Rally today to Rethink Homelessness
RETHINK HOMELESSNESS
Community Awareness Event
Today, November 30th
Noon-1pm
Smith Family Plaza
100 East High Street, Pottstown, PA
Special thanks to Mercer’s Collision Center and Ice House Steaks & Pizza for providing sandwiches and
Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation for providing bottled water for today’s event.
Partnering to improve health, social and environmental conditions.
Sponsored by
260 High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464
610-705-3301
www.TCNetwork.org
Santa Claus is coming to town!
Santa is coming to Pottstown for the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority (PDIDA) Hometown Holiday Celebration! On behalf of Santa, his elf PDIDA Chairman Sheila Dugan is inviting all to downtown Pottstown on Friday, December 2nd starting at 6:30 p.m. for a night of family fun and shopping bargains. The night’s activities will kickoff with Santa’s arrival via a fire truck from Washington Street to Smith Plaza, where the Pottstown Roller Derby Girls will be collecting letters for Santa.
DECEMBER 2, 2011 6:30pm to 9:30pm – The night’s activities will include:
- At the plaza, once Santa arrives, a candy toss will be held in the grass in the back area of Smith Plaza. Be sure to join in, there will be special candy with vouchers for cash and free items throughout the downtown!
- We will do the tree lighting after the candy toss and the BarberShop Quartet will be singing Carols. Then children can have their photo taken with Santa for $7 each.
- The Public Library will be hosting Story time at TANGO (139 High St) every half hour starting at 7:00 p.m.
- At the Farmer’s Market The Giving Tree for the children at HEAD START
- Face Painting at Memories N More
- Coloring at Argento’s Pizza
Don’t miss out on the other evenings of holiday celebration which include:
DECEMBER 10, 2011 12pm to 4pm
- Santa house open – be sure to check out the local artist’s (Alan McBain) coloring book which features local merchants. This is a great way to see some of the merchants in town as well enjoy coloring with your children. This is sure to be a collector’s item! Photos for $7.00 each can be bought.
- Crafters at the Farmer’s Market
- Face Painting at Memories N More
- Coloring at Argento’s
- Story time (every half hour) at Tango (139 High St)
- Free Trolley Rides – Stops at Christian Science Reading Room, Weitzenkorn’s,
DECEMBER 18, 2011 12pm to 4pm
- Hometown Holidays Brunch – your choice at the Farmer’s Market, featuring the various foods available at the market – home made and fresh! Also Juan Carlos is adding a Mexican flare to the affair. Call 610-323-5400 for reservations before December 12, 2011. Tickets are necessary and must be pre-purchased.
- Santa house open – be sure to check out the local artist’s (Alan McBain) coloring book which features local merchants. This is a great way to see some of the merchants in town as well enjoy coloring with your children. This is sure to be a collector’s item! Photos for $7.00 each can be bought.
- Crafters at the Farmer’s Market
- Face Painting at Memories N More
- Coloring at Argento’s
- Story time (every half hour) at Tango (139 High St)
Carousel of Flavor & Murder Mystery Theater in downtown Pottstown today!
The region’s premier food festival – Carousel of Flavor – is taking place from noon to 4 pm in downtown Pottstown today. Last year over 4,000 people attended.
Head over to the 100 block of High Street and Smith Plaza in front of Borough Hall for food from local restaurants and caterers. There will be an expanded wine and beer garden so you can get mellow while enjoying music from 3 live bands, crafters, great food, friends, this absolutely gorgeous fall weather and, yes, even a clown. I’m getting there early to get some of Grumpy’s chowder – I heard it was a huge hit last year. Here’s a sampling of some other vendors… Tornetta’s, Bause-Landry Catering, Craft Ale House of Limerick, The Pour House…
Keep the fun going on your day of rest and walk a couple blocks to 245 High Street by 3 pm for the start of TriPAC’s production of A Brush with Death: The Flossing of Chester Basil. It runs this weekend only so this is your last chance to catch this murder mystery that’s sure to be an interactive adventure for the whole family!
Pottstown’s weekend at a glance
Peter Pan, A Musical Adventure is in its final days at the Tri-County Peforming Arts Center! It runs through this Sunday, June 19. TriPAc is located at 245 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464. This is the U.S. premier of a new version of Peter Pan, and, yes, it’s happening right here in Pottstown. Go to TrIPAC.org to order our tickets online now. You won’t want to miss it!
Get out of the gate early on Saturday, June 18 and check out the Pottstown Soap Box Derby race, sponsored by the Ambucs. It will take place on the Wilson Street hill off Farmington Avenue. Area kids will compete for the chance to run in the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio.
