A Way of Life: Yoga Nature offers a Sunday organic farmers market to nurture mind, body and soul.

June 1, 2015 | by Missy Smith

It’s only natural that Sara Rose Bryant and Misha Kaschock started an all-organic farmers market at their Linglestown-based studio, Yoga Nature.

After all, according to Bryant, both yoga and an organic diet are agreeable to the body.

“Yogis through the ages have deeply understood the simple and ancient idea: You are what you eat,” said Bryant. “[An organic farmer] studies the external landscape carefully like a yogi studies the internal states.”

Held during the summer on Sunday afternoons, the market offers an open-air, leisurely shopping experience, complete with prepared food and drinks, vegetables, herbs, cheese, bread, coffee, seafood, baked goods and more.

“We are unique in that we have this yogic backbone which seeks to create a deeper connection between the community, the farmers and the Earth,” said Bryant, explaining that the market is a full community experience, with featured artisans and musicians.

To further enhance the connection between food and health, Yoga Nature offers activities like drumming, yoga, dance, educational classes for adults and kids, community drum circles, henna tattoos and face painting. The studio also plans on hosting work and learning days with the farmers so that people can witness a direct correlation between the land and growing food.

Filling a Void

Bryant is quite comfortable with market culture, having spent much of her youth at her family’s oyster bar in the famous Pike Place Market in Seattle.

“The vibe at Pike Place is pure magic with abundant produce, buskers galore, beautiful foods, herbs and spices from every culture, fresh fish, local artisans, huge bouquets of flowers and bustling excitement all year long,” she said.

Even with so many organic farmers in the Harrisburg region, the couple saw a gap in the local offerings—no exclusively organic markets and no markets on Sundays. As their creative ideas came together, they toyed with the idea of filling the void.

Friends then mentioned that they wanted to create an organic garden and needed a place to sell their produce. This was just the happenchance Bryant and Kaschock needed to dive into creating the market.

“I had already had the seed of the idea for a farmer’s market outside of our yoga studio and so the idea sprouted,” Bryant said. “I decided to try to create a whole organic farmer’s market in less than three months.”

She added they dealt with a lot rejection in the beginning, but, believing in the concept, kept at it.

“It was difficult to assure farmers that we would have a good flow of patrons,” she said. “By the skin of our teeth, we managed to fill our very first market with vendors and, from there on out, it was a complete success.”

Mindful Eating

Yoga Nature allows market-goers to experience the nourishing and healing power of food harvested from the earth, right here in our local community.

With a year of the market under their belts, the couple continues to educate people on why buying local, organic whole foods is so vital to their health.

“We want to help people feel the difference between buying something at the store, off of a shelf with no connection to the people who grew it and how it got there, and knowing your farmers, how they work with the land, their names and stories,” Bryant explained. “We want to help people understand why buying local and organic is worth the extra 30 cents you might pay for that bundle of kale.”

Bryant has enjoyed watching people enjoy the fun, positive, health-oriented market. In addition to the food, the market fosters other principles of yoga, such as building relationships and community.

“What many people don’t realize is that yoga is more than just a movement practice. It is a way of life,” Bryant said. “Since Misha and I were given the yoga studio, we present this idea to our community in as many ways as we can. I feel proud to facilitate, connect and bring beautiful people together to create a wave of positive connection in the greater Harrisburg area.”

The Organic Farmers Market is held each Sunday through September, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Yoga Nature, 4400 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-695-7101 or visit www.yoganaturelife.com. You also can like Yoga Nature on Facebook. If you’d only like to sign up for the organic farmer’s market list, send an email to [email protected]. Photos by Haley Harned.

Market Vendors

The following vendors sell goods at the Organic Farmers Market at Yoga Nature.

A+ Produce, Pitman – vegetables, herbs, flowers
Camelot Valley, Dover – goat cheese
EarthSpring Farm, Carlisle – organic produce
Elementary Coffee Co., Harrisburg – locally roasted organic coffee beans, cold brew coffee
Filey’s Pride, Dillsburg – organic produce
JB Kelly Seafood Connection, Halifax – wild harvested seafood from Maine
MidSt8 Taco, Lemoyne – tamales, tacos, freshly made tortillas
RiJuice, Lancaster – organic juice
Spring Gate Farm + Vineyard, Harrisburg – free range organic chicken eggs, seasonal berries
Stoney Creek Valley Farm, Dauphin – plant starts, homemade herbal beverages
Sunshine Bakery, Dillsburg – organic scones, homemade granola

Fresh Air Fun: Over the summer, local families will host New York kids–and all will benefit.

June 1, 2015 | by Susan Ryder

Families wait in the summer sun on the steamy macadam of the department store parking lot. Program veterans converse with first-timers, assuring them that they can expect a great week. Some carry banners and balloons, some just the countenance of anticipation. One of the lookouts yells, “There’s the bus!”

Here come the kids.

Last year, the Fresh Air Fund sent thousands of underprivileged children from New York’s five boroughs for a summer visit with families in 13 states on the East Coast, including here in central Pennsylvania. Since 1877, 1.8 million children have participated in The Fresh Air Fund programs.

A not-for-profit agency, Fresh Air aims to provide children with “free summer experiences” outside of the city. It accomplishes this through a variety of summer camps in Fishkill, N.Y., and through the volunteer host program. Children, ages six through 12, participate in the host program and re-invited youth can return until age 18.

So Quiet

Hosting provides an opportunity for families to “open up their homes and hearts” to a city child, said Roberta Popp, a 15-year Harrisburg-area participant. Since 1981, Popp and husband Bill have hosted eight children through Fresh Air.

On a warm spring day, outside her rural Lewisberry home, amongst the trees and bird feeders, Popp shared that the program is “about letting the child run free, letting them run barefoot in the grass.” She added that, when families host a child, they “are introducing a child to firsts…to another way of life.”

These firsts include things that those who experience them every day take for granted—seeing the stars at night, feeling the grass tickle the toes and watching squirrels steal seed from the bird feeder.

Other unique events for Fresh Air kids include hearing quiet, seeing darkness and feeling bugs. As one of Popp’s Fresh Air visitors, Alex, would often say, “It’s so quiet here.”

Liz Charleston agrees with Popp’s description. A co-chair of the Etters Friendly Town, the name given to an area where Fresh Air Fund children are hosted, Liz and her family have welcomed eight children over the past 11 years. She described two visitors’ first experience with fireflies. Awestruck by the flashing bugs, the girls asked, “What are all these lights?”

Simple experiences typically fill the children’s visits, events like playing on a swing set, walking the dog or making homemade ice cream. Children often learn to ride a bike or swim while visiting. According to Sherry Sweigard, Sarai—her family’s visitor for three summers—thought playing with bubbles was fabulous.

Many families take Fresh Air youngsters to Hershey Park, Lake Tobias, Harrisburg Senators games or other destinations, but simple pleasures often win out. Sweigard explained that, no matter where they went, Sarai would always ask, “Can we swim when we get back?”

These experiences create relationships between the host families, the children and their families, said Charleston. Families re-invite children at a rate of more than 65 percent, she said.

