Scranton Fringe Festival hosting opening celebration This year’s Scranton Fringe Festival will take place from October 1-10 and will begin with an opening celebration. The celebration will be Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at 159 Cedar Avenue in Scranton. Both celebrations are free and open to the public. They will feature new large-scale 3D projection-mapping experiences and the official launch of this year’s festival. The annual Scranton Fringe Festival is a multi-day, multi-venue arts celebration across Scranton that features theater, musicals, dance, puppetry and more. The festival supports creativity and 2026 is its 12th year. You can learn more about the festival and purchase tickets here.
Economist Nicholas Bloom To Deliver Henry George Lecture at University of Scranton Nicholas Bloom, Ph.D., the William D. Eberle Professor of Economics at Stanford University, will deliver The University of Scranton’s 40th Henry George Lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center. Dr. Bloom’s lecture, “How Working from Home Reshaped America,” will begin at 7:30 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public. Dr. Bloom is internationally recognized as one of the world’s leading economists studying productivity, management practices, technological change, remote work and innovation. His research has transformed the understanding of how management quality influences firm performance and economic growth. It has provided influential evidence on the effects of hybrid and remote work on organizations and employees. His work has been widely cited by policymakers, business leaders and researchers around the world. Dr. Bloom earned his Ph.D. in Economics from University College London and joined Stanford University’s Department of Economics after faculty appointments at the London School of Economics and Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. He is a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), a fellow of the Econometric Society and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His research has appeared in many of the profession’s leading journals, including the American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Political Economy, Review of Economic Studies and Management Science. He has received numerous honors for his research contributions and is widely recognized for pioneering large-scale studies examining management practices across countries, as well as the economics of working from home. Considered the preeminent public lecture series on economics in northeastern Pennsylvania, the Henry George Lecture Series is presented by The University of Scranton’s Department of Economics, Finance and International Business and the University’s chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honor society in economics. Previous Henry George lecturers include 13 Nobel Prize winners in Economics: Philippe Aghion (2025), Daron Acemoglu (2024), David Card (2021) Paul Romer (2018), Robert Shiller (2013), Tom Sargent (2011), Peter Diamond (2010), Paul Krugman (2008), Joseph Stiglitz (2001), George Akerlof (2001), Amartya Sen (1998), Robert Lucas (1995) and Robert Solow (1987). The lecture series is named in honor of 19th-century American economist and social reformer Henry George and is supported financially through a grant from the Progress and Poverty Institute. For more information about the Henry George Lecture, call 570-941-4209 or email pamela.turbessi@scranton.edu.
Geisinger to host free dinners to honor military veterans To thank local military veterans for their service, Geisinger will host free drive-through appreciation dinners at 12 locations across the health system’s service area on Thursday, November 5, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. Servings are limited, and those interested are encouraged to sign up now. Local veterans can make a reservation for themselves and one guest by visiting go.geisinger.org/vetsdinner2026 or calling 570-293-7200. The registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 30. Locations are: Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital: 549 Fair St. (use main entrance) Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital: 4200 Hospital Road, Coal Township Geisinger Multi-Specialty Clinic, Danville: 35 Justin Drive Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital: 1020 Thompson St. Geisinger Lewistown Hospital: 400 Highland Ave. (3rd floor hospital entrance) Geisinger Mifflintown: 27 CJEMS Lane Geisinger Mount Pocono: 126 Market Way Geisinger Medical Center Muncy: 255 Route 220 Geisinger Healthplex CenterPoint, Pittston: 1201 Oak St. Nay Aug Park, Scranton: 500 Arthur Ave. Geisinger Healthplex State College:132 Abigail Lane, Port Matilda (serving 4 to 5:30 p.m.) Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre: 50 Roosevelt Terrace (behind the hospital)
