We like to celebrate the independent voices of Northeastern Pennsylvania and today we introduce you to Ruthless, a new zine published in Scranton “looking to unite women musically, artistically, and socially.”

Ruthless is run by Marywood University student Jessica Meoni. Along with launching Ruthless, Meoni is working locally to organize Ladyfest, a non-profit, community-based event designed by and for women to showcase, celebrate and encourage the artistic, organizational and political work and talents of women. It’s a woman-run event but all are welcome to attend.

Look for Ruthless downtown at Anthology Books, Outrageous, GreenBeing, Embassy Vinyl, Marc’s Tattooing, The Banshee, Northern Light Espresso Bar, Duffy’s Accessories, AFA Gallery, Nightmare Video, Phoenix Cuts, Electric City Tattoo, The Bog and more; or read the first issue as a PDF.

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Technology Institute host three events tomorrow at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel and the Danielle and Co. as part of an effort to highlight the importance of entrepreneurship to a productive local economy.

Beginning at 11 a.m., NPTI and eBiz will be collaborating on a kickoff event for IT Kickstart, a reimbursement grant program that encourages and assists companies across Pennsylvania in the implementation of IT (information technology) projects.  IT Kickstart provides services to improve website content, increase profitability, and strengthen relationships with customers in a growing and changing technological market.

Immediately afterward (around 5 p.m.), the first meeting of the Entrepreneurial Support Program (ESP) will commence at Danielle and Co. on Adams Avenue.  ESP was created to bring the most successful entrepreneurs in the region together to exchange information and collaborate in a continued effort to foster world-class entrepreneurial activity in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  The meeting will consist of 12 entrepreneurs discussing their paths to success, and a small group of observers interested in learning more about entrepreneurship and broadening their business horizons.

Danielle and Company will also provide the venue for this week’s POWER! Outage, scheduled from 7-9 p.m.

For more information about the Northeastern Pennsylvania Technology Institute and its affiliated programs and organizations, please contact Susan Gryziec at 570-408-9810 or sgryziec@greatvalleyalliance.com.

Scranton area socialites will soon have a new destination in the downtown for food and drinks - the Backyard Ale House will hold its grand opening on Friday, November 21.

The Backyard Ale House is located on 523 Linden Street, near Tink’s. They’re advertising a “Backyard Patio” that will open in the spring.

So check it out this Friday and you may discover a new favorite downtown bar.

Get into the holiday spirit with Electric Theatre Company’s word-for-word rendition of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” This is Dickens’ complete story with every word in place.

Three performances are scheduled on December 12 and 13 at 8 p.m. and December 14 at 3 p.m.

Ten actors portray more than 60 characters in this orchestration for voices by Electric Theatre’s producing artistic director, David Zarko.

The production features Ed Chemaly, Jodi Grochal, Eleanore Gwyn-Jones, James Langan, Conor McGuigan, Michaela Moore, Mary Ethel Schmidt, John Schugard, Heather Stuart and others.

For more information, visit the Electric Theatre Company site at www.electrictheatre.org.

Thursday, Nov. 20, Scranton-area professionals will gather for a POWER! outage at Danielle & Co., 831 Adams Ave., from 7-9 p.m.

Danielle Fleming, Founder and CEO of Danielle and Co., will be the guest speaker. With live music by Absolute Trust and a  Make-Your-Own Organic Body Wash station and $200 Gift Basket Giveaway. Danielle and Co. will donate 15% of the sales from purchases at the event to the Honeybee Research Fund.

RSVP to tmaxfield@greatvalleyalliance.com.

The Scranton Business Alliance, a project of Scranton Tomorrow, has released a guide to the Holidays in Downtown Scranton with a list of all the events and activities you won’t want to miss over the next two months.