Many families have ongoing communication with their host child after the summer is over. In November, Popp attended Alex’s New York wedding. The Sweigard family had Sarai visit during Christmas break, meeting her mother in Allentown for the exchange. Some families send Christmas and birthday gifts.

A Yard and a Bed

The children receive much from their visit, but host families receive much, too.

Families that “open up their home and hearts,” as Popp put it, get a glimpse into city life, get an appreciation for what they have and get an introduction to a different culture and lifestyle.

“Our kids don’t think they have anything, then they meet these kids,” said Popp.

The Charleston boys, Carson and Brandon, ages 7 and 9, refer to the girls who visit them in the summer as their “Fresh Air big sisters.” One of those big sisters, Tiffany, inspired by Charleston’s job as a science teacher, has decided to become a math teacher.

Only a few criteria need to be met to host: a yard, a bed and clearances. When a family registers to host, the regional representative will visit the home, meet the family and discuss the program and necessary clearances.

Area Fresh Air volunteers support host families and answer questions, address concerns or guide them through any health issues that may arise. The Fresh Air Fund covers all medical expenses incurred while a child visits.

Charleston said possible host families need not let the “what ifs” keep them from hosting. Fresh Air has local and New York office support available 24 hours a day.

Charleston offers this advice for those wishing to host: “Be flexible and open-minded.” She also advises host families to include as much information as possible about their family activities on the host paperwork to assist Fresh Air in matching a child with overlapping interests. All interests won’t match up exactly, so families can adapt activities for the visiting youngster or find new adventures together.

Popp began her adventure with the Fresh Air Fund 35 years ago. She said that she “believes in this program” and that it’s “a great experience for a city kid.”

Her friends often ask her why she still does the work.

“Because I love seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces when they slip off that bus and see their host families,” she responds.

After a week or so, the voyage across states and cultures must end. Host families pack lunches for the children, and the journey ends where it began—at the bus. More tears end the visit than began it. On the bus, the children, excitedly and sometimes braggingly, share their stories and picture albums. Families drive home without their special visitor, richer for the experience, remembering the week and anticipating next year.

In the end, everyone has benefitted from a little fresh air.

There is still time to host a Fresh Air Child this summer. Contact Roberta Popp, Harrisburg Fresh Air Fund representative, at 717-487-8096 or consult The Fresh Air Fund website at www.freshair.org.

River City: From ferry to festivals, the Susquehanna has defined Harrisburg.

June 1, 2015 | by M. Diane McCormick

Before there was Harris’ Ferry, there was a shallow plateau allowing Native Americans to ford the Susquehanna River. Trails led to and from the eastern and western shores. The landings weren’t called Shipoke or Lemoyne then, but they were made to order for the trading post and ferry established by entrepreneurial pioneer John Harris.

A new book by Eric V. Fasick, “Harrisburg and the Susquehanna River,” begins at that beginning, starting with the ford in the river and chronicling the centuries-long relationship between a capital city and its shallow, sometimes sparkling, occasionally cranky waterway.

The book, from Arcadia Publishing’s “Images of America” series, draws largely from the Historical Society of Dauphin County’s archives. As chair of HSDC’s collections committee, Fasick has special insight into the rich trove.

“I knew what was upstairs,” he says. “I knew what we had.”

The history of residents’ interactions with the river is a history of moneymaking, says Fasick. Ferries, toll bridges, dance halls, sports, festivals, dredging for waste coal washing down from northeast Pennsylvania—it’s all there in a book that explores the Susquehanna’s waters, islands and bridges from Colonial days to the 1990s.

As the book recounts, before City Island became the focal point for mid-river fun, there was Independence Island, near what is now the Harvey Taylor Bridge. Ferries would carry guests to a dance hall fashioned from a rolling rink transported to the spot.

“They had an old coal chute they set up for kids to slide down into the lagoon,” says Fasick.

Around 1900, the city of Harrisburg acquired its own island, known originally as Turkey Island and then called by the names of a succession of owners. One island owner, John J. Hargest, had been well known for the vegetables he grew and sold in Market Square.

The newly named City Island became home to a bathing beach, originally restricted for male use by city officials who said they had “witnessed the antics of Atlantic City and Coney Island.” Until urban flight and the coming of municipal pools, it was a popular cool-down destination for residents and a revenue generator for the city.

“The push from the city was to keep people in town,” said Fasick.

In a generations-spanning coincidence, Fasick realized after publication that the cover photo his editor chose—scores of men, women and children enjoying a dip in the river—included his great-grandfather and great-grandmother or her sister.

Rises, Falls

Fasick, steeped in local history and river culture, was born in Harrisburg and grew up in Lemoyne. He works at the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and serves on the HSDC board. He has been published in history journals and authored another Arcadia book, “Tropical Storm Agnes in Greater Harrisburg.”

As Fasick’s river chronicle shows, the Susquehanna’s role in the life of the region rises and falls with the city’s fates. Beginning in 1900, the City Beautiful movement did the river a favor, leading to construction of riverfront walkways, dedication of parklands and an end to raw sewage pumped directly into those sparkling waters.

People responded by celebrating life on the water. Festivals, whether they were called Water Carnival or Kipona, originally included participatory races. Residents competed in the fastest freestyle, swiftest canoeing or the unique talent for swimming while reading a newspaper without getting it wet. Really.

But the general intimacy with the river from those days has dissipated.

“We want everything sterilized to the point where we don’t want to be in that perceived filth,” he says.

City Island activities have included football games, track meets, concerts and gardening. The one constant through all the years—at least, since around 1893—has been baseball, and, when photos lacked identification, Fasick turned history detective.

For one long shot from center field, he spent more than 35 hours and used such clues as arched lettering on a player’s uniform, a coach’s distinctive jacket, and the overcoats worn by spectators to conclude that it was Sept. 22, 1904. On that cool day, the Harrisburg Athletic Club defeated the visiting Washington Senators, led by Hall of Fame pitching legend Walter Johnson.

“I was trying to date the photos and, really having no background on baseball at the time, I thought it gave me a good groundwork to start with this one,” says Fasick.

And in a photo from Sept. 25, 1919, when the Boston Red Sox came to town, is that Babe Ruth approaching first base? There’s no proof, but Fasick says the big guy in baggy breeches played that day, and that stiff-backed running stance sure looks familiar.

“I think it’s Babe Ruth,” says Fasick. “I put my proverbial rear end out there on that one saying it’s Ruth, but I really do think it is.”

“Harrisburg and the Susquehanna River,” by Eric V. Fasick, can be purchased at several local bookstores and online. A book-signing will be held to coincide with the opening of the “Susquehanna River Islands” exhibit, June 14, at the Historical Society of Dauphin County, 219 S. Front St., Harrisburg. Information is at www.dauphincountyhistory.org.

Love and War and Politics and Poetry: Enigmatic “Troilus and Cressida” is annual Shakespeare in the Park

June 1, 2015 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Ian Potter, an actor and set designer with Gamut Theatre Group, was somewhat prepared for his role of Achilles in “Troilus and Cressida.”

