Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Schuylkill County Holiday 2020


One of the biggest items on everyone’s holiday to-do checklist is shopping. The time crunch is real and so is the frustration. We can’t help you with the time crunch but we’re definitely on board with a remedy to the frustration associated with shopping and Explore Schuylkill’s Holiday Spirit list is your anecdote! Our local holiday shopping scene offers relaxing, festive, enjoyable experiences at cool places like The Arts Barn, The Nature and Discovery Store, Leesport and Hometown Farmers Markets, Lewis General Store, Alchemist Cove Games & Comics, Murphy Jewelers, Pressed Coffee & Books, and Schaeffer’s Harley Davidson and Motorsports just to name a few.  Why not treat yourself to some truly unique holiday shopping experiences in Schuylkill County this year? Our community’s holiday spirit list is centered on celebrating the season in small unique settings throughout the county that will provide you with a memorable and enjoyable experience. We’re absolutely sure of it!


Maybe you’re seeking handcrafted beverages, delicious foods, art, pottery, outdoor recreation gear and accessories, or education and fun children’s toys? No worries; we’ve got you covered.  Whether you’ve got foodies on your list, adventure seekers, history buffs, curious kiddos, stressed moms, or beer-loving dads; we’ve got that. Maybe you have no idea what that special gift will be but just need a festive experience to get you motivated? No problem; we’ve got those too. 


Hope Hill Lavender Farm’s Holiday Open house on December 5th will enchant and delight you. Named number 3 of Travel Channel's most beautiful lavender farms you can visit in the US, Hope Hill Lavender Farm in Pottsville has a beautiful farm store stocked with the highest quality lavender beauty and culinary products, friendly animals, and unsurpassed scenic beauty. They’ve also come up with a creative “ticketed” shopping experience to ensure everyone’s safety with details available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/9th-annual-holiday-open-house-tickets-126664732625. 


Vintage 61 Storehouse in Orwigsburg is a one-of-a kind mother-daughter owned business with an affection for all things vintage and antique turned new again housed in a cool warehouse specializing in refinished furniture, CeCe Caldwell Chalk & Clay Based Paints, Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paints, refinishing classes, repurposing all types of items to usefulness, and a full line of gift items as well. Vintage 61 Storehouse is known for quality, innovation, and their outdoor marketplace weekends complete with food, beverages, and tons of creative vendors.  Plan to come to A Very Vintage Christmas on December 12th and check them out for yourself.


Schuylkill County Council for the Arts’ Chriskindlmarkt on December 5th and 6th will enthrall and delight you with a traditional German holiday market set in the historic Yuengling Mansion in Pottsville. Elaborately decorated for the holiday, this fine example of early twentieth century Tudor-Jacobethan Revival architecture provides the perfect setting for the plethora of craftspeople and artisans who’s unique handmade gifts await you. The Walk In Art Center in Schuylkill Haven is another unique venue for holiday shopping. Their outdoor holiday market on December 5th promises to be replete with handmade gifts, treats, and good cheer. 


Our community consistently ranks high in Pennsylvania for Christmas tree production and at Pioneer Evergreen Farms in Orwigsburg they offer beautiful trees and an abundant assortment of gifts and decor neatly packaged with excellent customer service. While Christmas carols fill the air, friendly staff will greet you and be sure you know exactly where to go. The folks at Pioneer Evergreen invite you to bring the family out and plan to cut your own Christmas tree this year. They offer free baling and trunk drilling, convenient on-site parking, and hot chocolate to complete this old-fashioned yuletide experience.


Wineries, distilleries, and breweries abound with holiday cheer and delicious hand crafted gifts. A stop at Yuengling Brewery, Stoker’s Brewing Company, Long Trout Winery, or Main Street Moonshine, will provide an opportunity to relax and unwind a bit during your shopping trip and grab some handmade holiday spirits everyone will love! 


If you’re looking to maximize safety while shopping this season plenty of our small businesses and organizations offer online shopping options as well to provide you the opportunity to spend local, shop local, and support local from the convenience and safety of your own home. Another big win! If you go to www.schuylkill.org, you’ll find some videos on our unique shopping venues as well as pour tour and foodie videos, a local shopping section, and events calendar. We’ve got the resources to help you have an authentic, warm, wonderful, locally-sourced and supported holiday and we hope you’ll join us in Schuylkill County this holiday season

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Enjoy Everything Schuylkill County has to offer is 2020!


Happy New Year, everyone! A new year, a new decade, a blank canvas, and limitless potential; this is the magic 2020 holds in its hands. Some of that magic can be found in your own backyard. There’s a lot more to Schuylkill County than what meets the eye. Why not make a resolution to explore it this year?

Now, we know most people don't keep their New Year's resolutions. In fact, 92% of all New Year's resolutions are broken with 80% of them broken by February, but we feel this is a resolution that can be kept, and we've created a Skook New Year’s resolution list to help! We’re confident that even though this list is a drop in the bucket of what you could do, it will definitely inspire and assist you. We back up the list with lots of other resources on www.schuylkill.org including the Schuylkill County Outdoor Recreation Map, the brand new 2020 Visitors’ Guide, trails directory, our Pour Tour craft beverage trail, an awesome events calendar with our partners at www.skoocal.com on our events tab, our blog, plus lots of hardcopy resources like the Northeast Pennsylvania Hiking and Biking Trails Map, Schuylkill River Trail Map, and Weiser State Forest Map & Recreation Guide at the visitors’ center. We know that with all of this at your disposal, you're definitely going to enjoy everything Schuylkill County has to offer in 2020!
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