Folk music, workshops, crafters, food, a museum grand opening and perfect summer weather combined with an estimated 1,000-plus people to make Summit Hill's inaugural Hootenanny a success Sunday in Ludlow Park in Summit Hill. The hilltop community resounded with good old-fashioned music celebrating Americana and the rich musical history that is rooted in the heritage of our country.

"You can say this was a hit because we ran out of food and we were in between musical acts and people still stayed around and didn't leave," said Lansford-Summit Hill Community Partnership's project manager Sara Ruch at the event's conclusion. Ruch was the chief organizer of the new community arts and music festival."This is a great event with a lot of good people in town and we need to celebrate that," she added.Ruch said funding for this first year was from a Department of Community and Economic Development grant that the borough received with the assistance of former state Speaker Keith McCall's office. Part of the funding was designated for the establishment of an arts and music festival in the hilltop borough."We look forward next year to it becoming bigger and better," she added.Most of Ludlow Park was lined with crafters and vendors selling food during the festival, including the Summit Hill Recreation Commission and the Summit Hill Heritage Center.One end of the festival's midway ended at the gazebo near Walnut Street, where several workshops were held during the day's activities and concerts. Some of the workshops included local musicians Brad Burr teaching the hammered dulcimer; Nick Roberti offering an introduction to playing the ukulele; Franklin Klock teaching drumming; and Jay Smar teaching guitar and clogging.The other end of the midway was where the cornhole tournament and the stage were located. Hooping with Dani was also at this end of the festival ground, where Dani Butala taught anyone interested how to hula hoop for fitness.Six local bands headlined the event including Jupiter's Arrow, Shane and Livi, Coal County Express, Jay Smar, Free Range Folk and Dakini. The acts played Americana-style music featuring the folk styles that took many back to their heritage and roots.Ruch said the vision for the festival was inspired by her familiarity with the talented family-oriented musicians in the local area who said they would be willing to support and play at a festival."We wanted to create a family friendly event that everyone could attend and enjoy," said Ruch.From the comments from several of those in attendance, Ruch's committee and volunteers appear to have hit the mark."It's awesome that Summit Hill has life in the middle of it again," Summit Hill native Connie Cannon said.Her husband, Danny Cannon agreed."I like the ethnic food, the different stands and the community feeling here in Ludlow Park."Klock, who led a drumming circle workshop during the event said, "I like that this is a community festival not attached to any particular organization, and it's using a park that most people seem to just drive around and never take the time to enjoy."Connie Cannon said the festival reminded her of being a teen and the community events that used to take place in the park and the numbers of people that would attend them.The committee headed by Ruch, who helped to organize the event, included Penny Shelton, Brad Konstas and Elise Reabold along with her family including Kevin Ruch, Dan Ruch and father Dick Laudenslager, who ran the cornhole tournament."The winners of the tournament will receive a free cornhole set," said Ruch. The winners of the 13 team double elimination tournament were Summit Hill resident John Kupec, Jr. and Tom Ruch. A cornhole set is a bean bag game for two or four players who toss bean bags at bases with holes in them.The crowds were better than expected and the weather was perfect for the event, so much so that many of the food vendors actually sold out before the festival concluded. Ludlow and Holland Streets were closed from Kline Street to Market Street to create a safe atmosphere and make it easy for the crowds to mill between Ludlow Park and the Summit Hill Historical Society museum located across the street.The museum celebrated its grand opening during the festival and gave away door prizes every hour during the event. Toward the conclusion member Carol Miller said several hundred people registered at the museum."For every person that signed in though, I would bet at least one or two more slipped in without signing in," Miller said.The museum sold water and soft drinks for the festival.Ruch thanked all of her volunteers, the community organizations, former state Speaker McCall, the borough officials and everyone who helped make the event such a success for its first year."It can only get bigger and better from here."She said planning for next year's festival will begin soon and those who wish to get involved and help or contribute can contact her through the partnership office by email at

lshcpmanager@gmail.com or by phone at (570) 645-7561.