Tag Archives: harrisburg

Happenings: Our June Calendar of Events

Happenings

Museum & Art Spaces

3rd Street Studio
1725 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-385-3315; Facebook: 3rd Street Studio

“Depth of Perception,” featuring the sculptural, story-based paintings of Evgeny Krayushkin, June 16-July 21; reception: June 16, 6-9 p.m.

“Torn Paper Portraits,” by Robert Patrick Haldeman, June 16-July 17, at Café 1500, 1500 N. 6th St.; reception, June 16, 6-9 p.m.


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

“Hemmings Classic Car Detroit Underdogs,” highlighting the often overlooked, under-appreciated and easily attainable cars of youth, through Aug. 27.

“Camaro & Firebird 50th Anniversary Exhibit,” featuring a show of these iconic American vehicles, through Oct. 8.


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

“89th Annual International Juried Show,” through June 15.

“Art School Annual,” June 23-July 20; reception: June 23, 5-8 p.m.


Brain Vessel Gallery
4707 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg
717-350-2306; bvcargo.com

“Spring Bloom,” spring watercolor paintings by Rosanne Wolfe, through late June.


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

“Shared Observations,” watercolors by Debra Kreiger and photographs by Jean Macaluso, through June 17.

“The Yellow Fever,” an exhibition of photographs by John Wright, exploring the color yellow in urban settings, June 23-July 23; reception: June 23, 6:30 p.m.


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

Artist of the Month: M. Romanauskas


Fort Hunter
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-599-5751; forthunter.org

“Hanging by a Thread,” needlework exhibit showcasing handmade needlework, through Dec. 23.


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

Paintings by John McNulty and Rebecca Long, through June 10.

Works by Irene VanBuskirk, Karen Commings and Mark Wesling, June 15-Aug. 5; reception: June 16, 6-9 p.m.


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

Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, through July 8; reception: June 4, 1-3 p.m.


Historical Society of Dauphin County
219 S. Front St., Harrisburg
dauphincountyhistory.org

“Uncle Sam Calls: Dauphin County in World War I,” an exhibit of historic posters and artifacts, through Dec. 22.


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

“4 x 6 Art Exhibition,” a showcase of small-scale artwork by artists of a variety of media with dimensions not exceeding 4-by-6-by-1.5 inches, through July 21.


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

“Culinary Delights: A Solo Exhibit by Zack Rudy,” June 2; reception: June 2, 6-11 p.m.


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

Works by Tina Berrier, Erin Dean, Andrew Guth, Julie Iaria and Linda McCloskey, through June 11.

Works by Joelle Arawjo, Yachiyo Beck, John Davis, Ann Benton Yeager and Paul Vasiliades, June 13-July 16.


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

“We Call Them Buffalo Soldiers,” examining the service of black soldiers in the U.S. armed forces from the American Revolution to the integration of the services in 1948, through June 2.

“Reconstruction: The Unfinished War,” examining the unfinished issue of equality among the races in the reunited states, through Dec. 31.


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

“Wild America: The Art of Roger Tory Peterson,” through the end of August.


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

“A Sense of Place,” watercolor paintings by Linda Young, through June.


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

“Coloring on Metal,” featuring Roxan O’Brien’s colored pencil on metal jewelry designs, through June 3.

“Burst Into Bloom,” abstract paintings rich in contrast of lines, images and colors by Loretta St. John, June 9-July 8; reception: June 9, 6-8:30 p.m.


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

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history.


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

“Art of the State,” annual juried exhibition, showcasing the artwork of Pennsylvania artists, June 11-Sept. 10; reception: June 11, 1:30 p.m.

“Pennsylvania at War: World War I Posters from the Pennsylvania State Archives,” through Nov. 12.

“Pennsylvania at War: The Saga of the USS Pennsylvania,” through Dec. 30.


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

“Art in Balance: Motorcycles and Fine Art,” with modern and contemporary works on display juxtaposed with rare and historic motorcycles, June 7-Sept. 17; members preview: June 6, 5-7 p.m.

“Vessels,” a juried exhibition, through Aug. 6.


Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery
Lebanon Valley College
101 College Ave., Annville
717-233-8668; lvc.edu/gallery

46th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, June 1-18; reception: June 1, 5-7 p.m.


The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

“Expanded Visions,” a juried exhibition that embraces all forms of photography from the traditional darkroom to digital images, June 2-July 7.


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

Art in the Wild, nature-inspired art, through Oct. 31.


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

Works by Amy Bantz, through June 11.
Works by Kelly Curran, June 16-July 11.


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

June 16-July 20: “Playing with Light,” photography by Jesus Martinez.


Read, Make, Learn

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

June 16: Father’s Day Grilling on the Deck, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
June 21: Surf and Turf Beer Pairing, 6-9 p.m.
June 22: Vegetarian Grilling on the Deck, 6-9 p.m.
June 29: Weekend Gourmet, 6-9 p.m.


