Celebrate Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy kids’ activities, environmental education, music, food vendors, used book sale and a “Walk for Wildwood,” beginning at 1 p.m. Visit wildwoodlake.org.

Woofstock
Sept. 23: The annual celebration of all-things canine returns to Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring music, food, prizes and the largest pet adoption event on the East Coast. Visit cpaawoofstock.com.

Blues Benefit
Sept. 23: Manada Conservancy will host its 3rd annual “Music Over the Mountains—A Celebration of Land Preservation,” 4 to 8 p.m., at Wind in the Willows, 35 Webster School Rd., Grantville, with blues, barbecue and brews. Visit manada.org.

Fashion Benefit
Sept. 26: YWCA’s Power of Style Fashion Show takes place at Hilton Harrisburg, 1 N. 2nd St., in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Visit ywcahbg.org.

Burg Built
Sept. 26: Harrisburg Young Professional hosts “How It’s Built in the ‘Burg” at Appalachian Brewing Co., 50 N. Cameron St., 6 to 8 p.m., with Brittany Holtz, founder of Studio B Power Yoga and Studio B University. HYP members are free, general admission is $20. Visit hyp.org.

Museum Celebration
Sept. 26-30: State Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 North St., Harrisburg, will celebrate 50 years of Mammal Hall, one of its most beloved exhibits, with a week of special programming. Visit statemuseumofpa.org.

FPA Talk
Sept. 27: Temple University Professor Orfeo Fioretos presents a free Foreign Policy Association of Harrisburg talk on “Globalism vs. Nationalism” at West Shore Country Club, Camp Hill, 7:30 p.m. Dinner precedes the talk. Visit fpa-harrisburg.org.

5 Miler
Sept. 29: Harrisburg Young Professionals’ 5th Annual HYP 5 Miler for 5 Charities will kick off at 7:30 a.m. on City Island, Harrisburg. There is a 5K-walk option and a fun run. Visit hyp.org.

Diversity Festival
Sept. 29: Experience world music, dance, food, culture, crafts and other activities at the 4th annual Unity in Diversity Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Schaffner Park, Hummelstown. Admission is free. Visit Unity in Diversity Festival on Facebook.

You Never Give Me Your Money: In Harrisburg, art is a tough sell. So, it gets paired with food, drink, music.

August 31, 2018 | by Maddie Crocenzi

Harrisburg Art Association

On Sept. 9, people will fill the streets of Harrisburg across 22 different venues for the city’s 30th annual Gallery Walk.

Paintings, photographs and more will line the walls, but there is one thing you might notice along your long art journey. Hardly any of those art-filled walls will be at traditional galleries.

Harrisburg, unlike, say, Lancaster, has few standalone galleries, and it’s about to lose one of its last as Gallery@Second soon will end its regular exhibit schedule, at least for awhile. Another dedicated gallery, 3rd Street Studio, shut down a few months ago after its building sold.

The quirky thing—there’s plenty of art (and plenty of artists) in Harrisburg. It’s just that the art usually is supported by other, more profitable businesses, be they restaurants (Millworks, Suba, Café 1500, Fresa), cafés (Little Amps, Capital Joe, Yellow Bird) or bars and music venues (Zeroday Brewing Co., HMAC).

The problem: People in Harrisburg love to look at art, but they don’t often buy it, said Carrie Wissler-Thomas, president of the Art Association of Harrisburg.

“It’s very, very difficult for a gallery to exist if all it does is show art,” she said.

That was the case for Ted Walke who owns Gallery@Second. He bought the downtown building and then opened his gallery in May 2010, while juggling a full-time job.

“Most people can’t look at the dollar signs or they get depressed,” Walke said.

People in the community were all easygoing and generous, he added. However, it wasn’t sufficient to bring in enough money. Without a staff, Walke had just four or five weekends free over the past eight years, he said. So, he will close down after the current exhibit ends, take a breather and assess what to do going forward.

He doesn’t envision the building being anything but a gallery, but he wants to direct it toward more contemporary work if and when it does re-open. In the meantime, he’s considering a few pop-up exhibits throughout 2019.

Labor of Love

Gallery Walk is an excellent way to assess the art situation in the city.

Almost none of the locations on the tour are standalone galleries. Instead, destinations along the walk include places such as Penn National Insurance, Salem United Church of Christ and City House Bed & Breakfast.

