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Harrisburg Ice & Fire Festival

Warm up your winter blues at Harrisburg’s largest winter festival! Enjoy free ice skating, dozens of ice sculptures, fire dancers, an ice slide, Artist Market, fire pits and smores, food trucks, glass blowing workshops, performances by local youth and community groups, ice cream eating contest and more!

Street parking is free after 5pm and before that you can use the code LUVHBG on the Parkmobile app to get 4 hours of free street parking. SP+ will also offer a $10 rate at the Market Square Garage from 10am-10pm. The train station is a short 5-minute walk away and there is a bus stop directly beside the festival.

Event is sponsored by M&T Bank, Visit Hershey & Harrisburg, Explore HBG, UPMC, CUSO Financial Services, Harrisburg University, Aetna, Harrisburg Downtown Improvements District, HB McClure Company and SP+.

Harrisburg Ice & Fire Festival

Warm up your winter blues at Harrisburg’s largest winter festival! Enjoy free ice skating, dozens of ice sculptures, fire dancers, an ice slide, Artist Market, fire pits and smores, food trucks, glass blowing workshops, performances by local youth and community groups, ice cream eating contest and more!

Street parking is free after 5pm and before that you can use the code LUVHBG on the Parkmobile app to get 4 hours of free street parking. SP+ will also offer a $10 rate at the Market Square Garage from 10am-10pm. The train station is a short 5-minute walk away and there is a bus stop directly beside the festival.

Event is sponsored by M&T Bank, Visit Hershey & Harrisburg, Explore HBG, UPMC, CUSO Financial Services, Harrisburg University, Aetna, Harrisburg Downtown Improvements District, HB McClure Company and SP+.

World Beats

Musical instruments from around the world will introduce us to the music, folklore, and cultural traditions that highlight the differences and similarities in all of us. Bring the family and explore cultures through story and song. Best for kids age 3 and older, but families with children of all ages are welcome.

World Beats

Musical instruments from around the world will introduce us to the music, folklore, and cultural traditions that highlight the differences and similarities in all of us. Bring the family and explore cultures through story and song. Best for kids age 3 and older, but families with children of all ages are welcome.

World Beats

Musical instruments from around the world will introduce us to the music, folklore, and cultural traditions that highlight the differences and similarities in all of us. Bring the family and explore cultures through story and song. Best for kids age 3 and older, but families with children of all ages are welcome.

World Beats

Musical instruments from around the world will introduce us to the music, folklore, and cultural traditions that highlight the differences and similarities in all of us. Bring the family and explore cultures through story and song. Best for kids age 3 and older, but families with children of all ages are welcome.

Lykens Valley Children's Museum Presents: Dinosaurs!

Become a paleontologist and jump into a world of play and discovery. This will be a self-guided exploration where children and accompanying adults can share in exploring and learning together. Create your own animated prehistoric short movie, build a dinosaur, dig for fossils and so much more. Registration is required by February 10th. Recommended for kids age 2 – 12 years, but families with children of all ages are welcome.

Lykens Valley Children's Museum Presents: Dinosaurs!

Become a paleontologist and jump into a world of play and discovery. This will be a self-guided exploration where children and accompanying adults can share in exploring and learning together. Create your own animated prehistoric short movie, build a dinosaur, dig for fossils and so much more. Registration is required by February 10th. Recommended for kids age 2 – 12 years, but families with children of all ages are welcome.

Your guide to FREE fun for the kids this summer

You’ve probably hear the phrase, the days are long but the years are short. We understand the message, but it doesn’t help with the here and now: seemingly endless summers day with the kids at home. So we’re here to help keep the boredom at bay, while also respecting your budget. All of the activities listed can be done for free!

Please touch the animals!

We have some fun zoos and wildlife centers near us, but here are some ways to get close to nature without paying an admission price. Visit the alpacas at Painted Spring Farm Alpacas, 280 Roths Church Road in Spring Grove. They schedule tours for small groups on the weekends and early mornings (9 a.m.) and by appointment. Head to Perrydell Farm Dairy at 90 Indian Rock Dam Road in York to see a working dairy farm. Depending on when you visit, you could see cows being milked, calves being fed, or milk being bottled. After the tour, visit with the cows or splurge on some homemade ice cream and other farm fresh foods. Prefer smaller critters? That Fish Place That Pet Place at 237 Centerville Road in Landisville isn’t just a pet supply store — it’s also is a great place to visit lots of small animals and fish up close. There’s an aviary, a small pet corner, a fish room and a reptile room. But kids will probably gravitate to the Pirates Cove Touch Tank, where kids can gently touch stingrays and hold live starfish.


