77th Pa. Maple Festival big part of community of Meyersdale

MEYERSDALE ― "I couldn't imagine Meyersdale without the Pennsylvania Maple Festival," said Robin Deal, newly elected president of the board of directors for the festival. "That's why there is a spirit of volunteerism for the maple festival. That's why we are here. It is very gratifying to help out and see this continue strong as part of Meyersdale."

The 77th annual Pennsylvania Maple Festival will start April 20 and 21 and reopen April 24 and run until April 28.

Deal has been actively involved since 2012, when she started staffing the entertainment committee. She became a director and was voted in as president last year. But, her roots of interest go back to her school years when she was an actress in the historical pageant and a junior attendant for the queen's contest.

Then, she volunteered in the doctor's office in Festival Park and remembers when residents used to decorate their homes for the festival. She and her mother put maple leaves up in their windows.

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"This gives me a chance to be an ambassador for an incredible industry that shaped my life," said Deal, who is married to Barron Deal and lives in Meyersdale. They have a daughter, Jessica, and two grandchildren. Robin works as a nurse for UPMC Western Maryland in the gastroenterology department.

Deal explained that this year's festival is full of exciting traditional events as well as some new activities.

Charlie McKenzie, Dean Hillegass, Barry Yoder and Lou Tuscano will be recognized as honorary directors. This honor will be tied into Meyersdale's 150th anniversary celebrated this year.

Also, the first weekend will include the Sit and Sip Garden, which has grown in popularity in the past few years, and a new re-enactment group called 142nd Co. F Pa. Reenactors will be on the festival grounds.

"Whether you are coming to the festival for the first time or coming back again, there is quite literally something for everyone because there are so many different interests – from the stage entertainment to the events to the maple education and history or pancakes and sausage, it's all here and it's all going to once again be a family favorite," said Deal.

From syrup making, sugar cake making demonstrations and spotza treats and live entertainment and crafts at Festival Park to pancake meals at the Lions Pancake Shack to a parade, car shows, a pageant and horse pull among other events, the festival has many activities for everyone.

Something for everybody

The Pennsylvania Maple Festival was established in 1947 by a group of civic-minded individuals to promote the area's maple industry. For the last 77 years, the festival has been organized and conducted with the help of approximately 700 volunteers annually, in cooperation with roughly 67 organizations.

"Legend of the Magic Water," the longtime historical pageant of the festival, will celebrate its 50th year this year. The venue this year has changed from Morguen Toole to the Meyersdale Elks. The first performance by the Maple City Players will be a show only at 2 p.m. April 20, and also for a dinner theater performance at 6 p.m. on both the next Friday and Saturday.

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Events throughout the town include car shows, the quilt show, pancakes at the Lions Pancake House, a grand feature parade, a horse-pulling contest, a race and farm tractor display.

For nine years, the festival has devoted the first Sunday to the annual Truck, Motorcycle, Side By Side & ATV Show, which is set for this year from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 21 on Main and Center streets.

On the second Sunday, April 28, the Antique, Classic & Street Rod Auto Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This car show made its debut at the festival in 1961, and since that time, the show has grown larger in size. For both shows, there are no license plate restrictions and no inclement weather cancellations. Also, dash plaques will be given to the first 50 at the truck show and the first 75 at the car show registered vehicles.

The quilt show at the Meyersdale Firehall will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the first weekend, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the following Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the closing Sunday. Judging will be conducted before the festival and is closed to the public.

Since its establishment in 1976, the annual quilt show has been a popular annual attraction for many. The quilt show and the boutique are open to the public throughout the festival. There are displays of hand and machine-quilted, traditional and modern quilts, wall hangings, home decorating accessories and much more. There is also a quilt raffle every year.

Meyersdale Lions Club stationed at what is called the Lions Pancake Shack at the T.G. Saylor Community Center, will once again serve pancakes, sausage and pure Somerset County maple syrup from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. the first weekend and then 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday of next week with community night being held from 5 to 7 p.m. April 25, and then 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. the following weekend.

