Saxonburg Winter Festival brings community warmth
SAXONBURG — Despite being officially billed as a “winter festival,” Saxonburg’s Saturday festival saw temperatures of 55 degrees with sunny skies, and thousands of residents in quarter zips and spring gear enjoying what the community has to offer.
While Saxonburg residents consumed beer and hot chocolate, tents with business vendors lined the streets to show off their products. Spring felt not too distant, and community members were upbeat.
“This is my second year doing this, and it’s much nicer. I set up shop in Punxsutawney for Groundhog Day, and it was negative one degree,” Michael Greenstein, owner of local business Thorned Rose Gifts, said. “Everybody out here’s so happy. This means a lot. People get to see the art and the things that we make and care so much about.”
Main Street in Saxonburg was lively throughout the day. Much of the talk between friends and strangers centered around Knoch High School’s boys basketball team winning its first-ever WPIAL title Thursday night, adding an additional sense of pride to the tight-knit community.
As the sun shined down on Saxonburg, Main Street was filled by couples with their children and dogs, food trucks galore and vendors selling art, crafts and other handmade products.
While this isn’t anything new — Saxonburg has various festivals and reasons to shut down Main Street throughout the calendar year — the town was in high spirits Saturday morning and afternoon.
“It’s unusual to have so many of these events where I’m originally from. You’d never get to know your neighbors if you didn’t have things like this,” Sam Barill, a Saxonburg resident, said. “Some of these businesses, this weekend could be huge for them.”
Businesses with a presence on Main Street, Saxonburg, spoke to how important festivals like this can be for them, regardless of what craft or product they’re selling. The hours spent on businesses they’re so passionate about gets to be shown off to crowds of locals.
This is especially true when the weather is nice, and everyone’s in a good mood, they said.
Melony Fessides, a beekeeper who owns Fessides Farm and Apiary in Harmony, had the chance to sell raw honey and other products to local buyers.
“I get a lot of people who will come up to me and tell me they saw me last year, they remember what I do. I don’t get to Saxonburg all the time but there’s always good foot traffic here,” Fessides said.
Megan Afonwine, a local artist who provides local and group classes, said she got into painting in early 20s while bed-bound due to illness. In Saxonburg Saturday, she sold original artworks and prints she’s created.
“I’m here selling my art, I’m trying to save up for a home,” Afonwine said. “It’s huge to have people out here and come up and see our work. It looks different in person than it does simply on a screen, swiping through images and not actually interacting with it.”
There have been other festivals and community gatherings that drew large crowds. At Moraine State Park, hundreds turned out despite below zero temperatures, while Butler’s Carved in Ice fest drew a large number of residents.
But with the sun out and clear skies, Saxonburg residents could take to the streets, support businesses and relax outside in Springlike weather.
“These are the days that we remember we’re part of a community,” Greenstein said.