The Millworks is a good example of a mixed-use space. With art separated from the bar and restaurant, people can opt to go just for dinner or only for the art. Then there are the many people who come for dinner and find their way to the artists’ studios.

That dream of foot traffic is what drew Tara Chickey to the role of art director at the Millworks. She opened a gallery in Harrisburg in 2003 with a friend and closed it around 2011, when her labor of love became a burden and the money didn’t flow through.

“I think it’s hard to make it in a space that is designed for a very small percentage of people,” Chickey said of her former gallery.

The Millworks, on the other hand, caters to a large population of visitors. Chickey said there’s also not the intimidation factor of walking into a white-walled gallery. People can come to eat dinner and simply wander in and out of the artists’ studios.

Another unique art space in Harrisburg is located not in a bar or restaurant, but in a church.

Riverfront Gallery at St. Stephen’s Cathedral on Front Street opened in August under the direction of Community Coordinator Lindsay Gottwald.

Gottwald started attending the church last summer around the time of Gallery Walk 2017. The opening hallway of the church was already set up to hang artwork, and she felt that the empty walls were a wasted opportunity. Around the same time, the church’s outreach committee sold a piece of art and talked about adding more.

For Gottwald and St. Stephen’s, it’s not about the money. Twenty percent of the proceeds from sold art go to different community organizations, such as Downtown Daily Bread and the Joshua Group. The other 80 percent goes to the artists.

Gottwald hopes the art at St. Stephen’s will help connect the community with the church. Instead of sales, she just wants people to walk in.

“We just want to be a little bit more part of the neighborhood,” she said.

A Gem

Walke, Wissler-Thomas and Chickey all agree that one solution to the problem would be connectivity. Gallery Walk is spread out widely, from Shipoke to Midtown to Wildwood Park, making it more of a driving tour than a walking tour.

Using Lancaster as a model, Wissler-Thomas would like to see more retail space, including galleries centralized in one location. Lately, she’s noticed an upsurge of interest in art in the community, especially among young people.

Chickey said that’s one of the nice things about places such as the Millworks.

Patrons who are interested in art get to talk to the artists and learn the story behind what’s hanging on their walls or sitting on their shelves. She’s still fascinated by how many people walk through the doors of the space and get excited to wander around and see the art.

“I think people are starting to see Harrisburg for the gem that it is, but it always has been,” she said.

Gallery Walk 2018 will take place on Sunday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., in many locations around Harrisburg. For more information, including a list of venues, visit www.artassocofhbg.com.

It’s All in the Game: HUE Fest to rock downtown with e-sports, music.

August 31, 2018 | by Amy Black

Video games have become part of the American fabric. Even if you’re not a gamer yourself, you’ve likely watched someone play, maybe a friend, child or grandchild.

But watching a live, high-stakes tournament, with hundreds or thousands of screaming, cheering fans? That’s still a relatively new concept.

This month, Harrisburg University (HU) will join a nationwide trend by launching its collegiate e-sports program at the HUE Festival near its downtown campus.

The brainchild of HU President Eric Darr, the festival merges two of the nation’s largest entertainment industries: video gaming and music.

This is actually the third year that HU has sponsored a free fall music festival. But “nothing of this magnitude,” said Darr. HU will spend more than $500,000 on the festival, which is expected to draw upwards of 10,000 visitors, Darr said.

The festival will serve as a debut of sorts for the Storm, HU’s newly constituted team of varsity-level gamers. The Storm will compete against 32 e-sports teams from across the country, playing two of today’s hottest games, League of Legends and Overwatch, and vying for a $50,000 prize pool.

The action starts on Friday, Sept. 21, with early rounds taking place in HU classrooms, at no cost to spectators. Saturday’s ticketed semi- and final matches are at Whitaker Center’s Select Medical Digital Cinema and Sunoco Performance Theatre.

Whitaker Center Production Manager Brian Ariano has been tasked with preparing the venues for optimum viewing, both onsite and online. He’s been working with local marketing company JPL Creative to make the necessary enhancements.

“[The challenge] is finding a way to tie the two venues together and make them accessible to external audiences, especially the Sunoco Theatre, designed for live performances,” he said.

