The Tamaqua Historical Society’s Annual Heritage Festival was held in a smaller scale Sunday, but still brought crowds to learn about the borough’s history or purchase items from a number of vendors.

One of the hot spots was the historical society’s museum, Annex and Scott Art Gallery.

Near the museum’s entrance sat a man who was reenacting a miner who worked in the area’s anthracite industry during the 1890s.

“I’m wearing an oil wick lamp that the mule drivers would have worn,” explained Robbie Flowers, of Plains, who frequently volunteers at the museum.

He showed the lamp to visitors, pointing out a shield positioned behind the lamp’s flame. Those who weren’t accompanied by mules didn’t have lamps with shields, he explained.

While the flame would be several inches high, and the shield would help with illumination, it didn’t provide much visibility, he said.

“It had the power of about 10 birthday candles,” said Flowers.

Flowers began studying mining history almost 50 years ago. His grandfather, his uncle - and even he - had jobs underground.

Just around the corner, society President Dale Freudenberger welcomed those to the Hegarty Blacksmith Shop.

The shop, on Hegarty Avenue, is celebrating its 175th year and is undergoing renovations.

“We hope to have them completed sometime in the winter,” he explained.

As visitors arrived, Freudenberger showed a recent - and massive - donation.

“It’s a 1790 giant blacksmith bellows,” he explained.

The bellows was used to provide hefty puffs of air to stoke fires, and will become a permanent addition to the shop.

Freudenberger pointed to a rear side door in the shop that connects to what was once a stable.

“We plan to transform that room into a wagon works museum,” he noted. Once completed, it will contain items used by area wagon workers to build wagons, carriages and sleighs.

A few blocks away, vendors sold wares from the Tamaqua Arts Center.

It was difficult to miss a soup sale held there by the Tamaqua Area Cross Country Team, thanks to some enthusiastic student sales people.

Eighth grader Mikayah Steigerwalt was one of them.

“Soup sale! Arts center!,” she bellowed at the top of her lungs from the corner of Mauch Chunk and Greenwood streets.

Other students chimed in, too, hoping to draw motorists to their homemade soup benefit.

There were more than two dozen soups, according to Lindsey Ruch, a mother of one of the students. It’s also a traditional Heritage Fest fundraiser for the students - and one that often sells out before the event ends.

Traditional types like chicken noodle, beef vegetable and chili were accompanied by more unique ones. Think creamy pheasant rice, kielbasa and Mexican squash soups, for example.

“It’s a great day for soup,” Ruch said.

A trio from the youth group at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tamaqua also stood near the intersection, wearing chef’s hats and carrying a large inflatable pretzel. Inside a heated container were warm and buttery pretzels.

Elaina Coleman, one of the youths, noted that the pretzels were made and rolled by the group.

Other activities were on tap, including tours of Lehigh Coal and Navigation mining operations between Tamaqua and Lansford, and an open house at the Tamaqua Anthracite Model Railroad Club.

The festival was moved from its original Broad Street location due to accessibility concerns voiced by a resident. With vendors historically setting up on sidewalks, the resident said navigating the festival in a wheelchair is difficult or impossible.

In hopes of making future Heritage and Summerfest festivals accessible to all, the society is asking the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for permission to close Broad Street, which is also state Route 209.