“I read ‘The Iliad,’ the epic poem attributed to Homer about the Trojan War, in high school,” Potter said. “I was also in a college production of ‘The Trojan Women,’ a tragedy by Greek playwright Euripides.”

The play is the annual outdoor production to be presented this month by the Harrisburg Shakespeare Company, which, together with Popcorn Hat Players Children’s Theatre, comprises Gamut.

Jaded
As usual, the author of “Troilus and Cressida,” William Shakespeare, brings his own take to the ancient conflict.

Now in its seventh year, the war has reached a stalemate. Both sides, Trojans and Greeks alike, are questioning the value of continuing it. Meanwhile, Troilus, the young son of the Trojan House of Priam, and Cressida fall in love.

Only, it isn’t feuds in an Italian city that thwart their romance—as per “Romeo and Juliet”—but political maneuvering. Cressida decides to make alliances that stand to compromise her virtue, explained Gamut Theatre Group’s artistic director, Clark Nicholson, who is staging the production.

When Troilus sees Cressida flirting with a man in the Greek camp to which she has been traded, he considers her a whore, although no one refers to the beautiful Helen of Troy that way because of her social standing.

“Yet, it’s not even clear that Helen minds having been abducted to begin with, though that supposedly started the war,” said Nicholson.

Troilus ends up a “very angry, very jaded young men, who becomes an angry fighter,” Nicholson said. “It’s not unlike a Romeo and Juliet dynamic, in which the two are doomed not to be together.”

“Troilus and Cressida” is one of the Bard’s most enigmatic plays, encompassing both an ancient story—actually one of the oldest extant in Western literature—and modern cynicism. Part of it is drawn from a medieval source, a work by Chaucer about the two lovers.

Variously characterized as a problematic comedy or a tragedy, it is “simultaneously comic, tragic and satiric, offering a chilling twist to the classical mythic heroes of antiquity,” Nicholson said.

Moreover, while the undoing of Troilus and Cressida’s love is at the play’s core, in reality, it accounts for little stage time, which mostly focuses on the leaders of the Greek and Trojan forces.

“The love story bookends the play,” rather than being central to it, noted Nicholson.

Worth Doing
While not one of Shakespeare’s most popular works and not containing the memorable speeches a “Hamlet” does, “Troilus and Cressida” is a “beautiful piece of poetry,” full of metered and rhymed couplets, surrounding an epic adventure. That alone makes the play worth doing,” Nicholson added.

“Troilus and Cressida” is a “very dark look at humanity, with people confusing love and lust and war being based more on covetousness and bragging rights than on honor,” Nicholson continued. “Shakespeare casts a satirical eye on his characters and not the most flattering look at war, although it’s not a wholesale condemnation.”

Other cast members include Jared Calhoun as Troilus and Emily Samuelson as his love interest—both in their Gamut debuts; Amber Mann as Pandarus, the go-between for the lovers; Thomas Weaver as Ulysses; Sean Adams as Hector; Jeffrey Rensch as Agamemnon; Bernard Joseph as Aeneas; and Kathryn Miller as Helen.

The multi-talented Potter also designed the sets, drawing inspiration from photographs of contemporary, war-ravaged Syria.

No Heroes
Nicholson’s locale for the play is not ancient Greece or Troy but the present or not-too-distant future on the eastern side of the Mediterranean. The fighting is carried on by private military units, like Blackwater; each city-state of Greece (as opposed to a united Troy) has a different insignia.

Besides the possible betrayal of Troilus by Cressida (whether to survive or for other reasons), there is a larger one: the leaders have tried to convince their people that the Trojan War was a life-and-death struggle. But it was really an “insult thing,” said Nicholson. “Like Samuel Johnson said, ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel,’ and in that sense, the play is very timely and germane.”

Great playwrights are not about polemics, at least not exclusively.

“Shakespeare is not a pacifist, nor does he take a propaganda point of view—but rather, a realistic one,” Nicholson said. “It’s more like, if someone tells you to kill a man for God, country and apple pie, and you do it, maybe you should have been a little less gullible. Shakespeare asks us to figure out and decide if this is patriotism.”

In order to get Helen back, the Greeks are “willing to topple the city and the ground and loot as much possible,” added Potter. “Maybe that’s why Helen is more an idea, talked about” than active in the play.

For all of its foundation in “The Iliad,” Potter points out that these are not really heroes.

“There’s a lot of deceit and brutality,” he said. “If Shakespeare’s play is not totally anti-war, it does show it’s not a glorious thing and how ugly it can be.”

The great Achilles, for example, no longer wishes to come out of his tent. “He is motivated to do so for personal reasons—when Patroclus (Rose Weber), who may have been his dear friend, family member or lover, is killed by Hector,” said Potter.

In a breach of honor, Achilles then has others kill an unarmed and resting Hector.

Yet, just as Romeo and Juliet fall in love amidst feuding, so do Troilus and Cressida amidst war. Something good may come from something brutal, though not necessarily with happy results, said Nicholson.

Gamut Theatre Group’s Harrisburg Shakespeare Company will perform “Troilus and Cressida” June 5 to 20 at the Levitt Pavilion in Reservoir Park at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. For information, visit www.gamuttheatre.org or call 717-238-4111.

A Summer Favorite: June is strawberry pie time.

June 1, 2015 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

June is a special month for me: memories of my father and his lovely floribunda roses, one of which I placed in his lapel every morning before he left for work; a time of celebration for a husband’s and son’s shared birthday; and strawberry season!

My mother and aunts and two young sons and I looked forward every June to picking our own strawberries. Our favorite place was Strites Orchard, a farm market on the outskirts of Harrisburg. We always tried to be among the “first pickers” to get the cream of the crop. This translated into getting the largest berries on the bushes, often the size of golf balls.

We would head out into the fields with our berry baskets, which, in those days, we were permitted to completely fill rather than pay by the pound. So, when all our baskets were overflowing, we would gingerly take them home, eating as many as we could that were tumbling out the sides.

These “homegrown” strawberries, with rare exception, bear no resemblance to the plastic-encased supermarket variety. Varying between bright red and a deep wine color, depending on variety, these fruits were bursting with juice and sweetness. My first strawberry “chore” in those days was to make jam—a wonderful freezer jam that we ate all year long. Because it wasn’t cooked, this jam remained bright crimson in color and tasted just like fresh summer strawberries month after month.

Another tradition for me was (and still is) the annual strawberry pie. It is not a fancy dessert, and it is not hard to make. The recipe calls for a baked pie shell. I have always made my own piecrust, and that is not hard to do either. But, for this pie, you can use a regular, pre-made piecrust from the grocery store or even a graham cracker crust, both of which shorten your preparation time. The smell of strawberries and sugar bubbling on the stove on a June afternoon always stirs wonderful memories for me.

