Upper Schuylkill gears up for homecoming weekend
BY JOHN E. USALIS
08/26/2007
Can something as unique and successful as the 2006 Upper
Schuylkill Homecoming Weekend be repeated? You bet it can. Only this
time, it will hopefully be without a hurricane.
The encore event will once again celebrate the heritage
and history, culture and ethnic pride of the six Upper Schuylkill
Downtowns communities of Ashland, Frackville, Girardville, Mahanoy
City, Ringtown and Shenandoah from Friday to Monday, Sept. 3. Each
day will have one or more events that will be as different as the
towns in which they’ll be held.
The idea of the Homecoming Weekend started last year,
when Pennsylvania Office of Tourism recognized the annual Ashland
Boys Association parade as a unique tourism and community event —
so unique that it was one of only 20 chosen to be part of the Pennsylvania
Festivals program.
However, what started as a project to showcase Ashland’s
parade blossomed into a regional program with all six boroughs participating
in some way throughout Labor Day weekend.
Coordinated by Upper Schuylkill Downtowns Executive
Director Patrice K. Rader, each borough designed an entertainment
event that highlights that community’s history and culture.
One snag literally put a damper on last year’s
event — Hurricane Ernesto. The remnants of the storm came to
Pennsylvania and Schuylkill County just in time for the Labor Day
weekend, with the peak hitting the area on parade day.
Luckily, the forecasts of heavy downpours did not pan
out, but the showers, general dampness and windy conditions kept some
parade entries and visitors away.
Even with the wet weather, all events were held as planned
and the enthusiasm never waned among the organizers and volunteers.
Rader said organizing the event among the six boroughs
is a bit easier this year with the help of Jean S. Seibert, who is
a full-time employee with USD. A lot of the credit has to go to the
people involved with the revitalization organizations in each town.
“Jeanie has been a tremendous help, but no matter
what we do, we depend on the volunteers,” Rader said. “Their
work and the organizational assistance and initiative they’ve
taken to make the Upper Schuylkill Homecoming another success is applaudable.”
Rader said marketing the weekend has been expanded this
time, reaching more than 500,000 households throughout the state.
There is also cross-marketing with three other tourism venues —
Fall Foliage Festival (October) in Bedford, the 41st Central Pennsylvania
Festival of Arts (July) at Penn State University and Mountain of Crafts
Days (September) in Somerset.
In 2007, Homecoming Weekend will be cross-marketed with
the three festivals mentioned, plus the Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem
in November and December.
So, now that the block party season has come to a close,
it’s time to switch gears to enjoy entertainment and great food
indoors and outdoors, all revolving around Ashland’s ABA Mummers
Parade at 7 p.m. Saturday.
“Our Town, Your Home, One Heritage”
Kick off Upper Schuylkill Homecoming Weekend on Friday
with a homecoming dinner theater, sponsored by Mahanoy Downtown Inc.
Starting at 6 p.m. with a cash bar cocktail reception
at the historic Mahanoy City Elks, 135 E. Centre St., the evening
includes a catered sit-down dinner and an exclusive performance of
“Our Town, Your Home, One Heritage,” featuring the heritage
of Schuylkill County through song, poetry, comedy and drama. The theater
production, much of it with original material written for the occasion,
will be performed by the “Lift Your Spirits Performing Arts”
group, which is best known for the recent sell-out productions of
“Born for This” and “Godspell.” For more information
on Lift Your Spirits Performing Arts, to www.lysperformingarts.com.
The dinner theater cost is $30. Advance tickets are
required and are limited to 125. Call 773-1688, Ext. 15, or e-mail
to info@upperschuylkill.com
for tickets or more information.
“Country Breakfast and Farmers Market”
Spend Saturday in the scenic Ringtown Valley from 8
a.m. to noon.
Start out your day with an old-fashioned “home-style
breakfast” and shop for fresh-from-the-fields produce at the
“Country Farmers Market” on Main Street, sponsored by Main
Street Ringtown, while listening to down-home country music by Jay
Smar. Smar has opened for such greats as Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Kathy
Mattea and Emmylou Harris. Over the years, Smar has gained considerable
concert experience performing his own brand of new and traditional
folk music with vocals, banjo, harmonica and fiddles. For more information
on Smar, go to his Web site at www.jaysmar.com.
Ashland’s Historic ABA Parade and 150th anniversary
celebration
After a hearty breakfast, head to Ashland and see a
community bustling with activity. Through the morning and until 4
p.m., the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine and Steam Train and Ashland Museum
of Anthracite Mining will be open until 4 p.m. Take a mine tour and
lokie ride to learn about the underground history of the anthracite
coal region.
The doors will open at 10 a.m. in downtown Ashland at
the Ashland Area Historic Preservation Society building, 316-318 Centre
St. The open house will include a display about the Ashland Boys Association,
a bake sale until sellout, and from noon to 3 p.m., a commemorative
stamp cancellation will be held at the society’s building marking
the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of Ashland as a borough.
At 5 p.m., the Penn State wooden rocker will be chanced
off. Get your tickets while visiting the society. The open house will
run until the parade begins. The open house will continue from 1 to
5 p.m. Sunday and Monday.
Also while in town, get a close-up look at the famous
Mother’s Memorial, the only one of its kind dedicated to mothers
and modeled after the famous painting known as “Whistler’s
Mother.”
