Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine
Happy Halloween Weekend – Boo!
Literally no plans except maybe have a baby. And football. And to watch TV with all the lights out tonight because, no, I didn’t buy any Halloween candy.
(OMG I wish I could go to the Symphony this weekend — They’re doing Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band!)
Cheers to the weekend!
The Pennsylvania National Horse Show is in town through the weekend — Have you checked it out? Also noteworthy: It’s 3rd in the Burg (check out the Broad Street Market if you don’t often get a chance to get there), and it’s wine trail season! Cornucopia Wine Quest runs Saturday and Sunday at participating wineries.
I have very little on my agenda besides trying to wrap up more work (I’m in denial), and cooking the very last of my tomatoes (more sauce and a sungold jam).
It’s a BIG weekend!
The Pennsylvania National Horse Show is here!
Saturday’s must do: HU Music Fest — FREE admission, live music, beer garden, food trucks.
I’m at the “whoa” stage in pregnancy, where when people see me they say, “whoa” and then something that inadvertently makes me feel like shit, so I’m essentially in hibernation mode. Though I’ll hit the market and a friend’s shower Saturday. Sunday, as you well know, is for football.
The Weekend is Here!
And what lovely weather we have.
I have zero plans this weekend. Andy’s going out of town for work/hunting, and I threatened to have a banger at our house. These days, that means eating popcorn with the dog while watching garbage television (I like Better Things and The Good Place for home alone watching).
On your list: Oktoberfests galore (I cannot wait to participate next year), National Apple Harvest Festival (bring me some donuts), Harvest Hopfest AT Tröegs??!!
https://www.sarabozich.com/2017/09/event-soma-pop-block-party-928/
We did this last month, and it got quite the buzz — Plus, who can argue with today’s weather? Grab a hoodie or scarf, and join us TONIGHT for great food, local craft beer and live music along S. Third St. in downtown Harrisburg.
Tomorrow, I’m swinging by The Millworks as PA Preferred announces its first registered PA Preferred Brew, Millworks PA Pale (Look for updates on social), then Salman Rushdie at Midtown Scholar by night.
Andy asked me, “What do we have Sunday?”
One thing: Fooooootballl. It’s #RavensWeek. (Read Jimi’s rundown).
Did you know that September is one of the busiest months of the year, festival-wise? Likely because the weather is (typically) so nice. What this all means is another busy weekend. Here are my picks:
Tonight: ZerØday hosts Boozy Bingo. Have you tried their latest creation, When Did We Get A Dog?
Swing by downtown Camp Hill Saturday morning and do a little shopping for the Borough’s Harvest Hop. The businesses are loaded with specials, deals and refreshments all day long!
Then, drop by Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg (these two locations are like, 5 minutes apart from another — not different time zones) for the first-ever Harrisburg VeggieFest! We have a great lineup planned for you. PLUS – park for FREE for up to 4 hours when you download the ParkMobile app and use the code: LUVHBG.
Guys, on Sunday — football in my own house, watching my own team, hoping my Fantasy teams don’t fall apart (plus, I gotta beat Andy in one league — fingers crossed!)
As you read this, I’m likely en route to our last round of Poured shoots, at least for a little bit. I’m home this weekend, though Andy’s not, that’s his loss because I’m going to the Chef’s Table at The Garlic Poet on Saturday.
Since I learned that the stupid CBS All Access app is not, in fact, all access (what the hell do I need an app for to play the same damn game that is on my television??), I’m going to a stupid bar to watch stupid football. THANKS ROGER GOODELL. Thankfully, next weekend I can finally watch from the comfort of my own couch. There will be nachos.
Of course, this is all after I hit up Next Step Performance and Broad Street Market Saturday morning. I might miss this routine the most.
I’m headed to State College tonight — not for the Pitt/PSU game — but to rep Poured in PA at the Brewers of Pennsylvania Mid-Atlantic Symposium.
Back in time Friday for our podcast recording with Beer Busters (You’re invited!), then hopping on the turnpike Saturday for a baby shower (mine), then turning around and heading back to see if I can actually watch the Steelers game with the CBS All Access app.
JOIN us on S. Third St. (Market to Chestnut will be closed) for the SoMa Night Light Pop-Up Party! Bricco, El Sol, Fresa Bistro all feature specials, ZerØday and Boneshire Brew Works will be selling pints, Urban Churn and Popped Culture will have their treats. PLUS, we have live music from Little Brother Band, live artists, magicians and circus performers! A can’t-miss!
Oh hey, it’s Labor Day weekend, which in Harrisburg always equals Kipona. (Psst – the Biergarten is BACK and bigger than before!)
I have one more Fantasy Football draft to go — Have you joined our FREE pick’em league?
The heart of SoMa: S. 3rd Street between Market and Chestnut streets
What’s SoMa?
Even long-time residents may not know that SoMa stands for “South of Market,” a longstanding attempt to add some urban cool to a few square blocks of downtown Harrisburg.
Harristown Enterprises, which owns much of the area, is trying to add new energy to the decade-old branding and marketing effort. At the same time, it wants the public to see how far the once-blighted neighborhood has come.
“A lot has happened over the years,” said Brad Jones, Harristown president and CEO. “We want to show that off.”
To that end, the company recently installed new decorative banners, is stringing up lights across S. 3rd Street and is throwing a big block party on Thursday night with music, food and drink. It’s a debut of sorts for an area with several newly renovated apartment buildings, offices, retail spaces and restaurants.
About 20 years ago, an Urban Land Institute study recommended focusing on these blocks as a special district for revitalization, as it was one of the few downtown areas that retained its historic character of small, attached commercial buildings.
In the early 2000s, that effort began in earnest with the creation of International House and Bricco restaurant. That was followed by Messiah College’s Harrisburg Institute, the renovation of several buildings into student housing for Harrisburg University, the repurposing of a few old buildings into high-end apartments and the construction of the Blackberry Technology Center from a long-empty, dilapidated former hardware store, among other projects.
Jones estimates that, over the years, about $20 million has been invested in the area that runs from Market to Chestnut streets between S. 2nd and S. 4th streets.
More projects are planned. For instance, Harristown has contracted with Harrisburg-based K&W Engineering to develop a comprehensive streetscape design that likely will include elements like new street furniture, greenery and stamped concrete accents.
Going forward, Jones said he’d like to see more boutique-style retail in the area, which would fit in well with the area’s restored brick rowhouses and small commercial buildings.
“It’s always had all the elements of a really neat neighborhood,” he said. “It just needed things to be filled in.”
The Night Light Pop Up Party, produced by Harristown Enterprises and SaraBozich.com, takes place 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31, on S. 3rd Street between Market and Chestnut streets.
Author: Lawrance Binda