Ingredients

One 9-inch baked pie shell (cooled if homemade)
6 cups fresh, ripe local strawberries (about 1 ½ quarts washed and stems removed)
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese (I usually use 2 packages)

Recipe

Mash enough berries to measure 1 cup.
Mix sugar and cornstarch in a 1 quart saucepan.
Stir in water and mashed strawberries gradually (I use a wooden spoon).
Cook on medium heat until the mixture thickens and boils. Lower the heat to prevent scorching if necessary. Boil and stir for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and let cool.
Beat cream cheese in a small bowl until smooth (I use a wooden spoon for this also, no need for a mixer).
Spread the cream cheese over the bottom of the pie shell.
Top the cheese with the remaining whole berries. Stand the berries upright. (It works well to place the larger berries around the outside of the pie shell and end with the smaller berries in the center.)
Pour the cooled cooked berries over the pie, spreading the mixture with a spatula.
Refrigerate until the top of the pie is set, at least 3 hours.

When ready, cut the pie into slices and garnish with a little sprig of mint if you like. The pie is wonderful on its own and needs no whipped cream or ice cream on top.

My little boys are all grown up, and no one seems to want to eat jam anymore, strawberry or otherwise. But this pie is a summer treasure. I hope it will become a favorite of yours as well.

Lawn Chair Cinema: Harrisburg gets its own outdoors film series.

June 1, 2015 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Sometimes, there’s nothing you’d rather see more than an 8-foot-tall projection of Matthew Broderick’s 20-something face smirking down at you in public.

Maybe I’m only projecting my own desires on the masses. Then again, if that weren’t the case—if not with Matthew Broderick then with another household celebrity actor—the concept of an outdoor movie wouldn’t be so widely beloved.

There have been many outdoor film series across the country, such as “Screen on the Green” in Washington, D.C., and “Rooftop Films” in New York. Clearly, many people enjoy the communal experience of enjoying cinema in the warm outdoors.

Harrisburg now will have its chance, too. This summer, Friends of Midtown presents a series of films that will be projected in the parking lot of Midtown Cinema. It’s the perfect opportunity to bring the community together for a free event, enjoying a good film and each other’s company.

“We want to provide something enjoyable for individuals and families of Midtown and to just make it a more fun place to live,” says Shawn Westhafer of Friends of Midtown. “That’s our obvious goal, but outreach, of course, is too. We’re always looking to reach out to more people, always trying to do things that will cause us to reach new folks.”

Six films will be played throughout the summer, from June to August, with two per month. The movies were chosen for their widespread popularity and family-friendly content, as well as being suitable for summer fun.

One of the films (“Plan 9 from Outer Space”) will combine the Outdoor Film Series with another Midtown Cinema series, “Down in Front!” in which improv comedians make fun of atrocious movies. “Plan 9,”directed by Ed Wood—a filmmaker some regard as the worst director of all time—will be a fun change from the more mainstream movies that will grace the outdoor screen.

So, pull out your lawn chairs and blankets and join the fun. The films will start at dusk, but make sure to come early. It’s going to get pretty crowded!

Outdoors Film Series

June 5: “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark”
June 26: “Batman”
July 10: “Plan 9 From Outer Space”
July 24: “Labyrinth”
Aug. 7: “The Princess Bride”
Aug. 28: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

All movies start at dusk in the parking lot of Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg.

Midtown Cinema
June Events

Midnight Matinee Series
“The Matrix” (1999)
Saturday, June 6, 11:45pm (BYOB)

Contemporary Digital Theatre Series
“Showboat” w/Bill Irwin
Sunday, May 31, 4pm

“NTL’s Man and Superman” w/Ralph Fiennes
Sunday, June 7, 4pm
presented by Open Stage of Harrisburg

Classic Film Series
“Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)
Sunday, June 14, 6pm

3rd in the Burg $3 Movie
“Clueless”
Friday, June 19, 9:30ish (BYOB)

Family Film Series
“The Neverending Story” (1984)
Saturday, June 20, noon
Sunday, June 21, 2pm

MOVIATE Night
Sunday, June 28, 7pm

Snack Attack: Embark on a road trip to Pennsylvania’s most tempting factories.

June 1, 2015 | by Rebecca Hanlon

From pretzels to potato chips, Pennsylvanians know how to chow down.

Grumbling bellies in the middle of the afternoon are no match for the thousands of pounds of snacks that are produced in this region each year.

Those with an appetite big enough to tackle the salty offerings of central Pennsylvania should pack the kids in the car and hit the road for free tours and factory samplings. Bring your water bottles. You’re going to get thirsty.

We’re headed south to York County, where the self-proclaimed “Snack Capital of the World” offers suggested stops on its Sweet and Salty Trail guide. Here are a few worth the trip.

Martin’s Potato Chips

Technically located just outside of York County in Adams County, Martin’s Potato Chips has a history rooted in snacking.

Legend has it that Fairy Martin started making her famous potato chips in 1941 to keep her son from spending money at the Utz potato chip stand in the local market.

Today, the company produces more than 1 million bags of potato chips and popcorn each month. According to the company website, the product is so popular that the past three presidents have served Martin’s chips on Air Force One.

“We order boxes at a time,” said Joanne Kinner, who used to live in Hanover but moved to Florida a couple of years ago.

She was going on the tour with family members recently and getting ready to stock up on her favorite potato chips.

Tours are only available Tuesday mornings and calls should be made in advance to reserve a spot. Visitors have to wear hairnets, but it’s worth it. This is one of the few factory tours that will allow you step right onto the production floor.

The process of making potato chips hasn’t changed much at Martin’s. The washed spuds make their way on conveyor belts to be peeled, sliced, fried, cooled and salted. If you’re tempted by the delicious smells of freshly fried potato chips, the tour guide can help satisfy your craving. At Martin’s, visitors can sample potato chips right off the line before they’re packaged.

Martin’s Potato Chips, 5847 Lincoln Highway West, Thomasville, www.martinschips.com.

Snyder’s of Hanover

When you’re making your way back to York County from Martin’s, it makes sense to stop by Snyder’s of Hanover.

A reported 80 percent of America’s pretzels are made in Pennsylvania, helping contribute to the nearly two pounds of pretzels the average American eats each year, according to Snyder’s tour guides.

Visitors can go on guided tours Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Calls in advance are recommended.

Since 1901, Snyder’s of Hanover has been making pretzels, still using the original recipe. This 30-minute tour runs along a hallway above the factory floor, which allows for great views of what’s happening below.

“The kids are always well-behaved when they know they get a treat at the end,” said Michael Lourette, who took the tour with his family recently.

The tour is a great way to see the variety of products that Snyder’s offers. A century-plus in business, the company has grown to manufacture more than 10 different kinds of pretzels, tortilla chips and salsas.

The best part of the tour? A free bag of pretzels when you leave.

Snyder’s of Hanover, 1350 York St., Hanover, www.snydersofhanover.com.

Utz Potato Chip Factory

Unlike some other snack factory tours, Utz Potato Chip Factory tour is self-guided. Open Monday through Thursday, the 30-minute tour takes visitors through the factory via a private entrance and video tour. Be sure to give yourself enough time to press the buttons that prompt the narration at various stops along the way.

As the largest independent snack factory in the United States, Utz produces 3.3 million pounds of snacks a week, about half of which are potato chips.

