July 24, 2008 Visitors Residents Business Committees

Welcome!

Quakertown Alive! is a volunteer-driven, non-profit community development organization in Quakertown, Pennsylvania based on the principles of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and its Four-Point Main Street Approach. See "About QA!" at left for additional information.


New In-Town Guide Is Out

The new In-Town Guide is out in stores and area locations featuring a listing of the downtown retail businesses serving the residents, visitors and other shoppers of downtown Quakertown.

The new glossy, four-color version combines the former guide, created by volunteer Jim Wilson, with the Walking Historic Tour of the Downtown brochure originally created by the QA! Historic Committee chaired by Steve Biddle. There is also helpful information on Borough services, the library, schools, recreation facilities, youth sports, community groups and annual downtown events.

The new brochure was created by the QA! Marketing Committee, chaired by Jim Wilson, with the help of former Main St. Manager Holly Edinger, intern Jason Bauman, Doug McCambridge of 236 Design, Bill Masi of Mezzalluna Sign & Design, Sharon Marshall and company of Marketing Solutions and others.

To get your copy, stop in one of the downtown retail businesses, the Free Press office, the train station, Borough Hall, the local municipal building or the Quakertown Alive office.


Talking PA

 Pennsylvania State Senator Rob Wonderling (R-24) recently announced the publication of his book "Talking PA: 21 Conversations for the 21st Century." Senator Wonderling commented "Over the past year, I have been working on a collection of interviews of everyday Pennsylvanian’s doing extraordinary things. I put my thoughts about these interviews and the state of our state into a book."

The 21 individuals Senator Wonderling interviewed included a veteran of the war in Iraq who resides in Philadelphia, a charter school principal from West Oak Lane, a life sciences CEO from Blue Bell, and a vo-tech teacher from Bucks County, to name a few.

"As you’ll see, the passion and conviction of our fellow citizens comes through on every page. It was an inspiring effort in which I learned a great deal and was truly humbled by the people I met,” he added. 

If you would like a free copy of the book or wish to download a copy, please visit http://www.talkingpa.com/.

Senator Wonderling represents parts of Montgomery, Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton counties.


New Eateries In Town

Salome is now open at 219 W. Broad Street (former location of Pancho Villa) for lunch and dinner.  Stop by for eat-in or take-out nachos, soups, burgers, cheese steaks, ribs, Quesadillas, wraps, hot pressed sandwiches and other Mexican specialties. They have a small children's menu too.

The new family-oriented Broadway Café, also in the 200 block of W. Broad Street, is open from 11:30 AM until 8:30 PM for lunch, after school or evenings, and also on Saturday. Stop by this retro-style restaurant and soda fountain for affordably-priced burgers, salads, pizza, chili, some of the best fries around, plus ice cream, pie and more.  Students from Miss Cindy's School of Dance provide your service and spontaneous performances are possible! 

The new Front Street Café & Bistro on 44 Front Street, at the corner of Juniper, provides an inviting stop with gas lamps out front. It is open early (6:30 am) and offers breakfast, lunch, upscale BYOB dinners and even a central conversation area to just have some coffee and relax.  Call 267-347-4076 for evening reservations. Ask about their 11-3 Sunday brunch. 

As always, the other downtown restaurants and food merchants -- such as the Karlton Café, Dominick's Pizzeria, McCoole's at the Red Lion Inn, Mama Mia's, Sunday's Deli & Restaurant, Tacos La Mexicana, Sine's 5&10, the Philly Pretzel Factory, Rosemaries', Rita's and others -- are always happy to see new and familiar faces. Make it a point to visit them with your family and friends throughout the summer.  They are after all, part of the uniqueness of Quakertown.

See the online In-Town Guide listings at left for a complete listing of the downtown stores and restaurants. And look for the new full-color version out in stores, community buildings and area hotels!


Good Search

GoodSearch.com donates half its revenue --about a penny a search-- to the charities its users designate: for instance, Quakertown Alive!

Go to www.goodsearch.com and download the toolbar, then select Quakertown Alive! as your charity. It is powered by Yahoo and you use it just as you would any search engine. It only takes you and about 499 other people searching four times a day to raise about $7,300 for our local programs each year. And it doesn't cost a cent!  Please spread the word!


Local Weather

The Weather Channel
 

ARTS ALIVE 2008: A Beautiful Day

Work of Winning Artist, Judith Krasnansky

The ninth annual Arts Alive! festival on May 17th offered something for everyone as Quakertown Alive! welcomed nearly 100 juried fine artists and crafters and other live performers to the downtown.

Thousands of spectators flocked to the downtown to see the fine artists and crafters, the live on-stage entertainment sponsored by QNB and the PA Council on the Arts; the children's courtyard sponsored by QNB and Univest, with a magician, a ventriloquist and Irish dancing by students of the O'Grady-Quinlan Academy; as well as the annual Bill Baker Memorial Senior Art Show at the new location of the Katie Stauffer Memorial Art Center, sponsored by LifeQuest; plus the horse-drawn carriage, thanks to QNB and even belly dancing.

Studio 116, on E. Broad Street, hosted a children's oil painting workshop with artist Michele Randell; Lion round Books hosted a free book signing by noted children's authors,  there was a Student Art Show at the high school; the Bucks County Community College had its Art Mobile; Quakertown Fire Company #1 had an indoor flea market and juggler Dick Grainer, clowns and the Giggle Mill Improv Troupe entertained young and old.

See our Arts Alive! 2008 page in the coming days for winners of the juried art display and photos of this year's event.


Downtown Events Poll

How are we doing with our downtown QA! festivals (Arts Alive!, Autumn Alive!)?
They are Great just the way they are
They need to include E. Broad Street more
They should be limited to W. Broad Street only
They should be held on Sunday
They should be more than one day
The streets should remain open to traffic
You should not have any more downtown festivals

Quakertown Alive!