Category: Boalsburg

This is the second year that our large local summer festivals were cancelled. Even though things are finally opening up, large festival schedules had to be finalized in March. So, all Memorial Day activities, from the Fireman’s carnival and parade to the huge craft fair that usually attracts over 130 vendors, were cancelled. The 4th of July fireworks and day-long celebration had to be reduced to having a smaller fireworks display incorporated into a minor league baseball game.

The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts (https://arts-festival.com) that is held in downtown State College and The Peoples Choice Festival (https://peopleschoicefestival.com) usually held in Boalsburg in July was cancelled for the second year in a row.

It has been interesting that smaller community festivals are being organized around the county to fill the empty weekends. These smaller venues are easier to plan, attract smaller crowds and give folks a place to celebrate getting back to normal.

This weekend in Boalsburg, on the grounds of the Columbus Chapel & Boal Mansion Museum (https://www.boalmuseum.com) a small festival was set up for a few vendors to share their wares. Ted’s family and I checked it out and got to see the inside of the Boal Barn that is under renovation. We had a few food choices, some interesting items for sale and time to wander the Boal Mansion property. A beautiful day was served up by Mother Nature and we feel like we’ve had a break from isolation. Hopefully, something resembling “normal” will develop over the next year. Here are a few pictures of the Boal Mansion “Antiques, Arts & Crafts” festival:

During the weekend, I let my granddaughters loose with my polymer clay. I think someday I might see their art creations at a festival someplace!

Sometimes the BEST festivals are with family! Enjoy your local festivals!

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

Memorial Day in Boalsburg, for those of us who live here, usually involves multiple days of the Fire Company’s Carnival; a parade through town; a full day of activities throughout the downtown area, with over 130 venders selling crafts and food; music on the Diamond; and tours of the Heritage Museum, the Boal Mansion Museum and the Pennsylvania Military Museum. Thousands of people descend on the area each Memorial Day holiday. Until last year, when everything was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic ravaging the country.

Last year when events were cancelled, it was decided to still hold the simple program honoring Memorial Day, with a brief service that was conducted by key people in the community. Our lost loved ones were still honored and the graves were decorated, just as they had been since 1864.

This year, the decision to hold or cancel events had to be made in early April and at that time States and communities were in different stages of opening up to travel and group gatherings. Thus, the large group festivities were cancelled again, except for the Memorial Day service. Tonight, there will be a simple service honoring all the loved ones who were lost during war time. The graves are now decorated, just as they have been since 1864. It’s a beautiful sight to see the church yard all decorated with flags and flowers. It really keeps the meaning of the holiday front and center in our minds. If you’d like to know more about Boalsburg, go to http://historicboalsburg.com.

This year, Kathy, her mother-in-law Karen, Ben and Anna spent the day with me in Boalsburg. With only a few extra people in town we were able to enjoy touring the Boalsburg museums and appreciate the whole meaning of the holiday.

We started at the Pennsylvania Military Museum. We first saw a 10-minute video of all the action seen by Pennsylvania service men and women over the years. The kids loved the big tanks and the gift shop (of course!). To learn more about this museum, go to http://pamilmuseum.org.

We had a private tour of the Boal Mansion Museum and the Columbus Chapel. Amazing backdrop to the whole history of the area. Incredible artifacts and documented stories of the Boal family genealogy that would be of interest to historians as well as locals. It’s only been the last five years or so that so much material has been unearthed and documented. An amazing treasure trove! To see information and many more photos about this site, go to http://boalmuseum.com.

We ended our day with dinner at Duffy’s Tavern.

A great visit with my family! Happy Memorial Day to all of you! Enjoy!

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

Yesterday I went on the hunt…for flowers! I had seen many tulips and daffodils in yards around us. We do not have any bulbs planted (mostly because underground critters and bunnies have eaten them before we could enjoy them)! So, I thought I’d explore the Pennsylvania Military Museum grounds to see if any spring flowers were sprouting. I did find a huge tree that is showing signs of life.

So, I decided to keep exploring. Right in front of my car were the two giant cannons that came from the ship the USS Pennsylvania BB-38. The signs nearby explained the activities of the ship in battle during WWII and how Boalsburg came to acquire the cannons for display.

I decided to continue my tour, with my thoughts focused on all our service members who have served and are now serving away from home on this Easter weekend.

The Museum grounds are an impressive green space, with various memorials to many groups of the 28th Division Infantry. The Museum itself is closed at the moment and hopes to reopen by Fall, 2021 for tours. The grounds serve as a place for visitors to walk and reflect.

Beautiful day; beautiful weather; wonderful time to reflect this Easter weekend.

However, no flowers…anywhere!

Saved by the grocery store! I brought home two pots of daffodils! I should be able to plant the bulbs this fall and we’ll see if we can have them sprout next spring…before they get eaten!

I hope you had a lovely Easter too!