When it first started in 1921, William and Salie Utz made about 50 pounds of potato chips an hour from their summer kitchen in Hanover. The company grew each decade until it became the snack franchise it is today.

Eleven different stations through the tour give visitors a view of the factory below. A small bag of chips is given to each visitor at the end, but, if that doesn’t satisfy your hunger, a factory store is located on-site.

Utz Potato Chip Factory, 900 High St., Hanover, www.utzsnacks.com.

Wolfgang Candy Co.

If salty snacks are weighing you down and your sweet tooth is begging for some attention, head to the Wolfgang Candy factory tour.

A fourth-generation family business, Wolfgang Candy Co. was founded by Delphy Eli and Mima Mae Wolfgang in 1921.

Food safety regulations no longer allow tours in the production area, but there are still opportunities to learn the history of candy-making and see how the handmade items are created today.

Tours are available at 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday, although larger groups may be accommodated at other times.

On the tour, visitors learn how chocolate is tempered and see how hollows are made. The whole tour takes about 45 minutes.

The Das Sweeten Haus also has display cases filled with wooden sugar molds, glass candy jars and other candy-collectible antiques.

Janice Tally, a York native who was visiting the factory recently, said she loves to go on the tour for the smell alone.

“That sweet chocolate sticks with you all day,” she said. “The thing about local treats is they’re the ones you grew up with. Even if you move away or try other things, nothing is as good as the foods that remind you of home.”

Wolfgang Candy Co., 50 E. Fourth Ave., York, www.wolfgangcandy.com.

Other Snack Happenings

Central Pennsylvania is full of sweet and salty destinations. A few others include:

Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, 219 E. Main St., Lititz. Visitors get to tour the original 1861 bakery and take a shot at twisting their own pretzel. www.juliussturgis.com.
Wilbur Chocolate Company, 48 N. Broad St., Lititz. Visit the Candy Americana Museum, where you can sample a free Wilbur Bud. www.wilburbuds.com.
The Turkey Hill Experience, 301 Linden St., Columbia. While it isn’t a real factory tour, The Turkey Hill Experience gives visitors a backstage look at dairy production and the work that goes into making its famous ice cream. www.turkeyhillexperience.com.
Hershey Chocolate World, 251 Park Blvd., Hershey. You can’t go on a snack-food tour and not mention Hershey. The free tour is a popular destination for tourists. www.hersheys.com/chocolateworld.

A Matter of Will: Do the people have a collective desire to make Harrisburg better?

June 1, 2015 | by Tara Leo Auchey

I recently had a conversation with someone who isn’t from around here. As we were discussing the challenges that Harrisburg faces, the great divide of the river (which seemed absurd to him), and the things needed to make this place be the great place it can be, he said something that struck me as perfectly right.

He said, “All of your city’s problems are solvable. It’s just a matter of the will.”

When he said it, I knew instantly his simple words were complexly correct. All of the issues of this capital city can be fixed, but the will must be found to fix them.

Over the nine years I’ve lived inside of the city, I’ve oscillated in believing that will is here. I’ve witnessed incredible inspiration and vision to improve Harrisburg’s conditions. I’ve also watched as frustration with the situation has manifested into a supreme lack of motivation.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. There’s a will always apparent here in Harrisburg. There tends to be a strong will for power, authority and glory. People want it, and they go for it. However, that’s not necessarily the type of will the gentleman from out-of-town was talking about.

He was talking about a more collective type of will. He meant the will of a group of people to prioritize and organize, to strategize and get things done for the overall good of as many people as possible, not only for now but for the future. He was talking about rising above our differences and identifying common problems that we all share as citizens of this place.

And therein lies the real problem.

It’s been a sad sort of custom around here to not work together in any en masse fashion. There’s not really a broad sense of community. Sure, there are little pockets of community, but that too quickly becomes an “us” and “them” thing. Instead of combining resources, efforts and initiatives, it becomes a case of competition. Personalities take over projects, and pluralism becomes fragmentation rather than the creative force of the city.

Fortunately, though, there are times when this gets overcome.

One such time happened at the start of last month. On May 2, the Great Harrisburg Litter CleanUp occurred for the third year in a row. It’s a true grassroots initiative born from a coalition of people, organizations and businesses seeking nothing more than to make Harrisburg a cleaner, healthier place for everyone who lives, works and visits here.

While government is asked to help facilitate the cause, it’s not government or any one organization directing the whole thing. In fact, the Clean and Green Harrisburg coalition takes its cue from movements such as the City Beautiful movement of the early 20^th century. That movement, in particular, epitomized the collaboration of the region’s businesses, community organizations, nonprofits, governments and residents to focus on one thing and one thing only—to fix the city of Harrisburg.

That’s precisely what happened last month for the common cause of picking up litter. In just four hours, more than 300 volunteers removed 16 tons of trash from the city’s streets, alleys and public spaces. They also successfully collected 3,600 pounds of discarded electronics and 665 spent tires. The entire effort was supported by a range of sponsors and benefactors, who donated money and the means to make it all happen.

The Great Harrisburg Litter CleanUp didn’t occur in one neighborhood or one section of the city. It happened citywide. In well-coordinated unison, residents of Allison Hill, Uptown, downtown and Midtown broke the stigma of separation and worked as one to rid Harrisburg of one of its greatest banes—litter.

It could be said the trash of Harrisburg is a symbol of the will of the people. A discarded and ignored piece of litter on the sidewalk is a sign of disregard and disrespect. It means people don’t care. It means people aren’t improving the situation. It invites more neglect and fosters an attitude of indifference.

Yet, at the same time, picking up that piece of litter or better yet, never throwing it on the ground in the first place, means the exact opposite. It means people care. It means people are keen on maintaining this place. It fosters an attitude of pride and dignity for the city and each other.

Litter is a major problem in Harrisburg, one of several, but, like any of the problems, it can be solved.

The question of whether or not this city can be fixed is not the question we should be focusing on. The most significant questions are:

Do the people in and around Harrisburg have the will to make this city better?
Will they join together and bring their efforts, talents, skills and time to do it?
Will it be done?

As we all know, where there’s a will there’s a way. It’s just a matter of finding it.

Tara Leo Auchey is the creator and editor of today’s the day, Harrisburg. www.todaysthedayhbg.com

Happenings: Our June Calendar of Events

June 1, 2015 | by Admin

Museum & Art Spaces

3rd Street Studio
1725 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
Facebook: 3^rd Street Studio

“Suspensions,” a series of work by Hanna Dobek that shows unnaturally suspended moments; reception, June 19, 6-9 p.m.

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

“Motorbikes for the Masses,” an exhibit dedicated to low-cost transportation including motorbikes, scooters and mopeds, through Oct. 11.

“Automotive Jewelry Art Exhibit,” images by Michael Furman, through Oct. 11.

“A Family Affair,” an exhibit celebrating the station wagon, through Oct. 12.

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

“87^th Annual International Juried Show,” through June 18.

