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This Week’s Events
The Erie Playhouse presents The Music of Stephen Schwartz at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, January 12 and Tuesday, January 13th. Schwartz is known as the composer and lyricist of the Broadway musical Wicked. Tickets are $13.00.
Ken Springirth will present “Make Way for the Trolley,” a history of public transportation in Erie, on Wednesday, January 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Mercyhurst North East’s Alex Theater, 16 West Division Street, North East. Springirth has published a number of books on railroads and trolleys. The presentation is free and open to the public. Call (814) 725-6277 for more information.
The Manufacturer and Business Association presents New Trends in Spam and the Emerging Threats of Spyware, with speaker John Vedrody of Barracuda Networks on January 14, 2009 from 8 – 9:30 a.m. This presentation will review the latest spam and spyware attacks, and how to protect against them. Pre-registration is required to attend and the event is free and open to the public. For more information including registration visit the event website.
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.
Willy Wonka will be at the Erie Playhouse January 9-11 and 16-18. This play is adapted from the 1971 film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, which starred Gene Wilder in the title role. All of your favorite characters and songs (including “The Candy Man” and “Pure Imagination”) are featured in this show that overflows with music, comedy and heart. All seats $12.00 with special Saturday matinees. For more information visit the Erie Playhouse website.
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.
January Events
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 last 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
The Harlem Globetrotters are bringing their 2009 “Spinning the Globe” World Tour to Erie on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 with their basketball wizardry, hilarious antics and fan interaction. Tickets start at $16.00.
There will be a cooking class at the Boothby Inn on Saturday, February 7 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. B&B host Gloria Knox will show you her secrets of good breakfasts and brunches. Space is limited and costs $50 per person. For more information call (814) 456-1888.
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.
Bean Day is a fundraiser for the Second Harvest Food Bank. Attendees are invited to bring a bean-based entry to be judged and shared. Event will be held Saturday, February 7, 2009. Still to be determined is the time and location (tentatively 3 – 8 p.m. at the Ss. Peter and Paul social center, 34th and Wallace).
If you’re looking for something different to do in celebration of Valentine’s day, you should consider the Erie Planetarium’s Valentines Dinner Under the Stars. There will be two shows with dinner from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. on February 12 & 13. For more information call (814) 454-1813, ext. 0.
The Erie Philharmonic presents The Piano Man – A Tribute to Billy Joel on February 14, at 8 p.m. For more information call (814) 455-1375 or visit the website.
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.
