Line Men (and Women): Thousands brave the heat to meet Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles

June 29, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

A small portion of the long line of people waiting to get into Midtown Scholar Bookstore to meet Nick Foles.

They came to Harrisburg from throughout central PA: Annville, Manheim, Perry County. Every borough and township on the West Shore seemed to be well represented.

One guy said he drove up from Washington, D.C.; another came down from upstate New York.

These passionate Philadelphia Eagles fans were here to see the Super Bowl MVP, their personal football hero, Nick Foles.

“I wouldn’t miss this, no way,” said Ben Adams, a self-described “Eagles nut” from the Mechanicsburg area. “I’ve been waiting all my life for the Eagles to win the Super Bowl.”

Foles, though, wasn’t in Harrisburg just to say “hi” to a few fans. He stopped into Midtown Scholar Bookstore to sign and sell copies of his new autobiography, “Believe It: My Journey of Success, Failure and Overcoming the Odds.” All comers had to have a ticket, a $30 brush with fame, long sold out.

Foles settled into his chair at about 2 p.m. and basically didn’t move for the next 2 ½ hours, a blur of happy faces passing before him.

Outside, people couldn’t believe the extent of the line, which ran down Verbeke Street then made a sharp right onto N. 2nd, extending as far as the eye could see. Up and down the line, a few freelance businessmen hawked chilled bottles of water from a cooler, as fans sweated copiously on the first day of an extended summer heat wave.

“Oh, it’s damn hot,” said Claudia Evans, wearing an Eagles jersey that looked better suited for a cool, damp November day. “But it’s worth it.”

On N. 3rd Street, at the exit side of the store, folks tightly gripped their freshly signed copies of “Believe It.” One man mentioned that he was disappointed that Foles wouldn’t sign his jersey, while a young woman commented on the surreal, fleeting moment of meeting her favorite football player.

“It all happened so fast,” said Megan Burillo. “You walked in, and he was there, and then you were gone.”

For a post-signing reward, some fans trickled across the street to the Broad Street Market, where Adam Brackbill, owner of Urban Churn ice cream, seemed a bit overwhelmed by the sudden demand for his frozen treats.

“I’m selling out pretty fast,” said Brackbill, as he scooped up dish after dish. “If I had known about this, I would have prepared.”

Back outside, Bill Akers and a few pals had a long walk back to a downtown parking garage. Asked if he planned to read the book, Akers, who had trucked in from the Philadelphia suburbs, seemed non-committal.

“I can’t say I’m much of a reader,” he said. “I really just wanted to meet the guy. And now we’ll go out and have some fun.”

Pictured above: Nick Foles signs books inside Midtown Scholar Bookstore.

Taste of Freedom: Harrisburg sets riverfront food truck fest, fireworks for July 4

June 29, 2018 | by Yaasmeen Piper

Last year’s “Taste of Independence” Food Truck Festival brought in 35,000 attendees to Harrisburg’s riverfront.

Even with the forthcoming heatwave, Mayor Eric Papenfuse predicts the festival will pull in even more guests.

“I am excited and very hopeful that we are going to break that 35,000-people record from last year,” Papenfuse said. “It will be an extraordinary day and an extraordinary event.”

Next week’s festival on July 4 will feature more than 40 food trucks including Soul Burrito, The Potato Coop, Brazil on Wheels, Mad Sandwiches and more.

New this year is a “foodies map and guide,” which lists all food vendors and their items as well as a map outlining where the trucks will be located.

“[The guide] allows you, from the comfort of your own home, to plan how you are going to attack this festival,” Papenfuse said.

For music lovers, Maudlin Moon, Strangest Hearts, D-BO, Nearly York, Alex Allegra and Keith Goldstein will perform on the Market Street Stage and on the acoustic music stage in Kunkel Plaza

The Children’s Festival will include glitter tattoos, caricatures, lawn games and activities. Superheros and princesses will meet and pose for pictures, and children can create their own hero masks for $5.

Also new to the festival is an outdoor film screening presented by Midtown Cinema. Following the fireworks, there will be a showing of “Moana” between Market and Walnut streets. The wayfinding princess will pose for pictures during the screening, as well.

“I’m really excited this year about the children’s festival activities,” Papenfuse said. “There will be lawn games and activities and all sorts of things for children.”

The fireworks produced by ZY Pyrotechnics will begin around 9:15 p.m. and feature a 15-minute show of over 1,000 shells launched from City Island.

Street parking on July 4 will be free. For $5, guests can park at City Island, and there will be $10 parking in the Market Square Garage from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cyclists can drop their bikes off at Recycle Bicycle, which will then check bike brakes and air pressure while attendees roam the festival.

“As you can see it’s going to be an incredible day this July 4,” Papenfuse said. “I’m hoping everyone will come and join us at the Riverfront this Wednesday and, even after, stick around for that movie under the stars. It’s going to be a wonderful day celebrating the Taste of Independence Food Truck Festival.”

The Taste of Independence Food Truck Festival is July 4, 3 to 9 p.m. at Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park between North and Market streets. For more information of the festival and to get your foodies guide, visit harrisburgpa.gov/july4th.

Music on the Mountain: Tuning up for the Susquehanna Folk Festival.

June 29, 2018 | by Jess Hayden

Rory Block

Shane Speal was rushing to fix a broken string on his cigar box guitar in between sets at a recent concert when I sat down with him to get the lowdown on the upcoming Susquehanna Folk Festival.

“I can’t believe we’re going to be part of that fest,” said the York-based blues singer. “The more I look at the lineup, the more I wish I could clone myself so I can attend every show and workshop.”

He laughed at the thought as he wound a guitar string around an instrument cobbled from a cigar box and broomstick.

Speal is known as the “King of the Cigar Box Guitar” and fronts the jug band, Shane Speal & the Snakes. He has also become the unofficial spokesman for the Susquehanna Folk Fest, a two-day event in late July at Roundtop Mountain Resort, featuring dozens of musical acts and workshops.

Q: You’ve played a lot of festivals around here. What’s so different about the Susquehanna Folk Fest?

Speal: I’ve never seen one with so much diversity. I’ll be honest, when I think of folk music, my mind goes to Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie—you know, somebody strumming a guitar and singing revolution. However, these organizers, the Susquehanna Folk Music Society people, are hardcore fans of all kinds of folk music. They’ve booked blues icons, Celtic legends, African dancers and everything in between.

Q: Which blues icons?

Speal: David Bromberg and Rory Block will be there. I’ve done shows with Rory before, and she’s the real deal. She learned to play slide guitar at the feet of Son House, the guy who taught Robert Johnson how to play. And Bromberg is a fingerpicking monster who learned from Rev. Gary Davis.

Q: Bromberg also had some hits in the ‘70s.

Speal: Yeah, and played with everyone from George Harrison, Bob Dylan to a host of others. He’s an absolute legend. There’s going to be a Q&A workshop with him before his Sunday evening set that I’ll be attending.

Q: Is that part of the workshops you mentioned?

Speal: Yes, and Rory Block is giving a slide guitar workshop before her Saturday evening set. Unfortunately for me, I’ll be performing with my band on another stage at that time. I should see if they can move my stage time so I can learn to play like her [laughs].

Q: What are your personal picks for this fest?

Speal: Oh wow, let me see. There’s going to be an emerging artist competition on Saturday. I’ve played shows with many of the acts in there such as The Wild Hymns and Indian Summer Jars. All top notch. Don’t miss Olds & the Absolution in that one. Olds Sleeper is one of my favorite songwriters out there. He writes like John Prine and plays a mean guitar.

