Mark Your Calendar For Another Spectacular Pottstown ArtsWalk – A Free Event – Saturday, May 6, 2017!

Pottstown, PA —“We have always recognized and embraced what the arts and collaboration can do for a community”, said Erika Hornburg-Cooper, ArtFusion19464. Join us for a day of discovery on Saturday, May 6, 2017 from 12 pm to 9 pm. Arts and culture organizations, local businesses and restaurants are teaming up to bring you an amazing day of fun, food and entertainment.

“The Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority (PDIDA) is excited to be a part in this venture. It has been very exciting to see our downtown community pull together with our arts and cultural organizations to create this amazing event,” states Sheila Dugan, PDIDA.

Viewing the art in a kind of “pub crawl” format adds to the fun and energetic quality of this event. Family-friendly activities are being planned. Nearly 20 downtown business will be open to showcase original artwork displays and live musical entertainment.

“It all starts with the arts!” said Lauren Pierson-Swanson, Steel River Playhouse. “To know Pottstown is to love it. The people behind the businesses and attractions on and around High Street are smart, driven and dedicated to this beautiful historic town. Art has always been a catalyst in the rejuvenation of American communities and is the focus of Pottstown ArtsWalk.”

While this event is free, we ask that you pre-register for your free ticket. Each is valid for one person to join the Pottstown ArtsWalk on Saturday, May 6, 2017, and you can order as many as you need. Visit http://www.artfusion19464.org/artwalk.

Get a taste for all the activities, food and arts presentations. Here is a list of venues joining us Saturday, May 6th to showcase Pottstown and all that our community has to offer:

@107, 107 E. High St. and Advantage Insurance
ArtFusion 19464, 254 E. High St.
Ballroom on High, 310 E. High St.
Beverly’s Pastry Shop, 322 E. High St.
Connections on High, 238 E. High St.
Grumpy’s Handcarved Sandwiches, 137 E. High St.
High Street Music, 135 E. High St.
iCreate Cafe, 130 King St.
Juan Carlos Fine Mexican Cuisine, 235 E. High St.
Lily’s Grill, 115 E. High St.
MCCC North Hall Gallery, 16 E. High St.
Memory Madness Photo Studio, 16 N. York St.
MOSIAC Community Land Trust, 10 S. Hanover St.
Potts & Penn Family Diner, 80 E. High St.
Smith Family Plaza, 100 E. High St.
Steel River Playhouse, 245 E. High St.
The Carousel at Pottstown, 30 W. King St.
The Hill School Center for the Performing Arts, 780 Beech St.
Weitzenkorn’s, 145 E. High St.

To get the latest update on locations and activities, visit http://www.artfusion19464.org/artwalk and don’t forget to pre-register for Pottstown ArtsWalk!

Pottstown ArtsWalk is brought to you in partnership through
ArtFusion19464, Steel River Playhouse, @107, Proudly Pottstown and Advantage Insurance Group.

The Culinary Arts Institute Of Montgomery County Community College Hosting Culinary And Hospitality Job Fairs

Blue Bell/Pottstown, PA —Area residents interested in career opportunities in restaurants, casinos, corporate dining operations, grocery stores or senior living facilities are invited to attend two upcoming job fairs hosted by The Culinary Arts Institute of Montgomery County Community College in Lansdale, Pa. on March 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Dress for success, bring an updated resume and get ready to meet employers, gather information and apply for jobs. 

The Culinary Arts Institute is located at 1400 Forty Foot Road in Lansdale. For more information, call 267-646-5970. 

About Montgomery County Community College    
For more than 50 years, Montgomery County Community College has grown with the community to meet the evolving educational needs of Montgomery County. The College’s comprehensive curriculum includes nearly 100 associate degree and certificate programs, as well as customized workforce training and certifications. Students enjoy the flexibility of learning at the College’s thriving campuses in Blue Bell and Pottstown, at the Culinary Arts Institute in Lansdale, and online through a robust Virtual Campus.    

As an Achieving the Dream Leader College, the institution is positioned at the vanguard of national efforts to increase completion, improve learning outcomes, and remove barriers to access for students. The College is also recognized regionally and nationally for its sustainability leadership, work with military veterans, community service and service learning opportunities, and use of classroom technology. For more information, visit http://www.mc3.edu.    

11th Annual Pottstown Celebrates Young Children & Pottstown YMCA Healthy Kids Day

Second Annual Young At Art Expo Is Back!

The Lehigh Valley Arts Council is proud to present the second annual Young at Art Expo.on Saturday, March 11, 2017. Held at Penn State Lehigh Valley, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, this event invites families with children of all ages to enjoy music, dance, arts and exploration. Admission is free and open to the public.

