Around Phoenixville

Heather Craig is again hosting the Phoenixville Weight Loss Challenge: Want to lose weight in a fun group competition? The next Phoenixville Weight Loss Challenge begins Monday Ocotber 4th. Only $35 for the 10 week class. Cash prizes to the biggest LOSERS!! Call 610-283-9368 to register - space is limited.

On Friday, October 1st, Artisans Gallery & Cafe will celebrate its grand re-opening: GRAND RE OPENING - FRIST FRIDAY OCT 1ST 2010 The Phoenixville Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Grand Re Opening ceremony at Artisans on First Friday Oct 1st 2010, Artisans will also be conducting a Pottery “throwing demo” conducted by local artist on the street in front of Artisans. Please stop by and enjoy the “demo”

October's First Friday will feature an Oktoberfest celebration. Barry Cassidy described the events as follows: Iron Hill, Bistro on Bridge, PJ Ryan's and Mollys will all be on the street as the 100 and 200 blocks of bridge are closed for this festive event. German music, Oktoberfest beer and good German food will be served up to those attending this important First Friday. Michele from Irish Joes is thinking of having a german food extravaganza possibly but nothing set in stone. Looks like the new artisans cafe will also have something outside. Tents will abound at this rain or shine event. Visit the Facebook event page for more information.

The 3rd Annual Bark for Life will be held on Sunday, October 3rd. The American Cancer Society Bark For Life is a noncompetitive walk event for dogs and their owners to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society's fight against cancer. By supporting Bark For Life, you help the American Cancer Society save lives, and that helps us move closer to our ultimate goal of a world with less cancer and more birthdays. So bring your best canine friend and join us for a fun-filled day starting with a walk, and then continuing with contests, and games. If you would like to participate, sign up on our Bark For Life Website or fill out a Registration Form and mail it in. Save money by signing up in advance for only $10. At the event, registration will cost $15.

On Saturday, November 6th, Activate Phoenixville Area is hosting a Fall Foliage Family Fun Walk at Black Rock Sanctuary. Registration starts at 8:30am and is free to the public. Visit the Activate Phoenixville Area blog for more information.

Rockin' for a Cure is an all ages event featuring three of Philly's most promising up and coming bands, HONOR, Phantasm and Rivers Monroe. Net proceeds raised at the event will be donated directly to the National MS Society, Greater Delaware Valley Chapter . Rockin' for a cure will be held on December 4, 2010 at Rock and Roll After School , a unique venue located at 400 Franklin Avenue in Phoenixville, PA. Rockin' for a Cure will feature live music, free food, raffles, door prizes and more! This is an event you will not want to miss! We hope to raise at least $10,000 for the cause - curing Multiple Sclerosis - and will raise that and more with your help! About the Bands HONOR, Phantasm and Rivers Monroe are not going to be "local" for long - soon, they will be "big time" and heard on every radio station in America - seize this opportunity to hear them in an intimate setting, which is a memory you will cherish for a lifetime.

Yesterday, I mentioned that it appeared West Chester was on the verge of announcing it would soon be home to a new baseball team. Today, it seems this was a bit of an overstatement by the group trying to bring the team into the area. 6 ABC reports : It was expected on Monday that stadium backers would announce they had a "gentleman's agreement" with the Phillies to put a minor league franchise here. However, a Phillies spokesperson threw cold water on that today saying that was "An overstatement about what was discussed." Howie Bedell, a consultant for the stadium group, backed off the agreement claim, instead saying "If we are able to put all of the elements together they would be interested in putting a ball club here." Bedell, a former major leaguer with ties to the Phils farm league, admits there are still many unfinished elements to turn this acreage into a stadium - not the least of which is $20 million in taxpayer money from Harrisburg. A...