There’s going to be a jug band workshop by Slim Harrison and the Sunnyland Band on Saturday. I think that one’s for kids, but I’ll probably attend it anyway because I play in a jug band and maybe I can steal some ideas.

Q: So, there are things for kids to do?

Speal: Yeah, they thought of everything with this fest. Kids stuff, concerts, crafts. It’s like a two-day cultural explosion [laughs].

Q: What other shows will you go to?

Speal: The Quebe Sisters will be there both days, so I’ll probably catch at least one of their shows. They do that classic country swing music where they sing rich harmonies around one microphone. They’re fantastic fiddlers, too. I’m a big Hank Williams, Sr., fan, and they’re version of “Cold Cold Heart” gives me chills.

Q: Country swing at a folk festival?

Speal: And swing dance lessons, too! They’re bringing in a dance instructor from Victrola Swing Dance Club in York to teach people how to swing dance.

Q: Will you be dancing?

Speal: Oh, god, no. I once took swing dance lessons, but I failed miserably. You don’t want to see Shane Speal dance. Trust me.

Hold on. Let me look at the schedule on my phone because I know I’m missing a bunch of acts. There’s so much good acoustic music here. The Irish band, Trian features Daithi Sproule on guitar. He was one of the original innovators of Celtic DADGAD guitar. I think he’s doing a workshop, too. David Holt and Josh Goforth are an incredible duo that do a lot with old-time instruments and even hambone knee-slapping.

Q: Any other recommendations?

Speal: There’s so much. There’s a few jam sessions happening throughout the weekend, so I’ll probably stick my head in there for at least one. There’s gonna be bluegrass, blues and other styles, but I’d like to sit in with the Irish session because I love that music and never get to play it.

Q: People can bring their own guitars and instruments?

Speal: Hell, they’re encouraged to bring them. The Ski Roundtop people will have a secure instrument check-in area, too. That way, you can walk around without lugging your guitar the entire time. Quite honestly, some of the greatest magic will probably happen on the hillside as musicians start their own jam sessions.

Q: What about your concert at the festival? What can we expect?

Speal: Just imagine Motorhead as a jug band [laughs]. Expect our wild show of cigar box guitars, washtub bass, homemade drums and more, but we’re also pulling out some of our storytelling folky stuff.

The Susquehanna Folk Festival will be held July 28 to 29 at Roundtop Mountain Resort, Lewisberry. For tickets and information visit www.susquehannafolkfestival.org.

Beer Frontier: On Allison Hill, three men are on track to open PA’s first black-owned craft brewery.

June 29, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

Burg in Focus: Harris Family Brewery from GK Visual on Vimeo.

Shaun Harris was watching TV in his Harrisburg home when he caught an episode of “Moonshiners,” a show about illegal whiskey production in the Appalachian Mountains. As he witnessed scofflaws in rural Virginia distill liquor from giant drums of hog feed, Harris thought to himself, “You can do that?”

As it turns out, you can’t. A quick Google search told Harris that brewing liquor in America is illegal without a license. Brewing beer, on the other hand, is fair game. Harris promptly bought a simple home-brewing kit, made his first batch of beer and “was immediately blown away.”

Harris roped his friends JT Thomas and Tim White into joining him for a daylong home-brew session. They brought one of their first kegs to a summer barbeque, where they offered it to a dozen friends with a disclaimer—they didn’t know how it would taste.

“Six gallons were gone in like, 20 minutes,” said Thomas. “People had one and wanted another and another and another.”

Harris describes that barbeque as a light-bulb moment. He didn’t know yet what craft beer was, but he did know that the ingredients and production that went into his keg didn’t cost much.

“Where we’re from, you try to monetize everything—it’s called being a hustler,” Harris said. “We thought, we can do something here.”

That was four years ago. Since then, Harris, White and Thomas started making beer as the Harris Family Brewery, and they just secured a location for a taproom on 13th and Market Streets, in South Allison Hill. They still need to obtain a brewer’s license and retrofit the empty space with brewing equipment and seating, but they’re hoping to sell the first beers over their 10-seat bar in early 2019.

When it opens, Harris Family Brewery will be the first craft brewery in Allison Hill and likely the first black-owned brewery in Pennsylvania. Harris hopes that the business will inject new life into its neighborhood and broaden Harrisburg’s craft beer scene beyond its downtown and Midtown epicenter.

Shaun Harris, Tim White and JT Thomas.

Untapped Potential
The guys at Harris Family Brewing don’t just see their new business venture as a way to do what they love—it’s also an opportunity to bring a new base of consumers into a lucrative market.

Craft beer sales in the United States topped $26 billion last year and account for 13 percent of the country’s total beer industry. But African Americans, who make up 14 percent of the country’s total population, only consumed 4 percent of its craft beer in 2014, according to a Nielsen study.

Mike Potter is the editor of Black Brew Culture, a Pittsburgh-based online magazine dedicated to advancing African Americans in the craft beer industry. Potter said that people of color haven’t traditionally been exposed to craft beer, in part because the industry hasn’t invested in marketing to minority customers.

Craft beer consumption among blacks is on the rise, but Potter said that fewer people of color enter the industry as brewers and brewery owners.

“We’re getting to a point where there are more and more of people of color in craft beer, but they’re not getting the same amount of exposure due to lack of resources,” Potter said. “We’re playing a bit of catch up.”

Since national brewer associations don’t track the demographics of brewery owners, Black Brew Culture keeps its own tally. Potter estimates that people of color own roughly 50 of the country’s 2,800 craft breweries, and he’s certain that Harris Family Brewery will be the first in Pennsylvania.

Harris says he’s used to being one of the only black people at craft beer tastings and breweries. To him, that’s not a problem so much as a sign of untapped potential. Shortly after they brewed their first successful batch of beer, White pointed out to Harris that they would have a niche market for their product.

“I thought, ‘You’re telling me that we have a whole market that doesn’t know there’s a product out there that is this big?’” Harris said. “I say, ‘Let’s open that market up.’”

To that end, their brewery location will be key. Though the brewers initially had their eyes set on property in Steelton, serendipity led them to their spot above a laundromat at 13th and Market. It’s snug, but Harris said they hope to open “a nano-brewery in the truest sense,” meaning that all of the small-batch beer they produce will be sold on site. The space is just big enough to accommodate their current home-brew set up and a 10-seat bar. They don’t plan to serve any food, but do anticipate a busy carryout business once they start selling bottles and cans.

Harris Family Brewing will start small, but its proprietors are already charting plans for growth. They’ll start with an off-site canning facility once the taproom on Market Street takes off. They then hope to distribute their beer across the state and grow their presence through festivals and industry expos. They’ve already sampled their beers during Harrisburg Beer Week and also held a pop-up tasting in Strawberry Square with local event organizer and promoter Sara Bozich.

They’ll also bring kegs to Steelton Community Day on July 23 and will hit the road for the Aug. 11 FreshFest, a black brewing festival in Pittsburgh hosted by Black Brew Culture.

Strangest Industry
If you already own a brewery in Harrisburg, it could be easy to see a new one as competition. But that’s not the case for Brandalynn Armstrong, co-owner of Zeroday Brewing Co. on Reily Street. Armstrong, who’s also on the board of the PA Brewers Association, thinks that expanding the craft beer market into a new neighborhood can only help Harrisburg’s existing breweries.

“Bridging neighborhoods is incredibly important, as long as it’s done through responsible development,” Armstrong said. “And what better way than using craft beer to link our neighborhoods together?”

