New Year's Eve at the Pagoda on Mount Penn

Pictured above & below: Our Mountain Folk Trio began a sing-a-long tradition at Reading and Berks County's famous Pagoda landmark high atop scenic Mount Penn.  Special thanks to Reading Eagle Newspaper photographer Bill Uhrich for providing us with these photographic memories.

Part of an annual tradition of launching fireworks from the mountain near the Pagoda on New Year's Eve, we've been active with this mountain and the Pagoda with various events since the 250th anniversary of the City of Reading back in 1998.  Click here for more information about the unique Pagoda on Mount Penn. 

New Year's Eve 2010 into 2011 marked the first time we added a sing-along to the festivities and the place was packed, people sang out loud and clear and there was a truly wonderful vibe in the air as we counted down the old year into the new with music, clapping and smiles, and then launched fireworks from the mountain.

The trio consisted of Ted Fenstermacher on fiddle and vocals, Bob Entler on mandolin and vocals and 'East Side Dave' Kline on guitar and vocals.  Dave went up to the Pagoda after fulfilling his annual role as the Master of Ceremonies for the Reading Symphony Orchestra's New Year's Eve concert earlier in the evening at the Sovereign Performing Arts Center.

We performed  two hours of holiday and sing-a-long music.  Reading Mayor Tom McMahon was with us, Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach was with us, as were Reading City Councilwoman Donna Reed and Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz.  Pagoda manager Cindy Kauffman and all kinds of special friends, guests and the public made this first-ever New Year's Eve sing-a-long very special and memorable by singing along and raising everyone's spirit as high as the fireworks in the sky. 

The entire event ran from 10pm to the countdown to midnight and was broadcast live on WEEU Radio with host Stephanie Rollinson who did a terrific job helping everyone to have fun!

Email: mtnfolk@aol.com

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