Time to Celebrate Summerfair 48!

The 2025 Carlisle Summerfair offers free family-friendly events in the Carlisle, PA region at the start of summer.

Schedule:

Friday June 27, 2025

10:00 am - 2:00 pm Public Safety Fair - 1 Public Safety Drive. All ages are welcome to join and interact with more than 40 different groups that make our community run. You will have the ability to meet first responders, interact with live demonstrations, enjoy the food trucks, and learn information about what public safety in Cumberland County consists of.

10:30 -11:15 am Summer Storytime Series – Biddle Mission Park, 311 E North St. Parents/guardians with Pre-school ages kiddos are welcome to join Bosler Memorial Library Staff as they host a Summer Storytime Series. The storytime is FAIR WEATHER ONLY. If inclement weather, the storytime will be held at the Bosler Memorial Library. 

5:50 pm Opening Ceremonies** - Dickinson College Campus, W High Street. (Rain Site: Allison Hall). Food Vendors include: Crazy Glazed, Sunshine Lemonade, Castlerigg Wine Shop, The Sugar Shack, Tomasic's Sausage, and BL Dogz.

6:00 - 8:00 pm Free Ice Cream Social* - Dickinson College Campus, W High Street. (Rain Site: Allison Hall)

6:00 - 8:00 pm Summerfair Concert: Cheap Sneakers* - Dickinson College Campus, W High Street. (Rain Site: Allison Hall)

6:00 - 8:00 pm Free Kids Carnival - Ages 2-12. Dickinson College Campus, W High Street. (Rain Site: Allison Hall) Free books, carnival games, candy scramble and prizes for children during the concert.

Saturday June 28, 2025

8:00 - 10:00 am Sertoma Club Breakfast* - (donation required). Sertoma Club, 311 East North Street.

8:00 - 10:00 am Heavenly Hauler's Appliances/Electronics Collection - Bob Ruth Ford, 170 York Rd. Heavenly Hauler's volunteers collect and dismantle scrap metal, appliances and old electronics. The metal is then turned in for cash that is used to offset the expenses associated with operating Bountiful Blessings, a faith-based community outreach charity, providing community members with much needed non-food items. Needed Items: Computers, Dehumidifiers, Appliances, Electronics (no Tube TVs), Aluminum Cans, Electrical Wires, Air Conditioners, Auto Parts, Anything Metal!

9:00 am - 3:00 pm Craft Fair* - Dickinson College Campus, 60 S. College Street / W High Street. Join us to support handmade - many of your friends and neighbors that create hand made goodness - as well as music during the day and food trucks! Food vendors include: Crazy Glazed, Sunshine Lemonade, Rola's Lebanese Food, Shumans Concessions, The Sugar Shack, Sunset Slush of Gettysburg, Tomasic's Sausage, and BL Dogz. 

9:00 am - noon Children's Art & Activities - Dickinson College Campus, 60 S. College Street/W High Street. Free activities like coloring pages, etc. for kids to do during the craft show. 

10:00 am - noon Family Photo Scavenger Hunt - Carlisle Family YMCA, 311 South West Street. Race other teams to unlock trivia questions about Carlisle and take photo evidence of the answers. This does involve some sleuthing and walking but is a family fun event for all!

10:00 am - 11:00 am PA Fiddlers Band - Dickinson College Campus, W High Street.

10:00 am - 3:00 pm 19th Century Baseball Game - Army Heritage Center, 950 Soldiers Drive. Learn about the origins of America's favorite pastime by watching teams play as baseball was originally meant to be played. 

10:00 am Old Courthouse Tour* - 2 Courthouse Square History will come alive as we feature the Old Courthouse in Carlisle with a tour which will encompass the building's role in history and the events which happened inside. Must be able to climb stairs and sit for a period of time. Suitable for all ages. If you haven't seen this special space, we encourage you to come check it out!

11:00 am Baby Races - Dickinson College Campus, 60 S. College Street/W High Street. Children under 1 year of age who are not walking yet square off in races to see who is the fastest crawler in town. 

Noon - 1:00 pm Carlisle Town Band - Dickinson College Campus, 60 S. College Street/W High Street. The Carlisle Town Band members come from Carlisle and the surrounding areas. The ensemble with members who range from teens to senior citizens.

6:00 - 7:00 pm “Wicked Walks - Crime Scenes of Carlisle” * (ages 16+ - NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN). Meet at Old Courthouse (max:25p) 2 Courthouse Square .*Preregistration HERE Required due to group size limitations.

7:00 pm - 11:00 pm Flip Flops Foundation’s Hometown Throwdown Benefit* The Barn at Creek’s Bend, 29 S Middlesex Rd, Carlisle, PA. For tickets or info Click Here.

