It’s been 30 years since the Union Canal was named to the National Historic Register, and the Friends of the Union Canal Tunnel Park invite everyone to come out to celebrate the occasion.
The 35th annual Union Canal Day will be held this year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 18.
“This is the first year our event will only be one day,” Pam Tricamo, treasurer of the Friends group, said in a release. Tricamo co-chairs the event this year with Vince Tricamo and Suzanne Fry.
There’s a lot packed into the day, according to the release.
Anyone interested in history, scenery or water transportation can take a narrated boat tour through the oldest water transportation tunnel in the United States. The boat only holds 20 people per trip, so patrons are encouraged to buy tickets as soon as they arrive.
Matt Dodd will perform two shows titled “Songs and Stories of Old Canal Days,” during which he will tell stories and sings about life on a canal boat.
Also, the 93rd Volunteers will set up a Civil War encampment at the event. Three food trucks are also expected there: Mopp Gear Coffee, Snowy-Hawaiian Shaved Ice, and Keller BBQ.
Read More: ‘Everyone in Lebanon can be proud’ of the 93rd Regiment’s role in the Civil War
Jeepers of Lebanon County, a group that formed in 2023 for Jeep enthusiasts, will have members showcasing their Jeeps. Prizes will be offered for the Jeeps with the most ducks, the best theme, the most modified, and the Union Canal Choice.
Baskets will be set up for a raffle.
According to vendor coordinator Suzanne Fry, vendors this year will include Tastefully Simple/Hatties Jewelry (dip/cake mixes and handmade jewelry), Homestead Weaving (hand-woven gourd baskets), Ray’s Balloons (balloon creations/animals), Whispering Willows Homestead (angora wool blend yarns & wares), Cakes & Sweets by Linda (13 whoopie pie varieties), Hand Done PA German Fraktur/Certificates, Allison’s Maple Products, and Lace Lovers (needlework, lace making, rug hooking, knitting, crochet).
Also, Puddin Heartland 1st (potbelly pig agility and education – this is NOT a petting zoo), NoSoAn Dairy 4H (one or two calves on display), Lebanon Transit (exhibitor and transit information), Cocoa Kayaks (display by company that offers kayak tours of the canal and tunnel), Lebanon County Historical Society, the Society for Creative Anachronism Shire of Black Rose (medieval games, combat, stories and life), and New Cumberland Federal Credit Union-Gap branch (marketing for new members).
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