Next Wednesday, November 22nd, for one night only, guests at Can U Xcape in Bloomsburg will be able to book the Tornado, Submarine, or Upside-Down Rooms and attempt to escape by flashlight only.  The rooms will be pitch black, and teams will have to attempt to navigate their way through a series of puzzles in the pitch black rooms by flashlight only. Will taking away full use of one’s senses enhance other senses…or lead to demise?

In addition, the Tornado Room will feature BRAND NEW PUZZLES.  Perhaps you’ve Xcaped the Tornado before, but do you think you will be able to get out in the dark with new puzzles? Seeking shelter from the storm, you run to the nearest structure, an abandoned house surrounded by overgrowth. As the first tornado hits, the storm damage traps you inside. You search for a way out, and begin to piece together the mystery of the last resident. Can you make it out before the next storm arrives and live to tell your tale?

Teams must book the full room, and space is limited. No admittance to guests under 18 during this event. Submarine and Upside-down Rooms will NOT be changed at all other than lighting levels. Book now at www.canuxcape.com/book.

This Saturday, November 18th, from 8 AM to Noon, the public is invited to the Bloomsburg Municipal Airport for a special Fly-In, Drive-In, and Walk-In donation breakfast.  Breakfast will include pumpkin pancakes. The event is rain or shine.

Excited for the Bloomsburg Fair?  The Fair runs from Saturday, September 23rd thru Saturday, September 30th.

Pre-Fair day is Friday, September 22nd.  Pre-Fair Day is a chance for people to enjoy the 161st Bloomsburg Fair without the large crowds.  This day traditionally also serves as a good “practice day” for new vendors to make sure the week of Fair runs smoothly.

Gates for Pre-Fair Day open at 2pm; Admission (Over 12) – $3

Free Parking! As usual, at 6:30 PM, enjoy the Vespers at the Bandshell.

Limited show tickets still available.  Order tickets by phone 570-387-4145 or online at: www.bloomsburgfair.com

Admission Information

Two popular local attractions have garnered national recognition in a recent USA Today “10Best Readers’ Choice Awards” article. Both Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg and Ricketts Glen State Park in Benton were selected as finalists for the title of “Best Pennsylvania Attraction” by a panel of Pennsylvania travel writers. “Being nominated as one of the top attractions in Pennsylvania is fantastic!” remarked Stacy Ososkie, Public Relations Director at Knoebels Amusement Resort. “The fact that Ricketts Glen State Park has also been nominated speaks volumes about our area. Local residents need not look beyond their own backyards to experience some of the best attractions in Pennsylvania.”

Ricketts Glen State Park

Other finalists include Fallingwater, Gettysburg National Military Park, Ohiopyle State Park, Pine Creek Gorge, Longwood Gardens, and the Flight 93 National Memorial, among others. In total, 20 destinations were selected as finalists for Pennsylvania. All of the finalists are now in the running to be the 10Best Readers’ Choice “Best Pennsylvania Attraction.” Final results will be determined by the public via a daily voting system.

10Best is USA Today’s trusted travel and lifestyle advice website.  This year, the website has been creating its ultimate American travel bucket list, featuring the top attraction from each state all across the country. After voting in the Pennsylvania category closes, the top 10 attractions will be announced.  The top overall attraction will subsequently be included in the prestigious national list of the best travel sites in America. “We are honored to see Ricketts Glen in the running to be named one of the top attractions in Pennsylvania,” said Scott Wilson, Park Manager of Ricketts Glen State Park. “The natural beauty of the park, its waterfalls, and the surrounding area are things that everyone should have the chance to experience and appreciate.”

Voting in the Pennsylvania category is now open, and will close on Tuesday, October 10^th at noon ET. Winning attractions will be announced on Friday, October 13^th. Latest leaderboard standings have shown Knoebels Amusement Resort to be holding down the #1 overall spot, with Ricketts Glen State Park ranking #6. Individuals interested in voting for Knoebels or Ricketts Glen may do so by visiting www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-pennsylvania-attraction/. One vote per person daily in each state category will be accepted.

