On Father’s Day, festival attendees in Tamaqua reveled in a day of fun, train rides, mine tours and ethnic foods.

But the 32nd Annual Tamaqua Summerfest of the Tamaqua Historical Society also featured special moments which individual families remember for a lifetime.

“This has been a father and son project for 27 years,” said Doug Springer Sr. of Walker Township as he unveiled a restored 1967 Ford Mustang in sparkling blue sapphire.

“It actually was bought for my son. It has a 289 in it with 350 horsepower.”

Springer’s son is Officer Doug Springer of the Tamaqua police department.

The Springers parked the car with pride at the Jukebox Cruisers Car Club Show, raising the hood to show off a squeaky clean engine compartment.

The flashy sports car’s metallic paint glistened beneath noontime sun as admirers strolled by.

While all of the cars were head turners, trains also took center stage. The festival included rail passenger trips departing the depot and heading to the historic Tamaqua Tunnel and then to the famous Hometown High Bridge before returning.

Each round trip was about 70 minutes long.

One trip went south along the Little Schuylkill River Valley to New Ringgold.

Attendees also enjoyed any of four bus tours of Lehigh Anthracite coal mines, each lasting 90 minutes.

“It was fun. They took us through the whole operation. Our tour was sold out,” said Marie Becker of Barnesville, upon returning.

The mine tour was meaningful to her, she said, because of her childhood near Mahanoy City.

“I grew up in New Boston. There were railroad tracks and a coal mine behind our house.”

The town hosted thousands of visitors, some coming a long distance to enjoy a day camaraderie and ethnic food favorites.

“I’m looking forward to pirogi and halupkies,” said Barbara Price of Washington, D.C.

Price is the former Barbara Eames of Tamaqua. Her family owned Eames Bakery, a large regional operation.

Price left town in 1967 and was excited to return, using Bischoff Inn as a homebase as she celebrated her heritage.

Still others were lifelong residents who said they look forward to the annual kickoff to summer in eastern Schuylkill County.

“We usually get the halushki and potato pancakes,” said Sharon Roberts Edmonds of Tamaqua, on hand with husband Earl.

Some families attend the festival to pick up supper for later in the day.

“What we like are the chicken kebabs and pork kebabs. We get them to go,” said Joe Regalis of Tamaqua.

Entertainer Andy Leibenguth of Lake Panasoffkee, Florida, was dressed as a court jester. The Tamaqua native dazzled youngsters with magic tricks.

Shoppers visited the large street and craft fair along West Broad Street and stopped at the Tamaqua Area Historical Museum open house, Tamaqua Anthracite Model Railroad open house, and the working 1948 Hegarty Blacksmith Shop.

Others enjoyed Leiby’s Carriage Service horse-drawn trolley car rides, kiddie amusement rides and games, antics by Buster the Clown, costumed re-enactors, folk musician Jay Smar, WMGH live broadcast with Polka Joe Manjack, and other entertainment.

The street fair is staged by volunteers of the historical society.