Zane Grey Festival

Family frolic makes famous author’s history fun and fascinating

By SANDY LONG

LACKAWAXEN, PA — The life and legacy of Zane Grey, a prolific writer of western novels who resided in Lackawaxen from 1905 to 1918, will be celebrated once again at a festival featuring educational opportunities about the famous writer’s life, along with fun activities for all ages on July 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday at the Zane Grey Museum.

The National Park Service and the Zane Grey’s West Society will host the event, which will highlight the author’s baseball, writing and fishing careers. Grey’s public and private life will be explored during several talks and colorful exhibits will depict Grey’s fishing accomplishments.

Games and children’s activities drawn from the Wild West are planned for kids of all ages. The public is invited to bring American Girl dolls to share while listening to a story about Samantha. Participants will make fans like those Samantha would have used in the summer of 1904.

Visitors can learn about the diverse wildlife that inhabits the Delaware River Valley during Wildlife Abounds, a program scheduled throughout the day. A trivia challenge will require participants to visit the informational booths to retrieve answers to a series of questions such as “How many deep-sea fishing records did Zane Grey once hold?” A free book from Boyds Mills Press will be awarded to all who complete the list.

New this year will be a special excursion on the Stourbridge Line that will run from Honesdale to Lackawaxen. Passengers will travel beside the beautiful Lackawaxen River as they listen to tales of Zane Grey and the D&H Canal. For information about the train excursion call the Honesdale Chamber of Commerce at 570/253-1960.

For the first time, the Wayne County Chapter of the Antique Automobile Club will have antique cars on display throughout the property.

The museum will be open for self-guided tours throughout the day, with staff available to answer questions. The library will be converted to a movie theater and four films are slated (see sidebar). Light refreshments will be available.

For more information call education specialist Ingrid Peterec at 570/685-4871.

Festival Events

Programs Under the Tent

11:00 a.m. – Zane Grey’s Fishing Tales

12:00 p.m. – Walking Tour of the Property

1:00 p.m. – Zane Grey and Thomas Edison: Journeys Toward Understanding

2:00 p.m. – Walking Tour of the Property

3:00 p.m. – Where the West Was Written

Programs Under the Trees

Children’s programs will include “Samantha, An American Girl,” at 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.; and “Wildlife Abounds,” at 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Other activities will include Toys of the Past, Children’s Games of the Past and the Cowboy Dentist (Dr. Stephen Miller).

Special exhibits will be on display featuring Zane Grey and Fishing, the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River and the Zane Grey Cultural Landscape Plan.

Other exhibitors will include the Eagle Institute, Fort Delaware, Lackawaxen River Conservancy, National Canoe Safety Patrol, Pike and Wayne chapters of Trout Unlimited, Shohola Historical Society, Wayne County Historical Society and Zane Grey’s West Society.

Zane Grey at the Movies

10:30 a.m. – Light of the Western Stars

12:00 p.m. – The Dude Ranger

1:30 p.m. – Thunder Trail

2:30 p.m. – Heritage of the Desert