Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine
Recycle Bicycle’s current home in the Atlas Street warehouse.
It may be mid-summer in the Harrisburg area, but the flow of news continues to be brisk. It’s time to catch up on any of our stories that you may have missed from the past week.
Bethesda Mission will host a vegan meal next month, thanks to Animal Advocates of Central PA. It will be the second time this year that the York-based group will prepare a meal for mission residents. Click here for the details.
Harris Tower Railway Museum may be one of Harrisburg’s best-kept secrets, a pocket-sized tribute to the city’s rail history. Learn about the museum and the men who toiled to preserve the fully restored switch tower.
Harrisburg is weighing selling its water and sewer system, issuing a request for information from interested parties. This move came as a surprise to Capital Region Water, the current system operator. Click here for the story and for CRW’s response.
Harrisburg Opera Association is planning two events next month: a concert in Italian Lake Park and mainstage production at Messiah College. Click here for all the high notes.
Harrisburg Police Bureau is hosting a citywide National Night Out event next month. The celebration, supported by several community organizations, will take place at Camp Curtin Academy. Click here for the details.
Harrisburg University broke ground this week on its new, 17-story academic tower, hotel and restaurant complex at S. 3rd and Chestnut streets in downtown Harrisburg. The building is expected to take two years to complete. Read the details here.
Pablo Picasso is in town—or at least his prints are. The Susquehanna Art Museum has on loan a collection of Picasso prints from a New York gallery, and you can see them for yourself for the next two months. Find out what our art columnist thinks.
Recycle Bicycle needs to find a place for its operations, as its current Atlas Street warehouse location has sold. The nonprofit has been saving money and hopes to purchase a permanent home. Read the story here.
Sara Bozich has her usual long list of fun things to do around the Harrisburg area this weekend, with a focus on outdoor festivals. Learn about all the happenings here.
Shalom House has begun a construction project that will convert the former Unitarian Church of Harrisburg into a community center. Capital Area Head Start also will take space in the Market Street building on Allison Hill. Click here for our story.
VeggieFest returns next month to Strawberry Square, featuring vegetarian and vegan cuisine and lifestyles. Find out all the information here.
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A tray of samples from last year’s VeggieFest.
Strawberry Square may be named after a fruit, but it surely won’t be left out at this year’s VeggieFest, which showcases plant-based cuisine.
For the third year in a row, event coordinator Sara Bozich, in conjunction with Strawberry Square, will welcome local vendors to downtown Harrisburg next month to share their take on vegetarian and vegan lifestyles and diets.
“It is intended to be a very inclusive event that is vegan- and vegetarian-friendly,” Bozich explained.
While not exclusively a vegan event, vendors will distinguish whether their products are vegetarian or vegan.
Vendors will include restaurants like Arooga’s Sports Bar & Grillhouse, giving a taste of its meatless menu, and Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar with its vegan menu options. There will also be plenty of beverages to sample from breweries such as Crook & Marker Spiked & Sparkling, HOLLA Spirits, Ploughman Cider and Tröegs Independent Brewing.
“We are really about showcasing the offerings our area has,” Bozich said.
Vendors will offer samples, and items will be available for purchase. Bozich pointed out that VeggieFest isn’t only for the herbivores, but those who are “veg curious” are welcome as well.
Plant-based skincare retailers and health practitioners will be in attendance along with treats from Cocoa Creek Chocolates, Boom! Crafted Pickles and Sarah’s Sweet & Savory Snacks, among others.
“A lot of times, people stay away from vegan or gluten-free products because they think the flavor experience won’t be the same, but it is,” said Diane Krulac, founder of Mechanicsburg-based Cocoa Creek Chocolates.
At this year’s VeggieFest, these chocolatiers will hand out samples from their all-natural “Luther’s Trek Bars.” The bars are made with vegan dark chocolate and sprinkled with various fruit and nut combinations.
They will also share products from their upcoming veggie collection, which is all plant-based and vegan. The dark chocolate truffles are made with cashew cream, oat milk or almond milk, and some include raspberry, beet, cinnamon or orange flavors.
“You don’t have to be vegan to want to eat them,” Krulac said. “Flavor won’t be compromised.”
The crowd from last year’s event.
A faux burger challenge, sponsored by the Hilton Harrisburg, will give attendees a chance for local grills to serve up their best meatless burger to a panel of judges, letting the audience have a bite, as well.
While perusing the vendors, attendees will hear from His and Hers Vinyl, a duo of DJs.
Tickets are required for VeggieFest and are $20 for an adult, $10 for an adult or minor not including alcohol, and free for children under 12.
Proceeds this year will benefit the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. According to Bozich, the partnership is a perfect fit.
“Our event is about food, and clearly we want to help feed people in the area,” she said.
Harrisburg VeggieFest takes place on Saturday, Aug. 17, 1 to 4 p.m., at Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.hbgveggiefest.com.
Dueling designs for N. 2nd Street
The news week around Harrisburg began slowly but then picked up steam as the city unveiled its redesigns for N. 2nd Street. Take a few minutes to catch up on news you may have missed this past week.
2-Way 2nd Street got closer to reality this week as the city unveiled its final two designs for the project. We published a summary of the designs, covered the public meeting then wrapped up our coverage with a blog post.
