Carvers and Lumberjacks Draw Thousands to Forksville

It was standing room only at the Sullivan County Fairgrounds in Forksville on Saturday, as the annual Fall Festival and Lumberjack/Chainsaw Competition got underway. Contests held both days included carving competitions that led to bidding wars for the projects created.

Photos and Story by Rick Hiduk

Nearing four decades as one of the most unique fall events in the Endless Mountains, the Sullivan County Fall Festival and Lumberjack/Chainsaw Competition disappointed no one on Oct. 14 and 15 with affable weather conditions, great contests and demonstrations and a wide variety of food to keep both patrons and vendors coming back.

Traffic on Route 154 was slow, as visitors jockeyed for roadside parking spots after the fairground lots had filled. Many opted to park in Forksville and make the short walk to the festival, while others took advantage of shuttle bus service to and from nearby Worlds End State Park.

“It’s very lively,” Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce executive director Florence Suarez said of the non-stop flow of people young and old streaming through the fairways. “Every time I go past the music, I want to dance.

Five O’Clock World (above) seemed to be unstoppable on Saturday with sets of oldies, classic rock and country tunes that had people singing as they strolled. Michael Christopher and Friend (below) played acoustic sets for Sunday’s crowd.

Numerous woodsmen activities were featured on Saturday, including the Log Roll, Crosscut, Jack and Jill Contest, One Man Bucking, Bow Saw, Hot Saw and Axe Throw. One of Sunday’s highlights was a Chainsaw Obstacle Course. Cash prizes were awarded, and winners will be announced here when they are available. The Mid-Atlantic National Chainsaw Carving demonstrations and competitions were certainly the highlight of the festival, as carvers competed for cash prizes on Saturday and Sunday. After judging, their renderings from master logs approximately 8 feet long and 18 inches wide were auctioned to the public by members of the Burke Auction Company, including Jerry Burke (below).

The Sullivan County Council on the Arts conducted an Art Expo and sale of art, photography, and 3D renderings. Visitors were encouraged to vote for the Choice of Show. Other cash prizes, as decided by the judges, were awarded to artists in the exhibit. There were also a number of activities for children and families, including face painting and pumpkin painting, enjoyed by many including Raelyn Steele and her father Kyle of Noxen.

Youngsters were also encouraged to learn the techniques involved in sawing wood, either alone or as a team. Brothers Dawson and Mason Hoppes (below) of Unityville worked with a two-man saw under the direction of Louise Foulkrod of Troy, who had brought her family’s heirloom saw collection to the event.

In addition to chainsaw carving, demonstrations included blacksmithing by Merle Eiffert of Gillett, who created a number of tools and nails that could be purchased as soon as they were completed.

Ethnic delights such as halupki, brockwurst, gyros and taco salads were among the offerings in the food courts. Other delights included pulled pork sandwiches, pizza, hot wings, ice cream and seasonal baked goods. Table space, though ample, was full most of the day on Saturday.

Additional Photos:

No Sullivan County event would be complete without the Dairy Promotion board, represented on Saturday by (above, left) Noah Phillips of Dushore and Taylor Bottiglieri of Forksville on Saturday and (below, left) Jillian Verelst of Shunk and Zoe Pedro of Dushore on Sunday.

Chainsaw carver Todd Gladfelter (above) explains his techniques to fans of his work, which included a pig climbing a wall (below) that he created during the course of the festival.