Tag Archives: City Island

Dock Street Feat: This low-head dam at the edge of Harrisburg has proven deadly—an upcoming analysis will search for a safer solution

May 28, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

Dock Street Dam

Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy stood atop the concrete steps of the Susquehanna River on a sunny, high-water day. She pointed at a slight curve in the water, followed by a few feet of white-capped crests.

The Dock Street Dam sat below the surface, but it was virtually invisible with the water level 8 feet high.

“If you’re out on the water,” said Hollingsworth-Segedy, the director of river restoration at American Rivers, “you don’t know you’re in trouble until you’re really in trouble.”

Although it’s safer to go over the dam when the water is higher (and there’s a better chance of shooting across), the low-head dam’s hydraulics make it a danger at all times.

A “drowning machine,” the dam forcibly recirculates water at its base, trapping objects and people. According to Hollingsworth-Segedy, there is no other dam in the country that comes close the Dock Street Dam in terms of fatalities.

Since the dam was installed more than a century ago, at least 31 people have drowned there—the last, a 64-year-old boater in April 2023. His boat engine stalled. The vessel went over the dam, and its backwash trapped him and his friend, who survived, underwater.

Several incidents last year marked near misses.

In spring 2025, two kayakers were saved from the dam by a nearby fisherman after going over by mistake, realizing it was there just before the drop. A few months later, during a thunderstorm and torrential downpour, a near-drowned man in the river was pulled by firefighters as he floated toward the dam.

According to an Association of State Dam Safety Officials report, 30 earlier near-fatalities occurred between 1935 and 2018.

Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy with sign warning of the dam’s danger.

The vast number of deaths and close calls are what inspired Hollingsworth-Segedy to act.

“Somebody needs to do something,” she said.

She and her team at American Rivers want to figure out what that “something” is.

With support and interest from the city, state and local river-related constituents, the national nonprofit, American Rivers, will be analyzing options for the low-head structure over the next 1½ to two years. They anticipate the study will begin in July.

“Tell us what it’s going to cost if we take the dam out, if we don’t take the dam out, if we do something different—if we put a rock ramp in front of it. Can we take out half the dam? Can we lower the dam by 50%?” Hollingsworth-Segedy said.

The study has been funded by a $75,000 National Fish & Wildlife Foundation grant, which American Rivers is complementing with $35,000 from a private foundation. Additional grants have been applied for.

The analysis will detail community and ecological benefits, drawbacks, and costs associated with full or partial removal of the dam and other options to reduce deadliness as well as no action.

“Up to this point, the local sentiment from my encounters have framed the argument as, ‘If we remove the dam to reduce fatalities at the most dangerous low-head dam in the country, then we will strip away all recreational use of the river in the vicinity of City Island,’” explained Hollingsworth-Segedy. “The point of the study is to use science and technology to determine the veracity of that claim.”

Dock Street Dam in high water

Sanitation to Recreation

A hundred years ago, a low-head dam seemed like the perfect way to keep raw sewage in the river underwater.

That’s why the Dock Street Dam was initially put in.

Installed by the City of Harrisburg in stages between 1913 and 1916, a New York-based contractor charged the city just $65,000, or $2.1 million today, for the project, per the local historian Ken Frew’s book “Building Harrisburg: The Architects and Builders, 1719-1941.”

According to Erik Fasick, author of “Harrisburg and the Susquehanna River,” the builders secured concrete slabs to the riverbed to create the approximately 6-foot-tall structure, which “raised the water level 4 feet at the dam, with a gradual decrease heading upstream.”

The extra water volume did help with sewage odors, but in the 1970s, when the U.S. started treating its wastewater in line with the Clean Water Act, the dam’s original purpose (excluding combined-sewer-overflow instances) became mostly obsolete.

“Now we’re at a point where the dam wasn’t built for recreation, but it kind of provides recreation,” said Hollingsworth-Segedy.

Sarah Dropkin, owner of Blue Mountain Outfitters in Marysville, estimated she puts around 500 to 600 canoers and kayakers in the water every boating season, only sending people as far down the river as City Island.

“It’s a way for people in the city to get away from the city,” Dropkin said.