A Summer Solstice Celebration is happening at Smith Plaza tomorrow, June 18. It includes The Gallery School’s community yard sale and lots of live music. WPAZ will be broadcasting live from 10-noon. The Celebration also includes the 2nd Annual PottsMUTTster Dog Show from 9:00am to 2:00pm at Smith Family Plaza, right in front of Borough Hall in Pottstown, PA. Bring your pooch and compete for such honors as Best Singing Mutt and Best Mystery Mutt. REGISTRATION is from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. EVENTS take place from 11:00am to 2:00 pm. It all benefits the Montgomery County SPCA.
Also taking place tomorrow at Pottstown’s Riverfront Park is the 2nd Annual 5K/1M Race to Shelter the Homeless sponsored by Wings of Victory Outreach Corp. Riverfront Park is located at 140 College Drive.
Registration starts at 7:30am – Race starts at 8:30am. There’s a $30 registration fee – Moms & Dads with strollers are welcome!
Contact email: wings.victory@yahoo.com or visit their website at www.wingsofvictoryoutreach.org
Wings of Victory Outreach Corp. was formed to provide housing and life skills training for homeless or near homeless individuals. They offer a holistic approach and give a hand up by offering programs that develop self sufficiency through housing, employment, education, and character building. Participants gain the skills needed to function responsibly and effectively in daily life.
And when you’re ready to unwind on Saturday night, head on over to Sunnybrook Ballroom for their weekly “Hot Summer Nights” at The Tiki Hut. There are drink specials, music and dancing for the 21 and over crowd. Sunnybrook is located at50 N. Sunnybrook Rd,Pottstown. Check out all their upcoming music and entertainment at http://www.sunnybrookballroom.net.
Tri-County for A Cure Video Project
The weekend is finally almost here for Yoga on the Steps, which benefits the amazing organization: Living Beyond Breast Cancer. In case you weren’t able to attend our last Positively!Pottstown Happy Hour and you haven’t seen this video circulating around the internet (especially on facebook), here’s the culmination of some fun ideas, a lot of great participation by local business owners and leaders, and the talent of a certain photographer, Melia Rios-Lazo of Priceless Moments
Owner of High Street Yoga and the creative force behind the video, Barbara Kosciewicz offered her thoughts today about the video. She writes of the project:
Throughout the long winter, during each class someone would comment or giggle about a certain pose we could do in a location in Pottstown. We dreamed for spring to come and decided it would be our spring project. Before long, the idea began to grow and evolve into raising awareness and funds for our Yoga team Tri-County for a Cure that is attending Yoga on the Steps on Sunday May 15th. Suddenly the project became much greater than ourselves and became something both fun and meaningful
You can read the rest of her thoughts on her blog, Yoga Wisdom for Everyday, which is also a Mercury Town Square Blog.
There is still time to get involved with Yoga on the Steps: you can donate to the Tri-County for a Cure team or even sign up to participate on Sunday. Just visit www.yogaonthesteps.org to get the details.
Hometown Holidays draw crowds
Last Friday night, there was so much going on downtown that there was no way I could take it all in. Fortunately the action continues this coming Friday, Dec. 10 and the following Friday, Dec. 17. Here’s what I did do…
There are so many more things I need to do in the coming weeks… look at all the decorated storefronts and vote online at The Mercury, see A Christmas Carol at Tri-PAC – it is getting rave reviews! – take a carriage ride… and maybe sit on Santa’s lap. I’ve got some pretty big wishes for Pottstown for the coming year… maybe he can help. 🙂
Holidays kick into high gear in downtown P-Town!
Okay, it’s official: There’s a lot on tap during the month of December, and we here at Positively!Pottstown want to do our part to make your head spin.
Please check out the updated calendar here and check back every few days because I’m sure I haven’t gotten everything in there yet. For one thing, I’m still nailing down the details of my own High Street Holiday Hop, but rest assured, it IS happening this Friday, December 3rd, and it will be loads of fun with lots of free drawings for cool stuff! The idea of the Holiday Hop is to roam the downtown with like-minded, upbeat holiday carousers, see all the decorations, stop in at businesses, make merry, hear talented singers, sit on Santa’s knee, and support the whole crazy notion of Pottstown having a lively commercial center!!
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR POSITIVELY!POTTSTOWN HOLIDAY HOP
5-6 PM Meet-up at The Gallery on High at 254 High St.(NOTE NEW LOCATION) for their Annual Holiday Party & meet legendary Pottstown Firebirds football champs!! Get your free Positively!Pottstown Santa hat! Win a Firebirds t-shirt!
6-6:30 PM Stop in at Grumpy’s Handcarved Sandwiches & decorate an ornament for the Borough tree!
6:30-7:30 PM Still being planned… salon visit and free drawing for manicure… stop at Tri-PAC…
7:45-9 PM Head to Smith Plaza at catch the Pine Forge Academy Choir, hang your ornament on the Borough tree, sit on Santa’s knee, free drawing for 2 carriage rides down High Street! Wind down with warm drinks & dessert at Churchill’s!
