Hanover Fall Festivities You Won’t Want to Miss

Meet Blood Rose Gettysburg, a screen printing and design duo with a flair for the local and the legendary. Since 2023, they have been creating tees, sweatshirts, and stickers inspired by Pennsylvania pride, cryptids, and folklore. You may have spotted their work at The Serpent’s Key in Hanover, or at summer events like the Snack Town Street Fair.

They are back for Snack Town Fall Fest, and we could not be happier to welcome them. Need custom printing for your small business, or a one-of-a-kind design for yourself, Blood Rose has you covered.

I’ve purchased many of their tees and stickers already. I can attest to the quality. The shirts feel so soft, and the designs always attract attention. Make sure you find their booth on Saturday and snag a shirt before they sell out!

If you can’t make it on Saturday, you can shop their line on Etsy at bloodrosegettysburg.etsy.com.

Hello neighbors!

It feels like Hanover is buzzing this week — from pancake mornings to fall festivals, from book clubs to beer steins. In the middle of all that fun, we’re also pausing to honor lives lost and to celebrate milestones in recovery and resilience.

That’s what Heart of Hanover is about: weaving together joy, reflection, and the everyday moments that remind us why this town feels like home.

I’m glad you’re here to read along, share a smile, and maybe even discover something new happening right down the street.

With gratitude,
Megan 💜

P.S. As always, thank you to today’s sponsors: Blood Rose Gettysburg and 1440 Media. Interacting with their links at the top and bottom of the email is the easiest way to help us keep growing.

Many of you tried the survey yesterday and hit a snag. That one is on me. It is fixed now.

I want to include more of what you care about, from great local businesses to the events your family loves. The survey takes about five minutes. Responses are anonymous. I only collect your first name and email for the giveaway.

Complete the survey and enter to win a $20 Britton Coffee Co. virtual gift card.

Deadline is Friday, October 18, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

Yesterday I shared the heartbreaking news from York County. Today we honor the officers by name.

Detective Sgt. Cody Becker, Detective Mark Baker, and Detective Isaiah Emenheiser, of the Northern York County Regional Police Department, dedicated their lives to serving and protecting. Please keep their families, loved ones, and fellow officers in your thoughts.

Help keep our town looking its best. Join the Downtown Cleanup on Friday, September 19, 2025, part of the National Day of Caring. Shifts are two hours at 40 York Street. Supplies provided. Great for families, groups, and anyone who wants to pitch in.

At 43, Crystal Tweedy describes herself simply — a mom, a wife, and a woman in her “homestead era.” She spends her days chasing after her four-year-old daughter Ella (who just started preschool), baking sourdough, and dreaming about raising chickens in the backyard (though her husband Daniel isn’t quite sold on that idea yet). Their family also includes Rip, a beloved pitbull who rounds out their little Hanover household.

But life wasn’t always this steady for Crystal.

Crystal was a late bloomer when it came to partying thanks to growing up in a good home. Once she hit college, the freedom — and the partying — took over. By 23, she was addicted to opioids, which quickly progressed to heroin. Over the next several years, she cycled through rehab, county jail, and broken trust with her family.

Crystal doesn’t point to one big “rock bottom” moment. It was a series of consequences: DUIs, lost jobs, stealing from her family. Over time, she grew weary of the cycle. Recovery didn’t come easy.

She stumbled more than once. She likes to tell people new to meetings that she collected her one-year chip three times and her two-year chip twice. But she kept trying, and on October 12, 2015, she found her footing. This fall, she celebrates 10 years in recovery.

“The more work I put in, the better life got,” Crystal says. She found a job she loved, met her husband Daniel, and eventually her daughter Ella followed.

Crystal credits her family for both support and tough boundaries. At one point, her mom even changed the locks and pressed charges. Hard choices like that made space for real change, and today their relationship is open and close.

She also “owes her recovery to NA,” especially in the early years. Meetings gave her accountability, but also laughter, friends, and a new way to socialize.

For Crystal, recovery isn’t about perfection. It’s about finally having the life she always wanted but kept herself from. There are still hard days, but they’re outweighed by miracles: a happy marriage, a daughter conceived through IVF, and the peace of simply coming home after work to be with her family.

She wishes more people understood that addiction doesn’t differentiate based on your looks. It can affect anyone.

Looking back, she wouldn’t change a thing. “I wouldn’t be where I am or have what I have without all of those things happening.”How much do you really know about Labor Day? If you’re not a history buff, probably not much.

We are up to 664 neighbors getting Heart of Hanover each week. Reader support covers the nuts and bolts, helps me test new features, and pays local contributors so we can tell more hometown stories.

If this newsletter brightens your week, consider becoming a supporter.

P.S. Founding Supporters, I would love to thank you by name. If you are comfortable with a shoutout in this format, first name and last initial, reply to your confirmation email or send a note to [email protected].

