New Murals with a Historic Flair
Thanks to dedicated volunteers at local art organizations and downtown associations, nearly every Susquehanna River Valley downtown boasts at least one mural, many of which have a historic flair in their theme and design:
Sunbury – across from the Hotel Edison and on the side of Marlin’s sub shop,
Mifflinburg – a new “augmented reality” mural on the side of a building owned by the Rusty Rail Brewing, across from the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail
In the case of Milton and Lewisburg, there are half a dozen murals in each town. 
Learn more about Milton’s murals here. WNEP-TV’s “Home and Backyard” also toured Milton with the purpose of highlighting the artworks.
Check out Lewisburg’s tour that includes nearly a dozen murals here.
Downtown Lewisburg’s Art Deco movie palace, The Campus Theatre, also features sweeping floor-to-ceiling murals inside this historic gem.
Several other river towns have elaborate murals inside their post offices (say what?!) as part of a national effort during the New Deal Era to commemorate each town’s unique history.
Learn more about the eight SRV post office murals here.
Mural Highlight: Shamokin
Here’s another artistic surprise – the coal region, notably Shamokin – features nearly a dozen murals primarily along two streets: Independence and Market, thanks to the efforts of the Northumberland County Council of the Arts (NCCA).
Jeanne Shaffer of the NCCA said of the murals, “They were an artistic collaboration between Claude Harrington, a French artist who is known for her vibrant colors, Matt Levins, a high school art teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes, and Jeff Tweed, an artist who owns a tattoo shop downtown.” The murals were painted about a decade ago and were partially funded by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and each business owner.
Shamokin mural artist Jeff Tweed, owner of Tranquility Tattoo and Art Studio, said that many of Shamokin’s murals feature donated paints from Jones Hardware and all feature exterior house paint, plus an anti-graffiti sealant, allowing any future graffiti to easily wash off.
The murals are painted on a variety of building types, including wood, brick, vinyl siding, aluminum siding, and other materials. Tweed said the walls are first cleaned and primed, then painted and sealed.
Tweed recalled making a rudimentary compass and using a grid to layout the sketched designs of Matt Levins, “I made a compass out of a stick, basically a screw and a pencil on the end of it, then I could make it adjustable to different sized circles. We used that for the train wheels, clock and circular things.”
Tweed has been working in Shamokin as a tattoo artist since 2000 and said he knows more about Shamokin’s history than his own hometown.
Just as much as painting the murals, Tweed enjoys interacting with the public when murals are “in the works”. Tweed, who is truly part of the fabric of the community said, “I love the interaction with community people going by and saying, hey, thank you, and blowing their horns.”
About one mile from downtown Shamokin in Coal Township, visitors and residents alike are treated to another mural on the side of Irish Isle Provisions and Meat Market, 911 W. Arch Street – thanks to business owner Earl Sheriff.
The 42-foot-long mural captures life in Shamokin in 1957 and was painted by Shawn and Nina McGugan. The mural’s themes include the Majestic and Victoria theaters, Shamokin’s first football game at night under the lights, Edgewood Park, dress shops, Jones Hardware, Clark’s Chickens, Glen Burn Colliery, and other nostalgic nuggets of Shamokin’s unique history.
Learn more about Shamokin’s murals here.
Visual Arts Come Alive at Local Art Festivals
Just as nature comes back to life each spring, so too do the art festivals in the region – breathing new life into artists and patrons alike.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers, the Lewisburg Arts Council hosts the Lewisburg Arts Festival each year on the last Saturday in April. The annual street festival along Market Street, that celebrates the work of 100+ juried artists. The day also includes live performance art, kids’ activities, and dozens of food vendors.
The first Lewisburg Arts Festival was organized in 1968 by a committee of community members who felt it would be beneficial for the town. It was held in what is now the M&T Bank parking lot.
More than 50 years later, the Arts Festival is still going strong, thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers who recognize how important the event is.
MaryAnn Griffin, Arts Festival Volunteer Coordinator said, “In the middle of this small town is this big city caliber Arts Festival which draws people from all across central PA. Artists of all ilks vie to be part of this vibrant festival. Because it is a juried show it features highly sought after handcrafted artisan jewelry, painting, wood working, fabric art and much more. There are multiple, carefully selected food and beverage vendors from which festival goers may choose. Year after year we have dedicated volunteers who devote an enormous amount of their time and talent so that the show will continue to be a success.”
Della Hutchison, Arts Festival Chair said, “Festival-goers love safely strolling down Market Street, encountering friends and neighbors they haven’t seen for a while. There's a different vibe when there are no cars parked along the street and no loud trucks rumbling by. It gives you a chance to really appreciate how beautiful downtown Lewisburg is, especially with the cherry trees blooming,” she reflected.
She continued, “A difference that is more subtle – but still apparent – is that the Lewisburg Arts Festival is a juried show. Our jurors look for artisans who hand-craft their work, and only the best in each category are invited to participate each year. This ensures the highest quality and broadest appeal and keeps the Festival interesting, innovative, and fresh.” 
The Lewisburg Arts Festival also offers all-day free live entertainment, a petting zoo, balloon art, hands-on activities provided by local nonprofit organizations, and an exhibition of work by our Featured Artist.
The Lewisburg Arts Festival is the major annual fundraiser for the Lewisburg Arts Council. The money raised from this event funds the Arts Council’s events and activities for the rest of the year.
The LAC is happy to welcome new volunteers to the team. If you would like to get involved, please email volunteer@lewisburgartscouncil.com or submit the volunteer form on our website, LewisburgArtsCouncil.com.
