ChambersFest will culminate on Saturday with the biggest events of the week-long festival celebrating Chambersburg's rebirth from Confederate flames 160 years ago.
The story of the Burning of Chambersburg will come to life at dusk in Memorial Square against the backdrop of Franklin County's historic courthouse, parts of which survived the fire.
More than a dozen actors will play townspeople and key figures involved in the burning, including Confederate Gen. John McCausland, who led 2,800 cavalrymen into town and ordered the ransoming and burning on July 30, 1864, while lighting, sounds and other special effects will recreate the flames and smoke that destroyed some 500 buildings and left 2,000 people homeless.
The audience will also hear about the aftermath of the fire and its impact on Chambersburg becoming the place it is today.
Officially called "1864: The Ransoming, Burning and Rebirth of Chambersburg," the light show will follow a full day of activity, much of it at the crossroads of U.S. 11 and U.S. 30.
Old Market Day and more activities
Old Market Day is expected to bring thousands of people downtown between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The street festival will feature over 100 art, craft, business and food vendors along North and South Main Street and on Lincoln Way East and West just off the square. Downtown businesses will have specials.
Courtside Plaza will host a variety of entertainment.
There will also be exhibits and activities through the evening:
Louisa Brand exhibit: From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Old Jail, Franklin County Historical Society will celebrate a Chambersburg woman who, during the 1864 burning, defied Confederate demands that she remove the American flag she had wrapped around herself. The flag will be on display.
For kids and adults: Franklin County Visitors Bureau will host a children's area with crafts, coloring pages and a ball pit. There will be selfie stations, FCVB-TV episodes airing in the video vault, and an opportunity to enter a drawing for a gift basket with local prizes (drawing at 5:45 p.m. on Courthouse Plaza). Also check out the self-guided Civil War walking tour . The 11/30 Visitors Center, 15 S. Main St., will be open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Chambersburg Volunteer Fireman's Museum: Open 4-9 p.m. for free tours at 441 Broad St. An 1850 hose cart, which belonged to the Friendship Fire Company and was at the Burning of Chambersburg, will be on display.
Horse and wagon tours: Between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. horse and wagon tours will highlight what stood on today's properties in 1864. The rides, about 12 minutes long, load at the northwest side of Memorial Fountain. Rides are free, but donations will go to Homeless Matters and Habitat for Humanity.
Dinner time: Food vendors will be set up between 5:30 and 8 p.m. in Memorial Square. In addition to vendors including Copper Fox Coffee, Boost Burger, Jerky Shak and Yard Goat, check out Main Street restaurants Classic Family Diner, Don Checko’s, Veroni Cafe, Falafel Shack and Bistro 71.
ChambersFest: Everything you need to know about Chambersburg's week-long festival
A Cappella and Unplugged celebrates 10 years
Local musicians have been vying for a chance to perform in the finals of A Cappella and Unplugged for months at local open mic events. The big show is at 7 p.m. Saturday on the steps of the Franklin County Courthouse.
Finalists Jeff Trish, Marissa Porter, Kiley Heltzel, Calamity & Justus, and Paul Minnich will perform.
Audience members will vote for their favorite performance by ballot and text-in vote. The act with the most votes will receive $500 and will perform a final time as the 2024 champion.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the contest for acoustic and a cappella musicians, past contestants, finalists and winners will come together for a group performance before this year's finalists take to the stage.
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Roads will be closed July 20 for final ChambersFest events
Streets in downtown Chambersburg will be closed to traffic for some or all of Saturday to make way for festivities and make it safe for pedestrians.
Between 6 a.m and 6 p.m., Philadelphia Avenue will be closed at Commerce Street south to Chambers Street to create a detour related to Old Market Day, according to Chambersburg Police. This will block motorists from traveling south into Chambersburg on U.S. 11/Philadelphia Avenue. Residents will still be able to access the area from Wolf Avenue.
North and South Main Street will be closed to traffic from King Street to Washington Street. No trucks or buses will be permitted on King Street.
Lincoln Way (U.S. 30 going west) will be closed between Second Street west to Black Avenue.
Main Street and Lincoln Way will remain closed until 11 p.m., following the Burning of Chambersburg light show.
Queen Street (U.S. 30 eastbound) will remain open to traffic.
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What's the weather forecast for Old Market Day, Burning of Chambersburg light show?
It will be hot and pretty humid on Saturday, but the area should not see the near 100-degree weather that settled in earlier this week and last week.
The National Weather Service forecast shows a high of 90 degrees, while Accuweather is forecasting a high of 84. Both weather services agree that mostly sunny skies will give way to some clouds by the afternoon.
There is a chance of rain in the evening, but the forecasts don't indicate significant precipitation.
Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Old Market Day, Burning of Chambersburg light show: Street closures, weather, more to know
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