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

June 3: Cookbook Club—The Great British Baking Show, 1 p.m.
June 5, 19: Fredricksen Writes, 6:45 p.m.
June 6: Curl up with the Classics—“I, Robot,” 10 a.m.
June 6, 13, 20, 27: Master Gardener Plant Clinics, 6 p.m.
June 8, 15, 22, 29: Plot Twisters Teen Writers Group (ages 15-18), 6:30 p.m.
June 12: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
June 14: Children’s Yoga and Mindfulness, 10:30 a.m.
June 14, 21, 28: Teen Meet-up Discussion Group, 7 p.m.
June 15: Eco Crafts, 10:30 a.m.
June 15, 22, 29: Drop-in Story Time, 11 a.m.
June 15, 22, 29: Teen Movie Matinees, 2 p.m.
June 16: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
June 20: Fredricksen Reads—“Ordinary Grace,” 7 p.m.
June 23-24: Safe Sitter Training, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
June 26: Teen Short Story Workshop, 7 p.m.
June 27: Gardening with Nature—Integrated Pest Management, 7 p.m.
June 29: News Today—Real or Fake?, 6:30 p.m.


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

June 20-Aug. 8: Improv Level 1 Class


Healthy Living Kitchen
16 S. Rosanna St., Hummelstown
717-512-0077; healthylivingkitchenpa.com

June 1, 22: Cooking Class—Summer Cook Nights, 6:30-7:30 p.m.


Hershey Art Association
hersheyareaartassociation.com

June 2-July 28: Oil Painting, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
June 7- 28: Plein Air Painting, 12:30-3:30 p.m.
June 12: Cement Event Sculpting Class, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 21-23: Watercolor Workshop
June 25-26: How to Use Watercolor


Kalpa Bhadra Kadampa Buddhist Center
251 Wiconisco St., Harrisburg
717-232-2700; meditationpa.org

June 12: Learn to Meditate in Half of a Day, 1-4 p.m.


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

June 3: Drop-in Art, 1-4 p.m.
June 17: A Novel Idea 102, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.


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

June 4, 11, 18, 25: Common Roads Young Adults, 4 p.m.
June 6: Men’s Group, 6 p.m.
June 7, 14, 21, 28: Common Roads Youth, 6 p.m.
June 8: Aging with Pride Lunchtime Discussion, 12 p.m.
June 13: Seniors Group, 6 p.m.
June 20: Women’s Group, 6 p.m.
June 27: LGBT Parents, 6 p.m.


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

June 26-30: Rock Band Summer Camp


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

June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7 p.m.
June 2, 9, 23, 30: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
June 3: Good News Café, 6 p.m.
June 6: Author Event w/Patricia Lockwood, 7 p.m.
June 8, 15: Camp Curtin Toastmasters, 6:30 p.m.
June 12: Author Event w/Jeff Shaara, 7 p.m.
June 13, 20, 27: Coffee, Cake and True Islam, 5 p.m.
June 17: Book Signing w/Michael Manley, 1 p.m.
June 18: Midtown Writers Group, 1 p.m.
June 18: LGBT Book Club, 5 p.m.
June 21: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Club, 7 p.m.
June 23: Author Event w/Andrew Krivak, 7 p.m.


The Movement Center
2134 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-238-0357; themovementcenter.net

June 11: Community Yoga—Free Beginner Class, 10 a.m.


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

June 1: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 5, 19, 26: Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
June 6, 20: Family Fun Night, 5:30 p.m.
June 10: Write-on Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
June 16, 30: Library After Hours, 6 p.m.
June 17: Couponing Workshop, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 19, 26: Summertime Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
June 26: Hands-On Science—Candy Chemistry, 1 p.m.
June 28: Pennwriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.


Penn State Extension in Cumberland County
310 Allen Rd., Carlisle
717-240-6500; extension.psu.edu

June 17: Butterfly Container Workshop, 12-1:30 p.m.


Penn State Extension in Perry County
8 S. Carlisle St., New Bloomfield
717-240-6500; extension.psu.edu

June 8: Weed Identification, 7-8:30 p.m.


State Library of Pennsylvania
607 South Drive, Harrisburg
717-783-5969, statelibrary.pa.gov

June 8: Lunch and Learn Author Series, Susan Colestock Hill, 12-1 p.m.
June 22: Rare Collections Library Open House, 12-2 p.m.


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

June 16, 23: Learn at Lunchtime, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
June 21: Nature Lab—Pennsylvania Wildlife, 11:30 a.m.
June 29: Nature Lab—Pots of Clay and What They Say, 11:30 a.m.


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

June 10, 17, 24: Saturday Morning Art Club (ages 4-7), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 10, 17, 24: Young Artist Camp (ages 8-12), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 14: Instructed Life Drawing Class, 6-9 p.m.


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

June 3: Brownie Scout Workshop—Bugs & Hiker, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
June 4: “Beginner’s Yoga and Walk,” 10-11:30 a.m.
June 6: Educator Workshop on the River, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
June 11: “Flower Walk—Peak of Blooming,” 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
June 14: Stress Relief Walk, 6-7:30 p.m.
June 14: Preschool Storytime—Spring at Wildwood, 10-10:45 a.m.
June 15: Get in Shape Walk, 6-7 p.m.
June 16: “Bird Walk: Breeding Birds,” 7:30-9:30 a.m.