This autumn, come to Columbia & Montour counties to enjoy a festive trip through the heart of the Central PA countryside. Along the way, stop at nine fantastic local wineries and participate in this year’s autumn winery event. The “Wine & Foliage” Trail will kick off on Friday, October 6th and run through Sunday, October 15th. Each winery will offer a special wine pairing with a tasty seasonal treat. Visit every winery for a chance to win a wine-themed prize basket! Each winery will provide an individual prize basket and one large Grand Prize basket will be compiled with bottles of wine from every winery.

Participating wineries will be: Colonel Ricketts Hard Cider Winery, Elk Mountain Winery Outlet at Stoney Acres, Freas Farm Winery, O’Donnell Winery, Pickering Winery – Orangeville, Purple Cow Winery, Red Shale Ridge Vineyards – (Danville location), Shade Mountain Winery & Vineyard -(Danville location), and Three Dogs Vino.

**PLEASE NOTE** All wineries will be open for this event during their normal posted business hours. Please visit each winery’s website or call individually for hours. Normal tasting fees will apply – some wineries will have tasting fees, others will not. Again, please see each winery’s website for more information on individual tasting fees.

For our brochure listing all area wineries, please click here.

This event is in partnership with Pennsylvania Wines & PA Wine Month promotions. More information is available at PAWineMonth.com.

How it Works

1. If you are interested in participating in this year’s Wine & Foliage Trail event, simply proceed to one of the wineries of your choosing during October 6th-15th (you may start at whichever one you’d like).
2. Pick up an event ticket at the first winery you visit – all will have tickets available.
3. Fill out 1/2 of the ticket and turn it in at the first winery.  Keep the other half to record stamps/signatures.
4. Enjoy your first seasonal wine pairing and have your ticket authorized in the assigned space for that particular winery.
5. Proceed to the rest of the wineries and enjoy fall pairings + get more stamps/autographs!
6. At your final winery stop, turn in your completed second half of the ticket to be entered to win any of the prize baskets. All participants who complete each stop on the trail will have a chance to win any of the individual baskets and the Grand Prize basket regardless of where they turn in their ticket.

Additional Info

• Each winery is not going to be open every single day during the event dates.  Please plan your route stops accordingly based on winery hours.
• Winners for prize baskets will be drawn by October 22nd and notified by email.
• Winners will be expected to pick up their prize basket from the winery providing the basket; the Grand Prize basket will be located at the Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau Welcome Center (121 Papermill Road, Bloomsburg).
• Participants do NOT have to complete the trail over the course of one day or one weekend. Please complete the trail your convenience. As long as you have visited all wineries during the window of October 6th-15th, you will be eligible for the prize drawing.
• Lodging discounts are available for those coming in from out of the area who are looking to spend a weekend traveling the wine trail.
  • Current offers:
    • Danville Super 8 – Sunday thru Thursday: rooms for $69.95+Tax. Includes complimentary continental breakfast, Fitness Center use, and free Wi-Fi. On Fridays & Saturdays during the event, mention “Wine Trail Event” and receive 10% off their lowest rate (above rate not available for weekends).
    • Comfort Inn in Mifflinville – Sunday thru Thursday: rooms for $79.00+Tax. Includes complimentary full breakfast and free Wi-Fi. On Fridays & Saturdays during the event, mention “Wine Trail Event” and receive 10% off their lowest rate (above rate not available for weekends).

The Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau is excited to announce the arrival of its seventh annual 500-piece Covered Bridge puzzle. This year’s limited-edition puzzle depicts a fall scene at the Josiah Hess Bridge. The Visitors Bureau is currently selling the puzzles for $12, tax included.  A $2 donation from every puzzle sold will be made by the Bureau to the Columbia County Covered Bridge Association. Puzzles may be purchased at the Visitors Bureau Welcome Center, located at 121 Papermill Road in Bloomsburg. They can also be purchased at the Visitors Bureau’s booth at the Bloomsburg Fair (located in the State & County Building), as well as at the annual Covered Bridge & Arts Festival. Limited quantities of 250 puzzles are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Puzzles are also available to be shipped out of the area for an additional shipping charge.

