Out and About around Lebanon

It's not only the hills that are alive with the sound of music, it's pretty much all of Lebanon County, too, as a half-dozen choral groups, from the Sweet Adelines to barbershop quartets, are seeking new singers to join their ranks. While it may not seem like springtime is at our doorstep, it's not too early to get started on all those lovely spring concerts.

10 a.m. Friday: Time to get tickets for Keith Urban's first arena tour in more than  two years, when he arrives at Hershey's Giant Center on Thursday, November 17. This will be part of Urban's "RipCORD World Tour 2016, and he'll be performing many of his 19 Number One songs. For more information, check out the Giant Center Box Office or go to go to www.KeithUrban.net.

Noon Friday: The Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce's "January Small Business Roundtable" will be held in the Chamber offices located at 604 Cumberland St. The theme will be "looking ahead." The Chamber's free, monthly small business roundtable sessions provide small business owners and home-based business entrepreneurs with information exchange and networking opportunities. For more information, contact Suzanne Biever at 717-273-3727, ext. 105 or email at: sbiever@lvchamber.org.

4 p.m. Friday: The Myerstown Indoor Flea Market at 115-119 East Main Avenue in Myerstown has become the latest venue for bluegrass music as accomplished musicians participate in a weekly jam with banjo, mandolin, bass, fiddle and guitars. The music lasts until 7 p.m. every Friday. Everyone is welcome, plenty of seating and food is available for purchase. And pickers are always encouraged to join in. For more information, call 717-269-7891.

7 p.m. Friday: The Cafe at 10,000 Villages will present pianist and singer/songwriter Jessica Smucker. Visitors are encouraged to relax with a cup of specialty coffee and various goodies while they listen to the music. The "10,000 Villages" store is one of the largest fair trade emporiums in the country, and purchases help craftsmen in under developed countries to maintain a living. The cafe is located at 240 N. Reading Road, or Route 272, north, in Ephrata, and is open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

8 p.m. Friday: The Whitaker Center at 222 Market St. in Harrisburg will host the rock group "Southside Johnny and the Asbury Dukes" for one night only. For tickets, call 1-800-515-2171.

9 p.m. Friday: The rockin' Mike Schwartz Band will be tearing up the night at the Temple Fire Company until midnight. Tame name, but wild band. If you like good rock and roll, it's worth the drive. The Temple Fire Company is located at 4963 Kutztown Road in Temple. For more information, call 610-921-3661.

9 p.m. Friday: School teacher turned comedian Alvin Irby will kick off the spring semester of Lebanon Valley College's Friday Entertainment Series. All performances will be held in Leedy Theatre of the Mund College Center. Irby's act focuses on smart social commentary. Irby has also created an initiative dedicated to getting books to underprivileged children. For more information call the college at 717-867-6034 or go to news@lvc.edu.

6 p.m. Saturday: If you've ever wondered 'what is the secret to a good pie crust,' drop in for "Pies in the Mennonite Tradition," hosted by the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society. This is a "drop in" presentation, from 6 p.m., to 8:30 p.m. Advanced registration with a $10 ticket is required. Purchase tickets by calling the historical society at 717-393-9745 or online at: lmhs.org. Children under 12 are free.

6 p.m., Saturday: Celebrate the life of Scotland's national poet with Lebanon's own "Burns Night," featuring an evening of Scottish food and drink, music and poetry. Tickets are $45 per person and include a full meal, plus Scotch whiskey and authentic beers. Guests are invited to dress in plaid or formal kilt or gown. The haggis will be brought in for serving to the music of the bagpipes, and "Auld Lang Syne" will end the evening. For more information, call the Lebanon Valley Council on the Arts at 273-0033.

6 p.m. Sunday: Remember that awesome 80s metal band, "Queensryche?" They've never gone away. Formed way back in 1982, the progressive metal and heavy metal band that released 14 studio albums and sold more than 20 million albums worldwide will be appearing at Lancaster's Chameleon Club. This is an "age 18 and up" evening. For tickets, call 800-840-9227.

7:30 p.m. Sunday: The Susquehanna Folk Music Society will present singer/songwriter Don Flemons at the Appalachian Brewing Company, 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. Flemons is known as "the American songster" and is a multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He specializes in old-time folk music, sometimes with a modern twist. Joining Flemons this evening will be Brian Farrow, on bass and fiddle. Tickets are $18 for general admission and $10 for students, up to age 22. For more information, go to SusquehannaFolkMusicSociety.org.

10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan.25: The Lebanon County Library District has announced an updated schedule for "Smart Start Storytime" at the public libraries of Lebanon County. This free library program for parents, grandparents, caregivers and their little people up to two years of age features books, songs, music and nursery rhymes. At the Lebanon Library, "Smart Start" will be held Mondays at 10:30 a.m. For more information, contact your local library or Michelle Hawk at 717-273-7624 x 208, or go to: hawk@lclibs.org.

