TM/© 2011 Sesame Workshop. All Rights Reserved.
Photograph courtesy of VEE Corporation.

The perennial favorite Sesame Street Live once again returns to Johnstown—this time with “Elmo Makes Music”. As a special thank you to our readers, we’re providing you with a code to receive a $3 discount on your tickets. We’re also giving away four free tickets to one lucky winner (details on both appear later in this post).

Three shows are scheduled for Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, PA. Showtimes are at 10:30am, 3:30pm, and 7pm.

Sesame Street Live is great fun for the whole family. Here’s what the producers have to say about the upcoming shows:

Sesame Street Live is a larger-than-life, musical touring stage production featuring Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie and more. Each performance is 90 minutes of singing, dancing and audience participation, including a 15-minute intermission. The perfect length for very young children! Don’t miss this opportunity to count along with The Count, visit Elmo’s World and do the Crumb-A-Rumba with Rosita and Cookie Monster at Sesame Street Live “Elmo Makes Music”.

Tickets may be purchased at the Cambria County War Memorial box office and at all Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 800-745-3000. There are numerous levels of tickets to fit every budget: $12, $16, $20, $25 (Gold Circle) & $50 (Sunny Seats). Group discounts are available by calling the War Memorial at 814-536-5156. The Sunny Seats Package includes a VIP Seat and a pre-show Meet & Greet photo opportunity with two Sesame Street Live friends. Additional fees/surcharges may apply for all ticket purchases.

As a courtesy to our readers, you can get $3 off each ticket by using the passcode ERNIE at ticketmaster.com. Discount excludes Gold Circle & Sunny Seats. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. Discount cannot be combined with any other offer.

Comment on this post to win four complimentary ticket vouchers. Vouchers are exchangeable for tickets while supplies last. One entry per person, please! Entries must be made by 11:59pm EST, Thursday, August 11. One winner will be drawn at random on Friday, August 12 at 9am EST and will be announced in the comments section. Please return to this post to claim your prize.

Photograph courtesy of Erika Law

The vibrant arts community of Johnstown has become more and more visible in recent years. And much of this is thanks to local groups and collectives of musicians, performers, visual artists and writers. One such group, (un)apologetic productions, a community based arts organization in Johnstown, will be promoting creativity and awareness of our area’s arts scene at RagBag! A Family Friendly Festival of Creativity on Saturday, June 18^th. The festival will take place at the Roxbury Bandshell.

The event, which lasts from noon until 7PM, will feature live music, interactive children’s theater, crafts, a silent auction with baskets and products from local businesses, demonstrations, and more. Musicians who will be featured on the stage include Jenny Drummey, Savanna Dawn, and EVK. Demonstrations include Fun with Science and Hooping with Dorien. Food and beverages will be available throughout the day.

“[The festival] is part of (un)apologetic productions’ ongoing campaign to foster the recognition of the importance of the arts in the Johnstown community,” says Lindsay St. Clair, a member of the group.

The festival and all its activities are free to attend and perfect for all ages. Donations are strongly encouraged, with proceeds benefiting (un)apologetic productions, a non-profit organization.

The Roxbury Bandshell is located in the Roxbury neighborhood of Johnstown. Click here for a map.

More information about the event and other (un)apologetic productions events, visit their Facebook page, their website, or email them at unapologeticproductions@gmail.com.

This is the third year for the event, which has grown in size with each year. Activities have also been expanded this year, including a morning Memorial Day ceremony featuring guest speaker U.S. Army Lt. Col. James E. White, Jr. and U.S. Army Command Exhibition Parachute Team, “The Silver Wings”.

The afternoon portion of the event will involve activities for everyone in the family. For the kids, there will be inflatable rides and activity tables. For adults, there will be a classic car and motorcycle cruise, as well as military exhibits and demonstrations. And for everyone’s enjoyment, there will be music all day, as well as food vendors.

“We have been planning this event for a year and have included fun activities for every age!” says Renée Daly, Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Johnstown.

