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JIM THORPE — For more than two decades, the borough of Jim Thorpe has held its Winterfest celebration the weekend before President’s Day. 2016 marks its 22nd Winterfest celebration, and this year the festival’s timing shares a weekend with Valentine’s Day. It may be too late to schedule a room at The Jim Thorpe Inn or land a reservation at one of the town’s fine dining establishments, but the serendipitous alignment of this year’s Gregorian calendar has provided late planners with alternative options that can save their Valentine’s weekend. From coffee mugs and magicians to wine glasses and Fleetwood Mac, the Carbon County seat will offer ways for patrons of any age to celebrate the season.
Winterfest
Michael Guy and his wife are busy during the year with their Jim Thorpe ice cream shop Rainbow’s End, but Guy’s idea of leisure time doesn’t involve a lapse in productivity; on his off time, Guy helps organize Jim Thorpe’s Winterfest.
“I’m actively involved in what once was the chamber of commerce; now it’s the Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency,” Guy said. “I enjoy helping our other business owners and just doing things; I like to stay active.”
Guy said Winterfest hosts ice carvers and wood carvers on afternoons near Mauch Chunk Opera House, a strolling brass band from Lehighton called Faculty Brass on Saturday from noon until 3:30 p.m. and a mug walk. What’s a mug walk?
“Our famous mug walk! You purchase a mug and you go to the participating stores and they’ll give you a little treat in the mug,” Guy said. “The profits from that help fund the events that we do.”
According to Winterfest’s website, treats can include anything from coffee and soup to cookies. Mugs are decorated with a Victorian aesthetic and can be purchased at Jim Thorpe’s train station or on jimthorpe.org for $10.
Come on, ride the train
Lehigh Valley Gorge Scenic Railway Winterfest Trains will depart from Jim Thorpe at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14. Tickets are $13 for adults, $9 for children ages 3 through 12 and free for children younger than 3. Riders can expect a trip through Lehigh Gorge State Park on a vintage passenger train equipped with restrooms.
Tusk
Tusk is a group of musicians who have come together to play tribute to chart-toppers Fleetwood Mac, and they’ll perform some of the bands most well-known singles along with fan-favorite album tracks at Mauch Chunk Opera House at 8 p.m. Feb. 13 and Feb. 14. Tickets to the shows are $26 and can be purchased at SoundCheck Records in downtown Jim Thorpe, Mauch Chunk Opera House’s box office or mcohjt.com website, or by calling the venue at 570-325-0249.
Free magic
Tusk isn’t the only act taking up a weekend residency at the opera house. “Pennsylvania’s busiest magician” Eddy Ray will perform free, youth-oriented shows at 2 p.m. Feb. 13 and Feb. 14. Ray, who has performed on television and overseas, focuses his routine on “modern, hip” ways of presenting magic, foregoing the cheesy music and top hat tropes of the genre.
Dancing and desserts
At 8 p.m. Feb. 13, Jim Thorpe concert venue/restaurant Penn’s Peak will host a dancing and desserts event featuring music from the ’50s through the ’70s as performed by The Avalons.
“It’s a little bit different than our normal Valentine’s Day event we used to have,” Penn’s Peak representative Nick Kovaleski said. “It’s basically going to be set up similar to a concert, difference being they will be served desserts, coffee, tea, things like that through the end of intermission. There will be dancing and there will be general admission seating as well in the event hall.”
Tickets to the show are $22, but are currently buy one, get one free through Ticketmaster with code “TMN241.”
Merlot and chocolate
Kresgeville’s Big Creek Vineyard is located a short drive from Jim Thorpe and is open from noon to 7 p.m. Feb. 13 and noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 14, but the winery’s location in downtown Jim Thorpe will host a special event on Valentine’s Day that combines wine, chocolate and live music.
“Jordan White, an artist out of the Lehigh Valley, will be playing from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.,” location manager Chantelle Gendron said. “During that time we’ll be doing drink specials; a dollar off a glass of wine. We’ll also be offering chocolates from a local chocolatier (Kunkletown’s Chocolates Unlimited by Denise).”
