Railfest, Arts on Fire heat up downtown Scranton
Jun. 14—Celebrate the industrial heritage of Northeast Pennsylvania with two events in Scranton this weekend.
Steamtown National Historic Site, 350 Cliff St., hosts Railfest on Saturday, June 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The same day, the Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum returns with Arts on Fire at Scranton Iron Furnaces, 159 Cedar Ave., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission to both events is free, and visitors can take advantage of a complimentary shuttle service between the partnering sites.
Bode Moran, site administrator for the museum and Iron Furnaces, said holding the events simultaneously allows both to reach a wider audience while drawing attention to the industrial history and heritage of the region.
"Steamtown is at the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railyards, and the Iron Furnaces were at one point the second largest iron steel site in the country," Moran said. "That all happened right here in Scranton."
During Railfest, park ranger Megan Stevens said the site will waive the fee for its short train rides, the Scranton Limited and the Caboose Experience. The Scranton Limited takes 30 minutes or so, while the Caboose Experience offers 10-to-15-minute rides.
She anticipates railfans will flock to the ALCO PA-4 190, which the Genesee Valley Transportation Co. received a permit to temporarily display at Steamtown. It will leave the site for restoration shortly after Railfest, Stevens said.
"It has been a popular draw for our railfans over the past couple weeks, and we hope for that trend to continue into Railfest," she added.
Visitors can tour the cabs of Union Pacific "Big Boy" 4012 and Canadian Pacific 2317, which Stevens said celebrates its 100th birthday this year with the release of a new collectible trading card.
Steamtown also will offer guided tours to Mattes Street Tower, a Junior Ranger program and demonstrations, including the popular "ring of fire" that explores the process of changing a steam locomotive tire.
Up the tracks, Arts on Fire will celebrate arts and industry with a ceremonial lighting of the furnace at 11 a.m., demonstrations, live music and food trucks. The National Museum of Industrial History and the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum will have educational tents.
Visitors also can get a scratch block and etch a design, Moran said, which artist and sculpture professor Brian Glaze will fill with molten iron.
"Then they'll have a souvenir to take home with them," Moran said.
To help keep Arts on Fire free to the community, the Anthracite Heritage Museum and Iron Furnaces Associates will host a fundraiser Friday, June 16, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Bartari, 101 Adams Ave., Scranton. Tickets cost $35 and can be purchased at the museum or the fundraiser.
Stevens hopes Railfest and Arts on Fire will not only encourage people to visit Steamtown, the Anthracite Heritage Museum and Iron Furnaces, but other historic sites in the area.
"We really want to broaden the experience for the visitor and show just what the community has to offer, and this is one way of doing that," she said.
The free short train rides at Steamtown will continue into Sunday, June 18, Stevens said. Since Steamtown will offer a longer excursion to Cresco that day, free rides will be limited to the Caboose Experience. The site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The paid excursion to Cresco departs at 11 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at the site or online at nps.gov/stea and cost $35 for ages 12 to 61, $30 for ages 62 and older, $23 for kids 3 to 11 and $1 for kids 2 and younger.
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