The problem only comes if the recreation turns dangerous.

American Rivers assembles advisory members to look at the Dock Street Dam

Out of Sight

Mark Sweppenhiser, director of the Bureau of Boating for the PA Fish and Boat Commission, said the dam isn’t visible to boaters on the water “because it’s only a 2- or 3- foot drop.”

“It looks like the water is flowing like it would normally flow,” he said.

While some boaters know the dam is there and take all the precautions necessary to avoid its danger, others overestimate their ability to navigate it—or underestimate the danger, Sweppenhiser said. A smaller subset of new boaters or those from outside the area end up at the dam by mistake.

If someone goes over the dam, they are likely to capsize or roll their boat. From there, other threats emerge.

“It’s highly aerated water,” Sweppenhiser said. “There’s all kinds of strainers on the backside of the dam that catch your clothing and hold you under. They don’t call it a drowning machine for nothing.”

At minimum, boaters should turn back 200 feet before the dam, he said, indicated by several signs placed around the river in accordance with the Dam Safety Act. Pennsylvania law also requires warning buoys to be installed and maintained at a minimum of 200 feet upstream of the dam.

But keeping necessary mid-river signs warning of the dam has proven difficult. According to city spokesperson Mischelle Moyer, Harrisburg has to replace buoys marking the dam in early May each year, as they are often swept away by high water after initial placement.

Even with signage, boaters, paddlers, swimmers or anybody who ends up in the water may not see warnings until it’s pretty much too late to escape.

Tony Reigle, chief of Harrisburg River Rescue, said that his team sees anywhere from three to five calls to the dam per boating season.

Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline’s department also conducts dam rescues.

Enterline emphasized that boaters should know the dangers of any body of water they put their vessel into.

He likened it to riding a motorcycle with a helmet—the smart move, while not mandated by law. A big reason Dock Street proves so deadly is that it stretches the entire width of the Susquehanna River, almost a mile in length. This means it can be hard to reach either side of the river to escape in an emergency.

“If you’re in the middle and you’re already out of gas, either figuratively or legitimately, that is a very wide river that you have to try and navigate against the current,” Enterline said.

Dock Street Dam waters

Gathering Ideas

Ideas have been thrown around to redo the city’s dam before, although none have worked out.

In the 1980s, Mayor Steve Reed proposed a $254 million inflatable rubber dam near City Island that would have raised water levels by up to 13 feet and generated electricity. Decades later, still under Reed in 2001, the city explored building a $25 million, 8-foot-tall rubber inflatable dam to replace the Dock Street Dam.

The dam, as it exists, was last updated in 1967 and is due for work soon.

“If we do nothing, then chances are, at some point, that the dam is going to start failing,” said Hollingsworth-Segedy.

American Rivers’ analysis will be informed by two advisory teams.

A technical team will give input on technological, infrastructure and life safety aspects of the study. Its members include the PA Fish and Boat, the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PennDOT, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, Capital Region Water and city officials.

A community advisory team, made up of community stakeholders, will advise on neighborhood concerns, community river access and recreational use opportunities and review the final report to ensure it properly evaluates local issues.

“We want the city’s input. We want community residents’ input. We want people who use the river. We want people who don’t use the river now, but they would if it was safe,” said Hollingsworth-Segedy.

The timing of the study overlaps with a major infrastructure update—the $1 billion replacement of the I-83 South Bridge, expected to begin within the next year.

Just above Dock Street’s waters, the project will involve placing new bridge pillars in the river, a process for which PennDOT will take measurements of the water that could help with American Rivers’ study.

“We can use PennDOT’s data from the bridge studies to figure out how the river would change if we took the dam out,” Hollingsworth-Segedy said.

According to Moyer, the city is interested in the results of American Rivers’ analysis.

“The mayor is looking forward to working with American Rivers to determine a best course of action to address the safety at the Dock Street Dam,” Moyer said.

Multiple sources indicated that fixing the dam situation could be costly, and that finding an ultimate solution may require outside funding, grants or federal assistance as a solution. Hollingsworth-Segedy said that she is not aware of any funding sources that cover the cost of dam repair, particularly when that dam does not meet the purpose for which it was built.

