Flea Market, Juneteenth, Concerts

Finally, a sunny weekend! Enjoy the Flea Market and Juneteenth downtown. And we may actually have a concert in the park on Sunday at last.

Saturday, June 16, the Norristown Preservation Society is hosting their annual Flea Market at Selma Mansion. FREE admission for shoppers. For info, call or text Dee Kirkpatrick at 484-860-2533.

Saturday, all day starting at 9 am at Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library Youth Services Department. Sign up for Summer Reading. Win prizes for reading. Pick up a summer reading log in the Children’s Department and keep track of the minutes you read. For every two hours you read or have been read to, you win a prize and a chance to win a bicycle or a $50 Barnes & Noble gift certificate. (Maximum 10 free books per child.) For children ages 0-12. For info, call 610-278-5100 x205.

Saturday, 10 am-4 pm, tours starting at Five Saints Distilling (129 E Main), Juneteenth Celebration. Hour-long walking tours of downtown Norristown. At each stop, actors will perform short segments from black history. Celebrate Emancipation Day with a dramatic exploration of the African-American journey to freedom. Tours begin every 20 minutes. (Note from Elena ~ this is one of the coolest, most unique events we do in Norristown. Don't miss it.)

Saturday 2-3:30 pm, Norristown Public Library Board Room. Saturday Book Club. The selection this month is "The Other Einstein," by Marie Benedict, a tale inspired by the first wife of Albert Einstein ~ female physics student at an elite late-nineteenth-century school in Zurich, where she falls in love with a charismatic fellow student who eclipses her contributions to his theory of relativity. Copies of the book are available at the Front Desk. We encourage registration. Stop by the Front Desk or call to register. Contact Asha Verma, 610-278-5100 x0,  averma@mclinc.org.

Saturday, 8-11 pm, Five Saints Distilling (Green and Main). Pat's Run performs. No cover.

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

Monday, 8 am- 4:15 pm, Gotwals Elementary (Oak and Swede). Register your 1st-6th grade kids NOW for Science is Fun Camp which starts Monday and runs through July 27. Staffed by certified teachers, fun-filled learning activities, weekly field trips (The Franklin Institute, American Helicopter Museum, Academy of Natural Sciences, Elmwood Park Zoo, Adventure Aquarium). $358 Camp Fee includes field trips. Register at https://ymicfoundation.org/events.

Tuesday, 6-8 pm, Theatre Horizon, 401 DeKalb St. Summer Social / Juneteenth Celebration. Join the Norristown Chamber for a night of food, drink, networking. Even more, the Executive Board of the Chamber and Theatre Horizon will be making two special and exciting announcements. Chamber members are able to attend this event at the discounted price of $10 per person. Non-member ticket prices are $15. Food and admission are included in the ticket price, with drink vouchers accompanying your ticket. Not a member? Join for only $75 for the year and get free admission into the social.

Tuesday, 6:30 pm, at Municipal Hall. Council Workshop.

Wednesday, 6 pm at Eisenhower School Library. Meet and Greet for the new superintendent, Christopher Dormer. All residents welcome.

Wednesday, Historical Society of Montco. This is the last day to RSVP for the opening night gala of the new "Made In Montgomery County" exhibit. The opening will take place June 27 from 6-9 pm. $30 per person. The evening will feature a variety of hors d'oeuvres and locally made beverages. To RSVP, call 610-272-0297 by June 20.

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

Thursday, 6-7:30 pm, Norristown Library Community Room. Libraries Rock Live Performance. Kick off your Summer @MC-NPL with a blues' performance by local musicians Georgie Bonds and Brian McLean. Snacks will be served. For info, contact Asha Verma, 610-278-5100 x0, averma@mclinc.org.

Next Saturday, 8:30 am-2:30 pm at the Norristown Youth Eagles Field (on Stanbridge St across from Norfab's parking lot at 1320). FREE Football Clinic. Drills and Position Training. Guest Speaker, NAHS Head Coach, Joe "Rock" Milligan. All students must have a parent present. Lunch will be provided. Sponsored by the Norristown Men of Excellence. RSVP to Hakim Jones 484-429-9330.

Next Saturday, Noon-2 pm, outside the Norristown Library. Big Truck Day. Kick off our Summer Reading season by seeing and touching big trucks up close and personal. Firetruck, construction truck, police vehicle, and more. Also, a children’s book sale (cash only) and Dog Bites hot dog cart will be selling treats. For kids of all ages. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

Update: No Juneteenth This Year

Sorry. I was given some old info. A year old to be exact. No Juneteenth event at Centre Theater this year.

Elena

Come to Juneteenth!

Tomorrow, June 19th, is the day that has been called Juneteenth for more than 140 years. It's the oldest known commemoration of the end of slavery in the US. Why that day? On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers finally arrived in Galveston, TX and told the surprised residents that the war had been over more than 2 months and that the Emancipation Proclamation had ended slavery 2 and a half years earlier.

The anniversary of that day has been celebrated by the descendants of those slaves, some of them making an annual pilgrimage back to Galveston for it, and by other descendants of slaves all over the US. Like Independence Day, most of the celebrations are marked with picnics, barbeques and baseball games, but the history of the day, of the events leading up to Emancipation, plus education and achievement, have always been stressed as well.

So maybe you're asking why more than, say, a third of Norristown's population should care anything about Juneteenth?

