Anthracite region culture, entertainment on hand for 16th Coal Miner's Heritage Festival and Picnic
Sep. 1—The 16th Coal Miners Heritage Festival & Picnic will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday on the grounds of the No. 9 Coal Mine & Museum in Lansford, Carbon County.
The Coal Miners Heritage Festival is a fun and educational celebration of northeastern Pennsylvania's anthracite coal region history, culture, ethnicity, crafts, food, music, art, customs and traditions.
Originally planned for July but postponed due to heavy rain, this year's Coal Miners Heritage Festival is being combined with the Labor Day Weekend Ethnic Food Picnic.
"The weather for this Labor Day weekend is looking great," Dale Freudenberger, heritage festival secretary, said in an event release.
"The annual Coal Miners Heritage Festival is presented by the No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum in Lansford and is our largest annual event" Freudenberger added in the release.
Admission to the festival grounds, 9 W. Dock St., and parking are free, and the event is held rain or shine.
A variety of crafters, artists, street vendors, collectors and local and regional organizations will be spread out over the sprawling green grass field at No. 9 Mine, offering a variety of unique items for sale.
Highlights of this year's event include:
—The coal miner's competition, where anyone over the age of 16 is invited to participate. Competitors try to shovel a pile of coal in the shortest time. Handcrafted trophies will be awarded to the winners. The coal shoveling competition will begin at 2 p.m. and is free to enter.
—Visitors can take an underground tour of No. 9 Mine throughout the day for a nominal charge. The No. 9 Mine is the world's oldest operating deep mine, opened in 1855 by the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co. The guided underground mine tours are available throughout the day. Visitors will ride into the mine in the safety of enclosed mine cars pulled by an original electric mine locomotive.
—The nearby No. 9 Coal Mining Museum, in the original 1912 brick miner's wash shanty, houses one of the largest collections of anthracite coal mining artifacts, tools, photographs and memorabilia in the coal region. Many unique and rare items are on display.
—A large basket raffle with great prizes, with proceeds benefitting No. 9 Mine. Tickets for the basket raffle can be purchased at the event.
—The old-time "Wash Day" demonstrations will showcase the chore of washing clothes by hand in the coal patch towns. Children are encouraged to join in the fun.
—Children's event, including the popular old-time coal sack races with prizes for the winners, a bounce house, kiddie train ride and other amusement rides, children's games and Buster the Clown making balloon animals for kids.
—Local historical society and regional history organizations will have booth exhibits.
—The Tamaqua Anthracite Model Railroad Club will display an operating model railroad layout modeled after part of the coal region.
—Several early antique vehicles from the early 1900s, and a traditional home delivery high-lift coal truck will be on display.
A variety of music typically found in the coal region will be featured throughout the day. It includes the WMGH Radio Polka Program live broadcast with Polka Joe Manjack; Jay Smar, acclaimed coal region folk musician, balladeer and clogger; Dave Matsinko, mountain music man, multi-instrumentalist and teacher; and DJ Shawn Frederickson, who will play classic folk, mining, railroad and other heritage music.
Coal region historical re-enactors will also stroll the grounds in their authentic coal patch town outfits and perform skits.
In addition, a combination of homemade, coal region ethnic foods as well as other popular summertime festival foods will be offered up by local organizations and food vendors.
Anyone who would like to register as a crafter or vendor or has questions about the festival, should contact Freudenberger at dalefreud@gmail.com or by phone at 610-597-6722 and leave a message. Emails are preferred.
