Rain doesn’t dampen Harvey Seltzer Day as crowds celebrate Seltzer’s 124th year

The third annual Harvey Seltzer Day, celebrating the 124th anniversary of Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats by founder Harvey Seltzer in 1902, saw high turnout despite rain Saturday.

Fourth-generation CEO Austin Wagoner called the turnout “fantastic,” explaining the celebration was started to educate attendees about Seltzer’s traditional use of wooden smokehouses.

“We started this as an opportunity to connect with the community,” said Wagoner, who greeted guests in the museum. “Our product is made in a completely unique way, so we want to take every opportunity to show people how it’s made.”

While the company normally offers paid tours of the smokehouses, which draw bus tours from throughout the East Coast, short tours were given for free Saturday. Tubes of meat are hung inside the smokehouses to cure for around three days in smoke from hardwoods, hickory, and oak.

“That’s the unique heartbeat of our organization: our smokehouses,” said Wagoner.

In addition to the museum containing artifacts from throughout Seltzer’s history, the storefront was also open and stocked with free samples for guests. Seltzer’s mascot, “Smokey,” was available to meet and greet with guests.

Marketing director Mary Doran said she was “shocked” by the turnout, which she said she attributed in part to community support of the event and in part to its indoor offerings, like free samples at the shop and popcorn at the museum.

“I’m just so impressed, because the legacy speaks for itself and we have super-fans that have come out and showed up for us,” said Doran. “It’s just an incredible community. … We couldn’t be more happy and proud of what we’ve built and that people want to come out and support us.”

People of all ages gathered Saturday, and multiple could be heard recounting their connection to Seltzer’s; some had worked there themselves, and others described a family connection going back decades.

“I think it really just speaks for itself, the generational lineup of our employees. We have sons, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins, and just generations of them,” said Doran. “People like it here, we take care of our people, and they stay.”

The event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., also included bounce houses, local vendors, and food trucks set up outside the museum. Sandwiches were available with smoked pork butt, with Doran noting that the company has recently gotten into pork products.

Looking forward, Doran said Seltzer’s has big plans for its 125th anniversary. The family has preserved some of Seltzer’s old advertising and branding, she said, and they plan to nostalgically reuse some of these next year.

They also plan to continue to expand Harvey Seltzer Day, she said.