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This Week’s Events

The Erie Playhouse will hold its traditional New Year’s Gala concert December 31 at 7:30 p.m. wit a pre-show champagne and hors d’oeuvres reception will kick-off at 6:30 p.m. The Gala concert will feature highlights from the most produced and popular Erie Playhouse shows since opening night at their current West 10th Street location on December 31, 1983 – 25 years ago. Tickets are $35.

Jr’s Last Laugh will hold a New Years Party with live music with the M-80s, dancing, light appetizers, party hats and a champagne toast at midnight. There will also be a breakfast at 1:00 a.m. including french toast, pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries, juice, and coffee. Tickets are $35 per person. Reservations required by calling (814) 461-0911. Jr’s is 100% smoke free.

The Zem Zem Shrine Club on 38th and Zuck will hold “2009 at the Shrine” New Years Eve Party on December 31, 2008. Entertainment includes Digital Thunder Mobile DJs and Dynamic Sounds with a light show, the area’s best entertainers, a huge projection screen with NYC ball drop, champagne toast, multiple full bars, and a full food menu. For more information visit the official website (beware of annoying audio ad that starts whether you want it to or not).

The Bayfront Convention Center presents “Boogie on the Bayfront,” to be held on New Year’s Eve, December 31. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., you can catch music by the band Redline, dancing, food, drink and free parking. Tickets are $40 per person and proceeds benefit the City of Erie Police and Fire departments. Here’s a flyer for the event.

Gannon University’s Schuster Gallery will host the exhibit “The Art and the Artist,” through January 16, 2009. The exhibit will feature the work of Vitus J. Kaiser who is a longtime art teacher in the Erie School District. A reception open to the public will be held from 3 – 6 p.m. on the opening day. The exhibit will be at the Schuster Gallery located in the Nash Library. For more information call (814) 871-5467.

Through December 31, turn your canned food into a FREE TAN & help those less fortunate this holiday. Sun Your Buns Tanning Salons have once again teamed up with the Second Harvest Food Bank this Holiday Season. Enjoy a FREE TAN with your canned food donation while helping to support a very needed and worth while cause in our community.

January Events

The 26th edition of the McDonald’s High School Basketball Classic will be held in Erie on Friday, January 16th and Saturday, January 17th, 2009 at Gannon University’s Hammermill Center. This year’s event features nationally renowned programs from Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington, D.C., complete with many top-ranked players. The field includes Archbishop Carroll from Washington, D.C., Chester High School, Westbury Christian and host Erie Cathedral Prep.

The Erie Chamber Orchestra will hold its annual tribute concert to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., celebrating the life and dreams of a special American. The concert will be held Friday, January 16, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, 130 East 4th Street. For more information call (814) 871-7755.

The annual McDonald’s High School Basketball Classic will be held at the Hammermill Center for two days from January 16-17. Tickets can be purchased through the Prep athletic office. The McDonald’s Classic is a four team boys basketball tournament featuring some of the best talent the United States has to offer. This is the 26th year the classic has been held since 1983.

Erie Playhouse will begin its Youtheatre classes beginning January 17th and concluding February 28th, 2009. Classes meet once a week, on Saturday, and are limited to 15 students per class. Each class will focus on the students needs, building a positive self-image, while students learn to work with their peers through the art of theatre. Classes are designed for specific age groups.

The Cleveland Indians Winter Caravan will be held at the Gertrude Barber Center on January 20 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The event features a ballpark dinner, remarks by the players and coaches, an auction of team memorabilia and game ticket packages, and autographs for all the kids. Tickets are $8 per person, and are available in advance at the Barber National Institute, or at the door the day of the event. For information, call 453-7661. Last year the event drew more than 600 baseball fans. The roster for this year’s event included right-fielder Franklin Gutierrez, left-handed pitcher Aaron Fultz, promising pitching prospect Jeff Stevens, batting coach Derek Shelton, and broadcaster Matt Underwood.

Saturday, January 31 from 6 – 8 p.m. is Erie Bluffs Night Hike. Those interested in attending should meet at Tom Ridge Environmental Center at 5:30 p.m. before proceeding to the Erie Bluffs for a guided tour. For more information call (814) 833-7424 or email.

February Events

Saturday, February 7 from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. there will be a guided ski tour of the Erie Bluffs. You will see animal tracks, winter landscapes and much more. If there is not sufficient snow, a hike of the same subject will still take place. No fee but you must register by February 1 and bring your own equipment. Meet at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at 10 a.m. to carpool or meet at the Erie Bluffs parking lot at 10:30 a.m. For more information call (814) 833-7424.

Erie’s favorite event is right around the corner. The 18th Annual Erie Trivia Night Challenge will be held on Thursday, February 26 at the Avalon Hotel, 16 West Tenth Street, Erie. The event will benefit children in the Achievement Center’s Physical Rehabilitation programs. Participants in the event will be treated to an evening of lavish raffles, a silent auction; dinner fit for a king, and of course, the coveted Achiever’s Title. “Captain Dan” Geary will be returning as our master of ceremonies. “Captain Dan” will be navigating participants through three rounds of rip-roaring, mind-teasing Erie trivia questions to arrive at the infamous, “final question.” Registration starts at 5:30 p.m. Dinner is at 6 p.m. with the trivia to start at 7 p.m. Cost is $50 per person or $400 per table of eight. Dinner and game play included. For more information, call Susan A. Smith at 814-459-2755, Ext. 1115.