Hamburg, PA

December 10 - 11, 2011

Catch the Spirit Weekend

Hamburg will host a weekend with indoor and outdoor entertainment including the annual Historic House Tours, holiday musical performances featuring local musical and performance groups, unique gifts from artisans and crafters, business open houses and sales, kids' activities and more. There will be something for everyone at this holiday event!

Saturday's activities include a Children's Polar Express Party at the Reading Railroad Heritage Museum held at 10am and again at 1pm. Artisans and crafters will line the streets in downtown from 11am-3pm, making it the perfect time to hunt for unique gifts! During that time, parents and kids can pop into the Gallery of Hamburg to partake in a children's craft and a book signing with Joanne Bobeck, local author of A Day of Pond Snow. Be sure not to miss the holiday musical performance featuring the High School Strings and the Andulhea Heritage Choir at the First UCC Church at 2:30.

On Sunday, the holiday festivities continue! Cabela's, located a short distance from the downtown, will host holiday activities and Santa's Workshop from 9am-2pm. The Gallery of Hamburg will offer children's face painting at 2pm. Then at 2:30p.m., sneak into the Hamburg Strand Theatre for excerpts from the Nutcracker featuring Dance Pointe Studio and the Hamburg Area High School Jazz Band.

The Annual Historic House Tours will be held both nights of the event, guiding visitors around town to discover historic homes and buildings normally hidden behind walls and doors, festively decorated for the holiday season. The self-guided tour begins at the Gallery of Hamburg anytime between 5 and 7:30 p.m., where attendees will be welcomed with complimentary refreshments and musical entertainment. The tour is $10 for adults, $5 for students (age 13-18), and free for children under 12.
In addition, both evenings of the event The Hamburg Strand Theatre will run a classic Christmas movie for the whole family; regular admission rates apply.

The events will go on all weekend long to keep you entertained while you shop for friends and family members. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.hamburgpa.org or call 610-562-3106.

December 10-11, 2011

Catch the Spirit Weekend

Join us in Downtown Hamburg, Pennsylvania for a weekend of holiday events and festivities for the whole family! Historic house tours, children's activities and crafts, a variety of musical entertainment, business open houses, a wine and cheese gala in the Gallery of Hamburg and much more! The event is free and open to the public. All proceeds benefit the Our Town Foundation.

Visit their website: www.hamburgpa.org.

Vandalism Forces Closure of Schuylkill River Trail Pedestrian Bridge between Hamburg and Kernsville

This is a shame. A bridge that connects the Borough of Hamburg with the Kernsville Recreation Area along the Bartram Section of the Schuylkill River Trail has been temporarily shut down due to repeated vandalism.

Since September, the bridge’s railings and ramp have been damaged numerous times. The Schuylkill River Heritage Area, which owns and maintains that section of the trail, has attempted to repair the damage. However, all repairs have been followed by additional vandalism.

The most recent incident has left the railing and fence fabric hanging over the bridge’s edge, creating a safety hazard. Therefore, the bridge, which is used regularly by trail users, has been closed for safety reasons until repairs can be made.

Prior to the most recent incident, a local contractor had been hired to repair the bridge, beginning in mid-November. However, the additional damage is expected to increase the cost and length of the project. It is therefore not known when the bridge will reopen.

The Schuylkill River Heritage Area (SRHA) is managed by the non-profit Schuylkill River Greenway Association, which operates and maintains 28 miles of the Schuylkill River Trail without benefit of state, local or federal tax dollars, according to SRHA Trail Project Manager Robert Folwell.

Trail users wishing to travel from Hamburg to Kernsville will need to follow State Street, beginning at the trailhead, to Industrial Drive, where the trail picks up again near the pump station (surrounded by a chain link fence).

Anyone with information on available funds or funders to assist with repair efforts should contact the Schuylkill River Heritage Area at 484-945-0200.

October 3, 2008

6:00 - 9:00 pm

Summer in the City Art Stroll: "Mardi Gras & Blues"

6 - 9 pm, Downtown Hamburg.

Feel the "Soul" of the evening transform as you snap your fingers to some blues during or after some Cajun cooking. Experience the magic of a New Orleans style party mile.

Mary Domsicz 610-562-3106.