Reading Liederkranz and Phoenixville Oktoberfests top weekend events [Events roundup]

The following events are planned for the week ahead throughout the region:

• The Reading Liederkranz Oktoberfest, recently rated as the third best Oktoberfest in the nation by USA Today editors and readers, runs Wednesday through Sunday on the Liederkranz grounds in Lower Alsace Township. The event offers a wide variety of German food and drink, from sausages and pretzels to German beer. Dance to traditional German music or enjoy performances from local bands. Gates open at 5 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Highlights include performances by Dave Kline & The Mountain Folk Band on Wednesday, Mike Surratt and the Continentals on Thursday night, The Spitzbuam Band on Friday night, the Alex Meixner band throughout the day and night on Saturday, and the Joe Kroboth band throughout the afternoon on Sunday. Tickets will be available at the gate for $5 Wednesday, $10 Thursday, $15 Friday and Saturday, and $5 Sunday. It’s free for guests under 21. For more information, see readingliederkranz.com.

• The Phoenixville Chamber of Commerce and Sly Fox Brewing will present Bridgetoberfest on Saturday and Sunday along Bridge Street in downtown Phoenixville. For ages 21 and older, the Sly Fox Bridgetoberfest Biergarten will have seating in two-hour, reserved sessions — 5 to 7 p.m. and 8 to 10 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2 to 4 p.m., 5 to 7 p.m. and 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday. The $30 ticket gets you a half-liter Bridgetoberfest 2022 souvenir mug filled with Sly Fox Oktoberfest Lager, a handmade Bavarian-style pretzel, traditional German music by The Emil Schanta Band (Friday) and Kermit “Dr. Squeezebox” Ohlinger (Saturday), and a chance to win a trip for two to Munich, Germany, for Oktoberfest. Prizes will be given to the winners of the stein-hoisting and best-dressed contests. Phoenixville businesses and street vendors will be offering food, crafts and family activities. For more information, see phoenixvillechamber.org.

• The Santander Performing Arts Center, Reading, presents country singer-songwriter Kip Moore with opener Cadillac Three on Thursday at 8 p.m.; Legacy Reunion, a group comprised of former members of Earth, Wind & Fire, on Friday at 7:30 p.m.; the Texas-based Latin pop group Grupo Frontera on Saturday at 8 p.m.; and Nurse Blake’s comedy tour, “Shock Advised,” on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m. For tickets and more information, see santander-arena.com.

• The borough of Fleetwoods 150th anniversary celebration continues with daily events through Saturday. Fleetwood Park will host rides, food, entertainment and games from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Performing on the Park Stage will be The New Individuals on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Sloth Love Chunk on Friday at 6:30 p.m., and Grammy-nominated country artist Chuck Mead and his Grassy Knoll Boys on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. A Fleetwood Main Street Business Fair is scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Celebration Parade through the streets of Fleetwood begins at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Fleetwood Fire Company will host a housing ceremony for its new rescue truck following the parade.

• Souderton Art Jam, an annual street festival that celebrates art, food, music, creativity and community, takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Souderton Borough Community Park area. Art Jam showcases local artists and makers. Artists from many disciplines, including painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, jewelry-making and woodworking, come together to exhibit their creations and offer them for purchase. There’s also a Marketplace for local crafts and food makers, a food and beverage court and live music. For more information, see events.soudertonconnects.com.

• Cirque Italia brings “Paranormal Cirque III” to Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem, from Thursday through Sunday. Taking place under a big-top tent, the show features acrobats of the air, illusionists, freaks, mysterious creatures and all the elements that make one think of a normal circus. But this circus is anything but normal, poised between fun and the most uninhibited fear that will transport you to a dark world inhabited by creatures with incredible circus art abilities. Tickets range from $20 to $60. No one under age 13 will be admitted to the show. Guests aged 13-17 must be accompanied by an adult. For tickets and more information, see paranormalcirque.com.