Live Music


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

June 10: Summer Doo Wop Cavalcade
June 19: Vince Gill
June 23: Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot
June 24: Happy Together Tour


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

June 2: The Biters
June 7: Winning Rebirth Brass Band
June 9: Cracker


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

June 1, 21: Jessica Perla
June 2, 15, 20, 30: Noel Gevers
June 3, 7, 16: Roy Lefevre
June 6, 23: Corinna Joy
June 8, 11, 17, 25: Anthony Haubert
June 9, 24: Ted Ansel
June 10, 22: Daniel Sheahan
June 13, 27: Maria Battista
June 14: Chris Purcell
June 28: Deborah Anderson
June 29: Chris Emkey


Central PA Friends of Jazz
friendsofjazz.org

June 16: Ben Wolfe Trio, Tribute to Thelonius Monk


Central Pennsylvania Womyn’s Chorus
cpwchorus.org

June 3, 4: Spring Concerts


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

June 6: Twin Peaks
June 7: Big Thief Twain
June 8: Nothing
June 13: Elvis Depressedly
June 14: PUP
June 16: Gates
June 17: Icon For Hire
June 20: MISSIO
June 22: Free Throw
June 23: Otherwise
June 24: Parkway Drive
June 28: Thursday


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

June 2: Antonio Andrade
June 3: Steven Gellman
June 9: Jessica Jellen
June 10: Hard Travelin’
June 11: Michael Arthur & Kristina Machusick
June 16: Emily Lynn Wilkins
June 17: Doug Morris
June 18: Joe Cooney
June 23: Kevin Kline
June 24: Janie Womack & Jody Esterlean
June 25: Kirk Wise
June 30: Dominick Cicco


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

June 15: Trinidad & Tobago
June 17: Reprise of Hamiltunes After Hours


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

June 2: Jubilate Chorale Spring Concert


Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus
harrisburggaymenschorus.org

June 4: Concerts at Unitarian Church of Harrisburg


Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

June 8, 22: Full Band Open Jam w/Mark Santanna
June 9: The Devyl Nellys, J And the 9s
June 15: City of the Weak
June 18: Americana-na, Apes of the State, Mountain Chaser
June 20: Marshall Crenshaw Y Los Straitjackets
June 23: Cash Unchained: The Music of Johnny Cash
June 24: Fatally Yours, Silvertung, Voidhidden
June 29: The Patchwork Fools, Genesis Lorraine & Her 8-Track Mind
June 30: Catullus, Ben Brandt Trio


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

June 30: Summer Concert at Lebanon Valley College


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

June 2: Flaxy Morgan
June 3: DJ Magic, Sapphire
June 9: The Luv Gods
June 10: DJ Ray Rossi, Mystery Machine
June 16: Into the Spin
June 17: DJ Dave Styles, 7 Bridges, Honeypump
June 23: Smooth Like Clyde
June 24: DJ Coach K, LCD Band
June 30: The Uptown Band


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

June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: DJ Eric B
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: DJ Joe Hertz
June 3: The Dirty Place
June 7, 14, 21, 28: Walter DeWall
June 7, 14, 21, 28: Open Mic
June 10: Adrian Blitzer
June 17: Observe the 93rd
June 24: The Colt Wilbur Band


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

June 4: Concert at Peace Church
June 10: Concert at Hoffer Park
June 17: Concert at CPUCC


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

June 11: Weird Year & Ohtis, with local opener


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

June 3: The McCartney Years


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

June 1: Mirah, Bea Troxel, Justin Arawjo (at the Underground Bike Shop)


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

June 16: John Terlazzo & Voices in the Hall


The Mill in Hershey
810 Old West Chocolate Ave., Hershey
717-256-9965; themillinhershey.com

June 3: Corinna Joy
June 6: Josh Krevsky
June 10: Keith Goldstein
June 13: Dave Kelly
June 17: Ryan Moran
June 18: Take it Easy, The Lighter Side of the Eagles
June 20: Tony Catalano
June 24: Roy Lefever
June 27: Hank Imhof


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

June 3: Lester Hirsh
June 10: Men in Harmony
June 17: Jim Rule
June 24: Ryan Alan Band


Palmyra Church of the Brethren
45 N. Chestnut St., Palmyra
717-838-6369; palmyracob.org

June 25: Carol Ringers and Celebration Ringers Concert


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

June 23: Coffeehouse at Bucks Valley Winery


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

June 2: JP3, Justin Pietrowski Band
June 9: Lori Fulton and the Love, Lori Orchestra
June 10: Jason Ricci & JJ Appleton
June 17: Don Johnson Project
June 23: Slam Allen


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

June 9: Selwyn Birchwood
June 23: The Ballroom Thieves


Sand Trap Grill & Pub
3804 Lisburn Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-691-5335; thelodgeatlibertyforge.com

June 1: Sonorous
June 8: Shea & Len
Juen 15: Swish & Joey
June 21: LaBlanc & Kissinger
June 29: Nate Myers Trio


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

June 1: Fiona Sanderson
June 2: Cross Roads Duo
June 3: Dan Zukowski
June 8: Holly Goose
June 9: Paul Zavinsky
June 10: Jamie & Jody
June 15: Mike & Gunner
June 16: Cotolo
June 17: Craig Bonner
June 22: Hannah RH
June 23: Rhoads & Putt
June 24: Fiano Acoustic
June 29: Steve Wilkins
June 30: Joe Cooney


