July Events at The Columbia Bar & Grille

The Columbia Bar and Grille has a full schedule for you in July.

Fourth of July Weekend Celebrations
First Friday 7/1/11 – Celebrate Christmas in July at the Columbia Bar & Grille. Holiday Drink specials throughout the night. Join us for entertainment by The Bear, Mr. Nicely, The Hedge & Friends on the patio from 7pm to 10 pm.

Kick off your weekend Saturday 7/2/11 with dinner and drink specials throughout the night.

Sunday 7/3/11 – Join us for Brunch or Dinner, children under 12 eat for free with the purchase of 2 adult entrees.

Monday 7/4/11 – Celebrate the 4th with us with views of the fireworks from our porch and patio. Patriotic drink and dinner specials all evening. Reserve your seat now for the best views
of the Phoenixville Fireworks.


BLOBFEST Weekend
"Dine where Steve McQueen ate every evening while filming the BLOB!"

5.00 BLOB Martini's, Drink & Dinner Specials throughout the weekend!

The Fun begins Friday 7/8 – Join us on the Patio for 50's & 60's music by DJ Express from 7pm to 10pm.

Saturday 7/9 – Special Musical Guest will be performing on the Patio, from 7pm to 10pm.

Sunday & Monday join us for Dinner, children under 12 eat for free with the purchase of 2 Dinner Entrees.


Pooches on the Patio
Tuesday 7/12 "Pooches on the Patio" returns. Bring Man's Best Friend to the Patio for a fun filled evening. Special Guest Dog Behaviorist, Jason Morgera will be here to answer any of
your dog training questions. 6pm – 10pm

Hipster Home is Opening in Chestnut Hill

As many of you have surely heard by now, Hipster Home is relocating their store to Chestnut Hill this fall. As arguably the anchor retail store of the 'Phoenixville's Renaissance', they will surely be missed.

Co-owner David Friday posted the following note about the move to his Facebook account over the weekend:

It's with heavy hearts that I have to confirm rumors that Hipster Home will be relocating our store to Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia. In mid-September Hipster Home will open our doors in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania at 8236 Germantown Avenue directly across the street from the Chestnut Hill Hotel at the bottom of the hill but until then we will remain open at our current location. This new space is currently occupied by a friend and mentor store of ours called Host who will be relocating to a larger space in Chestnut Hill. This has been a long painstaking decision and it doesn't come easy to move our store.

Many of you who know us personally know that we also live in Phoenixville and we absolutely love our town. Those facts have not changed and will not change. Phoenxiville is an awesome town and we have seen remarkable progress and have become a true destination point so we should all be proud of our downtown. The fact of the matter is that Phoenixville has become a small restaurant district (which is a good thing) but retail shopping, which I liken to hunting, is a completely different animal then restaurant strolling and for us to accomplish our goals we need to be in a competitive retail district.

Hipster Home has made tremendous strides in 3 years on Bridge Street and the residents of this town have had a huge part in that growth. Phoenixville has helped us get to our current status of minor success and now we need to take the next steps to further grow our business into a competitive retail store on a larger stage. If we want to stay viable then we need to expand our client base and move into a more retail centric area. We feel Chestnut Hill and the proximity to downtown Philly gives us this opportunity.

Our hearts will always be here in Phoenixville. Our foundation was laid here in Phoenixville. Our first steps were here in Phoenixville. Our small successes were right here in downtown Phoenixville. This is our home (and our comfort zone) but sometimes you need to push off the island to discover new worlds. Please be proud of the successes we have all created in our humble little store. We need everyone to continue to support Hipster Home. We still need you now more then ever.

Please stop into the store during the next few months and wish us luck and please continue to support your local merchants. Also remember that you can still shop on our web store at www.HipsterHome.com and everything that is in our store is in our online store and we ship for free so you won't miss a beat. We will do our best to realize our goals as a business and hopefully we can make you proud along the way. We hope that all of you will visit us in our new location and brag to the residents of Chestnut Hill that Hipster Home is your hometown store. It may also help if you bring a bottle of wine....... LOL!

