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2022 Blossburg State Coal Festival programming will start off with a free musical and historical program about coal mining at the Blossburg Memorial Library.

Musician Jay Smar will present “Folklore & Coal Mining Songs of Northeast PA” Thursday May 26th at 6:00 pm in the Blossburg Memorial Library Community Room (lower level) 307 Main Street, Blossburg.

An informative yet musical and historical program with original and documented songs of this region during the early 1900’s, highlighting the everyday struggles and life of the European coal miner in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Jay’s grandfather mined coal in Schuylkill and Carbon County, Pa for over 50 years.
Songs sung by miners, recorded by folklorist/journalist, George Korson of Pottsville, Pa., are performed as well as songs about more contemporary issues such as “The Fires of Centralia” documenting the 50 year old coal fire that burns until this day
Vocals are accompanied by guitar, claw-hammer banjo, and to emulate the mining musicians of this region, he sings, fiddles, and flat-foot clog-dances simultaneously to highlight the end of the program.
North East Pennsylvania coal books, chronicles, pay scales, photos and related coal mining articles will also displayed and coal mining history conversation encouraged after the performance.

This program and light refreshments are sponsored by the “Friends of the Blossburg Memorial Library”.

Please consider becoming a member of the Friends to help in supporting programs like this and other activities at the library. Information will be available at the program.
For more information about the Friends or the Blossburg Memorial Library you may call 570-638-2197, visit their website – blossburgmemroiallibrary.com and like the library’s facebook page https://www.facebook.com/blosslib.

Information/permission given by Jay Smar, http://www.jaysmar.com