It was difficult to have any fun this year.

There were no sporting events, gatherings, concerts or festivals. The pandemic changed the entertainment industry for the foreseeable future.

What happened locally in 2020?

Nobody spent much time at the bar or pub. But many people hung out at Honest Trav’s virtual dive bar.

Travis Lindenmoyer, Lehighton, started a Facebook group to chat with friends and enjoy cold drinks, virtually, when the pandemic started in the spring. The group kept growing and now has over 94,000 members. Group members “go live” to talk, perform virtual concerts and much more.

“We’re across all platforms. It’s a pretty cool place,” said Lindenmoyer, who never expected the group to grow into the platform it is today.

“We were kind of wild in the beginning. … Now it turned into more of a community and a real group. We have all types of eating challenges, fundraisers, and we have a sober section that comes in and shotguns Monster Energy drinks with us and just hangs out. It’s really taken on a life of its own.”

In Schuylkill County, the Tamaqua Community Arts Center adapted early and often during the pandemic.

The Tamaqua venue has transformed into a multidimensional space behind much of the work done by former director Leona Rega, who spent almost a decade at the helm of the nonprofit. Not just a gallery, the arts center is a popular destination for concerts and comedy shows.

Looking for a way to connect with the public and keep its doors open, Rega launched art auctions on Facebook Live and the response was overwhelming.

“We had children and their families asking if it was for only adults,” Rega said in an interview earlier this year. “We did a second auction with a lot of the artists over the years who donated items to the arts center. We took items that were here and we got permission from those artists. That auction raised a little over $600; almost doubling the money from the first auction.”

Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe was busy working through many changing guidelines to provide entertainment. Many concerts were rescheduled or canceled, but the venue did host a few socially distant shows over the past few months.

Krysta Fink, marketing manager for Penn’s Peak, said that the responses from most people “were very positive” after posting a poll online during the fall season about attending indoor events at the venue - as long as it met Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

“We found that most of our followers that responded were excited to come back in a safe, socially distanced environment,” Fink said in an interview earlier this year. “Of course there were comments that stated the opposite. Some do not feel comfortable attending events in a group setting. We respect everyone’s opinions and greatly appreciate the feedback.”

However, things are once again in a holding pattern for Penn’s Peak after Gov. Tom Wolf’s most recent shutdowns. According to its Facebook page, the Penn’s Peak box office is closed until Jan. 4.

While many are doing their best to adjust, other local business have closed due to pandemic shutdowns.

The Mahoning Valley Cinema, a staple of Lehighton, officially closed its doors in April.

“We are but one of the small-business casualties resulting from the shutdown,” the Cinema said on a Facebook post. “We wish to thank all of our patrons for their continued loyalty over the years. We wish everyone the best and good health going forward.”

The very next month, the YMCA in Tamaqua announced its permanent closure after nearly 24 years in the community.

“We had a 10-year lease and that’s part of the decision; our lease ends at the end of this year,” said Kim Johnson, president and CEO of YMCA of Reading and Berks County. “Of course we didn’t know we were going to have a pandemic either. If there is a right time, it just seemed to be the right time. It was a tough decision, it breaks our heart. I think absolutely Tamaqua needs us and has adopted us. But especially at this time with all of our branches closed, and no revenue coming in, we just couldn’t afford it anymore.”