ChambersFest: Everything you need to know about Chambersburg's week-long festival

ChambersFest, a celebration of the town's resilience and growth after Confederate troops burned much of it to the ground during the Civil War, returns the third week of July.

Some highlights of the weeklong event include the Scoop-a-palooza ice cream festival, the Old Market Day street festival and the annual Burning of Chambersburg reenactment.

“Our community looks forward to ChambersFest each year,” said Steve Christian, president of theGreater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce, via a news release. “We are grateful to bring together a variety of events and activities that highlight our area’s unique history and vibrant culture. Many local restaurants, retailbusinesses and nonprofits will participate, and we hope to see thousands of people enjoying thefestivities.”

Check out the schedule of events below.

Restaurant Week

All week

Restaurants around Chambersburg

Taste all that Chambersburg has to offer for a chance to win prizes. More than 35 restaurants will participate in the eighth annual event, including The Barrel House Brewery, Brussel’s Café, Crumbl Cookies, Denim Coffee, Falafel Shack, Fiesta Maya, GearHouse Brewing Co., Hickory Ridge Restaurant, The Igloo, Kenny’s Grill & Ice Cream, Ledo Pizza, Meadows Frozen Custard, Olympia Candy Kitchen and Veroni Café.

Post a photo of your meal on the ChambersFest Restaurant Week Facebook page to be entered into a drawing for a gift card, with winners announced daily. Everyone who entered throughout the week will be entered into a final drawing on July 20 for a grand prize; the winner will be announced July 22.

Check out participating restaurants and get details at chambersburg.org/ChambersFestRW/.

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Tim and Susan Cook Memorial Race

Saturday, July 13

Races start at Chambersburg Area Middle School South

This 1-mile race/walk is named for Tim and Susan Cook, a Chambersburg educator and his wife who were killed in a 2002 car crash, and the proceeds go to the scholarship fund started in their honor. The race is a mile because Tim Cook, while a champion runner for Chambersburg in the two-mile race, loved running one-milers.

The race begins at CAMS South and ends at Chambersburg Area Senior High School. Women and girls take off at 8 a.m., followed by men and boys at 8:30. Registration is $25, either the day of the event at the upper area of Trojan Stadium or ahead of time at business.cvballiance.org.

Scoop-a-Palooza

10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 13

Chambersburg Area Senior High School cafeteria

Try samples from ice cream shops from around the area, then vote on your favorites. A local celebrity will become a "human sundae" at 12:30 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for kids ages 2-10. Discount tickets are available online at scoopapalooza.org or at the Chambersburg Heritage Center (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday).

"Heroine of the Burning of Chambersburg" tombstone dedication

10:30 to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 13

Cedar Grove Cemetery, 130 N. Franklin St.

Franklin County Historical Society will honor Louisa Brand, who earned the nickname "heroine of the Burning of Chambersburg," for her actions during the historical event. As the Confederate Army burned Chambersburg on July 30, 1864, 21-year-old Brand stood on her porch, wrapped in an American flag and with a pistol in hand, and dared any soldier to burn her home.

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Groundbreaking at Mary B. Sharpe School

3-4:30 p.m. on Friday, July 19

Old Mary B. Sharpe School, 850 Broad St.

Built in 1908, the school was part of Chambersburg Area School District through 2008 and was last used in 2018. McKissick Properties, which was behind transforming part of the old Central Junior High/Chambersburg High School at Third/Queen streets into the Rose Rent Lofts, bought the building at auction in 2022 with plans to turn the space into apartments. A groundbreaking ceremony for the project will take place July 19.

Guests will also get to check out displays showing a 3D virtual walkthrough of the building and future apartments. There will be a presentation showing how the building's original exterior facades will be recreated.

Old Market Day

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 20

Downtown Chambersburg

More than 150 craft, art, food and drink vendors will be set up at this massive street festival. There will also be kids activities, demonstrations and more.

Downtown businesses will also have specials and deals to celebrate Old Market Day.

Heroes & Angels Exhibit: 160th Anniversary of the Burning of Chambersburg

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 20

Franklin County Historical Society, 175 E. King St.

This commemorative exhibit, curated by museum director Ann Hull, tells the stories of Chambersburg residents during the Burning of Chambersburg.

A Cappella & Unplugged Finals

7 p.m. Saturday, July 20

Franklin County Courthouse, 14 N. Main St.

Throughout the summer, local acoustic and a cappella musicians have been competing in this 10th annual contest. The finalists will perform in the last round just before the light show reenactment of the Burning of Chambersburg. The audience will vote for the winner, who will get $500 and perform two songs before the reenactment.

Get more information at www.explorefranklincountypa.com/acappella-unplugged

1864: The Ransoming, Burning and Rebirth of Chambersburg

Dusk on Saturday, July 20

Memorial Square, Chambersburg

Actors, lights and special effects will bring to life the Burning of Chambersburg and the events surrounding it.

You'll "meet" Brig. Gen. John McCausland and other Confederate figures who played a role in demanding $100,000 in gold or $500,000 in Yankee currency from the Chambersburg townspeople, and the community leaders who played a role in deciding what the townspeople would do.

Guests will experience what it was like as the homes and other buildings in town were torched and later as the townspeople came together to rebuild.

There is no admission fee -- just bring a chair and settle in.

Learn more about the Burning of Chambersburg at explorefranklincountypa.com/1864-burning.

Other events are included in the ChambersFest schedule, as well. Get more information at chambersburg.org/ChambersFest.

This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: ChambersFest celebrates Chambersburg's rebirth after burning: schedule