Please continue to support us and remember we love you guys! Thank you everyone.

Cheers!

Dave & Lindsay

Hipster Home

Best of luck to Dave & Linsday with the move!

More on Fireworks

From the borough website:

Phoenixville's Annual 4th of July Fireworks
July 04, 2011 at Friendship Field
located at the corner of Fillmore Street and Franklin Avenue.
Rain date is July 05, 2011.

The fireworks display is scheduled for approximately 9-9:15 p.m.

Visitors may park in the lot behind the reservior at Reservior Park, Franklin Commons, or the Santa Anna Club and at the Bethel Baptist Church on Fairview Street. Handicapped parking inside Friendship Field and rest facilities will be provided.

Vendors will have available to buy cold refreshments, funnel cakes, french fries, and small toys. Friendship Fire Company's Dive Unit will be on hand with glow-in-the-dark trinkets for sale.

Alcohol, drugs, and pets are not permitted at Friendship Field.

29th Annual Canal Day To Be Held This Sunday

The Schuylkill Canal Association is proud to present the 29th Annual Canal Day, Sunday, June 26, 9 AM to 4 PM in Mont Clare, PA! Canal Day is a great “Kid’s Day” that allows adults to have a fun day too. Thanks to the Sponsors; Exelon Power, Phoenixville Federal Bank & Trust and many local businesses, parents can help their kids make crafts, watch them play games and get their face painted while they listen to live music. Kids can join in on the Fishing Derby and see what they can catch in the canal from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, kids 12 & under should bring along their own equipment and there will be a limited amount of fishing rods available for those without. French Creek Outfitters will provide prizes for the top three anglers and bait & tackle for all. Rides such as The Trampoline and Orbitron bounce, spin and orbit kids to new levels of fun! Parents and kids can take a paddle boat ride on the canal for some relaxed fun. If the weather is cool, Great Valley Nature Center will attend Canal Day with one of their birds of prey for exhibition. If the weather is hot, Mont Clare Fire Department will finish the day with a cooling water spray from a fire truck.

This year’s Canal Day will be electrified with a bigger band lineup. The sonic sounds of Holt 45, Funk Church, Christine and Company and the Dave Dougherty Band will be playing from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM These are some of the best bands in the area; - don’t be surprised if you find yourself tapping your feet!

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Phoenixville Weight Loss Challenge starting June 20th

Want to lose weight in a fun group competition?

The next Phoenixville Weight Loss Challenge begins Monday June 20th. Only $30 for the 8 week class. Cash prizes to the biggest LOSERS!!

Register online at www.SmallerSize.com or call 610-283-9368. Space is limited.

Fourth Annual Blob Ball Benefits Colonial Theatre

The Fourth Annual Blob Ball will once again be held shortly after the 'Running Out' re-enactment, beginning at 8:30pm on Friday, July 8th. The 1950s retro party, benefiting the Colonial Theatre, will be held Undeground at P.J. Ryan's Pub (231 Bridge Street) and features live music by The Rivers Rockabilly Trio.

Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased at the door or online at TicketLeap.com.

Camphill Kimberton Celebrates Pollinator Week

Thanks to the efforts of Alice Dworkin, estate manager at Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, Kimberton, Pa., Governor Tom Corbett has issued an official proclamation naming June 20-26, 2011 “Pollinator Week” in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Pollinating animals, including bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles and others, are vital to our delicate ecosystem, supporting terrestrial wildlife, providing healthy watershed, and more. The work of pollinators ensures full harvests of crops and contributes to healthy plants everywhere. Therefore, the hope of Pollinator Week is to share with the public the importance of pollinators.