Local arts providers will assist parents with selecting the right summer class for their aspiring creatives. Parents will witness first-hand how the arts ignite their children’s imagination, while their kids get the chance to explore their inner dancer, actor, musician, author or visual artist.

“Young at Art is a day devoted to curiosity and entertainment,” says Executive Director Randall Forte. “Last year, we welcomed over 300 guests to our inaugural event, and the positive response from local families was wonderful!”

“My girls loved the different activity tables and face painting,” said Hazel Singleton Chumo, mother of two fun-loving girls, ages 7 and 4. “They also enjoyed the live performances which made it more entertaining.”

The expo showcases twenty arts and cultural businesses in the region that offer a wide range of children’s programming, both for beginners and for kids at an intermediate level. Among them include Community Music School, Banana Factory, Allegro Dance Studio, Swain School, Mikayla’s Voice, and the Mayura Academy of Dance.

The day’s festivities will feature an arts demonstration or performance every fifteen minutes, so kids will have a chance “to imagine what kind of artist” they want to be this summer. Families will have the opportunity to meet different arts instructors and join in hands-on activities. Lunch will be available for purchase, and parking is free.

For more information, visit http://www.lvartscouncil.org/young-at-art/.

Reggae Night At The Other Farm Features RED-I, Firefly Cafe

RED-I

Boyertown, PA —The Other Farm Brewing Company, located at 128 E. Philadelphia Ave. in Boyertown, will host its monthly Reggae Night on Thursday, Jan. 26. The event will feature food from Firefly Cafe and music from local reggae band RED-I. Admission is $5. Doors open at 7 p.m., with music and food service beginning at 8 p.m. For information, visit fireflycafeboyertown.com or call the cafe at 484-415-5066.

Boyertown’s own Firefly Cafe will offer vegan, Caribbean-inspired street food for purchase during the event. Music will be provided by RED-I, a Boyertown-based reggae band fronted by Firefly Cafe co-owner Michael Arcangel on guitar and vocals. Other members include Stephen Kurtz on bass, Paul Jameson on guitar, Kyle Seivard on keyboard, Jordan Lambert on percussion and Tim Leslie on drums.

This is the fourth collaboration between The Other Farm, Firefly Cafe and RED-I. Future Reggae Nights will be scheduled monthly.

Located in the heart of Boyertown, Firefly Cafe is a vegan restaurant that offers organic, gluten-free and locally sourced food options. For cafe hours, menus and catering info, visit fireflycafeboyertown.com or join the cafe on Facebook, http://www,facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown]facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown; Twitter, @fireflycafeveg; or Instagram, @fireflycafeboyertown.

Boyertown’s Firefly Cafe Goes Fully Vegan, Plans For Expansion

Firefly Interior: Fire Cafe offers diners a cozy and relaxed atmosphere in downtown Boyertown.

Firefly Sign: Firefly Cafe is located at 12 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown.

Vegan Pulled Pork: Firefly Cafe’s vegan pulled pork sandwich is a customer favorite.

Boyertown, PA — Firefly Cafe, located at 12 N. Reading Ave. in Boyertown, ushered in the new year with a fully vegan menu, replacing its dairy cheeses with plant-based alternatives. 

“This is something we always hoped to do,” explained Loriann Wade, who owns and operates Firefly Cafe with her husband Michael Martinez. “Since opening, we slowly started to remove dairy items from the menu with positive feedback from our customers.” 

The announcement drew high praise and support from Firefly’s Facebook community.

“The improved quality of vegan cheeses and our customers’ responses to those cheeses has made the transition from vegetarian to vegan pretty seamless,” said Wade.

Going vegan is only the first of several big changes in store for Firefly Cafe in 2017. Later this month, the cafe will introduce a grab and go section, featuring items such as vegan chicken and egg salad sandwiches, vegan sides like potato and quinoa salads and house-made vegan dressings.

Then, in fall 2017, Wade and Martinez have plans to open a vegan general store adjacent to the cafe. Here, customers will be able to purchase prepared grab and go items, specialty and hard to find vegan products, natural bath and body products and even holistic dog treats.

“Our expansion plans have drawn a positive response. There’s a huge need for this type of vegan outpost in the area,” said Wade.

To compliment the cafe and general store, Wade and Martinez look to expand Firefly’s catering services and introduce vegan cooking classes. Firefly will also continue to host vegan pop-up cafes throughout the region—like the Caribbean-inspired vegan fare the cafe offers during monthly Reggae Nights at The Other Farm Brewing Company.