Looking for something fun (and free!) to do with the kids? Here are a few family-friendly happenings around Hanover:

📆 Friday, September 19 | 🕘 9 AM – 1 PM
📍 The Curious Little Playhouse, 1000 Carlisle St Suite 1225

Build your own pancakes with a toppings bar, enjoy a cozy playhouse vibe, and let the kids burn off energy. Playhouse admission sold separately. Sponsored by RG Miller.

📆 Saturday, September 20 | 🕙 10 AM – 11 AM
📍 Hanover Library, 2 Library Place

Young readers can sign up to read to therapy dogs. Registration required, space is limited.

📆 Saturday, September 20 | 🕙 10 AM – 3 PM
📍 Lehigh’s Greenhouse, 2392 Grandview Rd

50 plus vendors, food trucks, bounce houses, hayrides, corn crib, petting zoo, pumpkin painting, pansy planting, games, and live music. Added porta potties and professional parking to keep things moving.

📆 Saturday, September 20 | 🕥 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
📍 Little Fox Coffee & Books, 125 Broadway

All-ages storytime with books and songs. A warm, creative space for littles and a nice chance for parents to connect.

📆 Saturday, September 20 | 🕖 7 PM – 9:30 PM
📍 YWCA Hanover, 23 W Chestnut St

Free movie night for grades 7 to 12 with themed snacks and activities. Doors open at 6:45.

📆 Monday, September 22 | 🕙 10:15 AM – 11 AM
📍 Guthrie Memorial Library, Children’s Program Room

Stories, songs, and rhymes with Miss Aimee. Best for babies and toddlers. No registration required.

📆 Monday, September 22 | 🕡 6:30 PM – 7 PM
📍 Guthrie Memorial Library, Children’s Program Room

Wind down with stories and songs led by Miss Kelly. Best for ages 8 and under. No registration required.

📆 Wednesday, September 24 | 🕓 4 PM – 6 PM
📍 Guthrie Memorial Library, Children’s Program Room

All players welcome, beginner to expert. Volunteers will help new players learn.

📆 Thursday, September 25 | 🕙 10:15 AM – 11 AM
📍 Guthrie Memorial Library, Children’s Program Room

Play and socialize, then enjoy reading and singing with Miss Kelly. Ages birth to 2 with caregiver. No registration required.

Church of Satire Comedy Club | Johnny C | 8 PM – 9:30 PM (SOLD OUT)
The Circle | Pack of Mavs | 8 PM
Dolphin & Anchor Brew Pub | Sugar Hysteria C & G Duo | 8 PM – 10 PM
The Avalon Ale House | Big Dogz Karaoke | 8 PM – 11 PM
Divino Pizzeria | Karaoke Night | 8 PM – 12 AM

Fat Bat Brewing | Noktoberfest | 12 PM – 6 PM
2025 Snack Town Fall Fest | 1 PM – 6 PM
Eichelberger Performing Arts Center | Hotel California – A Salute to the Eagles | 7 PM – 8 PM
Church of Satire Comedy Club | Johnny C | 8 PM – 9:30 PM (SOLD OUT)

The Church of Satire | Open Mic Night | 7:30 PM– 8:30 PM
Tuesday, September 23
The Avalon Ale House | Dual FX Trivia | 6 PM– 9 PM
Fat Bat Brewing | Trivia Night | 7 PM– 9 PM

Fat Bat Brewing | Deer-A-Palooza | 6 PM– 7 PM
Dolphin & Anchor Brew Pub | Yoga + Beer | 6 PM– 7 PM
Bair’s Den | Music Bingo | 6 PM– 9 PM
Divino Pizzeria | Trivia Night | 6 PM – 9 PM
The Circle | Open Mic / Jam Session with the Walnut Street Band | 8 PM – 11 PM

Fat Bat Brewing | Books & Brews Club | 7 PM – 8 PM
Dolphin & Anchor Brew Pub | Music Trivia | 7 PM – 9 PM

This week’s newsletter only highlights a few picks, but there’s plenty more happening in and around Hanover. Visit the Heart of Hanover Google Calendar to see the full list of events this week.

I’m now booking sponsors for Heart of Hanover. If you’d like to partner with me and reach 650+ engaged locals each week, email me at [email protected] to learn more.

I’m looking for more stories and events to share. If you spot something worth sharing, send it my way.

Thanks for reading and for showing up for Hanover. If this helped you plan your week, share it with a friend.

Keep being good to each other.

See you next week, Megan 💜

P.S. Don’t forget to take the survey for your chance to win a $20 Britton Coffee Co. gift card! And thank you again to our sponsors Blood Rose Gettysburg and 1440 Media for helping bring these stories to your inbox. And thank you, dear reader, for clicking those links—you’ve really been showing your loyalty lately!