Thing is, in a way, Juneteenth kicks off all of our summer cultural observances. We'll have Italian, Irish and Mexican celebrations before the summer's over, and probably a few others. The more we learn about each others' heritages, the more likely we are to get along. And getting along means we can build Norristown up together without the obstacle of cultural divisiveness.

I might be Italian Catholic, but I go to Jewish seders to join friends in celebrating an end to slavery in Egypt. Why shouldn't I go to Juneteenth to celebrate an end to slavery in my own country?

The Centre Theater has been holding an annual Juneteenth commemoration for years. This year, for the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation, the Iron Age Theater Company will present an evening of music, poetry, readings and personalities from history. You'll probably recognize some of the names of the cast: Richard Bradford, Maurice Tucker, Buck Jones, Seidah Hill Durante, Michael Way, Tiffany Joyner, Walter DeShields, Richard Rogers, Alaina Nelson and Gary Giles. (Come on, wouldn't you go just to see Buck Jones?)

Best of all the event is FREE. That's right. FREE LIVE THEATER, Thursday night at 7 pm at the Centre Theater. Reservation are strongly suggested, though. Reserve tickets by emailing juneteenthnorristown@gmail.com or call 610-279-1013.

Events EVERY DAY This Coming Week

So much is happening in N-town tonight alone, you have no excuse to sit home watching reruns. As always, check the calendar links at the right for a full list of events. And pray for no rain tonight, since 3 of the events below are outdoors.

Tonight at 6 pm at Elmwood Park Zoo, the Father's Day Campout begins. Discover what happens at the Zoo after the sun goes down. First-time and experienced campers welcome. Tickets are $50/person and $30/member (kids under 3 are free). Price includes admission, dinner, activities, a movie, s'mores by the campfire, and breakfast in the morning. Space is limited. For more information, contact Guest Services at 610-277-3825 x 222 or email guestservices@elmwoodparkzoo.org.

Tonight at 6:30 pm at Riverfront Park, the Dragon Boat Club and Norristown Business Association will host an International Wine, Beer and Food Festival. Live music, vendors, and food from some of Norristown's best restaurants, including Sessano's and Taqueria la Michocacana. Plus a Surprise Fashion Show by some of Norristown's least inhibited residents. $20 (adults only). For advance tickets, go to www.dragonboatclub.org.

Tonight and Saturday at 7:30 pm, come to Montgomery Cemetery for a "Death By Moonlight" lantern-light tour. $10 admission includes tour and a wine and cheese reception after. Adults only. Call 610-272-0297 for info.

Also tonight at 8 pm, "The Fantasticks" continues at Centre Theater. Also Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm. Tickets $15-22 at this link.

Saturday at 10 am, Habitat for Humanity of Mont. Co will hold their orientation session for their summer projects at their office located on 533 Foundry Rd. in West Norriton. Volunteers can learn valuable skills while having a fun and rewarding experience. On-site parking. Please click on the VolunteerUp link below to register. For more information, email our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@habitatmontco.org. Bring a friend!

Saturday, starting at noon, is the Summer Reading Kickoff Party for kids 4-12 at the Norristown Library (Powell and Swede).  Make a musical instrument, then enjoy a concert at 1 pm. Register for the Summer Reading Program, pick up a Summer Reading log from the Children's Dept. and start reading. For every 2 hours you read, you get a free book, plus a chance to win a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card or a bike. Program lasts through August 16th. For more information, call 610-278-5100 x 205 or stop by Children's Dept. Registration for the noontime instrument making session is required.

Sunday at 7 pm, the Summer Concert Series continues at the Elmwood Park Bandshell. This week enjoy the do-wop sounds of the Norristones. Snack stand will be open. Call 610-270-0467 for info.

Monday at 3 pm at Siloam Baptist Church (downstairs), Willow Street, will be the organizational meeting for the National Night Out in August. Businesses, organizations and volunteers are needed to begin the planning stages.

Tuesday night at 7:30 pm, Municipal Council meeting at Town Hall, 235 E Airy St.. No agenda posted yet.

Wednesday, 5 to 8 pm at the Norristown Library, The Small Business Assistance Center will present the seminar "Close The Gap: Increasing your Company's Cash Flow" Moderated by Scot Fields of Norristown SBAC. Come meet and network with like minded business professionals before and after the event. Parking is free. The 1st 25 people to arrive will receive a complimentary future business technical assistance counseling session.

Thursday at 7 pm, is "Juneteenth: A Celebration of Black History" at Centre Theater on DeKalb Street.  An evening of music, poetry, dramatized personalities and readings from history. This year to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Iron Age Theatre brings the show into the house to share an intimate look at the African American struggle. Featuring Richard Bradford, Maurice Tucker, Buck Jones, Seidah Hill Durante, Michael Way, Tiffany Joyner, Walter DeShields, Richard Rogers, Alaina Nelson and Gary Giles. NAACP Youth Council member act as tour guides. This is a FREE event but reservations are suggested. Reserve tickets by emailing juneteenthnorristown@gmail.com or call 610-279-1013.

Fox Chase Cancer Center's Mobile Mammography Van will visit State Rep. Matt Bradford's Norristown Office at 1846 Markley St. on Friday June 20th at 9 am to offer free breast cancer screenings.Women must be 40 or older--bring the name and address of one of your doctors, prescription from your doctor. You may not be breast feeding nor have breast fed within the last 9 months, must not have had a breast cancer diagnosis within the past 2 yrs, must not be under treatment for breast cancer, must not have had a mammogram in 12 months. To schedule an appointment, call 610-222-3490