🌹 The Lancaster Ledger

Good morning, Lancaster.

March is doing that thing again where it pretends to be spring for one day and then dumps 38 degrees and sideways rain on you the next. We don't trust it. Not yet. But you know what we do trust? A Friday edition packed with good stuff — a brand-new holiday someone invented, a donut shop on the move, and a whole lot of live music to get you through the weekend.

In today's Lancaster Ledger:

Let's do it.

— Collin

Lancaster County's hospitality workers finally got their flowers — or, more accurately, their trophies. Discover Lancaster launched the inaugural Host Awards at American Music Theatre in East Lampeter Township on Monday, and more than 500 guests showed up to celebrate the bartenders, baristas, ushers, and other front-line workers who keep this county's tourism engine running. Categories ranged from best bartender to best usher, and John Smucker, CEO of Bird-in-Hand Corp., took home the Leadership in Hospitality Award, the night's highest honor.

If you've ever had a server at a Lancaster restaurant make your whole day better, you get it. Hospitality workers are often the first (and last) impression visitors have of this county, and it's about time someone rolled out a red carpet for them. Love to see it.

Manor Township supervisors have updated their zoning ordinances to create a more comprehensive framework for data center development within the township. The revisions establish expanded guidelines governing where data centers can be built and what conditions they'll need to meet. The changes reflect a growing interest from tech companies looking to accommodate technology infrastructure in the area.

Manor Township is getting ahead of the curve by setting the ground rules now, rather than scrambling later. The supervisors also discussed related zoning and cell tower matters as part of their broader agenda. Whether you think data centers are an economic win or a zoning headache probably depends on how close your house is to the proposed site.

W Donuts announced it will close its Lancaster city shop at 324 E. Walnut St., with March 28 as the last day. But the business made it clear: "This isn't goodbye — it's a step forward." They're actively hunting for a new space with easier parking, a drive-through, and more room for customers who want to sit and eat their donuts like civilized people.

The good news? The Akron shop on Main Street is staying open, and the Dub Truck will keep rolling to different spots around the area. So your donut supply chain isn't totally disrupted — it's just getting rerouted. If you've got a favorite W Donuts order, you've got until the 28th to make one last pilgrimage to Walnut Street.

A Lancaster local invented a brand-new nondenominational winter holiday called Cozendagen — inspired by Scandinavian hygge traditions, centered on soup, sweaters, candles, and long walks followed by warming up by the fire — and then threw a party to celebrate it. The kicker? The community showed up in force. The concept has apparently existed informally among a group of friends for over a decade before becoming a full-blown community event this year.

Cozendagen fills that bleak stretch between the winter solstice and the spring equinox when everyone's just... cold and tired and out of holidays to look forward to. A whole holiday built around soup and sweaters? In Lancaster? That's the most Lancaster thing I've ever heard. We should honestly make this an annual thing. (Yes, really.)

If you've tried to park at the Lancaster Amtrak Station lately, you know the situation. The overflow parking lot on Keller Avenue has been shut down since November 2024 — over a year now — for a project to build a pedestrian bridge connecting to the station. And from the looks of it, very little visible progress has been made. Riders who rely on the lot are getting increasingly frustrated with the lack of communication and timeline.

For anyone who commutes via Amtrak or takes the train to Philly for a day trip, losing that lot has been a real headache. Finding parking near the station was already a challenge before the closure — now it's a full-on scavenger hunt. Here's hoping someone shares an actual timeline soon, because "over a year with very little visible progress" is not exactly reassuring.

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First Friday Lancaster City | Lancaster's monthly celebration featuring gallery openings, art exhibitions, and boutique events throughout downtown. Highlights include new shows at Curio Gallery, Parrot Gallery ("Beauty in the Shadow" by Kay Reist), Third Story Art ("Arcadia, Part One" by Donald Crowl), and Olivia's Fine Art ("Medley" by Olivia Stoltzfus). | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Gallery Row & Downtown Lancaster, North Queen Street & surrounding streets | Free

Lancaster Improv's First Friday Free For All - Mocktail Mixer | Lancaster Improv Players' second annual International Women's Month showcase with a "No Boys Allowed" theme. Improv teams BABEPROV, GIRL CAR, and GIRL BULLDOGS perform, plus an open jam session at 9 PM coached by Renee Miller. BYOB-friendly. | 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM | Lancaster Improv Players, 16 South Prince Street | Free

Celebrating Smiles: Sip and Stroll through Clinic Art | A fundraiser for the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic at the historic Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House. Enjoy art, refreshments, and support the clinic's mission. | 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House, 123 N. Prince Street | Check website for details

Vienna Boys Choir | Six centuries of choral tradition come to Lancaster. These gifted young musicians are part of four touring choirs that hail from dozens of nations and together give over 300 concerts a year worldwide. | 7:30 PM | American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway East | $39-$69

Bart Township Auction & Mud Sale | A traditional Lancaster County mud sale and auction benefiting the Bart Township Fire Company. Browse and bid on hand-stitched quilts, antiques, lumber, furniture, produce, baked goods, and more. Food vendors on site. Continues Saturday. | 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Bart Township Fire Company, 11 Furnace Road, Quarryville | Free admission

Little Shop of Horrors | The hit musical about Seymour, Audrey, and a carnivorous plant with big ambitions. Dinner-and-show packages available. Running through March 21. | Check Dutch Apple for showtimes | Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, 510 Centerville Road | $78-$83 (dinner & show); $22-$55 (show only)

Little Women | Orpheus Theatre Company reimagines the classic through a queer lens, inspired by recently discovered letters by Louisa May Alcott. Adapted by Katherine Campbell Rossi. | 7:00 PM | The Barn at Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Road | $25

You Can't Take It With You | Servant Stage presents the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman. The eccentric Sycamore family's free-spirited life is tested when daughter Alice falls in love with strait-laced Tony Kirby. | 7:00 PM | Lancaster Alliance Church, 210 Pitney Road | Pay-What-You-Will

Bart Township Auction & Mud Sale | Day two of the traditional mud sale and auction. | 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Bart Township Fire Company, 11 Furnace Road, Quarryville | Free admission

Ken's Gardens Workshops | Two hands-on workshops: Pressed Flower Frame at 11 AM and Small Village Dish Garden at 2 PM. Kokedama workshop also available at 11 AM at their Intercourse location (3552 W Newport Rd, Ronks). | 11:00 AM & 2:00 PM | Ken's Gardens Smoketown, 2467 Old Philadelphia Pike | Check website for pricing

Living the Experience: Underground Railroad Reenactment | A creative, spiritual, and interactive reenactment of the Underground Railroad as it occurred on-site at Bethel AME Church. First-person interpretation bringing alive Lancaster's role in the Underground Railroad. Includes a Southern-style meal and on-site vendors. About three hours. | 11:00 AM | Bethel AME Church, 512 E. Strawberry Street | Check Eventbrite for tickets

Charter Day: Free Admission at Lancaster County Museums | Celebrate Pennsylvania's 345th birthday with free admission at three Lancaster County museums: Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum (2451 Kissel Hill Road), Historic Ephrata Cloister (632 W. Main Street, Ephrata) with performances by the Ephrata Cloister Chorus at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 PM, and Railroad Museum of PA (300 Gap Road, Strasburg). | 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Multiple locations | Free

Ken's Gardens: Luck of the Irish Plant Trivia Night | St. Patrick's-themed plant trivia night in the greenhouse. Test your plant knowledge in a fun, casual competition. | 5:30 PM | Ken's Gardens Intercourse, 3552 W Newport Road, Ronks | Check website for pricing

And Then There Were None | Agatha Christie's masterpiece at the Fulton Theatre. Strangers lured to an island begin to disappear one by one. Final performances through March 8. | Fulton Theatre, 12 N. Prince Street | Check Fulton Theatre for pricing

The Shark is Broken | A three-man play going behind the scenes of filming "Jaws." The three main actors talk about their lives, careers, and fathers while waiting through the production's infamous technical problems. Through March 22. | Fulton Theatre, 12 N. Prince Street | Check Fulton Theatre for pricing

Little Women | Orpheus Theatre at The Barn at Historic Rock Ford. Performances March 6-8 and 13-15. | The Barn at Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Road | $25

You Can't Take It With You | Servant Stage at Lancaster Alliance Church. Through March 22. | Lancaster Alliance Church, 210 Pitney Road | Pay-What-You-Will

Little Shop of Horrors | Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre. Through March 21. | Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, 510 Centerville Road | $78-$83 (dinner & show); $22-$55 (show only)

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

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Friday High 43°F, low 36°F.

Saturday High 47°F, low 37°F.

Corty Byron & The Light | Americana/Rock | 8:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

Wheatus with Keep Flying | Rock | 8:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Check tellus360.com for tickets

Glen Phillips | Singer-Songwriter/Folk | 7:00 PM | Mary Francis Bachmann School, 1834 Lititz Pike, Lancaster | Check venue for tickets

DJ Major Vibes | Electronic/DJ Set | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Southern Market, 100 S. Queen St, Lancaster | Free

Mike Tramp (of White Lion) | Rock | 8:00 PM | Phantom Power, 121 W. Frederick St, Millersville | Check phantompower.net for tickets

3 West | Cover Band | Check venue for time | South County Brewing Co., 26 W. King St, Lancaster | Check venue

WXPN Land of the Lost Dance Party with DJ Robert Drake | 80s Dance/DJ Set | 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM | West Art, 816 Buchanan Ave, Lancaster | Free (RSVP required)

raDiANCE with DJ Edge | Electronic/DJ Set | 10:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

!DEAD! - My Chemical Romance Tribute | Alternative/Tribute | 7:30 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | $28.89

Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy with The Celtic All Stars | Celtic/Folk | 7:30 PM | The Ware Center, 42 N. Prince St, Lancaster | Starting at $27-$35

Brass Monkeys - Beastie Boys Tribute with C-Smoke Williams | Hip-Hop/Tribute | 8:00 PM | Phantom Power, 121 W. Frederick St, Millersville | Check phantompower.net for tickets

The Thompson Triplets | Live Band | 10:30 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

raDiANCE with DJ Edge | Electronic/DJ Set | 10:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

Jam Session with Matt Wenger | Jam Session | 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

The Drifters, The Platters & Cornell Gunter's Coasters | Doo-Wop/R&B/Oldies | 3:00 PM | American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Hwy E, Lancaster | $39-$69

Open Mic Artist Sessions with Henry Devorick | Open Mic | 7:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

David Nail: Down To The Studs | Country | 8:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Check tellus360.com for tickets

Major Vibes: Friends-Days | Electronic/DJ Set | 9:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

Air Supply: 50th Anniversary Celebration | Soft Rock/Pop | 7:30 PM | American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Hwy E, Lancaster | $69-$129

My Druthers with The Susquehanna Shantymen | Celtic/Maritime | 8:00 PM | Phantom Power, 121 W. Frederick St, Millersville | Check phantompower.net for tickets

All Your Friends: The Indie Party | Indie/DJ Event | 7:30 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

Nearly York | Live Band | 8:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

BIG ROOM VIBES with Major Vibes | Electronic/DJ Set | 10:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

Sweet & Savory | Live Performance | 10:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St, Lancaster | Free

The Slackers with Lady Hatchet and Ford the River | Ska/Reggae | 8:00 PM | Phantom Power, 121 W. Frederick St, Millersville | Check phantompower.net for tickets

Kyle Hancock Trio | Pop/Rock | 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Southern Market, 100 S. Queen St, Lancaster | Free

Lancaster Loves Music Series (feat. Liz Fulmer & Matt Goss) | Local Music Showcase | 7:30 PM (Doors 6:30 PM) | The Ware Center, 42 N. Prince St, Lancaster | $15

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Cheers!