Tamaqua Summerfest set for Sunday
Jun. 19—The 30th Annual Tamaqua Summerfest will return Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. after being canceled last year due to the pandemic.
The downtown event will feature a large street fair, handmade crafts, street vendors, a car show, food, stream train rides, music, children's rides and games, historical tours, strolling performances and historical reenactors.
Downtown restaurants and craft breweries will offer Father's Day specials, and groups from schools, Scout groups, fire companies, animal rescue and fire police will have fundraising booths.
Summerfest is presented annually by the Tamaqua Historical Society and serves as the first big celebration of the summer season in the area.
The Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad will offer three round-trip excursions from the historic Tamaqua Railroad Station. The 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. trips will head north to the area of the Hometown High Bridge, and the 1 p.m. trip will head south to the New Ringgold area. Passengers will ride in restored passenger coaches pulled by the No. 425 steam locomotive. Tickets will be sold in front of the Tamaqua station, but advance tickets can be purchased by calling the railroad at 610-562-2102.
The Jukebox Cruisers Car Club will have a car show along South Railroad Street. Three "People's Choice" trophies will be presented. No pre-registration is necessary and there is no fee to enter. Music will be provided by the Jukebox Cruisers' disc jockey.
A favorite attraction each year is the large street fair featuring a mix of crafters and vendors offering a variety of items such as handmade candles, crocheted and knitted items, handmade jewelry, handcrafted wood items, handmade wreaths and holiday decorations, hot sauces, local made moonshine, honey and more.
Ethnic foods such as bleenies, halushki, pierogies and potato candy will be available, along with steak sandwiches, French fries, cotton candy, wood-fired pizza, funnel cakes and other favorites.
There will be children's rides, games, face painting and a bounce house. Buster the Clown will stroll through downtown, making balloon animals for the kids.
The 1848 Hegarty Blacksmith Shop on Hegarty Avenue will be open for free tours. The shop was the oldest continually run business in Schuylkill County when it closed in 1974 after operating since 1848. It is now owned by the Tamaqua Historical Society.
The Tamaqua Historical Society Museum, 118 W. Broad St., will also be open. Admission is free.
Leiby's Carriage Service will provide horse-drawn trolley car rides with their Belgian draft horses. The Victorian Hi-Wheelers on their antique high wheel bicycles will make an appearance along the festival route.
A variety of music will be offered including a live broadcast of the WMGH Polka Show with Polka Joe Manjack from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the Tamaqua Museum. There will be disc jockeys throughout town. Folk musician and clogger Jay Smar will perform by the Hegarty Blacksmith Shop. Dave Matsinko, an instrumentalist, singer and teacher, will stroll around the festival playing banjo, mandolin, guitar, and mountain dulcimer.
Tink's Antiques will be open with two floors of antiques, collectibles and jewelry.
There will be free admission and parking.