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

June 2: Chris Emkey
June 3: Josh Krevsky
June 9: Cruise Control Trio
June 10: Shea Quinn and Friends
June 16: Music Thru Science Lite
June 17: DJ Downtown Penny Brown
June 23: Keith Goldstein
June 24: Swisher Sweets
June 30: Visitors Duo


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

June 3: Brass Monkeys, Beastie Boys Tribute
June 4: York County Honors Choirs Season Finale Concert
June 8: Gladys Knight


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

June 21: Buc Hill Aces


The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

June 10: Instrument Petting Zoo
June 11: The Young Music Masters Competition
June 16: Core Concert—Music of the Day


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

June 16: Pale Barn Ghosts
June 24: Abi Khan
June 30: Zack Russack, Alex Mery & the Townsman Music


The Stage Door

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

June 18: Terry Fator


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

June 11: Oxymorons


The Belmont Theatre
27 S. Belmont St., York
717-854-5715; thebelmont.org

June 16-18: “Sister Act”

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

Through June 24: “Second Chances: The Thrift Shop Musical”
June 29-Aug. 12: “Peter Pan”


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

June 2-17: “Macbeth” at Reservoir Park


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

June 23, 25: Level 1 Class Show
June 30: Level 2 Class Show


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

June 24: Dance Revelation—We are Family


Lancaster Marionette Theatre
126 N. Water St., Lancaster
717-394-8398; lmt.yapsody.com

Through June 3: “The Wizard of Oz”


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

June 9-25: “The Impossible Years”


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

June 16: Comedy Night


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

June 2-25: “Ah, Wilderness!”


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

June 2-18: “Social Security”


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

June 15: Earl David Reed and Ray DeVito
June 24: Kevin James


The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

June 2: We the People—Youth Poetry Slam
June 3: Imani African Dance Company


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

June 14-17: Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet June Series


Winter Visual & Performing Arts Center
Millersville University
60 W. Cottage Ave., Millersville
717-871-4700; artsmu.com

June 4, 11: “The Civil War”

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Weekend Update with Sara Bozich


Why do I feel like my life is ruled by hockey lately? That’s tonight’s plan (though I need a food plan).

This weekend, I’m foregoing the group camping trip to hang with my GK Visual peeps and try our hand at the Vidjam Filmmaking Weekend.

Saturday, I’ll hit the gym (and hopefully market) before filming, then we’ll wrap something up by 7 p.m. Sunday.

Monday, I’m hoping to be poolside for a friend’s birthday!

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

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Tour Beautiful: HYP Home Tour ventures to leafy Bellevue Park.

One of the many lovely homes that will be featured this month during the HYP Home Tour in Bellevue Park.

In Harrisburg, there are a few annual events that you can mark your calendar by: the holiday parade, the summer festivals and, each May, the HYP Annual Home Tour, organized by Harrisburg Young Professionals.

This year, the Home Tour, for the first time, travels up to Bellevue Park, a leafy, rustic enclave of large homes and beautiful gardens that outsiders rarely get to see.

If you’re unfamiliar with this neighborhood, Bellevue Park was laid out in 1910 at the height of the “City Beautiful” movement. Renowned landscape architect Warren Manning designed the neighborhood’s layout, including the “reservations” (common green areas) and ponds that fill in the spaces between home lots and along roads. The area features winding lanes, wooded streets and many natural elements.

For this year’s event, guests will get to tour 17 homes, each with a one-of-a-kind story. Each home will be partnered with a unique food and drink sponsor from the local area. There also will be an after-party, with food and live music, held at the Bellevue Park Community Center.

Proceeds from Home Tour benefit the HYP “Home in the City” program, which provides $1,000 grants to qualified HYP members who are purchasing a home in Harrisburg. In 2016, the organization provided $9,000 to HYP members through the program.

“This has been one of our longest-running events, and, by far, the most impactful in the Harrisburg community,” said Joe Tertel, 2017 HYP president. “We have the opportunity to bring hundreds of individuals to an area in the city that they may not be aware of. From these types of events, we hope to bring awareness to the uniqueness of architecture and history that our city provides.”

The 2017 HYP Home Tour takes place on Saturday, May 13, noon to 5 p.m., in Bellevue Park. For more information, including how to purchase tickets, visit www.hyp.org.

Author: Lawrance Binda

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Burg Blog: One Down

Tuesday’s debate shook awake a rather sleepy mayoral campaign in Harrisburg, one that, until then, was marked by little more than Facebook posts and midnight runs along N. 3rd Street to plant signs.

It was the end of the “phony campaign” (to use a war analogy), when, with great anticipation, the sides stare each other down but little happens face to face.

For the first time, in an awkwardly laid-out room at HACC’s Midtown II building, all five candidates were present, sitting close to one another, to answer a barrage of questions from CBS21’s John Hanrahan and PennLive’s John Micek and Christine Vendel.

So, what did we learn?