The festival’s music portion will take place on Saturday at a block party just outside of HU and Whitaker Center, at 4th and Market streets. The headliners will be two rock bands from California, Alien Ant Farm and Lit, as well as Atlas Genius, an alternative rock band from Australia. Joining them will be local bands the Great Enough and Skela. For the late-night crowd, there’s an after-party at Club XL featuring Toronto native DJ Whipped Cream.

Frank Schofield, a media executive with iHeart Media, which is handling the music portion along with ALT99.3, said that video games and music are a natural fit

“Video games always have a soundtrack, like movies and television shows,” he said. “Video games are just a different form of medium.”

The audio also provides players with cues and helps engage the audience. Schofield said that media outlets are still catching up with the live trend, trying to determine how best to manage and maximize the sound portion.

Besides live music, the block party will feature food, vendors, a beer garden and children’s free gaming.

Chad Smeltz, HU’s e-sports program director, marvels at the potential for the program and the sport, which, until now, has been West Coast-centric. Harrisburg’s central location, he said, makes the city a natural East Coast hub.

Originally from Harrisburg, Smeltz returned here recently to head up HU’s program after leaving his role as a full-time coach and general manager for a League of Legends team in California.

“At least for this fall, HU is the only school offering full-time e-sports scholarships, 16 full-time and one presidential,” he said.

Much like Division 1 athletes, jersey-clad students on the Storm even have their own dorm. Smeltz said that players who opt to “go pro” can make up to a seven-figure salary, including paid food, housing and travel.

For players not pursuing a professional career, Darr anticipates a future filled with “an interesting set of career options” in the rapidly growing e-sports industry. He also envisions HU playing a big role in developing and educating the highly trained workforce required for the burgeoning field. But first, they play.

As Harrisburg watches the inaugural Storm team assume their starting positions, HUE Festival 2.0 is already in the works.

“The plan is not to take the festival to the world, but to bring the world to us,” Darr said.

HUE Festival takes place Sept. 21 to 22 at several locations downtown, including at Harrisburg University, at Whitaker Center and at a block party at 4th and Market streets. For more information, visit www.huefest.com.

The Show that Never Ends: New Cumberland rallies to save, revive the historic West Shore Theatre.

August 31, 2018 | by Karen Hendricks

When the West Shore Theatre’s marquee went dark, one thing was for sure. It wasn’t going to stay dark for long.

The community rallied, making it known that they wanted the show to go on at this New Cumberland landmark.

The historic movie theater has been a community mainstay since opening its doors in 1939. Nearly everyone you talk to in New Cumberland has a story about a fun time, a first date or a favorite movie they saw at there. Over the years, as movie-going habits changed, the theater’s lineup, hours and audiences dwindled.

Every Idea

The Art Deco-style theater, designed by Pennsylvania architect William H. Lee, was put up for sale by former owner Fred Bollen in December 2015. This past March, the father-son pair of Joe and Ben Kowalczyk bought it for $122,000 at a bankruptcy auction.

The Kowalczyks, aware of community interest in the theater’s revival, negotiated a lease that will allow the grassroots group, Friends of the West Shore Theatre, to outright own the old movie palace within five years, according to Doug Morrow, New Cumberland’s mayor and a Friends board member.

This public got a firsthand accounting of developments in May during a packed, standing-room-only, community meeting at the New Cumberland Fire Department’s social hall. Philip Horn, retired executive director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts—also a New Cumberland resident and Friends board member—led the community in a visioning session.

“What are the best uses of the West Shore Theatre for the benefit of the community?” Horn asked. “We want to squeeze every idea out of you.”

Nearly 150 community members brainstormed in small groups, presenting their ideas on notepad sheets that eventually filled the room’s front wall. Attendees envisioned the theater being used for everything from open mic nights to gallery space, corporate trainings to homeschool events. But one prevalent theme emerged—the community wanted movies to return to the big screen.

“My mom would tell me stories about she and her girlfriends going to the movies,” said Steve Parthemore, co-owner of the town’s Parthemore Funeral Home and a lifelong New Cumberland resident. “They would sit in every other seat so that, when the boys came in, they would fill in the seats.”

As business owner, Parthemore said that he sees the Bridge Street building as the centerpiece to a healthy downtown district.