In celebration of these important creatures and the work they do, the Camphill Café is offering a special menu for the week, featuring foods that are pollinated. The exceptional menu includes:

• Vegetables (carrots, onions, pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower, celery) with coconut milk and lemon over brown basmati rice
• Tomato soup with red pepper, bell pepper, chili pepper and coriander.
• Fruit crisps: cranberries and apples or raspberries, peach and mulberries

Many of the Café’s regular offerings also contain pollinated foods, including:

• Chicken salad: made with safflower oil, walnuts and cranberries.
• Salad dressing: made with local honey, safflower oil, sesame oil, apple cider.
• Mango lassi: made with mango and cardamom
• Chai: made with fennel and cardamom
• Iced tea: made with peach and clove

(Italicized items are pollinated foods.) The Camphill Café is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All foods are organic and as local as possible, many grown on-site in Camphill Kimberton’s Community Supported Agriculture garden. The Pollinator Week menu will be available from June 22-25.

On Wednesday, June 22, at 2 p.m. a tour of Camphill Kimberton’s gardens and orchard will be available for those interested in learning more about the diverse farm community. To reserve your space on the tour, please contact Bernadette Kovaleski at 610-935-8660 or bernadette@camphillkimberton.org by Monday, June 20.

HSPA Presents "Answering the Call: Phoenixville and the Civil War"

The Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area, 204 Church Street, is currently hosting "Answering the Call: Phoenixville and the Civil War". The exhibit, which runs through September, features artifacts, photographs and documents from the war.


MUSEUM HOURS:
First Fridays, 6-9 PM
Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 AM-3 PM
First Sundays, 1-4 PM

For addditional Information, please call 610-935-7646 or visit www.hspa-pa.org.

Kiwanis Club of Phoenixville 2011 Children's Plaza Programs Begins Saturday

The Kiwanis Club of Phoenixville will launch the first of its series of children’s programs at the Children’s Plaza on Bridge Street this Saturday morning at 10:30 AM. This is the third summer for this free program for the children of the Phoenixville area. Every Saturday morning through September 10th , the Kiwanis will be providing a variety of entertainers and programs. There will be musical programs, puppets, clowns and on July 23rd a special program from the Philadelphia Zoo that will include live animals. For this summer, arrangements have been made to hold weekly entertainment for children Rain or Shine. In the event of rain, the performances will take place at the Phoenix Art Center (207 Bridge Street).

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Phoenixville Will Have Fireworks on July 4th

Phoenixville Patch has a recap of last night's council meeting during which it was announced that the annual July 4th fireworks display will indeed continue this year thanks in large part to the over $10k raised Karen Johns and the Bucks for Bangs campaign. The fireworks will be held at Friendship Field.

Sly Fox to Open Production Brewery in Pottstown

From the Sly Fox mailing list:

Sly Fox Brewing Managing Partners John and Peter Giannopoulos said today that the family-owned company, which opened its first brewpub in Phoenixville in December 1995, will open a large production brewery in Pottstown later this year.

As a first step, the company is selling the restaurant side of Sly Fox Brewery & Restaurant located at 312 N. Lewis Rd. in Royersford, which opened in November 2004, to a long time employee and her husband.

The 30,000 sq. ft. new brewery, situated on six acres at 331 Circle of Progress in the Pottstown Airport Business Center, has housed the brewery's executive offices and been serving as a warehouse since the beginning of this year when Sly Fox took possession. In addition to the new brewery, a tasting room/pub will eventually be added if a zoning variance is granted by the township.

The brewery will feature a fully automated 50-hectoliter BrauKon brewhouse from Germany which is expected to arrive by November and be up and running by the end of the year. Production capabilities will be tripled with the new brewhouse. Currently, Sly Fox can brew 25 hectoliters twice a day but will be able to brew 50 hectoliters three times a day at the Pottstown location.

Read more »

Beer Flights, New Menu & Rooftop Dining at Molly Maguire's

A new season brings a new reason to visit Molly Maguire's Irish Restaurant & Pub. Take a flight to Ireland with Molly Maguire's new beer flights, indulge on Chef Jerry Eichner's new menu, while dining al fresco on the rooftop deck.

