Barrio Alegria, known for its community engagement and free arts programming, is hosting its annual My Mother\u2019s Refrigerator holiday market in downtown Reading on Thursday, Dec. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m at the WCR Center for the Arts, 140 N. Fifth St.<\/p>\n
The market will feature more than a dozen artists, many of whom are based in Reading. The artists include entrepreneurs in painting, poetry, crochet, treats and vintage collections. There will be performances by local talent. An aspect of this market that separates it from others is that vendors are not paying Barrio to sell their wares, meaning they keep 100% of their profits.<\/p>\n
Admission is free, as is on-street parking starting at 6. For more information, visit Barrio Alegria\u2019s Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a> pages or email info@barrioalegria.org.<\/p>\n Farmers market<\/p>\n The Antietam Valley Farmers Market is holding a holiday market Monday, Dec. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. indoors at Carsonia Park in Pennside. Learn more at antietamvalley.org<\/a>\/.<\/p>\n Reading roundtable<\/p>\n The Green Building Alliance will hold a Resilient Reading Roundtable on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., on how smart design choices can lower operating costs, revitalize existing properties and create healthier, more resilient neighborhoods. It includes a tour of the newly renovated Pendora Park Fieldhouse.<\/p>\n The program will be led by Jim Sarro of Muhlenberg Greene Architects. He will share practical approaches for \u201cgreening\u201d buildings \u2013 from adaptive reuse and energy efficiency to durable materials and funding incentives \u2013 helping to turn derelict properties into long-term assets.<\/p>\n Admission is free, and a complimentary lunch will be served. Register at www.gba.org\/events<\/a>.<\/p>\n Celtic concert<\/p>\n The Reading Choral Society Chamber Singers will be joined by Celtic group New Winter for a concert featuring bagpipes and vocal harmonies on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 4 p.m. at Pennside Presbyterian Church, 253 N. 25th St.\u00a0 Admission is free. The musicians will weave the music of the winter solstice, Christmas, and Hogmanay (the Scottish New Year). Learn more at www.readingchoral.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Home heating help<\/p>\n The League of Women Voters of Berks County\u2019s December program on Berks Community Television will focus on keeping people safe in winter through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Or LIHEAP. The program airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. through Dec. 30. LIHEAP provides cash grants to help families pay heating bills. Guests are Bethany Ayers Fisher, Reading sustainability manager; and Larry Berringer and Mike Drumheller of Berks Community Action Program.<\/p>\n Watch the program on BCTV or streaming via BCTV.org<\/a> or the channel\u2019s YouTube page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Geneaology open house<\/p>\n Berks County Genealogical Society is holding an Open House, Saturday Dec. 20, from noon till 3 p.m. at the society library on the fourth floor of the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Reading. Santa will be there for the little ones, and those in attendance will get guidance on how to start a family tree. Everyone is welcome.<\/p>\n Menorah lighting<\/p>\n The city of Reading will host a menorah lighting ceremony at Fifth and Penn streets on Dec. 16 at 5:15 p.m. to mark the third night of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. The ceremony is being presented in collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Reading\/Berks,<\/p>\n The public is welcome at the event, and it will be streamed on the City of Reading, PA \u2013 Government Facebook page (www.facebook.com\/cityreadingpa\/<\/a>), on BCTV.org and on the BCTV MAC Channel 99 on Comcast.<\/p>\n Cloister tours<\/p>\n Lantern Tours, a theatrical event led by student historians, will be held on two weekends this winter at Ephrata Cloister. Dates are Dec. 26 and 27 and Jan. 2 and 3. Tours depart every half hour from 6 to 8 p.m. Each tour lasts approximately 45\u201360 minutes, and group sizes are limited to 25 participants.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s performance, \u201c1777: When War Came to Ephrata,\u201d will explore the winter when Ephrata\u2019s peaceful community was transformed into a military hospital during the Revolutionary War.<\/p>\n Advance tickets are required. Use this link to purchase tickets online: www.storepatrailsofhistory.com\/2\/#\/Admission<\/a>. For more information, go to ephratacloister.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Submit items to news@readingeagle.com.<\/p>\n \t\t\t