Main Street Programs

hamburg

Fun Things Happening in Hamburg

By Gabriella Wilson, Administrative Assistant, Our Town Foundation

Not only does Hamburg have plenty of great places to shop and eat, but the town also has a lot of upcoming events and activities for the whole family! All events and activities are planned and/or hosted by Our Town Foundation, the Borough’s nonprofit community revitalization corporation. Our Town Foundation administers the Downtown Main Street Revitalization Program, the Hamburg Area Arts Alliance and owns the Hamburg Strand Theater.

Networking Mixer: On June 2, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., stop in What Matters Co. Barbershop located at 46 S. 4th St. for a free networking event with local business owners, residents and artists. There will be light refreshments for your enjoyment!

Hawk Mountain Arts Tour and Sale: On June 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., visit with local artists as they display their work on the banks of the Schuylkill River at the Etchberger Memorial Park in Hamburg. It is sure to be a fun day outside and is a wonderful way to support local artists!

Faith Night: On June 14, at 7 p.m., the Hamburg Strand Theater will be showing the faith-based movie, “Same Kind of Different as Me.” Tickets are $8 and include a complimentary popcorn and soda. Faith Nights can be enjoyed on the second Tuesday of each month through December.

Car Cruise: On June 17, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., experience nostalgia with vintage, classic and other unique cars while being entertained by music from a local DJ. The Car Cruise is held at 234 State St. next to Sweet Treats Ice Cream Parlor and occurs on the third Friday of each month through October.

Photoshop for Artists: Register for “Framing the Basics for Success Art” class June 22 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Join prominent regional photographer and painter Jay Ressler in the party room at the Hamburg Strand Theater for a basic introduction to Adobe Photoshop Essentials. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops or mobile devices. Class is $10 per person and is suitable for ages 18 and older. Sampling of artwork from artists participating in the Hawk Mountain Arts Tour and Sale Example of a garden from the Garden Tour

Garden Tour: On June 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., explore several gardens in the Hamburg area with this self-guided tour. Presale tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the Our Town Foundation office located at 320 State St. Tickets purchased the day of the tour are $6.

Open Studio Reception: On June 25, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., meet local fabric artist Martha Ressler at her studio for art, crafts, refreshments and a raffle. Reception will be held at 15 Rocktown Road in Hamburg.

Classic Night: On June 28, at 7 p.m., the Hamburg Strand Theater will be showing “The Hangover.” Tickets are $8 and include a complimentary popcorn and soda.

Taste of Hamburg-er Festival: Mark your calendar for this udder-ly delicious event held Sept. 3!

If you have any questions on any of the above events, please call Our Town Foundation at 610-562-3106. To be notified of future events, please sign up for our e-newsletter at hamburgpa.org.

kutztown

Keith Haring Fitness Court® coming to Kutztown

By Sandy Green, Kutztown Community Partnership

Kutztown Community Partnership (KCP) is partnering with Kutztown University to bring a world-class, one-of-a-kind Keith Haring Fitness Court® to campus to help promote health and wellness in the Kutztown community. The interactive, outdoor fitness court will be located on the corner of Baldy Street and Normal Avenue, where Haring’s art will be integrated into every element.

Haring was a legendary activist and artist who revolutionized pop art through his graffiti-like pieces full of abstract lines and colorful flairs. His 1980s’ illustrations grew out of the New York street culture and have become a widely recognized visual language to many.

“We are thrilled to partner with KCP to bring a state-of-the art outdoor fitness center to our community,” said Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson, university president. “The Keith Haring theme is particularly exciting as it ties in so many strong aspects of our community, including health and fitness, art, history, education, town-gown relations, support of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives and more.”

The Keith Haring Fitness collection is a limited edition, outdoor, public art collaboration with the Keith Haring Foundation and the National Fitness Campaign (NFC). The fitness court will feature a 32-foot by 35-foot, outdoor bodyweight circuit training system with 30 pieces of body-weight fitness elements, including seven full-body circuit training stations and a body-weight training wall.

The cost of bringing this project to campus is $200,000 plus maintenance costs. The Kutztown University Foundation is actively raising funds and accepting inquiries for sponsorships. There are Approved Keith Haring Artwork Selection for City of Kutztown Fitness Court®

different sponsorship levels; the presenting sponsor will have its name and logo placed below Haring’s signature in the fitness park. Support the project at give.classy.org/fitnesscourt.

This project is an incredible opportunity for the Kutztown community to pay reverence to one of its native sons, as Haring was born and raised in Kutztown, PA.

Sandy Green, Kutztown Community Partnership and Kutztown University’s community liaison and government relations assistant, has been working diligently to bring the Keith Haring Fitness Court® to campus.

“We are proud and excited that Keith’s hometown, Kutztown, was one of 10 nationally chosen sites for the project,” Green said. “We have an amazing opportunity to transform one of Kutztown’s highly visible locations, the corner of Normal Avenue and South Baldy Street, into an iconic destination point. The Keith Haring Fitness Court® will be part art gallery, part outdoor gym and a point of pride for Kutztown.”

The Kutztown Community Partnership and Kutztown University have been instrumental in making this fitness park a reality. Kutztown University will pour a concrete pad for the National Fitness Campaign team to install this custom, world-class fitness park. The park is set to be ready in the fall of 2022 and will feature Haring’s iconic dancing figures designs.

West reading

A look to the West (or best) in 2022

By Mark Ratcliffe, Main Street Manager, West Reading Community Revitalization Foundation

Abig part of West Reading’s rebranding was understanding what its strengths are. Arts, entertainment and health are now the foundation of who West Reading is as a community and how it looks to grow this year and beyond.

West Reading will be expanding its public arts this year with more murals helping to connect Penn Ave. with its mural corridors. Additionally, it will bring more than just murals and live music. Public art can be sculptures, light displays, interactive art and various types of performance art. Art helps bring the Avenue to life even when its shops are closed.

The Borough will continue to support and grow its health-oriented businesses by working closer with the Reading Hospital and its supporting business in addition to West Reading restaurants and farmers market to implement added safety measures to help grow a healthier community. The 2022 calendar will be full of events such as 2nd Fridays and the West Reading Farmers Market. There will also be another restaurant week, bridal walk, farm-to-table dine out and more wine, beer and liquor strolls.

The year kicked off with a new Restaurant Week in mid-January followed by Ice and Spice hosted by the West Reading Tavern. These wintertime events draw a great crowd with creative prefix menus, hot, spiced drinks and world-class ice carvers.

In February, celebrate Galantine’s Day the Saturday before Valentine’s Day on the Avenue. The fun and interactive West Reading Fashion Week, hosted by Emily Branch, is back. Mark your calendars for Jazz Fest in March, Craft Pretzel & Beer Fest on April 23, the Bridal Walk in May and finally the Plein Air & Art on the Ave in June. While that may seem like a lot, that is just the first half of the year. A few smaller events will be sprinkled in to round out the spring and summer.

This will be an exciting year in West Reading, so get ready to enjoy more art, live a little healthier and have a lot more fun!