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Hey Harrisburg, hope your week’s off to a good start!
In today’s wallet-friendly edition: Iceland aurora group tour, Ice & Fire Festival, and Johnson & Johnson’s $1 billion cell therapy plant + lots of fun things to do for free.
Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Harrisburg protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.
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đź“° In the news
Street festival series grows: Downtown Harrisburg’s SoMa Block parties will return in May with two bonus dates, closing S. 3rd Street for food trucks, live bands, and late hours at Boneshire and El Sol — get all the event details.
Practical fraud prevention tips: The state Department of Banking and Securities is hosting free events across Pennsylvania this month, including Central Pennsylvania, to help seniors and veterans spot scams and protect personal information — get all the details.
Biotech expansion fuels Pennsylvania growth: On Feb. 19, Johnson & Johnson announced a $1 billion cell therapy plant in Harrisburg, with $41.5 million in state support, creating 500-plus jobs over 12 years and retaining 5,885 — read the full story.
Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.
Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175/month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.
Highlights this week:
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🏆 Gold and silver are heating up
Together with our sponsor American Hartford Gold
Gold just posted its strongest run in decades… and the momentum is carrying into 2026. Silver has become one of the most talked-about assets as investors look for ways to stay ahead of market volatility.
While many are still sitting on the sidelines, others are quietly repositioning.
If you’re wondering whether you’re missing something, AHG has a free guide explaining what’s driving the renewed interest… and how investors are approaching precious metals right now.
It’s free and worth reading before the next move.
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🫶 We got your back
Fresh pasta fix: Cork & Fork delivers weeknight comfort with fresh pasta like garganelli bolognese, ricotta gnocchi, and pappardelle, plus cozy small plates and pizza. It’s the spot for legit comfort that still feels a little date-night nice, without trying too hard.
Treasure hunt, upgraded: Stash Vintage serves a tight edit of clothing, shoes, accessories, and jewelry from the 40s through the 90s, all selected for standout character. Think buttery leather, sharp tailoring, and unexpected one-offs… the kind of finds that turn heads and stay in rotation long after the thrill of discovery.
Chill and recharge: Thinking about whole-body cryo? At Rejuuv Wellness, it’s simple: a quick chill, then add compression or red light for extra boost. It helps ease post-workout soreness, calm inflammation, and nudge sleep back on track so you’re not dragging by Friday.
Thinning hair? It only gets worse: A few months ago, I noticed my ponytail getting thinner. I tried the usual stuff (biotin, shampoo, etc.) but mostly just hoped it would fix itself… until I learned that active follicles can permanently go dormant if you don’t do something about it. The good news? You can get treatment that actually works with no office visits or trips to the pharmacy. Learn more about my favorite online options here.
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📆 Free events worth checking out
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
💪 Get Fit Fest @ Bethesda Mission Community Center | Saturday (3/7) at 10:00 AM – Consider this your friendly nudge to move more than your jaw at brunch. A free, family-friendly fitness fest with Zumba, Xtreme Hit Dance, wellness screenings, a metabolic syndrome session, and a CPR demo, plus giveaways, because incentives help. Bring sneakers, curiosity, and your dad shuffle.
❄ Harrisburg Ice & Fire Festival @ Soul Lotta Empanadas | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – Ice & Fire is taking over Downtown and beyond with a free festival of 60+ sculptures, an ice slide, fire dancers, live carvings, and a cocktail, coffee, and cocoa crawl, because apparently we like our art frozen and our fingers toasty. Glows after dark, too.
✨ Spring Cleaning Extravaganza Day 3 @ Cordier Auctions | Wednesday (3/11) at 10:00 AM – Spring cleaning with a payout. Walk-ins welcome, bring that box of American silver, gold, flatware, and coins, walk out lighter and maybe a little richer. Grandma’s tarnished spoons finally meet their match, and your junk drawer earns its keep.
🆓 Free Store @ Broad Street Market | Sunday (3/15) at 10:00 AM – If your garage is hosting a bread maker you used twice, set it free at the Harrisburg Free Store. Bring good stuff, take what you need, no money, just neighbors. Plan to stick around so your items find new homes, or reclaim the stragglers.
🎤 Smooth Like Clyde @ XL Live | Friday (3/20) at 7:00 PM – Skip the treadmill and let Smooth Like Clyde handle your cardio at XL Live. A free hit of R&B, hip hop, funk, and crowd-fueled floor fillers, the kind that turn even shy uncles into dance floor heroes. Bring friends, and wear shoes you can trust.
🧠First Responders & Mental Health: Documentary Screening & Panel Discussion @ Midtown Cinema | Tuesday (3/24) at 5:00 PM – If you’ve been waiting to swap small talk for real talk, this is it. A free documentary screening on first responders and mental health, with an expert panel, a live Q&A, and a networking mingle with hors d’oeuvres. Pre-register to secure a seat and snacks.
🏙 Jane Jacobs Symposium @ Historic Harrisburg Resource Center | Friday (3/27) at 5:30 PM – If you’d rather talk preservation and sidewalks than scrolls, head to Historic Harrisburg Resource Center for a photo exhibit, a Jane Jacobs documentary, and a panel with Professor Bret Peters, armchair historian Tom Leonard, and Julie Fitzpatrick, moderated by Jean-Paul Benowitz. Free, local, and neighborly.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🔥 Worth a peek
We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.
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đź“» Harrisburg report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 39°F – Low: 38°F – Precip: 100%
Snow likely and freezing rain likely before 7am, then freezing rain and rain and snow between 7am and 3pm, then rain showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 39. Southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Little or no ice accumulation expected. Later: Rain showers. Cloudy, with a low around 38. Southwest wind around 2 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
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Tomorrow – High: 54°F – Low: 45°F – Precip: 57%
Rain showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. North wind around 2 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: Rain showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 45. Southeast wind around 1 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Someone Googled you this week đź‘€
It may feel like an invasion of privacy, but unfortunately It’s the new normal. Whether you’re joining a committee, selling something locally, dating again, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up online.
Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are.
Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you – or someone you care about – to clean up outdated results that no longer tell the real story. Learn more here.
This house is wild
This custom Harrisburg estate sits on .86 acres at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac with a stone facade and hickory floors. A chef’s kitchen opens to a great room with stacked-stone fireplace and skylights. The walk-out lower level doubles as an in-law suite with kitchen, 3-season room, and accessible bath. Newer composite deck and gazebo enhance outdoor time.
Take a peek inside →
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