After a year’s hiatus due to the pandemic, the 12th annual Central Pennsylvania Ragtime and American Music Festival returned to Orbisonia and Rockhill, PA on the weekend of September 24-26. Pianist and founder/leader of the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra Andrew Greene has taken over from David Brightbill as festival director. Andrew, in his article on page 18 of the September issue, outlined the weekend schedule, so I’ll only briefly refer to it.
A few changes were implemented immediately. A closer tie with the East Broad Top Railroad has been established. This is due to the railroad’s revival with the help of local people and a generous benefactor. David is on the railroad’s board and works there. Andrew has been coming up many weekends from his home near Annapolis, MD to lend a hand with the rebuilding effort. One of the festival’s events is now a dinner train and concert on Saturday. More accurately, it’s a 40-minute train ride followed by a dinner in a pavilion adjacent to the railroad. The railroad’s rolling stock does not allow for food to be served on board. Train rides during the day are also offered, but several of these overlap with the music schedule, forcing attendees to decide which they’d prefer. In the future, as upgrading of the railroad continues, it is planned to incorporate the dinner with a longer train ride. In a small town like this, it mak