She and Harris also think that each individual brewery in the city benefits from customers having more options. Harris hopes that Harris Family Brewery will introduce many of its customers to craft beer, encouraging them to “expand their palates” and try other beers in the city.

Harris, who works full-time in corporate IT when he’s not brewing beer, called craft beer “the strangest industry you ever saw—it’s more like kids on a playground than corporate America.”

He’s been shocked by his company’s warm welcome into the local brewers’ network, which he described as more collaborative than cutthroat. Harris Family and Zeroday recently held a joint brew day to develop a collaboration beer, which they’ll debut on July 3 during a screening of “Poured in PA,” a documentary about the statewide craft beer industry.

Harris, White and Thompson learned to brew by watching YouTube videos and have honed their craft through trial and error. They developed some of their favorite recipes through pure experimentation, like when they made a Christmas stout (which they dubbed “Black Santa”) by fermenting the ingredients for fruitcake—currants, raisins, sour cherries and ginger spice.

Now that they’ve secured seed funding for their site and begun renovations, the trio is focused on perfecting their recipes and setting a menu for the taproom. Since they’re playing the long game, they’re already thinking about potential businesses that they could spawn by bringing craft beer to a new neighborhood and customer base.

“In five or six years, I want to look back and say, ‘We blew the scene up,’” Harris said.

Potter agreed that Harris Family could inspire other people of color to pursue careers in brewing or brewery ownership.

“I think it’ll be a huge blueprint for brewers across the country trying to get into the game,” Potter said. “Being the first is a big deal.”

For more information Harris Family Brewery, visit www.harrisfamilybrewery.info or the Facebook page.

A Loss, a Purpose: Hershey woman advocates for greater newborn screening laws.

June 29, 2018 | by Karen Hendricks

Lesa and Brennan Brackbill with Tori. Image by Katie Bingaman Photography

Lesa and Brennan Brackbill of Hershey have endured something no parents should—the death of a child.

Their daughter Victoria (“Tori”), born in July 2014, passed away on Easter Sunday 2016, 14 months after being diagnosed with a severe neurological condition called Krabbe (“crab-ay”) disease. Even though Tori’s time on earth was short—fewer than two years—her mother Lesa is determined to create a lasting legacy by advocating for changes to Pennsylvania’s newborn screening laws that could have prevented Tori’s death.

Even So, Joy

One in every 100,000 people is diagnosed with Krabbe. One in 125 people carry a gene mutation for Krabbe. Carriers only pass the disease to children when both parents carry the mutation.

Unbeknownst to Lesa and Brennan until Tori’s diagnosis at Hershey Medical Center, they are both carriers. According to the NIH, if Krabbe is caught at birth through newborn screening tests, it can be treated. If the disease is allowed to progress, children rarely survive past the age of 2. These statistics roll off Lesa’s tongue easily. She says that, before this experience, she had no medical knowledge, nor did she consider herself a writer.

“Unfortunately, we aren’t going to be the only ones to ever lose a child, or lose a child to Krabbe,” she said. “So, we felt like we owed it to people to write about how to survive the worst loss.”

Her book, “Even So, Joy,” was published earlier this year and chronicles her family’s experience with Krabbe.

“The first months after diagnosis, we were in a daze, and we grieved the most as we struggled with what the diagnosis meant,” she said. “But then we came to the decision that we weren’t going to cry every day and make her life miserable. We were going to choose to be joyful and make her life as full of joy as possible. That’s where the title comes from.”

Lesa cites the legacy of Milton S. Hershey as one of her greatest sources of inspiration. Her husband, Brennan, is employed by Hershey, and she has worked at The Hershey Story. The couple serves as relief house parents for the Milton Hershey School.

“When we first learned about the school and why it was created, we learned that Mr. and Mrs. Hershey couldn’t have children of their own and, instead of wallowing in that, they used it to start a school,” Lesa said. “Sometimes, you’re put into a situation to act for the greater good. It’s inspiration for us to further Tori’s legacy by making a difference.”

She is donating a portion of the book proceeds to Hunter’s Hope, a foundation established by NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly and his wife Jill, whose son Hunter also had Krabbe. The foundation is dedicated to awareness of the disease, support for families like the Brackbills, research and advocacy. According to Hunter’s Hope, only five states currently screen all newborn babies for Krabbe.

Like a Victory

Currently, Pennsylvania hospitals are mandated to screen for nine dried blood spot conditions—tested by a simple heel prick—all paid by state funding. However, the technology exists to test for additional diseases. So, some Pennsylvania hospitals test for as many as 32 conditions with hospitals or insurance absorbing the additional cost.

“Hershey is the only hospital that screens for Krabbe in the state,” Lesa said. “In Pennsylvania, if you have one of these diseases, your zip code literally determines life or death. The inconsistency is mind-blowing. My goal has been to change this. The average [number of diseases on newborn screening panels] is usually in the 40s for other states.”

Rep. Angel Cruz (D-Philadelphia), Democratic chair of the House Human Services Committee, has become a champion for newborn screening laws. He introduced Act 148, named “Hannah’s Law,” for a Philadelphia-area girl diagnosed with Krabbe in 2013. Hannah’s Law, signed by Gov. Tom Corbett in 2014, called for the expansion of the state’s mandatory newborn screening list, including Krabbe.

However, according to Cruz’s staffers, the legislation has yet to be enacted due to two key issues. First, it mistakenly bypassed the Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board (TAB), mainly comprised of state medical experts who provide guidance and recommendations to the state Department of Health. And, secondly, implementation requires a funding source.

“What really needs to happen is creation of a dedicated funding source that would not need to be part of the budget process that would fund the program every year,” said Rachel Romanofsky, research analyst for the Human Services Committee.

House Bill 1081, introduced by Cruz in April 2017, would impose a fee on “birthing facilities,” paid to the state for every baby’s screening tests, including those identified under Hannah’s Law, as well as future tests recommended by the TAB. Romanofsky says 47 states already have such a fee system in place.

At the latest TAB meeting, held in Harrisburg in May, some of the state’s brightest medical minds discussed funding and advocacy. That’s because Department of Health officials say the program needs $6 to 7 million to launch.

“The [newborn screening] program is in a difficult position,” said Chairman Jerry Vockley, a physician at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. “There are things we are mandated to do but cannot [due to lack of funding].”

Despite the continued delays, Lesa is positive.

“Today was encouraging because it’s no longer a matter of whether or not the advisory board feels that screening for Krabbe has merit, but rather a matter of how to pay for it and for any other diseases that may come along in the future,” she said. “That validates our fight and feels like a victory.”

While the fate of newborn screening in Pennsylvania remains cloudy, the Brackbill family recently announced happy news. Lesa gave birth to twin baby boys on April 24—and they are both Krabbe-free and healthy.

To learn more, visit www.HuntersHope.org. Lesa Brackbill’s book “Even So, Joy” is available through Amazon.

No Money, Big Problems: Newspapers don’t need more readers. They need cold, hard cash.

June 29, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

“What are you doing about readership?”

Recently, I spoke at the annual meeting of the Harrisburg chapter of the League of Women Voters, a great group of people who asked me to share my thoughts on the future of our fair city.

During a Q&A afterwards, one gentleman asked me that question, one I’ve heard countless times before. It comes in various forms, but can be summarized thusly: “How are you managing to survive the collapse of the newspaper industry?”

People have read the stories. They know that journalism is in a world of hurt. However, I find that they often don’t quite understand the problem.

