Last Week Before Labor Day Activities (mostly FREE)

No reason that getting ready for school shouldn't be fun. Stop by the Beat the Heat rally tomorrow, then check out Community Arts Norristown's open house, then the Youth Empowerment Summit at Elmwood Park. Girls can top off the day at the Carver Center while parents enjoy down time at Five Saints. And that's just Saturday.

Saturday, August 25, noon-2:30 pm, Montco Courthouse. Beat The Heat Rally. Come out and learn about Climate Change and what can and should be done about it. FREE ice cream.

Saturday, 1-3 pm, Community Arts Norristown (506 Haws). Fall Open House.

Saturday, 1-6 pm, Elmwood Park. Youth Empowerment Summit. FREE. Crafts, food, music, games, dancing. Bring a chair. Free school supplies while they last.

Saturday, 8 pm to 8am the next day, Carver Community Center (Jacoby and Arch). Slumber Party for girls aged 7 to 17. Bring a sleeping bag or bedroll. $5 per girl (discounts for siblings). Call 610-272-7480 or email GWCarvercenter19401@gmail.com.

Saturday, 8-11 pm, Five Saints Distilling (Green and Main). Somewhat Civil performs. No cover.

Sunday, 1-4 pm (or possibly 6 pm?), St. Patrick's Church basement (Dekalb and Chestnut). Irish Festival. Homemade food, desserts, raffle baskets, entertainment.

Sunday, 6-8 pm, Oak Street Park (near basketball courts). Back to School Backpack Drive, sponsored by the Help A Single Parent Foundation.

Sunday, 7 pm at Elmwood Park Bandshell. Summer Concert Series continues. This week, The Supernaturals perform. FREE. Bring a lawn chair or something to sit on.

Monday, 7 pm, Norristown Area School District Admin Bldg (401 N Whitehall). Board of School Directors will host their regular monthly school board meeting.  Agenda at this link.

Tuesday, 7 pm, Municipal Hall. Zoning Board Hearing.

Wednesday, 2-3 pm, Norristown Library Youth Services Department. Magic Show with Ran'D Shine. For info, contact 610-278-5100 x205.

Thursday, 11 am-2:30 pm, in front of the Courthouse. The Norristown Farmers' Market. Stop by Thursdays through October 25.

Next Friday, August 31, 6 pm at Elmwood Park Bandshell. Special Labor Day Weekend Concert. Dean Garofolo as Elvis. FREE. Bring a lawn chair or something to sit on.

Next Saturday through Sept 30, Timshel Coffee Shop (104 E Main) will display art works by the Greater Norristown Art League. All pieces will be available for sale. Artists Reception on Sept 7.

Also next Saturday, 6 pm at Elmwood Park Bandshell. Special Labor Day Weekend Concert. The Allen Reynolds Band. FREE. Bring a lawn chair or something to sit on.

ECLIPSE! and other events this week

Theater, a movie and a once-in-a-decade eclipse viewing for the kids this week (and any adults like me who think eclipses are cool). Plus members of Council will be out and about listening again, and the N-twon Chamber of Commerce will show you what's planned for downtown.

Friday, August 18, "Hero School" continues at Theatre Horizon, an interactive play for children and their parents. Performances at 5, 6:15, and 7:30 pm. Only 30 seats per performance. Hero School will run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through August 27. This weekend's performances Saturday at 10 am, 11:15, 1:30 pm, 2:45. Sunday at 2 pm, 3:15, 5:30 and 6:45. Tickets at this link.  FREE tickets are available for Norristown families at this link.

Saturday, 10 am, Centre Theater's Kids' Movie presentation will be "Frozen." FREE. For more information and to reserve your seats, please send an email to centretheater@gmail.com. Since seating is limited, we recommend making reservations.

Saturday at 10 am at Coffee Talk, 507 W Marshall, Heather Lewis, the 2nd District Councilwomen will be on hand to speak with residents.

Saturday, 7-8:30 pm at Montgomery Cemetery. The Historical Society of Montgomery County will be offering a twilight tour entitled "Symbols of the Cemetery." Discover the meaning of symbols on the tombstones and the history behind them. $15 per person includes the tour, refreshments and presentation. RSVP 610-272-0297 or contact@hsmcpa.org.

Saturday, 7-11 pm, Five Saints Distilling (Main and Green). Hal Aaron performs.

Sunday, starting about 1:30 pm (after the noon mass) in the basement of St. Patrick's Church (Dekalb and Chestnut). Irish Festival with food and music.

Sunday, 7 pm at the Elmwood Park Bandshell, Summer Concert Series presents the Whiskeyhickon Boys (classic sounds). Bring a chair or blanket to sit on. Concession stand will be open.

