Grok Bot Can Now Make Phone Calls for You. But Who’s Responsible for What It Says? 📞
Nobody enjoys spending half an afternoon on hold with a customer service department. Now there’s an artificial intelligence system that can handle those calls for you, including talking to a real person and negotiating a better deal. Grok Bot can make actual telephone calls on your behalf. It can schedule appointments, request information, negotiate bills,…
Playwright Kevin McGovern Plans Berea Visit as Have a Nice Doomsday Enters Final Weekend ☄️
The cast of Have a Nice Doomsday got a surprise this week. They learned that playwright Kevin McGovern is planning to drive from West Virginia to Berea to see their production at The Spotlight Playhouse. I am excited about that, too. We have already presented the first performances of this comedy, and The Bluegrass Players…
From Willy Wonka to College Stages: Addy and Gannon’s Spotlight Journey 🎭
Addy Fischer and Gannon Stearns carried their Spotlight experience to college. Teens can audition for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory JR. on Nov. 21 in Berea.
First Annual Recovery Walk Brings Hope in Every Step to Berea Community School 🌅
We have a lot of events in Berea that get a lot of attention. This one deserves its own. The First Annual Recovery Walk: Hope in Every Step is Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Berea Community School, 116 Jane St., Berea, KY. Participants are asked to meet in the…
Tinsel & Treasures Returns for Its 9th Annual Holiday Vendor Market 🎄
Nine years ago, the GFWC Berea Woman’s Club started a holiday market in the Conkin Gymnasium at Berea Community High School. This Saturday, it comes back for its 9th annual run, and the club has turned it into one of the more meaningful shopping events in town. The Tinsel & Treasures 9th Annual Holiday Vendor…
Berea College Black Music Ensemble Celebrates 57 Years With Free Concert at Union Church This Saturday 🎶
Berea College’s Black Music Ensemble will celebrate 57 years of music, faith, and fellowship with a free fall concert on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. The performance will take place at Union Church, located at 200 Prospect Street in downtown Berea. The concert is free and open to the public. You do not…
Mariachi Berea Fall Concert Brings Free Live Music to Presser Hall 🎸
Saturday nights in November can turn into the same routine: supper, a little television, maybe an early bedtime. I want to give you a different option, and the music will not cost you a dime. The Mariachi Berea Fall Concert is Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in Gray Auditorium inside Presser Hall on…
Spotlight Acting School Announces Charlie and the Chocolate Factory JR Auditions for Teens 🎭
A young performer brings Willy Wonka to life in our 2024 production of Willy Wonka at The Spotlight Playhouse in Berea. We are returning to the world of Roald Dahl with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory JR, featuring performers ages 14 to 18. There is something special about watching teenagers take on a story that…
Halloween Weekend in Berea Brings Family Fun, Fall Crafts, and Two Final Sunday Shows at The Spotlight Playhouse 🎃
Halloween weekend is here, and we have plenty happening around Berea. From trick-or-treating and outdoor adventures to glass blowing, arts and crafts, and live theater, there are several ways to spend the weekend without leaving town. One thing I have always enjoyed about Berea is how our community celebrates the holidays. Halloween is no longer…
Two Shows, One Big Night at The Spotlight Playhouse as Erika Howard Makes Directorial Debut 🎭
The cast of Have a Nice Doomsday gathers on the living room set at The Spotlight Playhouse in Berea. The end-of-the-world comedy opens October 30 and marks Erika Howard’s directorial debut with the Bluegrass Players. Tonight, Friday, October 30, is a special night for us at The Spotlight Playhouse in Berea. We have two productions…
Zombies, Costumes, and Pay What You Can: A Halloween Invitation to The Spotlight Playhouse 🎭
The Bluegrass Players invite Berea families to a special October 30 performance of Zombie Night: The Musical, featuring Pay What You Can tickets, a costume contest, prizes, and Halloween fun at The Spotlight Playhouse.
Old Town Fall Festival Returns to Berea October 16-17 With Glass Pumpkins, Movies and Family Fun 🎃
Old Town Fall Festival Returns October 16-17 With Glass Pumpkins, Movies and Family Fun If you haven’t taken a walk down North Broadway in Berea lately, this weekend might be a good time to do it. The Old Town shopkeepers are bringing back their Fall Festival for a second year, with two days of pumpkins,…
Berea and Madison County’s Halloween Season 🎃
October is my favorite time of year. The hills turn that deep orange and gold, the air gets that clean cool bite that makes you want a sweater and a cup of coffee, and the whole county shows up for the things we do every fall. I love spooky season. We always host a big…
iOS 27 and Siri AI: Is Apple Upgrading Your Phone or Nudging You to Buy Another One?
If you own an iPhone in Berea, the most important question about iOS 27 is not whether Apple’s new Siri AI is impressive. The question is much simpler: Does it work on the iPhone already in your pocket? For a lot of people, the answer is no. I have been buying, fixing, networking, and upgrading…
Have a Nice Doomsday Puts Thanksgiving and the End of the World on the Same Stage 🔮
Our Bluegrass Players are bringing a very unusual Thanksgiving gathering to The Spotlight Playhouse this fall with Have a Nice Doomsday, an end-of-the-world comedy running October 30 through November 8. Directed by Erika Howard, the show begins with a familiar holiday goal. Joann Monroe wants to serve the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. The problem is that…
58th Annual Fall Art Market Returns to the Kentucky Artisan Center 🎨
For BereaOnline readers looking ahead to fall events, I want to make sure this one is on the calendar. The Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen will bring its 58th Annual Fall Art Market to Berea on Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. The outdoor market will be held on the lawn of…
Millstone Festival Brings a Free Day of Music and Vendors to Downtown Richmond 🍴
If you are looking for an easy day trip in early October, downtown Richmond will be busy Saturday, October 3, with the Millstone Festival. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. along Main Street in downtown Richmond. The listed location is 405 W Main St., Richmond, KY 40475. Admission is free. For those…
Zombie Night: The Musical Brings Spooky Fun to The Spotlight Playhouse 🦮
Halloween season at The Spotlight Playhouse will bring zombies, music, and a lot of humor to the stage when the Bluegrass Players present Zombie Night: The Musical from October 23 through November 1. I’m directing this production for the Bluegrass Players, our community theatre group at The Spotlight Playhouse, 214 Richmond Road in Berea. The…
Salem’s Daughter Opens the Spooky Season at The Spotlight Playhouse 🔭
There is a particular feeling that fills a theater the first night a new show opens. The house lights dim, the audience settles in, and you can feel the whole room leaning forward. This weekend, that feeling settled over The Spotlight Playhouse as The Bluegrass Players opened their production of Salem’s Daughter. We are proud…