The Hill was alive with the sound of music on Sunday.

The ninth annual Hootenanny was held in Summit Hill’s Ludlow Park with seven different bands performing. It was a return to the annual event after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The 2022 Hootenanny was sponsored by the Summit Hill Historical Society in partnership with the Carbon County Community Foundation.

Sara Ruch, chairman of the Hootenanny committee, said, “Thrilled is my word of choice for today,” in describing her excitement at the event’s success.

“There were no problems. We had a great crowd. You can see a lot of pride in the community today.”

Although hootenanny is a word usually describing a folk festival, there were other types of music played. The festival opened with polka favorites by The Pennsylvania Villagers and closed with rock tunes by Keystone Groove.

She was very happy Hootenanny could return. “I think it’s fantastic,” she said. “We’re thrilled to bring it back.”

Besides music, Hootenanny had plenty of food stands where visitors could get French fries, funnel cake, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, fresh squeezed lemonade and hot dogs with a large assortment of toppings.

There were commercial stands, but several organizations also capitalized for fundraising. The Panther Valley High School cheerleaders sold baked potatoes and corn on the cob while the Lady Panthers Basketball team sold apple chips. Several stands sold sweets such as pastries and candy.

There was a free “Kiddie Corner” in which youngsters could color, make crafts such as hand puppets. make giant bubbles at a wading pool and play checkers. The Kiddie Corner was manned by Lisa Reabold, who said she works for the Carbon County Environmental Education Center, which supplied some of the items for the children.

David Wargo, chairman of the economic committee of Summit Hill Borough Council, said, “I think it’s fantastic that this event has come back. It’s a worthwhile event and definitely an asset to the borough. I’m enjoying it tremendously.”

Len Ogozalek said he came to see the Pennsylvania Villagers, which opened the nine-hour festival at 11 a.m. “It’s a good orchestra to start the festivities,” he said.

He added, “I’m glad this happens for Summit Hill. It’s definitely good for the borough. With the pandemic, you didn’t see your friends around. Here you see everybody.”

The Pennsylvania Villagers played such selections as “Come On and Dance,” an original by the King Brothers Orchestra of Coaldale; “Spanish Eyes,” “Roll Out the Barrel” and “Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie.”

Ruch, besides handling her duties as being in charge of the festival, played with the band Free Range Folk, which plays a wide range of folk tunes. The band, based in Jim Thorpe, was a major hit with a large crowd in attendance. While the band was playing, some ladies were twirling hula-hoops and other people were individually dancing.

Ruch’s husband, Kevin, is the main vocalist.

Sara plays a variety of old-style instruments including a wash board and a hand saw, the latter from which she produces sounds with a fiddle bow.

During their last selection, they called to the stage Kyle O’Brien of Jim Thorpe, who works for a New York City publication. O’Brien proved to have a unique talent, playing two saxophones at the same time during a selection by the band.

Sara said the festival is organized each year by a planning committee of volunteers with a budget of approximately $4,000.

The Summit Hill Historical Society has provided funding for the 2022 budget with a contribution, so all donations, vending fees, and shirt sponsorships raised for this year will go into the Summit Hill Hootenanny Fund toward future years, ensuring that this annual tradition keeps going.

To donate to the Summit Hill Hootenanny Fund, visit www.cccfoundpa.org or contact the Carbon County Community Foundation at 855-545-1311.

Ruch said checks can be made out to Carbon County Community Foundation with Hootenanny Fund in the memo line and mailed to:

Carbon County Community Foundation

P.O. Box 243

Lehighton, Pa. 18235