“Art School Annual,” featuring works of art by AAH students, June 26-July 23; reception, June 26, 5-8 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Artist of the Month: Jesus Martinez

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

The works of Larry Doyle and Mairin Egge, through June 13.

Artwork by Jim Lambert and Tami Bitner, June 18-Aug. 15; reception, June 19, 6-9 p.m.

The Hershey Story Museum
63 W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey
717-534-8939; hersheystory.org

“Chocolate Workers Wanted,” life in Hershey’s chocolate factory from 1905 to 1925, through spring 2016.

Historic Harrisburg Association
1230 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-4646; historicharrisburg.com

“Intimacies,” contemporary art by Daniel C. Boyer and Silvia Soares Boyer, through June; reception, June 19, 6-9 p.m.

Landis House
67 N. 4^th St., Newport
www.perrycountyarts.org

“Director’s Choice,” featuring the director’s favorite works of student art from PCCA’s 2015 Youth Art Day, through June 5.

“Cosplay,” featuring the character performance photography of Nicole Dube and Aara Vinsh, through July; reception, June 12, 6-8:30 p.m.

Mangia Qui/Suba Tapas Bar
272 North St., Harrisburg
717-233-7358; mangiaqui.com

Works by Gianna Veno & Elide Hower, though June.

National Civil War Museum
One Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg
717-260-1861; nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

“1865,” an exhibit highlighting the fifth year of the Civil War covering battles, strategies and civilian lives, through December.

“The Life and Times of Congressman Robert Smalls,” the story of a man born into slavery who rose to U.S. Congress, June 19-June 2016; reception, June 19, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

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

“Abandoned America,” photography by Matthew Christopher, through June 27.

PCCA Gallery
Perry Country Council of the Arts
1 S. 2nd St., Newport
perrycountyarts.org

“Creative Synthesis of Organic Life,” highlighting modern-styled pressed wildflower pictures by Judy Bouder and rustic and elegant turned wooden burl vessels by Toby Bouder, through June 6.

“Man Cave,” showcasing cleverly crafted items and artwork associated with or typically found in the man’s room of the home, through July 3; reception, June 12, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

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

“A Fondness for Birds: Pennsylvania’s Alexander Wilson,” featuring bird prints and first-edition volumes of the 200-year-old “American Ornithology” series by Alexander Wilson, through Jan. 3.

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

“Quilts,” an exhibition of historic and contemporary quilts; opening reception, June 19, 6-9 p.m.

“Found in Transition,” a juried Doshi exhibit, through July 5.

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

“Animation,” an interactive exhibit exploring animation from concept to finished product, through Sept. 6.

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

“Art in the Wild,” through Oct. 31.

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

Artwork by Andy Getty and Ashley Zimmer, May 15-June 13.

Works by Kelly Curran, June 18-July 15; reception, June 19, 6-9 p.m.

Yellow Wall Gallery/Midtown Scholar
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

Artwork by Monica Smith; reception, June 19, 6-10 p.m.

Read, Make, Learn

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

June 10: Vegetarian Grilling on the Deck, 6-9 p.m.
June 12: Early Father’s Day Grilling, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
June 19: Father’s Day Grilling on the Deck, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

Saturdays: Free improv mixer, 7 p.m.

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

June 2: Women’s Group, Positive Energy, 7-9 p.m.
June 7, 14, 21, 28: Alcoholic’s Anonymous, noon-1 p.m.
June 11: Aging with Pride Lunchtime Discussion, 12-2 p.m.
June 25: Aging with Pride Bake-Off, 6-8 p.m.

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

June 2, 16, 30: Meet-Up, 9 a.m.
June 2, 17: Sci Fi & Fantasy Book Club, 7 p.m.
June 3, 10, 17, 24: Midtown Chess Club, 11 a.m.
June 3: Alder Healthcare Community Class on Transgender Children, 6 p.m.
June 4, 11, 18, 25: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7 p.m.
June 5, 12, 19, 26: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
June 6, 20, 27: Coloring at the Little Scholar, 11 a.m.
June 6: Good News Café, 6:30 p.m.
June 7: Book-signing for Leonard M. Adkins, 2 p.m.
June 7, 21, 28: TED Talks, 1 p.m.
June 10: Friends of Midtown Events Meeting, 6 p.m.
June 11, 18: Camp Curtin Toastmasters
June 13: Discover the Author Within You, 10 a.m.
June 13: Parents of Midtown Meeting, 10 a.m.
June 20: Coffee and Critique Designer Workshop, 8:30 a.m.
June 21: Midtown Writers Group, 1 p.m.
June 21: LGBT Book Club, 5 p.m.
June 22: Feminism Book Club, 7 p.m.
June 27: Book-signing for David Krulac, Kelly Sangree and Susan Hicks, 2 p.m.

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

June 6: Watercolor “Full Bloom” Poppy Painting Party
June 10, 24: June Watercolor Workshop
June 12: Letting Go Paint Night Party
June 14: Watercolor “Three Poppies” Painting Party
June 26-28: June Oil and Cold Wax Workshop

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

June 8-12: Summer Anime Drawing Class
June 22-26: Young Artist Camp

Untitled: A Storytelling Project
untitledhbg.com

June 11: Theme is “Homecoming,” 8 p.m. (at Harrisburg MakeSpace)

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

June 3: Damsels and Dragons—Flies That Is, 6:30 p.m.
June 10: Early Morning Bird Walk, 7:30 a.m.
June 13: Volunteer Work Day, 10 a.m.
June 13: Saturday Morning Bird Walk, 8 a.m.
June 14: Flower Walk, Peak of Blooming, 10:30 a.m.
June 20: Wild About Art, Scratchboards, 1 p.m.
June 27: Discovery Walk, 1 p.m.
June 28: Meet a Naturalist, Animals of Wildwood, 1 p.m.
June 29: Canoe Wildwood by Moonlight, 7 p.m.

Live Music Around Harrisburg

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

June 1: Merle Haggard
June 7: The Wess Cooke Show
June 15: Michael Bolton
June 16: Million Dollar Quartet
June 19: Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals & Mark Farner
June 20: Doo Wop Cavalcade
June 28: Clare Bowen & Charles Esten

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

June 5: Midnight Spaghetti
June 6: Bumperyachts and Matt Wheeler & Vintage Heart
June 11: Simone Felice
June 12: The Dirty Sweet
June 13: Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons
June 26: Gleason’s Drift, The Swaines and Case 150

Broad Street Market
1233 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg
broadstreetmarket.org

June 13: The Coalishun Blues Trio

Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar
204 Locust St., Harrisburg
717-909-9191; carleysristorante.com

June 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 19: Chris Emkey
June 2: Daniel Sheehan
June 3, 17, 25: Jessica Cook
June 5, 26: Noel Gevers
June 6, 12: Ted Ansel
June 9: Deborah Anderson
June 10, 13, 23: Roy LeFever
June 14: Anthony Haubert
June 16, 24: Christine Purcell
June 18: Giovanni Triano

Central PA Friends of Jazz
www.friendsofjazz.org

June 10: CPFJ Jam Session

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

June 3: World/Inferno Friendship Society
June 5: Rubblebucket
June 8: Reel Big Fish & Ballyhoo
June 12: Framing Hanley
June 13: Josh Abbott Band
June 14: Local H
June 20: Against Me!

