No Sad Notes At First Lancaster Roots & Blues Fest

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s doubtful there have ever been as many sad guitars and harmonicas in Lancaster as there were Friday during the initial night of the first, hopefully annual, Lancaster Roots & Blues music festival.

It was hard to keep up with all the music being unleashed since as many as six groups performed at once within walking distance of each other downtown.

“Woo, I hope Lancaster does this every year. This is a wonderful thing,” said a revved-up Karen Good, 54, of Conestoga, between searing guitar licks by Clarence Spady, which drew about 200 people to a one-hour set at the Lancaster County Convention Center.

All 28 acts showed up and performed to enthusiastic, sometimes intimate, sometimes large, vocal audiences.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/no-sad-notes-at-first-lancaster-roots-blues-fest/article_4d6763c4-9b70-11e3-8505-001a4bcf6878.html

Schuylkill River Festival 2013, October 12 From Noon To 6pm In Pottstown

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RiverFest celebrations are on Saturday, Oct 12, 2013 from noon until 6pm at Riverfront Park (140 College Drive in Pottstown)

Learn to Kayak along the river between 12 and 4:30 were kayaks and equipment will be available for a low cost ($15/half hour) through the day.

Take a kayak tour at 4:30 – Take a 2-mile paddle trip to Tow Path Park – shuttle & equipment is available at a small cost of $35. You can register the day of or go to    https://www.facebook.com/TakeItOutdoorsAG   or  takeitoutdoorsag@gmail.com or 610-656-3969 (fist come basis).

Historic River Walks at 1:00pm AND 4:00pm –  presented by the staff of Pottsgrove Manor.

Artists and Crafters will be present to display their creative arts and local music  will be heard throughout the day!

Read more: http://downtownpottstown.org/river-festival-2013-october-12-2013/

Fall Fest In Downtown West Reading, September 21st

Norristown Arts Hill Festival Set For May 4

Location of Norristown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORRISTOWN ­­— The fourth annual Norristown Arts Hill Festival on May 4 will have more than 30 music, theater, dance and spoken word acts on DeKalb Street from Lafayette Street to Penn Street.

The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the street will be closed to traffic from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Traffic on Main Street will continue throughout the festival day.  The Showcase Stage on DeKalb Street, across from the Centre Theater, will start with children’s acts from 10 a.m. to noon.

The festival will feature “Kids Corner,” a family-friendly, child-friendly performance, vending and activity area located in the 200 block of DeKalb Street.  Other musical acts are scheduled for later in the day on the Showcase stage.

The Festival Stage, on DeKalb Street above Penn, will feature 30-minute musical acts that will begin on the hour, said Richard Rogers Jr., the president of the Norristown Arts Council.

Read more:  http://www.timesherald.com/article/20130427/NEWS01/130429586/norristown-arts-hill-festival-set-for-may-4

GoggleWorks Arts Festival A Big Draw

Her travel plans to the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts were set a week in advance.

But early Sunday morning, Gail Rosenkrantz woke up in her New York apartment, hailed a cab to the Port Authority and wasn’t quite sure about where she was going.

Finally, after catching the 9 a.m. Bieber Tourways bus to Reading, she sat down and heard the question that was already on her mind:  “Why are you going to Reading?  It’s so dangerous,” another passenger asked.

Upon arriving at her destination, however, the 72-year-old legal secretary walked into the inaugural arts festival Reading and found the soft silk scarves she sought, along with welcoming gestures from strangers.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=422432

Oktoberfest To Expand At ArtsQuest’s SteelStacks

Oktoberfest, the most successful new festival in the first year of ArtsQuest’s SteelStacks campus in 2011, returns in October with new food, new contests and advance tickets that save festival-goers up to 25 percent, it was announced Monday.

The celebration of autumn and the Lehigh Valley‘s Germanic heritage, set for Oct. 5-7 and 12-14, will retain its most popular components: music, food, activities and, of course, beer. And it will have the same title sponsor: D.G. Yuengling & Son brewers.

“The first Oktoberfest celebration at SteelStacks was a huge hit, with nearly 25,000 people coming out,” said ArtsQuest Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations Curt Mosel. “This year’s festival will feature even more attractions and special events, with something for all ages.”

Yuengling announced that the Yuengling Oktoberfest beer debuted at last year’s festival “was so well received that it will make a triumphant return in kegs and now bottles for 2012,” Yuengling Marketing Manager Jen Holtzman said.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/mc-oktoberfest-artsquest-bethlehem-20120730,0,6919333.story

Streets Closing In Preparation For Celebrate Lancaster

The 14th annual Celebrate Lancaster kicks off this morning with the opening of about two dozen food stands and the closure of North Prince Street from Penn Square to Lancaster Square.

Thousands of people are expected to pack the streets throughout the day to sample the local fare and dance to the sounds of bluegrass, Latino music, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll.

The event will culminate with a large fireworks display that begins at 10 p.m.

Admission is free.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/674460_Streets-closing-in-preparation-for–Celebrate-Lancaster.html#ixzz1yXDvEhq3

“Come To The Fair!” – Annual Colonial May Fair At Pottsgrove Manor

Pottstown, Pennsylvania – Celebrate spring at the Annual Colonial May Fair held at historic Pottsgrove Manor on Saturday, May 5^th from 11:00am to 5:00pm.

