Strasburg Creamery pulls the wall down on Saturday

The Digest

Strasburg Creamery pulls the wall down on Saturday

A year ago this week, the team behind Strasburg Creamery was about to close on the building at 1 W. Main St. They opened the ice cream side in July, walled off the front of the space, and spent the rest of the year building out a 1,500-square-foot general store. Saturday at 10 a.m., they finally pull the curtain. Free coffee, donuts from W. Donuts, and muffins while they last. Free waffle cones all day with any ice cream purchase. Three couples are behind it: Jeremy and Jenna Peifer, Tyler and Amber Martin, and Brian and Lindsey Funk.

The cherry: $500 in gift cards hidden in blue envelopes around Strasburg Borough starting at 10. Find one, win it. Gourmet Julie's Way runs a dinner pop-up on the patio from 4–8 p.m. Worth the drive.

Read more at LancasterOnline →

Ephrata's Black Forest Brewery has new owners and a new name

Ephrata's Black Forest Brewery just changed hands. Jamie and Jaret Davis acquired the property at 301 W. Main St., which includes both the brewery and the attached 1777 Americana Inn. The brewery reopens in June as Blue Ball Brewing, and the inn becomes The Guest House at Blue Ball Brewing. The name is a nod to Blue Ball Elementary in East Earl Township, where the Davises' kids went.

Bob and Denise Harter opened Black Forest in 2014 and ran it for 12 years before closing earlier this spring; they expanded the building in 2020 but didn't comment publicly on the closure. Jamie's background is HR, Jaret coaches youth sports, and the couple says they want a place where "good beer, good food, and good people come together." First pour: June.

Read more at LancasterOnline →

South Duke Street is finally open again

South Duke Street between Dauphin and Chesapeake is open again after a four-month closure that started in January. The block was shut down for underground work to separate stormwater and sewer lines, part of a larger $5.3 million traffic safety project that's supposed to wrap by the end of June. The corridor handles around 12,000 vehicles a day, which means a lot of you have been doing the Lime-or-Queen detour morning and night since winter.

The full project includes back-in angle parking, curb extensions, and a paved walking/biking path. The original reopening date was March, but crews hit old water lines from demolished homes that were still hooked into the main and had to abandon them properly. Lane shifts and partial closures continue through the rest of the build (so maybe don't get too comfortable).

Read more at LancasterOnline →

What's happening

Friday

All Shook Up (Opening Weekend) | Rock-and-roll musical built on Elvis hits, dinner included with the dinner-and-show ticket. | 6:00 PM dinner / 7:30 PM show | Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, 510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster | $83 dinner & show / $55 show only

Ned & Nancy See America | Musical comedy about a retired couple's RV vacation across the country. | 7:00 PM | Bird-in-Hand Stage, 2760 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand | $73.50 dinner & show / $47 show only

Saturday

Strasburg Creamery & General Store Grand Opening | The story in today's digest, in real life. Free coffee, donuts, waffle cones, raffles, and $500 in gift cards hidden in blue envelopes around the borough. | 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM | Strasburg Creamery & General Store, 1 W. Main St., Strasburg | Free

Mount Joy Memorial Day Parade | The largest Memorial Day parade in Lancaster County, folding in a USA 250th Anniversary salute this year. | 2:00 PM | Main Street (N. Angle St. to N. Barbara St.), Mount Joy | Free

FlavorFest at Mount Hope Estate (Day 1) | Samples from 20+ Pennsylvania wineries and 9 distilleries on the Mount Hope grounds, with food vendors, artisans, and live music. | 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Mount Hope Estate & Winery, 2775 Lebanon Rd., Manheim | $28.95 general / $10.95 ages 12–20 / under 11 free

Oregon Dairy Country Cruise & Fireman's Festival | Street rods, classics, bikes, trucks, food trucks, and a kids' fire-engine ride; all proceeds benefit West Earl Volunteer Fire Co. | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Oregon Dairy, 2900 Oregon Pike, Lititz | Free admission ($10 cash car registration)

Hand-in-Hand Fire Company Chicken BBQ | Take-out half BBQ chicken with applesauce, chips, pickles, a roll, and a homemade whoopie pie. | 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM | Hand-in-Hand Fire Company, 313 Enterprise Dr., Bird-in-Hand | $14 full meal / $8 chicken only

White Horse Gallop 5K & 10K | Fourth annual race hosted by White Horse Fire Company, plus a free fun run for kids 9 and under. | 8:35 AM | White Horse Fire Company, 111 White Horse Rd., Gap | $35 5K / $60 10K (pre-registration)

Luau 5K & 10K at Lancaster Junction Trail | Compact-gravel out-and-back course with a best-costume award and a finisher medal for everyone. | 8:30 AM | Lancaster Junction Trail, 99 Champ Blvd., Manheim | $33.80 5K / $49.70 10K

Comedian Yaqiao Yang | Stand-up set, 21+. | 6:30 PM | Phantom Power, 121 W. Frederick St., Millersville | $30 general / $40 VIP

Comedy Night at Columbia Kettle Works | National Brewery Comedy Tour stop with professional stand-ups. | 7:30 PM | Columbia Kettle Works, 40 N. 3rd St., Columbia | $17 advance / $20 at the door

Sunday

FlavorFest at Mount Hope Estate (Day 2) | Samples from 25+ Pennsylvania wineries and distilleries, food vendors, and live entertainment. | 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Mount Hope Estate & Winery, 2775 Lebanon Rd., Manheim | $28.95 general / $10.95 ages 12–20 / under 11 free

Live music

Friday

Dan Jamison | Acoustic / Solo | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Waltz Vineyards at Lampeter Corner, 1702 Lampeter Rd., Lancaster | Free

Schism (Tool Tribute) | Rock Tribute | 8:00 PM | Phantom Power, 121 W. Frederick St., Millersville | $30 advance / $40 day of show

Leo DiSanto & Friends | Singer-Songwriter / Americana | 8:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St., Lancaster | Free

Major Vibes | Live Band / Big Room Vibes | 10:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St., Lancaster | Free

Saturday

Forgiven | Christian / Classic Rock (at the West Earl Volunteer Fire Co. Country Cruise) | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Oregon Dairy, 2900 Oregon Pike, Lititz | Free

III for the Road | Acoustic / Variety | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Waltz Vineyards Estate Winery & Family Farm, 1599 Old Line Rd., Manheim | Free

Flavor Wave | Alt-Rock (West Chester) | 10:30 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St., Lancaster | Free

Sunday

Paraic Keane (Traditional Irish Session) | Traditional Irish | 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St., Lancaster | Free

Now Playing

Springing Into Summer Music Series | Rotating solo acoustic acts, Saturday and Sunday | 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Nissley Vineyards, 140 Vintage Dr., Bainbridge | $14