TAMAQUA HERITAGE FESTIVAL TO BE HELD SUNDAY; VISITORS CAN ALSO VISIT THE NEWLY RENOVATED MUSEUM

TamaquaArea.com File Photo / Pictured are members of the Anthracite Model Railroad Club. Their train display will be open to the public during the festival. They are located catacorner to the Tamaqua American Legion.

The Tamaqua Historical Society will hold its 31st annual Tamaqua Heritage Festival this Sunday (October 11, 2015) from 10 AM to 5 PM in downtown Tamaqua. It will be held rain or shine.
The event will consist of food, crafts, music, car show, displays and so much more.
Some of which include about 100 vendors and vendors, Tamaqua Anthracite Model Railroad Club display, historic Blacksmith Shop on Hegarty Avenue, Dr. Kelly’s Old Tyme Traveling Medicine Show, horse-drawn trolley car rides pulled by Leiby’s Belgian Draft Horses, Tamaqua Street Machine Association Car Show, military encampment and reenactors, variety of musical entertainers, chalk art on sidewalk at Depot Square Park, and much more.
Visitors will be able visit the newly renovated Tamaqua Historical Society Museum. Filling the temporary display void inside the museum will be a large display of historic Tamaqua area photographs courtesy of Bob Vybrenner, who be on hand to provide information on early burial customs.

---

PRESS RELEASE – (courtesy Donald Serfass, archivist and historian, Tamaqua Historical Society)

For the past three decades, the annual event has celebrated fall foliage season in the community that historically served as a mining, railroad and manufacturing hub of the coal region.

The festival encompasses about seven blocks of downtown, all within the Tamaqua National Historic District. Several thousand people flock to the popular event each year to celebrate local history and culture, and enjoy homemade and ethnic foods and fall foliage.

Railroads are a big part of Tamaqua’s heritage and once again the 1874 Tamaqua train station will be open for visitors.

The Tamaqua Anthracite Model Railroad Club will hold an open house at the corner of West Broad and Nescopec street. Their display includes an oversized, operating HO model train layout.

Depot display
The Tamaqua depot features historic railroad equipment along the grounds including two World War II-era cabooses and a small lokie, which operated at the Atlas Powder Co. in Reynolds. There is also the Pennsylvania Power and Light Co. fireless locomotive, used to operate at the PPL Power Plant at Lake Hauto. A small Plymouth gasoline operated lokie once owned and operated by PP & L is also on display.

At Depot Square Park, visitors can also see and ring the large bell, which was originally owned by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company and used at the Lansford No. 6 coal colliery.

Approximately 100 crafters and vendors are expected to line the festival route offering everything from handcrafts, to jewelry, woodcrafts, holiday decorations, artwork, needle crafts, clothing items and more.

Working blacksmith
Blacksmith Don Campbell will work the forge and demonstrate blacksmithing skills in the 1848 Hegarty Blacksmith Shop. The shop is located along Hegarty Avenue and was owned and operated by three generations of the Hegarty family from 1848 until 1973. It was the oldest operating business in Schuylkill County when it closed. Admission is free.

Dr. Kelly’s Old Tyme Traveling Medicine Show will set up at the corner of Broad and Nescopec Street. Autumn decorating supplies, fresh apple cider, and homegrown produce will be available at the Autumn Harvest Market at the corner of West Broad and Hunter.

Horse-drawn trolley car rides pulled by Leiby’s Belgian Draft Horses will be offered. Boarding and tickets are at the corner of West Broad and Berwick streets.

The Tamaqua Street Machine Association antique and classic car show will take place on South Railroad Street. Registrations are accepted the day of the event beginning at 10 a.m. Awards will be presented at 3 p.m. and a disc jockey will provide music during the day.

The Military Timeline Encampment and reenactors will represent various wars in our country’s history. They will be set up on the grass lot next to the American Legion Home in Tamaqua.

A variety of musical entertainment will be offered at several locations, including DJ Shawn Frederickson and WMGH Polka program.

The newly renovated and restored Tamaqua Area Historical Museum of the historical society at 118 West Broad St. will be open for a sneak peek.

A large display of historic Tamaqua area photographs will be exhibited inside the museum. A display of 19th century death and burial artifacts will be exhibited courtesy of Bob Vybrenner, who be on hand to provide information on early burial customs.

Chalk Art on sidewalks in Depot Square Park will be showcased by the Tamaqua Community Art Center

For more information, call (570) 668-5722.