Located in the heart of Boyertown, Firefly Cafe is a vegan restaurant that offers organic, gluten-free and locally sourced food options. For cafe hours, menus and catering info, visit fireflycafeboyertown.com or join the cafe on Facebook, http://www,facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown]facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown; Twitter, @fireflycafeveg; or Instagram, @fireflycafeboyertown. 

Mark Your Calendar For Pottstown ArtsWalk – A Free Event – Saturday, January 7, 2017!

POTTSTOWN, PA  –  “We have always recognized and embraced what the arts and collaboration can do for a community”, said Erika Hornburg-Cooper, ArtFusion19464. Join us for a day of discovery on Saturday, January 7, 2017. Arts and culture organizations, local businesses and restaurants are teaming up to bring you an amazing day of fun, food and entertainment. “The Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority (PDIDA) is excited to be a part in this venture. It has been very exciting to see our downtown community pull together with our arts and cultural organizations to create this amazing event,” states Sheila Dugan, PDIDA.

Viewing the art in a kind of “pub crawl” format adds to the fun and energetic quality of this event. Family-friendly activities are scheduled from 2 to 4 pm and from 4 to 8 pm more great activities designed for adults. Nearly 20 downtown business will be open to showcase original artwork displays and live musical entertainment.

 

“It all starts with the arts!” said Lauren Pierson-Swanson, Steel River Playhouse. “To know Pottstown is to love it. The people behind the businesses and attractions on and around High Street are smart, driven and dedicated to this beautiful historic town. Art has always been a catalyst in the rejuvenation of American communities and is the focus of Pottstown ArtsWalk.”

While this event is free, we ask that you pre-register for your free ticket. Each is valid for one person to join the Pottstown ArtsWalk on Saturday, January 7, 2017, and you can order as many as you need. Visit www.artfusion19464.org/artwalk.

Get a taste for all the activities, food and arts presentations. Here is a list of venues and artists joining us Saturday, January 7th to showcase Pottstown and all that the our community has to offer:

@107, 107 E. High St. and Advantage Insurance – music by Cordilla Arcay and Matt Asti and original artwork display from John Quinn; light refreshments; wine tasting

ArtFusion 19464, 254 E. High St. – local artists’ collections, an interactive art experience, and soup bowl glazing fundraiser

Ballroom on High, 310 E. High St. – free dance lesson and live band dance with Temple Avenue; refreshments

Beverly’s Pastry Shop, 322 E. High St. – discounts on sweet treats

Connections on High, 238 E. High St. – custom portrait making and local artists’ displays; hot holiday beverages

Grumpy’s Handcarved Sandwiches, 137 E. High St.– Pottstown HS Culinary Arts students will be making/serving complimentary hors d’oeuvres; discounts on food/meal during the ArtsWalk

High Street Music, 135 E. High St. – original artwork display by Pottstown HS students and the Craig Clemens Jazz Trio

iCreate Cafe, 130 King St. – discounts on food/meal during the ArtsWalk

Juan Carlos Fine Mexican Cuisine, 235 E. High St. – discounts on food/meal during the ArtsWalk

Lily’s Grill, 115 E. High St. – discounts on food/meal during the ArtsWalk

MCCC North Hall Gallery, 16 E. High St. – staged reading of A Bright Room Called Day by Tony Kushner

Memory Madness Photo Studio, 16 N. York St. – open house

MOSIAC Community Land Trust, 10 S. Hanover St. – painting Schuylkill River rocks for placement in gardens around town

Potts & Penn Family Diner, 80 E. High St. – discounts on food/meal during the ArtsWalk

Smith Family Plaza, 100 E. High St. – view sculptures by Eric Berg

Steel River Playhouse, 245 E. High St. – hand-made theatrical costume display by Ally Boughter; artwork by Thomas Poplawski

The Carousel at Pottstown, 30 W. King St. – meet artists of the all-volunteer organization and hear presentations on the project’s history

The Hill School Center for the Performing Arts, 780 Beech St. – paper lantern art activity and backstage tours

Weitzenkorn’s, 145 E. High St. – view works by our families fifth generation, light refreshments

To get the latest update on locations and activities, visit artfusion19464.org or www.steelriver.org. Don’t forget to pre-register for Pottstown ArtsWalk! Visit www.artfusion19464.org/artwalk.

Pottstown ArtsWalk is brought to you in partnership through ArtFusion19464, Steel River Playhouse, @107, Proudly Pottstown and Advantage Insurance Group.

