The Colonial has kicked off their annual appeal and need your support again.

Executive Director, Mary Foote writes:

#GivingTuesday, a first of its kind that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners - charities, families, businesses and individuals - to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they support, and help create a better world. 

If you have never supported our annual drive, we hope that you will consider doing so this #GivingTuesday. You can make your tax deductible gift online by clicking HERE, and at the "How should we apply your contribution?" drop down, select "Annual Appeal 13-14."

  

Ahh, ye ole pub crawl… A time-honored tradition of intoxicated jackassery. And what better town to perform such a ritual than the pub peppered streets of Phoenixville?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term (including variations like "gin crawl" and "beer crawl") has been in use since the late 19th century. The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English defines 'pub crawl' as both a noun and a verb, with the noun (dating from 1915) being defined as "a drinking session that moves from one licensed premises to the next, and so on", and the verb (1937) meaning "to move in a group from one drinking establishment to the next, drinking at each." 

One must first determine an ending point for the crawl. The perfect placement of Phoenixville’s imbiberies on Bridge Street makes this task a cinch. You’ll either end up at the Pickering Creek Inn, or Sips Bistro & Bar (but be advised, they close earlier than the other places). 

One could add Prima Lounge to the mix considering next year it may be something completely different (it's up for sale). We decided to add the wine rooms into the bar crawl route this year, cause wine not? Ouch. Also new to our route this year is our favorite after hours club, the Phoenixville Moose Lodge... Be sure to bring your smoking jacket and membership card though!

Happy boozing, and remember to walk, not drive, or your last stop could be the holding cell!

Here’s our suggested route and links to each bar. Full map below.
1) Sips Bistro & Bar
2) Black Walnut Winery
3) Taste - Sandcastle Winery
4) PJ Ryan’s 
5) Bistro on Bridge
6) Molly Maguire’s
7) Fenix
8) Pepporoncini
9) Iron Hill Brewery
10) Hacienda Michoacana
11) Pickering Creek Inn
12) Phoenixville Moose Lodge (members only) 

The Borough will be planting approximately 20 trees on the morning of Saturday, November 23rd and volunteers are needed.

Trees were purchased through a grant from the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society in conjuction with their TreeVitalize program and Plant One Million campaign and will be planted in parks and along streets around the Borough. The volunteer group will meet at Reeves Park at 9 am for a demonstration planting after which the group will split up and plant the remaining trees. This is a great way for residents and families to give back to the community and enjoy the outdoors. 

You can RSVP to help HERE or contact the Phoenixville Tree Advisory Commission at phxville.tac(at)gmail(dot)com.

Michael Nesmith, the legendary singer / songwriter most known for his involvement in The Monkees, will appear on Friday night at the Colonial Theatre at 8pm. Of the material to be performed, he states, “The show consists of the songs I’ve written and recorded over the years, starting back when I was just a solo folk singer. Having decades of music and experiences to draw from allows me to present a concert that is full, dramatic, and emotional. I love preforming these songs in this type of show. It is rich and deep and a very exciting and happy evening.” 

In a career that has endured for nearly 50 years, Nesmith has made his mark on popular culture as a songwriter, performer, author, film-producer and actor. In '60s, Nesmith found fame as one quarter of The Monkees. As a songwriter, he has written music for such performers as Linda Rondstadt and had his songs covered by artists ranging from Run DMC to Andy Williams. A successful film producer, his name has appeared on the credits of such pictures as the cult-classic Repo Man and the Tim Robbins movie Tapeheads. In 1980, Nesmith was one of the men behind the launch of the revolutionary television channel MTV. But it is Michael Nesmith’s prolific body of solo work that brings him across the U.S. for this tour. 

The author of no fewer than 15 solo albums, Nesmith was a key pioneer in the development of country rock music, most notably with his work with The First National Band. His 1975 album Prison – A Book With A Soundtrack introduced the innovative notion of combining a written story with recorded music. His most recent solo work, Rays, was released in 2006. This body of work has been described by Rolling Stone magazine as “the greatest music never heard.” The opportunity to hear these compositions played in an intimate setting amounts to nothing less than a once-in-a lifetime opportunity.