Sweppenhiser emphasized that the ultimate goal is a solution that best benefits the community.

“Anybody who’s looking at this, or reading it, keep an open mind,” Sweppenhiser said. “We’re trying to find a way to provide recreational boating and make boating safer in Pennsylvania, while balancing some of those other concerns.”

Hollingsworth-Segedy indicated it will be a matter of collaboration among those involved.

“We’re just trying to look at all the potential options,” she said.

American Rivers is a national nonprofit organization that protects, restores and conserves clean water and rivers. For more information, visit www.americanrivers.org.

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A Walk Down Front Street: This month, take a closer look at local history around us

May 28, 2026 | by Finn McNally

Harrisburg Peace Garden

On a clear summer day in Harrisburg, a walk along Front Street is not just a good way to be active outdoors—it can give the walker a deeper appreciation of the city and its history.

Along this path are memorials, buildings and pieces of the natural world that tell the stories of Harrisburg.

For a 3.5-mile stretch, the Capital Area Greenbelt trail joins up with Front Street through Riverfront Park. The path’s placement near the river and its proximity to the Uptown and Midtown neighborhoods make it a popular walking path for residents.

As you walk south along the path, you’ll see homes and businesses to your left, the Susquehanna River to your right and a pathway framed by tall oaks and populated by geese. The river is an important piece of Harrisburg’s founding, but its own history extends far beyond the city.

In fact, Harrisburg’s blue western border is of ancient origins. Geologists consider the Susquehanna to be one of the oldest rivers on the planet. Some 300 million years old, the river predates the Nile, the Amazon and even the Appalachian Mountains, which it cuts through. At over 400 miles long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the United States.

As it passes Harrisburg, the Susquehanna reaches about a mile in width but sits at an average depth of only three to seven feet. In this area, the river is popular for fishing and kayaking but isn’t viable for navigation of larger ships.

Water & Gardens

I started my Front Street walk at the Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion, located at the intersection of Maclay Street. Built in 1968, the 29,000-square-foot building succeeded several previous residences further down the street. For decades, a decorative iron fence surrounded the expansive property, but that recently was replaced by a more formidable “anti-climb” wall following the tragic firebombing of the building last year.

Continuing down the Riverfront Park path, one encounters the Harrisburg Peace Garden, a lengthy series of plant beds and landscaped greenery punctuated by metal silhouettes and cutouts of human beings. The Physicians for Social Responsibility constructed the Peace Garden in 1990 to promote reflection, peace and environmentalism, and volunteers maintain it to this day. Some of the metal figures represent victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima; others represent a Native American saying that states, “In all our deliberations, we must be mindful of the impact of our decisions on the seven generations to follow ours.”

As the Peace Garden ends, the path continues with old brick row houses on the left and cherry trees along the path. Further on lies the Harrisburg Sunken Garden and more sculptures. The first sculpture is a memorial to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. Built in 1994 of stone, steel and barbed wire, the monument was constructed through the efforts of local Holocaust survivors.

Past the gardens, the path crosses busy Forster Street and comes upon a stone brick building at the water’s edge, the Old Waterworks. Built in 1841, the octagonal structure pumped water from the Susquehanna to reservoirs, serving as Harrisburg’s waterworks facility for 130 years.

However, in 1972, water levels rose dramatically as Hurricane Agnes struck Harrisburg. Torrential rain raised the Susquehanna’s water level to nearly 33 feet, 15 feet above flood stage. Among submerged streets and tattered homes, the storm’s impact included extensive damage to the waterworks that put the building out of commission. It later was repurposed into an office building, which remains its function today.

Just past the Old Waterworks is a small, circular plaza with a view of the state Capitol building and a balcony facing the river. It was built in honor of John and Katherine Kunkel, the former of whom was a Harrisburg native and long-serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Notably, Mr. Kunkel is memorialized in the form of a statue, sitting on a bench, facing the Capitol, his gaze forever within a newspaper.