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

June 5: Antonio Andrade
June 6: Jim Haas
June 7: Carly Clark
June 12: Mike Banks
June 13: Doug Morris (Bob Dylan celebration)
June 14: Rezidence
June 19: Grit
June 20: Steven Gellman
June 21: Treze Music Jazz Night
June 26: Jeanine and Friends
June 27: Womack and Lowery

The Garlic Poet
148 Sheraton Dr., New Cumberland
717-774-5435; garlicpoet.com

June 4: Shea Quinn
June 11: Jazz Me Duo
June 18: Funktion Duo
June 25: Shotgun Ragtime Band

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

Through June 14: HSO Showhouse & Gardens

HMAC/Stage on Herr
1110 N. 3rd St./268 Herr St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

June 4: Some Kind of Nightmare
June 5: First Friday Dance Party w/Vetour Productions
June 11: Strangest of Places
June 12-13: Summer Break Dance Party Weekend
June 18: Della Mae
June 20: “About a Girl” (all female artists)
June 26: Sleepy LaBeef
June 27: Parthenon Huxley & Friends
Every Tuesday: Open Mic

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

June 5: Adrian Blitzer
June 6: Penntera
June 12: Cell 15
June 13: Stomp’d
June 19: Fith
June 20: Trailer Park Cowboys
June 26: TBA
June 27: Postcard Cowboys

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

June 5: Steve Wilkins
June 12: Marie Danielle & Dreambook
June 19: Grant Goldsworthy & Shawan and the Wonton
June 26: TBA

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

June 6: The Lettermen

The MakeSpace
1916 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgmakespace.com

June 20: Home Body

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

June 12: Carly Clark
June 13: Steve Wilkins

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

June 6: Ava Luna w/Eternal Summers
June 9: Merchandise
June 12: Koji
June 13: Birthmark
June 19: Jake Lewis & The Clergy
June 21: Author w/Navigator & Marathon
June 26: The Hello Strangers
June 27: Francis Dunnery

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

June 13: Michael O’Brian Band
June 27: Men in Harmony

Stock’s on 2^nd
211 N. 2^nd Street, Harrisburg
717-233-6699; stocksonsecond.com

June 5: Keith Goldstein
June 6: Kirk Wise
June 12: Silver City Rodeo
June 13: Rhyne McCormick
June 16: Music Thru Science Lite
June 19: Wally DeWall
June 20: Up Pops the Devil
June 26: Songsmith
June 27: The Visitors Duo

Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; mystrandcapitol.org

June 5: Jazz in the City
June 6: Kathleen Madigan
June 10: The Felice Brothers
June 21: Melissa Etheridge

Suba Tapas Bar
272 North St., Harrisburg
717-233-7358; mangiaqui.com

June 5: Aaron Gaul
June 6: Rivers
June 12: Kim Mayfield & Roy Schneider
June 13: Nate Myers & the Aces
June 19: Scott Peoples
June 20: Minks Miracle Medicine
June 26: Crys Matthews
June 27: TBA

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

June 21: Beth Hart
June 23: David Crosby

The Stage Door

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

June 8: Weird Al Yankovic

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

June 14: Oxymorons

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

Through June 13: “Les Miserables”
June 18-Aug. 1: “Oklahoma!”

Gamut Theatre Group
3^rd Floor, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg
717-238-4111; www.gamutplays.org

June 5-20: “Troilus & Cressida” (Shakespeare in the Park)
June 10-20: “Tales from Ancient Greece” (Popcorn Hat)

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

June 6, 13, 20, 27: Improv Comedy

Hershey Theatre
15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey
717-534-3405; hersheytheatre.com

June 26: Daniel Tosh

HMAC/Stage on Herr
1110 N. 3rd St./268 Herr St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

June 25: Improv 101

Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg
915 S. York St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0535; ltmonline.net

June 19-July 5: “Clue: The Musical”

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

June 13: “Ballroom with a Twist”

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

June 19: TMI Improv
June 19: Comedy Night at the Scholar

Open Stage of Harrisburg
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

June 5-21: “Stories from Home: People Who Care”

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

Through June 7: “Bus Stop”

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

June 9: John Edward
June 17-20: Harrisburg Symphony Youth Ballet

Community Corner: Notable Events in June

June 1, 2015 | by Admin

Governor’s Breakfast
June 3: Learn more about Gov. Tom Wolf’s vision for business at the annual Governor’s Breakfast sponsored by the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC. The event runs 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. Cost is $60 for members and $85 for non-members. Information is at harrisburgregionalchamber.org.

Business Women’s Conference
June 3: Business Women’s Forum will hold its annual daylong conference at Messiah College’s High Center. The event will feature breakout sessions, chances to network and a keynote speaker. For information and to register, visit businesswomensforum.com.

Historical Society Fundraiser
June 4: Enjoy local wine, craft beers and hors d’oeuvres at the annual spring fundraiser for the Historical Society of Dauphin County. The 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. event takes place at the Vineyard and Brewery at Hershey, 598 Schoolhouse Rd., Middletown. Tickets are $35. Call 717-233-3462 to reserve.

Public Safety Fair
June 6: Learn more about how to stay safe in an event sponsored by Friends of Midtown. Public safety personnel will be on hand to speak to the public at the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum, 1820 N. 4^th St., Harrisburg. The 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. event also will feature entertainment, food trucks and free admission to the museum. Visit friendsofmidtown.org.

Summer Soirees
June 6 & 20: Show your support for the arts in Harrisburg at summer soirees held in the private homes of patrons of the Art Association of Harrisburg. The first takes place June 6 in Lemoyne and the second June 20 in Mechanicsburg. All soirees feature food, music and, of course, art. For details, visit artassocofhbg.com.

Breast Cancer Fundraiser
June 6: Gather at the new Bucks Valley Winery & Vineyards to support the work of the PA Breast Cancer Coalition, 4 to 8 p.m. Donations are $35, with summer white wines, music, light refreshments and a silent auction featured. More information is at pbccbenefit.com.

Glow Run
June 6: Put on glow gear and run for a good cause during the second annual Glow Run, sponsored by Lighten Up Harrisburg. The 5K, which raises money to replace streetlights in Harrisburg, begins at 8:30 p.m. in Riverfront Park just south of State Street. For more information, visit lightenupharrisburg.com.

Tour de Belt
June 7: Take a ride around the Greenbelt during the annual Tour de Belt, a biking event that raises money for the Capital Area Greenbelt Association. The ride begins at 10 a.m. at HACC’s Wildwood Campus. More information is at caga.org.

Rail Talk
June 9: “Conrail Memories” will be the topic of an illustrated talk by Mark Hoffman to the Harrisburg Chapter National Railway Historical Society at Hoss’s Restaurant, 743 Wertzville Rd., Enola. Business meeting and speaker begin at 7 p.m., with a meal available as early as 5 p.m. Dinner and meeting are open to the public. Email [email protected] and visit www.harristower.org.

