Destination: Downtown Reading!

I S S U E 6 9 AUGUST 7, 2018

The Reading Downtown Improvement District office is located at 645 Penn Street, First Floor, Suite 105. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Office number: 610-376-6424

DID Ambassadors number: 484-955-0315 (Please call this number directly for escort assistance to vehicles, trash and leaf removal, graffiti removal, and public nuisance issues)

DID You Know? As one of the sponsors of the Downtown Alive free outdoor concerts, the Reading Parking Sugar Hill Gang and NOVA Will Authority (RPA) provides free parking at its Fourth Have Downtown Reading and Cherry garage start- ing at 4 p.m. on each concert day. Authority Hip Hopping On August 15! rules and regulations will apply at other RPA locations in downtown Reading. Here is some additional information about the concert series: ***The concerts will take place rain or shine. Only severe weather would delay or force cancella- tion of the shows. ***The concerts are family and pet friendly. Those who bring pets are responsible for their animals’ actions. Check the back page for details! Sugar Hill Gang and NOVA Will Have Downtown Hip-Hopping on August 15

A major blast from hip-hop’s past and a hefty dose of hip-hop’s present will rock downtown Reading on Wednesday, August 15 during the free Downtown Alive concert presented by Weidenhammer. Sugar Hill Gang will roll into town with the hits “Rapper's Delight”, “8th Wonder”, “Apache” and more. But taking the stage first will be Reading’s own up-and-coming rapper NOVA. Getting the party started will be 3’s Co.’s DJ Gregg Nyce and Evolution. Sugar Hill Gang, known as the first nationally popular African-American hip-hop group, is comprised of three members: Mike Wright (Wonder Mike), Henry Jackson (Big Bank Hank), and Guy O’ Brien (Master Gee), all from Englewood, N.J. The group is best known for its 1979 hit single, “Rapper’s Delight,” which was also the first hip hop single to rank in the top 40 hits and to become part of a multi-platinum-selling album. Julio Franceschi Jr. of Reading is professionally known as "NOVA". He began performing at various community events and won several school talent shows in his early teens. In 2016, he was selected to participate in Season 3 of Lifetime Network’s hit television show "The Rap Game", produced and executive produced by Queen Latifah and Jermaine Dupri. He went on to win the competition. The Downtown Alive concert series is presented by the Reading Downtown Improvement District in partnership with Illusion Sound & Lighting, which is booking the acts, and Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA). Each concert has a festival atmosphere and includes food trucks and beer and wine for sale. In addition, a “kids play zone” offers a variety of activities for children. Vendors will include: Sly Fox Brewery, selling a variety of craft beers; Reading Distilling Guild, serving up rum-based cocktails; Calvaresi Winery, featuring wine by the glass and wine slushies; SMG/Santander Arena, offering popular brands of beer; Mi Casa Su Casa, dishing out Latino-American cuisine with a touch of soul; Sammy’s Steaks, known for its mouth-watering fries and, of course, steak sandwiches; Brocmar Smokehouse, presenting authentic Southern homestyle BBQ and side dishes; Gourmand, an artisan food truck with delectable treats; and Aaron’s Tacos, a downtown food truck staple for years. (Please note: vendors are subject to change.) Major funding for the concert series is provided by Berks County Community Foundation through its Hawley and Myrtle Quier Fund, and Berks County Convention Center Authority. Weidenhammer is the Plat- inum Sponsor. Additional sponsors are GRCA; the Reading Parking Authority, which will provide free parking at its Fourth and Cherry Streets Garage starting at 4 p.m. on the date of each concert; and DoubleTree by Hilton Reading as hospitality sponsor. The next free Downtown Alive concert will be on Wednesday, September 12, featuring a Latin music theme and including performances by Los Monstros and PA Mambo Orchestra with Manny C.

The concert series concludes with a cosmic bang on Wednesday, September 19 with Galactic Empire, a metal band inspired by music from the Star Wars saga. Opening act will be local band The Horrornauts.

More information on the series can be found at www.downtownalivereading.com.

The Reading Downtown Improvement District is focused on creating a vital, productive and commercially active environment in downtown Reading. The Improvement District provides cleaning, security, and marketing services for a specially designated commercial district in the city, and also sponsors several events and activities throughout the year, including MidDay Cafes, Reading Holiday Parade, Downtown Alive free outdoor concert series, and Reading Fire + Ice Fest. The Improvement District continually strives to make downtown Reading a cleaner, safer, and more inviting place to live, work, and visit. You can learn more about us on our website at: www.downtownreading.com.