The Mercury is reporting today that the long rumored baseball team that is coming to Chester County will end up in West Chester, not Phoenixville. WEST CHESTER — First proposed years ago, championed by an impressive group of local civic leaders and bolstered by a feasibility study, a minor league baseball stadium to be built in West Chester is apparently inching ever closer to becoming a reality. The Turk's Head Stadium Alliance (THSA) is meeting today at 10 a.m. to announce that a verbal agreement has been reached for a site, and that a Class A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies will be the main tenant. "The Phillies will bring a team here if we can build a stadium," confirmed Jerry Schneider, who is one of a dozen or so members of the THSA. It is still in the early stages of a very complex issue involving many entities, and no contracts have been signed. But according to Schneider, the Phillies are hoping to have a team begin the 2013 baseball season in a ne...

All Things Primitive has completed their move from 26 Gay St to 25 S Main St. Owner Barb Jarrett writes: We will be re-opening on Friday Sept 24th at 5:00 pm. Come visit us and pick up a Fall Goodie or Everyday item. We have plenty to choose from, and we are so looking forward to seeing you there!

Artisans Gallery & Cafe has a new location. On Saturday, September 18th, they opened up their new space at 234 Bridge Street.

6th ANNUAL HISTORIC HOUSE TOUR SET FOR SEPTEMBER 25 Trust’s 2010 Tour Features Berwyn and Strafford Historic Homes Old houses tell wonderful stories, and the houses of Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships have many tales to tell. On Saturday, September 25, 2010, the Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust’s 6th Annual Historic House Tour will open doors to community’s past. This year’s tour will spotlight Berwyn and Strafford neighborhoods by opening the doors to eight private homes; three homes in Easttown Township and five homes in Tredyffrin Township. Featured houses span 18th, 19th and 20th centuries and offer visitors an opportunity to experience Chester County history through original, restored and historically significant homes. “We are excited about the 2010 Historic House Tour,” Pattye Benson, President of Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for historic Berwyn and Strafford neighborhoods to showcase their diverse architectural herit...

On Tuesday, October 5th, Service Club Members, guests and Past Recipients of the Ambassador Award are cordially invited to attend the 48th Annual Phoenixville InterService Club Dinner. The event is being hosted by the Phoenixville Jaycees and begin at 6pm at Franklin Hall in Franklin Commons, 400 Franklin Avenue. Schedule of events: 6:00 p.m. – Social Hour (Wine, Beer, Hors D'oeuvres provided) 7:00 p.m. – Dinner (Cost - $36 per person, includes beer, wine & soda). Menu can be found at www.interserviceclub.org . In addition to food and beverage, entertainment will be provided by John Valerio Music and there will also be raffles for cash prizes, basket of cheer and more! Deadline to register is Monday, September 20th. Click here to download a registration form .

On Saturday, September 25th, The Colonial Theatre is hosting the inaugural TEDxPhoenixville from 10am-3pm. TEDx is coming to Phoenixville Landmark Colonial Theatre will become epicenter of ideas 09.09.2010 – The Colonial Theatre , a cultural landmark in the revitalized steel town of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, is going to be the epicenter for a unique collection of people and an exciting exchange of ideas later this month. TEDxPhoenixville , scheduled for Saturday, September 25, 2010, will feature a variety of lively speakers, compelling performers and an interactive exchange with an engaged audience. TEDx is an independently organized TED event that enables local communities and groups like the Association for the Colonial Theatre to organize, design and host their own independent, TED-like events. TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. ...

On Tuesday, October 12th, Franklin Commons will be hosting an open house from 5-9pm. The open house will showcase the special events and amenities offered by Rock & Roll After School , the area’s most innovative after-school music program and band camps for kids as well as highlighting the various other things that Franklin Commons has to offer. Click on the image to the right for a flyer which has more information about what you can expect at the event.

On Thursday, September 23rd, Camphill Village Kimberton Hills is presenting a free classical music concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. Camphill Village Kimberton Hills presents a free classical music concert on Thursday, September 23 at 7:30 p.m. Astral Artistic Services, an organization that guides and promotes the nation’s most extraordinary emerging classical musicians, will offer an evening of music in Kimberton Hills’ Rose Hall featuring The Jasper String Quartet . Hailed as “sonically delightful and expressively compelling” and “polished, engaged and in tune with one another,” the Jasper String Quartet’s unity comes from its belief in the timeless and lifelong pursuit of music’s depth and meaning. The concert will feature the music of Haydn and Beethoven. Astral Artists is a non-profit organization whose mission is to discover the most promising classical musicians residing in the United States , assist their early professional career development and present their world-class...

