Around Phoenixville

For the third year in a row, the Steel City Blues Society will present the free, daylong Phoenixville Blues Festival in Reeves Park, Phoenixville, PA on Saturday, September 8, 2012 from 12pm to 10pm. The family-friendly day of free blues music performed by ten regional bands and musicians will take place rain or shine, and will again feature many local food and specialty vendors. The festival founder, Jim DiGuiseppe, indicated that this year there will be all new bands, a common festival trait. The lineup includes a variety of Blues genres and two bands from Nashville Tennessee. The Bart Walker Band features Bart Walker on lead guitar, recent winner of the best guitarist award at the International Blues Festival in Memphis. This year will feature many special events including a Blues Idol competition, with the audience determining the winner. The will also be a “corn-hole” tournament for interested competitors, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the festival. Festival pro

Sign up today to take the Challenge! The Camphill Challenge bicycle ride is being held on Sunday, October 14, 2012. The event begins and ends at the Kimberton Waldorf School and offers 50, 25, and 10 miles routes as well as a one mile family fun ride to Beaver Farm where children can visit the farm animals. Proceeds benefit Camphill Soltane, Camphill Special School and Camphill Village Kimberton Hills: life sharing communities for children, youth, and adults with special needs. Rider amenities include: well stocked water stations with refreshments, SAG support, T-shirt, picnic lunch and musical entertainment. Many affordable sponsorship opportunities are available. On-line registration is open now open at http://www.camphillchallenge.org/ or for additional information please contact Bernadette Kovaleski at bernadette@camphillkimberton.org or 610.935.8660.

The Phoenixille Public Library’s renovation is progressing and it is set to reopen its doors to the Adult Library on Tuesday, September 4. However, the reopening of the Children’s Library will take place on Monday September 24. Over the last week it became clear that existing floor downstairs had deteriorated to an extent that requires removal of the existing tiles. This was not in the original scope of the project but is being addressed. The Children’s Library will open on September 24 to allot time to perform all of the requisite work necessary. “All in all, the project has run very smoothly; we do not want to put carpet on a floor that is in disrepair,” said Susan Mostek, Interim Director. Mostek also stated that she is excited for the public to see the progress that has occurred during the temporary closure. “It is a very exciting time for us. We appreciate everyone’s patience and look forward to serving them with a vastly improved facility."

The Schuylkill River Heritage Area is introducing a new multi-year series of bike rides that will feature a unique combination of cycling and history. All events benefit the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, and are intended to raise awareness of the Schuylkill River Trail and the region’s fascinating history. The Schuylkill River Trail Bike Tour Series will debut this fall with the Rails and River Towns Ride, which will take place on September 22 along the Pottstown to Birdsboro section of the trail. The Rails and River Towns Ride will include a presentation on the history of the Pennsylvania Railroad, upon whose right-of-way the trail is partly built. Participants can opt to take a guided walking tour of Birdsboro or a tour of Historic Morlatton Village’s four 18th Century buildings. Three ride options are available totaling 20, 18 and 9 miles. The Rails and River Towns Ride will be the first of three annual rides in the new bike tour series. Also being planned is a 2013 Cycl

Scenes of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area Best of Show, Dawn at Valley Forge , by Cathy Grygiel. The Ninth Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area Art Show will open to the public on August 29 featuring 76 original works that celebrate the Schuylkill River region through art. Sponsored by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area , in partnership with Montgomery County Community College , the juried exhibit will hang through October 19 at the college’s West Campus Gallery at 16 West High St. in Pottstown. The public is invited to attend an opening reception on Wednesday September 19 from 5-7 p.m., featuring refreshments and live music. This year’s show includes a total of 76 original paintings, drawings and photographs by regional artists. All works were carefully selected by juror Ross Mitchell, executive director of the Violette de Mazia Foundation, in Wayne . Scenes of flowing water, historic sites, woodlands, stone barns and rural landscapes are among the many subj

Groovy Gustafer Yellowgold is a small, yellow, cone-headed fellow, who came to Earth from the Sun and has a knack for finding himself neck-deep in absurd situations as he explores his new life in the Minnesota woods. Illustrator/songwriter/musician Morgan Taylor developed the “musical moving book” Gustafer Yellowgold experience as equal parts pop rock concert and animated storybook. Gustafer Yellowgold’s Show is a multi-media performance of live music, animated illustrations and storytelling. With its unique crossover appeal, the show has been the wild-card opening act for Wilco and The Polyphonic Spree. Gustafer has appeared off-Broadway in his own productions of Gustafer Yellowgold’s Mellow Sensation and Gustafer Yellowgold’s Infinity Sock. In addition to touring nationally to arts centers, children’s museums, theaters and music venues, Gustafer has ventured abroad for performances in the U.K and even Korea! About the performance: Gustafer Yellowgold's Show Tuesday, Aug

Phoenixville is going greener at the 3rd annual Green Earth Festival on the Schuylkill River Trail on August 4 from 9am-2pm. The festival will celebrate area businesses and service groups that are working to make Phoenixville a sustainable community. Organized by the Phoenixville Green Team, in association with the Farmer’s Market, the market and festival will stretch along the creek side trail from Taylor Alley to the Foundry. The event features exhibitors, food, music, and children’s entertainment. The festival will host exhibitors that specialize in eco-friendly products, renewable energy, earth-friendly services, environmental/trails/recycling advocacy and organizations that are making a difference by protecting the environment and building a sustainable and maintainable local economy. Exhibitor spaces are still available. The Festival will feature Green Vehicles including electric, hybrid and biodiesel autos. Come down and see the newest green cars from Ford, General Motors and