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This Saturday February 22nd wildlife expert Jack Hubley will be visiting the Oregon Dairy Supermarket in Lititz, PA. This is your chance to see critters that may be in your own backyard! Featuring mammals, birds of prey, and snakes! Tickets are $3 each and are available at Customer Service. Children 2 years and younger get in for free. There will also be chocolate milk, coffee and popcorn to all that attend.
Come on out to Lancaster County and see this wild man show you all kinds of critters that can be found in your backyard. To get information on how to get your tickets visit the Oregon Dairy Farm website or call them at 717-656-2856. To book your stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott you can visit our website or call our toll free number at 888-STAY-FFI.
This Winter has been very rough on everyone that has had to weather through it. From the ice storms to the feet of snow that we’ve been getting all at once it seems its been rough. Although we may complain about the hardships that we have to deal with the wildlife here in Lancaster County has it A LOT worse. Lakes and rivers have been snow covered and iced over so eagles have not been able to get their meal of fresh fish so when they saw their opportunity this morning they did not pass it up ! Bald Eagles were seen on the Susquehanna River this morning fishing for the first time in a long time ! These majestic animals are HUGE and like to stay close to rivers, marshes and other wet areas which explains what it was doing at the Susquehanna. Lucky us we were able to get a couple of snapshots from someone who was nearby when the eagles were spotted.
[gallery ids="2198,2199"]Music Friday !
Every 3rd Friday of the Month Downtown Lancaster hosts Music Friday ! Live music abounds throughout City shops, restaurants and City parks the third Friday of every month. Each month features a signature concert event for all to enjoy for free.
Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival
Lancaster will be this years host for the Roots and Blues Festival ! We will welcome all artists from around the world. The musicians who play at Lancaster Roots and Blues are masters of their craft. They can play! There will be no pre-recorded vocals, no Auto-tune, you won’t hear Pop music and this is not to be confused with a Techno fest! These artists play music from the heart and with a whole lot of soul! For sure, if you want, you will be able to dance the night away. This weekend only from February 21st- 22nd in Downtown Lancaster, you will be able to experience all of the musical spirit that envelops Lancaster every 3rd Friday of the month!
Ladies Night Out at BUiLDiNG CHARACTER
Every Music Friday, BUiLDiNG CHARACTER hosts its monthly Ladies Night Out event from 7 pm- 9 pm. The evening is complete with desert samples and drinks compliments of BUiLDiNG CHARACTER, free 5 minute massages by Jim Baldwin and even free hand scrubs by Garden Party Soapworks. As well as all of the fabulous perks that guests if BUiLDiNG CHARACTER will receive, they will also have the option to shop through 40+ vendors clothing, handcrafted jewelry and much much more.
There are tons of things to get into this weekend in Lancaster County so plan your trip now ! To book your stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott you can visit our website or call our toll free number at 888-STAY-FFI.
This year, the Building Industry Association of Lancaster County’s Spring Home Show has a new home — the Spooky Nook Sports complex in East Hempfield Township.
By relocating there from Franklin & Marshall College’s Alumni Sports & Fitness Center, “our show has the potential to grow,” said event chairman Chuck Honabach. An additional benefit of the new venue is increased parking for visitors, he said, so shuttle service is no longer required.
The three-day show — which is open 1-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 1, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 2 — will also offer free admission.
What hasn’t changed is the broad cross-section of exhibitors displaying products and services — everything from new construction and remodeling to solar and green technologies, landscaping, kitchens and baths, interior design and financial services.
Seminars and family-friendly activities are on the agenda again as well.
More than 140 contractors and vendors — including some first-time exhibitors — will have booths at the show, which is also presented by Lancaster Newspapers and LancasterOnline.com.
As of early last week, the 255 available booths were 99 percent sold out, Honabach said. Exhibitors also will be allowed to take orders during the show, he said.
Honabach’s business, Clean Works Services Inc., will have a booth. One new technology it will promote, he said, is ultrasonic blind cleaning, which uses microscopic bubbles to remove soil, debris and discoloration.
A lot of the company’s focus is on improving indoor air quality, Honabach said.
“I think it’s exciting,” Steve Edris, a longtime home show exhibitor, said of the move to Spooky Nook Sports.
THE FOLLOWING FREE SEMINARS ALSO WILL BE OFFERED:
Friday — 2 p.m., “The Truth About Health”; 3 p.m., “Home Security”; 4 p.m., “Cooking Al Fresco — Plan the Perfect Outdoor Kitchen.”
Saturday — 11 a.m., “ReStore Demonstration”; noon, “How to Choose a Remodeling Contractor”; 1 p.m., “Best Designs”; 2 p.m., “The Health of Your Home”: 3 p.m., “Landscaping With Natural Stone”; 4 p.m., “Ways to Make Your Home More Energy-Efficient.’