Story times.

Every public library in Central Pennsylvania host story times. You can check out their schedule online or just drop in to find out what they offer and when. Some libraries throughout our region have some special story times planned for the summer, with visits to nature centers, retirement homes, and more.  Also, during the first few weeks of June, be sure to sign your child up for your local library’s summer reading programs. Special events often accompany the summer reading kick-off vents, and at the end of the summer, kids can earn prizes for the number of books they read (or have read aloud to them).

 

Calling all firefighters!

Nothing thrills little kids like fire trucks and related equipment. Check with your local fire station to see if they provide tours to the public. If they do, schedule a time when you can take the kiddos. Have them prepare some questions—like when they decided they wanted to become firefights, how many calls they go on each week, and so on. Ask if your kids can see the inside of a fire truck. And be sure to let your children know that in the event of an emergency, the tour will end.

Anyone interested in fire trucks and fire fighting should also head to the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum, located at 1820 N. Fourth St., in Harrisburg. Housed in an historic 1899 Victorian Firehouse, the museum shows the history of the fire service from the time of America’s colonial days to the present. While there is an entrance fee ($7 for adults, $6 for students) most days, the third Saturday each month is free.

 

How it’s made.

What’s more fun for the curious young mind then seeing first-hand how things we eat or see are made? Hershey’s Chocolate World has a 30-minute chocolate-making tour (complete with a chocolate sample at the end) that’s free — as is the admission (other attractions and activities are pay-as-you-go). Love pretzels? Head to the Hanover bakery for Snyder’s of Hanover for a free tour. It takes a half-hour and you’ll visit the raw material warehouse, finished goods warehouse (where you will see robotics at work), the packing room, and the aroma-filled baking room. You’ll also get a free bag of pretzels at the completion of the tour. Call 1-800-233-7125, ext. 28592, at least 24 hours ahead to reserve your spots on the tour. Prefer potato chips? Head to Hanover for the self-guided Utz Chip Trip Tour. You’ll get to observe the product process from beginning to end from a glass- enclosed observation gallery. Tours are usually offered Monday – Thursday from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; call 1-800-367-7629 before you head out to confirm.

Have a motorcycle fan in the family? The Harley- Davidson plant in York provide an up-close look at their assembly line and fabrication areas. Tours, which last an hour, are offered weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  While it’s decidedly not a factory – they hand pour their candles — you can take a self-guided tour of the Old Candle Barn at 3551 Old Philadelphia Pike in Intercourse, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; call them first at 717-768-8926 to make sure they’ll be able to accommodate you.

 

Take a hike.

Get the kiddos moving! Head out for a morning hike, and leave a packed cooler in your car for a picnic when you’re all done. We have some stunning trails all around our region. Some of our favorites are the mostly flat, easy to walk Conewago Recreation Trail in Elizabethtown; the Ned Smith Center Trails in the Millersburg Watershed; the Conservation Trail at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area; and the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail which begins at the Columbia Crossing trailhead in Columbia.

 

Stroll through history.

The Army Heritage Trail in Carlisle, open daily from dusk to dawn, covers a mile and nearly every era of Army history. Among the 14 individual exhibits along the outdoor trail are full-scale reconstructions of a stations or encampments from the French and Indian War; the Revolutionary War; WWI and WWII and the Vietnam War. Additionally, there are numerous smaller exhibits featuring armor, aircraft, and artillery from several different eras of U.S. Army history.

 

Let the music move them.

Grab the blanket and head out with the whole family and friends to some of the free summer concerts in Central Pa. In the days around July 4, the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra performs several free summer concerts in a variety of community settings. Kings Gap Environmental Education Center in Carlisle hosts Music on the Mountain the first Sunday of June, July, August and September from 3-7:30 p.m. It’s free, but goodwill offerings are appreciated. The Summer Music Series at Long’s Park in Lancaster, in its 57th season, will bring 16 different performers to amphitheater stage between June 2 and August 25. In York, the Sounds of Summer at Springettsbury Park offers free evening concerts from June till early August. For daytime music, head to Downtown York’s Cherry Lane (near Central Market House) for the Box Lunch Review. Free concerts are held throughout the summer on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

http://www.centralpennparent.com/2019/free-concerts-in-central-pa-this-summer/

 

Go fish. 