From a superficial standpoint, we didn’t learn much that we hadn’t already read from the candidates’ websites and social media posts: Lewis Butts has never met a development gimmick he doesn’t like; Jennie Jenkins thinks she can sweet talk SP+ into turning the parking system back over to the city; and all the challengers think the city could be safer and cleaner.

But, on a deeper level, there was more to learn.

First of all, the debate exposed something that had been simmering beneath the surface for months—that the old, Reed-era Harrisburg establishment has coalesced behind challenger Gloria Martin-Roberts.

During the debate, Martin-Roberts was asked, for instance, about former Mayor Linda Thompson, a long-time ally who circulated a nominating petition for her. In responding, Martin-Roberts defended Thompson’s tenure, saying “she did quite well” despite “some hiccups with personality,” which may be the most generous analysis of Thompson’s term I’ve heard.

Martin-Roberts also was asked about James Ellison, who is serving as her campaign treasurer. Ellison has been a fixture around Harrisburg for about 20 years, serving as counsel and chairman of the Harrisburg Authority, as counsel to the Harrisburg school district and as a top campaign aide to Thompson.

In one of his most noted actions, Ellison voted to approve the final bond issue to retrofit the Harrisburg incinerator, doubling the facility’s debt load, an action also supported by Martin-Roberts as a councilwoman. He also advised the school district’s board of control that it legally could fire former Superintendent Gerald Kohn, though 16 months remained on Kohn’s contract, a measure driven by Thompson and supported by Martin-Roberts. Kohn eventually won a $1.2 million settlement for wrongful termination.

But it’s not just Ellison. City Treasurer Dan Miller, who served on City Council during that same period, also supports Martin-Roberts. And, just recently, it was revealed that Reed himself sent out an email encouraging a friend to donate to the Martin-Roberts campaign.

Papenfuse mentioned some of this during the debate, as he feels that Harrisburg’s old guard wants back in power, a group he’s battled for years. For her part, Martin-Roberts said that neither Thompson nor Ellison would serve in her administration. That said, Martin-Roberts certainly is not distancing herself from Harrisburg’s recent, troubled past, an interesting decision that voters will have to weigh seriously.

Secondly, voters got to look at several of the challengers for the first time. I generally wasn’t impressed by their performances, though I’d say Jenkins presented better than Anthony Harrell or Lewis Butts. Jenkins had a few rough patches, but probably did well enough to continue the momentum she’s built up over the past few months.

Without question, Jenkins has run the most visible and energetic campaign among the mayoral hopefuls. While I don’t always agree with her tactics, I can’t deny that she’s run a solid campaign, beginning early and continuing over months with consistent effort. I doubt this will be enough for her to win, though it may be sufficient to play the role of spoiler.

Conventional wisdom has it that Jenkins will take more of the vote away from Martin-Roberts than Papenfuse. I don’t disagree with that, but it remains to be seen just how much support she’ll earn citywide and, thus, how many votes she’ll grab from her fellow challengers.

Because of this, I thought we’d see Martin-Roberts go after Jenkins more directly. I’ve been told that that’s not her style, though I’ve seen her, as a councilwoman, be plenty tough.

With the first debate behind us, we move on. Next is the HYP debate at the Hilton Harrisburg on Tuesday, and I’ll be on the reporter panel for that. It will be interesting to see if the gloves come off, if the candidates decide to shift what they say and to whom they direct their fire.

Author: Lawrance Binda

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Burg Blog: Last Words

The Farm Show’s New Holland Arena, where President Trump spoke on Saturday.

Over the past few days, some people have been surprised that I’ve written several critical pieces on the visit of President Donald Trump to Harrisburg, as he marked his 100th day in office.

TheBurg’s the nice guy on the block, right?

Actually, we’ve weighed in on politics and government from the very beginning and, as you may know, there’s often nothing more fraught than local politics. In my magazine column this month, I mention that, every election cycle, I get into “trouble,” as I begin to step on toes with my annoying opinions. And, as soon as Trump announced his visit to Harrisburg, deeming it a “campaign” stop, it became a local political story, as well.

Over the past few days, I’ve written two main pieces for TheBurg’s website about the Trump visit. They’re quite different, written for different reasons.

In the first, I suggested that Trump’s people did not choose wisely when deciding to come to Harrisburg to mark his Day 100. I found it odd that, seeking affirmation, he would visit a deep-blue city in an increasingly blue region.

I wrote that piece for two main reasons. First, I had been asked all week why I thought Trump selected Harrisburg, so decided to share my belief that his people likely didn’t understand where they were going—that Harrisburg seemed like a conveniently situated place in a state that had swung for Trump–and that was as far as their thinking went. But I also wanted the national media not to make the same mistake—to think that Harrisburg is the heart of Trump country, because it’s not. (For a totally different opinion on this, click here.)

And, in fact, yesterday, I exchanged a couple of emails with Marc Fisher, a Washington Post senior editor, about his story in the Sunday Post, which touched on exactly this issue. His response to me was:

“I had looked into the vote numbers and sought in the story not to make any sweeping statements about Harrisburg. But inevitably the name of the locale gets conflated to some degree with the larger region from which the crowd travels. I think the individual stories of Trump fans within my article demonstrate that the supporters came from many rural and suburban areas, not mainly from Harrisburg.”

