Historic Schaefferstown celebrates local history amid nation’s 250th anniversary

Historic Schaefferstown is celebrating local history with a calendar of events throughout the nation’s 250th anniversary year.

Young Villagers Workshop

Historic Schaefferstown will host the Young Villagers Workshop Monday through Thursday, June 22-25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, on the Alexander Schaeffer Farm.

“The farm becomes a place where kids get to step back in time a little bit and explore what life might have been like at that time,” said Brenda Morrow, née Seiverling, marketing director of Historic Schaefferstown, co-vice president of Historic Schaefferstown’s board of directors, and chair of the Cherry Fair and the Harvest Fair.

The workshop will include learning Pennsylvania German, making traditional crafts, woodworking, baking over the squirrel tail oven, and making ice cream.

The workshop is open to children entering fourth through seventh grades and is limited to 20 students. Tickets cost $75 for members and $100 for non-members.

Cherry Fair and Early American Craft Show

Historic Schaefferstown will host the Cherry Fair and Early American Craft Show on Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Schaeffer Farm. Morrow said 40 to 50 artisans, demonstrators, and presenters planned to attend.

The cherry-themed fair will offer plenty of opportunities to indulge in the sweet and sour fruit — including cherry pie, cherry ice cream, cherry jam, and, hopefully, cherry pancakes. Additionally, the fair will offer a pot pie dinner, barbecue, hamburgers made from local grass-fed cattle, hot dogs, French fries, and more.

Children and adults can compete in pie-eating contests sponsored by Schaefferstown native Andrea McAllister of Howard Hanna, as well as cherry-spitting contests.

Another opportunity to compete is through the baking contest. Fairgoers can participate by sampling the desserts and paying 25 cents to vote on their favorite.

In addition to tours of the Alexander Schaeffer House and garden, the fair will offer patriotic music by the Keystone Band of Rehrersburg, Pennsylvania German lessons by Alice Spayd, and other special demonstrators and presenters.

Two reenactor groups, German Regiment of the Continental Army and Clotz’s Battalion of the Flying Camp, will form an encampment and will wander around the farm giving historical presentations.

Also at the fair will be juried and non-juried artisans selling traditional and non-traditional handmade items. To lower their cost to participate, artisans can donate a handmade item to the fair’s raffle, for which fairgoers can purchase tickets (cash only).

Admission and parking are free for members and children 12 and under, $5 for a car with one non-member adult, and $10 for a car with two or more non-member adults.

“We’re trying to encourage a family to come out and be able to enjoy the day and not cost a ton of money. So that’s something new we’re trying this year,” said Morrow.

Morrow said last year’s Cherry Fair welcomed more than 1,000 fairgoers. With the family-friendly pricing and increased advertising and marketing, this year’s fair is expected to welcome even more — as long as the weather cooperates.

WWII Weekend

Historic Schaefferstown will host the WWII Weekend on Saturday, July 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, July 26, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Schaeffer Farm.

The theme of this year’s event — the 36th Infantry Division during 1943 — pays tribute to Schaefferstown-native Guy Dulabone, who was killed in action.

Event organizers hope local veterans, including Russell Sattazahn, who was wounded in action and is a Purple Heart recipient, will attend the event.

Admission and parking are $5 per car plus a suggested donation to help defray the cost of the family-friendly event designed to honor local veterans.

Harvest Fair and Early American Craft Show

Historic Schaefferstown will host the Harvest Fair and Early American Craft Show on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the farm.

Welcome autumn with fresh-pressed apple cider, apple butter, and other apple-inspired recipes. Besides tours of the Schaeffer House and garden, guests can enjoy wagon displays, farm demonstrations, music, traditional crafts, and children’s games.

Like the Cherry Fair, admission and parking are free for members and children 12 and under, $5 for a car with one non-member adult, and $10 for a car with two or more non-member adults.

Christkindlmarkt

Historic Schaefferstown will host Christkindlmarkt on Friday, Dec. 11, from 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Schaefferstown Volunteer Fire Company’s banquet hall.

“We’re going to have much more space. Because of the space, you don’t have to probably wait out in the cold. So, that was a huge deal,” said Morrow.

At the free-admission holiday market, guests can buy traditional craft items from 25+ artisans and purchase food from the fire company. Credit cards are accepted.

Tavern Lunch

Historic Schaefferstown will host the Tavern Lunch in the Gemberling-Rex House on Saturday, Dec. 12, with seatings at 11 a.m., noon, 1, 2, and 3 p.m.

“That’s really cool. I mean, there’s a bar cage in there where they would hide the alcohol at night for the tavern people who were visiting. We put on a really nice traditional fare for you,” said Morrow.

Reservations are required for the limited-seating tavern lunch, which costs $20.

Other happenings at Historic Schaefferstown

Historic Schaefferstown is always looking for volunteers to support its operations and events throughout the year.

“A lot of what we do and raise money for goes to restoring and preserving these beautiful properties that we have,” said Morrow.

The Schaeffer House needs plaster work in the cellar. The Gemberling-Rex House needs repairs before it can be repainted. The Thomas R. Brendle Museum needs window repairs.

“I feel it’s really important to preserve the space. I had happy memories as a kid. I know where I live (in New Jersey), we don’t have things like this. It’s a beautiful farm just to go and walk on and look at,” said Morrow.

To learn more, visit the nonprofit educational organization’s website, Facebook, and Instagram. Folks can also email info@hsimuseum.org or stop by the HSI office in the lower level of the Brendle Museum, open Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.