Monday is the solar eclipse. The optimal time for viewing it in Norristown is 2:43 pm (when 80% of the sun will be blocked by the moon), but it will last from about 1:20-4 pm. Two places in town (below) will hold Eclipse Viewing events (if it's a sunny day). If you can't make either or if it's cloudy in the afternoon, check out the NASA website at this link to find a livestream of it between noon and 4 pm. Whatever you do, DO NOT look directly at the sun without approved glasses.

Monday, 1:30-4 pm, Norristown Library (Powell and Swede). Solar Eclipse Comes to Norristown. Cliff Hirst will help you safely observe the eclipse and explain how and why eclipses happen. For info, contact Cliff Hirst at 610-278-5100, x 0 or cliffhirstmnl@gmail.com.

Monday, 2-3 pm at Selma Mansion (1301 W Airy). View the Partial Social Eclipse from one of Norristown's highest points. FREE event. Elena Santangelo (yeah, me) will answer questions about the eclipse and explain the science. The Norristown Preservation Society will have safe cardboard box viewers and a telescope viewer for anyone who wants to stop by and see the partial eclipse. Or bring a box at least the size of a copy paper box and they'll help you make a viewer. Family friendly event.

Tuesday, 6-7:30 pm at the Norristown Library. Norristown Chamber of Commerce will mix, mingle, then listen to Tom Bonner, Capital Projects Program Director for Montgomery County, discuss the Montgomery County Campus Redevelopment Plan which consists of six projects in downtown Norristown including a 220 million dollar Justice Center, and renovating and expanding Hancock Square park. RSVP to this link. Food provided by Banh Mi Bar & Bistro.

Tuesday, 7 pm at Municipal Hall. Zoning Board Hearing.

Thursday, 11 am-2:30 pm on East Main in front of the Courthouse. Norristown Farmers Market. Every Thursday through Oct 26. Variety of fruits and vegetables, farm fresh, plus a new vendor with baked goods (even gluten-free).

Thursday, 6 pm, Theatre Horizon (401 Dekalb). Council Listening Tour again. This time about economic development. Bring your smartphone or a pen.

Next Saturday, Aug 26, from 11 am-3 pm in front of 401 Dekalb. The Willow School will celebrate its first 5 years with a block party.

Next Sunday, Aug 27, 10 am-noon, Coffee With A Cop at Selma Mansion. More details next week.

Irish Fest, Experimental Theater, Music

Another festival this weekend. Irish this time, at St. Pat's on Sunday. Plus lots of free music around town and a special event at Theatre Horizon.

Friday, August  19, 4-9 pm in front of Five Saints Distillery (Main and Green), the WOW Food Truck will serve a delicious assortment of food.

Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, Theatre Horizon (410 Dekalb). New Voices, New Viewpoints is an evening of scenes from 4 new plays that have not yet been seen in our region, which represent a diversity of voices and viewpoints. Stay after the event to share your opinions over a complimentary drink with the artists. The event will be Pay What You Decide--audience pays AFTER seeing the show, whatever they can afford or think the show was worth.

Saturday, 3-6 pm at Elmwood Park Bandshell, The Art of Worship Gospel Concert.

Saturday, 4-9 pm at Five Saints Distilling, the Wheely Wheely Good Food Truck will offer an assortment of Asian Fusion food. From 7:45-11 pm, Ken Pierson will perform.

Sunday, 10:30 am-12:30 pm, Coffee With A Cop outside of Christ UCC Church, 1003 W Marshall. Come and chat with Norristown's Finest. Ask questions, voice concerns.

Sunday, 2-6 pm at St. Patrick's Church Parish Hall (Dekalb and Chestnut--basement of church, enter from Dekalb between church and rectory) the Annual Irish Festival. Homemade food, beer (Guinness, Yuengling, Smithwick's) and other drinks, music by The Fair Trade, Dance, Irish Vendors.

Sunday, 7 pm at the Elmwood Park bandshell, Sunday concerts in the Park continues. This week, The Monkeephiles (Monkee's Tribute Band). Bring a lawn chair or blanket. The snack stand will be open.

Tuesday, 7 pm, Municipal Hall, Zoning Board Hearing. Agenda at this link

Wednesday, 7 pm, Municipal Hall, HARB Meeting.

Thursday from 11 am-2:30 pm, Main st. between Swede and Dekalb. Farmers market. Produce from Lone Wolf Farms. For more info, call CADCOM at 610-277-6363

Next Saturday, August 27, 10:30 am-1:30 pm, at Riverfront Park (1 Haws Avenue), come out to the river for a kayaking trip lead by an expert guide from Take It Outdoors. Gear, boats, and instruction are provided. Pre-registration is required - your spot is not reserved until your Eventbrite registration is completed at this link. $10-25. UPDATE: This event has been moved to Bridgeport.