It’s not readership.

TheBurg’s print run has doubled over the past five years, and we probably could double it again and still find a reader for every copy in our six-county distribution area. There are a few locations I refer to as “black holes”—places where I could throw Burgs in all day long, and they’d disappear just as fast.

People love our print edition—yes, even phone-distracted youth. But our digital readership is also way up, doubling in just the past year.

So readers? TheBurg has no problem finding readers. In fact, I’d venture to say that most local newspapers, when you combine print and digital formats, have more readers than ever before.

So then what’s the problem?

The problem, in a word, is this: money.

The newspaper industry has become impoverished. The ad-based revenue model has broken down, which I’ll now attempt to explain as simply as I can. But please bear with me. There’s a lot to unpack here.

First, when you talk about newspapers, you have to make distinctions. You can’t compare TheBurg to, say, the Wall Street Journal.

Each “property” has its own story, but I would say that there are three big buckets: a few national newspapers (New York Times, Washington Post, the Journal), a ton of chain-owned legacy papers (locally, the Patriot-News/PennLive, York Daily Record, Lebanon Daily News) and a smattering of independently owned papers (locally, LNP, the Sun, the Press and Journal).

In general, the middle category—the old, chain-owned papers—is in the worst shape, and, when we discuss the failing newspaper industry, that’s often what we’re talking about.

Historically, nearly all newspapers shared one main business model: advertising. Sure, a newspaper company might make some money elsewhere (subscriptions, outside printing, events), but the bulk came from classified and display print ads. By the 1970s, most U.S. cities were one-newspaper towns, and the lucky survivor often was wildly profitable. Newsrooms were stacked with reporters, editors and designers; papers were thick with ads, stories, columns, puzzles and comics.

Then came the internet.

Beginning in the late 1990s, print newspapers faced a new technology—the digital distribution and consumption of news—and they didn’t know what to do.

Now, no one can predict the future, so I don’t want to seem too harsh on these chain-owned legacy papers. I realize that they’ve been trying to survive in a time when Google and Facebook vacuum up the ad dollars that used to be spent with the local paper.

However, 20 years of hindsight shows that, as they responded, they made a cascading series of blunders—killing their own highly profitable newspapers by posting the same content online for free; swapping high-margin print advertising for (very) low-margin online advertising; angering long-loyal print subscribers; degrading their own product; embracing the worst practices and gimmicks of online news.

On top of this, many newspapers lost local control. The distantly located corporate parent, which long had allowed their properties to operate mostly independently, began to impose top-down solutions, limiting the papers’ ability to respond tactically to the local market.

Now, contrast this situation with the other two “buckets.” The few national newspapers are doing pretty well. They stumbled around awhile before finding their footing again, experimenting with new products and instituting online subscription models (aka paywalls).

Locally owned newspapers—the third bucket—fall somewhere in the middle. Some are doing reasonably well, others less so. The most successful ones have stayed close to their communities and didn’t lose their heads, doing their best to integrate the new digital format into their existing print model.

I’m happy to report that TheBurg is faring well—and not just in terms of readership. I would credit that to maintaining focus, retaining quality and remaining deeply embedded within our community. I think we share these traits with most hyper-local papers that have shown growth during these profoundly difficult times. In addition, we control our own fate, which means that we’re able to make the best decisions for ourselves in our local market.

Having said that—we’re not immune from the existential crisis facing the industry. So, if you like TheBurg, I hope you’ll encourage a company or organization you’re affiliated with to support us as a community partner. There’s nothing I’d like more than to add a few reporters, so that we could give this community the depth and quality of coverage that it needs and deserves.

As an individual, you also might think twice before sending your money to Silicon Valley and Seattle (i.e. Google, Facebook and Amazon). Advertise locally. Shop locally.

Lastly, you can support us by visiting our website (www.theburgnews.com) and signing up for TheBurg Daily. That way, we’ll continue to grow our online numbers. Meanwhile, you’ll benefit by receiving direct links to our original reporting, the news we break nearly every day, apart from the monthly magazine.

Despite what I said above, TheBurg truly can never have enough readers.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Hooray for Harrisburg: Filmmaker Adrian Selkowitz brings a touch of Tinseltown to the banks of the Susquehanna.

June 29, 2018 | by Norah Griffiths Johnson

Adrian Selkowitz. Photo by Anela Bence Selkowitz

Harrisburg boasts a number of highly talented people who could be living practically anywhere but have intentionally chosen the city as their home.

Cue city resident Adrian Selkowitz, an Emmy-award winning filmmaker, with close to 20 years of experience in film and television.

Okay, so how did he end up here? Like his résumé, it’s an interesting story.

Really Lovely

Back in 2001, Selkowitz graduated from NYU’s film school with a solid foundation in indie filmmaking. To gain experience with big-budget, studio films, he headed to the West Coast to try his chops in Hollywood.

After working in the development office at Sony Pictures, he took a job with the producer Barry Poltermann, who helped him learn the business of large-scale indie filmmaking. Together, they produced “The Life of Reilly,” about the actor Charles Nelson Reilly.

Eventually, Selkowitz created his first feature film, “Sex Drugs Guns,” which went on to win “Best Feature Film” at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival and to be acquired there.

As it was for many, the Great Recession proved a crystallizing time. Selkowitz described a confluence of factors, including an absence of paying projects and a general burnout on Hollywood.

About then, he attended a film writers’ panel where each panelist shared a piece of advice for the audience. One recommended leaving Los Angeles.

“He said, ‘If you’re going to be a writer or creator, there are no stories here to tell that aren’t Hollywood,’” Selkowitz recounted. “That really resonated with me.”

Not long after, Selkowitz and his wife Anela (a professional photographer and wardrobe production expert) decided to move to the East Coast to hit reset for a bit.

When asked if they intentionally landed in Harrisburg, he chuckled.

“This is up for debate,” he said. “After school, I told my roommates, ‘I’m going out to L.A. for two years. I’ll be back. Keep my spot.’”

He grinned.

“Ten years later, we moved back toward New York, but we stopped in Harrisburg because my family is here,” he said.

The couple discovered that they really liked Harrisburg. Selkowitz cited the open space and people as just two of the selling points.

“It was really lovely,” he said. “We were kind of taken with it. And it’s still a growing town, so there’s an opportunity to really contribute—to do what we want, and the impact is really felt. We love that.”

So, he said, they decided to stay for a while.

“And a little while turned into a long while, and we’ve been here for eight years now,” he said. “And we have no plans on leaving.”

A Better Place

But what about the burgeoning film career?

Back on the East Coast, Selkowitz and some of his buddies from film school started a production company called Cowboy Bear Ninja (if the name confounds you, just Google it), with the principles of being honest and telling meaningful stories for their clients. While Selkowitz lives here, the company is headquartered in Manhattan.

The first opportunity they were offered was a project for a hydrofracking company.

“It would’ve been a ton of money, but we said no because it didn’t align with our beliefs,” he said. “We were super broke, but then, a month later, Greenpeace called.”

Cowboy Bear Ninja has since made branded content and short films for a variety of non-governmental organizations and agencies for social good, including the U.N. Foundation. Gradually, as their experience broadened, they expanded into entertainment, but vowed to continue to be guided by their values.

“How can our work make the world a better place?” Selkowitz said. “And how can we contribute through media or television?”

“Liquid Science” is one such endeavor, a show that explores a range of scientific topics, including global warming, virtual reality and the quest for immortality. Selkowitz managed to snag the show’s host, GZA (of Wu-Tang Clan fame), whom he enticed to hop on board, knowing his reputation as a literal genius and lover of science.