Secondly, I wrote a satirical piece about Trump’s address. This was unplanned, but I wrote it spur-of-the-moment (maybe you can tell) after hearing his speech, which I found to be hateful, divisive and self-obsessed, far beneath the standards that we should expect of our president. Moreover, I was taken aback by the blind loyalty of some of his supporters, despite his constantly shifting logic, statements and policies.

I’ll be honest—I’m no Donald Trump fan, never have been. I grew up in the 1970s just outside of New York City, so have read and heard about him all my life—from his playboy/Roy Cohn/Studio 54 years to his many mistresses and marriages; from his high-wire builder and casino mogul days to his numerous bankruptcies; from his lurid chats with Howard Stern to his embarrassing appearance at a Comedy Central roast; from the books he didn’t actually write to the university he didn’t actually run; from his shameless branding to his reality show persona; from his sudden switch from mildly liberal, pro-choice plutocrat to spitting-mad conservative plutocrat. For 40 years, I’ve had a seat to the Donald Trump show and have enjoyed almost none of it.

When Trump declared for president—famously descending that golden escalator at Trump Tower—I thought to myself, “Another publicity stunt.” And, to this day, I believe that’s what it was supposed to be, another way for Donald Trump to direct the spotlight on Donald Trump. To attract attention in a large field of Republicans, he took the lowest road possible, demonizing entire groups of people while making wild promises (e.g. bringing back coal jobs, forcing Mexico to pay for the wall) he’ll never be able to keep. It was all strategy without sincerity, but it worked, which may be good for Trump (or maybe not), but, I believe, is terrible for the country.

In any case, Trump has now left the building (and the city). So, I’ll return to the tamer (not really) world of Harrisburg politics, where, after a rather quiet campaign, the mayoral candidates have begun swinging at one another in the manner to which we’re accustomed. I’ll have more on that later.

Author: Lawrance Binda

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Burg Blog: Promises Made

As a public service, TheBurg offers a “fair and balanced” interpretation of President Donald Trump’s speech last night at the state Farm Show Complex.

Trump: I’m delighted to be here in Harrisburg to mark Day 100 of my presidency. Everyone knows that I’ve had more success in my first 100 days than any president ever.

Crowd: Wild applause

Now, some of you, I’m sure, are aware of all the promises I made during my campaign and in my “100-Day Contract,” which is why the banner in this hall reads, “Promises Made, Promises Kept.” We’ve kept them all, folks!

Huge applause

And I promised you that I would repeal Obamacare on Day 1!

Crowd: Hooray!

And have I?

No!

No, I have not, but that’s only because no one knew that healthcare reform could be so hard. No one. But the fake news media won’t tell you that, folks.

Boo!!

That’s right. They won’t tell you about all my tremendous accomplishments, and I know because that’s where I get most of my false information.

Boo!! Boo!!

From Fox primarily.

Yay!

Hey, we’re gonna build that big, beautiful wall on the border with Mexico—and who’s gonna pay for it?

We are!

That’s right, you are! You and you and you over there, way in the back. Mexico might, someday, maybe, because Donald J. Trump will pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.

Hamburger!

And then none of those MS-13 thugs will flood over the border into our great American nation to rape and rob and murder, even though MS-13 is actually a Los Angeles gang that spread from the United States into Central America. But you don’t know that, do you?

We do not!

Hey, and speaking of Mexico, I repeatedly promised that the United States would withdraw from NAFTA. Worst deal ever! So, have we?

No!

No, we haven’t. But, don’t worry, folks. Mexico and Canada will come back to the negotiating table because . . . hey, what about our amazing veterans, folks? Give our vets a huge round of applause!

U-S-A! U-S-A!

Then there’s China.

Boo!

You all remember what I said about China, right?

Unfair trader! Currency manipulator!

And our new best friend!

Hooray!

Chant begins: Lock her up! Lock her up!

We’re not doing that.

Yay!

Now, I also promised to drain the swamp. I admit, we’re a little behind in that effort, since I’ve only nominated 37 people for 530 senior-level jobs in the agencies. So, if anyone in this room would like to be an associate deputy undersecretary in the Department of Labor or a deputy United States Trade Representative, please let Mike Pence know. Anything not claimed by the end of the night is going to Jared Kushner.

OK, now folks, let’s talk tax cuts.

Wild applause.

I promised you that, within the first 100 days, I would slash the corporate tax rate from 35 to 15 percent. Is anyone in this room a corporation? No? Over here? No? That’s OK. I haven’t done much about that either.

More wild applause. 

But it’s not just corporations, folks. I also plan to eliminate the despised death tax, hated by everyone with an estate over $5.45 million. I’m sure that applies to almost everyone here.

Now, I made a bunch of other crazy promises in my 100-day contract—things like the “Restoring Community Safety Act,” the “End the Offshoring Act,” the “Affordable Childcare and Eldercare Act” and the “Restoring National Security Act.” But you folks have never heard of any of these—and I haven’t done anything about them anyway, so we’ll just forget about them.

Hooray!

In conclusion, I would like to reminisce for a moment about my wonderful campaign, and I know you all were there for me. Give yourselves a big round of applause for Making America Great Again!

Wild applause.

