First Posted: 4/8/2014

Who

…will be kicking off National Park Week with an entrance fee-free weekend?

The Steamtown National Historic Site will on April 19-20, when all indoor and outdoor exhibit areas and park museum facilities are free.

Additionally, the Scranton Limited short train rides will begin operations daily, with the exception of April 26, during National Park Week for a three-mile, 30-minute round-trip ride.

New this year is the Nay Aug Limited, a ride that will extend further east along the former Pocono Mainline to the 755-foot Nay Aug Tunnel and a brief stop at Nay Aug Gorge. These rides will operate on Sundays only beginning April 27 and will depart at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.

What

…are you waiting for? Did you cast your vote for the 2014 Weekender Readers’ Choice Awards yet?!

If you think an area bar, restaurant, band, tattoo shop – hell, even an auto or motorcycle sales establishment – deserves to be recognized for how great it is, you’re going to want to throw your two cents in and help them grab a Readers’ Choice Award.

Visit theweekender.com and click the banner on top of the front page to cast your vote. Voting will run up until 5 p.m. on April 16, and you must fill out at least 25 categories. You may also vote only once. Results will be featured in the April 30 issue of The Weekender.

Where

…can you go to not only hear unique Indian music, but to also support a great cause?

On April 13, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Chapter of Ekal Vidyalaya will host Vibhavari Yadav and her group in an event where proceeds go to charity. Ekal Vidyalaya is a charity that creates schools in rural areas of India and promotes education.

The concert takes place from 4:30 to 8 p.m. in Maria Goretti Church (42 Redwood Dr., Wilkes-Barre). Tickets are $25 and $35 for a VIP ticket, which includes seats in the first two rows. Refreshments will also be available.

When

…will you have the chance to support a local theater group?

On April 12, Phoenix Performing Arts Centre (409 Main St., Duryea) will host a Basket Raffle Day from 1 to 4 p.m. The theater, which works with children and young adults ages 4 to 18, is looking to garner money to help not only keep its doors open, but to go towards renovations to the facility.

A $3 donation at the door earns attendees a number, which will have a bid amount associated with it. Most bids will be between $.50 and $1. Some of the items up for bid include two tickets to Delgrosso’s Amusement Park, a four pack of tickets to Montage Mountain Water Park, passes to Rich’s Golf Center, four tickets to the Eastern State Penitentiary, two tickets to the Crayola Experience, gift certificates for several area businesses, and much more. There will be food concessions available to purchase and a bake sale.