On Friday, October 15th, Philadelphia area native Suzie Brown will be performing at Steel City Coffee House . Recently named Best of Philly 2010 for music talent by Philadelphia Magazine, Brown is a practicing cardiologist who set aside a promising research career to pursue her love of music. She has enjoyed an exceedingly quick rise to popularity, given that she started writing songs just two years ago. Within a few months of playing her first show in the fall of 2008, Brown sold out Philadelphia’s storied Tin Angel and opened for Livingston Taylor. By February, she was warming up crowds for Lyle Lovett, and by summer, she was playing for packed houses at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall and Boston’s Johnny D’s and Club Passim. While media outlets have seized on her unusual bio, audiences and promoters have focused squarely on Brown’s music. The easy familiarity of her songs harkens back to Carole King’s folk-pop creations, while the yearning sweetness in her voice recalls th...

On Thursday, October 7 at 7:00pm, the Phoenixville Public Library will be presenting WRTI-FM jazz host Jeff Duperon and his presentation of “The History of Jazz: From Early New Orleans to the Modern Era”. WRTI-FM jazz host Jeff Duperon will present “The History of Jazz: From Early New Orleans to the Modern Era” on Thursday, October 7 at 7:00 PM at Phoenixville Public Library. The music called jazz was born sometime around 1895 in New Orleans. It combined elements of ragtime, marching band music, and blues. What differentiated jazz from these earlier styles was the widespread use of improvisation, often by more than one player at a time. The spontaneous music created captured a joy and sense of adventure that was an exciting and radical departure from the music of the time. This lecture will explore the origins of jazz and discuss the numerous eras of jazz including swing, big band, be-bop, hard bop, acid jazz (aka soul jazz), and the modern era. The lecture will also include mus...

From the Phoenixville Public Library : Learn how to use Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Twitter for personal life and business in a free workshop to be held on the fourth Friday of the month from 1:00 to 2:00 PM at Phoenixville Public Library. Ernie Tidball will be the presenter. In this workshop, attendees will learn how to connect with business professionals, friends, acquaintances, and colleagues using social networking sites. The workshop will also include discussion of the pros and cons of social networking while covering the step-by-step of how to set up profiles, connect and build business relationships, and even promote a business, properly and safely. Ernie Tidball currently works as a Senior IT Audit Consultant for Susquehanna Bancshares and has been teaching computer courses for two decades. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required. For more information or to reserve a seat, call 610-933-3013, Ext. 32 or e-mail mpinto@ccls.org . Phoenix...

From Watching Phoenixville : Councilman Jeff Senley tendered his resignation Saturday September 11th. Council will meet on Tuesday the 14th at which time they will vote as to whether or not to accept Mr. Senley's resignation.

Beginning September 10th, the Forge Theatre will be presenting Spelling Bee : Can you spell H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S? Forge Theatre in Phoenixville is proud to present the Broadway smash hit musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The Tony Award-winning show tells the story of six kids in the throes of puberty, overseen by adults who barely managed to escape childhood themselves. A high-spirited tale of overachievers’ angst, the production chronicles the experience of adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. Four volunteer audience spellers will be featured at every performance, guaranteeing a unique experience for everyone. The show runs September 10, 11, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30; October 1, 2 at 8pm; and September 19 at 2pm at Forge Theatre, 241 First Avenue in Phoenixville. For reservations and information, visit Forge online at http://ForgeTheatre.org . Tickets are $12-15. The show is directed by Dru Ullery and the cast includes S...

