The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites the public to Round 1 of A Cappella & Unplugged 2023 at the Capitol Theatre in Chambersburg on June 3rd at 7pm. This event is offered at no charge. Reserve a seat on Eventbrite here. The audience will get to experience 15 local and regional musical acts. Seven of the 15 acts will be chosen to move on to the Final Round for a chance to win the GRAND PRIZE of $500! The Final Round will take place on the steps of the 1865 Franklin County Courthouse in Chambersburg right before the 1864 Ransoming, Burning & REBIRTH, on July 15th. Finalists will be chosen by a judges panel. Additionally, the audience will vote for a “People’s Choice” winner.
For live-music lovers and those looking for an entertaining local event, A Cappella & Unplugged Round 1 is a great match. This year, round 1 brings another superb mix of talented performers to the stage. Audience members will witness the diverse world of music brought to life through each act. Listeners can expect to hear everything from bluegrass, to country, rock, blues, traditional a cappella, and more!
The 2023 Round 1 contestants are: Robert Twine, Brad Shaffer, Marissa Porter, Stephanie Rhodes and the RMS Experience, Paul Minnich, Elijah Myers, Ta’von Patterson, Henry & Karin – “Franklin’s Kite”, Ryan Franko, Devin Fields, Hearts In Harmony, The Catoctones, Lukas Clever, Rylan Rissler
The 2023 A Cappella & Unplugged musical competition is the ninth annual event. Past winners of A Cappella & Unplugged are 2015: Taylor Piper & Kristopher Potter/A World Apart, 2016: Kate & Isaac, 2017: Elly Cooke, 2018: Alexus Lawson, 2019: For F4ith, 2020: Gabrielle Stone, 2021: Bailey Appleby, and 2022: Willeby Hayes.
For questions or to reserve a free seat, visit ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com or contact the Franklin County Visitors Bureau at 866.646.8060.
CTAs and CVBA Ambassadors Clean by the ‘Jig’ in May
The Franklin County Visitors Bureau (FCVB) along with Franklin County Certified Tourism Ambassadors (CTA) and Cumberland Valley Business Alliance (CVBA) Ambassadors invite the public to join them for a community clean-up event called, “Clean by the “Jig”” from 3pm – 5pm on May 16th, 18th and 24th.
The community clean-up will include trash collection on the Rail Trail situated along the Conococheague Creek in downtown Chambersburg. The event will kick-off at Chambers Fort Park located at the Rosedale parking lot (next to Avacado Cafe) on 40 Spring St.
Additionally, teams will have the option to head to Falling Spring Presbyterian Church where Chambersburg’s founding Father, Ben Chambers grave site is located. At the cemetery, teams lead by experienced CTAs will have the opportunity to spray headstones to remove algae and other build up to reveal the details of the graves to the public once again. Work done at the cemetery is perfect for those who want to help but may have physical limitations or do not wish to collect trash.
Each event will conclude with an after party at a nearby brewery. The first 25 registrations for each clean-up day will receive a $5 voucher to use that evening.
After party locations are:
May 16th: Liquid Art Beer Stube
May 28th: TBC Brewing Company
May 24th: GearHouse Brewing Co.
All are family friendly and have great food, craft beverages and non-alcoholic options available.
CTAs and CVBA Ambassadors will receive a special discount at some of the after party locations.
Clean by the “Jig” is one of many initiatives throughout Franklin County and is registered with Pick Up PA. The goal is to encourage local community members to do their part, work together and “Fight Dirty.” Pick Up PA wants the public to keep in mind, “Every Litter Bit Matters.” CTAs and CVBA Ambassadors are also registered to participate in other Pick Up PA events in Franklin County including Cleanup is Elementary organized by Mainstreet Waynesboro Inc on May 16th and Women Build May of Caring Community Cleanup on May 20th organized by Habitat Franklin County Women Build. CTAs and CVBA Ambassadors take pride in their community and want to encourage everyone to do their part to keep Franklin County beautiful, clean and green.