Tickets range from $29 to $43 and can be purchased HERE or at the Colonial Theatre Box Office.

Scott Wells from Philly's Free Energy will give a rare solo performance at Seven Stars Tattoo and Art Gallery (19 Main Street) this first Friday night as part of an art show and evening of fun. Jeff Bradbury (ex-Need New Body) will open the show with a solo performance, and art by Eliza Chan, Max Goins, and SST's own Dan Mitchell (aka Dr Morlock) will be on display and available for purchase (see images below). The uber limited seated (35 max) event is FREE, although donations for the artists and performers are encouraged. The kid-friendly show will run from 7:30 to 9 and the store closes at 10.

Free Energy formed in Philadelphia out of the ashes of Minnesota rockers Hockey Night and dropped an excellent Weezer-esque debut in 2010. The follow-up album Love Sign, was released in January 2013. Tiny Mix Tapes said, "Free Energy's songs are like Stephen Malkmus fronting Thin Lizzy; Eddie Money produced by Superchunk's Mac McCaughan. They tumble out of your speakers with both precision and loveable looseness, sounding for all the world like five guys who can't believe they get to do this for a living."

The music is already fired up and the fun is underway at the 27th Annual Phoenixville Citizen Advocacy Run happening today in Reeves Park.

Citizen Advocacy initiates voluntary one-to-one relationships between a person with a disability and someone else from their community who has corresponding qualities and resources. This relationship is initiated by a Citizen Advocacy coordinator, and advocates are generally asked to build a personal relationship with their partner, and also to take action on their partner’s behalf.

These ‘matches’ are a means to promote, protect and defend the welfare and interests of, and justice for, people with mental, physical and/or emotional disabilities who are impaired in competence and either diminished in status or seriously physically and socially isolated.

For more info: http://www.phoenixvillerun.com

Sly Fox Brewing Company was awarded silver and bronze medals at the 2013 Great American Beer Festival® (GABF) competition in Denver, CO this past weekend. The Montgomery County brewery won the awards for their Grisette Working Class Ale and Oktoberfest Lager respectively. GABF medals are among the most coveted awards for American brewers.

Presented by the Brewers Association, GABF is the largest national beer competition that recognizes the most outstanding beers produced in the United States. The top three winners in the competition's 84 beer-style categories were announced October 12 at the Great American Beer Festival awards ceremony held at the Colorado Convention Center.

"While the greatest satisfaction in brewing craft beer comes from the pleasure it brings to our consumers, we are of course delighted to have the creativity and hard work of our brewing staff recognized by our peers," said Brian O'Reilly, Brewmaster at Sly Fox Brewing Company. "I am particularly happy about this year's wins because the two beers are so distinctively different from one another. That reflects the broad range of styles that we produce here in Pottstown."

Sly Fox was recognized with a silver medal in the Belgian- and French-Style Ale category for its Grisette Working Class Ale, a slightly spicy farmhouse ale with a dry finish that pairs beautifully with chicken and seafood dishes. In the Vienna-Style Lager category the brewery was awarded a bronze medal for their Oktoberfest Lager, a medium-bodied, malty brew perfect for autumn. Both beers are seasonal releases from the brewery and available on draught and in 12oz cans. Grisette was added to the extensive can lineup for the first time in 2013.

Sly Fox Brewing Company is a 50-hectoliter production brewery with an adjoining tasting room opened in 2012 to complement their 18 year-old brewpub in nearby Phoenixville, PA. With current distribution in five states including Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, Sly Fox has continued to grow in popularity since its inception in 1995. 

The 2013 GABF competition winners were selected by an international panel of 201 expert judges from the record number of 4,809 entries received from 745 U.S. breweries. This year's medals bring the brewery's total number of GABF awards to an impressive seven.

"The Great American Beer Festival brings together the most stellar brewers from around the country," said Chris Swersey, competition director. "Taking home a medal at this premier beer competition is truly a symbol of brewing excellence."

For more GABF competition information, including the 2013 winners list and photos, visit GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com.