Beginning Monday, September 13th, Debi Dunn, founder of The Heart of Healing , will be offering a 10-week 'Qigong for Wellness' class at Gateway Bodyworks and Wellness Center, 333 Morgan Street, Phoenixville, PA. About the class: Qigong is an ancient Chinese movement therapy that may help reduce stress and improve your balance, flexibility and strength. The Heart of Healing, founder Debi Dunn hosts a weekly qigong class at Gateway Bodyworks and Wellness Center located at 333 Morgan Street, Phoenixville, PA about 5 minutes from Phoenixville Hospital off Gay Street. $120 for 10-week class pass ($12/class) or $15 drop-in fee. For more information, visit theheartofhealing.com

Yellow Springs Farm will be hosting a Native Plant Sale September 10-12 at its native plant nursery, 1165 Yellow Springs Rd, Chester Springs, PA. The sale will be held from 12-6pm on Friday the 10th, and from 10am-4pm on the 11th and 12th. The sale will be held rain or shine. Description: Join us for our Fall 2010 Open House. Our event features over 200 species of native plants, including trees, shrubs, grasses, ferns, and flowers. Don't miss the artisanal goat cheese tasting, purchase our limited supply of freshly harvested 2010 raw wildflower honey. Shop the native plant sale, view demonstration gardens around the Farm, and get free, expert advice on plant selection for your property. Participate in the design on our very large tree sculpture with artist Rhoda Kahler. Check out the video from the Spring 2010 Open House http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxkg4Llul1s&feature=player_embedded

On Saturday, September 25th, the Schuylkill Canal Association will be hosting their annual Fall Benefit Concert. The concert begins at 4pm and features four bands headlined by the Melton Brothers . In addition to great live music, food and beverages will be provided by Sly Fox Brewery and other local providers. For more information and for tickets, visit the SCA's Fall Music Festival page .

St. Basil's the Great is hosting a Fall Festival on October 20th-24th. The festival schedule is as follows: Wed. October 20th: 5-10pm Thu. October 21st: 5-10pm Fri. October 22nd: 12-11pm Sat. October 23: 5-11pm, ride matinee from 12-5pm, rides will be paused from 5-6pm during 5:00 mass Sun. Octber 24: 2-8pm The fair will feature Bingo on Wedensday and Thursday nights, kids games, American, Italian and Polish foods and Casino Nights on Friday and Saturday. For more information, including a presale for wrist bands for the week, visit www.stbasilsfair.org .

Phoenixville Public Library’s Fall Speakers & Events Series kicks off with a presentation on “Phoenixville Etruscan Majolica” on Monday, September 20, 7:00 PM at the Library. Jack Ertell of the Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area will be the speaker. In the late 19th century, Phoenixville was the site of a major producer of pottery, a popular style of that era known as majolica. Majolica pottery was made in several European countries as well as parts of the United States. The pottery produced in Phoenixville was noted particularly for its vivid colors and unique designs. Join us for this presentation on the beautiful and valued products manufactured in Phoenixville and the people who produced them. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required. For more information or to reserve a seat, call 610-933-3013, Ext. 32 or e-mail mpinto@ccls.org . Phoenixville Public Library is located at 183 Second Avenue, Phoenixville, PA.

This weekend, catch some live jazz while shopping for deals at Philadelphia Premium Outlets : Enjoy an all Jazz Weekend during the Labor Day Sidewalk Sale at Philadelphia Premium Outlets Fri, Sept 3 - Mon, Sept 6 Extended Hours 9am -9pm all four days! During our annual Labor Day Sidewalk Sale at Philadelphia Premium Outlets, shoppers will enjoy savings greater than 25%-65% off at 150 designer and name brands stores including Adidas, Banana Republic, Coach, Cole Haan, DKNY, Guess, Kate Spade, Lucky Brand, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Restoration Hardware and many more. Shoppers can also enjoy smooth sounds as Coca-Cola presents an all Jazz Labor Day Weekend Enjoy live entertainment this weekend in the Food Court courtyard from Noon - 4:00pm Fri, Sept 3: Shawn Christie Jazz Trio Sat, Sept 4: Falco Jazz Trio Sun, Sept 5: Jazz Train Trio All performances are weather permitting and are subject to change. New Stores Now Open Express Last Hurrah Jos. A. ...