This year’s event is open to the public Saturday and Sunday (September 4^th and 5^th, 2010) from 10:30AM to 6:00PM. Admission is free.

The festival, now in its 40^th year, is held annually at the Community Arts Center, located at 1217 Menoher Boulevard, in Johnstown, PA’s Westmont neighborhood (click here for a map to the Community Arts Center, Johnstown, PA).

Free parking is available at the Memorial Medical Center parking lot on Menoher Boulevard, approximately ¼ mile away from the Community Arts Center (click here for a map to the Memorial Medical Center parking lot), with free shuttle transportation running every 10-15 minutes.

The Log House Arts Festival has historically been one of the best ways to spend the day with friends or family, featuring great food, live music performances and a children’s area with face-painting and crafts for the little ones.

For more information, including photos from previous years’ events, visit the “Events” page on the Community Arts Center’s website.

“We are a little different than just an art gallery,” said Jessica Stewart, Activity Director. “Our mission drives what we are trying to do each day. This is a space for a very diverse group of people—not just those that are generally interested in the arts. This is for the entire community to come and enjoy.”

The organization exhibits artwork through both permanent and temporary displays, with new work brought in monthly. Over the years, the artwork shown has included portrait artists, mosaics, photography and historical exhibits, to name just a few.

But there is much more to the Arts Center than the artwork on display. In addition to the gallery, the facility features a theatre and studios which are used for a host of functions, including performances, workshops, cooking classes, lectures and more. “We don’t believe ‘art’ needs to be defined as ‘fine arts’,” said Jessica. “People don’t always see that the fact that their grandmother taught them to cook pierogies as an art; but we do.”

Another active part of the BOTTLE WORKS calendar is the various festivals they hold throughout the year, for which they select a particular ethnic group and structure a day- or weekend-long event around that cultural heritage.  This includes representative artwork and exhibitions and the availability of related music, food and crafts.

The exhibits are always open to the public for free, but there are fees associated with classes, etc. For an up-to-date listing of coming events, visit the BOTTLE WORKS “Coming Events” page (we highlight key events in the Do Johnstown! calendar, too).

To learn more, visit the official BOTTLE WORKS Ethnic Arts Center Web site. You can also contact the BOTTLE WORKS by calling (814) 536-5399 or via email at bottleworks (-at-) floodcity.net.

Click here for a map to the BOTTLE WORKS Ethnic Arts Center (which is located at 441 Third Avenue, Johnstown, PA). Regular hours are: Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM; Saturday, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

It’s once again time for car and bike enthusiasts to bring out their rides. And an old fashioned car cruise-in is just the right setting for car lovers and entertainment seekers to come out and enjoy the sight of rows of classic cars in the warm weather. Add in live music and food, and you’ve got a fun evening for all ages. Windber Friday Night Cruise Ins will offer this opportunity to the community all summer.

Windber Friday Night Cruise Ins will be taking place in downtown Windber select Fridays this summer, starting May 14 and ending August 27. Local vendors will supply food and a live band will perform at the Miner’s Park gazebo each week from 6PM to 9PM.

This is the second year for the event, which brings family-friendly liveliness to Friday nights in Windber. “Windber Friday Night Cruise Ins give you a chance to show off your ride or just come hang out with friends, relax and remember the good old days,” says organizer James Spinos.

Visit the Windber Friday Night Cruise Ins Facebook page for more information.

You may associate vampires with Halloween alone (or perhaps a certain box office franchise), but this May, the fanged creatures of the night will be headed to Windber for the second annual Draculacon. The event’s lineup consists of authors, actors, music, films, and more, all brought into town with the goal of creating a day (and night) of dark delights.

“Draculacon is an investment in enchantment and romance… it’s a very undefined celebration,” explains host Blair Murphy.

Special guests of the event include actor Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster on the television show The Munsters), musician David J., and author Rosemary Ellen Guiley (author of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters). The stage will also feature the premier screening of SCARED! The Grand Midway Hotel, which follows a team of ghost hunters in their investigation of Windber’s own mysterious landmark. Additional events include a burlesque show and a costume contest.

Draculacon will take on May 8, 2010, from 1:00 PM to 10:30 PM at the Arcadia Theater in Windber. Tickets are available for purchase online through Draculacon.com. More information and a full list of guests can be found at the site as well.

The structure that formerly held St. George’s Serbian Orthodox Church is being transformed into a facility that is part gallery, part performance space, part education center. “We wanted to find a way to repurpose this magnificent structure,” says Adam. “The goal is to bring it back to the public.”

VOMA is more than a unique venue—it’s a part of the community. While primarily an art structure, the central theme is education and appreciation of the arts. Efforts are still underway, but the plans are firmly in place and will roll out over the course of the coming year. This includes a fine art gallery and exhibition areas for both music and performance art.

Keeping focused on education, VOMA will be presenting lecture series on pottery, fine art, music and even cooking. Adam says these classes “will provide an opportunity for local artists to speak to the public on their craft and their approach.”

On Saturday, February 6^th, 2010 the public will have the opportunity to support this cause by attending “V.O.M.A. Dawning”, a fundraising event held at Ace’s on Chestnut Street, Johnstown, PA (click here for a map) that will feature an evening of live jazz music, a silent auction and more. Complete details are available on the VOMA blog (see below for URL).

Official online presences for VOMA include:

• Web site
• Blog
• Facebook

Artists interested in learning more about the venue should contact VOMA by calling (814) 410-2245 or by emailing voma.arts (-at-) yahoo.com.

The Venue of Merging Arts is located at 307 Chestnut Street, Johnstown, PA (click here for a map).