7:30 - 8:30 pm “Wicked Walks - Crime Scenes of Carlisle” * (ages 16+ - NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN) Meet at Old Courthouse (max:25p) 2 Courthouse Square *Preregistration HERE Required due to group size limitations.

Sunday June 29, 2025

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm The Sandlot - Carlisle Performing Arts Center (Carlisle Theatre), 40 W High Street. Free Movie Showing.

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Summer Artist Series: Red Horse Ridge Band – Thornwald Amphitheatre, 350 Walnut Bottom Rd. 

Monday June 30, 2025

10:00 am – 12:00 pm Peanut Carnival (ages 3-10) – Letort Park, 260 East Pomfret St. Grab a bag of peanuts from us and use these to play simple carnival games. 

5:00 – 8:00 pm Boiling Springs Open Pool Night* – 2 Mountain Rd, Boiling Springs. Come explore this hidden gem and cool off from the summer heat! There are four pools and three waterslides in the facility. The pool has a few large grass covered areas for relaxing. 

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Intro to Pickleball* (ages 10-17) – Letort Park, 260 East Pomfret St (Rain Site –Stuart Community Center, 415 Franklin St). Join CAPA (Carlisle Area Pickleball Association) as they host a FREE Intro to Pickleball clinic from 6-8PM at Letort Park Pickleball Courts! In the event of inclement weather, the rain location will be the Stuart Community Center (415 Franklin St). An email will be sent to participants by 3:30pm the day of the clinic if the rain location will be used. Pre-Registration is required. Please wear athletic clothes, bring a filled water bottle & pickleball paddle if you have one. If you do not have a paddle, please list that with your registration. Register HERE

7:00 pm Old Cemetery Walking Tour Meet at the Old Cemetery gate at 7 pm. Historic Carlisle presents an Old Cemetery walking tour featuring well known and lesser known people of Carlisle. 

Tuesday July 1, 2025

6:00 pm - 8:30 pm Jim Thorpe Track & Field Meet* - Ken Millen Field, Carlisle High School. Pre-register here, required by Sunday, 6/29. Children ages 3+ can participate in races, jumps, and softball throws. This is a fun event that kids love. Be sure to bring lots of water to drink and pre-register by June 30th so we can set up the heats ahead of time.

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm “Washington Takes Command: Becoming the General” Todd Hall, Cumberland County Historical Society, 21 N Pitt St
Historical Presentation (18+)

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Intro to Pickleball* (ages 18+) – Letort Park, 260 East Pomfret St (Rain Site –Stuart Community Center, 415 Franklin St). Join CAPA (Carlisle Area Pickleball Association) as they host a FREE Intro to Pickleball clinic from 6-8PM at Letort Park Pickleball Courts! In the event of inclement weather, the rain location will be the Stuart Community Center (415 Franklin St). An email will be sent to participants by 3:30pm the day of the clinic if the rain location will be used. Pre-Registration is required. Please wear athletic clothes, bring a filled water bottle & pickleball paddle if you have one. If you do not have a paddle, please list that with your registration. Register HERE

Wednesday July 2, 2025

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm “Washington Takes Command: Becoming the General” Historical Presentation (youth) – Todd Hall, Cumberland County Historical Society, 21 N Pitt St

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Carlisle Community Pool Open Swim - 1236 Franklin Street Come check out the Carlisle Community Pool and cool off from the summer heat!

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm The Summer of the Falcon Tour - Craighead House, 318 E Old York Road. This tour, which is open to all will immerse participants in Jean Craighead George's 1962 novel Summer of the Falcon which is set at Craighead House. Participants will have the opportunity to see the inside of the house and walk the grounds while hearing excerpts from the novel. 

7:00 pm - 9:30 pm 1776 the Musical Movie - Carlisle Performing Arts Center (Carlisle Theatre), 40 W High Street. Free Movie Showing.

Thursday July 3, 2025

10:00 am - 4:00 pm - Pop-up Exhibit Our First Responders: William Thompson & the Pennsylvania Riflemen 33 W High Street at the G.B. Stuart Workshop. features a selection of images and original artifacts celebrating Carlisle unique contribution at the dawn of the American Revolution. Special attention will be given to Soldier's Retreat, the newly restored home of William Thompson. 

9:30 pm Fireworks - Carlisle Fairgrounds, 100 Bryn Mawr Road

Friday July 4, 2025

9:00 am - 10:30 am Anything Floats Craft Inspection - Children's Lake, Boiling Springs. View More Information & Rules. Participants must be at least 13 years old and wear life jackets. 