Literally (not the card game). Summer and fishing go hand-in-hand, and Central Pennsylvania is home to some of the best fishing in the state. Kids can fish for free—fishing licenses aren’t required until they’re age 16 or older. Adults can supervise their child’s fishing without having to purchase their own license, either—as long as they’re within arm’s reach of their child when helping to cast or retrieve a fishing line or fishing rod.

If you don’t already have a fishing spot in mind, try Children’s Lake or Yellow Breeches Creek in Boiling Springs; Wildwood Lake within Harrisburg’s Wildwood Park; Hammer Creek in Lititz; Lake Grubb Nature Preserve in West Hempfield; and Pinchot Lake in York.

Maple sugaring events and festivals in Central PA

How sweet it is! Here’s our roundup of maple sugaring events and festivals in Central PA.

If we missed your event, email us at [email protected] and we’ll sure to add it!

Maple Sugaring – Naturalist Led Tours
Central Park

1050 Rockford Rd., Lancaster, PA, 17602
Saturday, February 24, Sunday February 25 and Sunday, March 4, 2018

Join County Park Naturalists for ongoing maple sugaring demonstrations in the sugar bush of Lancaster County Central Park. See trees being tapped, sap boiled to syrup, and candy made from syrup. Maple products will be on sale. Drop in for a free self-guided visit or register for an hour-long Naturalist-led tour for $2.00 per person. Private programs, on days other than those listed above, are also available for a small fee. Come to Central Park and follow the signs or the smells to maple sugaring. Call (717) 295-2055 to inquire about private programs. Register for the hour-long guided tours by noon on Friday February 23. $2.00 per person.
Hour-long Naturalist-led tours on the hour on the following days. $2.00 per person. Register here.
Saturday, February 24, 2018, walks on the 10 a.m.– 2 p.m.
Sunday, February 25, 2018, 1 – 4 p.m.
Sunday, March 4, 2018, 1 – 4 p.m.

Maple Sugar Festival
Fort Hunter Mansion & Park
5300 North Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110
Sunday, March 4, 2018
Noon – 4 p.m.
Taste real maple syrup on ice cream, try tapping a tree, see maple syrup and candy making.  Many children’s activities and delicious PA maple products are for sale. Enjoy a video on maple syrup making and try the taste test.  FREE.

Mount Hope Maple Madness
Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve
1537 Mount Hope Road, Fairfield, PA
Saturday, February 24 and March 3, 2018
Pancake Breakfast and Local Art & Craft Vendors, 7:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Maple Sugaring Tours (90 minute tour; last tour begins at 12pm and runs until 1:30pm)
Tickets available at the door. 9 a.m. – noon
All-you-care-to-eat Pancake Breakfast: $8 Adult, $4 Child
Maple Sugaring Tour: $8 Adult, $5 Child
“SWEET DEAL”: Best Price — Breakfast & a Tour   $12 Adult, $7 Child (under 3 Free)

Maple Sugaring Events at York County Parks
Nixon County Park
5922 Nixon Drive, York, PA 17403

Maple Sugaring Story Walk
Saturday, February 24 and March 3, 2018
8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Take a walk, read a story and learn about Maple Sugaring all at the same time. Enjoy a short self-guided stroll along the Quiet Walk & Hardwood trails while reading the story attached to posts spread along the walk. No fee, no registration.

Maple Sugaring Days
Saturday, February 24 and March 3, 2018
9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Enjoy various programs about maple sugaring, outside tours, maple tastings, crafts, and activities set up throughout the Nature Center. Maple products from Patterson Farms will be on sale. $2 admission. Ages 5 and under free, Park members free. No registration required

Tours of the Sugar Bush
Saturday, February 24 and March 3, 2018
10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Join park staff and volunteers for ongoing tours through various stations. Learn the history and how-to of maple sugaring. Tours will include hands-on demonstrations. A trip to the Red Maple grove will occur every hour starting at 10 a.m. Included in weekend event fee, no registration (groups of ten or more should register at 717-428-1961).

