Schuylkill River Shad Festival / 6th Annual LoopFest

(Courtesy of local artist, Bob Hakun, First Place Winner of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area's Schuylkill River Art Show, 2009.)

The Schuylkill Canal Association, the Phoenix Iron Canal & Trails Association, the Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area, the Phoenixville Green Team and Chester County Parks invite the general public to participate in the Schuylkill River Shad Festival on Saturday, April 28, 11 AM to 5 PM.  Included will be history, education, recreation and overall fun on both sides of the Schuylkill River in the Phoenixville area. 

Click here for a complete listing of all the times and locations for the activities planned for the day.  (Rain date, 4/29/12, same program, times, and location.)

The festival will highlight the historic significance of the role the American Shad fishery played in the growth of the river communities up and down the Schuylkill River during our nation’s infancy.  It will also celebrate the return of the American Shad, thanks to improvements within our river over the past 50-plus years.  The removal of hazardous breached dams and the repair and construction of fish ladders on the remaining dams, including the passage built onto the Black Rock Dam completed by Exelon Generation in cooperation with Chester County Parks, has re-established the migratory route for the historic return of the American Shad as far north as Reading, PA.

The Schuylkill River Shad Festival, partly sponsored by Exelon Generation, will be happening simultaneously at two specific sites throughout the day:

• Lock 60 on the Schuylkill Canal in Mont Clare PA (Montgomery County);and

• Black Rock Sanctuary and the Black Rock Dam Fish Ladder in Phoenixville (Chester County.)

Also included will be a hike starting at the Foundry Building, Main St, Phoenixville to the Cromby Station Trail Head of  the Schuylkill River Trail and an organized bike ride taking advantage of the Bike Schuylkill, a free bicycle sharing program operated out of the Phoenix Cycle Shop, Bridge St, Phoenixville.  Brief details of these activities are listed below:

At Lock 60

Lock 60, the only operating lock of the historic Schuylkill Navigation, is a prime attraction and historic jewel of the Mont Clare and Phoenixville area.  Located in Mont Clare adjacent to the Schuylkill River in Upper Providence Township, it is owned by Montgomery County and carefully preserved and maintained in part by volunteers of the Schuylkill Canal Association.

At Lock 60, the Association will host the LoopFest, a guided 5-mile water trail loop paddle down-and-back on the Schuylkill River and Canal; two guided paddles will be scheduled. 

Register to participate in the 6th Annual LoopFest, bring your own boat with necessary personal flotation device or rent one from the Port Providence Paddle, 610-935-2750 or www.canoeandkayak.biz.  Please be aware, if you do register online you will still need to sign a waiver in person the day of the event.

The Association will coordinate several other water sports activities, including the LoopFest, fishing derby, boat rentals and demonstrations.  Raven Hill, a local bluegrass band, will play their knee-slapping and fun music during the afternoon on the stage in the Lock 60 Picnic Grove.

The Locktender’s House will be open, and lock openings will be scheduled along with history displays that highlight the navigation system and its impact on the American Shad river population. 

The Native American Heritage Programs, www.lenapeprograms.com, will present displays and stories related to the history of the Lenni Lenape Indians and their life along the Schuylkill River.  In addition, the Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area will complement the Heritage Programs with an educational display on the Native American history specific to Phoenixville’s river community. 

At Black Rock Dam and Black Rock Sanctuary

As the American Shad returns to the Schuylkill River watershed the Black Rock Dam Fish Ladder plays an instrumental role for the historic return of this migratory fish for spring-time spawning. The dam and the adjoining Black Rock Sanctuary are located north of downtown Phoenixville along PA Route 113 (Black Rock Road.)

The Phoenix Iron Canal and Trails Association will provide volunteers to host visitors at the Black Rock Dam Fish Ladder and hand out a very informative sheet related to the history of the dam created by Chester County Parks.

Chester County Parks will present an interesting educational program at the Black Rock Sanctuary; Chari Towne, Delaware Riverkeeper Network’s Schuylkill Watershed Specialist, will present The Weirs & Whys of Black Rock.  As the program is presented, Jay Erb, a Chester County park ranger, will guide the hike along the Sanctuary’s 1.5-mile Basin Trail.  Participants will journey to the silt basin’s waste weir where they will learn about the 1940’s Schuylkill River Project which was one of the first environmental clean-ups in our nation’s history.  There is a $4.00 per person fee, children 12 and under are free and pre-registration is requested; contact Karen Marshall at 610-344-6923 or kmarshall@chesco.org to register.

Throughout the afternoon visitors can enjoy a self-guided hike along Black Rock Sanctuary’s Interpretive Trail to enjoy the rich, natural wonders that the sanctuary has to offer on this award winning 0.75 mile, ADA-accessible trail. Along the trail you will see wetlands that provide habitat for mammals, reptiles, amphibians and migratory birds.  Discover the history, geology, wildlife, plant life and habitats of the basin by visiting one of the many education stations along the way.  A free trail map of the Sanctuary will be given to all visitors. 

The Phoenixville Green Team and the Phoenix Iron Canal & Trail Association will coordinate a guided hike and a bike ride from downtown Phoenixville.  The guided hike will be from the Foundry Building’s parking area located on N. Main St to the Cromby Station Trail Head of the Schuylkill River Trail, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The bike ride will promote Bike Schuylkill, a free bike share program managed through the Phoenix Cycle Shop, Bridge St, from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. The bike ride will follow the trails on both sides of the Schuylkill River highlighting natural features and points of interest along the way.

At Lock 60 and Black Rock Sanctuary, parking and public amenities will be available. Food will be available at Lock 60 at a minimal cost and downtown Phoenixville restaurants will be open to all guests throughout the day.  A handicapped-accessible shuttle bus will transport visitors from Lock 60 to the Black Rock Dam and Sanctuary throughout the entire event.  Unless otherwise stated, the festival is presented to the general public free-of-charge; however donations will gladly be accepted to help offset the overall costs of the event.  For greater detail on all the activities planned for the day visit SCA’s website, www.schuylkillcanal.org or call 610-917-0021.

The Schuylkill River Shad Festival promises to be a full day of fun, excitement, history, education and exploration into the impact the American Shad population had on the Phoenixville-Mont Clare area in years past, and a glimpse of what it can mean for the area's future as well. The public is invited to join in this grand celebration, let’s revel over the Return of the American Shad to the Schuylkill River!

For more information, contact:

Betsy Daley, Schuylkill Canal Association, 610-917-0021, edaley@schuylkillcanal.com, www.schuylkillcanal.org

Mark Connolly, Phoenixville Green Team, Phoenix Iron Canal and Trails Association, 610-952-1285, markjconnolly@gmail.com, www.phoenixvillegreenway.org/, www.phxgreen.org/

Karen Marshall, Chester County Parks, 610-344-6923, kmarshall@chesco.org, www.chesco.org/ccparks/