Beginning at 3 p.m., you can experience local coal region
delicacies prepared by Ashland Downtown, Frackville Downtown, Girardville
PRIDE and Main Street Ringtown at the Upper Schuylkill Food and Beverage
pavilion near Community Banks at 735 Centre St.
Recording artist and folk singer Van Wagner will perform
with his brand of foot-stompin’ coal regional folk music and
gentle mountain ballads on the front steps of Community Banks in the
afternoon. For more information about Wagner, go to www.vanwagner.com.
Relax and enjoy the scene and gear up for the historic
re-enactment of the first ABA procession and the celebration of the
annual ABA Mummers Parade now in its 107th year.
Ashland closes to traffic at 6 p.m., so make sure you
get into town, set up your folding chair along the parade route on
Centre and Walnut streets, and enjoy the parade.
“Top of the Morning’’ in Girardville
and Happy 175th Anniversary
A full Sunday breakfast will be served from 9 a.m. to
1 p.m. at the former Immaculate Heart Elementary School hall, Main
and Richard streets, sponsored by Girardville PRIDE. Dance a jig with
the Irish step-dancers “The McCormick Girls” — Caitlin,
Kelly, Kieran, Grainne and Deirdre. Enjoy the Irish lassies between
performances by the popular Lowlanders Highlanders, whose fiddle and
drum music from the northern Appalachian Mountains has strong roots
in the Celtic music of the Scots and the Irish. Many of the old tunes
that are now a part of the culture of the region were brought here
by the Scots and the Irish when they settled in the area. Enjoy a
commemorative book signing of “The Pipes Are Calling” written
by Girardville native, Loretta Murphy-Birster. Enjoy the entertainment,
shop for some Irish merchandise and enjoy a hearty breakfast while
viewing some of Girardville Historical Society collections of Molly
Maguire artifacts. Breakfast is $6 per person.
While not open on Sundays, it’s worth a short trip
to see the historic Hibernian House in Girardville, where, in 1877,
John J. “Black Jack” Kehoe, head of the alleged Molly Maguires,
was owner of the tavern that now houses the cell from the courthouse
where the Mollies were imprisoned. The Molly Maguires were a secret
society of immigrant Irish mine workers who fought against prejudice
and injustice in the mining industry. The rebel miners were led by
Kehoe, and his great-grandson, Joseph Wayne, now owns the Hibernian
House.
“Savor the Flavors of the World”
After breakfast and dancing the jig in Girardville,
it’s time to move to Shenandoah from noon to 4 p.m. for a smorgasbord
of ethnic foods. Enjoy the old-world charm of Shenandoah while you
savor food and music from around the world, sponsored by Downtown
Shenandoah Inc.
Dine indoors or al fresco while listening to your favorite
ethnic music. Have an entire meal at one of our featured restaurants
or visit several for appetizers, entrees or dessert. The cuisines
include:
- American at the Oyster Bar, 113 N. Main St.
- Greek at Vernalis Restaurant, 32 S. Main St.
- Italian at Luna’s DiMaggio, 28 N. Main St
- Eastern European at Lyric Restaurant, 33 W. Centre
St.
- Mexican at La Casita de Familia, 8 E. Centre St.
- Chinese at Ming Guan Restaurant, 18 S. Main St.
While you’re in Shenandoah, don’t forget to
visit the Pennsylvania Anthracite Miners Memorial, Main and Washington
streets, the new Shenandoah Area Historic Society building, 201 S.
Main St. and the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society Museum, 105 S.
Jardin St., which will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Upper Schuylkill Wine and Food Pairing
Next stop on Sunday is Ashland for the evening for a
time to enjoy fine wines, great food and smooth jazz from 6 to 8 p.m.
at the Mine Shaft Café, the borough’s newest restaurant,
located in the former Henry’s Family Restaurant. In fact, it’s
so new, it isn’t even open yet to the public, but if you’ve
got an advance ticket, you get a sneak peek. While listening to the
jazz ensemble featuring Kim Russell Seibert, Ron Stabinsky and Friends,
sample six mini-courses of wine and food pairings.
Attendance includes a limited edition commemorative
2007 Upper Schuylkill Homecoming wine glass. Mingle with old friends
or make new acquaintances while tasting the perfectly paired offerings.
Celebrate revitalization of the Upper Schuylkill region
and Ashland’s 150th anniversary, sponsored by Ashland Downtown
Inc., while talking over the “old days” and speculating
on the bright future that lies ahead.
Cost is $25 per person, with only 150 advance tickets
available. For tickets, call 773-1688, Ext. 15, 875-3571, or e-mail
info@upperschuylkill.com. Limousine service will be available after
8 p.m.
Downtown Frackville “Labor Day Car Show”
Say goodbye to summer and enjoy Frackville Downtown’s
exciting “Labor Day Car Show” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday
on Lehigh Avenue between Oak and Chestnut streets. The show, sponsored
by Frackville Downtown, will include muscle and street rods, classic
and antique vehicles. Have a special car you want to enter in the
show? If so, call Paul Klevis at 874-3355.
Relax after your busy Upper Schuylkill experience and
stroll in downtown Frackville, enjoy DJ sounds with To-Shea and a
special breakfast menu at Dutch Kitchen and Subway, lunch at Original
Italian Pizza and dessert at Old World Cheesecake.
Don’t forget to stop by the Frackville Area Historical
Society headquarters in the Gaverick Building while visiting the borough,
just a short walk from Lehigh Avenue
© The REPUBLICAN & Herald
2007
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