John Kunkel statue

The Walk Continues

From Kunkel Plaza, the green space widens and offers picnic tables and benches. In the middle of the grass is a square, stone monument. Directly below the monument, in a metal cylinder, lies a time capsule that was buried in 1960. It contains a history of Harrisburg to that point, as well as letters from residents written to their descendants.

The letters feature family recipes, descriptions of daily life in Harrisburg, worries about nuclear war and hopes for the future. A copper plaque reads, “Greetings to Future Harrisburgers,” and requests that the capsule be opened in 2060, its contents read and then returned to the capsule, along with contributions from the residents of 2060.

Midway across the wide Susquehanna, accessible via car and footbridge, is City Island. The island once housed camps of Union troops when Confederate forces threatened to invade the area. At another time, it was used for farmland and once housed Harrisburg’s filtration plant, which stored and filtered river water, pumping it to the Old Waterworks.

Today, the island is used primarily for recreation with a playground, volleyball courts and a soccer field. It also features FNB Park, home of the Harrisburg Senators, the AA minor league team for the Washington Nationals. Formerly known as Island Park, the field has been home to Harrisburg baseball teams since 1903 and has seen performances from all-time great players like Satchel Paige and Babe Ruth.

Next to the walking bridge is a wooden sculpture depicting a Susquehannock man and child. The Susquehannock Indians were the original inhabitants of the lower Susquehanna River watershed.

Nearing the end of our walk, Riverfront Park widens again and dips below Front Street, which veers away from the river. Here, a fence surrounds the gravestone of John Harris Sr., an English settler who established a ferry in 1719 near what would become Harrisburg.

Just across the street, catch sight of the Harris-Cameron Mansion, built by Harris’ son, John Harris Jr., and later expanded. A tour of the building, one of Harrisburg’s oldest and most historic, is a fitting endpoint for your walk.

The long stroll, now concluded, contains far more information than could fit in this article. It also cannot tell the whole history of Harrisburg on its own. However, for anyone looking to more deeply appreciate Harrisburg and the people who call it home, a walk down Front Street is a fine place to start.

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Harisburg to reopen City Island arcade for the summer

May 6, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

City Island Arcade

It’s game on, on City Island.

Harrisburg recently announced that, later this month, it will reopen the arcade on City Island, which closed in 2019.

City Communications Director Mischelle Moyer shared that Harrisburg will host a grand opening of the arcade on Friday, May 22, from 3 to 9 p.m.

The arcade will be open for the summer, through August, with hours from 3 to 9 p.m. on Mondays through Sundays. Hours will occasionally be extended to coincide with Harrisburg Senators’ baseball games.

Arcade games will cost between $1 to $3 per play.

The arcade closed in 2019 along with nearby batting cages owned by the same company.

Last year, parks and recreation officials shared that they were working to increase programming on City Island. They started hosting roller skating nights in the pavilion building and hosted a one-time arcade night in the arcade building, serving as a pilot program to gauge community interest.

Also, at a meeting last week, City Council approved the submission of a grant application to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for $500,000 to develop a master plan for City Island. According to the grant application, the plan would help Harrisburg study traffic flow on the island, the current use of the island by vendors, and possibilities for year-round activities, among other items.

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Harrisburg men’s fitness group to join all PA chapters of “F3” for workouts, community-building on City Island

June 23, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

F3 Keystone Convergence 2024

An upcoming event may include “pain stations” and “beatdowns,” but organizers assure, it’s going to be fun.

F3, a worldwide fitness and community-building initiative for men, will host its annual Keystone Convergence in Harrisburg for all Pennsylvania-based groups on June 27 and 28.

The weekend event, which will bring men from F3 chapters across the commonwealth to City Island, will include events that center around F3’s namesake—fitness, fellowship and faith.

“Fitness is what it starts with and then there’s these other aspects of it,” said F3 Harrisburg’s fellowship coordinator Bruce Bortree. “I could tell you a bunch of stories about guys who F3 saved their lives.”

F3 has groups that meet across the world to participate in free, peer-led, bootcamp-style workouts for me. The initiative also works to build friendships and support and combat what the group calls “sad clown syndrome,” where men appear happy on the outside, but feel isolated or disconnected, Bortree explained.