The gallery, located at 155 Village Street in Johnstown’s Moxham neighborhood (click here for a map), is a core part of the city’s cultural scene. The facility houses changing collections of artwork by artists with a common thread—all works displayed are by Johnstown-area artists. “There are other places in town where people can see artwork from across the world,” says Mr. DiStefano. “I wanted to create a place for Johnstown artists to show their work; to give them an audience and to show that we really value what they do.”

An ambition of Satori Gallery is to be more than simply an art gallery—but to be an art awareness venue. To this end the site is regularly the location for performance pieces, readings and theatric productions, including regularly staging acts from “Theater Matters” and “(un)Apologetic Productions”, two Johnstown-based theatre companies.

The coming year will see a full slate of activity at the gallery, with themed art shows, productions and a repeat of this past summer’s street festival. Notable events begin taking place in December. This includes a collective art show where artists create an original work around the theme of “Satori” (“satori” is a Buddhist term meaning “moment of enlightenment”). December will also see four stagings of “Santaland Diaries”, an adaptation of the essay by humorist David Sedaris. For additional details, see our “Calendar of Events”.

Satori Gallery is open to the public each week Tuesday through Thursday from 4:00PM-8:00PM. During these hours the gallery also serves as a music studio, where Mr. DiStefano teaches music lessons.

Official online presences for Satori Gallery include:

• MySpace
• Facebook

Local artists interested in showing their works at Satori Gallery should contact Mr. DiStefano by calling (814) 659-1180 or emailing satorigallery (-at-) gmail.com.

The leaves turn and the temperature drops and skulls, ghosts and goblins begin popping up in the unlikeliest of places. Another October draws to a close and, just like everywhere, Johnstowners are looking for a good, friendly scare. Fortunately, opportunities for just such entertainment are all around the Johnstown, PA area.

Each year, on the final four days of October, Frightmare Studios presents a haunted house that is sure to rank as one of the top Halloween experiences for all of their visitors.

Now in its 17th year, the Frightmare Haunted House has evolved from an elaborate yard display into a dark labyrinth of eerie scenes and macabre surprises. A dedicated team of actors apply their talents to create a delightfully frightening experience for their guests.

“Again this year there’s a lot of buzz about it,” says John Billick, who heads up the annual effort. “We always have a large number that come back year after year.”

The haunted house is open to visitors of all ages, with the intensity tailored to the age of the touring group. Still, parents with young children are encouraged to inform the gate staff that they would like the actors to dial things down to ensure the trip through the black corridors is the appropriate level for their party.

Located at 210 Arch Street, Johnstown, PA (click here for a map) in Upper Yoder Township (two blocks away from the Goucher Street Giant Eagle), the Frightmare Haunted House is open to the public from 7:30PM until approximately 11:00PM on October 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st. Guests should allow for 5-10 minutes to experience the exhibit.

While there isn’t a set admission fee, a suggested donation of $5 is requested. According to Mr. Billick, “the $5 isn’t mandatory, but it really goes a long way towards helping with the next year’s expenses”.

The haunted house is located in a residential neighborhood, which presents its own challenges. Parking is quite limited, so visitors may need to find a place to park and then walk to the exhibit. There is a steep flight of stairs leading to the exhibit that somewhat limits accessibility. It’s also important to show the neighbors respect (avoid turning around in residents’ driveways, limiting noise, etc.). And how do the neighbors feel about all of this? “They love it,” says Mr. Billick. “They think it’s a great thing for the kids.”

Learn more about the Frightmare Studios by visiting www.frightmarestudios.com or www.myspace.com/frightmare-studios.

Visit the Do Johnstown “Halloween” Flickr set for a sneak peek of the display.

Photograph courtesy of Shawn Schmalz

709 Railroad Street is both the name and location of one of Johnstown, PA’s most unique entertainment venues. Located on the edge of downtown Johnstown, the establishment is part music club, part art gallery, part community gathering area.

The mainstay of the facility is live music performances, featuring original music from artists in the Punk, Indie, Hardcore and, occasionally, Metal genres. Averaging a show each week, the location draws acts from near and far.

Typically, shows feature as many as five or six bands performing in a single evening. All shows are all-ages and generally end around 10:00PM, providing teens and young adults with a terrific entertainment opportunity.

709 Railroad Street is part of an East Coast touring route that caters to bands of similar style (punk, hardcore, etc.). Being a part of this network of approximately 50 stops between New England and Florida brings a wide-selection of bands for area residents to enjoy.

Founded and managed by a collective of area artists and musicians, 709 Railroad Street provides an ideal opportunity for young creatives to showcase their art. A key part of the facility is, in fact, its art gallery, which features a new art opening quarterly. “Johnstown is a great place to live inexpensively and have time to focus on your art,” says Promoter/Musician Mikey D’Angelo. “Plus, there is a great creative network here to support you.”

According to Mr. D’Angelo, since opening in August 2007 the venue has hosted the premier of 125 artistic offerings, including art collections, books, CD releases, art performances and film screenings.

The common area of 709 Railroad Street speaks to the community ideal of the collective. Furnished for comfortable socializing, the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and includes a community library that features classic literature, do-it-yourself books, and volumes on art and design.

709 Railroad Street events are always listed in the Do Johnstown! calendar and select photos are available at the Do Johnstown! Flickr photostream.

Bands wishing to perform at the venue can contact promoters by emailing bands_709 (-at-) yahoo.com.

Artists interested in scheduling a showing of their wares should contact Jacob Koestler, Art Curator, by emailing art_709 (-at-) yahoo.com.

Official online presences for 709 Railroad Street include:

• MySpace
• Facebook
• My Idea of Fun
• Vocal Youth

709 Railroad Street is located at (surprise, surprise!) 709 Rail Street, Johnstown, PA (click here for a map).