This Weekend: Columbus Day Doesn’t Count

I feel like we're about due for a holiday. Doesn't it seem like we haven't had a weekday off in a long, long time? I know some of you got off for Columbus Day just this week, but if you did, you probably work in government at some level. If that's the case, you're not hard-up for days off anyway. What? Don't even try to tell me it isn't true.

I was thinking about this because, growing up, my father—a teacher in the Northern York School District—always had off on the Friday of Dillsburg Farmer's Fair which is this weekend. Lame. My fiancé went to high school around York, and they always got York Fair Friday off too. Why can't we have something like that in Harrisburg? C'mon people, lets get together and come up with some event that will get us a day off. Any suggestions?

Farmers Fair might not get you or I a vacation day, but it runs through Saturday night, and is definitely worth a visit. The Halloween parade that closes out the festivities is one of the largest in the area. The ridiculously gorgeous weather we’ve been having lately isn’t supposed to last through the weekend, so if you are planning on going to Hersheypark in the Dark I humbly suggest that you take a jacket and buy yourself a cup of hot chocolate. Also in Hershey on Friday night, Hershey Gardens will be displaying some exquisitely carved jack-o-lanterns and staying open late for some family fun at Pumpkin Glow. Two other notables on Friday. Comedian Jim Norton will be at the Harrisburg Comedy Zone in New Cumberland. I’m not an Opie and Anthony fan, but he can be pretty funny. Also, the Hershey Area playhouse is putting on The Mouse Trap. You can’t go wrong with Agatha Christie.

Saturday, there are two great volunteer opportunities, one perfect for people into urban renewal and one perfect for people into environmental protection. See, we have something for everybody. For the outdoorsmen or outdoorswomen, Kings Gap is having a Volunteer Work Day, and for the yuppies (kidding guys), Friends of Midtown is organizing The Great Midtown Clean-Up.
On Saturday night, the Hershey Bears open their season against Syracuse. Hopefully they’ll get off to a better start than the Flyers and/or my Fantasy Hockey Team.

Sunday might be a bit chilly, but it’s still a good chance to spend one last day on the water. Susquehanna Outfitters is offering another Fall Foliage Float, this one down the Conodoguinet Creek, and Kings Gap has organized a kayak trip on long pine reservoir. Sunday afternoon, a completely awesome and unbelievably innovative string ensemble called Bowfire will be at the Strand-Capitol Theatre in York. They’ve become known for their rendition of the Zep song Kashmir which is awesome. Tickets are a bit pricey but are still available.

Have fun kids.