11:00 am - 1:00 pm Anything Floats Races - Children's Lake, Boiling Springs. View Registration. We are so glad the lake is filled up, looking pretty, and ready to host our build your own boat races again! This crowd favorite event sees single innertube races and then the real creativity is unleashed in 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 person races of boats made from literally anything that floats. 

10:00 am - 4:00 pm - Pop-up Exhibit Our First Responders: William Thompson & the Pennsylvania Riflemen 33 W High Street at the G.B. Stuart Workshop. features a selection of images and original artifacts celebrating Carlisle unique contribution at the dawn of the American Revolution. Special attention will be given to Soldier's Retreat, the newly restored home of William Thompson. 

Saturday July 5, 2025

8:30 am 5K Race* - Meet at Allison Hall, Dickinson College Campus. Preregistration is required by June 28th. Register here. 

9:00 am - 11:00 am Children's Fish for Fun ( ages 4-12) - Letort Park, 260 E Pomfret Street. On-site registration @ 8-8:30 am. Bring own equipment. Rules and details here.

9:00 am - 11:00 am Mini Golf Event (1 free game) - Carlisle Sports Emporium, 29 South Middlesex Road. 

9:00 - 11:00 am YBAC Trout Nursery Tours - Yellow Breeches Anglers & Conservation Association, 395 Martin Road. Come see and learn about how we raise the trout. 

10:00 am Old Courthouse Tour - 2 Courthouse Square. History will come alive as we feature the Old Courthouse in Carlisle with a tour which will encompass the building's role in history and the events which happened inside. Must be able to climb stairs and sit for a period of time. Suitable for all ages. If you haven't seen this special space, we encourage you to come check it out!

10:00 am - 4:00 pm - Pop-up Exhibit Our First Responders: William Thompson & the Pennsylvania Riflemen 33 W High Street at the G.B. Stuart Workshop. features a selection of images and original artifacts celebrating Carlisle unique contribution at the dawn of the American Revolution. Special attention will be given to Soldier's Retreat, the newly restored home of William Thompson. 

10:30 am Who Were These First Responders Cumberland County Historical Society, 21 North Pitt Street. Who were these riflemen? What did their service involve? What price did they pay and what difference did they make? What is there to celebrate as we mark the 250th anniversary of Thompson's Rifle Battalion? Presented by Robert Guy and Ken Hoover.

11:00 am - 1:00 pm Revolutionary War Living History Program - U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, 950 Soldiers Drive. Presented by Sons of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution at U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center Heritage Trail, 950 Soldiers Drive. All ages welcome to join members from several local historical societies, dressed in 18th-century attire, to learn about Revolutionary War events and people. Visitors who complete all stations will earn a special gift in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. Some stations include learning about the Battle of Bunker Hill at the redoubt, the local legend Molly Pitcher, sign the Declaration of Independence with a quill pen, watch a blacksmith make 18th-century iron tools, take photos with Revolutionary War soldiers, play 18th-century games (shut-the-box, Nine-Man-Morris, Skittles). Sponsoring Groups: Washingtonburg SAR, Harris Ferry SAR, Cumberland County DAR, and Perry County DAR.

1:00 pm Wayne Powell Memorial Golf Outing** – Eagles Crossing Golf Club, 501 Conodoguinet Ave. Mail in this registration with fee or register day of or fill out this online form. 

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Swing Dance Lessons - Green Door, 14 East North Street

Sunday July 6, 2025

10:00 am - 2:00 pm Community Day at The Trout Gallery* - Weiss Center for the Arts, 240 W High Street. Free and Open to the Public. Join The Trout Gallery for a bounce house, art activities, story time, exhibition tours, a scavenger hunt, face-painting, snacks, prizes and more!

8:00 pm - 9:30 pm June Shomaker Summerfair Concert: Harrisburg Symphony** - Dickinson College Campus, by Old West, W High Street. Bring your own blanket or chair and a picnic basket and watch the fireflies come out as you listen to the Harrisburg Symphony live. (Excessive heat/rain site ATS Auditorium, 360 W Louther Street - limited seating). Food vendors include: K2 Creamery, Castlerigg Wine Shop, The Sugar Shack, Creekview Food Company, BL Dogz, and Pair of Aces. 

KEY:
(*) Concessions Available for Purchase
(*) Donations Accepted
(*) Fee
(*Advanced Registration Required)
Unless listed, all events are held at the John Dickinson Campus, Dickinson College - W High St (between College St/West St)

Date: June 27 - July 6, 2025

Venues: Various Venues in Carlisle, PA

Event Registration

For more info https://www.carlislesummerfair.com/.