The Tamaqua Historical Society will present its 38th Annual Tamaqua Heritage Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in downtown Tamaqua.

The festival is a celebration of the area’s rich history and culture, as well as fall foliage and harvest time. It has become a long-standing homecoming that draws family, relatives, friends, neighbors and visitors together.

The event is held rain or shine and includes a large craft and street fair spread over several blocks where vendors sell handmade crafts, seasonal and holiday creations, works of art, street wares and more.

Many local nonprofit organizations, school groups, churches, scouts, fire police and fire companies participate with food, information and fundraisers.

A variety of food will be available for purchase, including homemade soups, chili, pierogies, halushki, pit beef and pulled pork sandwiches, barbecue, fresh tapped birch beer, home baked goods, fresh cut fries, burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, fresh squeezed apple cider, kettle corn, cotton candy, funnel cake, homemade candy, shish kebabs, stuffed grape leaves, fried Oreos, ice cream, sundaes, milk shakes and more.

The Tamaqua Historical Society Museum, Annex and Art Gallery at 118 W. Broad St. will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Individuals are invited to stop in and learn about the area’s rich local history and see the many exhibits.

The 1848 Hegarty Blacksmith Shop, on the corner of Hegarty Avenue and Nescopeck Street, will be open with blacksmiths demonstrating their skills at the forge and offering tours of the 173 year-old shop. The Tamaqua Heritage Players group, part of the historical society, will be strolling throughout the festival area dressed in period clothing.

The Jukebox Cruisers Car Club will present a car show on South Railroad Street from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Everyone is welcome to display their antique or classic street rod car, truck or motorcycle. No preregistration is required and there will be no judging. Vehicles should enter from the intersection of Spruce and South Railroad streets.

The historical society will present three “People’s Choice Awards” to vehicle owners and the first 50 vehicles to arrive will receive custom Tamaqua Heritage Festival dash plaques.

The Tamaqua Victorian Hi-Wheeler bicyclists will likely make an appearance riding their vintage 1890s hi-wheel bicycles in period costumes. This was once a popular pastime in Tamaqua during the 1880s when the borough had the Tamaqua Wheelmen organization.

A variety of music includes the WMGH live broadcast with Polka Joe Manjack from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the museum, and DJ Shawn from 1 to 5 p.m. in front of the museum annex.

The antique steam calliope will play music from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. near the Five Points intersection, and the Faculty Brass Band will stroll throughout the festival. Oldies music will be heard throughout the car show area from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Leiby’s Carriage Service will offer horse-drawn trolley rides around the festival with their Belgian draft horses starting on Berwick Street. A caricature artist will offer sketches on West Broad Street in front of the former Scheids Building.

The Tamaqua Anthracite Model Railroad Club will be open at the former Masonic building, corner of West Broad and Nescopeck streets, and the public can see their large operating layout from the greater Tamaqua area. The Carbon Model Railroad Club will have their HO train layout inside a replica railroad caboose in the street next to the Museum.

Children’s games, bounce house and amusements will be located on South Railroad Street. The Tamaqua Public Library, South Railroad Street, will have a special program with two Bethlehem Steel authors who will present a special program titled “History on the Books” at 1 p.m. The library will also have a book sale and goodies available.

A number of restaurants and businesses, including Tink’s Antiques and Tap S Trees, will be open.

St. Luke’s Care Now will be open at the Tamaqua Medical Center along North Railroad Street for anyone needing medical care, and the Lehigh Valley Health Network will have an information booth on West Broad Street.

For more information, contact Dale at 610-597-6722 or dalefreud@gmail.com. The historical society posts its events and projects on Facebook.