Harmony hosts first of four artisan events
HARMONY — Artisan Saturdays offer residents of Harmony the chance to showcase their town while outsiders get to sample the borough’s distinct flavor.
The event kicked off over the weekend and will continue every Saturday in June. Local businesses welcomed patrons, and vendors — selling everything from paintings and pottery to jewelry and crafts — were set up along Mercer Street from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Bright sunshine and a cool breeze filled the streets as the crowd of people grew late Saturday morning.
“It’s a beautiful day for this,” said Brittney Mulneix, a Cranberry Township resident and bartender at the Harmony Inn. “We’ve already had about 20 people come up to see if we were open today. (Artisan Saturdays) were big here last year and we’re hoping it’s a success again.”
Mulneix said the Harmony Inn would play host to live music, as two bands were set to play on the outdoor patio later in the day.
Harmony was founded in 1804 and a number of buildings from its early years survive. One of them is Weaver’s Cabin, which is over 215 years old and is maintained by the Harmony Museum. The cabin was open Saturday to give passersby an idea of life in the borough in the 19th century.
Stopping in at the cabin were Dayle Chipps, of Cranberry Township, and his 7-year-old son, Dylan, who tried his hand at making a scarf on a loom under the guidance of volunteers Linda Gross and Lisel Moser.
“Harmony is a unique place, and this is a good chance for people to come see the town,” said Dayle Chipps. “People today are so disconnected with how things are made, but these are hands-on things and it gets the iPad out of (Dylan’s) hands.”
The cabin included a number of items for sale, including scarves and winter hats. Each was handmade by local residents.
Moser moved to Harmony in 1986.
“People come here and it’s like they’re in a time warp,” she said. “Their eyes are wide open and it’s like: ‘I didn’t know a town like this existed!’”
Susan Drennan was introduced to the borough much more recently, moving here from Massachusetts with her husband, Robert, 16 months ago.
The town has provided inspiration for her paintings. She stood on the corner of Mercer and Spring streets Saturday, transferring her view of Weaver’s Cabin to canvas. She has previously done so with several buildings in Harmony, and some of her work has been displayed at local art galleries.
“I’ve always loved art,” she said. “If someone gave me a coloring book when I was growing up, I’d be there for hours, could finish the whole book in one day.
“I love old buildings and this town has a lot of them.”
