Schuylkill Plus Magazine

This year Danville will celebrate it’s 12th Iron Heritage Festival by The town of Danville will be filled with music during this year’s Iron Heritage Festival. The theme is ‘Music through the Years’. Early in the week visit the Straub Lutheran Church with Welshmen Herman Jones and Larry Mordan. Wednesday is the much loved ‘Meeting the Past’ cemetery tour starting at 5:30 and every 20 min. after that until 8:30pm.
On Thursday, July 21 enjoy the IHF parade at 7pm and take in all the other festivities through to Sunday evening ending with the Hymn Sing at the River. You are invited to march in the parade, check out the policies on the application found on the website. Saturday there will be 2 stages of free music, lectures pertaining to music, and the Friday and Saturday evening show is titled “Our History through Music” in the air conditioned Danville Ballroom. Other lectures are George Turner telling the story of Alexander Rea and the Molly Maguires and Brad Becker with the history of the Revolutionary Drums. John Decker will tell the history of the Montour County railroads and then visited the model railroad display in the Danville Middle School gym before or after your train ride to Northumberland or Bloomsburg.
Both children and adults will marvel at the skill and imagination of the area miniature club, The Susquehanna Mini-Makers, and it’s friends as you explore there miniature displays. The quoits and tennis tournament along with the 5K run applications can be found at the IHF Company Store or on the website.
On Canal Park Stage at 4 pm, the IHF presents ‘Danvilles Got Talent’ when 10 Danvillians will take the stage to show their talents, applications also at the IHF store. Visiting the festival this year will be the March King, John Phillip Sousa, played by Mr Eddy Seger. Mr Seger will ‘conduct’ the Danville Community Band, parade grand marshals in the parade as well as give several lectures during the weekend on how Sousa found his calling. It’s a wonderful story. One of the most exciting events will be the noon show at the Mulberry St. Stage where Sousa will conduct the 70 member ‘Repasz Band’. The Repasz Band, founded in 1831 in Williamsport is the oldest, non-military band in continuous existence in the U.S. During the Civil War, the Band enlisted in the 11th Regiment PA Volunteers Co. H mustered in Danville and was part of the 11th regiment that participated in the Battle of Falling Waters or Hainsville where Adam Suppinger of Co. H was the first Penna. Volunteer killed in action in the Civil War.
On Sunday the Fly In, recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Danville-Riverside Airport will take place with planes flying in and an antique car show. The Heritage Church service will be at St. Paul’s Emanuel United Methodist Church, the heritage Baseball game is back this year at Hess Fields and finish up the weekend at the Hymn Sing on Sunday evening down by the river. To plan your weekend at the festival get your program and tickets at the IHF Company Store at 316 Mill Street.
Check out the website at www.ironheritagefestival.net for more details of the festival. For information call 570-275-6700.