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Starfest Returns to Hopewell Furnace

Starfest Returns to Hopewell Furnace

The National Park Service and the ChesMont Astronomical Society invite you to attend this year’s Starfest event Saturday, August 20th from 6:00pm to 11:00pm at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. This free event will include formal presentations and kid’s activities starting at 7:00pm followed by opportunities to observe the night skies through a variety of telescopes provided by ChesMont Astronomical Society members. If rain or cloudy skies dictate, the event will be postponed to Sunday, August 21. This is the first time in three years this normally annual event is being held.

Parking is available on site. Due to the number of participants, it may require a short walk from the parking area to the observation area. Snacks and refreshments will be available. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring a flashlight.

Hopewell Furnace was established as a National Historic Site on August 3, 1938 and preserves the late 18th and early 19th century setting of an iron-making community, including the charcoal-fueled furnace, and its natural and cultural resources. This community illustrates the essential role of industrialization in the growth of the early United States. The furnace was established in 1771 by Ironmaster Mark Bird and operated as a furnace for the next 112 years.

The park’s facilities are currently open seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hopewell Furnace is located at 2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, PA 19520 about five miles south of Birdsboro, PA, off Route 345. Admission to the park is free. For more information, call 610-582-8773 or visit the park’s web site at www.nps.gov/hofu.