Sunday — 11 a.m., “Remodeling: Investing Wisely for Your Sanity and Resale Value”; noon, ‘The Importance of Chimney Sweeping and Using CSIA Certified-Sweep”; 1 p.m., “Geothermal Heating & Cooling Technology”; 2 p.m., “What the DIY Homeowner Needs to Know Before Starting a Home Improvement Project”; 2:30 p.m., “Clay Subsoil as a Base for Patios and Walkways”; 3 p.m., “Latest Technology in Home Automation.”
For children, there will be a mascot meet-and-greet from 1-3 p.m. Saturday featuring the Lancaster Barnstormers’ Cylo and the Hershey Bears’ Coco the Bear. Lowe’s will also sponsor a Kids’ Clinic from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, where youngsters build a small project which they can then take home.
Spooky Nook Sports Complex is located in Manheim, PA about 10 minutes away from the Fairfield Inn & Suites. It is a wonderful and immense space that houses different sports complexes for everyone of every age to enjoy.
On this special weekend the Sports Complex will be transformed to a place for people from near and far to come and see over 140 contractors and vendors and see what they have to offer to people who are looking to make improvements to their homes. To book your stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites you can visit our website or call our toll free number at 888-STAY-FFI.
Next weekend Lancaster Symphony will present a celebration of romance and young love at the Fulton Opera House in homage to Valentine’s Day. Maestro Stephen Gunzenhauser says his intention is to explore the entire scale of emotions between two people in love.
International violinist and Avery Fisher Grant recipient Tai Murray will perform as visiting soloist in place of Maria Azova, concertmaster with the Austrian Arpegionne Chamber Orchestra, who is unable to attend due to visa restrictions.
Music critic Lesley Valdes, writing for the Philadelphia Inquirer, describes Murray as “a violinist who possesses exceptional assurance and style … with more than technique on her mind.’’
Murray will take the lead in two pieces by Spanish composer Pablo de Sarasate that are filled with fire and passion — first, his “Carmen Fantasy,’’ with five movements encapsulating the emotions of Bizet’s opera, and then “Zigeunerweisen,’’ a collection of gypsy airs that draws on themes of the Roma people.
Both works provide a showcase for the beauty of the violin and are true party pieces as far as the soloist is concerned, filled with the most exacting virtuoso and musical demands.
The rest of the program continues its focus on love, opening with Manuel de Falla’s short and ever popular Ritual Fire Dance from El amor brujo (Love, the Magician), which leads into Howard Hanson’s “Romantic’’ Symphony No. 2 in D flat major.
The Hanson symphony, Gunzenhauser says, is a remarkable work by an American composer that makes a statement about the beautiful and positive elements of love, thereby setting the atmosphere for the entire evening.
The concert concludes with Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” fantasy-overture. It may seem a little topsy-turvy to put the overture at the end, but Gunzenhauser says the love story it tells is a fitting climax to the program. Although a mere 20 minutes long, the piece captures all the essentials of Shakespeare’s play: the foreboding of doom, the warring Montagues and Capulets, the rapturous love theme of Romeo and Juliet (one of Tchaikovsky’s best) culminating in the tragic end of the star-crossed lovers.
The music is said to have been inspired by the composer’s own feelings, when he was 29, for a 15-year-old boy who was a cousin of one of his students. Like Romeo and Juliet, the young man committed suicide, and Tchaikovsky recorded in his diary that he never loved anyone so strongly.
Bearing this personal element in mind, it is little wonder that the music is such a powerhouse of emotion and an appropriate acknowledgment of the tumultuous effect that romantic love has upon our lives.
And that’s what the concert is all about.
To reserve your tickets for this wonderful display of talent you can visit the Fulton Opera House website or call their box office at 717-397-7425. To book your stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott you can go onto our website or call our toll free number at 888-STAY-FFI.
The month of February is Chocolate Covered February in Hershey’s Chocolate World and they invite you to see what they have for you and your family !
Here are the events that are going to be taking place all month long, straight from the Hershey website.
February 1-February 27
CHOCOLATE-COVERED FEBRUARY
Sat. & Sun. 2:30 p.m.
HERSHEYPARK Chocolate Parade Dance along with the HERSHEY’S Characters and the Sweetest HERSHEYPARK Band.
FREE Exclusive Chat with the HERSHEY’S Characters!
Sat. & Sun. 11 a.m.
Interact live with our digitally animated characters like never before. An exclusive event in our 4D show theater.
FREE Interactive Story Time & Hot Cocoa
Sat. & Sun. 1 p.m.
Featuring chocolaty tales and a sample of our signature HERSHEY’S Hot Cocoa.
New! HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE FACTORY MYSTERY IN 4D Show
Daily. Times Vary.
FREE toy for kids 12 & under at 9:30 AM shows on Sat. & Sun. February only.
