30 June 2023- Delicious food, family activities, ice cream, history and so much more is planned for the 37th Annual ChambersFest from July 8 to 15 in the greater Chambersburg area.
The weeklong family-friendly festival will include a variety of fun community events including Restaurant Week, Scoop-a-Palooza, Tim & Susan Cook Memorial Race, Old Market Day, 1864: The Burning, history exhibits, live music and more.
“ChambersFest is one of the most enjoyable community celebrations in Chambersburg, and we are grateful for all the organizations that have shown their support this year,” said Steve Christian, president of the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce. “Many local restaurants, retail businesses and nonprofits will participate, and we hope to see thousands of people enjoy the festivities happening all over our town.”
ChambersFest will start on Saturday, July 8 with the 7th Annual Restaurant Week. More than 25 restaurants will participate with special cuisines, meal deals and daily prizes through Saturday, July 15. Restaurants involved include Big Oak Café, Brussel’s Café, Fiesta Maya, Fox’s Pizza Den, GearHouse Brewing Co., Hickory Ridge Restaurant, Kenny’s Grill & Ice Cream, Ledo Pizza, Meadows Frozen Custard of Chambersburg, Veroni Café and others. For a full list of restaurants and contest information, visit Chambersburg.org/ChambersFestRW.
Saturday’s events will also include the 19th Annual Tim & Susan Cook Memorial 1-Mile Race/Walk beginning at 7 a.m. at Chambersburg Area Senior High School (CASHS) Upper Concession Stand. Scoop-a-Palooza, the popular all-you-can-eat ice cream festival, will also be at CASHS that day from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Other ChambersFest activities throughout the week include North Square Farmers Market, Totem Pole Playhouse presents: Annie: The Musical, Franklin County Historical Society’s “Stanley Company” exhibit, tours of WellSpan Health’s Mobile Mammography Coach and more.
Finally, the festival will culminate Saturday, July 15, with the largest events of the week: Old Market Day and 1864: The Burning.
Old Market Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. will fill the streets of downtown with music, food, arts and crafts. The day features more than 150 craft and food vendors, on-stage entertainment and other activities. Later that evening will be the final round of the A Cappella & Unplugged music competition as well as the popular military re-enactment light show: 1864: The Burning.
ChambersFest began in 1986 when local organizations came together to create a festival commemorating the town’s rebirth after its burning on July 30, 1864. On that fateful day, Chambersburg became the only town north of the Mason-Dixon line to be burned by Confederates during the Civil War. More than 500 structures were destroyed and 2,000 people left homeless. The townspeople were resilient, however, and rebuilt the town, which enabled Chambersburg to grow and prosper.
Today, ChambersFest celebrates the spirit of the townspeople with fun, family-friendly events. View the entire schedule of events at Chambersburg.org/ChambersFest. For questions about ChambersFest, please call the Chamber at 717-264-7101.
ChambersFest events are coordinated by a variety of organizations, including the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Business Council, Franklin County Visitors Bureau, North Square Farmers Market, Chambersburg Chamber Foundation and others.