The Johnstown Community Event will last, rain or shine, from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM on May 30^th, 2011 at Sandyvale Memorial Gardens and Dog Park. Click here for a map of the area. The event is free to attend.

For more information visit the event page at CityofJohnstownPA.net or the Johnstown Community Event Facebook page. You can also call Renée Daly at (814) 536-8616 or email her at rdaly@cojtwn.com.

Each year the Moxham Renaissance community group helps Johnstown kick off the Christmas season with a two-day holiday event. “People have told me that this gets them started for Christmas,” said Eileen DiBartola, Chairperson for this year’s celebration.

This year’s theme is Disney, with the Russell House featuring 13 Christmas trees, each trimmed to suit a particular Disney character. The trees are wonderfully decorated, often featuring handcrafted ornaments made specifically for the two-day event. Even the exterior trees get the full treatment. According to Ms. DiBartola, she was able to acquire help from Moxham Lumber for this task. “Jimmy cut 100 Mickey Mouse heads, which I then painted and covered with I can’t tell you how many jars of glitter.”

Children will be provided with plenty of opportunities to enjoy themselves. There will be craft projects, as well as a chance to get their last-minute gift requests to a very special guest, Santa Claus. There is also an elaborate model train display set up and running both days. “Some kids will sit for 30 minutes or more just watching that train,” said Ms. DiBartola.

In addition to the Christmas displays, guests will be treated to a host of entertainment, including musical performances throughout both days. Add to that free refreshments, basket raffles to benefit the Moxham Renaissance and a whole lot of Christmas cheer and you’ve got a recipe for a perfect holiday afternoon.

To join in the fun, go to the Russell House (click here for a map to the Russell House, located at 538 Park Avenue, Johnstown PA) on Saturday from 1:00PM-8:00PM or Sunday from Noon until 5:00PM. Admission is free.

This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2009. From 9:00AM to 5:00PM downtown Ebensburg, PA will be filled with the sights, sounds and smells of one of Cambria County’s favorite annual festivals. Entertainment will be stationed at five downtown locations. For a full lineup of events, visit the “Entertainment” area of the Potatofest Web site.

“What makes this a great festival is its uniqueness—the food selection features items you wouldn’t typically find vendors serving,” says Christine Strugala, Community Development Director for Ebensburg Borough. “You’ll find sweet potato fries, pierogi lasagna and so much more.” Of course, there’s a lot more to it than the food. The event now features over 200 vendors of all types. “The craft show portion has really grown,” says Christine. “Potatofest attracts high-caliber crafters from all over Pennsylvania, Maryland and Ohio.”

The event’s popularity can cause some parking problems, so its recommended that you use one of the free shuttle services. Shuttles will be continuously running from Admiral Peary Vo-Tech (click here for a map), Penn Highlands Community College (Ebensburg Education Center) (click here for a map), Ebensburg Mini Mall (click here for a map) and Lake Rowena (click here for a map).

Now in its 18th year, the Ebensburg Potato Festival continues to grow, drawing other area organizations to schedule activities in conjunction with the event. This year Dauntless Fire Company will hold a “Wine Extravaganza” from 9:00AM to 5:00PM at their 209 W. Sample Street station (click here for a map); a quilt exhibit will be on display at the First United Church of Christ Educational Building (click here for a map); and Bishop Carroll High School will be holding a fundraiser in anticipation of their 50th anniversary celebration (click here for a map).

The Ebensburg Potato Festival is a wonderful place to spend time, especially for those with young children. The kid-friendly atmosphere includes a children’s museum, face painting, potato sack races and much more. A highlight of the event is the “Miss Tater and Mr. Tot” contest, open to children between the ages of one and seven. Registration is open until Noon the day of Potatofest and more details are available on the official 2009 Miss Tater and Mr. Tot Contest registration form (click here to download as a .PDF).

Christine recommends planning to make a day of it. “Plan on coming and spending more than an hour,” she says. “This is truly a day-long event.”

To learn more about the Ebensburg Potato Festival, visit the official Potatofest Web site.