New Wilkes-Barre venue Keystone Arts Center launches with Harvest Groove Festival on Sept. 13
From a press release:
A new hub for live music, art, stand-up comedy, DJs, dance parties, yoga, and more will host an all-day kickoff event to introduce the Wilkes-Barre performing arts space to the public.
The Keystone Arts Center is working with Silent Sound System, which hosts immersive silent discos throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania, to produce Harvest Groove, an indoor/outdoor music and arts festival on Saturday, Sept. 13.
From 5 p.m.-1 a.m., this 21+ event will transform the venue into a dynamic playground of funk, soul, folk, electronic beats, comedy, and wellness headlined by Yam Yam, a renowned jazz funk band from Harrisburg, seen locally at the Peach Music Festival in Scranton and the River Street Jazz Cafe in Plains. Other artists on the bill include Nik Greeley & The Operators, Sara Hulse & Jesse Mower, Dave Brown and Shawn Caden of The Dishonest Fiddlers, Funkbot, and DJs Evil Bee, Robair, and Justin Thomas.
With three stages featuring live bands, silent disco, stand-up, poetry, and yoga, Harvest Groove promises to be not just a concert, but a celebration of creativity and community. Attendees can enjoy food from the Poconos by Scarlet Fire Authentic Neapolitan Pizza alongside craft brews by Blind Cat Beer Company from Pittston and Here & Now Brewing Company from Honesdale while exploring the new place, located at 345 North Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre.
“The energy at Harvest Groove will be next level,” said Funkbot, a DJ and performing artist.
“I’m really excited to play Keystone Art’s first major event. Yam Yam, Nik Greeley, Evil Bee – wow. Really amazing lineup. It’s an honor to be included with such amazing talent. I’ve been waiting a long time for this venue to open. This is what NEPA is all about.”
Tickets, which are $20 in advance or $25 at the door, are on sale now via Tixtree.
The Keystone Arts Center has already had a soft opening with a few different events over the past several months, including its first all-ages show on Aug. 15 with Peach Polaroid, Luke Tinklepaugh, and Grace B., but the Harvest Groove Festival will serve as its “major kickoff event,” according to Bryan Dewey, an organizer for the venue.
“Rooted in Pennsylvania’s legacy of grit and creativity, the Keystone Arts Center is a community-centered space for music, arts, and gatherings of all kinds. We offer a dynamic multi-room space for audiences of all ages and a home for anyone seeking the healing power of shared experiences. We are ready to evolve with every beat, brushstroke, and vibration that walks through our doors, and we can’t wait to see what we create with your collaboration,” the venue’s website described.
At 4,500 square feet, the Keystone Arts Center is zoned to accommodate up to 500 people throughout the venue, with three central spaces – a main concert hall with a large stage, a resonant sound system, and a state-of-the-art LED video wall; a smaller room that is ideal for hosting DJs, small acoustic acts, or gaming; and an outside space that may get its own stage in the future.
The main concert hall can host approximately 300 people, with adjustable seating arrangements. The building is also home to Pinball Galaxy, an arcade with a variety of pinball games, bumper hockey, bumper pool, and ping-pong.
The facility and its amenities can be rented for four hours for $650, six hours for $900, and eight hours for $1,100. More information is available at keystoneartscenter.com.
The owner of the Keystone Arts Center, Brad Wells, is also the DJ who owns Silent Sound System, LLC. He and Dewey will appear on the live stream of the NEPA Scene Podcast this Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. to discuss their plans for the venue, the Harvest Groove Festival, and more.
Photo of Peach Polaroid by David Orrson