• Renninger’s Farmers Market, Kutztown, hosts its Vintage Antiques and Collectors Extravaganza on Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The show features jewelry of all types, furniture, primitives, taxidermy, paintings, art, books, ceramics, garden items, reclaimed wood, toys, Christmas items, all types of vintage merchandise and more. Admission is $10 for early buyers on Friday from 9 to 11 a.m., then free for the rest of the event. For more information, see renningers.net/kutztown.

• The Reading Public Library presents its Cocktails and Classics fundraiser on Friday from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in downtown Reading. The event features libations, jazz music, sweet and savory bites, and live and silent auctions. General admission tickets are $85. For more information, see readingpubliclibrary.org./cocktails-classics.

• The City of Reading will celebrate its 275th Anniversary with a parade on Penn Street on Sunday starting at 10 a.m. The parade will run from Second and Penn to 11th and Penn. Grand Marshals of the parade will be the 2023 state champion Reading High School Basketball team. Other participants include marching bands, Reading Royals, McGinty Motorcars, Reading Pride, Shriners Legion of Honor and City of Reading Fire Department. The real highlight of the parade, though, may be Reading’s own Stoneman Willie. The City of Reading and Penn Street’s longest resident, Willie, has been a resident of Theo C. Auman funeral home at 327 Penn St. since 1895. They will be burying Willie on Oct. 7, but before they do so, the community will have an opportunity to say farewell during the parade. Willie will be led out by a New Orleans-style jazz band led by Reading’s own Chris Heslop. Following the parade, the Berks Cultural Diversity Festival will take place in City Park  from noon to 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will include games, food trucks, cultural performances, vendors and more. The short film “From the River,” which documents the history of Reading and Berks County, will be screened at R/C Reading Movies 11 & IMAX at 1, 2:30, 4, 5:30 and 7 p.m. For more informatino, see the 275th Anniversary Facebook page, www.facebook.com/cityofreading275/.

• St. John’s Lutheran Church, 355 St. John’s Circle, Phoenixville, presents a concert by the father-son violin and cello duo Amoroso da Capo at 4 p.m. Sunday. Richard Amoroso Sr. and Jr. have been performing together for over 45 years in all kinds of venues, everything from churches to the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. Their repertoire for the concert includes “Baroque in Rhythm,” “Blue Rondo a la Turk” ( a Dave Brubeck jazz tune), “Amazing Grace,” “Getaway” (an upbeat disco song), “Czardas,” “Music of the Night,” “It Is Well With my Soul,” “Tico Tico,” “Cello Fan” and “Tocatta and Fugue.” Through their concerts they share how God has shaped their musical relationship as well as the one they have with one another while sharing their musical gifts with audiences. There is no admission charge, but a freewill offering will be received to support the concert series at St. John’s.

• The Rotary Club of Spring-Ford and Limerick Township present the Limerick Uncorked wine festival on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. at Limerick Community Park. The event features complimentary samples from wineries and breweries from across Pennsylvania, nationally-recognized food trucks and local bands. Tickets cost $30 in advance through Friday at limerickuncorked.com, or $40 at the gate. All proceeds from the festival are donated to local non-profits.

• Linvilla Orchards, Media, hosts its annual Apple Festival and Pie Eating Contest on Saturday from 8 a.m to 4 p.m. Linvilla has a variety of apples available for picking starting at 8 a.m. In addition, there will be costumed characters, hayrides, the donut eating game, appearances by Silly Joe and Puppets Pizzazz, a variety show with over 25 professional hand puppets. Balloon artist Jim will show off his talents by sculpting balloons. Music starts at 11 a.m. and includes a performance by We Kids Rock in the afternoon. For more information, see linvilla.com.

