It’s official. We are at a pretty dreary time of year. The weather ain’t great. I’m fairly sure it rained for 27 hours straight last week. It’s cold, it’s dark, the post-holiday blues are rearing their ugly heads.
I know the last thing you probably want to do is go outside. But the best way to wash away those winter blues is to find something to do! Board and video games, puzzles, cooking, and other at-home activities are great, but sometimes you just need to get out of the house and shake off the dust!
If I’ve said it once in the last almost 21 years, I’ve said it eleventy-billion times. If you say there isn’t anything to do in our area, you aren’t even trying. Even in the cold, wet, dreary days of January, there is still plenty of fun to be had in our area. So, let’s get to it!
Let’s start with last week’s cover story. January 17th brings the Harlem Wizards back to the Magic Dome at Williamsport High School! This great family-friendly event will benefit the Williamsport Area School District’s Education Foundation. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m., and you can find links to tickets on the WASD Facebook page.
Next Saturday, January 27th, will be the Uptown Music Collective’s annual fundraising show. This year, it will be “Decade of Grunge,” so if you were a ’90s teen like me, be sure to get tickets and go see what is sure to be an awesome show! The show will feature iconic sounds from grunge legends like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, as well as ’90s mainstays like The Smashing Pumpkins, Bush, Alanis Morissette, Hole, and more, brought to life by the talented Special Performance Group 1. We’ll have all the details for that next week!
Also, on January 27th, there is a Mystery Dinner Theater! Happening at the Scottish Rite at 6:00 p.m. in the Howard “Little Theater.” This will be an evening of “whodunit” entertainment. The Resounding Cymbals Performing Arts will present a fun night of mystery and intrigue while you dine. Dinner menu: tossed salad, bread, roasted pork tenderloin, macaroni and cheese, roasted vegetables, iced tea and coffee, and ice cream cake. The cost for dinner and the show is $35. Show only is $15. A non-refundable payment must be made with your reservation. This is a BYOB event. For reservations, call the Scottish Rite office at 570-323-6194 or stop at 348 Market St., Williamsport.
If you can’t wait that long to solve a murder and don’t mind a little bit of a drive, Rusty Rail in Mifflinburg is also hosting a Murder Mystery Dinner! Join them for a unique, interactive murder mystery dinner show where guests can interview the cast and guess ‘Who Dun It?’ Planned to be surprised as you try to solve: “Murder in the Court!” This will surely be a social, fun-filled dinner, most suitable for adults. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for cocktail hour, with dinner served at 7:00 p.m. Guests will receive an information book and answer sheets—ticket Price: $65 per guest. The menu and ticket links are on Rusty Rail’s Facebook page.
Have you been binge-watching TV shows since the time change? Has one of those shows been Schitt’s Creek? If so, put your knowledge to the test on Friday, January 19th, at Bald Birds Brewing Co. in Jersey Shore! It starts at 7:00 p.m. Teams must have a minimum of 4 people and a maximum of 8! To register, email elle@baldbirdsbrewing.com.
Want to warm up on a cold day? Test your mettle at the Lewisburg Farmers Market’s Hot Wing-Eating Contest! Their 2nd Annual Hot Wing-Eating Contest will test your spicy wing tolerance against other contestants and help raise money for a good cause. Cash Prizes for the top three winners. Raffle prizes and more! $25 donation to enter, and proceeds go to support the Hunger Coalition! This contest will be limited to 20 contestants. The event will be on January 24th at 1:30 p.m., and you can find the link to register on the Lewisburg Farmers Market FB page.
If that doesn’t make you feel warm inside, maybe some chili will help! Spice up your Saturday at Horsepower Harley-Davidson’s Chili Cook-Off on January 27th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.! Free entry, $500 cash prizes, live music, and ice-cold beer await! Plus, get 20% off licensed products & up to $4,000 off select pre-owned motorcycles. Join them to support Eat Share and help our community – register now via their FB page.
Farrington Place is excited to announce its next Pop-Up Restaurant Experience! The crowd-pleasing Pop-Up Restaurants featuring Farrington Place’s very own award-winning Chef Dave Knight will be cooking up some of France’s favorites! On Saturday, February 3rd, Chef Knight will serve his take on a Taste of France. Reservations and prepayment are required using the link on their FB page or by calling 570-567-7611. Tickets are $75/per person.
If you over-indulged over the holidays, maybe it’s time to get some exercise — and then treat yourself! The Barrne is hosting a ‘Barre and Brunch’ at Jeremiah’s (above the Bullfrog) on Sunday, February 4th, at 8:30 a.m. The cost is $45, which includes a kick-butt class, a fun drink, brunch, and a tip! Venmo, PayPal, cash, or check to reserve your spot, and you can contact the Barrne via FB.
Take a little drive and be sure to check out the 35th annual Early Bird Sports Expo at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds, January 25th-28th. Everything hunting, fishing, and outdoor related! 130+ vendors across three buildings. 3D archery shoot, paper shoot, BB gun shoot for kids, ax throwing, kids scavenger hunt, face painting, and so much more! All the up-to-date details are at earlybirdexpo.net.
The Montoursville Key Club, Builders Club, and the Montoursville Kiwanis Club are hosting a character breakfast at Montoursville High School on January 20th from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Meet superheroes, princesses, and more, all while enjoying a great breakfast and supporting your community! Adults are $10.00, children under 12 are $5.00.
