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No. 9 museum fest celebrates coal mining heritage It’s once again time to celebrate coal mining history and Coal Region culture. The No. 9 Coal Mine & Museum will hold its 19th annual Coal Mining Heritage Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at its 9 W. Dock St., Lansford, headquarters. The annual picnic will feature all things coal mining, along with food, music, crafts, contests, demonstrations, a large basket raffle and more, said museum Secretary Dale Freudenberger. Admission and parking are free. Visitors will also be able to tour the underground mine for a fee. According to Freudenberger, coal region favorites will be on the menu. The homemade ethnic food offerings will include halpuki, halushki, pierogies with butter and onions, and ham and bean soup. “And you can’t forget bleenies,” or potato pancakes, Freudenberger said. There will also be open pit beef and pork barbecue, funnel cakes, hot dogs, hamburgers, deep fried Oreos, corn on the cob, fresh-tapped birch beer and ice cream. “One of the most popular activities is the coal shoveling competition,” Freudenberger said. Participants will shovel a half-ton of anthracite in the shortest time possible. Winners receive trophies. Children are invited to compete in an old fashioned coal sack race for prizes. A wide variety of crafters and vendors will be on hand selling homemade blacksmith items and 3-D printed items, along with wood crafts, holiday décor, gemstones and jewelry, and coal-themed apparel. “We will have private collectors selling an array of authentic coal mining artifacts and antiques such as lamps and tools,” Freudenberger said. “It is unique. You don’t see that everywhere.” Music will be provided by Jay Smar, Dave Matsinko and DJ Shawn, who will spin coal mining favorites. Polka Joe Manjack of WMGH’s “Magic Polka Machine” show will broadcast live from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visitors can also take a guided tour of the historic No. 9 Coal Mine, which opened in 1855, and experience what it was like to work underground in a coal mine. They will ride the mine train 1,600 feet inside the mountain and then begin a walking tour to see many of the unique features, including the massive elevators and shaft, the go-devil machine, the muleways, second escape way, mine hospital, a cave-in site and fossils. Mine tour tickets can be purchased in the gift shop. Those who haven’t been to the site since last year’s festival are encouraged to stop by the new Dorrance Mine fan museum. “It is an exhibit of the two largest mine circulating fans in existence,” Freudenberger said. The museum will be open, too, with free admission. The event will be held rain or shine. For more information, call 570-645-7074. Last minute vendors may contact Freudenberger at 610-597-6722.