The Josiah Hess Covered Bridge spans Huntington Creek in Fishing Creek Township, Columbia County.  This bridge is located between Forks and Jonestown directly off Winding Road.  It was constructed in 1875 by Joseph Redline, at a cost of $1,349.50.  It was named after the Hess family who owned a sawmill and farm nearby. The puzzle photo was taken by Bob Erlsten, who was selected as the 2017 Covered Bridge photo contest winner this year.

Covered Bridge Association President, Chris Young recommends “slowing down with a good cup of coffee on a cold winter day and putting together your Covered Bridge puzzle. As you reminisce about time gone by, know that the $2 you donated will ensure these bridges are here for future generations to enjoy.”

The Columbia County Covered Bridge Association restores, preserves, and advocates for the covered bridges of Columbia County for historical and recreational purposes.  Their purpose is simple: they recognized the historic importance of the covered bridges as a public treasure to be available to and enjoyed by the public and the important part they play in tourism. This non-profit association protects all of our covered bridges not only for today, but also for future generations.

There are still very limited quantities of the Keefer Mills, Esther Furnace, and Stillwater Bridge puzzles available for sale as part of the collector’s edition series. These puzzles may be purchased at a discounted rate of $8 per puzzle, tax included. The Visitors Bureau’s covered bridge puzzles are collector’s items and make for a great birthday or Christmas present. For more information about purchasing a puzzle, please contact the Visitors Bureau at 570-784-8279.

UPDATE #1: The full 2017 Covered Bridge Festival Vendor list is here! DOWNLOAD IT NOW to find out which vendors will be at this year’s festival and where your favorites will be located. For more information about the festival, check out our “Covered Bridge Festival” page.

UPDATE #2:

Our guided tours visit various covered bridges in Columbia County – including the Twin Covered Bridges! The traditional journey includes the following bridges: Paar’s Mill, Esther Furnace, Davis, Hollingshead, Rupert, Josiah Hess, Stillwater, East & West Paden (“Twin Bridges”), and occasionally the Johnson Bridge (time permitting).

• When: Saturday, October 7 at 11:00 AM and 12:30 PM;  Sunday, October 8 at 12:30 PM.
• Cost: $20 per seat
• Approximate length of trip: 3 hours
• Seating is limited and sells out early! Please make reservations ahead of time.
• Pre-Payment is required to book your seat.
• Tickets must be picked up at the CMVB information booth at Pavilion H at least 30 minutes prior to departure.
• Riders with tickets in hand will board the bus located near Knoebels A-frame security building.

Have more questions?  Check out our Covered Bridge Bus Tour FAQ sheet.

Now you can now reserve your spot over the phone with a credit card payment! Call the Visitors Bureau office at 570-784-8279. You can also download the reservation form (2017 Bus Tour Reservation Form) and mail it with full payment to the address listed on the form.

Bloomsburg’s tenth annual ArtFest will take place on Saturday, the 26th of August, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. AT A NEW LOCATION in Bloomsburg’s Town Square surrounding the fountain.

Once again in 2017, the Exchange will produce Bloomsburg’s annual ArtFest. Dedicated to bringing the arts to all communities throughout our region, the Exchange (then the Moose Exchange) used to host the wintertime ArtWalk-In; now we bring you the County’s biggest one-day outdoor art event of the year.

As always, ArtFest will showcase regional artists’ original work in many media, from painting and photography to ceramics, sculpture, and fabrics, accompanied by live music and activities for the whole family.  A summertime art party, ArtFest draws attendees from well beyond Bloomsburg.

This year, ArtFest takes place on the same day as AGAPE’s AGAPEpalooza, at Town Park, with free shuttle buses among Downtown, the ‘Palooza, and free parking at Bloomsburg High School.