A rustic getaway in Orwigsburg.
A tea house in Saint Clair.
And volunteers from a community in northern Schuylkill County that is holding numerous events to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
They were among the more than 50 businesses and tourist attractions that were represented at the first Tourism Expo held Saturday at Fairlane Village mall in Norwegian Township, an event hosted by the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau to observe National Travel and Tourism Week, which is May 1 to 7.
“I’m thrilled. What a great turnout. We have over 50 vendors, about 56 tables, and there’s just a wide variety of tourism-related businesses here and you can learn a lot about upcoming events,” Gerald L. “Jerry” Enders, secretary of the bureau’s board of directors, said at the event Saturday. Members of the visitors bureau were allowed to set up tables at the event to advertise their services for free.
“It’s wonderful that people have an opportunity like this to find out about the many things going on in Schuylkill County,” Anne Chaikowsky, Shenandoah, a volunteer for Downtown Shenandoah Inc., said.
“I love anything that brings people out and brings them together,” Andy Ulicny, Shenandoah, author of “My Shenandoah, 1966,” said. He was helping to man a table for the Greater Shenandoah Area Historical Society.
This summer, Shenandoah will be celebrating its sesquicentennial. Numerous events are being planned for the anniversary week, which will begin Aug. 20 and wrap with the community’s annual Heritage Day and Parade of Nations on Aug. 26.
According to Chaikowsky, there will be special guests, including a popular author who is a Shenandoah native. She said Darryl Ponicsan is planning to visit the borough that week. He’s known for novels including “The Last Detail,” which was made into a film in 1973 starring Jack Nicholson. Ponicsan resides in California.
There was a variety of businesses represented at the Tourism Expo on Saturday, including: the Schuylkill County Historical Society, Pottsville; Kaier Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Mahanoy City; Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Frackville; Alvernia University–Schuylkill Center, Cressona Mall; and Schuylkill Area Community Foundation, Pottsville.
“I think it’s great if we can promote Schuylkill County, which we need to do, because people usually end up going out of the area to spend tax dollars and those dollars need to come here. And people need to know there are a lot of small businesses here that they can benefit from,” said Elizabeth J. Harrison, owner of The Crafty Fly Gift Shoppe with Liza-Beth’s Tea Room at 28 S. Front St., Saint Clair.
Harrison said she’s owned the tea room for 21 years.
“And every Sunday I’m there,” she said.
“This is a wonderful event because it gives us some exposure so people know what’s going on,” Carolyn Bonkoski, Orwigsburg, said.
She and her husband, Gene, have owned the Summer Valley Guest House at 225 Summer Valley Road, Orwigsburg, for 15 years.
“It’s actually in Molino. We’re right on state Route 895. And it could use more advertising,” Bonkoski said.
Deena Kershner, executive director of Hamburg’s Our Town Foundation, based just over the Schuylkill County border in Berks County, also had a table there.
“I think it’s very nice that the Schuylkill Visitors Bureau organized this and it’s free to the members. I think it’s great that they’re trying to promote their members in this way, and giving us an opportunity to promote Hamburg,” Kershner said.
Among the many events she was promoting was the Hamburg Arts & Craft Fest and Car Show which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 14 in downtown Hamburg.