Give the kids some fun at Centered Earth in Muncy at a Wheel Thrown Pottery Class! A perfect option for younger students (ages 8-15) to experience the potter’s wheel! Watch an overview of the process with our instructor, and get step-by-step guidance to throw your own bowl on the wheel. Projects will remain in the studio for firing and glazing with the dip glaze color of your choice. Pieces will be available for pickup approx. 2-3 weeks after the class. The cost includes everything you need! Ages 8-15 only. Register today at http://www.centeredearth.com/kids.
Centered Earth and Narrow House Metals come together for a Hammered Clasping Bangle Class on January 25th, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Join local jeweler Melissa Jenkins to create a beautiful clasping bangle bracelet using just sterling silver wire and a few tools & tricks. Choose a classic polished finish, or add some texture for a different look. Perfect for stacking or worn by itself! The class is beginner-level and recommended for ages 15+. Reserve your spots at https://www.centeredearth.com/jewelry-classes.
Cold weather calls for comfort food! Trinity Episcopal Pro-Cathedral, 844 W. 4th St., Williamsport, will hold a Lasagna Dinner on Wednesday, February 7th, from 4:00-6:30 p.m. Dinner includes meat lasagna, salad, bread, beverage, and homemade dessert. Eat in or takeout. The dinner costs $13 for adults, $6 for children (12 & younger), and $9 for lasagna only. For more information, call 570-322-0126 or email trinitychurchpa@comcast.net.
Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it, so make something special for your special person at a Stained-Glass Rose Class! Join us at Wildberry Studios in Downtown Williamsport for this exciting art class! In this class, you will make a bouquet of Stained-Glass Roses! This is a great introductory Stained Glass Class. You will learn how to cut glass and solder, and design your roses. Display in a vase or a planter. You can make a short version to hang. Choose your own colors! All materials and instructions provided are $45. You will make up to six roses, depending on how many you can finish in 2.5 hours. Ages 18 and up. The Complete Class Calendar: https://WildberryStudiosClassCalendar.as.me/.
On Saturday, January 20th, the Muncy Public Library will host a Winter Walk from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. All ages walk around the area, looking at the winter trees, plants, and animals. There will be a nature craft at the end!
Speaking of library events, stop by the Milton Public Library anytime between 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on January 31st and help create some outside art. Create ice ornaments that they will hang outside. All ages are welcome.
If you are looking to eat healthier in the new year, join NourishPA on January 24th at 6:00 p.m. for a Healthy New Year Cooking Demo with a dietician! Taste a delicious recipe after learning how to make it while hearing all about its nutritional value. We’ll also discuss nutrition tips to get you started on a happy & healthy new year. Link to register: https://bit.ly/RegisterNourishPA. This event is offered in person and online. We encourage you to come in person so you can taste test! Spots are limited, and registration is required. Please choose either In-Person or Virtual when registering.
February 2nd-4th will be the 20th annual Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival. It’s worth the trip to see all the sculptures, vendors, food, and more! Head to https://www.lewisburgpa.com/ice-festival-2024/ for a complete list of daily events!
Heat Wave Weekend at Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland is coming this weekend! Forget about the forecast and warm up at the zoo with their Heat Wave Weekend. Catch TWO special shows – Desert and Tropical Rainforest. Shows are at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. and last approximately 30 minutes. Each show will offer the opportunity to touch a live reptile.
January 23rd brings Dancing With the Stars to the Community Arts Center in downtown Williamsport. Dancing with the Stars is back on tour to heat up this winter with a dazzling, sexy, high-energy, brand-new live production. Professional dancers include Brandon Armstrong, Rylee Arnold, Alan Bersten, Daniella Karagch, Pasha Pashkov, Gleb Savchenko, Emma Slater, and Britt Stewart. You can get tickets at caclive.com!
“A Few Good Men” is coming to the Community Theater League in February! The Aaron Sorkin Broadway-Hit play and Academy Award Nominated film. A Few Good Men takes a biting look into the modern power play of authority, sexism, politics, law, the military, and morality. Two Marines stand trial for their participation in the death of a fellow Marine at Guantanamo Bay sizzles on stage. The Navy defense attorney, a callow young man more interested in softball games than the case, expects a plea bargain and a cover-up of what really happened. Prodded by a female member of his defense team, the lawyer eventually makes a valiant effort to defend his clients and, in so doing, puts the military mentality and the Marine code of honor on trial. A Few Good Men delivers on every dramatic level and leaves the audience wondering if it can “handle the truth.” The show runs February 2nd-4th and 8th-11th, and tickets are available at ctlshows.com.
So, at this point, I’ve given you almost 2,000 words worth of stuff to do. And I haven’t even touched all the local music to be found all across the area. I would have included those, but I can only take up so much space in the paper, and no one wants to read me droning on for what would probably be another 2,000 words!
This also doesn’t include all the hunting, fishing (though I don’t think it’s been cold enough for ice fishing yet!), hiking, and other outdoor opportunities our area provides.
Ski Sawmill, the Sunbury Ice Skating rink, all the skiing and tubing in the Poconos. There is plenty of outdoor fun to be had if that’s your jam.
So, as the days start to get a little longer but also a little colder, bundle up and head out and find some fun to shake off that Seasonal Depression and beat back the winter blues!