Capital Region Water will hold three community meetings to present information and get feedback on its proposed stormwater fee. Click here to find out where they’ll be.
Jambo Fashion is a new African-style boutique in downtown Harrisburg. Read how the owners made it to Harrisburg and why they decided to open up their store.
Market Square Concerts features several can’t-miss performances this month, which is just a taste of what’s to come for the 2019-20 season. Click here for the details.
Methodist churches in the Harrisburg area have hit the market in bulk, with six currently for sale. According to the realtor, interest in the buildings has been strong.
Salvation Army Harrisburg took up residence last week in the Strawberry Square atrium, as it accepted donations for its “Christmas in July” fill-a-backpack initiative. Find out how you can help.
Sara Bozich has dozens of fun things to do this weekend, both inside and out. Beat the heat with music, festivals, art and more.
Susquehanna Art Museum will host a screening of “Las Madres de Berks,” a documentary about four women detained at the Berks County Residential Center. Click here for details of the Sunday screening.
Urban Churn received some high-profile visitors this week, as the governor and lieutenant governor stopped in for a cone and to promote the state’s ice cream trail. Click here for the details.
Valley Youth House in Harrisburg is dedicated to helping children in foster care. Check out our feature from this month’s magazine.
Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events? If not, subscribe here!
Happy Weekend!
Please don’t mind this abbreviated WR, written from the beach.
Harrisburg City Council on Tuesday
The recent torrid pace of local news slowed down a bit this past week, but there still was plenty to write about. If you missed some of our coverage, you can find a summary right here.
AutoZone’s proposed store cleared the Harrisburg Planning Commission this week as its development plan was approved, though not exactly to the company’s liking. The matter now will head to City Council. Click here for the details.
Central PA Jazz Festival takes place this weekend, with performances and special events throughout the region. Discover the details here.
En Plein Air Lancaster takes to the city’s streets this weekend, so that visitors can watch artists paint outdoors and spend time in the city’s thriving gallery district. Click here for the details.
Harrisburg introduced its annual ordinances for the disbursal of federal housing funds. However, the city is changing its system of awarding funding significantly. Click here for the details.
Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority bought back 58 lots in the MarketPlace Townhome community from would-be developer S&A Homes. In 2005, the authority gave S&A 71 lots for $1 piece, but the company had developed only 13 of them. Click here for all the details.
Mecum Auto Auctions will return to the PA Farm Show complex in a few weeks, with thousands of cars and automobile-related items for sale. Find out what’s new at this year’s auction.
Novelist Catherine Chung will visit Midtown Scholar Bookstore on Friday to read from her sophomore work, “The Tenth Muse,” and sign books. Find out the details about her book and visit.
PennyFix is a movement among area animal-lovers to convince pet food manufacturers to tack on a penny to every can sold, a plan that would help solve the pet over-population problem. Read our feature story here.
Puppies may not be the best choice for a new family pet, as shelters overflow with adult dog rescues. But, if your heart is set on a puppy, you must take care to avoid the many pitfalls. Click here for our feature story.
Sara Bozich may be on vacation, but she’s left us with her weekly rundown of events around the Harrisburg area for this weekend. You’ll never be bored with this long list of things to do.
Small business in Harrisburg continues to thrive. In the current issue, we catch up with several food businesses that recently have expanded or made significant changes. Click here for our story.
“Stogies & Stories” is our feature about five old guys, one radio show and a thousand stories, some of which may be true. Read our story here.
Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events? If not, subscribe here!
Harrisburg school district receiver Dr. Janet Samuels with Dr. John George of the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit
It may have been a holiday-shortened week, but it was still long on news around Harrisburg. Here are some local stories and features that you may have missed amidst the barbecues and big booms.
Harrisburg City Council members expected a long summer break, but now they’ll need to return to city hall next week because of delays in the annual process of doling out federal housing grant money. What’s the holdup? Click here to find out.
Harrisburg’s affordable housing crunch is a problem that won’t be fixed overnight. However, our editor has some thoughts on what may help.
Harrisburg school district receiver Dr. Janet Samuels introduced Dr. John George, who will head up her recovery team for the next three years. Oh, and a bunch of computers and essential data have gone missing. Click here for all the details.
Independence Day fireworks went off with a bang, despite the threat of rain. Read our feature story on the best place to witness them in Harrisburg.
Pennsylvania Department of Education consultants completed their financial audit of the Harrisburg school district, issuing a damning report that prompted responses both from the school receiver and from our editor.
Sara Bozich looked beyond the July 4 holiday to offer up some great ideas for going out and having fun for the entire long(ish) weekend.
TheBurg’s music columnist has fests and folkies in focus this month. Check out all her recommendations for July.
Two-way 2nd Street is a step closer to reality, as Harrisburg plans to offer two design plans at a public meeting on July 18. Click here for the details.
“Where I Live,” a book by Harrisburg writer and educator Debra Hervitz, teaches local children exactly where they stand in the state, the country, the universe.
Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events? If not, subscribe here!
Happy [Long] Weekend!
Weather-permitting, we’ll be in the pool, at the BBQ, and dancing with friends (the latter, weather doesn’t matter!). We hope you have a wonderful and relaxing weekend, too — and if relaxing doesn’t cut it, well, see below.