“It’s wonderful that the community is coming together and there’s such interest in the theater,” he said. “I hope to see the theater reinvented but still retain its nostalgia.”

Horn recalled his own hometown movie theater in Los Angeles being torn down. He said that, locally, there are only a few classic theaters still operating, including the Carlisle Theatre and Gettysburg’s Majestic Theater.

“I’ve been in every county in Pennsylvania and have seen these kinds of things happen all over the state,” he said. “They don’t build theaters of this kind anymore.”

Without Asking

Moving forward, various directions and issues are being considered, according to Friends board member and New Cumberland resident Jennifer Zaborney.

First, the group is comparing bids and plans to improve the concessions area and remove the first few rows of the theater’s 450 seats to construct a small stage. A few minor repairs are also needed. Otherwise, the building has been deemed sound.

“A lot of thought is being put into the space and making it multipurpose,” said Zaborney, who notes that she and her husband had their first date at the West Shore Theatre.

Financially, Zaborney and Morrow said that the group is studying sustainability models, which would include revenue from movie ticket sales, venue rental fees, fundraisers, donations and corporate sponsorships.

To date, the group has received about $12,000 in community donations—“without really even asking,” Morrow said. Profits from an August fundraiser added another $15,000.

Morrow said the group, operating under the nonprofit financial umbrella of the Harrisburg-based Foundation for Enhancing Communities, may seek its own nonprofit status at a later date. They need to raise roughly $44,000 in operating costs annually, which would cover taxes, utilities and rent, he said. The group has identified potential donors to underwrite new projection equipment, estimated at $80,000.

The outpouring of community support, including knowledgeable volunteers, has helped contain costs, Morrow said. In addition to Horn’s volunteer consulting, an architect is donating services for the theater’s improvements. Retired founding director of the Whitaker Center, Tom Stone, is lending a hand, along with many others.

Community Connection

What’s going to happen as a result of all this community support, fact-finding and planning?

Morrow said that the theater will begin showing films this holiday season, with evening movies available on a regular basis in 2019. The Friends group envisions implementing community ideas for classic movies, film series, independent movies, family-friendly films, student-produced films and more. Eventually, the group hopes to hire someone to manage the theater’s calendar and bookings.

Morrow said that memories are motivating him on.

“In 1948, my father [who is now 82] went door to door delivering lists of movies that would play that evening,” he said. “He got paid by receiving free tickets to the matinees. He remembers going to the theater during World War II and the Korean War to watch war clips. The theater was the community’s connection to the war.”

It still holds the key to community connection, he said.

“When I was mayor of Camp Hill, nearly every meeting began with someone [lamenting] the loss of the downtown theater [the former Hill Theatre],” Morrow said. “I don’t want that same thing to happen to New Cumberland.”

The West Shore Theatre is located at 317 Bridge St., New Cumberland. To volunteer, donate or stay in the loop, join the Facebook group, “Friends of the West Shore Theatre.”

And the Walls Fell Down: Harrisburg needs people to love it, not blight it.

August 31, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

Within a span of about two blocks, two very different stories are unfolding in downtown Harrisburg.

At first glance, they don’t seem so different.

On one street, a pair of dilapidated, century-old buildings barely stands, empty, graffiti-ridden, forsaken. On the other street, there’s another pair of attached buildings, also long-abandoned, marred and falling down.

The difference?

One pair should be with us for another century; the other is about to be wiped off the map.

Until recently, you would have been wise to bet against any of these buildings surviving.

Near the state Capitol, most people probably had already lost hope for the two small, mid-19th century clapboard-and-brick buildings at the corner of North and Susquehanna streets. They had been empty, boarded-up, for some 30 years, even while the block revived around them.

The Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority took possession of the buildings back in 2007, sparking some thought that they might be saved. However, it was a false hope. No redevelopment followed. Eventually, the roofs caved in, and even the ever-optimistic community group, Capitol Area Neighbors, beseeched the authority to do something about its mess—even if it meant demolishing the buildings, which seemed beyond saving.

But, in fact, they could be saved.

In 2014, an attorney named Matt Krupp moved in just across the alley and, for the next four years, walked past these buildings every day. Finally, fed up living across the street from blight, he approached the Redevelopment Authority and, with a partner, made an offer of $34,300 for the wrecks—which was about $34,299 more than they were worth.

