Frontier fun on tap at heritage fest
In this photo taken August 28, 2010 Will Gottselig of Monongahela and a member of the Saddle Tramps club, relaxes and watches his dogs, Cookie (right) and Elle, play around with each other at the Mason-Dixon Historical Park in Mt. Morris.
In this photo taken August 2010 Wyndd Drummer Woman, of Belle Vernon puts the finishing touches on a dream basket at the annual Mason-Dixon Frontier Festival in Mt. Morris. (Photo by Josh Stepp)
Pennsylvania’s wild frontier has been tamed for hundreds of years. But the organizers of the 29th annual Frontier Heritage Festival in Mount Morris, Greene County, have created a weekend reminiscent of the early days of the American dream.
“This is all about preserving the past,” said Connie Ammons, who began planning this weekend’s events in early June. “This is a way to teach people about where they came from. Children can see right into the past and see that it all has value.”
More than 30 different artisans and performers will be setting up their own pieces of Mason-Dixon history during this weekend’s festival — in addition to the dozen food vendors whose old-timey chow will keep patrons’ stomachs smiling.
You may start your day with a hot breakfast of biscuits and gravy baked on a wrought iron stove.
As you wander through Civil War battles and burly frontiersmen trapping your dinner, you may graze on Uncle Jim’s fresh donuts, macaroni salad, a barbecue chicken sandwich or a famous Mason-Dixon Dog.
The options may not be endless, but they’re ever changing.
“I don’t know what they plan on having this year, but they always have good food,” said Bill Stronsnider, a wood-working vendor who has participated in the festival every year since its start.
“Everybody is really nice down there; it’s a great, friendly environment and I like to go watch the reenactments.”
While Stronsnider considers himself more of a modern wood-worker than his whittling ancestors, he said he sees the value in taking the time to restore and repair historical pieces.
Several live encampments of battle fields and living history scenes will bring to life what it meant to be a frontiersman or woman on the Mason-Dixon line — from using basic tools, to trapping animals, to cooking over an open fire and marching on to the battle field.
Whether food vendor, Civil War heroes, or antique tractor collectors, it is a historically conscious mindset that makes the festival a cultural experience and educational enjoyment true to the heart of the Mason-Dixon Historical Park.
“The people who are involved have helped us grow so much since we started this festival with just about 80 people,” said Ammons.
“And some of them have been here since we started and never missed a year.”
Nearly 600 guests attended the Mason-Dixon Frontier Festival last year and Ammons expects a similar turn out this year.
Whether you are a festival veteran or newcomer, a line-up of local musicians and performers and collectors have come together to inspire visitors to remember the history of the area.
“What I love about the festival is the people who are involved have an expertise and they do it well. We all have a lot of fun,” said Ammons.
“The importance is preserving the past and stepping back in time for a couple of days,” Ammons said.
The Mason-Dixon Frontier Festival will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday and run until 6 p.m. Festivities on Sunday will begin with an open-air, non-denominational church service at 9 a.m.
For more information about this free festival, go online to their website at www.masondixonpark.net/frontier.html.