Franklin County Visitors Bureau highlights the many cuisines of Franklin County at Franklin County Flavor: 300 Years of Food on August 13, 6 PM to 8 PM. The public is invited to explore more than 300 years of multi-cultural cuisines that come together in Franklin County. From the earliest influences of Pennsylvania German and Scots Irish to Latin American flavors, plus, everything in between: Greek, Korean, Japanese, Italian, and Indian, Franklin County Flavor will invigorate your tastebuds.
Participants will start the evening with a complimentary sampling of the Franklin County Pour Trail and an introduction to the fresh foods of Franklin County with a tasting of local cheeses in the lobby of the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center. From local flavor, tasting moves to flavors of the world with Baba Ganoush with Pita and freshly made Salsa and Chips.
From samples in the lobby, participants move upstairs to the Great Room of the 11/30 Visitors Center, overlooking the center of town, where they will enjoy a variety of foods in 2-to-three- ounce portions. Hot and cold starters of Loroco Pupusas, Papa a la Huancaina, and Sweet Potato Sushi begin the served meal. Beverage selections include local Kombucha and Water Kefir. A variety of breads accompany Sopa Azteca and Shorba Soup as the next courses.
Entrees include Pasta with Cream Sauce (with chicken or without), Souvlaki, Chicken Coconut Curry, and Catfish. Along with the main dishes are cold sides of kale salad, locally made pickles, and pepper slaw. Warm side dishes include Lemon potatoes, Old-fashioned Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Brussel sprouts, and Collard Greens. The meal finishes on a sweet note with four desserts—Fresh Peach Pie, Molasses Cookies, Apple Sweet Bread, and Berry Ice Cream.
From 1725 to 1840, Pennsylvania was the #1 food producer in North America, and Franklin County’s fertile land produced its share. Fast forward, nearly 300 years to 2022…our food connects us to three centuries of customs, culture, and heritage. Today, Franklin County growers and restaurants continue the tradition of bringing good food to friends and family. Join the Franklin County Visitors Bureau at the 11/30 Visitors Center for this flavorful event. Tickets are $45/person and can be purchased online here.
Franklin County Flavor: 300 Years of Food features food from India Café, Inka Kitchen, Pure & Simple, Falafel Shack, The Orchards, Kenzo, Square One, El Sombrero, Montezuma Mexican Restaurant, Ada’s Bakery, Heritage Kitchen, Jim’s Deli at Jim’s Country Market, The Family Cow, Undone Kombucha, Jordyn’s Café, Route 30 Restaurant, and more. Food is a direct way to connect to Franklin County—past and present. Discover more about Franklin County here and don’t miss tasting the many flavors of Franklin County!
The Franklin County Visitors Bureau (FCVB) invites the public to the November 24th grand opening of the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center, named for its location at the intersection of the two historic Routes 11 and 30 in downtown Chambersburg. The grand opening coincides with Small Business Saturday 2018 and is a day-long event from 10 AM to 7 PM. It includes walking tours, book signings, speakers, musical entertainment, and tours of the facility. At 5 PM and 6 PM, FCVB will host a live performance of 300 Years of American History, including 1864 Ransoming, Burning & Rebirth of Chambersburg. Visitors can enjoy the performance from inside the 11/30 Visitors Center with an indoor light show or enjoy a radio-style broadcast outdoors where an exterior light show will accompany the story.
The 11/30 Visitors Center is strategically located at these two main travel arteries of Chambersburg, the county seat of Franklin County, and establishes a gateway to explore Franklin County PA. It will feature five different exhibits, changing themes every eight weeks. The grand opening exhibits are Remembering World War 1, Artisans of Franklin County, Stone Arch and Covered Bridges of Franklin County, On The Move in Franklin County, and Fresh Foods of Franklin County. Along with the exhibits, FCVB will associate an itinerary to each theme for visitors to explore the five main communities of Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro plus areas in between or “around the bend” such as Fort Loudon, Mont Alto, Fayetteville, or Rouzerville.