P.S. A great ending to a great day with lots of laughs! The N Crowd Improv Group from Philly will be at Steel River Playhouse for an 8 pm show! Tickets available at www.steelriver.org

Firefly Cafe, Red-I Join The Other Farm For Reggae Night In Boyertown

Boyertown based reggae band RED-I performs at The Other Farm Brewing Company on Nov. 25, 2016. Photo by Alana J. Mauger

Boyertown, PA —The Other Farm Brewing Company, located at 128 E. Philadelphia Ave. in Boyertown, will host its monthly Reggae Night on Thursday, Dec. 22. The event will feature food from Firefly Cafe and music from local reggae band RED-I. Admission is $5. Doors open at 7 p.m., with music and food service beginning at 8 p.m. For information, visit fireflycafeboyertown.com or call the cafe at 484-415-5066.

Boyertown’s own Firefly Cafe will offer vegan, Caribbean-inspired street food for purchase during the event. Music will be provided by RED-I, a Boyertown-based reggae band fronted by Firefly Cafe co-owner Michael Arcangel on guitar and vocals. Other members include Stephen Kurtz on bass, Paul Jameson on guitar, Kyle Seivard on keyboard, Jordan Lambert on percussion and Tim Leslie on drums.

This is the third collaboration between The Other Farm, Firefly Cafe and RED-I. Future Reggae Nights will be scheduled monthly.

Located in the heart of Boyertown, Firefly Cafe is a vegetarian restaurant that offers organic, vegan, gluten-free and locally sourced food options. For cafe hours, menus and catering info, visit fireflycafeboyertown.com or join the cafe on Facebook, facebook.com/fireflycafeboyertown; Twitter, @fireflycafeveg; or Instagram, @fireflycafeboyertown.

Event For Pottstown Historical Society At Manatawny Still Works

The Pottstown Historical Society will meet Monday, November 21, 2016, at 7:00 pm at the Manatawny Still Works, at 320 Circle of Progress, in Pottstown. The cost is $15 per person, payable at the door. Entry includes a tour, one drink and a tasting of their local PA-distilled spirits, and a souvenir glass to take home. All are welcome. For questions, email PottstownHistory@gmail, or call 610-970-7355.

Water for the distillery is from the Manatawny Creek, fed by rare freestone streams at the base of the area watershed. The spirits have Pottstown namesakes, including J. Potts Whiskey, T. Rutter Rum, Keystone Whiskey, and Hidden River Gin. Come learn about how the earliest Americans made their spirits, and how that careful craftsmanship is translated into the 21st century.

Please join us for this fun and educational field trip with the Pottstown Historical Society.

Hoover Financial Advisors Fundraising Results For Chester County Food Bank

Malvern, PA – In 2012, Hoover Financial Advisors, PC, selected Chester County Food Bank as its charity of record. Each autumn it holds a Fall Funds for Food campaign to raise money for the food bank before the holidays. With participation from employees, clients and business colleagues HFA has brought in close to $50,000 since 2012.

At a recent check presentation, Pete Hoover, HFA founder and CEO, contributed $15,000 to the local food bank on behalf of HFA and its clients. “At this time of year, we look forward to upcoming holidays and many wonderful family dinners,” says Hoover. “What we too often overlook is the fact there are thousands of people who are unable to gather around the table and enjoy a delicious meal. Not in Chester County, you may say. Sadly, the fact is one in 14 people in the wealthiest county in Pennsylvania lack reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable nutritious food. HFA hopes to make the upcoming months brighter for these families.”

In addition to financial donations, this summer HFA’s staff created food boxes for kids and picked tomatoes at Pete’s Produce Farm. For each dollar donated by financial planning firm, Chester County Food Bank can provide four meals or five pounds of food. Since its inception in 2009, it has provided the equivalent of 1.7 million meals. Eighty-nine percent of the food bank’s operating budget supports the hungry.

HFA, which is headquartered on Moores Road in Malvern, was launched in 2005 by Hoover, who has been an independent financial advisor for more than 30 years. Since its inception, HFA has quadrupled in size. Employees include client relationship managers, financial planners, insurance and tax specialists, investment analyst and an information services manager. This year, HFA PC was named to the Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisers list. In 2012, it was selected as Small Business of the Year by Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry. For more information, visit its website at petehoover.com or call 610.651.2777. To learn about Chester County Food Bank, call 610.873.6000 or go to chestercountyfoodbank.org.

Jingle Bell Bingo Coming December 2, 2016

Nov. 5-6 – “At Table With Mrs. Potts” Program At Pottsgrove Manor

Pottstown, PA – Learn about colonial hospitality at historic Pottsgrove Manor on
Saturday, November 5, 2016 and Sunday, November 6, 2016 during “At Table with Mrs. Potts: A Georgian Dining Experience.”