Locally, the Harrisburg area has a group that meets for workouts and hangouts every week at locations like Reservoir Park and City Island, as well as in nearby Grantville, Mechanicsburg, Hummelstown and New Cumberland.

The Keystone Convergence will bring all state groups together for dinner at Duke’s Bar & Grille, an overnight 12.5-mile ruck (backpack), a two-hour sequence of seven “pain stations” or mini bootcamp workouts and a service project at Logos Academy in Harrisburg, along with other events.

It may sound intense, but Bortree said that anyone is welcome to join.

“You could’ve never worked out a day in your life and you can come on down,” he said. “We just ask that you push yourself.”

While the convergence is just a two-day event, the group welcomes participants year-round for rain or shine workouts and outings that range from coffee meetups, trivia nights and even family get-togethers. When men first join the group, they’ll be termed a FNG or “friendly new guy,” but will quickly earn their own F3 nickname and will be included in post-workout “circle of trust” check-ins, where men can share life updates and encouragement.

Bortree has seen how F3 helped him build community when he first moved to Harrisburg and has also seen the group’s impact on men who have struggled with depression, substance abuse and other challenges.

“What we are trying to accomplish is getting the word out about F3 and what it has to offer,” Bortree said. “The people who are in F3 are just genuine people. I just know a lot of people could use that.”

For more information about F3’s Keystone Convergence, visit their website. If you are new to F3 and want to attend the event, email [email protected].

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Harrisburg opens roller skating rink for the month, testing ways to bring more events to City Island

March 4, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Roller skating on City Island last weekend. Photo courtesy of the City of Harrisburg.

Harrisburg is offering the community a new way to have fun this month on City Island.

For the month of March, the city is hosting roller skating in the carousel pavilion, as a way to try new initiatives to better utilize the large island.

Roller skating kicked off this past weekend in the pavilion, which is located in front of the FNB Field stadium near the island train station parking lot. Skating will continue every Friday and Saturday through March 29.

“We heard a lot from the community asking for more fun things to do on City Island,” said Emma Simpson, community events coordinator for the city. “We are really excited to offer this.”

Family skate hours will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with an adult skate from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Admission is $5 and skate rentals are $2. Chips and water will be available for $1 each.

Harrisburg owns the pavilion space on the island, renting it out as well, and purchased roller skates for the rink. They also made some updates to the pavilion’s polished concrete floor to fix cracks and make it safe for skating. Funding for the skating came from a sponsorship from Explore HBG and the Parks and Recreation Department’s events budget, Simpson said.

Simpson said that the first skate was a success.

“It went really well. Everyone was having a good time,” she said.

There will also be special themed nights for St. Patrick’s Day weekend and a “glow skate” on March 21 and 22.

While the rink is only slated to be open for the month, due to scheduling conflicts with the pavilion, Simpson said that the city may host pop-up skating events in the summer.

In another attempt to test a fun concept for City Island, Harrisburg will host an Arcade Night at the island’s old arcade building on April 26. From 5 to 9 p.m., the community can play games like Skeeball, Pacman, Donkey Kong and air hockey for free.

Harrisburg plans to rent about 12 arcade games for the night.

Simpson sees both the skating and arcade night as pilot programs to gauge community response and engagement. She said they are constantly receiving and considering community feedback that they get at parks and rec events, through surveys and that they see on social media.

And with the recent increase in the number of staff in the department, Simpson said that they have a higher capacity for implementing new ideas.

For more information on upcoming Harrisburg Parks and Recreation Department events, including roller skating and Arcade Night, visit their Facebook page.

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New professional team to bring soccer back to City Island this spring

January 23, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Soccer is back on the roster in Harrisburg.

The Capital City Islanders, a recently formed professional men’s soccer team, is set to kick off a new era of the sport on City Island this spring.

“We are just trying to bring something positive to the area and hopefully we can do that through the game of soccer,” said team founder and owner Alex McGee, of Capital City Sports Group.

The team will play at the island’s Skyline Sports Complex, a field that once hosted the Harrisburg City Islanders, a professional league that ceased operations in 2019 after 16 years of operation. McGee said that his team has no affiliation with the Harrisburg City Islanders.