Performance Music at University of Scranton Presents “Baroque or Bust!” as Fall Season Opener Performance Music at The University of Scranton will welcome violinist Aisslinn Nosky and cellist Caroline Nicolas on Friday, September 18, when they present a recital entitled “Baroque or Bust!” The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Admission is free. The concert is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis. Hailed as “superb” by The New York Times and “a fearsomely powerful musician” by The Toronto Star, Nosky has served as soloist and director with ensembles around the world, including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Holland Baroque, the Victoria Symphony, the Hamilton Philharmonic and the New World Symphony. In 2011, Nosky was appointed concertmaster of the Grammy-winning Handel and Haydn Society, founded in 1815 and one of the world’s longest continuously performing musical organizations. Nosky has recorded the complete Haydn and Mozart violin concerti with H&H on the CORO label. A passionate educator, Nosky has been on faculty at Amherst Early Music Festival, the International Baroque Institute of Longy, Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, Mount Holyoke College and The Banff Centre. She has given masterclasses, workshops and performances at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the New England Conservatory of Music, Codarts Rotterdam and The Juilliard School. Canadian cellist and viol player Nicolas enjoys an international career performing repertoire spanning the Middle Ages to the 21st century. Acclaimed as “a bright new gamba star” by The Strad Magazine, she performs with leading ensembles across Europe and North America, including The English Concert, Philharmonia Baroque, Kammerorchester Basel, Ars Lyrica Houston, Pacific MusicWorks and New World Symphony. She recently completed her tenure as Music Director of New Baroque Orchestra and now serves as Artistic Director of Ars Poetica. A dedicated educator, she has taught at Yale University, the Peabody Conservatory, the University of Victoria and the University of Washington, and she has led workshops for organizations including the Viola da Gamba Society of America and the Port Townsend Early Music Workshop. Her students have gone on to study at leading conservatories across North America and Europe, and she has been featured in Early Music America for her work on historical bowing techniques. For further information on the concert (or related education events for student musicians and music educators), call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music.
Geisinger hosting Saturday flu shot clinics Flu season is quickly approaching, and Geisinger is making it easy to get vaccinated at Saturday drive-through events. The first event will be held Saturday, Sept. 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Drive-through flu vaccines will be available for anyone age 3 and older at dozens of participating Geisinger locations. Children 6 months and older can receive a flu shot at participating Geisinger pediatrics locations. The second Saturday flu shot clinic is scheduled for Oct. 17. “The flu can lead to serious illness, hospitalization and missed time with family, work and school,” said Stanley Martin, M.D., director of infectious diseases at Geisinger. “Getting vaccinated is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect yourself, your family and others who may be at higher risk for severe illness.” Most insurance plans cover an annual flu vaccine. Patients will be asked to provide insurance information at the time of vaccination. Those without insurance can also receive a drive-through flu shot. Saturday clinics will be held at the following locations: Northeast Region: Clinics Geisinger Dallas (114 Lt. Michael Cleary Drive) Geisinger Kingston (560 Pierce St.) Geisinger Montage (5 Lakeview Drive, Moosic) Geisinger Mountain Top (35 S. Mountain Blvd.) Geisinger Pittston (42 N. Main St.) Geisinger Tunkhannock (809 Hunter Highway) CommunityCare CommunityCare Hazleton (426 Airport Road) CommunityCare Kistler Clinic (175 S. Wilkes-Barre Blvd.) – walk in only CommunityCare Mt. Pleasant (531 Mt. Pleasant Blvd.) Pediatrics Geisinger Pediatrics Mt. Pocono (126 Market Way) – walk in only Geisinger Pediatrics Scranton (5 Morgan Highway) – walk in only Geisinger Pediatrics Forty Fort (190 Welles St.) – walk in only 65 Forward Geisinger 65 Forward Hazleton (20 Diana Lane) – walk in only Geisinger 65 Forward Kingston (499 Wyoming Ave.) Geisinger 65 Forward Scranton (3 W. Olive St.) Flu shots will also be available at the Bloomsburg Fair from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 28, Sept. 30 and Oct. 2. Find more information about flu vaccines and Saturday clinic locations at geisinger.org/flu.
Tickets now on sale for Mystic Pizza at the Scranton Cultural Center The musical Mystic Pizza is coming to the Scranton Cultural Center from October 23-25, and tickets are now on sale. Mystic Pizza: A New Musical delivers the beloved story from the iconic hit film driven by a score packed with unforgettable hits from the ’80s and ’90s. Follow best friends Kat, Daisy, and Jojo as they navigate the complexities of friendship and romance, all while slinging slices at a small-town pizza joint. You can buy tickets online by clicking here, in person at the Scranton Cultural Center Box Office on North Washington Avenue in Scranton or by calling (570) 342-7784.
