Fourth Friday in Columbia, Marietta and Wrightsville promises to be both spectacular and “spooktacular” on Friday, October 25.  Stop by one of the many participating venues between the hours of 5:00 and 9:00 pm for an arts experience and more.

Be part of some spectacular generosity at Jonal Gallery where your visit will feed your soul while helping to provide sustenance for others.  If you stop by during normal business hours from now until October 19, you may help to create the masterpieces in their interactive exhibit “U.B. the Artist”.  Come back on October’s Fourth Friday with your wallet and a generous spirit to bid on these unique creations.  A silent auction will be held. All monies raised will benefit the Columbia Food Bank.

Stop at Weavings, Ink. in Wrightsville for a spooky treat!  This Fourth Friday will be the opening night of “The Devil’s in the Details” exhibit.  There will be “family friendly scary” art, Halloween fare and music, and a treat bag for the first 24 attendees! Come to the party in costume!

Visit St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Columbia to experience their exhibit entitled “Every Day Saints”. This venue will showcase the artistic talent within the church and the community. Brimming with excitement all over, there will be a special Liturgical Dance movement presentation at 7:30pm, when “Dances from Around the World”, by Dance Mosaic and directed by Valerie Henry, is presented! Ms. Henry is excited to present this dance group at the church and encourages participation from the audience. Ms. Henry has spent over 20 years performing, choreographing, and teaching in the United States, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, France, and many other
nations of the world. For 17 years a significant part of her artistic work was as soloist and main choreographer for the international dance company Tabernacle, based in Jerusalem, Israel. She was also artist in residence at The Wesley Institute for Ministry & The Arts in Sydney, Australia.

After 9/11 Ms Henry began to focus more of her work in the USA. She is developing the multicultural dance ensemble Dance Mosaic and has opened Dance Discovery of Lancaster at Mulberry Art Studios. In addition to her local teaching, she is on staff as Artist in Residence at The Tabernacle Church in Laurel, Maryland and on adjunct faculty in the Bellhaven University Dance Department, in Jackson, Mississippi. Ms. Henry holds a BA in Dance & Music from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pa, and an MA in Dance and Choreography from American University in Washington D.C.  Dance Mosaic is a faith based, multicultural, intergenerational dance ensemble that uses various forms of dance, based in Lancaster, Pa. Dance Mosaic reaches into many churches and educational settings by giving performances, workshops, and seminars for all ages.   For more information on this venue or to display art/mixed-media at this exhibit, please contact Teresa Allen at 717-799-1321 or teresa.allen31@gmail.com.

Stop by historic Mount Bethel Cemetery between dusk and midnight for a spooky experience.  “Graveyard Ghost Stories” will feature the telling of ghost stories presented by the Columbia High School Drama Department.  Get into the Halloween spirit with some eerie seasonal fun and chills. Admission to this experience, set to repeat again on Saturday, October 26, is by donation. Proceeds will benefit the Columbia Drama Booster Club and the Mount Bethel Cemetery.

Help celebrate the grand re-openings of two businesses on this Fourth Friday.  Watermelon Rind (346 Locust Street) and Geltz Gotz Goodeze (430 Locust Street) will hold ribbon cuttings to kick-off their new locations.  Stop in to enjoy celebratory refreshments and offers in these two Fourth Friday venues.

Enjoy the exhibit “Art on the Fly” at Susquehanna Center for the Creative Arts, then travel to Garth Gallery for the October exhibit.  Remain at Garth following the 9:00 pm close of Fourth Friday to continue your evening out.  Come in costume to fully enjoy a Halloween celebration that will last from 9pm to midnight.  Your cover charge will include light fare and samplings from Columbia Kettle Works, a microbrewery slated to open in 2014, with live jazz music to set the tone.

During your visit, stop for a bite to eat or a hot drink at one of the local restaurants and eateries, including but not limited to: Bully’s Restaurant and Pub, Hinkle’s, Prudhomme’s Lost Cajun Kitchen, Burning Bridge Tavern, and Trin’s Beans.  For more information on events and activities or to print a map of Fourth Friday venues, visit www.PaRivertowns.com and click on the “Fourth Friday in Columbia, Marietta & Wrightsville” tab.  Questions may be directed to 717.684.5249.

SOURCE: news release, Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce