🌹 The Lancaster Ledger

Good morning, Lancaster.

If you're a Central Market regular who swings by Mr. Bill's Fresh Seafood every week, I need to tell you something.. The stand is gone. After 14 years, owner Tim Glatfelter shut down the Central Market operation for good — on Valentine's Day, of all days. The seafood breakup nobody saw coming. (The Harrisburg Ave. shop is still going strong, so don't panic too hard.)

In today's Lancaster Ledger:

Let's do it.

— Collin

The Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival is back, running Friday through Sunday (February 27 - March 1) across multiple venues downtown. Headlining Saturday night is Sawyer Fredericks — the kid who won Season 8 of NBC's The Voice at 16. A Single-day pass is $60 (+$4.89 fee), two-day is $95, three-day is $120, VIP is $175.

The lineup spans Tellus360, The Village Nightclub, the Grande Ballroom at the Holiday Inn, and more, with acts covering blues, soul, funk, Americana, reggae, and boogie woogie. And there's a bittersweet angle to this year's fest: several shows are among the very last performances at The Village Nightclub before it closes permanently this weekend and reopens under new ownership as La Celestina Bar & Lounge. If you've ever had a night out at The Village, this is your final chance to say goodbye.

If you've been waiting for the snow geese to show up at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, the wait is over. After icy weather kept them further south than usual, the first massive flocks rolled in over the weekend, and staff counted 60,000 snow geese on Tuesday morning — the first official count of the 2026 migration season. They also tallied 550 tundra swans (up from just 30 over recent weeks) and 50 Canada geese.

Middle Creek typically sees up to 200,000 snow geese every year as the birds rest on their journey north to Arctic breeding grounds. Peak numbers usually hit in late February and March, so we're just getting started. Can't make the drive? There's a 24-hour livestream at lanc.news/SnowGeeseLive so you can watch from your couch. Last year's first count came in at 52,000 on Feb. 11 — so we're running a couple weeks behind, but the birds are making up for lost time.

It's a tough week for downtown Lancaster storefronts. Mr. Bill's Fresh Seafood has closed its Central Market stand after 14 years — owner Tim Glatfelter confirmed February 14 was the final day. Staffing shortages, the constant setup-and-teardown grind at the historic market, and softening consumer spending all played a role. And just down the street, Neilly's Pantry & Beyond Gourmet Market at 101 N. Queen St. is shutting down this Saturday after about 15 months. Owner Julie Ndjee said foot traffic never materialized — and losing the Starbucks next door last September didn't help.

The good news? Neither brand is actually going away. Mr. Bill's is consolidating at its flagship shop at 430 Harrisburg Ave., a 5,600-square-foot space that's been home base since 2017 — the original Mr. Bill's has been slinging seafood in Lancaster since 1973, and Glatfelter has been part of the operation since 1975. As for Neilly's, Julie and her husband Albert (originally from Cameroon) are shifting the brand's cooking classes, private dinners, and culinary events to Neighbors Cafe at 450 N. Prince St. They started Neilly's Foods 20 years ago selling African spice blends and built it into a full manufacturing operation in York. The retail storefront didn't work out, but the food — and the community around it — aren't going anywhere. Different doors, same flavors.

Columbia Borough Council approved two noteworthy moves this week. First: the sale of borough-owned property at 430 S. Front St. to the Columbia Economic Development Corp., a local nonprofit focused on business growth, for $565,000. The agreement also lets the corporation earn a 1% commission on any future resale and recover marketing costs from the borough's proceeds.

Second: Council approved signage for a Hampton Inn & Suites at 12 N. Second St. The building is a former Italianate-style industrial structure built in 1880 that's had quite the career — it's been Wilson Hardware, an umbrella factory, and (yes, really) a cracker bakery. It was approved for hotel conversion in 2025, and now owner Donald Murphy can start putting up signs. Columbia's riverfront keeps evolving.

Lancaster City Council tabled an ordinance Tuesday that would have authorized the city to take a small piece of property at 828 S. Prince St. via eminent domain. The land is needed for the Water Street Bicycle and Pedestrian Boulevard, an off-road path aimed at creating safer conditions for cyclists and walkers between Harrisburg and Fairview avenues.

Here's the thing: the project's scope ended up overlapping 10 private properties. Nine owners worked out easement agreements with the city — but the owner of 828 S. Prince St. hadn't responded. Council President Amanda Bakay said the tabling actually worked as intended: it got the holdout's attention, and they're now working through a preliminary agreement. The city needs to start construction by this fall to stay on its funding timeline, so expect this to move fast. Sometimes you just have to show you're willing.

A Lancaster resident and former Brandywine Base Ball Club player is organizing a vintage base ball team right here in the county — and yes, it's "base ball," two words, the way they wrote it in the 1800s. The club would revive one of Lancaster's actual historical team names: the Lancaster Maroons, Red Roses, or Ironsides, all real teams that played here in the 19th century.

The big debut? An exhibition game against the Keystone Base Ball Club of Harrisburg at Landis Valley Village this summer, as part of a planned event tentatively called "One Day in the 1860s." The rules are quite different from modern baseball — most notably, no gloves. If you've ever wanted to watch grown adults play bare-handed baseball in period attire on a summer afternoon in Lancaster County, your moment is almost here. Love to see it.