“It was kismet,” he recounted. “We found someone who’s genuinely interested in the subject matter.”

Another example—a recent project with truTV and their collaborator, Michael Torpey, which developed into a show called “Paid off with Michael Torpey.” The show uses humor and a game show format to bring attention to the egregious student loan crisis. Comedy, coupled with social good.

People Around You

While much of the company’s work is filmed in other cities or at multiple locations across the country, Selkowitz has pointedly shot several projects in Harrisburg. Among these are six episodes of a show called “Blank Meets Blank.”

“I love bringing production here,” he said. “We have really wonderful people to work with here.”

Also, a film means jobs.

“When you shoot something somewhere, you eat there, you hire people there, it brings work,” he said. “And it’s good work, it’s paying work. And it’s fun.”

To that end, UPMC Pinnacle, Theatre Harrisburg, the Capital Area Greenbelt, friends’ houses and the Susquehanna River have all made appearances in Cowboy Bear Ninja productions. Plus, the city and surrounding area, he explained, can double as pretty much anywhere on the East Coast.

Looking ahead, Selkowitz talked about creating his own scripted series and just being a good parent.

“I understand that it takes complete focus and dedication and long hours to become really, really successful in an industry,” he said. “But I don’t want that to come at the sacrifice of getting to experience all the moments of my son’s childhood.”

He credited his wife with helping him appreciate that life is a journey to be appreciated, rather than one measured in discrete achievements.

Is he surprised by his own affection for Harrisburg?

“I never in a million years thought I would settle here,” he said. “But after you’ve lived enough places, you realize that everywhere you go is basically the same. It’s all about the people you have around you. Some of the nicest people I’ve had the opportunity to meet and know live here.”

For more information on Cowboy Bear Ninja, visit www.cowboybearninja.com.

“Paid Off with Michael Torpey” begins airing on truTV at 10 p.m. on July 10. “Liquid Science” is available to stream on Netflix, and “Blank Meets Blank” is available on truTV’s “Late Night Snack.”

Under a Cider Spell: Grand Illusion will dazzle you with what’s on tap.

June 29, 2018 | by Cathy Jordan

Photo by Casey Martin.

Abracadabra.

There’s a whimsical, magical draft venue in central PA.

Grand Illusion Hard Cider opened in February in historic downtown Carlisle. Over the years a bookbindery, music store, pharmacy, hat store and law office, the site is now a draft bar. Beer, wine, cider and soda are all on tap.

“Taps rotate, new cider makers come onto the scene, and we love to showcase the best in Pennsylvania,” said owner Chad Kimmel.

That’s Dr. Chad Kimmel, a sociology professor at Shippensburg University. He said he conjured up the idea to open a wine tasting bar in 2009 and signed up for the (sadly now defunct) enology and viticulture program the following year at HACC.

“I was on sabbatical and decided to take two classes—one on wine appreciation, the other on chemistry,” he said. “I learned that my focus on wine was too narrow. Still, a market was there.”

Then, around 2013, cider exploded on the scene with the national brand, Angry Orchard.

“So I explored cider,” he said. “It’s more user-friendly, and in some ways, more forgiving. A product made like wine, but riding the back of craft beer. A gluten-free drink that appeals to men and women, with hops and fruit. We modeled ourselves on Portland Cider—I love how they’re making cider.”

No, he didn’t name his urban cidery after “The Grand Illusion,” an album from the 1970s art-rock band, Styx. He toyed with the name Illusion Cider, but his attorney said there might be too many bumps in the road with that choice.

Cool, Healthy

Grand Illusion Hard Cider features an owl on the storefront sign and throughout the bar.

“I always loved turn-of-the-century, big theater magic,” Kimmel said. “The props, the grand shows and the color image posters. Back then, spiritualism as a movement was big in America.”

One poster in particular captured Kimmel’s interest—Thurston the Great Magician—currently displayed on the wall inside the cidery.

“It was my inspiration,” he said. “Often, there’s an owl in those mid-century posters, and I always loved owls.”

There was no surprise in Kimmel choosing Carlisle for his bar’s location.

He had studied Carlisle as a Main Street program aimed at community revitalization, a cool, healthy place with tourism.

“And Cumberland County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state,” he said. “I wanted to make people feel like they were walking into the big city with the details and aesthetics.”

Trick to Success

As you enter the 1840s-era building, note the Gothic preacher pulpit at the hostess station. The Gothic archway in the entry. Magician hat lights over the bar. Infinity mirrors on the staircase. A hidden bathroom on the second floor. The steampunk-style chandeliers. The eye-catching theater magic posters. An old clock enthusiast, Kimmel has placed clocks throughout the establishment.

“I just like to hear them chime,” he said.

The grand room on the second floor offers a view of High Street, along with low-top tables for larger groups, private parties or events.

Chef Paul Francis helped plan the kitchen and the menu.

“All of our food is well plated,” Kimmel said.

The biggest seller is the salted, spicy Cajun and Italian herb-rubbed pretzel flight. As far as flights are concerned, cider and wine are listed along with a sweetness scale on the menu.

“All servers are training to a level-one cider certification,” said Kimmel, referring to a national certification on how to pronounce, describe, analyze and educate the consumer.

The Pennsylvania craft beers hail from Slippery Rock, Mifflinburg and State College.

“These are beers you can’t find anywhere else [nearby],” he said.

PA wines are brought in from Pinnacle Ridge Winery and Karamoor Winery. And they’re kegged.

“I wanted a really good wine,” Kimmel said. “A keg is a system to provide people with the best wine possible in the best vehicle. It’s just a very big bottle under pressure that never allows in light, and the first glass tastes just as good as the last.”

The sodas are from Reading Soda Works, a small, family-owned company. Kimmel’s cider variations, which he claims to be the largest on the East Coast, are described as New York wine meets West Coast beer.

I can attest to that. The sparkling flavor of Kimmel’s Blue Illusion Cider, a blueberry puree with English lavender, left the impression of a rosé and a light, fruity beer—with a kick.

The trick to success, according to Kimmel?

“Exhaust number one before moving on to number two.”

In other words, he plans to focus on the bar and restaurant to maintain growth. He’s currently looking for a cider-maker with commercial experience to help him expand his offerings.

Kimmel is considering a “meet the cider makers” series, along with cheese and food pairings. He layers on events like cider and yoga classes, live music and custom flights. And then there’s “Magic Mondays,” when house magician Kyle Purnell performs magic at your table, right before your very eyes.

“I wanted to capture mystery and intrigue,” Kimmel said.

Now you see it, now you don’t.

Grand Illusion Hard Cider is located at 26 W. High St., Carlisle. For more information, visit www.grandillusioncider.com.

Happenings: Our July Calendar of Events

June 29, 2018 | by Missy Smith

Museum & Art Spaces

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

International Thunderbird Club Exhibit, through Oct. 14.

“Mustangs: Six Generations of America’s Favorite Pony Car,” through Oct. 14.

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

“Free For All,” artwork by AAH students and members, through July 19.

“Plein Air Invitational Show,” featuring David Henry, Steve Wetzel, Jonathan Frazier, Paul Gallo, Paul Flury, John McNulty, Brian Eppley, Robert Hughes, July 27-Aug. 30; reception: July 27, 5-8 p.m.

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

“Inventing History: Richard Chandler Hoff” graphite drawings, with a vintage, yet dream-like feel, through July 21.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Artist of the Month: Diana Hoffman

Gallery@Second
608 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
galleryatsecond.com

Works by Jason Orr and Holly Angelique, through Aug. 4.