**Free Santa hats to the first 20 Holiday Hoppers that rsvp to positivelypottstown@gmail.com**
Smith Family Plaza: Community gathering place in downtown Pottstown
The Smith Family Plaza, together with Pottstown’s Borough Hall, was named a Bronze Award Winner in 2006 by the 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania. Since then, this open, pleasant and visually-harmonious town center has become the gathering place for First Saturday celebrations during warm weather months as well as other community events, such as the recent September 11th remembrance service and kick-off to a daylong “Open Doors” event.
First Saturdays in Pottstown are held from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on the first Saturday of the month from May-September. They are organized by the Pottstown Arts and Cultural Alliance and typically include non-stop music, community tables, arts activities, and a used book sale by the Pottstown Regional Public Library. 
Across the street and within a 2-block radius of Smith Plaza, you have your choice of restaurants. And speaking of food, the Smith Family Plaza is at the heart of the Carousel of Flavor culinary festival, which just passed the seven-year mark this past weekend. This celebration of food, crafts, art, and live music allows residents and visitors to sample some of the best cuisine available in the region. It is organized by the non-profit Carousel at Pottstown and benefits their carousel revitalization project under construction at 30 W. King Street. 
But I like Smith Plaza even after the crowds go home. The lawn is beautifully-manicured and the lush landscaping makes this public space feel cool, safe and inviting, even on the hottest summer day. It’s one of just a few areas in Pottstown with free WiFi, so if you’ve got your laptop and absolutely have to check your email, this is the spot for you. I also have a healthy respect, and a kind of awe, for well-designed government buildings, so a seat in the shadow of Borough Hall suits me just fine. 
SMITH FAMILY PLAZA
Location: 100 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464, in front of Pottstown Borough Hall
Size: 1 acre
Suitability: All ages can enjoy this public gathering space for community celebrations, passive recreation and connecting with nature.
Facilities: fountains, small multi-purpose lawn, concrete plaza, benches in sun and shade, people-watching areas, historical marker, seasonal flowers.
Activities + tips: The fountain will be tempting to all, especially young children, but no one’s allowed in! Even though there is no playground equipment, the parents of the stroller-crowd might want to grab a specialty coffee and pastry from across the street at Churchill’s, and then enjoy a moment of peace while the little ones doze.
Pottstown Parks & Recreation Department
Borough Hall, 100 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464
610-970-6500
Click on the Department’s “Special Events” tab to learn more about upcoming events.
Follow the parks series at Mission: Healthy Living, Positively!Pottstown, Twitter (PositivelyPtown), Facebook, and The Mercury.
Forgotten cats & the arts team up!
Yes, I know that’s a cryptic title, but this is a unique fundraiser, described below. If you’re a fan of Antiques Roadshow, this is your opportunity to find out that you might not need to play the lottery anymore, and you can help the local Forgotten Cats organization and The Gallery School of Pottstown at the same time.
Ever wondered if there might be treasure in your attic? Join us on Thursday, September 23 for an antique appraisal event and find out! This evening is a joint fundraiser for the Gallery School’s scholarship fund and Forgotten Cats, a local group dedicated to helping many of the stray and abandoned cats in our neighborhoods. Eileen Rhoads, of Rhoads Auction and Antiques, is generously donating her time and expertise for this event.
The event runs from 6:00-8:30pm at the Gallery on High, 254 High St. There is a $10 entrance fee, which entitles you to one free appraisal. Each additional appraisal is $5, with a maximum of 4 total items appraised per person. Light refreshments will be served.
Please RSVP to 610-326-2506 or by email.
We hope to see you there!
About the Gallery School of Pottstown
The Gallery School of Pottstown is a non-profit community art school dedicated to making the arts accessible to everyone. The proceeds from this fundraiser will go to our scholarship fund, which provides free and reduced cost art classes to children, teens and adults who demonstrate financial need.
About Forgotten Cats
Forgotten Cats helps many of the stray and abandoned cats in our neighborhoods. They help the animals receive needed medical care, get them spayed or neutered and find them a forever home.
About Rhoads Auction and Antiques
Ron and Eileen Rhoads Auction and Antiques can be found at 383 Ben Franklin Highway West, Douglassville, PA 19518. They have fifty years in the business and are the second generation serving the Delaware Valley.
(As an aside… I’m posting this from Smith Family Plaza, right in front of Borough Hall, where there’s free WiFi! I’ve been tooling around Memorial Park on a free bike from Bike Pottstown & Tri-County Bicycles. I’m about to try to find some dirt bike paths in Riverfront Park that some kids told me about over in Memorial Park. )
Positively Pottstown blog 