Over the weekend of October 10, Mullica Hill celebrated all things fall with its annual Fall Festival and Living History Weekend.
Tons of local vendors, businesses and organizations lined up on South Main Street for the event on Saturday (the Sunday festival was canceled due to the weather), and shops along the street opened their doors, many with specials and deals for the event. Locally sourced honey, fresh lemonade, handcrafted jewelry and antique finds were just some of the goods for sale during the festival.
Additionally, there were plenty of interactive activities for attendees of all ages. Scarecrow making, Henna tattoos, fossil education from Edelman Fossil Park & Museum and photo ops with Disney princesses were some of the child-friendly activities.
A newly added activity launched during the Fall Festival was the Harrison Township Historical Society’s expanded Mullica Hill Historic Walking Tour. The free, self-guided tour is available now with no set hours. The tour includes 26 historic stops around South Main Street, starting at Old Town Hall Museum at 62-64 South Main Street; however, it can be completed in any order at any pace.
At each location, there is a sign with a QR code. Vistors simply scan the QR code and are brought to a webpage on www.mhwalk.com with information and stories on the historic landmark, all formulated from the historical society’s research. The walking tour was a hit during the Fall Festival, and it is expected to remain a popular attraction in town.
Perhaps the biggest attraction over the weekend was the Living History component. Every year, Mullica Hill welcomes 28th PA Volunteer Infantry, Co. C for historical reenactments. The Union and Confederate camps were set up at two different areas, and a skirmish took place in the afternoon. Cannons and gunshots were heard throughout the entire area, as well as songs played by some of the musicians set up at each camp.
Many members of the group were available to chat with visitors about who they represented and what items they had on or with them, which accurately reflect the Civil War era. Many members also spent one or two nights camping at their sites to get the full experience. Visitors were welcomed into their space to learned hands-on what this era and its resources were like.
There also were interactive activities. Soldiers taught visitors how to shoot their guns, a woman sprayed time-period-specific perfume on interested visitors and handymen let guests try out their trades.
Additionally, the folks from the troupe also participated in Mullica Hill’s annual Ghasty Tales Tour, which occurred Saturday evening. They told ghost stories from the Civil War era to guests on the 45-minute walk. Plus, the walk ended with a nighttime cannon firing.
A variety of photos from the living history setups by the 28th PA Volunteer Infantry, Co. C at Mullica Hill’s Fall Festival and Living History Weekend.