Worn couch? Cracked car seats? Favorite jacket seen better days? Before you replace it, call LeatherHelp. Caleb and his team repair and restore leather furniture, auto interiors, jackets, and more — right here in Lancaster County. Free estimates. And they’ll come to you!

📞 (717) 650-7091 | leatherhelp.com | [email protected]

Strasburg Spring Consignment & Mud Sale (Day 1) | The first mud sale of the season and a true Lancaster County tradition. Friday kicks off with crafts and small quilted items. Chicken corn soup is the big food draw. Benefits Strasburg Fire Company. | 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Strasburg Fire Company, 203 W. Franklin St., Strasburg | Free admission

Fourth Friday in Downtown Mount Joy | Shops stay open late with exclusive deals and activities throughout downtown Mount Joy. | 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Downtown Mount Joy | Free

Winter Evenings with Edgar Allan Poe Inspired Stories | An immersive evening of Poe-inspired storytelling in a cozy inn setting. Spooky in the best way. | 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM | Inn & Spa at Intercourse Village, 3542 Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse | Varies

Strasburg Mud Sale (Day 2 — The Big Day) | The big day. Quilts, tools, antiques, lawn furniture, farm machinery, carriages — all auctioned off by Amish volunteers. 51st annual. Draws people from multiple states. | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Strasburg Fire Company, 203 W. Franklin St., Strasburg | Free admission

Greg Stone & Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy) | Two NYC comics and staples of Manhattan's top comedy clubs. Eisenberg hosted NPR's "Ask Me Another." 90-minute set. | Doors 6:00 PM, Show 8:00 PM | Lititz Shirt Factory, 5 Juniper Lane, Lititz | $35

Gregorian | Choral crossover act performing at American Music Theatre. | 7:30 PM | American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Hwy E, Lancaster | $29-$59

Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse | The only total lunar eclipse of 2026 visible from the US. The moon turns coppery red low on the western horizon. No special equipment needed. Last total lunar eclipse until 2028. | Totality 6:04 AM ET | Visible from Lancaster County | Free

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.

Friday High 52°F, low 31°F.

Saturday High 58°F, low 32°F.

The Willie Marble Xperience w/ The World Famous Marblelettes | Soul/Blues | 6:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E King St, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Jeris Johnson w/ Butcher Babies, Eva Under Fire | Rock | 7:00 PM | Phantom Power, 121 W Frederick St, Millersville | Varies

Sweet Leda | Rock/Soul | 7:45 PM | Grande Ballroom @ Holiday Inn, Lancaster | Festival wristband

True Loves | Soul/Funk | 8:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E King St, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Vivace Live | Pop/Jazz/Rock Covers | 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Southern Market, 100 S Queen St, Lancaster | Free

Billy Price Band | Soul/Blues | 8:30 PM | The Village Nightclub, 205 N. Christian St, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Billy Walton Band | Rock/Blues | 9:35 PM | Grande Ballroom @ Holiday Inn, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Wowtown Retro Dance Party (The Village's Final Weekend) | DJ/Motown/Soul/Disco | 10:00 PM | The Village Nightclub, 205 N. Christian St, Lancaster | $5

Daryl Davis w/ The Quentin Jones Rock N' Roll Review | Boogie Woogie/Rock | 11:30 PM - 1:00 AM | Grande Ballroom @ Holiday Inn, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Chris Cain | Blues/Jazz | 6:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E King St, Lancaster | Festival wristband

The Yardbirds | Rock/Blues | 8:00 PM | The Village Nightclub, 205 N. Christian St, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Jah Works | Reggae | 8:00 PM | Grande Ballroom @ Holiday Inn, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Clarence Spady Band | Blues | 8:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E King St, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Sawyer Fredericks | Americana | 8:30 PM | Trust Performing Arts Center, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Gabe Stillman Band | Blues/Soul/Funk | 9:45 PM | Grande Ballroom @ Holiday Inn, Lancaster | Festival wristband

DJ Battle (The Village's Final Saturday) | DJ/R&B/Hip-Hop | 10:00 PM | The Village Nightclub, 205 N. Christian St, Lancaster | $20

Midnight Jam Session | Blues/Jam | 11:30 PM - 1:30 AM | Grande Ballroom @ Holiday Inn, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Vinegar Creek Constituency | Americana/Roots/Folk | 12:01 PM | Tellus360, 24 E King St, Lancaster | Festival wristband

Albert Cummings | Blues | 5:30 PM | The Village Nightclub, 205 N. Christian St, Lancaster | Festival wristband

The Curtis Family C-Notes | Soul/Funk/Jazz | 7:30 PM | The Village Nightclub, 205 N. Christian St, Lancaster | Festival wristband

If you found something useful in today's issue, share it with a friend who's still mourning their Tuesday morning Mr. Bill's run at Central Market. Or someone who needs an excuse to stand in the mud in Strasburg this weekend. Or honestly anyone who just wants to watch 60,000 geese on a livestream — no judgment.

Cheers!