The days are filled with entertainment, crafts, vendors, fabulous food and amazing demonstrations at Berks Heritage Center in Bern Twp. on Oct. 4 and 5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. New to the festival this year is master wood carver Barry Frank of Bucks County. Frank wields a chainsaw like no other artist. Environmentally conscious, he only uses wood from tree services – no trees are cut purposefully for his art.
Frank, scheduled to perform at noon and 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, uses logs one to three feet in diameter. He has done sculptures on display at scores of locations regionally and beyond, from bears to eagles to castles to humans. Returning both days this year is George Esparza and his Phydeaux’s Flying Flea Circus and Wahoo Medicine Show, a real hoot and treat for young and old.
Featured musicians on Saturday include Ken Gehret and the Reel Time Ramblers at 11 a.m., Mike Hertzog and the Blue Mountain Gang at 2 p.m., and on Sunday Frog Holler at 11 a.m. and the Steel Creek Country Band at 2 p.m.
Saturday activities also include the K’Lin Ken’l Agility Dog and Herding Demos at 1 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.; an antique car show all day (1975 models and earlier); and a children’s pedal tractor pull from 1:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles will display a 1916 Autocar Type XXI Stake Body Truck Built in Ardmore, Montgomery County.
Sunday activities include a carriage and wagon show; draft horse demonstrations; performance by Matt Dodd at the Canal Center at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. with songs and stories of the old canal days, and 1:30 p.m. performance of songs and stories of the American road.
Both days will include arts and crafts vendors, antique farm equipment, running of the Otto engine in the Gruber Wagon Works, tours of the Hiester Canal Center, Gruber Wagon Works, Melcher’s Grist Mill, and “Mildred” the Houseboat; storytelling by Karen Terri Ludwig; and the history of the Lenni Lenape Indians with Darius Puff.
Admission to the event is free, but there is a parking fee.
The Berks County Heritage Center is located at 1102 Red Bridge Road, Bern Township, just off Route 183 and immediately north of the St. Joseph Medical Center.
