Restored Wagon to Be Revealed at Forks Festival: Event Also to Feature Hay Rides, Music and Classic Cars.

By Madeleine Mathias, The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.

Sep. 14–The unveiling of an almost 100-year-old restored wagon at 10 a.m. Saturday will mark the beginning of Forks Community Days, a two-day event that features food, crafts, live entertainment, rides and fireworks.

Karl J. Miller, Forks Township Historical Society president, expects the township supervisors and other officials, State Sen. Rob Wonderling, R-Montgomery; and Elam Fisher, the Amish man who restored the wagon, to participate in the ceremonies in the parking lot of the community center.

The wagon was built in the early 1900s by Cyrus F. Graver, a township blacksmith. Restoring the 9-foot long, 4-foot wide wagon cost $11,000, paid for through a $5,000 state grant, fund drives and donations, Miller said.

The festival will have activities from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Two township residents, Susan and Harry Bennett, who moved to the township in 2001 from Maryland, are coordinating the program for the second year. They helped revive the festival idea last year after it had been dormant for more than a decade.

“Lots of new people have been moving into Forks, and this is a good way to get everyone to come together,” Susan Bennett said.

The township’s municipal park is the center for the 60 vendors and many of the activities.

Calvary Methodist Church and Tracks and Trains will set up model train platforms inside the community center. Visitors can take a hay ride to the oldest building in the township, the log cabin, built in 1766 and preserved by the Historical Society.

Shuttles will be offered from noon to 4 p.m. to groups of four who would like to buy sight-seeing trips. Also, tethered air balloons will be on display. On Saturday, police will hold a K-9 demonstration from 2 to 3 p.m., and there will be a demonstration by the Forks Martial Arts School of Self Defense from 3 to 4 p.m.

Bingo will be played at the community center throughout both days. Classic cars will be on display from 11 to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Musical offerings include Pure Country Dancers, Nazareth Big Swing Band, Joyous Band and King Henry & Showman. There also will be a Battle of the Bands 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday with three or more bands competing.

There will be fireworks from 9 to 10 p.m. Saturday.

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