“I just got tired of looking at them,” Krupp told me.

This autumn, about six months after buying the pair, Krupp expects to finish the restoration and rebuild, turning the buildings into several apartments and a snug commercial space.

He doesn’t expect to make much money off of the project, but he doesn’t think he’ll lose any either, as he plans to hold for the long-term. The real benefit, he said, has been the elimination of an eyesore and vermin and squatters and the dangers posed by a tumbledown building, along with the ability to improve his neighborhood and return these two historic structures to Harrisburg’s built environment.

The six-month restoration begs the question of why these buildings were left to rot in the first place. Why did the prior owner board up and abandon them—and why did the Redevelopment Authority, the owner for 11 years, similarly do nothing, letting them deteriorate to the point of near collapse?

The North Street project also brings into sharp relief the second half of my story. Just two blocks away, at N. 2nd and Liberty streets, a rather similar situation has been unfolding, but one headed for a very different ending.

At that corner, there’s another pair of small, attached buildings. An attorney from Hershey, now retired, bought them some 35 years ago and, for many years, rented out a few apartments and some shop space there. According to neighbors, they’ve been boarded up for more than a decade.

They’re not quite as old or as decrepit as the North Street properties, but they’re still in bad shape, with broken windows, boarded-up back ends and a distinct lean.

Recently, the owner’s son, representing his elderly father, asked the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board to allow him to raze the buildings. HARB members were clearly upset and torn, but, in the end, voted to permit the demolition.

Since that meeting, I’ve thought often about these two situations, which are so similar yet are ending so differently. Why was one pair of buildings saved, yet the other was not? To me, the juxtaposition is striking.

In the end, the North Street properties found a person who cared. It took the better part of three decades but someone finally stepped forward to save them. Krupp is invested in his community, even serving the thankless role of president of Capitol Area Neighbors. Also, living literally across the street, he had a strong motivation to take on the project and then the ability, teaming up with a business partner, to make it happen.

In contrast, the 2nd Street properties lacked an advocate. The owner’s son told me that his dad was well intentioned, but, well, time just passed. He stopped coming into Harrisburg for work, and the buildings’ condition grew worse and worse. Eventually, even simple maintenance, like snow removal, wasn’t done.

Neighbors said that people repeatedly made offers to buy the increasingly decrepit buildings, but their overtures were rebuffed. The owner’s son said he didn’t understand why his dad held onto the properties, but that now he wants them taken down.

Harrisburg hasn’t yet reached the point of attracting much outside investment. Building inventory remains high, and property appreciation is anemic. So, there’s little to entice developers to come into the city to fix the historic housing stock or build new based solely on return on investment—which is the logical standard for a for-profit developer.

Therefore, the city needs caretakers. It needs people who will buy a house, fix it up and live in it, knowing it may take awhile to recover their investment. It needs investors who will renovate, rent and hold, as it may take years to turn a profit. It needs people who care about Harrisburg to step up boldly.

Here’s what Harrisburg does not need: flippers, slumlords and neglectful owners—all of which are in plentiful supply. (Note to would-be flippers: think twice and then think again—in Harrisburg, this is where the dumb money goes.)

Several local developers have told me that, despite common “wisdom,” it’s very tough to make money in real estate in Harrisburg. I’ve found that to be true—decent renovations of historic properties are expensive and resale prices, plus fees, often don’t cover those costs.

One day, perhaps, the economics will improve enough so that outside developers with deep pockets will be attracted into the city. That’s when we’ll see Harrisburg undergo more widespread redevelopment. Until then, it’s up to people like you and me who care about this place, are already invested it and are in it for more than the lure of a quick buck.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Color My World: In downtown Harrisburg, the banal becomes the beautiful.

August 31, 2018 | by Yaasmeen Piper

Wild birds. An octopus stretching his tentacles within a claw machine. A Capitol dome replica filled with red, blue, and gold, among other lively designs.

You may have noticed recently that downtown Harrisburg appears more vibrant, more cheerful, certainly more colorful.

For that, you can thank the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (DID) and Sprocket Mural Works, the outfit perhaps best known for mounting the 2017 Harrisburg Mural Festival.