5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan.25: The Lebanon County Choral Society is inviting youngsters who like to sing to join the chorus and have fun with music. The chorus is made up of children ages 9 to 14, and rehearsals are held every Monday, until 6:30 p.m., in Hebron UMC at Fifth Avenue and East Walnut Street. For more information, call Elsa at 717-977-7196.

7 p.m., Monday, Jan.25: Come out to the Hershey Community Chorus "Test Drive" to learn more about the chorus at the Hershey Free Church, 330 Hilltop Road, Hummelstown. For more information, call 508-4400 or go to: www.HersheyCommunityChorus.org.

7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan.25: The Lebanon County Choral Society is looking for new singers - and no auditions are necessary. This is your chance to bring it out of the shower and into the public. Rehearsals are held every Monday at Hebron UMC at Fifth Avenue and East Walnut Street, Lebanon. For more information, call Beth at 813-1706.

7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan.26: The "Voices of Palmyra" group is looking for people who enjoy singing and being a part of quality concerts. This will be a registration/rehearsal night at the Church of the Redeemer UCC at 500 West Chocolate Ave., Hershey. For more information, call 717-867-2874.

7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan.26: The Greater Harrisburg Chorus of Sweet Adelines International is looking for a few good women - who love to sing. This is a fun, competitive organization and everyone is invited to see what it's all about. The group will be meeting in the Quentin UCC at the corner of routes 72 and 419 and the evening will last until about 10 p.m. For more information, go to: www.ghchorus.org.

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan.26: Male voices are welcome to join the Lebanon Singing Cedars Barbershop Chorus, who meet every Tuesday in Zion Lutheran Church, 28 North Ninth St., Lebanon. Help to keep this charming, old-time form of singing going strong. For more information, call 717-866-5154.

7:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan.30: Call for tickets to a sublime classical concert to be presented in the Santander Performing Arts Center, 147 North Fifth St., Reading. The featured music will include the Helios Overture by Nielsen, Violin Concerto by Tchaikovsky, and the Firebird Suite 1919 by Stravinsky. Special guest performer will be world-class violinist Vadim Gluzman. For tickets, call 610-373-7557.

8 p.m. Saturday, Jan.30: Lancaster County musician, Jordan Bleyer, also known as "Michael Wavves," will be headlining a lung cancer benefit concert at the Chameleon Club, 223 N. Water St. in downtown Lancaster. Tickets are $10 and the show is open to all ages. The show will kick off Wavves' 2016 "Bad Tour" that includes stops in Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati. He'll be performing his trending hit singles "No Pressure" and "Bad." Also appearing will be recording artist Sammy Adams as well as "Delfino" and "Young Black." All proceeds will be donated to the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation. For tickets or information, go to: michaelwavves.com.

3 p.m. Sunday, Jan.31: Something for the little ones: from the beloved "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" comes the show "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Live," which includes Daniel and many of his friends. They'll be coming to the Santander Performing Arts Center, North Sixth Street, Reading, and a second show will take place at 6:30 p.m. that evening. Tickets start at $24.50 and can be purchased online at TicketMaster.com or by calling the box office at 800-745-3000.

3 p.m. Sunday, Jan.31: The Berkshire Chorale will be presenting their winter concert at 3 p.m. in St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 2848 St. Alban's Drive in Sinking Spring. The Berkshire Chorale will also be joined by in a musical presentation by the Penn State Berks Campus Choir. A free will offering will be taken.

8 a.m. Tuesday, Feb.2: It's Groundhog Day. You've got to get up early if you want to see "Uni" the groundhog make his weather prediction for the next six weeks. Uni will be out of his burrow, checking for his shadow, through the courtesy of Grundsaw Lodge No.17 at the Myerstown Recreation Dam along Route 501. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to dress warmly.

7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb.5: The Ephrata Performing Arts Center at 320 Cocalico St., Ephrata, will present "Aladdin Jr." as part of the Kids4Kids series. The show will be presented a number of evenings until Feb. 21. For dates and times, call 717-733-7966 or go to Ephrataperformingartscenter.com.

10 a.m. Saturday, Feb.6: The Richland Community Library will be hosting a "Books to Bricks" LEGO competition and a LEGO-play day lasting until 4 p.m. Admission is $3 per person and attendees get to indulge their creative side with the library's collection of 10,000 LEGO blocks. The "Books to Bricks" building competition is open to kids age 5 to 13, and entries can be built at home and must be inspired by a book or be related to a story. Registration forms for the competition can be found online at: www.lclibs.org/richland.