8 To-Dos for January 2024

Sue Long

January-February 2024

Ugh, the holidays are history and the winter gloom is upon us. Resolve to get out and make new discoveries in January! February events will be posted online later this month. 

 

1. Dinosaurs Among Us 

Through March 31
North Museum of Nature & Science 

Do birds provide a connection to the age of dinosaurs? According to the North Museum’s website, dinosaurs did become extinct, but their evolutionary legacy lives on … in birds. The exhibit highlights the unbroken line between the dinosaurs that dominated the planet for about 170 million years and modern birds. Panels in the exhibit feature large-scale color illustrations of familiar and newly discovered extinct dinosaur species as they would have looked in life.

Dinosaurs Among Us was organized by the American Museum of Natural History (New York), with support from the North Museum of Nature and Science (Lancaster), as well as the Philip J. Currie Museum (Canada), Museo de Ciencias, Universidad de Navarra (Spain) and Universum Museo de las Ciencias de la UNAM (Mexico). 

Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 400 College Ave., Lancaster. Information: northmuseum.org or 717-358-3941. 

2. International Walking Food Tour 

Select Dates in January
Downtown Lancaster 

It’s the time of the year when we dream of taking an exotic vacation. Here’s your chance to indulge in culturally diverse cuisine from around the world without leaving Lancaster County! Created and organized by Unique Lancaster Experiences, a professional tour guide will acquaint you with local restaurants and food vendors whose menus harken to faraway places such as Denmark, Cuba, Japan, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Nepal and more! Award-winning chefs will share their stories of coming to the U.S. to start new lives and business ventures. Learn the history of Lancaster as a certified welcome city to refugees and minority groups. The tasting tour includes food, drinks and other food-related experiences at seven different locations. Most allergies and dietary requests (vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free) can be accommodated. Note: the tour is held year-round. Information: experiencelancasterpa.com or 717-821-5982.

3. Pennsylvania Farm Show 

January 6-13
Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center

Now in its 108th year, the Pennsylvania Farm Show celebrates the state’s agriculture industry, which supports 593,000 jobs and contributes $132.5 billion to the Keystone State’s economy annually. This year’s theme, Connecting Our Communities, will be complemented by nearly 4,000 animals, over 12,000 competitive events and exhibits, 245 commercial exhibits and hundreds of educational and entertaining events. The 2024 Farm Show will feature such fan favorites as the 1,000-pound butter sculpture, famous Farm Show Food Court, youth showmanship, sheep-shearing competitions and cooking demonstrations at the PA Preferred^® Culinary Connection. Visitors can explore the more than
1 million square feet of hands-on agriculture education opportunities and engage with the people who power Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry.

“Visiting the PA Farm Show is like taking a journey through the heart of agriculture, where you’ll connect with the roots of our food, the spirit of our farming communities, and the boundless possibilities for finding your own path in this industry. Whether it is your first visit or you come every year, the PA Farm Show is the best place to cultivate connections with agriculture,” says Sharon Myers, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center. Admission is free, but parking at the complex is $15. Note: The Food Court will be open January 5, 12-9 p.m. Regular hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily (closing Saturday at 5 p.m.). 2300 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. Information: farmshow.pa.gov or 717-787-2905.

4. We the People First Fridays 

January 5
Ware Center 

Millersville University hosts a community-centered event each First Friday that is designed to showcase Lancaster’s diversity from an artistic and cultural perspective. Each First Friday features an art exhibit in the Regitz Gallery and a performance in Steinman Hall. This month, the focus will be on Yesid Gomez, an artist, sculptor and consultant, who founded Azzurro Studio & Gallery in Lancaster in 2012. Gomez believes that the “power of art” can create solutions for many of the problems society faces. The theme of the art exhibit being presented by Azzurro, which continues through January 26, is A Voyage of Fear & Hope. Steinman Hall will be the setting for  An Artist’s Mind, through which Gomez will delve into the creative process by way of film and discussion (6:30 p.m.). 42 N. Prince St., Lancaster. Information: artsmu.com/ware-center.

5. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast

January 15
Millersville University 

The annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, which is sponsored by the Crispus Attucks Center, provides an opportune time for the community to come together, foster relationships, dialogue around the life and legacy of Dr. King, and confront issues of iniquity and injustice. This is the center’s largest fundraiser, annually raising $100,000, which equates to nearly 1/3 of its yearly budget.

This year’s theme, Activating the Promise of Democracy, harkens to Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech he delivered in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963. In support of the theme, this year’s keynote speaker is Bakari Sellers, whose résumé includes such notable achievements as best-selling author, activist, entrepreneur, attorney, legislator and analyst for CNN. A graduate of Morehouse College and the University of South Carolina Law School, Sellers was the youngest (22) person elected to the South Carolina legislature. He practices law in Columbia, South Carolina. Tickets are $75 for in-person and $25 for livestream. To make the event accessible to all, there is also a pay-what-you-will, in-person ticket option. 7-10 a.m. Millersville University Student Memorial Center, 113 Shenks Lane. Information: caplanc.org/MLK or 717-299-7301. 

6. Country Line Dancing 

So, your New Year’s resolution calls for exercising more, but becoming a gym rat isn’t in your wheelhouse. Have you considered dancing … as in country line dancing? Credit for its resurgence goes to Yellowstone (the television show). Heck, if Rip can line dance, you can, too! According to Harvard Health, an average person can burn up to 225 calories in 30 minutes by dancing (just lay off the beer and nachos). People have been line dancing all over Lancaster County for the past year in places like the Southern End (Britain Hill Venue & Vineyard and the Lancaster County Sportsfarm); Lititz (Mickey’s Black Box); Gap (White Chimneys, Jan. 20, 7 p.m.); Ephrata (American Legion); Manheim (ARTiface Ales & Mead) and Downtown Lancaster (Tellus360, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.). Information: Check websites and social media for upcoming dates.  

7. Suburban Pennsylvania Home Show

January 20 & 21
Lancaster County Convention Center

 

It’s time to start thinking about spring and those home remodeling projects you’d like to tackle. This home show will inspire you with ideas, products and the opportunity to meet industry professionals. If what you’re looking for is home-related, you’ll find it here. Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 25 S. Queen St., Lancaster. Information: lancasterhomeshow.com.

8. Best Wedding Showcase

January 28
Wyndham Lancaster Resort & Convention Center

Did you get engaged over the holidays and are just beginning to think about weddings plans or are you in need of those last few details to truly make your wedding perfect? No matter where you stand, the Best Wedding Showcase can get you on the path to planning your dream wedding. During the show, you can meet vendors, learn about the newest venues, sample food and drink, see beautiful floral designs and much more. One lucky attendee will win a $500 prize that will be applied to the exhibitor of their choice. Many exhibitors will be offering prize drawings, as well. Admission is $10 and can be purchased online. 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. 2300 Lincoln Hwy. East. Information: bestweddingshowcase.com or 717-7335683.