The McConnells Mill Heritage Festival is put on by the Rotary and offered many artisan vendors, musical entertainment, food and tours at the historic Mill.
2023 DATE: September 23-24, 2023
Location: McConnells Mill State Park
2697 McConnells Mill Road
Portersville, PA16051
Website: https://www.visitlawrencecounty.com/event/mcconnells-mill-heritage-festival/
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This post documents my experience on September 29, 2019.
At McConnells Mill State Park…
…there was a lot going on to celebrate the annual Heritage Festival.
Over at the Civil War Camp…
…excited festival goers got ready…
…for some old-fashioned canon firing.
Just a stone’s throw away, a free Hayride Shuttle picked up festival goers…
…to take them to the mill and covered bridge.
And back in the main festival area, even more was going on…
…including glass-making demonstrations (Jefferson Glass Company)…
…presentations about the hardtack cracker and its place in American Civil War history (Daughters and Sons of the Cause)…
…hiking stick carving (NCTA Wampum Chapter)…
…face painting…
…and some fantastic musical entertainment (Harmony Hot Haus).
Many of the vendors here echoed the past…
…with hand forged ironware, custom knives (Crazy Pyper/One Eyed Cat Forge)…
…rustic pottery (Piper’s Pottery)…
…old soldier currency…
…and herbal beauty and household necessities (Kraken Apothecary).
…while there were also seasonal crafts…
…Stick City Brewing Company apparel and merchandise…
…mums and gourds to decorate the yard with (Three Acres Homestead)…
…and even a pawpaw stand…
…where you could purchase some pawpaw trees…
…and get to try a sample of the native fruit.
And speaking of sampling, the festival had a nice variety of food…
…from gyros, pierogi and BBQ galore (right – Rollin Smoke BBQ)…
…to Polish sausage, pulled pork sandwiches, steak hoagies and hot dogs (Portersville Prospect Rotary/Slippery Rock Township VFD).
But let’s forget the pie (Portersville Food Pantry)…
…and all that sweet kettlecorn.