The Capital City Islanders announced the news on their website on Dec. 31, sharing that their inaugural season will begin in April. The team will play as part of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) Division 1 American Conference, the fourth tier of the U.S. Men’s Soccer Pyramid. However, McGee hopes that the team will eventually advance to the USL League One, a tier above.

McGee, a Lebanon native, is a long-time soccer lover, player and coach, who coaches for Milton Hershey’s high school team, his alma matter.

“Myself and a couple of the guys who are part of the ownership group […] just understood the need and the calling for a team to return to the island and reconnect the community and bring soccer back to Harrisburg,” he said.

According to McGee, while Central Pa. is a soccer-loving region, there are no major professional outdoor teams. He pointed out the local Harrisburg Heat team, which he has worked for, but noted that they play indoors.

“Central Pennsylvania is a soccer hub and the area loves soccer,” he said. “It was a no brainer.”

Just a few days ago, the team announced that it’s bringing on Adam “Johnny” Morris as its head coach. Morris has over 20 years of coaching experience in Europe and the U.S., most recently serving as the assistant coach for USLW Lancaster Inferno.

”To coach this team is more than just the wins we will achieve, it’s about reigniting Harrisburg’s soccer spirit and bringing the game back to the island,” Morris said, in a statement. “I’m excited to get started and to see the Capital City Islanders rise to new heights.”

Currently, the team is recruiting players, with tryouts scheduled for Feb. 1 and 22. McGee believes the team will get a mix of regional and international professional players, as well as local athletes.

McGee said that the team will make some improvements to the Skyline facility in partnership with Central Penn College, which also uses the field. The team has an agreement with the city to use the space, he said.

The Islanders’ first game will take place away on April 5, and they will play their first home game on City Island on either April 12 or 13. The full schedule is not yet finalized. The season will run from April to June and then continue in August to November, following the UPSL’s schedule. McGee said he chose to join that league because of the schedule, which holds games in the warmer months, making it more favorable for fans to come watch.

The Islanders will play other Pa. teams such as the Philadelphia Lone Star FC and the Scranton FC, as well as other division teams from surrounding states.

In the future, McGee said the team plans to give back to the community, especially through youth clinics and camps. He also envisions expanding to include additional teams and sports under his Capital City Sports Group in the future.

But for now, the team is just excited about the rebirth of soccer in the city, and the community has echoed that.

“There is a lot of excitement. I mean we’ve received emails and messages, and a lot of people are grateful,” he said. “A lot of people want season tickets; they’re trying to pick their seats out before we’ve even rolled out tickets or schedules.”

For more information on the Capital City Islanders, visit their website.

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National Night Out will return to City Island with food, games and community building

July 29, 2024 | by Maddie Gittens

National Night Out 2023. Photo courtesy of the City of Harrisburg.

Next week, first responders and the community get a chance to eat, play and have fun together.

The city’s annual National Night Out, hosted by the Harrisburg Police Bureau, will take place on City Island on Tuesday, Aug. 6, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

National Night Out block parties take place annually across the country on the first Tuesday of August. Last year was Harrisburg’s first time holding the event on City Island, and thousands of residents attended, according to the city.

“We had such a great turnout last year, so we thought, let’s do it again, and make it better,” Harrisburg Police Captain Russell Winder said. “Now, people have heard about it, and if they didn’t get a chance to experience it, now they can take advantage of it.”

Police officers, firefighters and EMTs will participate in National Night Out, which will include family-friendly activities and games, food and music. There will also be over 50 nonprofit organizations onsite to provide information and resources.

Ten food vendors, including food trucks, will serve up bites in the Harrisburg Beach Club and in the Harrisburg Senators VIP parking lot area. Representatives with the Salvation Army will man the grill, and additional offerings include tacos, empanadas and Farm Show milkshakes. Additionally, Blue Bear BBQ, a food truck operated by Harrisburg Police Officer Wesley Feduke, will be onsite.

“This will be the most diverse offering of foods we’ve ever had for National Night Out,” Winder said.

