Morning Lancaster!
Yesterday I made some posts in local groups about doing interviews.
After interviewing Halo’s Eatery (article coming next week), we didn’t have much on the calendar.
So I made a few posts in local groups …
And no less than 30 businesses reached out!
What a wonderful problem to have.
We’re just a two person team right now - I’m Andrew (I write the daily Monday-Friday sends and the weekly historical deep dives) and my wife Megan writes the articles from the interviews we do.
So unfortunately we won’t get to talk to everyone (all at once, anyways).
But we have a lot of really cool stories and features in the coming weeks.
We can’t wait to share the stories, businesses, and small town pride that makes Lancaster County so special.
You’ll get to see that soon - but for now, here’s what I think is worth your time today.
Five Years Strong: EPAC's Celebration of Black Music Is Back - and It's Not One to Miss
Image From https://epactheatre.org/events/
Some shows you watch. This one you feel.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Ephrata Performing Arts Center is welcoming back one of the most genuinely moving productions to hit Lancaster County's stage: A Celebration of the Evolution of Black Music, presented by THEM Collective.
It returns February 27–28, 2026.
And if the past four years are any indication, you'll want to grab your tickets before they're gone.
What makes this production stand apart isn't just the music, though the music is extraordinary.
It's the scope of the story being told.
From spirituals, through jazz, blues, gospel, funk, and soul, all the way to the hip-hop and R&B shaping today's charts - this show traces a living, breathing arc of American history through the art form that has perhaps shaped culture more than any other.
To pull it off, THEM Collective has put together a serious team. We're talking dynamic vocalists, a live DJ, a full seven-piece band, and directors who clearly love what they're doing. What's especially cool is how far people travel to be part of this — artists come in from New York, Baltimore, Harrisburg, York, and right here in Lancaster to share the same stage.
That kind of regional collaboration produces something you can actually feel in the room.
And EPAC is the right room for it. The theater is intimate enough that every note lands, but grand enough that the full-band moments hit you in the chest.
If you've been before, you already know. If you haven't made it yet, year five feels like the right time to fix that.
Tickets are available at epactheatre.org/events.
Lancaster County PA Fun Fact
Did you know Lancaster County is home to one of Pennsylvania's oldest private clubs?
Founded in 1900, Lancaster Country Club began as a modest 9-hole course before moving to its current New Holland Pike location in 1920.
Legendary architect William Flynn designed the championship course - the same one that hosted the U.S. Women's Open in both 2015 and 2024.
It’s 125 years of history, right here in Lancaster County!
Learn the Right Way to Prune: Master Gardener Tom Kopf Leads Hands-On Workshop at LancasterHistory
Ever stood in your yard with clippers, staring at an overgrown shrub, genuinely afraid you're about to wreck it?
Pruning can be like that.
You know it needs to be done, but one wrong cut feels like it could ruin everything.
On Saturday, February 28, Penn State Master Gardener Tom Kopf is teaching a hands-on workshop at LancasterHistory that'll actually show you how to prune without the panic.
Tom grew up climbing trees (literally-there was an 80-foot sycamore in his parents' yard), worked as a professional arborist, and has been a Master Gardener since 2018. The guy knows his stuff.
The workshop's 90 minutes.
Tom will cover which tools to use, how to make cuts that help instead of hurt, when to prune (and when to back away slowly), and how to keep plants healthy long-term.
If the weather cooperates, you'll head outside to watch him work on actual trees and shrubs so you can see what proper technique looks like in real life.
Details:
LancasterHistory's Carriage House
Saturday, February 28, 10:00–11:30 AM
$10 for adults, free for kids 17 and under
Members of Friends of the Tanger Arboretum get in free
It's hosted by the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum, which helps take care of the arboretum at LancasterHistory and puts on programs like this throughout the year.
Little Explorer and Me: A Hands-On Learning Adventure for Curious Kids
Looking for something to do with your toddler or preschooler this weekend that’ll be fun for the whole family? The North Museum has you covered.
"Little Explorer and Me" is a monthly program where kids get to mess around with science stuff in a way that's actually age-appropriate.
Think colors, sounds, building things, pouring things, figuring out how stuff works. It's messy. It's loud. It's great.
A facilitator walks everyone through activities that teach basic science and engineering concepts without feeling like school.
Your kid learns. You get ideas for rainy days at home.
Everyone wins.
This is for preschoolers, roughly ages 2–6. Younger or older siblings can tag along. Kids need to come with a parent or caregiver.
The event is Saturday, Feb. 28. There are two sessions: 10:00–10:45am and 3:00–3:45pm
It’s at the North Museum of Nature and Science, 400 College Ave., Lancaster
You need general admission to get in (museum members are free). Pre-registration helps them have enough supplies ready, so sign up ahead of time if you can.
Bonus: a lot of families do this and then catch a planetarium show after. Makes for a solid morning before nap time hits.
That’s todays updates,
Andrew From Lancaster Local