Over the summer, 14 artists, including the two founders of Sprocket, painted traffic light electrical boxes throughout the downtown in “Art Outside the Box,” a project sponsored by the DID.

Before, most of the boxes were a dull gray, covered in graffiti, peeling paint and leftover stickers. Todd Vander Woude, DID’s executive director, saw the boxes as an opportunity to brighten the city.

“We can really make the corners look more colorful and really use artists through Sprocket Mural Works,” he said.

Different Way

DID matched each piece with a location that they thought would best represent the message of the art.

So, a box painted with a bag full of groceries was placed outside of Provisions, the new grocery store inside of Strawberry Square. The Capitol painting sits on 2nd and State streets, just down the block from the big, green dome itself.

Though there was no overall theme, most of the artists took this project as an opportunity to show what Harrisburg meant to them.

“The feedback we received has been really positive,” said Sydney Musser, DID’s social media coordinator. “People notice these boxes now. You kind of saw them before, but they were covered in grime and different things. And now you notice them in a different way.”

Sprocket announced their call to artists through social media earlier in the year. Artists then submitted drafts and sketches of their vision for the boxes. Sprocket founders Jeff Copus and Megan Caruso filtered through the submissions and chose the pieces that represent the community and DID’s desire to highlight the great things in the city.

“For projects like this, we think it gives an opportunity for new voices to be heard,” said Copus. “We don’t want all of these projects to be about us, but about the people in the community.”

So Cool

On the first day of working on her box, artist Jessica Singer painted in the blazing sun for five hours straight. This is the first public art project for the elementary art teacher and Harrisburg native, and she couldn’t wait to get started.

Her design, at N. 2nd and Pine streets, is based around the words she felt represented Harrisburg. There are words like “community,” “entertainment,” “capital” and “love,” interlaced with bright blues, yellows, reds and greens with white outlines and shapes. She even had some onlookers add a few words.

“I had the time of my life,” she said. “I enjoyed having people, as I was working on it, talking to me about it. I got to meet a lot of different people who work in the city everyday and live in the city, and I thought that was so cool.”

Singer was so excited about her piece that she brought the kids she nannies over the summer to see her work and take a tour of the other boxes downtown. Now that school has started, she plans to take her elementary students on a little box tour.

“I’m just very proud and honored to have a piece of artwork that is going to be there,” Singer said. “I teach so many little kids. I feel like they can look up to me and I say ‘Look! This is something you can aspire to. If art is your passion, follow it. You can do something like this.’”

Painter Shane Gallup is no novice to the Harrisburg art scene. Gallup has participated in gallery showings and body-paint exhibitions through his nonprofit, Artcan. Last year, he was involved in the mural festival, painting two hands reaching out for each other under the pedestrian underpass at Strawberry Square.

In a similar style of patchwork colors, Gallup created a painting of two kids: a girl holding tomatoes over her head and a boy grinning while eating a watermelon. According to Gallup, the piece was created to strike a conversation over what children put into their bodies.

“I wanted to encourage dialogue about what kind of foods are accessible to kids and their perceptions around them,” he said. “I think it’s a conversation that people have been having for awhile, and I think my piece adds something to it.”

These conversations are some of Gallup’s favorite things about creating public art. While painting his box, people came up to him asking questions about the project, his piece and what it meant. Though not all conversations were pleasant, they all started a dialogue, which was what he hoped for.

“It’s been great doing the boxes because it’s inviting,” he said. “There’s so much walking traffic downtown that I got a lot of engagement.”

This was not the first collaboration between Sprocket and DID. The two worked together on the duck sculptures that invaded downtown last year, the painted planters back in 2016 and the mural festival.

“With any of these public art projects, I think it gives people a reason to come into the city,” said Copus. “Whether people are already coming in for a baseball game or coming in for dinner, it gives them a reason to explore the city and just leave with a really good feeling of what they saw.”

For more information the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District, visit www.harrisburgdid.com. Follow Sprocket Mural Works on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @sprocketmuralworks and visit their website at www.sprocketmuralworks.com.

Rollin’, Rollin’: After 30 years, the big wheel keeps on turning.

August 31, 2018 | by Diane McNaughton

Burg in Focus: The Pride of the Susquehanna from GK Visual on Vimeo.

It’s a boat. It’s a stage. It’s … a floating candy cane?