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

“Membership & Gallery Student Show,” July 5-Aug. 18; reception: July 5, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyart.org

Harrisburg Area Art Association Member Art Exhibition, through Dec. 31.

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

“Downtown Details,” a photographic look at Newport’s historic buildings and architectural details, through the lens of photographer Irene VanBuskirk, through July 7.

Metropolis Collective
17 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg
717-458-8245; Facebook: Metropolis Collective

“Who’s Your Dada: A Group Tribute to an Art Movement,” through Aug. 20.

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

New works by Tina Berrier, Yachiyo Beck, John Davis, Julie Iaria, Joan Maguire and Bob McCloskey, through July 15.

New works by Erin Buckwalter, Christine Goldbeck, Judy Kelly, P.D. Murray, Linda McCloskey, July 27-Aug. 2.

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

“The Photo Ark” by Joel Sartore, National Geographic photographer and fellow, through September.

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

Landscape and wildlife oil paintings by Patricia Koscienski, through July.

PCCA Gallery
Perry County Council of the Arts
1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Art of Social Healing,” a group show of local art, showcasing how artists process social issues, July 6-Aug. 18; reception: July 6, 6-8:30 p.m.

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history.

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

“Art of the State—Pennsylvania 2018,” the official, statewide juried competition for PA artists, through Sept. 9; “Sip and See” the exhibit: July 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

“Pennsylvania at War,” highlighting World War I posters from the Pennsylvania State Archives and The Saga of the US Pennsylvania, through Dec. 30.

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

“Identity Spectrum,” a juried exhibit that examines one of the fundamental aspect of personal identity, gender, through Aug. 5.

“Perceptions,” a curated show by Lower Dauphin High School graduating senior Emalee Douglass, through Aug. 5.

“Romare Bearden: Vision & Activism,” through Sept. 23.

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

“Art in the Wild,” Wildwood Park’s annual outdoor environmental art exhibit, through Oct. 31.

Yellow Bird Café
1320 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-635-8991; yellowbird-cafe.com

Works by Tristan Bond, through July 9.

Works by New City School students, July 20-Aug. 13.

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

“ReBoard,” works by Nate Demuro and Jay Bowser, through July 16.

New art by Ted Lines, July 20-Aug. 17

Read, Make, Learn

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

July 5-Aug. 9: Funky Mosaics, Thursdays, 6-8 p.m.
July 7: Dyeing with Fresh Leaf Indigo, 10 a.m-1 p.m.
July 9-13: Collage & Assemblage Art Camp, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
July 9-13: Art & Adventure Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 11-Aug. 15: Wheel 102, Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
July 13: Craft Beer & Clay, 7 p.m.
July 16-20: Nature Art Camp, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
July 18: Cut-It-Out Ceramics, 6-8 p.m.
July 23-27: Cartooning & Character Design Camp, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
July 30-Aug. 3: Hope Station Summer Camp, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 30-Aug. 3: Paint, Print or Photograph Camp, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

July 18: Magic Main Course Salads, 6-9 p.m.

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

July 2, 16, 23, 30: Paws 2 Read, 6-8 p.m.
July 11: Ryan the Bug Man, 6-6:45 p.m.
July 12: Bank On Your Success—Family Budgeting, 4-6 p.m.
July 14: Mindful and Intuitive Eating, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 19: Device Club, 1-2:30 p.m.
July 20: The Healing Power of Drumming, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 24: Friends of East Shore Area Library Meeting, 9:30-11 a.m.
July 24: Rainforests w/ National Aquarium, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
July 25: Dancing Drum, 6-7 p.m.
July 26: Mindful Snack, 7-8 p.m.

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

July 3: Curl Up with the Classics—“The Picture of Dorian Gray,” 10 a.m.
July 6: Youth Chess Night, 6:30 p.m.
July 6: All Ages Movie Sing Along! The Wizard of Oz, 6:30 p.m.
July 9: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
July 10: Canning Veggies & Meats with Penn State Master Gardeners, 7 p.m.
July 11, 18, 25: Teen Movie Matinees, 2 p.m.
July 13, 27: Foreign Film Friday, 2 and 7 p.m.
July 14: BYOB Trivia After Hours—90s music, 7 p.m.
July 17: Fredricksen Reads—“The Nightingale,” 7 p.m.
July 17: Gardening with Nature with Penn State Master Gardeners, 7 p.m.
July 19: Let’s Talk Comics! Book Club (ages 10-13), 4:30 p.m.
July 19: Teen Blues Riffs Guitar Workshop, 6 p.m.
July 20: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
July 24: Dancing Drum—Drumming up World Music, 10 a.m.
July 31: The Science of Sound, 10:15 a.m.
July 31: Harry Potter Interactive Movie, 2 p.m.
July 31: Wizarding World Teen Trivia, 6 p.m.

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

July 9-12: Kids Art Camp (ages 4-7), 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
July 16-19: Kids Art Camp (ages 8-13), 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-798-6973; hbgimprov.com

July 3-19: Sketch for Video, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7-10 p.m.
July 11-Aug. 29: Improv Level 1, Wednesdays, 7-10 p.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyart.org

July 18-20: Watercolor Workshop

Joseph T. Simpson Public Library
16 N. Walnut St, Mechanicsburg
717-766-0171; simpsonlibrary.org

July 3: Tabletop Games, 6-8 p.m.
July 3. 10, 17, 24: Tea & Stitches, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 9: iPad/iPhone Beginners, 1-3 p.m.
July 9, 23: English Conversation Group, 6:30-8 p.m.
July 11: Mad About Mysteries, 7-8 p.m.
July 12, 26: Mah Jongg, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
July 16: Monday Night Book Club, 7-8 p.m.
July 18: Climate Change—Why We Disagree, 7-8 p.m.
July 19: Thursday Morning Book Club, 10-11 a.m.
July 20: Summer Scrapbooking, 1-3 p.m.
July 24: Tea & Stitches Extended, 10-5 p.m.
July 25: Apple Users Group, 1-3 p.m.
July 25: Yoga for Beginners, 7-8 p.m.

Kline Library
530 S. 29^th St., Harrisburg
717-234-3934; dcls.org

July 5, 19, 26: LEGO Robotics, 6-7 p.m.
July 10: Rockin’ Reptiles, 6-7 p.m.
July 12: Guitar Pick Art, 6-7 p.m.
July 17: Family DIY w/ Home Depot, 6-7 p.m.
July 24: Rainforests w/ National Aquarium, 6-7 p.m.
July 25: It Was a Book First, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

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

July 7: Drop-in Art, 1-4 p.m.
July 14: A Novel Idea, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
July 16-Aug. 20: Youth Painting & Drawing
July 18: Market Tote Sewing Workshop, 6-8 p.m.

The LGBT Center of Central PA
1306 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-920-9534; centralpalgbtcenter.org

July 1, 8, 15, 23, 30: Common Roads Young Adults, 4 p.m.
July 4, 11, 18, 25: Common Roads Youth, 6 p.m.
July 7, 14, 21, 28: Passage Ways—Trans & Non-Binary Group, 2 p.m.
July 12: Aging with Pride Lunchtime, 12-2 p.m.

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

July 2, 16, 23, 30: Video Game Club, 4-5 p.m.
July 3: Magical Nick, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
July 10: Rockin’ Reptiles, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
July 10: Bank on Your Success—Family Budgeting, 2-4 p.m.
July 11: Dungeons and Dragons, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
July 16: Cookbook Book Club, 6 p.m.
July 17: The Healing Power of Drumming, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
July 18, 25: Afternoon Hangout, 3-4 p.m.