Attendees can board the City Island Railroad, which will make stops at its main station, outside Water Golf and the old arcade building to help people travel around the island. The City Island Carousel is also expected to be running on National Night Out.

Near the carousel, the police K9 division will offer demonstrations with police dogs, and a helicopter will land on the soccer field around 6 p.m. for tours. The Harrisburg Fire Bureau will also offer opportunities to hop in a truck’s bucket, along Championship Way outside the FNB Field third baseline.

Harrisburg police will make a splash at a dunk tank. Community members can take a chance at dunking Deputy Police Chief Kenny Young and other officers. Kids can also enjoy free face painting, balloons and entertainment from a magician.

For live music offerings, jazz performers will play by the island’s east end overlook deck. Additionally, the Harrisburg Cougars Cheerleaders will perform cheers along the festival route.

Participants can get a move on at a new jazzercise class in the pavilion between the carousel and FNB Field. Former Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Colonel Kristal Turner-Childs, the first Black woman in the department to attain the rank, will teach the class.

The north side of City Island, along Riverside Drive and Championship Way, will be closed to vehicle traffic during the event, although cyclists are welcome to bike throughout the island.

Free parking will be available in both north and south parking lots, with sections for handicap parking and golf carts to transport those who need assistance.

Capital Area Transit, a service of Rabbit Transit, will provide free bus service on city routes from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. A shuttle at the Market Square Transfer Center will take people across the river.

For more information on National Night Out, visit the city’s website.

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Adventure Together: Volunteer, play and be wowed by our area’s nature while summer’s here

June 27, 2024 | by Natalie diSanto

Wildwood Park

It’s time for riverfront festivals and fireworks over the Susquehanna.

Summers in central PA showcase how lucky we are to be here, thriving and raising our families. The City Island floodlights are almost as packed with mayflies as the local parks are with kids. The creek waters are warm enough for splashing, and tubing season is well underway.

Nearby waters are even getting hot enough to erupt from the ground! Pennsylvania’s only geyser is just an hour from Harrisburg. Big Mine Run Geyser is a hidden gem in Schuylkill County. A consequence of coal mining in Centralia, the geyser rockets water into the sky in Ashland. Big Mine Run Geyser is on private property, though it can easily be viewed from the roadside. The geyser ranges in height from 3 to 15 feet and emerges from a hole in the ground, so be careful when visiting. Surrounding the geyser, waterbeds have been stained bright orange due to iron and other mineral content. Big Mine Run Geyser will have scientists and nature enthusiasts of all ages gushing about the experience.

On the second Saturday of each month, from March through November, including Saturday, July 13, Wildwood Park holds a Volunteer Day. The whole family has the opportunity to learn the importance of reciprocity with nature while cleaning up trash in this valuable park. Blooming with diverse plant life, Wildwood’s wetlands are home to an extensive variety of birds, reptiles, mammals, fish and fungi, many of which can be spotted while traversing the park’s trails. Wildwood also boasts a free educational science center, The Olewine Nature Center, where kiddos (and parents) can cool off after a few hours of making a positive impact on our environment. Volunteer Day hours are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. but will be canceled if it’s raining.

This month starts Harrisburg’s “Movies at the Bandshell” at Reservoir Park. These free movies start at 8 p.m. and are family friendly. Arrive early and let the little ones run around at the Chutes & Ladders Playground, located within the same grassy area. The playground is built on a hill that lends its elevation to increase sliding velocity, so fast-paced young people will thrive on the many levels. If your kid is like mine, they’re going to roll down the hillside, so pack an extra change of clothes in the bag just in case. Food and drink are usually available to purchase at the event, or feel free to pack a picnic to enjoy while the sun sets on a stunning view of the Appalachian Mountains.

Our community is bursting with activities throughout our lush summer months, and ways to keep your family happy and healthy literally grow on trees. Whether climbing a dogwood or attending an event, it seems that every weekend, there’s a new opportunity to connect, learn and explore. As we grow together, remember to take time to appreciate yourself as the awesome parent, caregiver or friend to littles that you are.

Big Mine Run Geyser is located at 2-528 Big Mine Run Rd., Ashland.

