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There's No Excuse For Cabin Fever With Plenty To Do Across Schuylkill County
We know that winter in Northeastern Pennsylvania is synonymous with cold temperatures. And, if we’re lucky (or not, depending on your preference) Mother Nature drops us enough fluffy white snow to give the landscape a glinting sparkle. Frosty temps and icy snow aside, winter is no reason to hole up at home. In Schuylkill County, we’ve got some wonderful wintertime activities and events to stave off that old nemesis, cabin fever.
#1 Go Birding
One of the things that we all need a little extra nudge with in wintertime is getting outdoors and into nature. If you don’t find anything of interest to lure you outside to walk your own neighborhood, take a drive to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton and check out their education center where you can experience unique indoor events.
February’s events include Writing the Sanctuary, Tree of Life Suncatcher Workshop, Spring Egg Basket Workshop, and Coffee Painting Workshop among others. Outside you’ll enjoy the peace and solitude of the mountain, have the lookout and views all to yourself, and feel rejuvenated in the fresh air. There is plenty of winter songbird action at the feeding station, and the native garden is interesting even in winter!
#2 Fun & Indoor Games
Cool, fun indoor spaces are great boredom busters, too, and we have several around the county running the gamut from comics and board games to axe throwing and everything in between!
The Art of Escape is a very cool live challenge adventure space where your team works together to solve a series of hidden clues and riddles to escape from a room in sixty minutes. Appropriate for all ages, The Art of Escape is located in Pine Grove.
The Chopping Block, located in Pottsville, is Schuylkill County’s first axe throwing and social entertainment venue, and promises great fun while you engage in the ultimate axe throwing experience. The Chopping Block is a premier destination for friendly competition, memorable bonding, and team building with your friends, your family, or your colleagues. To play, children between the ages of 13-17 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. They are open Thursday through Sunday. Visit their website for info and reservations to play.
The Family Game Room at The Red Lion Cafe is open during restaurant hours Wednesday through Sunday. This new space is packed with arcade games and pinball machines and is the perfect spot to hang out with your family and friends while you dine in.
Alchemist’s Cove Games & Comics is bound to satisfy your gaming and hobby needs with card games, board games, table-top games, comics, graphic novels, collectible figures, and weekly live game play events. Open 7 days a week, you can follow them on Facebook for hours and info.
#3 Catch a Parade
As is traditional in Schuylkill County, we have two weekends for celebrating the “Wearin’ O’ the Green.” The Pottsville St. Patrick’s Day Parade, packed with over 50 performance groups, bands, entertainers, food trucks, and organizations, is March 16 and will be followed by many grand Irish parties throughout the downtown businesses and organizations.
On March 23, in Girardville, the AOH Girardville Saint Patrick‘s Day Parade begins at noon. Billed as the best “Biggest Little St. Patrick’s Day Parade This Side of the Atlantic,” the parade has a long-standing reputation of being an all-day affair. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Jack Kehoe Division #1, AOH, and the Parade Committee, the hometown event has been bringing a smile to thousands of Irish eyes – and non-Irish eyes – alike since 2004. For general questions, registration form, or information on vending at the Annual AOH Girardville St. Patrick’s Day Parade, visit the parade website.
#4 Go For A Run
I almost forgot the one and only running race that starts and ends at America’s Oldest Brewery on April 20! Yuengling Lager Jogger is an awesome race full of challenging hills, tons of swag, and the best after-party with live music, delicious food, local vendors, and the best beer.
As usual, there’s a lot to do right here in our own Northeastern Pennsylvania backyard to keep you busy and engaged this winter. Get out and enjoy all that our area has to offer.
