MARIETTA - When it came to crossing the historic Harmar Railroad Bridge Friday evening, Marietta resident Stephanie Dunn wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect.
But what awaited her on the other side definitely made it worth her while to conquer a little fear of crossing the water, she said with a laugh.
Dunn, 28, was one of the many people to take part in the opening night of the Harmar Days Street Festival in the historic Harmar Village. Harmar Days continues today and concludes on Sunday.
Article Photos
Photo by Kevin Pierson
Members of Marietta Dance Academy perform during the first day of the annual Harmar Days Street Festival in historic Harmar Village in Marietta Friday evening. The event continues today and concludes Sunday.
"It's nice to come down to stuff like this and get out of the house," Dunn said.
Dunn and her friend Cecilia Fair, 63, of Fleming, parked in Marietta and walked to Harmar expecting a big crowd as they attended the annual street festival for the first time this year.
"We love Harmar and the area, the stores," Fair said. "It's really quite neat."
Fact Box
Schedule of Events
Today:
* 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Flea market.
* 10 a.m. - Opening ceremonies.
* 11 a.m. - Ceremonial bridge turning of the historic Harmar Railroad Bridge.
* Noon - The Carnahan Brothers.
* 1 p.m. - Erica Dodge.
* 2:30 p.m. - Hannah Kitchen.
* 4 p.m. - Pickin' on Country.
Sunday:
* 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Flea market.
* 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Fort Harmar Car Show.
* 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Shops, country store and craft booths open.
* 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Harmar Poker Run.
* 1 p.m. - The Sundermans.
* 2 p.m. - High Schools that Rock.
* 3 p.m. - The Carnahan Brothers.
* 4 p.m. - Behavin' Country.
Harmar Days, now entering 28 years of celebration, is a popular draw for the village, located along the banks of the Muskingum River on the west side of Marietta.
Recent years saw the festival drop to just a single day, but this year it is up to three again as the village welcomes not only potential customers, but friends.
"It's not aimed at us making a lot of money. It's aimed as kind of a Harmar homecoming," said Brooks Harper, co-owner of Harper's Landing with his wife, Beverly.
Friday's festivities kicked off with a barbecue dinner to benefit restoration of a caboose, which is sitting on the railroad tracks in the village.
The caboose, formerly owned by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, numbered 2473, was built in Keyser, W.Va., in the 1950s and was crashed at some point near Parkersburg, said David Corbitt, president of Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad in West Virginia, who oversees the Transportation Museum in Harmar Village.
Corbitt donated the caboose to the Historic Harmar Bridge Company, and restoration of the B&O wagon top caboose is its big project for this year.
"They (wagon top) were some of the first steel cabooses made in America," Corbitt said.
While festivities got under way Friday evening, there's plenty going on in the village until Sunday, Harper noted.
A flea market opens in the village at 8 a.m. today and opening ceremonies take place at 10 a.m.
The real attraction, however, is the turning of the historic Harmar Railroad Bridge promptly at 11 a.m.
"Not 10 minutes 'till or 10 minutes after, at 11 o'clock. I did it one year early and I've never lived it down," Harper laughed.
Craft vendors and food vendors will be on the street from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and again from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Harmar's stores will be open during the festival.
A car show and poker run is set for Sunday, with the festival concluding at 5 p.m. Sunday.
