New Year’s Eve celebrations and more in store this weekend [Events roundup]

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

• Kennett Square’s annual Midnight in the Square celebration kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of State and Union streets in downtown Kennett Square. Providing entertainment will be Kevin Pierce, KMC Dancers, School of Rock and Fred McCarthy and Syde Two, led by Leon Spencer. The 500-pound stainless steel lighted mushroom will be hoisted 80 feet high at 8:50 in preparation for the midnight Mushroom Drop to usher in the new year. This year’s entertainment also includes a brand-new laser show that will paint the night sky with bursts of color. Admission is a donation of non-perishable food items for KACS, who will have their truck on site to collect donations.

• The Reading Symphony Orchestra will ring in the new year with its second pops concert of the season featuring the Beatles tribute band Classical Mystery Tour on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the Santander Performing Arts Center, Reading. Classical Mystery Tour has been delighting pops audiences for more than 22 years, performing concerts with more than 100 orchestras in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia. The group played sold-out concerts at the Sydney Opera House, and has performed with America’s most prestigious orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra, The Boston Pops, The Philadelphia Orchestra and The San Francisco Symphony. Tickets start at $20 at readingsymphony.org.

• The Boyertown Area Historical Society, 43 S. Chestnut St., Boyertown, will host the annual New Year’s Eve Bear Drop on Sunday from 5 to 6 p.m. Make care packages for veterans and enjoy free cookies and hot chocolate leading up to the countdown to the bear drop at 6 p.m. (midnight in Germany). Phoebe the folk singer will provide music.

• Pottstown’s 15th annual New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim and New Year’s Day Bonfire will be held Monday, with registration at 9:30 a.m. and the plunge at 10:30 a.m., at Riverfront Park. All swim  participants must sign an indemnification and waiver at registration. Individuals ages 16 and 17 may participate with guardian’s consent and signed waiver. Proper ID will be required. Children under 16 are not permitted to participate in the plunge. The Manatawny Athletic Club’s 5K Polar Run and Fun Run will follow. For more information, see pottstown.org.

• SoulJoel’s Comedy Club at Sunnybrook, Pottstown, presents the double-headlining bill of Chip Chantry and Mary Radzinski on Friday at 8 p.m. A former fourth-grade teacher who left the classroom to pursue comedy and writing, Chantry was the winner of 2013’s Philly’s Phunniest Contest at Helium Comedy Club, where he was a regular performer. He also won the “Funniest Comedian” award in Philadelphia’s annual Comedy Awards in 2012 and 2014, and was named Best Comedian 2018 by Philadelphia Magazine. Radzinski has been a regular headliner and feature at Helium, Goodnights, Cap City and Punch Line comedy clubs. She’s opened for the likes of Marc Maron, Dave Attell and Jim Norton, and co-hosts the popular reality TV podcast, “Are You My Podcast?” with fellow comedian Sarah Colonna. On Saturday, SoulJoel’s presents Ryan Shaner’s Philly Takeover featuring the best Philadelphia comedians starting at 7 p.m. For tickets and more information, see souljoels.com.

• The Sunnybrook Ballroom, Pottstown, has three New Year’s Eve events lined up, starting with a Matinee Celebration with the Sounds of Sunnybrook at 1 p.m., then a comedy show with Jason Salmon at 7 p.m. and a New Year’s Eve celebration at 8 p.m. The afternoon affair features Sunnybrook’s 17-piece house big band performing from 1 to 4 with a cost of $15 per person in advance or $20 at the door. Jeff Salmon is a Texas-born, and New York City-based comic whose act has been described as “…like getting the best advice you’ve ever gotten…from the dumbest guy you know.” The 8 p.m. show will be a Great Gatsby-style affair, with attendees encouraged to dress to impress. Music will be provided by Dibbs and the Detonators. The $135 ticket includes a menu created by executive chef Scott Reddy, a 4.5 hour open bar, a DJ, a photo booth and a champagne toast at midnight. For tickets and more information, see souljoels.com.