Introducing Beer Flights
Molly Maguire's is pleased to introduce draft beer flights into their current core of offerings. Molly's flights offer a set of four 5 ounce servings for $6, designed for guests to try a variety of draft beers. To kick off the flights, Molly's is offering specialty flights at a specialty price of $5 during Happy Hour from 6-8pm on Thursday & Friday. Thursdays, go all Irish with Guinness, Smithwick's, Harp & Magner's Irish Cider. On Fridays, enjoy the taste of summer with seasonal flights featuring Victory Summer Love, Magic Hat #9, Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat & Sam Adams Summer Ale. In addition, guests can always select their own flights from a fantastic line-up of drafts including Stone IPA, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Blue Moon and more.

Rooftop Dining
Molly Maguire's rooftop dining offers an unmatched visual feast. Perched atop Molly Maguire's, guests will enjoy dinner and a pint with a bird's eye view of the bustling street below. Rooftop dining is available weather permitting.

New Menu
Executive Chef Jerry Eichner is pleased to unveil his new menu featuring authentic Irish staples that include traditional Fish & Chips, Irish Stew, Dublin-Style Bangers & Mash and Braised Steak & Guinness Pie, as well as his take on American classics. Below is a preview of some of the new items on the menu. View the full menu here: http://www.mollymaguirespubs.com/

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Marly's Introduces 3 Courses for $25 & Kids Eat Free!

Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday through August, Chef Michael Favacchia of Marly's BYO (108 Bridge Street Phoenixville, PA; 610-933-7471) invites you to experience three courses from his dinner menu for just $25, plus tax and gratuity. In addition, a complimentary children's menu will be offered to kids 12 and under. Guests are invited to dine al fresco in Marly's beautiful garden, while savoring Chef Favacchia's seasonal menu. Call 610-933-7471 for reservations.

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The Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area Hosting Strawberry Festival This Saturday

On Saturday, June 11th, the Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area will be hosting a Strawberry Festival and flea market. The flea market hours will be 9 am to 2 pm. The Strawberry Festival hours will be 10 am to 3 pm. Kids activities will be from 11:30 am to 1 pm.

Chesco Pops Concert to Support Phoenixville Public Library

The Chesco Pops are partnering with the Phoenixville Public Library in its performance at Valley Forge Christian College in Phoenixville on Sunday, July 10 at 3 p.m.

Titled From Sea to Shining Sea: America’s Musical Bounty, the program features Salute to Broadway, Sousa’s Washington Post March, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, featuring jazz and classical crossover pianist, Terry Klinefelter. Medleys of soundtracks written by John Williams for Harry Potter, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Raiders of the Lost Ark and by Henry Mancini for Peter Gunn and Pink Panther will also appear. A medley of 10 traditional American songs closes the program.

The Pops is under the direction of WCU Professor Emeritus, Jacques Voois. The 65-piece orchestra comprises many of Chester County’s finest instrumental players. Since its founding in 2005, the Pops has presented 36 concerts in more than a dozen county venues.

Concertgoers will enjoy the Pops show while supporting the ongoing activities of the Phoenixville Public Library. A percentage of concert ticket revenues will be donated to the Library.

Tickets will be available at the door. They are reasonably priced at $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $5 for students and free to children 12 and under.

For more information, including locations and driving directions, please visit the orchestra’s website, www.chescopops.org, or call 610-701-5701.

PJ Ryans Raising Money to help support Fireworks this July 4th Tomorrow Night

Tomorrow night, PJ Ryans will be hosting a fundraiser to help raise money for fireworks on July 4th. Things kick off with their First Thursday Comedy Night at 8pm. Immediately following the show, Jay from Salon Fiber and Dan from Grace Tattoo will be guest bartending. Advanced tickets are available now for $20 each and can be purchased either at Salon Fiber, Grace Tattoo or PJ Ryans. Tickets will also be available at the door for $25.

Help Clean Up the North Side This Saturday

This Saturday, from 8am-12pm, you can join other volunteers in cleaning up the North Side.

Please help us clean up the North Ward during this first outing of the “Clean up the North” program. Collection bags and gloves will be provided for all interested volunteers. There is lots of parking at Veteran’s Park where all materials will be distributed. A donation of your time is all we are asking for! Help be a part of making the North Ward beautiful!