So, I once said, early on, during a campaign stop in Iowa, that I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and still not lose my voters. Bang! Good night!

Author: Lawrance Binda

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Burg Blog: Wrong Place

The scene outside the state Farm Show Complex today.

Last Saturday, during my weekly trip to the Broad Street Market, a fellow reporter stopped to tell me that President Donald Trump planned to host a 100-day-in-office celebration, campaign-style, at the state Farm Show Complex. Right here in Harrisburg. In a week.

And my reaction was, “Huh?”

It wasn’t just me.

Over the course of the coming days, several other people I spoke to had the same reaction: Why here? Why Harrisburg?

Eventually, the conventional wisdom seemed to be that Trump, wanting to bask in the glow of a fawning crowd, needed a large venue (check) in a swing state he won (check) that was close to D.C. (checkmate).

So, Harrisburg it was, a few minutes north from the White House as the plane flies.

However, if Trump’s people had done more checking, they may have decided to put a little more fuel into Air Force One and gone farther afield to, say, Bradford or Erie or Ohio. The city of Harrisburg, after all, went for Hillary Clinton by an overwhelming margin, and Dauphin County was one of just two counties between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to turn blue during the last presidential election.

It wasn’t always this way.

Harrisburg was reliably Republican until the 1970s and Dauphin County even longer. However, today, every political office in the city is held by a Democrat, the city so blue that not a single Republican is competing in the May 16 primary for mayor, City Council or school board. Therefore, the Democratic primary winners almost certainly will be victorious in November’s general election, barring a shock from an independent or write-in.

It turns out that Harrisburg is following national urban trends, just a decade or so later than everywhere else—as usual. In large, northern cities, Democrats displaced Republicans almost entirely by the late 1960s. The close-in, older suburbs followed, and Republicans, now largely a rural party, today have trouble getting elected even in the wealthy, sprawling suburbs and exurbs outside cities like New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. So, I personally wasn’t surprised that Clinton won Dauphin County by nearly 3 percentage points, bucking the larger trend in central Pennsylvania.

This is all a prolonged way of saying that Trump, seeking friendly ground, could have chosen more wisely.

Could this be why, 24 hours before he’s due to take the stage to great adulation, tickets are still available for his campaign rally? I find this very surprising, as Trump, though low in the polls, still has many passionate supporters and is coming here to celebrate a milestone as president (and poke a stick into the eye of the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington). I’m shocked he’s had trouble filling the New Holland Arena, as I expected the 10,000 or so tickets to be gone in minutes or, at most, hours.

However, I personally know more people planning to attend the counter-protest than the actual campaign rally, which, if nothing else, says something about the general mood within the city proper.

So, Mr. President, welcome to Harrisburg. I hope you’ll enjoy your motorcade ride in from the airport, and looking out the rear window of your limo, discover that we have a charming little city and hardly the “war zone” you once claimed it was.

But you also should know that Harrisburg isn’t really Trump country. It’s deep blue, a Democratic stronghold, an urban island and the seat of a county that also preferred your opponent. So, if you’re looking for blind adoration—and I’m pretty sure you are—I’m sorry to report that you’re holding your campaign event in the wrong place. Is it too late to book something outside Lancaster?

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

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This Is the End: State closes Harrisburg corruption probe with suggestions, not charges.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced the end of state’s investigation into the Harrisburg incinerator and the actions of former Mayor Steve Reed.

The years-long public corruption probe of former Harrisburg Mayor Steve Reed and his associates ended with a whimper today, as the state released its final report without announcing additional charges.

At a mid-afternoon press conference, Attorney General Josh Shapiro described in damning terms the actions of Reed, whom he described as virtual dictator who drove the city into fiscal ruin.

“A great city—a great city—was badly harmed and continues to be hampered,” he said, adding that much of the blame lies with “a power-hungry mayor willing to ignore the rules to get his way.”

Nonetheless, it was too late for the state to file charges against Reed and his subordinates in relation to the retrofit of the city’s troubled incinerator in south Harrisburg, as the five-year statute of limitations had expired.

“Due to the passage of time, the grand jury could not ultimately recommend charges,” he said.

Almost two years ago, a previous grand jury indicted Reed on nearly 500 corruption-related counts. However, a judge later dismissed most of those counts, saying the state filed them too late, more than five years after Reed left office in January 2010.

This past January, Reed pleaded guilty to lesser charges—20 counts of receiving stolen property after city-owned museum artifacts were found in his home and in a separate storage facility he rented—and was later sentenced to probation.

The 87-page grand jury report offers a history of Harrisburg’s doomed incinerator project, beginning with the city’s sale of the facility to the Harrisburg Authority in 1993 and continuing through the final retrofit financing in December 2007.

In all, the incinerator accounted for $434 million in debt, though only $155.8 million was spent to actually repair and retrofit the facility, Shapiro said. Much of the rest of the money went to pay professionals who issued the debt or to the city and Dauphin County in the form of “guaranty fees.”

Ultimately, the incinerator was sold to the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority to help settle a portion of the accumulated debt.

Shapiro used much of his time outlining the grand jury’s recommendations for reform, such as prolonging the statute of limitations in public corruption cases and giving the attorney general’s office the ability to investigate municipal corruption without a referral from the local district attorney.

