Scranton Tomorrow Honey & Harvest Restaurant Week SHOW ME THE HONEY! Dinner in Downtown will be a little sweeter October 12th-15th as we sink our teeth into Honey & Harvest Restaurant Week! Our downtown master chefs will be cooking up specials, mixing cocktails, and serving YOU the most delicious honey themed menus all week long! Make a plan to hit them all! Be sure to follow us on Facebook & Instagram this week as we preview what’s cooking! 16th WardAV Restaurant & LoungeBar PazzoCatch21 Seafood and SteakChef Von & MomThe Garden RestaurantPeculiar Kitchen SambucaItalian Grille & BarTequila Mexican Bar & Grille Visit our website
‘The Good of the Hive’ Artist Master Class, Lecture and Mural As members of Scranton Tomorrow’s Mural Arts Committee and their partners prepare to unveil the latest in a series of public art works in downtown Scranton, two upcoming events will showcase the message behind Matthew Willey’s “The Good of the Hive” mural: A master class and lecture with the artist on Oct. 14 and a mural dedication at First Friday on Nov. 4. Willey is installing “The Good of the Hive” mural on the Scranton City Ballet Company building, Rear 234 Mifflin Ave., Scranton. A project of Scranton Tomorrow, presented by The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement, “The Good of the Hive” is made possible with support from community sponsors, including the Lackawanna County Commissioners, Lackawanna Heritage Valley, The University of Scranton, Space Time Mead and Cider Works, Terrana Law Firm, and Lackawanna College. Willey is a world-renowned muralist who is raising awareness about the importance of pollinators through his art. He’s been painting the bee-themed mural in Scranton since late August, and the piece will be complete at the end of October. The project brings him closer to achieving his personal commitment to hand-paint 50,000 honeybees — the number of bees in a healthy, thriving hive — in murals around the world. “Matthew’s work is much more than an inspiring mural,” said Rose Randazzo, chairperson of Scranton Tomorrow’s Mural Arts program. “It’s a movement. Scranton is now connected to a global initiative to save the bees through public mural art.” As a gift to the community, Willey will present a master class and lecture, “The Good of the Hive” on Friday, Oct. 14, at 6 p.m., at Lackawanna College, 501 Vine Street, Scranton. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first-served. Lackawanna College is the academic sponsor of this event. “We are honored to be the premier sponsor of this unique mural project that will be on display in our city for years to come,” said Kara Seitzinger, director of public affairs and advisor liaison to the president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “Matt’s work is inspiring communities around the world to think collectively, in the same way that honeybees do. The health of a honeybee hive is the perfect metaphor for the health of a community. “We encourage the community to attend his lecture to hear his fascinating story and insights,” she added. The completed mural will be unveiled at a dedication ceremony at the Scranton Civic Ballet Company building, Rear 234 Mifflin Ave., on Friday, Nov. 4, at 5:30 p.m. Everyone in the community is invited to the celebration. Willey has shared the stories of “The Good of the Hive” through speaking engagements around the world, at the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the German and French Embassies in Washington, D.C., Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Duke University, Georgetown University, the Planetary Health Alliance 2018 annual meeting in Scotland, many podcasts, including the National Education Association, and educational institutions throughout the U.S. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Reuters London, The Today Show, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, and countless other publications and media channels. Willey’s mission is to ignite radical curiosity and active engagement around planetary health issues through art, bees and storytelling. His vision is a world filled with people that see and experience the beauty and connectedness of all things. “The hive I’m creating is a metaphor for us all: no matter your color, nationality, religion, gender, age or economic status. This piece of art is an idealized picture of health to focus on as we work toward solutions,” Willey said. The worldwide mural project demonstrates perseverance in the face of adversity. Six years into an estimated 20-year project, Willey has created 35 murals and installations with over 8,600 hand-painted bees. He has reached hundreds of thousands of people and created large-scale works at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington D.C., Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in New York City and Burt’s Bees Global Headquarters in Durham, North Carolina. In 2021, Scranton Tomorrow launched its Mural Arts Program. Designed to transform the downtown landscape, and connect communities, murals reflect the city’s history and qualities that make Scranton unique. Featuring QR codes at each site, visitors are encouraged to use their smartphones to embark on brief, self-guided video tours to learn more about the history and theme of each piece. Through partnerships with professional artists specializing in mural art and conservation, a set of guidelines for public art projects has been developed as part of the program. To learn more, visit https://www.scrantontomorrow.org/muralart.