The list includes:

• Greater Scranton Jaycees 16^th Annual Santa Parade
  Saturday, Nov. 22 at 9 a.m.
• Breakfast with Santa at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center
  Saturday, Nov. 22, immediately following the Santa Parade
• Scranton Business Alliance Holiday Window Showcase
  Saturday, Nov. 22 through Saturday, Dec. 13
• Downtown Scranton Extended Holiday  Shopping Hours and First Night Scranton 2009 Buttons on Sale
  Friday, Nov. 28 through Wednesday, Dec. 24
• Nay Aug Park Light Show sponsored by the City of Scranton
  Friday, Nov. 28 through Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009
• CPR Holiday Train at Steamtown National Historic Site and Food Bank Collection
  Friday, November 28 at 5:30 p.m.
• First Friday Scranton - Artwalk
  Friday, Dec. 5 from 6-9 p.m.
• Trolley Rides with Santa Claus at the Electric City Trolley Museum
  Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7 at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m.
• Ronan Tynan: The Gift of Christmas Song at the Scranton Cultural Center
  Saturday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m.
• A Christmas Carol: A Musical at the Scranton Cultural Center plus special Wiggles and Giggles Workshops
  Sunday, Dec. 7; workshops at noon, performance at 3 p.m.
• Festival of Trees at the Electric City Trolley Museum
  Friday, Dec. 12 through Saturday, Jan. 10, 2008
• Second Saturday Soiree - Window Showcase Finale
  Saturday, Dec. 13
• First Night Scranton 2009, a project of Scranton Tomorrow
  Wednesday, Dec. 31 from 6 p.m. - midnight
• Winter in the City, a fundraiser for Scranton Tomorrow
  Friday, Jan. 9, 2009 from 5:30-8 :30 p.m.

For more information on these events, keep reading Electric City Renaissance in the weeks ahead or check www.scrantontomorrow.org.

Forget Thanksgiving, the holiday season will soon be kicking off in Scranton with local tradition, the 16th Annual Scranton Jaycees Santa Parade on Nov. 22 at 9 a.m.

The parade route travels down Spruce Street from Franklin Avenue to Wyoming Avenue, then right down Wyoming to Lackawanna Avenue and follows Lackawanna to Adams Avenue. The Santa Parade will be shown live in its entirety on WNEP.

After a three-year hiatus, the Scranton Jaycees float is back. This year’s Earth friendly float is themed “The 12 Ways of Green-Ness”.

Immediately following the parade, you can take part in Breakfast with Santa at the Hilton Hotel & Conference Center. Cost of breakfast is $12 for adults; $6 for children 10 and under; free for children under 3. To make reservations, call 570-558-7334.

Local art and music was on display at 18 galleries and businesses around Downtown Scranton during last week’s First Friday event.

Northern Light Espresso Bar hosted an exhibit by Jess Confer and Matt Artz. The artists’ work was on sale with proceeds going to the Panamanian Hacienda La Esmeralda social program. You can stop by Northern Light for the next few weeks, buy their work and benefit the program. It was also the opening night for the vegan cafe, Eden, at 344 Adams Ave. And the place was packed with locals ready to get a taste of what Eden has to offer.

Any artists or venues interested in taking part in the December event should visit the First Friday site and sign up today.

Each week we feature a round-up of interesting stories from PaAdventure, the official blog of the Pennsylvania Tourism Office and a site that shares the goals of the Electric City Renaissance.

This week on PaAdventure, you could read about:

• Bendigo State Park: A look at Bendigo state park located in the Pennsylvania Wilds on the East Branch of the Clarion River.
• Which is the better PA sandwich?: Examines the epic question - Are Philly cheesesteaks better than Pittsburgh-specialty, the Primanti Brothers’ sandwich?
• Light-Up Night: Kicking off the holiday season in Pittsburgh with fireworks, shopping and Santa.

Beginning tonight and lasting into tomorrow morning, the Lackawanna College Student Union (formerly the Catholic Youth Center), 500 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, will host the first annual Mini-Thon dance-a-thon from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

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