Limited Edition Sweets
Savor special treats for purchase during February only: Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cupcake, Chocolate-Banana Milkshake, and Chocolate-Drizzled Lace Cookies.
HERSHEY’S Bake Shoppe
Enjoy one of the 30+ unique cupcakes on the menu at our HERSHEY’S Bake Shoppe.
HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE TASTING ADVENTURE
Daily. Times Vary.
Join our chocolate experts for an entertaining lesson in the origins and tasting of chocolate. Special CHOCOLATE-COVERED FEBRUARY tastings all month.
Plan your trip and stay with the Fairfield Inn & Suites located between the Chocolate capital of America and historic Lancaster County filled with Amish attractions. To book your stay with us visit us on the Fairfield Inn & Suites website or call our toll free number at 888-STAY-FFI.
NBC’s hit TV show comes live to the American Music Theatre stage with The Sing-Off Live Tour – A Night of A Cappella. The Sing-Off Live Tour will feature the newly crowned best a cappella group in the country, Home Free, along with Season 4 contestants The Filharmonic and VoicePlay, performing their a cappella versions of the biggest chart topping songs viewers fell in love with from the show. The tour will include individual sets from each act, all new group numbers, ultimate sing-off’s and a few new surprises. These amazing performers will create all the music you hear with just their voices.
THIS JUST IN – AMT is elated to announce that The Princeton Footnotes will be joining the #singofftour as special guests at AMT on February 22!
Join the American Music Theatre for this special event on February 22nd at at 8 pm ! Reserve your seats now by going onto the AMT website or calling their box office at 800-648-4102.
To book your stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott you can call our toll free number at 888-STAY-FFI or visit our website HERE.
The Murder at Mount Hope has officially begun. With that said…. let the mystery begin !
You will start off this whimsical evening, dinner is set in 1939 where Americans are still recovering from the Great Depression. You will be welcomed with a four course dinner as well as a story line that will have you on the edge of your seat ! To get more information about the evening and dates you can visit the Mount Hope Estate website. To book your stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott you can visit our website or call our toll free number at 888-STAY-FFI.
Starting out as a bluegrass singer and multi-instrumentalist with country-rockers Pure Prairie League, country singer/songwriter Vince Gill has gone on to win multiple CMA and Grammy awards, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He recently toured as part of the popular Western Swing band The Time Jumpers. Vince’s numerous hits include “When I Call Your Name,” “Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away,” “I Still Believe in You,” “One More Last Chance,” “Tryin’ to Get Over You,” and “Whenever You Come Around.”
On February 20th Vince Gill will be making his presence known at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, PA at 8 pm. Take a look at his video for “I Still Believe In You” below ! To get your tickets to this almost sold out show visit the American Music Theatre website.
To book your stay at the Lancaster Inn & Suites in Manheim you can visit our website or call our toll free number at 877-720-1202.
141 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion.
Over 50 percent of all Valentine’s Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the observance, making Valentine’s Day a procrastinator’s delight. Research reveals that more than half of the U.S. population celebrates Valentine’s Day by purchasing a greeting card.
1. Valentines Day Originally Had More To Do With Death Than Love.Valentines day in fact originated as a liturgical Christian celebration commemorating the martyrdom of Saint Valentine. The popular saint was supposedly imprisoned and then killed for performing weddings of soldiers who were forbidden to marry under a Christian service. According to legend, before his execution he wrote a letter to his jailer’s daughter who he had healed and signed it “Your Valentine.”
2. The Romans Did It first. In Ancient Rome, the festival of Lupercalia was observed February 13-15 to celebrate the start of spring and the fertility of the earth. Although there is no direct link between this pagan festival and the feast of St. Valentine, it is an interesting coincidence that this festival should predate what was to become the biggest celebration of love, romance and, lets face it, sex that the world has ever known by hundreds of years.
3. An English Poet Made It Romantic. It was medieval English poetGeoffrey Chaucer who first created a stron association between St. Valentine’s Day and romance. In 1381, Chaucer wrote a poem in honor of the marriage of King Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia: “For this was on St. Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.” This is the first recorded association between Valentine’s day and love or romance.
4. A French Court Made It Popular. In 15th century Paris, princess Isabel of Bavaria apparently established a “High Court of Love.” It was founded on January 6th, the festivity of a Bavarian Saint Valentin. The court dealtplayfully with romances, relationships and love. Judges were selected by women on the basis of a poetry reading. This the first time that the romantic associations with the festival became widely popularized.
5. Valentines Cards Date Back To The 18th Century. In 1797, a British publisher issued “The Young Man’s Valentine Writer,” a book containing sentimental verses and short poems for young lovers. Printers soon began printing cards with verses called “mechanical valentines”: this is the first precursor to those lovely, automated Valentines e-cards.
