For 33 years, the Tamaqua Historical Society has celebrated the community’s past with a heritage festival, a tradition they will renew this year.

The 33rd annual Tamaqua Heritage Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 8, in downtown Tamaqua. It will be held rain or shine.

In addition to the varied craft and street fair vendors, this year’s edition will feature a special display commemorating the 100th anniversary of World War I. The display will be set up in front of the Tamaqua Historical Society Museum, 118 W. Broad St., and will feature artifacts from the war. A second display, including a costumed re-enactor, will be set up on the sidewalk leading to the Tamaqua Train Station.

The newly renovated museum will be open for a sneak peek before its official opening in November. The museum will feature displays representing the founding of Tamaqua, the coal industry and the Molly Maguires, Native Americans, local businesses, sports and more.

The Tamaqua Heritage Players will perform a special presentation of “The Day of the Rope,” written by local historian and playwright Bobby Maso, at the Tamaqua Community Art Center, 125 Pine St. The performance will begin at 1:30 p.m. and tells of events of the three days leading up to the hanging of 10 reported members of the Molly Maguires. Following the play, the actors will stroll through the festival and the museum.

The 1848 Hegarty Blacksmith Shop, located at the corner of Berwick Street and Hegarty Avenue, will also be open with blacksmith Don Campbell providing demonstrations of his skills at the forge and anvil.

The Tamaqua Street Machine organization returns with its popular antique and classic car show, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on South Railroad Street. Registration is free and there will be a disc jockey playing favorites from days gone by. A People’s Choice Award will be presented at 3 p.m.

The festival will feature a variety of other music. Folk musician Dave Matsinko will stroll through the area from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Polka Joe Manjack of radio station WMGH will do a live broadcast from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the historical museum; folk musician and clogger Jay Smar will perform from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the blacksmith shop; and DJ Shawn will be spinning tunes from 1 to 5 p.m. at the museum.

Leiby’s Carriage Service will offer horse-drawn trolley rides, featuring their Belgian Horses, while Leiby’s Farm Market will offer seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables, hay bales, corn stalks, pumpkins and gourds. Tink’s Antiques on South Railroad Street will also be open.

The Tamaqua Anthracite Model railroad Club will hold an open house, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the corner of West Broad and Nescopec Streets.

The seven block long festival area is centered in the heart of Tamaqua’s Historic District. Visitors will find a variety of homemade, ethnic and festival food and treats.

For the younger crowd, there will be face painting, amusements and games scattered along the festival route.

For more information, or to register as a vendor or crafter, call 610-597-6722.