• Kennett Flash, Kennett Square, hosts three shows this weekend: Captain Dawg at 8 p.m. Friday, Splitting Vision with Garden Station and Condor at 7 p.m. Saturday and New Year’s Eve with the Hoppin’ John Orchestra on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. Captain Dawg is made up of six family members and lifelong best friends who grew up together in West Chester. They play a mix of classic rock, indie and folk music as well as originals. Splitting Vision is an indie rock band from Wilmington, Del., with a sound that mixes well orchestrated harmonies, booming bass lines, powerful drum parts and beautiful chords. The Hoppin’ John Orchestra is a 10-piece post-modern New Orleans-style brass band. Originals in the second line style and curated covers round out the carnival-time sound, all steeped in jazz and blues. The Flash will be selling alcoholic beverages for this show and will offer a complimentary champagne toast. The show will end by 11 so attendees can get outside for the Midnight in the Square celebration and Mushroom Drop at midnight. For tickets and more information, see kennettflash.org.

• The Comedy Shoppe at the Newtown Theatre presents New Year’s Eve comedy bashes featuring Eric D’Alessandro on Sunday at 6 and 10 p.m. D’Alessandro, a charismatic New Yorker with an unfiltered sense of humor, a camera and a knack for storytelling, has etched his name into the hearts of comedy lovers across the nation. His unique comedic style, infused with his Italian-American heritage, results in raw, relatable narratives that resonate with the everyday American. His video “where it was” has amassed over 45 million views, and his new comedy special, “I Don’t Understand,” is posted at ericdalessandro.com. Tickets start at $75, which includes two complementary drinks before the show (beer, wine, or non-alcoholic), a champagne toast and the ball drop on the theater’s movie screen at midnight. To reserve, visit thenewtowntheatre.com.

• Ardmore Music Hall hosts a Brownie’s 23 East reunion show on Thursday featuring Kristen & the Noise with DJ Double E starting at 8 p.m. Kristen & The Noise is a five-piece band from the greater Philadelphia region fronted by Kristen Kwolek. They perform a variety of genres including Top 40, R&B, oldies, classics, rock and hip-hop. On Friday, Splintered Sunlight presents its tribute to the Grateful Dead at 8 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday Low Cut Connie performs starting at 8 and 8:30 p.m., respectively. For tickets and more information, see ardmoremusichall.com.

• Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center, West Chester, presents Cocktail Hour: The Show on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The New York City-based dance company Ballets With a Twist melds original choreography, music and costume design in a series of sparkling vignettes. Watch as White Russian, Hot Toddy and other spirits of the season spring off the menu and onto the stage in an evening of high-style merriment. Tickets range from $35 to $45 in advance at uptownwestchester.org or $40 to $50 at the door.

• The tribute band AM Radio will perform three shows at Sellersville Theatre on New Year’s Eve, each highlighting a different period of the ’60s and ’70s. The 2 p.m. show features a taste of ’60s British rock and pop including the Dave Clark 5, the Beatles, Dusty Springfield, The Kinks, Herman’s Hermits, Lulu, The Hollies, Petula Clark and The Zombies. The 6:30 p.m. show celebrates Woodstock with CSN&Y, Melanie, Credence Clearwater Revival, Santana, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and The Grateful Dead. And the 9 p.m. show features hits from Motown and Philly soul including The Temptations, The Supremes, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, The Capitols, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, The O’Jays, The Three Degrees and The Trammps. For tickets and more information, see st94.com.

• The Media Theatre’s production of “Finding Nemo Jr.” continues Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. through Jan. 14. This 60-minute musical adaptation of the 2003 Pixar movie features new music by the award-winning songwriting team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Marlin, an anxious and over-protective clownfish, lives in the Great Barrier Reef with his kid Nemo, who longs to explore the world beyond their anemone home. But when Nemo is captured and taken to Sydney, Marlin faces his fears and sets off on an epic adventure across the ocean. With the help of lovable characters such as optimistic Dory, laid-back sea turtle Crush, and the supportive Tank Gang, Marlin and Nemo both overcome challenges on their journey to find each other and themselves. For tickets, visit mediatheatre.org.