Hurricane Matthew missed Pennsylvania, but winds from an arriving cold front provided a sense of adventure Sunday at the Tamaqua Heritage Festival.

Strong, cold gusts of air sent several vendors' canopies sailing, one of which smashed the rear window of a parked car.In fact, trinket vendor Anna Marconna of Kutztown said she came prepared. She wore a winter coat and avoided bringing along anything that potentially could go airborne."I left my canopy at home. They said it'd be breezy, but it's windy," said Marconna, selling poly-resin dragons and giftware in front of the 1850 Anthracite Bank building, 133 W. Broad St.But the cold weather failed to slow down the volunteers of First United Methodist Church, which sold hot food and desserts."We made meatballs, halushki and we're giving away free clothing," said the Rev. Susan Daniels.In fact, the weather didn't appear to keep away any of the vendors or entertainment."We have 85 vendors and everything is full," said Dale Freudenberger, president of the Tamaqua Historical Society, event sponsor.Jody Kellner reported brisk activity at Tink's Antiques on South Railroad Street and attributed the success to her shop's wide variety of goods."We're not just antiques. We have soy candles, soaps, jewelry," she said, adding that goodies from Nothing Fancy Bakery and Sweet Treats are popular.The festival provides a fall homecoming, which this year fell on the same weekend as football homecoming."I like to come to these festivals because I see friends from when I lived here in Schuylkill and Carbon," said Janet Seeds of Honeybrook in Chester County.Seeds was accompanied by friend Bob Shucavage of Tamaqua.Sidewalks were busy throughout the late morning and afternoon, and some said they enjoy the fresh air and seeing the activity in downtown.For photographer Joe Matukonis of Owl Creek, the event is an opportunity to network and make new contacts."As long as I cover my costs I'm happy," he said. Matukonis' art has been featured by the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce.The day was also big for little children, some of whom took trolley rides pulled by Leiby's Belgian draft horses. But horses weren't the only animals entertaining attendees.For little Alfred Wu, 5, of Tamaqua, the experience of petting Yaz, a 7-year-old alpaca, was a thrill that left him speechless. Wu stood and stared at the unusual woolly creature, displayed by the Kuehner family of Picnic Woods Alpacas, Lehighton.The wind continued to be a topic of conversation throughout the day. At one point, one vendor's cash box blew across Broad Street, scattering dollar bills in all directions.Fortunately, other vendors and passers-by ran to scoop up the bills and return them to the owner.Living historians dressed in period costume roamed the festival while music from a live WMGH broadcast with Polka Joe Manjack played in the background.The event also included tunes by folk musician Dave Matsinko, an open house by the Tamaqua Anthracite Model Railroad Club and a car show by the Tamaqua Street Machine Association.