Scranton Tomorrow Make Downtown Scranton the Place to “Bee” Downtown Scranton is buzzin’ with business this fall! Fall Into Downtown Scranton, a project of Scranton Tomorrow, features promotions throughout the month of October encouraging everyone to support local. Our theme, “The Good of the Hive,” is creating quite a buzz as we celebrate the installation of our latest Downtown mural, which is part of artist Matt Willey’s international “The Good of the Hive” project. When you shop and dine in Downtown Scranton, you help to create a healthy economy for everyone in your colony — family, neighbors and friends. We think that’s pretty sweet! Honey & Harvest Restaurant Week, October 12 to 15Restaurants, pubs and cafés infuse honey into special dishes and signature drinks as part of Honey & Harvest Restaurant Week, October 12 to 15, in Downtown Scranton: 16th WardAV Restaurant & LoungeBar PazzoCatch21 Seafood and SteakChef Von & MomThe Garden RestaurantPeculiar KitchenSambuca Italian Grille & Bar Tequila Mexican Bar & Grille Make a beeline to Downtown Scranton for fall fashionTime to update your wardrobe? Boutiques and salons in Downtown Scranton have the latest fall styles, and plenty of options to shop your way: in store, online, curbside pickup and delivery. For a list of Downtown retailers and salons, visit our Downtown Scranton Shopping Guide. International muralist Matthew Willey paints in Downtown Scranton Scranton Tomorrow’s Mural Arts Program continues with the installation of a mural honoring honeybees on the Scranton Civic Ballet Company building, Rear 234 Mifflin Avenue, Downtown Scranton. The mural is part of artist Matthew Willey’s global art project, The Good of the Hive. This project is made possible with support from the Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement, Lackawanna County Commissioners, Lackawanna Heritage Valley, The University of Scranton, Space Time Mead and Cider Works, Terrana Law Firm, and Lackawanna College. ‘The Good of the Hive’ master class and lectureArtist Matthew Willey will present a master class and lecture, “The Good of the Hive,” on Friday, October 14, at 6 p.m., in the theater at Lackawanna College, 501 Vine Street, Downtown Scranton. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first-served. Lackawanna College is the academic sponsor of this event. Photo by Dani Case thegoodofthehive.com
Partners Announce the 2022 Edition of Scranton City Pride Cleanups & Plantings After a strong first year of joint planning and programming, Scranton City Pride clean-ups and plantings are returning to the Electric City for 2022. Organizers are pleased to announce the weeklong event will take place in neighborhoods throughout the City, and the Downtown Business District, thanks to a partnership between Scranton Tomorrow, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania, and the City of Scranton. Scranton City Pride will be held, June 4 through 12, in conjunction with national NeighborWorks Week. Representatives from all three partnering organizations gathered this afternoon at Scranton Tomorrow’s office on Linden Street in Downtown Scranton to share the exciting news. Guest speakers included: Leslie Collins, President and CEO, Scranton Tomorrow; Jesse Ergott, President and CEO, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania; Michael Gilmartin, Chairperson, Scranton Tomorrow Board of Directors; Eileen Cipriani, Director, Office of Community Development City of Scranton ; and Teddy Michel, Vice Chairperson, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania Board of Directors. “The success of our Scranton Tomorrow and NeighborWorks collaboration is an example of the power of partnerships,” Collins said. “Our joint venture has allowed us to reestablish the campaign in the downtown business district and our neighborhoods in every section of the City. This year’s programming ranges from cleanups to beautification, and inclusive and creative service projects. We are so grateful for this collaboration, and we invite everyone in the community to take pride in our City, and join us.” With an increased interest in volunteer opportunities from their supporters, and national NeighborWorks Week taking place in early June, Scranton City Pride has found a natural fit for NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania. Get Involved
Join Downtown Business in Support of Ukraine Calling Scranton businesses to help us decorate the downtown in yellow and blue showing support for the people of the Ukraine. Utilizing flags, lighting, window painting, posters, and merchandise are a few ways to showcase your support. Please contact Liz Baldi at lizbaldi@scrantontomorrow.org if you are interested in participating. Scranton Tomorrow will be putting together a press release and would love to include the location and a photo of your display. If you are a Scranton business, but not located in the downtown, and are interested in participating, please let us know, all are welcome! Check out how Ufberg & Associates and Nada & Co are showing their support and get inspired!
Holiday Windows Light Up Downtown Scranton When you drive or walk through the Downtown Scranton Business District this holiday season, enjoy magical window displays in storefronts as part of the Holiday Window Showcase. The showcase will be on display Wednesday, November 24 through January 7, 2022
Scranton Tomorrow: Holiday Open House We can’t wait to shop & dine with you!Join us this Sunday at the Holiday Open House in Downtown Scranton, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participating retailers and restaurants are offering holiday incentives, hot cocoa & more! Plus, there is Free On Street Parking All Day! Happy Holidays!