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

July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Mid-day Getaway, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

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

July 3, 10, 17, 24: Coffee, Cake, and True Islam, 5 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Almost Uptown Poetry, Cartel, 7 p.m.
July 6, 13, 27: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
July 12: Camp Curtin Toastmasters, 6:30 p.m.
July 15: Midtown Writers Group, 1 p.m.
July 15: LGBT Book Club, 4:30 p.m.
July 18: Sci Fi & Fantasy Book Club, 7 p.m.
July 21: An Evening with Beck Dorey-Stein, 6-8 p.m.
July 29: Harrisburg Young Professionals Book Club, 3- 5 p.m.

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

July 7: Fluid Art Class, 12-2:30 p.m.
July 14, 28: Kids Art Class on the Roof, 11:30-1:30 p.m.

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

July 18-19: Junior Naturalist Camp, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

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

July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Summer Storytime Series, 10:30 a.m., 6:30 p.m.
July 3, 10, 16, 21, 31: Summer Book Babies, 11:15 a.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Thursday Family Entertainment, 10:30 a.m.
July 6, 20: Fun Fridays at the Library, 3-5 p.m.
July 6, 20: Library After Hours (teens entering grades 6-10), 6:30-8:30 p.m.
July 10, 24: Family Fun Night, 5:30 p.m.
July 14: Write-On Writer’s Workshop, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
July 17, 31: Teen Tuesdays, 3-4 p.m.
July 17, 31: Tales for T.A.I.L.S., 6:30-7:30 p.m.
July 21: Couponing for Extreme Savings, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 21: Children’s Book Writers Critique Group, 2-4 p.m.
July 25: PennWriters Writing Group, 5:30-7:45 p.m.
July 26: Teen Book Club, 7-8 p.m.

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

July 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 26: Nature Lab, 11:30 a.m.
July 6, 13, 20, 27: Learn at Lunchtime, 12:15 p.m.
July 18: Nature Labs—Maps, 11:30 a.m.

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

July 7, 14, 28: Saturday Morning Art Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 7, 14, 28: Young Artist Camp (ages 8-12), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 11, 18, 25: Yoga in the Galleries, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
July 21: Yoga & Art Summer Saturdays (kids, ages 6-11), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

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

July 8: Flower Walk, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 14: Stress Relief Walk, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
July 14: Volunteer Work Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
July 19: Get in Shape Walk, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
July 21: Detweiler Park Hike, 10-11 a.m.
July 26: Educator Workshop—Wet on the River
July 30-Aug. 3: Fundamentals of Photography I, Boot Camp

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

July 3: Novel Thoughts Book Club, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
July 5: Magical Nick, 6-7 p.m.
July 5: Teen Night, 6-7 p.m.
July 5, 19, 26: Afternoon Hangout, 3-4 p.m.
July 10: Friends of the Alexander Family Library Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
July 11: 2^nd Wednesday Cinema, 6-8 p.m.
July 12: Rockin’ Reptiles, 6-7 p.m.
July 25: It Was a Book First, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
July 26: Dancing Drum, 6-7 p.m.

Winters Heritage House Museum
47 E. High Street; Elizabethtown
717-367-4672; elizabethtownhistory.org

July 4, 11, 28, 25: Spinning wheel lessons for adults, schedule private lesson: 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Craft Classes (ages 7-12), 1-2:30 p.m.
July 28: Arts and Crafts Weekend, (ages 12-18)

Live Music Around Harrisburg

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

July 11: Home Free
July 13: The Texas Tenors
July 15: Roger Hodgson
July 21: Rock at the Park
July 29: Dion

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

July 14: Black Masala
July 20: High Tied Sideshow

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

July 21: Killer Queen, Tribute to Queen

Central PA Friends of Jazz
friendsofjazz.org

June 15: Rodney Whitaker

Chameleon Club
223 N. Water St., Lancaster
717-299-9684; chameleonclub.net

July 5: Theory Of A Deadman
July 6: The Stonewall Vessels, Flapjack Jones and the Bender Brohs
July 12: Broccoli Samurai, Badflower
July 13: The Ghost of Paul Revere
July 14: Black Letter Days, None Given
July 20: Fade to Black—A Tribute to Metallica, If Not For Me
July 22: Chris Webby
July 25: Super Bob, Sparrows
July 27: He is We
July 28: Yonder Mountain, Blind/Bird

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

July 6: Rob Base
July 14: The Stranger, A Tribute to Billy Joel

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

July 6: Antonio Andrade
July 7: Janie Womack & Jody Echterling
July 8: Colette Eckert
July 13: Emily Wilkins
July 14: Doug Morris
July 15: Shelba Purtle
July 17: Jamie O’Brien
July 20: Jim Steele
July 22: Dominick Cicco
July 27: Kevin Kline
July 28: Michael Arthur

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

July 8: Gus Person
July 9: Gladius

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

July 12: Ernie Fields Motown Band
July 24: Shea Quinn & Friends

Greater Harrisburg Concert Band
717-576-758; ghcb.org

July 1: Concert at Hampden Park & Pool
July 12: Concert at Messiah College
July 20: Concert at Bethany Village, Mechanicsburg
July 22: Concert at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mechanicsburg
July 27: Concert at Cumberland Crossings, Carlisle
July 29: Concert at Messiah Village

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

July 1: Summer Concert at Dickinson College
July 2: Summer Concert at Lebanon Valley College
July 3: Summer Concert at Millerstown Park
July 4: Summer Concert at Reservoir Park

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

July 6: Funktion
July 7: DJ Dave Styles, The Luv Gods
July 13: LCD Band
July 14: Just One Look—Linda Ronstadt Tribute Band, DJ Ray Rossi, Restless
July 20: Sapphire
July 21: DJ Magic, Smooth Like Clyde
July 27: Uptown Band
July 28: DJ Dave Styles, Emily’s Toybox

House of Music, Arts & Culture (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

July 1: Southern Culture On The Skids w/God Bless Our Mobile Home
July 5: Project Pat, Mazon, Ridicule
July 13: Gobbo, Black Pussy, Paradei, Ajay
July 15: Honeysuckle w/The Flat Wheels
July 17: Electric Six
July 20: Hometime, Club 27, Grapefruit Cannonball
July 28: Palisades, Letters from the Fire, Savage Hands, Imbued

Johnny Joe’s Sports Bar & Grill
5327 E. Trindle Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2254; johnnyjoesbar.com

July 4, 11, 18, 25: Open Mic, Water DeWall
July 5, 12, 29, 26: DJ Eric B
July 6, 13, 20, 27: DJ Joe Hertz
July 7: End of Silence
July 14: Nothing Men
July 21: Can’t B Saved
July 28: From Dawn Til Death

Keystone Concert Band
145 E. Main St., First Floor, Mechanicsburg
717-421-1512; keystoneconcertband.com

July 14: Concert at Camp Hill Presbyterian Church

Little Amps Coffee Roasters, Downtown
133 State St., Harrisburg
717-635-9870; littleampscoffee.com

July 12: David Attias, NOWNS, Howzit
July 14: Dezorah, Qwark, Ugly Songs
July 27: Youthfool

Little Amps Coffee Roasters, Uptown
1836 Green St., Harrisburg littleampscoffee.com
717-695-4882; littleampscoffee.com

