Spring is up and running in the mountains of east central Pennsylvania! Whether you’re looking for outdoor adventures, cultural celebrations with authentic music and eats, arts around town, or a brewfest with tons of tasty brews, you won’t be disappointed in Schuylkill County.

Annual Festival Brings Art, Music & More to Downtown

Block Of Art is an inclusive arts organization that holds an annual spring arts festival in downtown Pottsville. Block Of Art works with artists and art organizations on community arts events and projects throughout the year, but each spring, the “blocks” of Pottsville’s historic district come alive with fine art of all types, from paintings to poetry, theatre to music, and much more. Innovative sounds and sights will fill the temporary galleries, spilling out of the grand historic structures and into the street during the Block of Art on April 29th. With plenty of restaurants and food trucks to keep you going, as well as a few solid breweries, your day of art around town is sure to be a win.

Experience Authentic Foods, Festive Music and Cultural Heritage During Yearly Celebration

A few miles away in Shenandoah, they’re getting ready for their big yearly festival; Kielbasi Fest and Heritage Day: Two Great Celebrations, One Great Day on Saturday May 20th. The festival opens with the Parade of Nations at 10 a.m. Revelers will line the streets early to take in the brilliant cultural costumes and festive music of ethnicities from around the world. In this parade you will find large numbers of Polish, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian populations alongside Puerto Rican, Mexican, and El Salvadorans in celebration of a diverse community they all love. The sounds of polkas, tarantellas, oompah bands and mariachi will ring through the streets with costumed dancers and national flags waving. You won’t find anything quite like it in our neck of the woods.

While the Kielbasi Festival highlights everyone’s favorite eastern European meat with its Three Kielbasi Kings, kielbasi contest, and a veritable slew of kielbasa inspired dishes, it also encompasses ethnic favorites from around the world. In this diverse community festival you will enjoy pierogies, pasta fagioli, bleenies, tamales, empanadas, haluski, brats, halupkis, along with traditional favorites like French fries and funnel cakes. Bring someone to share the food and fun with so you’ll be able to experience as many dishes as possible!

Paddle Happy: Kayak, Camp & Live Music on the Schuylkill River

Woodland adventures never stop here. On any given day there are trails to hike and bike, lakes to fish, and lots of great stretches along the Schuylkill River to kayak. On June 2nd through 4th, Paddle Happy: Schuylkill will take you through some of the most exciting parts of the Schuylkill River in a three day group paddling and camping event that is doable for every level paddler. You’ll explore the coolest section of the Schuylkill River while enjoying awesome catered meals and live tunes at every stop.

Enjoy a Day of Brews, Food, Brews and More Brews

Solid breweries (and wineries and distilleries) are a specialty of ours in Schuylkill County, so you’ll want to grab tickets to Schuylkill County Brew Fest on July 22nd in Pottsville. This brew fest is known to feature at least forty breweries with wicked good beer lists, live music, awesome food trucks, and, are you ready…professional wrestling! I don’t even need to say anything else. But first, on Saturday, April 8th, elite homebrewers can battle it out at the Schuylkill County Homebrew Fest for a spot to pour in Brew Fest.

Featured Image (Top) Courtesy of Explore Schuylkill