This yearly event is a fun-filled day with activities for all ages—games, music, dancing, and crafts. New to the fair this year is colonial conjurer Levram the Great, who will perform colonial magic shows and entertain visitors with pocket magic tricks throughout the day. Tuckers’ Tales Puppet Theatre returns again this year to perform the puppet shows St. George and the Dragon and their brand-new adaptation of the classic Cinderella. They will also provide festive historic music around the grounds during the event. Members of the Tapestry Historic Dance Ensemble will demonstrate authentic country dances and will lead visitors in dances around the Maypole to open and close the fair. 

In addition to the entertainment, a variety of Early American crafters and demonstrators will be on hand to display historic skills and trades and sell their wares. Young visitors can compete in hoop races, play with colonial toys and games, help churn butter, and more! The first floor of colonial ironmaster John Potts’ 1752 manor house will be open for self-guided tours during the fair. Historic foodways expert Deborah Peterson of Deborah Peterson’s Pantry will be demonstrating open-hearth cooking in the Pottsgrove Manor kitchen. Visitors can also shop at the Manor’s museum shop for colonial games, books, and unique gifts. 

While visitors can’t try the food cooked in the colonial kitchen, they will be able to purchase food during the event, including a variety of tasty baked goods from the Milkman Lunch Co. and Cake Shoppe of Pottstown.

A donation of $2 per person is suggested for this event. Visitors are asked to park at the Carousel at Pottstown building, 30 West King Street. Visitors can also stop in to the Carousel and see the progress that is being made there. Pottstown’s restored trolley will be giving FREE rides during the fair between the “First Saturday” activities downtown, the Carousel at Pottstown, and Pottsgrove Manor. Handicapped parking is available in the museum’s parking lot.

Pottstown 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 and Heritage Services Department. For more information, call 610.326.4014, or visit us on the web at http://historicsites.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor.

Singer Sheryl Crow Gets Second Chance To Headline Musikfest

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An artist who canceled out a previous show at Musikfest is getting a second chance at the festival.

Sheryl Crow, who had the hits “Leaving Las Vegas,” “All I Want to Do,” “Strong Enough” and “If It Makes You Happy,” but canceled a sold-out Musikfest show at the last moment in 2001, will play at the festival’s main Steel Stage at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 10, it was announced Friday.

Tickets, at $30 and $40, go on sale to ArtsQuest members at 10 a.m. Feb. 28 and to the public at 10 a.m. March 2 at http://www.musikfest.org or by calling 610-332-3378.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/music/mc-sheryl-crow-musikfest-20120224,0,5033816.story

Celebrate Erie Starts Today And Runs Through Sunday

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Erie’s largest party kicked off tonight and will continue through Sunday with music, food, art, fireworks, kid’s activities and more!  Most of all it is free and family-friendly!  The Kids Zone is two whole blocks of fun!

The four-day event attracts over 100,000 people to downtown Erie where visitors pump over $3 million dollars into the local economy.

Erie, Pennsylvania’s fourth largest city, is located on beautiful Lake Erie and offers endless things to do in addition to the festival.  Head to Erie this weekend!

To check out the schedule of activities (and it’s a long list) click here: http://celebrateerie.com/index.html

Schuylkill River Festival – Pottstown

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The Schuylkill River Festival will be held here in Pottstown next Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm in Riverfront Park near the West Campus of MCCC.  Arts, crafts, kids activities, music and food will abound.  Best of all, it’s free! 

The river should be back to normal by then! 

For more details: 

http://www.schuylkillriver.org/ or http://www.mc3.edu/schuylkill-river-festival/ 

Looking For Something To Do This Weekend???

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Need a little spice in your life?  If so, head over to Bowers, PA (near Kutztown) for the 15th Annual Bowers Chile Pepper Festival September 10th & 11th.  Festival hours both days are 9 am to 6 pm.

 
The Chile Pepper Food Festival
William Delong Park
233 Bowers Rd Bowers Pa 19511

The festival features:

Salsa contest

Jalapeno eating contest

Food (hot and not)

Live music (Acoustic Roadshow)

No booze, no pets, free parking, admission by donation!

For more information:

http://www.pepperfestival.com/chile_2010/Page_1.html/

Family Halloween Fun – Great For Your Little Ones

Grace Lutheran Church & Preschool, 660 North Charlotte St., Pottstown, PA 19464 is having a Fall Saints Festival on October 30th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  There will be fun activities for the whole family.  Food, costume parade and BINGO!

If you are looking for a non-scary and safe environment to celebrate Halloween with your small children this would be a great idea for you.

The Fall Saints Festival is open to the public and free of charge.

For more information contact the church office at (610) 323-9320.

Restaurant Festival Today – Downtown Pottstown!

Sunday, October 4, 2009
Pottstown Borough
6th Annual Carousel of Flavors
12:00Noon to 4:00PM
100 Block High Street
Pottstown, PA 19464
(in front of Borough Hall)