The clean up crews will start at Veteran’s Park (across from Northridge Village) and move up Mowere Rd. through High St. & S Main St. For more information, please contact Jon Ichter at ichterjr@gmail.com.

Forge Theatre Presents The Sound of Music to Close Their 2010-2011 Season

Forge Theatre in Phoenixville, will close its 49th Season with the Rodgers and Hammerstein family classic, The Sound of Music. First produced in 1959, this beloved piece is one of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s best known works. The book was written by the popular playwrights, Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, and the original production starred Theodore Bikel as the Captain, and Mary Martin as Maria von Trapp, on whose memoir the play is based. Many of the play’s songs have gone on to become standards over the last 52 years, including Do-Re-Mi, Climb Ev’ry Mountain, My Favorite Things, Edelweiss, and the title song, The Sound of Music. The film version of play, released in 1965 and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, enjoys enormous popularity today, including theatrical “sing-alongs” across the country.

Forge’s production features veteran local actor Lew Osterhoudt as the Captain, and Janine Herd as Maria, with Beverly Albertus as the Mother Abbess. Playing the adorable and rambunctious von Trapp children are Carrie Hytha, Jake Gould, Taylor Ruffo, Bailey Meyer, Mary Schlenker, Alexis Gwynn, and Keira Celebuski.

The show opens Friday, June 3 and runs June 3, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 at 8:00 PM. (Note: June 4, 12, 18 are SOLD OUT.)

Tickets for this production, the final Forge show of the season, are $15 for adults and $12 for students under 18. They can be reserved by calling 610-935-1920, or purchased online at http://forgetheatre.org/tickets/ and clicking on the link to ShowTix4u.

Forge Theatre, now in its 49th year, is located at 241 First Avenue in Phoenixville.

Phoenix Writers Group Debuts at Phoenixville Public Library

Phoenix Writers, a group for adult writers, will have its first meeting at Phoenixville Public Library on Monday, June 6 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Meeting monthly on the first Monday of the month, the group will offer writers education, empowerment, and constructive criticism. The sessions will be led by local author Raymond Rose and will provide writers the opportunity to ask questions about the writing process, read their work out loud, and receive and offer input on the material read. Writers wishing to have their work critiqued should submit their work to Raymond Rose prior to each meeting. The group is free and open to the public. To submit writing samples or for more information, e-mail Raymond Rose at theraymondmrose@gmail.com. Phoenixville Public Library is located at 183 Second Avenue, Phoenixville, PA.

PA Renaissance Fair Hosting Celtic Fling & Highland Games June 25-26th

Over the weekend of June 25-26th, the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire will be hosting its Celtic Fling and Highland Games:

For one weekend in late June each year, Lancaster County’s Amish Country becomes the Celtic Capital of the United States as 100s of musicians, dancers, craftsmen, Scottish clans, Irish societies and rugged athletes from across North America and Europe gather for the Celtic Fling & Highland Games on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. The Faire’s 35 acres will be covered in kilts, cabers, official Scottish athletic competitions, officially sanctioned Irish Dance competitions, Highland Dance demonstrations, border collie sheepherding, and Celtic crafts, food and music. Each festival day features over 50 musical sets, competitions and demonstrations.

The event is held on the grounds of the Faire and is open to the public from 11am – 10pm each day. Tickets are $26.95 for adults and $10.95 for children.

In addition, there will be a Celtic Fling concert the night before, June 24th:

Kick-off the Celtic Fling & Highland Games on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire with a triple dose of Celtic rock at the Friday Night Concert, June 26. Everyone’s favorite “Titanic” steerage band, Gaelic Storm, blows into town for their second Celtic Fling appearance, while Fling favorites Ceann and Scythian get the evening started. Throughout the evening, fabulous foods and brews are available at the Swashbuckler Brew Pub. The gates open at 5:00 pm.

For more information, visit www.parenfaire.com