Diabetes Class
June 10: Learn what diabetes is, risk factors, treatments and more at an “Introduction to Diabetes” class sponsored by PinnacleHealth. Class takes place 2 to 4 p.m. at the Community Center at Giant Food in Camp Hill. Visit pinnaclehealth.org.

Stress Relief Walk
June 10: Release the stress of the workday with a Stress Relief Walk, a three-mile stroll around Wildwood Park. Meet at the Nature Center at 6 p.m. Bring water and sturdy shoes. Information is at wildwoodlake.org.

Chamber Mixer
June 10: Join the Central Pennsylvania Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce for its monthly business networking mixer at Whitaker Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg. More information is at cpglcc.org.

Concert on the Lawn
June 11: Trinidad & Tobago Baltimore Steel Orchestra kicks off Fredricksen Library’s 2015 Summer Concert Series on the Lawn. The tropical music begins at 7 p.m. Details are at fredricksenlibrary.org.

KOJI & The Giving Keys
June 12: Join Harrisburg native, singer/songwriter and activist KOJI as he celebrates the release of his new E.P., “Fury,” and the launch of his collaboration with The Giving Keys, repurposed keys with inspirational messages meant to be passed on. Koji is collaborating with The Giving Keys on the “Peacemaker” key meant to honor the intention, sacrifice and love required to show leadership in our local and global communities. The show starts at 10 p.m. at Millworks in Harrisburg. Admission is free. Visit kojisaysaloha.com/thegivingkeys.com.

Elegance at Hershey
June 12-14: A weekend of auto events is on tap for the annual Elegance at Hershey, held on the grounds of the Hotel Hershey. The three-day event features a vintage car race, a 5K, a car show, a garden party and more. Visit aacamuseum.org for more information.

Volunteer Work Day
June 13: Help beautify Wildwood Park by volunteering for a few hours. Meet at the Nature Center starting at 10 a.m. Snacks, tools and gloves provided. Visit wildwoodlake.org.

Knit in Public Day
June 13: Celebrate World Wide Knit in Public Day on the grounds of the Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill, 1 to 4 p.m. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, a project to work on and maybe a finished piece. No registration necessary. Visit fredricksenlibrary.org.

Petapalooza
June 13: Petapalooza, central PA’s pet adoption festival, returns to Harrisburg with a day of music, fun, a dog show, a vaccination clinic and, of course, adoptions from area animal shelters and rescues. The event takes place 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at PA United Church Center, 900 S. Arlington Ave., Harrisburg. Learn more at petapaloozapa.com or email [email protected].

Music & Wine Fest
June 13-14: Rock, relax and sip during the annual Dauphin County Music & Wine Festival at Fort Hunter outside Harrisburg. This year, musicians will include both national recording artists and homegrown talent. A two-day pass is $30 in advance and $40 at the door. Visit forthunter.org.

Mascagni Tribute
June 13-14: Capitol Opera Harrisburg presents “The Magnificence of Mascagni,” featuring selections from the prolific Italian composer. The concerts take place June 13 at 7 p.m. and June 14 at 2 p.m. at the Holy Name of Jesus Auditorium, 6150 Allentown Blvd., Harrisburg. Donations can be made at the door or by visiting capopera.com.

History Presentation
June 14: Author Erik Fasick will discuss his new book, “Harrisburg and the Susquehanna River” during a 2:30 p.m. lecture at the Harris-Cameron Mansion in Harrisburg. Immediately following, a new exhibit featuring historic photos of the river will open. Information is at www.dauphincountyhistory.org.

SAM Fundraiser
June 14: Enjoy creative cuisine, wine pairings, entertainment and auctions during a “Night at the Museum,” a fundraiser for the Susquehanna Art Museum. The 6 to 9 p.m. event takes place at SAM’s new facility, 1401 N. 3^rd St. Tickets are $125 for members and $150 for non-members. For more information, visit www.sqart.org or call 717-233-8668.

Business After Hours
June 18: Mix and mingle with local business professionals at this free networking event sponsored by the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC. This month, the 5 to 7 p.m. event takes place at Milton Hershey School, 300 Hotel Rd., Hershey. Visit harrisburgregionalchamber.org.

3^rd in The Burg
June 19: Enjoy the best of Harrisburg during 3^rd in the Burg, the monthly arts and culture event at galleries, restaurants and art spaces throughout downtown and Midtown. Check out all the action at thirdintheburg.org.

Civil War Lecture
June 22: Civil War historian Jim Schmick presents “Camp Curtin and Harrisburg’s Role in the Civil War,” examining the critical role Harrisburg played in the conflict. The free lecture starts at 6 p.m. at Camp Curtin Church, 2221 N. 6^th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit historicharrisburg.com.

CBW Roundtable
June 24: The Chamber Business Women (CBW) Roundtable returns with “Learning to be Creative with Your Skill Set,” a presentation by Amy Kaunas, executive director of the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area. The event takes place 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC office. More information is at harrisburgregionalchamber.org.

Annual Meeting
June 24: Learn more about the Historical Society of Dauphin County at its annual meeting, which will include recognition of volunteers, exhibition of artifacts and free refreshments. The 5:30 p.m. meeting takes place at the Harris-Cameron Mansion, Harrisburg. For more information, visit dauphincountyhistory.org.

Harrisburg Thriving Together
June 25: Help make Harrisburg a better city at a “volunteer opportunity fair,” which will feature dozens of organizations sponsoring activities like cleanups, tree plantings, anti-crime initiatives, etc. Event takes place at 6:30 p.m. at Scottish Rite Masonic Cathedral, 2701 N. 3^rd St. For more, visit https://hbgcb2.ning.com.

Celebrate Diversity
June 25: Help promote diversity in business with a reception sponsored by the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC. The 5 to 7 p.m. event, which takes place at Dixon University in Harrisburg, will feature an appetizer cuisine, live music and a chance to network. There is no cost to attend, but pre-registration is required. Visit harrisburgregionalchamber.org.

Golf Outing
June 26: The Rotary Club of Perry County will hold its 23rd Annual Golf Outing to raise funds for the scholarship fund. A noon lunch will be followed by a 1 p.m. start at the Carlisle Barracks. Cost: $100 per golfer. Call 717-834-3111 for more information.

Folklife Festival Trip
June 27: Learn about the culture of Peru during a bus trip to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The bus departs the Radisson parking lot in Camp Hill at 8:30 a.m. Cost is $40. Information is at cumberlandcountylibraries.org.

Harrisburg Half Marathon
June 28: Join your fellow distance runners for the annual Harrisburg Half Marathon, which this year moves to June. The course starts and ends on City Island in Harrisburg. Details are at ymcarun.com.

Canoe Wildwood
June 29: Paddle into Wildwood Lake at dusk for a unique look at the inhabitants of the aquatic ecosystem. Canoes, paddles and life jackets provided, but please bring a flashlight. Meet at the middle parking lot on Industrial Road at 7 p.m. Information is at wildwoodlake.org.

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