July 10: Patriots, Dark Soft, Sleeping Pill
July 16: Erica Russo

The Lodge at Liberty Forge
3804 Lisburn Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-691-5335; lodgeatlibertyforge.com

July 5: Half a Band
July 12: Shea & Len
July 19: Indian Summer Jars
July 26: Rigo

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

July 8-15: Shippensburg Symphony Festival Series

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

July 4: Fourth of July Gala Pops Concert

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

July 14: No Last Call, Cruise Control

River City Blues Club & Dart Room
819 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-525-8926; rivercityhbg.com

July 20: Tommy D Trio

Rusty Rail Brewing Company
5 N. 8th North St., Mifflinburg
570-966-7878; rustyrailbrewing.com

July 13: Anthony Gomes

St. Thomas Roasters
5951 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg
717-526-4171; stthomasroasters.com

July 12: Ashley
July 13: Cotolo
July 14: Amber Nadine, Channalia
July 20: Joe Conney
July 21: Craig Bonner & Steve Geib
July 26: Sofeya and The Puffins
July 27: Rhoads & Putt Trio
July 28: Relics of Medievalism

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

July 28-29: Susquehanna Folk Festival

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; millersville.edu/muarts

July 13-21: Lancaster International Piano Festival

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

July 17: Joe Jackson

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

July 9: Gladius

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

July 20: Herb & Hanson

The Stage Door

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

Through Aug. 4: “The Wizard of Oz”

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

July 10: The Grins and Grins Comedy Show
July 11: Cabaret Open Mic Night
July 17: ScienceTellers Present “The Mystery of the Golden Piano”

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

July 12-Aug. 18: “Hansel and Gretel” (Popcorn Hat Players)
July 14: “Once Upon a Time: 25 Years of Popcorn Hat Celebration,” a one-night-only tribute to central PA’s premier children’s theater

Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center
1000 S. Eisenhower Blvd, Middletown
717-939-9333; hbg-cpac.org

July 20-22: “We Will Rock You: School Edition”

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

July 5, 12, 19, 26: Open Mic
July 6: Diva’s Down Under, The Stratton Invasion Drag Spectacular
July 8: Oxymorons Improv Comedy

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-798-6973; hbgimprov.com

July 1: Level 1 Class Show
July 6: This Mortal Coil/JohNathan, Hawkward, Tiny Town
July 7, 14, 21, 28: Free Improv Mixer
July 7: Rabid Dabblers/Bandito, Love Triangle/Wild Goose Chaise, Images
July 13: The Fourest/Midnight Library, Tony Stanza, Tanks, Buddy/The Harvey Taylor Gang
July 14: Barely Adulting/Kidprov Team, Hardly Working, Monotone
July 20: Ferd Majelly/Mary Todd Lincoln—The Real BabeRaham Lincoln, Spacework, The Happy Beautiful Goodnight Show
July 21: Rabid Dabblers/Critical HIT, Elderprov/Closed Casket, Name That Tune/Pillow Talk
July 27: Midnight Library/Fours Company 2—In Addition Too, This Show Will Self Destruct/Ferret Prom, HIT Bits
July 28: Barely Adulting/Solo Sleepover, Introduce A Self, Band Job/Without A Tres
July 29: Magic Fairy Pirate Monkeys

Lancaster Marionette Theatre
126 N. Water St., Lancaster
717-394-8389; lancastermarionette.org

July 28-Nov. 17: “The Death & Life of Sherlock”
Through Aug. 19: “The Wizard of Oz”
Through Nov. 10: “Treasure Island”

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

July 20-21: “Shakespeare in the Woods”

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

July 6-22: “Flowers for Algernon & The Insanity of Mary Girard”

The Playhouse at Allenberry
1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs
717-258-3211; allenberry.com

Through July 8: “Anything Goes”
July 20-Aug. 5: “The Little Mermaid”

Theatre Harrisburg
513 Hurlock St., Harrisburg
717-232-5501; theatreharrisburg.com

July 6-8: “Ben Franklin—An Ingenious Life”

Untitled: A Storytelling Project
untitledhbg.com

July 12: “Boundaries” at Zeroday Brewing Co.

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; millersville.edu/muarts

July 6: “We the People”—Storyteller Richard Humphreys

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

July 11: Story Slam

Eat Like a Little Bird: Craft food AND craft beer? Yes, please.

June 29, 2018 | by Alexandra Jones

Venison meatballs. Vegan hot dogs topped with kimchi and cheese. Mussels served in a pomegranate-lemon broth.

These are just a few dishes in a long, ever-changing list of adventurous cuisine combinations on the menu at the Little Bird Craft Kitchen, Ever Grain Brewing Co.’s new culinary counterpart.

With high-quality, flavorful craft beers, Ever Grain has quickly developed a reputation as a haven for beer-lovers within the Harrisburg area. Now, it’s looking to do the same with food. Little Bird’s menu gives the customer casual and fine dining options with modernist plating, high-end ingredients and flavors from across the world in a laidback brewery environment.

It was designed by the kitchen’s head chef Kurt Wewer, who earned a reputation regionally at the New Cumberland restaurants, the Garlic Poet and Grain + Verse.

When these restaurants closed in 2017, Ever Grain owners Norm Fromm and Larry Dolan approached Wewer with the idea of opening a kitchen alongside the brewery.

“It was the perfect timing,” Fromm said. “Larry and I knew the stuff that he did and the direction that he was going, and we were big fans of it.”

Their idea came to fruition earlier this year.

Ever Grain and Little Bird now sit side by side, located in the former Sun Motor Cars dealership along the Carlisle Pike. The kitchen and brewery are connected by what used to be a Sun Motors customer service window, which allows customers to order food inside the brewery.

The name “Little Bird” was inspired by Wewer’s now 4-year-old daughter who, when she was too young to talk, would tilt her head up like a baby bird as a way of asking her dad to try the food he was making. She seemed like the most adventurous eater, Wewer said, confidant that whatever her chef-father was making, it would be something good.

His goal with Little Bird is to make diners feel that courageous, too.

“We really like the idea of people coming and trusting that they’re going to like what they get, which makes them comfortable and willing to try something that they may have never tried before,” said Wewer.

He’s proud of the fact that his kitchen uses a network of local purveyors for many of its ingredients and works with condiments and spices not often seen at other modern American-style restaurants, regularly incorporating Asian, Middle Eastern and Caribbean flavors.

This is because Wewer revels in working with unusual ingredients—things diners won’t easily find at other gastropubs in central PA. In May, he spent five hours sous-viding octopus (a precise technique used to cook food evenly), and he’s excited for his August delivery of a native North American fruit called paw-paws.

The kitchen also has a bar, stocked with local wine and spirits. Wewer has created a wine and cocktail list with the help of Aaron Cheney, a mixologist friend he previously worked with at the Garlic Poet.

Little Bird’s menu has convenient beer, wine and cocktail pairing suggestions listed under every dish. With its help, one might order Ever Grain’s Udder One with the fried green tomatoes or a Camp Pils to go alongside the kitchen’s calamari.

Business-wise, Wewer said, being able to pair his food with original drinks like this was one of the reasons he jumped at the opportunity to create Little Bird—and one of the reasons Fromm and Dolan offered him the chance in the first place.

“That’s why they came to me,” he said. “They wanted me to come in and create food that was of the quality of their beer. Both ways, we both thought it was a perfect fit.”

Ever Grain Brewing Co.’s Little Bird Craft Kitchen is located at 4444 Carlisle Pike, Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.evergrainbrewing.com/content/our-food.

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