Backyard Sugaring 101
Saturday, February 24, 2018
2 – 4 p.m.
Learn how to start a small maple sugaring production in your backyard! A brief presentation will be followed by hands-on demonstrations of tapping, boiling, and bottling. Learn how to identify maple trees in any season and visit our Red Maple grove. Take home tools and information you need to get started. Appropriate for ages 12 and up. $10 fee (Maple Sugar weekend fee included), register at 717-428-1961.

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Keystone Musical Arts Center to host free International Youth Music Showcase

The Keystone Musical Arts Center (KMAC) will be hosting an International Youth Music Showcase on Saturday, February 24 in their facility at 3705 Trindle Road, Camp Hill. This event is part of the annual Millennium Music Conference which is celebrating its 22nd year in the mid-state.

This is a family-friendly concert featuring talented performers between the ages of 11 and 17.  The public is invited to this free all-ages event. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the first performer on stage at 7 p.m. Entrance for the school is on the side of the building with plenty of parking available.

For more information, call 717-737-KMAC (5622), email [email protected], visit KMACenter.org or connect at facebook.com/KMACenter.

Performers at the showcase include:

Teen Town is a young fusion/jazz/funk band from central Pennsylvania. The powerhouse trio is led by bassist Gabriel Severn (13) with Logan Bedard (15) on drums and Connor Rohrer (17) on keys. They’ve supported major artists including the Ben Wolfe Trio, the Original Drifters, the Dwayne Dolphin 4tet, the Tierney Sutton Band, and performed at the Dauphin County Wine & Jazz Fest and TEDx Harrisburg. Upcoming appearances include the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest where they will open for the Victor Wooten trio.

Girl Pow-R is a new all-girl group from Canada who sing original music.  Their sound is rooted in pop/rock, with the goal of inspiring others to be their best through their music and lyrics. Although they’ve been together for less than a year, their energetic performances have won them spots at large events in their home province of Ontario, including Youth Day and 4 Canada Day celebrations.  The group has a unique mission to inspire young people and to support social causes with their music and positive messages, and are thrilled to bring that mission to Harrisburg.

Johnny Zostant is a 14-year-old guitarist, singer & songwriter based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He plays a fusion of rock/metal/blues and straight up rock-n-roll of any kind, but he’s also done studio work for other artists in many different musical genres. Johnny started playing guitar at age 8 and has performed in venues from New York City to Los Angeles; this year he opened up the Induction Ceremony for The Hall of Heavy Metal History and performed at the NAMM Convention in Anaheim, California.  He’s supported major acts such as Saliva, Trapt, Vinnie Moore and many more.

FREE admission to local museums on Museum Day Live!

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Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg

For one day only, museums across the country will take a page from the books of Washington, D.C.’s museums.

On Saturday, September 23, 2017, participating museums will offer FREE admission for those who download a 2017 Museum Day Live! ticket.

Museums in all 50 states have signed up to participate in Smithsonian magazine’s 2017 Museum Day Live!, the largest event of its kind.  Over 1,300 museums are expected to participate this year.

To download a free ticket, go to smithsonian.com/museumdaylive. Each ticket grants the ticketholder, and one guest, free access to any participating museum on September 23. One ticket is permitted per household, per email address.

Here’s a list of participating museums in Central Pennsylvania:

Fort Hunter Mansion
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg

The Hershey Story
63 W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey

York County History Center
250 E. Market St., York

National Watch & Clock Museum
514 Poplar St., Columbia

Wrightsville Historical Museum
309 Locust St., Wrightsville

Burning of the Bridge Diorama
124 Hellam Street, Wrightsville

Antique Automobile Club of America Museum
161 Museum Dr., Hershey

Columbia Historic Preservation Society
19-21 N. Second St., Columbia

National Toy Train Museum
300 Paradise Lane, Ronks

Warehime-Myers Mansion
305 Baltimore St., Hanover

Neas House
113 West Chester St., Hanover

Railroad of Museum of Pennsylvania
300 Gap Road,PA Route 741, Strasburg

World of Little League Museum and Official Store
525 US 15 (Montgomery Pike), South Williamsport

For a complete list of participating museums in the United States, go to smithsonianmag.com.


 

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