• The Colonial Theatre, Phoenixville, presents the Berks County-based pyshcedelic jam band Flux Capacitor in concert on Friday at 7 p.m. Pete, Jason and Mike Specht were born and raised as a power trio, and after 10 years of touring the band has grown to a four-piece with the addition of Stephen Kurtz on bass. The band will be celebrating the streaming release of “Live AF Vol. 1,” a collection of live tracks from their years of touring. Tickets are $12 in advance at thecolonialtheatre.com or $15 at the door. On Sunday at 7 p.m., the Colonial presents the Divine Hand Ensemble, a string ensemble led by concert thereminist Mano Divina. The group showcases spooky sounds from favorite films to funerary tunes, as well as new interpretations of classics from the likes of Black Sabbath and David Bowie. Tickets are $15.

• The KU Presents! Family Series at Kutztown University presents “Sugar Skull! A Dia de Muertos Musical Adventure” on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Schaeffer Auditorium on campus. “Sugar Skull!” is a joyous, heartfelt adventure that delves into the rich, tuneful traditions of Día de Muertos. This colorful stage production is a bilingual/bicultural musical featuring traditional regional music and dance from Mexico to tell the story of 12-year-old Vita Flores, who thinks her family has gone loco planning a celebration for deceased loved ones. “Why throw a party for the dead?” But when a spirited candy skeleton suddenly springs to life, Vita finds herself on a magical, musical journey to unravel the true meaning of Día de Muertos. Tickets are $15 at kutztown.edu.

• Kennett Flash presents a rooftop prog-rock concert featuring Joe Deninzon and Stratospheerius with We Came From Space on Saturday at 7 p.m. atop the Kennett Square Parking Garage. Led by electric violinist/vocalist Joe Deninzon (of Kansas fame), who has been called the Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin, Stratospheerius has showcased their “frenzied melange of  progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world. We Came From Space is a prog/pop quartet featuring Bill Hubauer (Neal Morse Band) on keys. Tickets are $20, with a $5 charge for BYOB. For more information, see kennettflash.org.

• Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center, West Chester, presents comedian Chris Coccia on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and the Ledbetters’ tribute to Pearl Jam on Friday at 7:30 p.m. With over 25 years as a full-time stand up comic, Coccia delivers a mix of up-to-the-minute material with improvised and often outrageous interaction with the crowd. In addition to headlining clubs around the country and late-night gigs in Vegas plus multiple appearances on morning radio in Philadelphia and nationally on Sirius/XM, Coccia’s comedy has earned him opening slots for the likes of Jon Lovitz, Norm Macdonald and Dennis Miller. The Ledbetters pay homage to the deep catalog of iconic Pearl Jam songs that will transport you back to your flannel wearing days. For tickets and more information, see uptownwestchester.org.

• Soul Joel’s Comedy Club at Sunnybrook in Pottstown presents Sam Tripoli on Friday at 8 p.m and Brent Terhune on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tripoli is a 20-year headlining comic who has five comedy albums out, including his latest special “#NoLivesMatter!” He has appeared in the movie “Dying Laughing,” on Showtime’s “The Comedy Store,” CW’s “Mysteries Decoded” and he co-hosted Spike TV’s “Wild World of Spike.” Named one of Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch for 2020, Terhune has accumulated more than 65 million views across his social media channels with his satirical MAGA character. His not-so-obvious delivery can be described along the lines of a “blue-collar Colbert Report.” For tickets and more information, see souljoels.com.

• Ardmore Music Hall presents Playing Dead featuring Jimmy Vivino and Jackie Greene performing the music of the Grateful Dead, The Band, Bob Dylan and more on Thursday at 8 p.m. On Friday, the Ocean Blue presents a sold-out concert at 8 p.m. On Saturday at 8 p.m., David Uosikkinen’s In the Pocket, featuring members of The Hooters, The A’s and Tommy Conwell, takes the stage at 8 p.m. And on Sunday at 8 p.m., The Lil Smokies and Town Mountain share the bill starting at 7 p.m. For tickets and more information, see ardmoremusichall.com.

• The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks hosts the Jus Nice Sneaker Convention on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Buy, sell and trade sought-after sneakers, vintage clothing, collectibles, trading cards, sports memorabilia, hats and streetwear. Music will be provided by DJ Cree. Tickets start at $25 at phillyexpocenter.com.