That term of endearment has been bestowed upon the Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat by Executive Director Jason Meckes, who is helping to steer the celebration of the red-and-white vessel’s 30th anniversary.

The path to the big 3-0 has been anything but smooth, as the boat has sputtered through funding woes, repeated flooding, structural issues, bad press and an array of other unforeseen shoals.

To celebrate a life that has seen a million passengers transported on the authentic paddlewheel-driven boat since 1988, a gala is planned for Sept. 22 at the state Capitol.

Meckes, with a youthful energy and smooth, velvety voice, said the gala will have a “Choose Your Own Adventure” format.

For a $75 ticket price, guests will enjoy great food, cocktails, historical photographs, a silent auction, contests, picture-taking and an awards presentation. Jack Brubaker, author of a well-received book about the Susquehanna River, will be the keynote speaker.

Meckes said the nonprofit Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society, which built and now manages the local treasure, only holds a gala about once every five years, so the time is now to help paddle the beloved vessel into a secure future.

Just Adorable

Around Harrisburg, the launch of the riverboat in late April has come to represent the unofficial start of the outdoors season.

From its dock on City Island, the Pride begins its schedule of daily cruises, slotting in a variety of specialty events, including murder-mystery cruises, elegant dinner cruises, brews cruises, blues cruises, fundraisers, weddings and even pirate-and-princess cruises for the little tikes. The 60 seats fill up fast. The boat is largely funded through ticket sales, with donations and grants to buoy up the finances.

Meckes said that pirate cruises are an especially popular new offering. Kids come on board dressed as pirates, armed with squirt guns. After a fill of pizza, soda and ice cream, an announcement rings out that pirates have been spotted in the water. An oncoming boat (usually carrying riverboat board members) and plumes of smoke on the water are seen, and the little Jack Sparrows have a chance to fend off the oncoming menace with squirt guns and water balloons. Meckes said the county’s 911 center has even received calls from concerned citizens, reporting pirate activity on the Susquehanna.

Princess rides are also held, attracting a pageant of Elsas and Ariels who walk majestically down the red carpet as they hear their names announced. The princesses sing, do crafts, get temporary tattoos and are made to feel extra-special, Meckes said.

“It’s just adorable,” he said. “Though it does take us some time to get the glitter out of the boat.”

As a graduate of Millersburg University with a degree in elementary education, Meckes still loves to teach. The Pride has hosted students of the Harrisburg school district for free, as well as many Susquehanna River School outings.

The Pride is especially popular with sightseers. Meckes estimates that 60 percent of riders are local, while 40 percent hail from outside the “717.” Forty thousand riders took the Pride last year, with 16 countries represented.

Visitors, he said, are attracted not just by the scenery and the parties, but by the old-timey technology of propellers and rudders.

“The river is so placid that we can get away with historic propulsion,” Meckes said.

He has his own personal and professional pride in the one-of-a-kind mahogany and brass interior, with its antique brass rails and stained glass on the ceiling. The boat is filled with historical artifacts, such as the Queen Mary’s cabin doors.

Riders may not see Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn on the banks of the river, but you feel like you could.

“I find the entire concept (of a riverboat) to be fascinating,” Meckes said. “It is a picture into nautical history.”

Paddles On

The now 91-year-old Jack Dillman is among the men at the heart of the boat’s history and is its training coordinator. He once captained the Millersburg Ferry, north of Harrisburg.

“There is no one, living or dead, who knows more about this river than Jack Dillman,” Meckes said.

Another local legend is Mike Trephan, who helped get the boat built and remains a rock star in the riverboat’s colorful history.

“We wanted the boat to serve the community when we built it,” Meckes said. “It represents the creativity of Harrisburg.”

The season goes full throttle through the summer and usually ends around the second week of November. Any longer, and the river could be frozen. At that time, the National Guard moves the boat out of the river, using their tank removal crews in a training exercise that is beneficial for both parties.

But all is not smooth sailing. Through the three decades, it has cost more and more to maintain the boat, both during the on- and off-season.

Meckes noted that the Pride is 30 years old, but the average life span of a boat is 25 years, meaning that constant maintenance is required. Moreover, the heavy rains and flash floods of July and August damaged both the boat and dock.