Geisinger School of Medicine seeks speakers for TEDxGCSOM 2026 Geisinger College of Health Sciences is seeking speakers for TEDxGCSOM 2026, an event that will challenge the community to explore a universal question: Why Care? The event will be held Wednesday, Oct. 15, 6 to 8 p.m. at the Medical Sciences Building in Scranton. Selected local speakers will examine the many ways care shapes lives, communities and healthcare. Applications are open to a diverse range of speakers, including patients and family members, students, healthcare providers, social workers, therapists, educators, caregivers, community leaders — essentially anyone with a meaningful perspective on the role of care in our lives. “Care is at the heart of the human experience,” said first-year medical student and event organizer Mario Lopez. “It can be found in a life-changing medical intervention, a difficult conversation, an act of advocacy, a moment of compassion or a connection that leaves a lasting impact. TEDxGCSOM offers an opportunity to explore why care matters and how it influences our world.” Potential topics include: · Personal experiences receiving care · The impact of compassionate healthcare · Caregiving and caregiving challenges · Patient advocacy · Health equity and access · Mental health · Innovation in healthcare · Resilience, healing and recovery · Lessons learned through providing care To apply, visit TEDxGCSOM Speaker Application. Application deadline is Sept. 20. TEDx events are local, independently organized programs that bring people together to share ideas and foster meaningful dialogue. Modeled after TED conferences, TEDx events feature live speakers and recorded TED Talks centered on ideas worth spreading within local communities.
UNC to Celebrate 10th Annual Welcoming Scranton United Neighborhood Centres of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) is inviting the community to celebrate the 10th Annual Welcoming Scranton on Saturday, September 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UNC’s CEDAR Center. The free, family-friendly celebration will be held in conjunction with UNC’s South Side Farmers Market. For a decade, Welcoming Scranton has brought together longtime residents and newcomers to celebrate the cultures, traditions and people that make up the Scranton community. The event is part of the national Welcoming Week celebration and promotes connection, cross-cultural understanding and a sense of belonging for all. “For 10 years, Welcoming Scranton has created a space where newcomers and lifelong residents can come together to celebrate the many cultures and traditions that make our community stronger,” said Lisa Durkin, UNC President and CEO. “We’re proud of how this event has grown over the past decade and the connections it continues to create across our community.” Throughout the day, attendees can enjoy live music and performances, as well as free face painting and ice cream for children, student-led crafts and activities, a pop-up health clinic and opportunities to connect with local community partners. Welcoming Scranton is free and open to the public. Free activities and ice cream are available while supplies last.
Johnson College offering free OSHA training at its Scranton campus Johnson College is now a Host Training Organization with the Mid-Atlantic OSHA Training Institute Education Center (MAOTIEC). This new partnership will allow Johnson College and the Education Center to work together to provide certified OSHA training to employers and employees throughout the region. To celebrate this new partnership, Johnson College is offering the OSHA 7515 – Job Hazard Analysis course free of charge on Saturday, October 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at its Scranton campus. The course covers OSHA guidelines for developing a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA). Topics include the purpose and requirements of a JHA, the relationship between worker tasks and tools in the work environment, identifying job hazards before they occur and techniques for completing a Job Hazard Analysis. Students will also participate in activities focused on using a Job Hazard Analysis. No prerequisites are required for the course. Student materials, lunch and refreshments are included for in-person classes. Space is limited for this course, and those interested in it can click here to register.
Cornielle named August International League Pitcher of the Month Minor League Baseball has announced its monthly awards for August and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s Alexander Cornielle was named the International League’s Pitcher of the Month. He capped off the month with an eight- inning shutout against Worcester to earn the weekly award as well. Cornielle has been getting stronger and more efficient with each month after beginning the season on the 60-Day Injured List. In August, he boasted a 1.50 ERA through five starts, totaling 25 strikeouts with just ten walks issued. The right-hander pitched 24.0 innings during this time, allowing just four earned runs. Cornielle is the only Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitcher who has completed the eighth frame this season. The 25-year-old has lowered his ERA to 2.70 in 60.0 innings of work. He has made 14 appearances, 13 starts, with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, racking up 59 strikeouts compared to just 31 walks. He holds a .219 average against in Triple-A. Cornielle joins Brendan Beck as an IL monthly award winner in 2026. It marks the first time in team history that two players have been honored with a monthly award in a single season. Will Warren, Michael King, and Brandon Duckworth have also earned the distinction in their respective Triple-A time with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre continues its series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at PNC Field. The RailRiders have just two more weeks before they wrap up for the summer. For more information on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders visit www.swbrailriders.com.