Shapiro also said that the commonwealth’s ethics laws should be amended to bar conflicts of interest and the accumulation of power. Reed was able to force through the incinerator retrofit and borrowings, Shapiro said, due to his “grip on power” and control of bodies like the Harrisburg Authority. Meanwhile, the state lacked authority to scrutinize the incinerator project, even while approving bond deals, he said.

“The retrofit of the incinerator was built on a house of cards,” Shapiro said. “Then it all came crashing down.”

Author: Lawrance Binda

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Burg Blog: Credit Is Due

Who should take credit for the resurgence of Midtown, which includes the beautiful space that is now home to st@rtup Harrisburg?

Last weekend, some good friends from Washington, D.C., came up to Harrisburg for a visit.

They’d been here before, but not in awhile, so I took them on a little “renovation” tour—the historic buildings that had been rehabbed and reoccupied since their last visit.

We walked through st@rtup’s glorious new space at 3rd and Boas, then checked out H*MAC, had a drink in the Millworks. I showed them the buildings now occupied by the Susquehanna Art Museum, modernrugs.com and Zeroday Brewing.

Later, thinking about it, it struck me that not once did I utter the words, “Eric Papenfuse.”

I mention this only because all four challengers for the mayor’s office have, to varying degrees, built their campaigns around giving the sitting mayor the credit (or perhaps the blame, I’m not quite sure) for the dramatic redevelopment of Midtown Harrisburg over the past few years.

I’m not here to defend Papenfuse, as TheBurg does not endorse candidates. But I am here to defend reality, as I believe that credit for the transformation of Midtown should go to the people who deserve it.

Now, Papenfuse, as a businessman, is among that group. His Midtown Scholar Bookstore helped anchor redevelopment at the heart of the neighborhood ever since it opened at N. 3rd and Verbeke. He subsequently bought and renovated the buildings that house the LGBT Center and Yellow Bird Café and is completing renovations of three buildings on the 1400-block of N. 3rd Street. Those are solid contributions.

However, he should not be the sole recipient of the honors or arrows, depending upon your perspective, of what has become of Midtown Harrisburg.

Recognize also Josh Kesler, who, through enormous risk and millions of dollars, gave us the Millworks.

Recognize also John Traynor who, through enormous risk and millions of dollars, gave us H*MAC.

Recognize also Zachary Nitzan, who through enormous risk and millions of dollars, is giving us the modernrugs.com buildings.

Recognize also developers like GreenWorks, Brickbox, WCI, Lift Development and the Vartan Group, which all have completed major projects in Midtown.

Recognize also small business owners like Ruth Prall, Adam Porter, Adam Brackbill, Ivan Black, Samra Alic, Theo and Brandalynn Armstrong, Steph and Ammon Perry, the vendors in the Broad Street Market and many others who have given Midtown vibrancy, customers and a resurgent economy.

Now, there are two significant things that Papenfuse, as mayor, has tried to do in Midtown that are worth noting. The first was the creation of the Broad Street Market Task Force, whose recommendations, I hope, will help the market further its progress and secure its future. The second was his attempt to close down the Third Street Café, a battle that has been criticized simultaneously for attempted gentrification and for ignoring troubled bars in other neighborhoods (you may notice a contradiction there). So, yes, he tried, but failed, in an effort spanning two years and counting.

Owners of the Third Street Cafe show their preference for mayor and City Council.

Meanwhile, Papenfuse’s detractors have ignored where priorities and money actually have been focused during his term: the LED streetlight project (citywide), the multi-modal project (several neighborhoods), the MulDer Square project (Allison Hill) and the sinkhole project (South Harrisburg).

Years ago, a friend, now deceased, warned me not to get my hopes up for Midtown Harrisburg. Then in his 70s, he told me he had seen the neighborhood do a two-step forward, almost two-step backward routine too many times.

I wish he had lived to see this day, that he could have shared a drink with us last weekend, as I believe that Midtown has finally reached a tipping point, a place of sustainable progress.

In this heated election season, it’s important to understand how that happened. It didn’t happen because Papenfuse waved a magic wand and showered the neighborhood with money. It happened because developers took extraordinary risks to restore this and that building, then business people took extraordinary risks to open this or that restaurant, brewery, shop. Ignoring that reality is a profound disservice to those who have actually rebuilt Midtown Harrisburg.

I would like to be charitable and believe that candidates have honestly confused correlation with causation or simply don’t understand how business or development work. However, it’s election season, and charity is hard to come by, especially when giving credit where credit is due.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Disclosure: TheBurg’s publisher, Alex Hartzler, is a principal with WCI Partners.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich


Well, folks, it’s just about here. Harrisburg Beer Week 2017 kicks off tomorrow, and we have SO MUCH to be excited about.

https://www.sarabozich.com/2017/04/absolute-cant-miss-hbgbeerweek-events/

Tomorrow night, I’ll be at our VIP Kick-off, then the bulk of the team is doing Flavor, and you’ll find us all again on Sunday at Battle of the Homebrewers at Broad Street Market. Read the above post, and BUY your tickets now. I am NOT kidding, this stuff will sell out.

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

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