Historic foodways expert Niel V. de Marino will be on site focusing on the foods and dining experience of a colonial household like that of the Potts family. The Saturday workshop will allow participants to prepare 18th-century dishes and the demonstration on Sunday will allow the public to see how a dinner party would have come together in the Georgian era.

The Saturday workshop runs from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and is open to participants ages 14 and older.

There is a fee of $60.00 per person for the workshop. The class size is limited to 10. Registration and payment are required by October 28, 2016. A printable registration form is available online at http://montcopa.org/DocumentCenter/View/12200.

 
The Sunday demonstration runs from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm and is open to the public of all ages. A $2.00 per person donation is suggested for the demonstration. No registration is needed.

 
Regular museum hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Tours are given on the hour. The last tour of the day begins at 3:00 pm. The site is closed Mondays and major holidays. Groups of ten or more should pre-register by calling 610-326-4014.

 
Pottsgrove Manor is located at 100 West King Street near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Pottsgrove Manor is operated by Montgomery County under the direction of the Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites Division of the Assets and Infrastructure Department. For more information, please call 610-326-4014, or visit the website at www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor. Like Pottsgrove Manor on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pottsgrovemanor.

Mosaic Community Gardens News

Mosaic Community Gardens are always “popping up” with opportunities to become a member or join the Community Land Trust board.

Join us for a social evening at our newest garden location, Elizabeth B. Barth Elementary School, to find out more about the organization or to reserve your garden bed for the 2017 growing season.  The FREE evening social takes place on Friday, October 28 from 5-7 PM. We will be inside the school – meals will be served and information offered!  Please plan to join us!

Contact our garden manager at 484-300-2410 if you have any questions or need additional information.

Also, our next workshop is in the “works”, please be on the lookout for more details in an upcoming email, Facebook post and on our website!

“An Apple A Day -The Colonial Way” – Oct 22 At Pottsgrove Manor

Pottstown, PA – Enjoy autumn at historic Pottsgrove Manor with “An Apple a Day, the Colonial Way” on Saturday, October 22, 2016 from 11:00 am to 3:00

pm.

Pottsgrove Manor’s staff and volunteers will demonstrate some of the ways apples were used in colonial days. Learn how apples would be made into both sweet and hard cider, and try working the cider press. Watch the colonial cooks as they make historic apple recipes. Young visitors can make themed crafts to take home.

There is a suggested donation of $2.00 per person for this program. The manor house will be open for guided tours on the hour of the site’s current exhibit, “Potts and Family: Colonial Consumers,” and visitors are welcome to shop in the museum store.

Pottsgrove Manor is located at 100 West King Street near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Regular museum hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm and Sunday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Tours begin on the hour. The last tour of the day begins at 3:00pm.

Pottsgrove Manor is operated by Montgomery County under the direction of the Parks, Trails, and

Historic Sites Division of the Assets and Infrastructure Department. For more information, please call

610-326-4014, or visit the website at www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor. Like Pottsgrove Manor on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pottsgrovemanor.

Fall Festival 2016 Marks The Closing Of All Mosaic Gardens

Western Montgomery Career & Technology Center Community Night Dinner Buffet

Annual Meals On Wheels Fundraising Event Featuring The Fabulous Greaseband

 

Boyertown Area Multi-Service Holiday Bazaar

34th Annual Dinner -The Northeast Chapter Pennsylvania Sports Hall Of Fame Set For October

The 34th annual dinner of the Northeast Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame will be held on Sunday, October 2nd in the DeNaples Center of the University of Scranton, 800 Mulberry Street.  Cocktail hour begins at 4:45 PM with dinner at 6:00 PM.

This year the Northeast Chapter will induct 10 local athletes.  Tickets are $40.00 per person, $25.00 for children 10 years and up, and may be obtained by contacting Bob Walsh (570.346.2228) or Alice Foley (570.346.5796)

Pottstown Puts Best Foot Forward With Another Spectacular ‘Carousel of Flavor’ Food Festival

Thousands flocked to High Street in downtown Pottstown today for the 13th Annual Carousel of Flavor. This event is the primary fundraiser for the Carousel at Pottstown and one of the largest events hosted in the borough.  It turned out to be a beautiful day after some rain overnight and early this morning seemed menacing.

The trolley was carrying people from the festival site to the carousel building on regular intervals.  When I went, the trolley was full.  I noticed many folks taking advantage of the free ride.

The carousel is hopefully going to be up and running by the end of October.  This has been a decade long project that has finally reached completion.  We congratulate the Carousel committee and everyone involved for making this project a reality!

Here is a link to the entire album of photos from today https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154164324778192.1073741827.135214378191&type=1&l=7c017ae9ca