“There is no guarantee we will come back every year,” Meckes said somberly. “We are more reliant on grants, donations and the good will of the community than ever.”

Nonetheless, he hopes for a safe, placid future for the city’s beloved “candy cane.” After 30 years, people still come, and, each season, the riverboat paddles on.

The Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society Anniversary Gala will be held Sept. 22 inside the state Capitol. For more information, visit www.riverboatgala.com or www.harrisburgriverboat.com.

Showbiz Kids: Gamut completes theater build-out with Education Center, Second Stage.

August 31, 2018 | by Laura Dugan

Pictured, above: Jeff Lutter Moser, dean of Gamut Theatre Summer Academy, speaks at the debut of the Alexander Grass Second Stage.

According to an old saying, good things come to those who wait.

For Gamut Theatre Group, the wait has been long, but the good things are here, and they’re in abundance.

After five years of planning, fundraising and construction, Gamut last month officially opened the Gamut Theatre Education Center, featuring the Alexander Grass Second Stage. The center is part of the final phase of the theater’s renovation of its downtown home, fully converting the historic building on N. 4th Street that was originally constructed as the First Church of God.

Purchased in 2013, the building’s initial renovations focused on the main stage, lobby, classrooms and support spaces for costumes, sets and props. After the mainstage opened in November 2015, the focus shifted to additional fundraising for the Education Center. The Alexander Grass Foundation sponsored the Second Stage during the initial renovations, but additional fundraising was necessary to complete important facility upgrades.

An official ribbon cutting was held last month at the side door to the theater, which is the new entrance to the Education Center.

In addition to the Second Stage, the 10,000-square-foot Education Center includes a new, ADA-compliant entrance, an elevator, classroom improvements, a digital projector and screen, and learning areas for costumes, sets, lighting and sound.

“We wanted the Education Center to be a teaching/learning space for students,” said Executive Director Melissa Nicholson. “This is a very simple, hard-to-mess-up space. Students will be able to design lights with an iPad and plug in their own devices for sound. There are some things they can learn about sound equalizing and lighting design, but it’s much simpler and easier to use than traditional equipment.”

Long-time Gamut colleague Lynne Kay Porter from Fairfield University designed the space, while local artist Jacintha Clark, through Sprocket Mural Works, painted a floor-to-ceiling wall mural.

“The mural invokes the feeling of being inside a storybook, but not necessarily a children’s storybook,” Nicholson said. “Audience members feel like a part of the story, with sunshine behind you that turns into a dark night to focus in on the stage.”

Even the ceiling has been considered and is filled with a sky full of stars.

The Second Stage enables Gamut to be more flexible in its use of the space. Popcorn Hat Players, Gamut’s children’s theater, will primarily use the Second Stage, as will the more informal, educational “Stage Door Series” and some classes. Last month, the first show to use the Second Stage was the innovative “Choose Your Own Play: Hijacked!”

“Prior to the availability of the Second Stage, smaller performances were held in the Gamut lobby,” Nicholson said. “The new space seats about 75 people. It holds more than the reception lobby but less than main stage.”

Nicholson also hopes the Education Center will be another space that smaller community groups will be able to use.

“A lot of people come to us wanting to use the main stage, and it’s difficult because of the programming,” she said. “This space doesn’t have as much nighttime usage. It can also be cost prohibitive to use large spaces downtown. It’s part of our mission in serving the community to offer something more reasonable for smaller groups that may need a space.”

One partnership has already developed between Gamut and The Capital Area School for the Arts (CASA). This summer, Gamut used some CASA classrooms for its summer programs. Next year, CASA will hold its midyear performances at Gamut. There are also plans in progress for internships for students and other ways to partner.

Some exterior work remains on the agenda. But, now that the internal renovations are complete, Gamut staff is able to focus completely on their core mission.

“What’s really attractive about reaching this finish line is we’re not finishing growing,” said Artistic Director Clark Nicholson. “We are now able to focus on programming and what we do here. We’ve been focused on modifying the physical space for years.”

To that end, Gamut staff has been working with its board on short- and long-term strategic planning.

“In many ways, the opening is just the beginning,” said Melissa Nicholson. “It’s nice to turn our excitement to what we’re meant to do—our programming.”

Gamut Theatre is located at 15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.gamuttheatre.org.

Photograph courtesy of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC.

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