For more information about Wildwood Park, visit www.explorewildwoodpark.org.

To learn more about Harrisburg’s Movies at the Bandshell, visit www.harrisburgpa.gov.

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Hoop It Up Harrisburg 3×3 Street Fest to return to City Island

June 10, 2024 | by Jolie Lloyd

A previous Hoop it Up, photo curtesy of the City of Harrisburg

An upcoming tournament gives local basketball players a chance to enjoy the sport — and possibly earn a cash prize.

NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett’s national 3-on-3 basketball tournament is returning to City Island this summer on Saturday, July 27, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Hoop It Up Harrisburg 3×3 Street Fest basketball tournament, a 3×360 Sports event, was last held in Harrisburg in June 2022 and is making a reappearance this year.

Registration is open to people of all ages and abilities. Both recreational divisions and pro-am teams are welcome, with recreational divisions capped at five players per team and pro-am teams at four players.

The winning pro-am team will receive up to $2,000 in cash, and additionally, the team will earn a bid to the Hoop It Up National Championship tournament held in November.

Up to 25 baskets will be set up on the City Island South Parking Lot, along with music, food vendors and other entertainment to be available throughout the event.

Drew Dawson, founder of 3×360 Sports, is a Harrisburg native and the force behind Hoop It Up 3×3’s return to Harrisburg.

“Although basketball and my career have taken me out of the area, I grew up here and Harrisburg will always be home to me,” Dawson said. “I have great memories and made lifelong relationships participating in similar community events while growing up here.”

A rain date for the event is scheduled for Sunday, July 28.

To register, visit this link. All youth, adult and recreational divisions cost $195 to register, and pro-am teams cost $250. For more information about 3×360 Sports, visit their website.

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Harrisburg’s National Night Out to take place on City Island, build community between residents, first responders

July 26, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

A past National Night Out in Harrisburg.

The Harrisburg community will soon get a chance to interact with area first responders during a fun, family-friendly event.

National Night Out will return to the city on Aug. 1 with the goal of creating a space for residents and members of the Harrisburg Police and Fire Bureaus to meet and share a night of food, music and activities.

The festivities will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on City Island.

National Night Out block parties take place annually across the country on the first Tuesday of August.

“We often times are so busy that we don’t have enough time to be able to extend ourselves in our regular duties,” said Chardan Huston, director of community relations and engagement for the Harrisburg Police Bureau. “This is an opportunity to be able to do that and engage with our community, to show them who we are and what we look like, and be able to interact in a safe environment.”

Throughout the evening, there will be games, face painting, a police cadet dunk tank, pop-up mini golf holes and live music, courtesy the John Christopher Wave Quartet. Additionally, kids can explore a firetruck and watch police K-9 demonstrations.

A BMX bike trick show by Dialed Action Sports will take place as well.

Attendees can get a bite to eat from Bricker’s Famous French Fires, Schander’s, Farm Show Milkshakes and Blue Bear BBQ, a food truck operated by Harrisburg Police Officer Wesley Feduke. City Island Water Golf has also donated 500 ice cream sandwiches and water.

In addition, more than 30 community vendors will be on site, the City Island Railroad and carousel will be running and The Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat will offer free 30-minute rides for families. Water Golf will be closed.

“City Island is a great venue to be at,” Huston said. “It’s a family-oriented venue, and a great park that highlights a lot of activities our children don’t normally get a chance to experience.”

According to Huston, this is the first time the event will be held on City Island. As the event has grown in the past few years, the city has realized the need for a larger space, she said.

Parking is available for free in both the north and south parking lots on City Island. Bicycle riders can park for free near where the batting cages and arcade used to be located, courtesy of Recycle Bicycle.

In addition, Capital Area Transit will offer free bus service on all city routes from 5 to 8:30 p.m. to help families get downtown. Harrisburg Police will offer golf cart shuttle service across the Walnut Street Bridge for people with handicaps. Handicap parking will be available near the stables on City Island.

No cars will be allowed on Riverside Drive or Championship Way during National Night Out.

For more information, visit Harrisburg’s website.

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