Pennsylvania's Americana Region welcomes 2019 and the many opportunities it brings for fun and adventure.  Start your new year experiencing some of the exciting and interesting things to do this January in Berks County.

Watch Championship Ice Racing January 12

This January, come see professional motorcycle ICE racing with some of the most fearless riders at Santander Arena.  This January 12, watch some of the fastest racers to hit the ice, going from 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds and battling it out for one thing - the most prestigious World Championship ICE Racing title.

Animal House - An Interactive Movie Experience January 18

If you liked the Rocky Horror Picture Show, you will LOVE this NEW interactive experience!  Head to the Hamburg Strand, Friday, January 18 for Animal House - An Interactive Movie Experience.  Live actors will lead viewers through National Lampoon’s original movie. Come dressed in your best toga outfit because prizes will be awarded for costumes. Ticket price of $15 includes prop bag.

A beautiful, blue tinted ice carving of a mythological phoenix with wings spread and red flames coming from its mouth, makes for a spectacular sight against the night sky at Reading Fire + Ice Fest.Fire + Ice Fest January 18 - 19

Each January, Downtown Reading warms up with its annual Reading Fire + Ice Fest.  Now in its 5th year, our region's premier winter festival returns to Reading, Friday, January 18 and Saturday, January 19.  Produced and organized by the Reading Downtown Improvement District, the festival features  indoor and outdoor activities appropriate for all ages. In addition to professional ice-carving competitions and fire performances, the fest offers a chili cook-off, live music, a food and beverage tent, food trucks and a Snowfall Ball.  All outdoor activities are free, while the chili cook-off and Snowfall Ball have nominal entry fees. The Snowfall Ball is a casual dress event held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading and features the popular Uptown Band.

A poster for the musical Evita features a drawn profile of Evita in black with a star-like crown set against an orange-red background. The word Evita - all uppercase letters in primary colors, is below the drawn picture of Evita. Lyrics by Tim Rice, Produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber appears in white under EVITA. Evita January 22

The hit musical Evita first appeared on Broadway in 1978. It later became a movie starring Madonna. This January, relive the history, the songs, and the beauty of this classic show at the Santander Performing Arts Center. Tickets are now on sale.

Country Blues & Dance January 25

Country Blues and Dance  explores the roots, connections, and shared musical traditions of rural blacks and white communities of the Piedmont and Appalachian Mountains. The program at Miller Center for the Arts features the harmonica wizardry of Phil Wiggins and his Blues House Party Ensemble (featuring the Dancing of Junious Brickhouse), and North Carolina songsters extraordinaire, the Harris Brothers.

In a snow-covered area, a man wearing a blue baseball style cap, winter coat and sunglasses walks along on snowshoes, while a female companion in a fur jacket, white hat, gloves and sunglasses uses cross-country skis to traverse the terrain.Get Outside

Winter in Pennsylvania's Americana Region offers new ways to explore some of our favorite outdoor spots. Our trails are open year-round for hiking and biking.  Add snow, and these paths can be traveresed by snowshoes and cross country skis.  Lucky for us, the area park and recreation areas encourage outdoor fun with an array of classes that include Winter Nature Photography, Beginners Guide to Snowshoeing and Cross-Country Skiing, as well as guided hikes and informational talks on local wild life.

A black and white photograph of two vintage fire trucks parked in front of the Liberty Fire Company in Reading, PA, now home to the Reading Area Firefighters Museum.Visit a Museum

This month, consider visiting the Reading Area Firefighters Museum.  The museum is located in the former Liberty Fire Company and houses firefighting artifacts and collections. Because it is run by volunteers, be sure to check the museum's hours before visiting.

For more great stuff to do this January in Berks County, check the Calendar of Events at VisitPaAmericana.com.