FCVB coincided the Grand Opening of the 11/30 Visitors Center with Small Business Saturday because small town flavor is one of the draws for the half-million visitors to the county annually. FCVB is supporting several shopping giveaways and activities in Chambersburg, Greencaste, and Waynesboro. The retail and hospitality sector of Franklin County supports more than 15,000 jobs and is the core of more than $300 million of visitor spending annually.
FCVB purchased the 10,000-sq.ft. brick and marble building at 15 South Main Street in December 2016. The property, constructed in 1865, served as a bank throughout its existence. Historically known as the First National Bank of Chambersburg and in later years, Unitas Bank and Sovereign Bank, it last functioned in May 2015 as Santander Bank. With $1.6 million in renovations, FCVB transformed the property to the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center to tell stories of history and humanity and share the county’s healthy fresh foods, inspiring art, architecture, and entertainment. The two main vaults of the bank remain intact. One will host videos of the county and the other will hold the itineraries to help launch visitors throughout Franklin County.
Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center Grand Opening Schedule: November 24 – 10 AM to 7 PM
10 AM to 10:45 AM – Brussel Café – Coffee & Waffle Cake
10:15 AM– 10:50 AM – Walking Tour departs for Downtown Walk of History
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM – Mike Marotte presents: “World War I Touches Franklin County”
12:15 PM – 12:50 PM – Walking Tour departs for Downtown Walk of History
1 PM – 2:30 PM – Ted Alexander presents: “The American Civil War in Franklin County”
2:15 PM – 2:50 PM – Walking Tour departs for Downtown Walk of History
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM– Ghost Pit Presents “Spirits of 15 South Main”
5 PM – Franklin County: 300 Years of American History, including 1864 Ransoming, Burning & Rebirth of Chambersburg
6 PM – Franklin County: 300 Years of American History, including 1864 Ransoming, Burning & Rebirth of Chambersburg
Exhibit viewing, video presentations, and building tours from 10:30 AM to 4 PM. Musical entertainment will be provided by semi-finalists and finalists of Franklin County’s musical contest A Cappella & Unplugged.
Franklin County: 300 Years of American History, including 1864 Ransoming, Burning & Rebirth of Chambersburg is a variation of the annual light show. Visitors can enjoy the presentation from inside or outdoors. Two show are provided for visitors to enjoy both experiences.
In 1764, Franklin County PA was the frontier of colonial America, inhabited by Scots-Irish, German, Irish, and Welsh immigrants and remained the hunting grounds of Native American tribes, in particular the Lenni Lenape, known also as the Delaware. The unrest along the frontier was ever-present as a steady influx of settlers occupied the frontier lands of Franklin County, seeping more and more into the land Great Britain promised would remain Native American territory. A year earlier in western Pennsylvania, Chief Pontiac attacked British forts because of the encroaching settlements, and British Colonel Henry Bouquet responded by attacking the Native Americans, spurring an increase of Indian attacks on European settlers of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. It became all-out warfare. On the morning of July 26, 1764, as Enoch Brown and eleven students settled into their studies, the war came to the doorstep of the small, log school house in present-day Antrim Township, near Greencastle PA.
Three Delaware entered the school , clubbed and scalped schoolmaster Enoch Brown and his eleven pupils. Archie McCullough, one young boy, would survive by pretending to be dead as the horror happened around him. When the Delaware left the schoolhouse, Archie managed to hide himself in the fireplace until he was certain they would not return and then made his way to a nearby stream to wash his head in the cool waters. The quietness of the schoolhouse signaled nearby farmers to investigate, bringing help to Archie and discovery to the victims.
Today, the site of so much anguish is a much more peaceful place. It is now Enoch Brown Memorial Park– 3-acres of greenery, which includes a memorial where the story is told on the four faces of a monument, a series of walking trails, and a pavilion.
The park is located off Williamson Road, which is just off Route 11, at 2730 Enoch Brown Road in Greencastle.