Throughout the years $1 million has been raised from the pancakes and sausage project. All the proceeds of this fundraising venture have been returned to the community to purchase supplies from local businesses and to support many community organizations.

Currently, the Lions are focused on two main projects: the improvement of the T.G. Saylor Community Center and the continuing management of scenic Maple Valley Park. Dinners will be served in take-out containers but seating is available inside and outside as well.

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The Grand Feature Parade will be held at 1 p.m. April 27, with the parade route along Beachley Street after forming at 11th Avenue, to Center Street and dispersal on Broadway Street.

The annual horse pull will be held this year at 1 p.m. April 28, at the Somerset County Fairgrounds. This event gains regional attendance with teamsters traveling from New York, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and North Carolina and sometimes contestants coming from as far as Wisconsin and Florida. It is the first pull of the spring and oftentimes, horsemen want to get their teams out to a contest after winter. The Clarence Iseman family of Indiana County will be honored with the "Ring of Honor" award prior to the horse pull.

This year's Maple Race 5K Run/Walk or 8K Run will be held at 9 a.m. April 27, at the Meyersdale Train Station on the Great Allegheny Passage out and back. Awards will be given out to the top three males and females in each event.

Festival Park features

The Antique Tractor and Farm Machinery Show will showcase steam and farm tractors, gas engines, walk-behind and garden tractors the second weekend inside Festival Park.

Within Festival Park on Meyers Avenue, there is an abundance of activities and history. Maple Manor itself showcases the Historic Meyers Manor Homestead, recognized as a historical landmark dating back to the early 1800s and home of Peter Meyers, the namesake of Meyersdale.

Visitors to the homestead can see part of the original structure including its first kitchen with the large stone fireplace and log walls. Thousands of people tour the homestead each year during the festival and other occasions throughout the year.

Over the years Meyers Manor has played host to some famous people. The most famous was probably former President and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant who stayed overnight in the house while traveling through the area.

In addition to Maple Manor, the nearby outbuildings include the country store, an antique doctor's office, a cobbler shop, a craft vendor display and fair exhibits as well as the Sugar Shack, where demonstrations of syrup making are held continuously and spotza and maple products are sold.

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There is also live entertainment on stage with groups like US3, The Chris, Meyersdale Area High School Jazz Band, J.D. and Cindy Ross, Perry Kamp, Studio 7 School of Dance, Fender Ridge and Screamin' Blonde.

In the Country Store, baked goods and a variety of candy, specialty food items and soap are all stocked on the shelves as well as craft items and the signature Pennsylvania Maple Festival T-shirts and souvenirs.

The agricultural fair set up in Festival Park is another interesting attraction to the festival. The Festival's Fair allows individuals who are talented in crafts, gardening and other hobbies a chance to compete in a contest open to Pennsylvania residents and set up under the guidelines of the State Premium Guideline Book published by the Agriculture Fair Program, Department of Agriculture.

The 8th annual "Sit and Sip" Garden will be set up in the Festival Park for the first weekend with Tall Pines Distillery, Laurel Highlands Meadery, Forbes Trail Brewing, Disobedient Spirits and Bird Dog Winery.

There will also be horse-drawn carriage rides by Dean and Kristi Brant of Rockwood area set up outside Festival Park weather permitting Saturdays and Sundays.

Also this year, the Meyersdale Historical Society based at the train station will be open both weekends.

"It all comes together for one great event over two weekends," said Deal. "We work as a team of volunteers to make this possible and it is part of who we are in Meyersdale and the event itself has become a regional festival as well as those traveling back from several different states to visit."

See the festival's Facebook page and website at www.pamaplefestival.com for updated information as events and activities are confirmed.

Those with questions should contact the festival office at 814-634-0213 or via email at pamaple@verizon.net.