Blossburg, PA – The historic Victoria Theatre in Blossburg was alive with music and storytelling on Sunday, September 28, as musician, educator, and former coal miner Van Wagner performed in Songs Celebrating Coal Miners of Pennsylvania.
This family-friendly concert, presented by the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC), honored the coal miners who helped shape Pennsylvania’s history while highlighting ongoing efforts to restore the Tioga River.
Van Wagner Brings Coal Mining History to Life
Van Wagner is an educator, forester and musical artist. In the classroom, he teaches Agriculture Science at Danville Area High School. His songwriting explores Pennsylvania’s history, landscapes, and its spirit. He is releasing his thirty-sixth album this fall.
Wagner’s stories, songs, and humor were well-received by the 85 concertgoers who came out to enjoy the show.
Ben Nevin, a Blossburg resident who attended the concert, shared: “It was a great honor to have Van in my soft-coal hometown, promoting a great cause cleaning up abandoned mine drainage in the Tioga River.”
Concert Shines a Spotlight on Tioga River’s Restoration Journey
The intimate Victoria Theatre provided an inviting setting for the community to connect through music and history while learning about the local conservation efforts.
NPC’s Executive Director, Renee’ Carey, shared: “Van Wagner’s music brought our coal mining history to life and gave us an opportunity to engage with the community about the Tioga River and the ongoing clean-up project.”
This free, public concert was made possible thanks to support from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC).
L to R: Renee’ Carey (NPC), Deb Capece (Victoria Theatre), Van Wagner, Erica Tomlinson (TCCD), Holly Byers (NPC)
Rivers, Coal & Crafts
The concert was part of the 2025 Rivers, Coal & Crafts series, a series of hands-on educational events coordinated by NPC, the Blossburg Memorial Library, and the Tioga County Conservation District (TCCD). Throughout the series, participants explored the region’s mining history, learned about the decades-long impacts of Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD), and discovered how local partnerships—including NPC, TCCD, the Tioga County Concerned Citizens Committee, and SRBC—are working to improve the health of the Tioga River.
Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 28 at 2:00 PM (doors open at 1:30 PM, first come/first seated) when folk musician, educator, and former coal miner Van Wagner takes the stage at the historic Victoria Theatre in Blossburg for Songs Celebrating Coal Miners of PA. This free, family-friendly concert honors the miners who shaped the region and offers an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing work to restore the Tioga River.
The free concert, Songs Celebrating Coal Miners of PA, features folk musician, educator, and former coal miner Van Wagner.
In April, the series launched with a make-a-long workshop at the Blossburg Company Store, where attendees crocheted Tioga River Gnomes. The official mascot, Gnolli, was created during this event and now serves as a traveling symbol of the river’s restoration journey.
Gnolli checks out the Make-A-Long kit, featuring yarn from the Blossburg Company Store! Each color tells part of the Tioga River’s story, from polluted past to a brighter, healthier future.
In June, artist Bibi S. Brion led an Urban Sketch Workshop, where participants used pencil and watercolor to capture Blossburg’s buildings and scenery. Later that month, families joined a Cookie Mining activity, using chocolate chip cookies to explore land use and mine reclamation in a fun, hands-on way. The month wrapped up with a Tie-Dye Party at the library. Guests dyed shirts using pigment made from iron oxide collected from AMD, turning pollution into wearable art and sparking conversations about the river’s challenges and restoration.
Urban Sketch WorkshopCookie MiningTie Dye Party
July featured the second of two workshops that invited people to help build a community Water Quilt, a fabric collage made from river-themed drawings. The finished quilt is now on display at the Blossburg Memorial Library.
The community Water Quilt hangs on display at the Blossburg Memorial Library.
Throughout the entire series, participants learned how AMD has affected the Tioga River and how NPC and partners are working together to improve the Tioga River and the land around it.
A Musical Finale in Coal Country
We hope you will join us for the final celebration on September 28 at Songs Celebrating Coal Miners of Pennsylvania to honor the community’s role in healing the River.
Song Celebrating Coal Miners of PA Sunday, September 28, 2025 Doors open at 1:30 PM / Show begins at 2:00 PM Victoria Theatre (222 Main St, Blossburg, PA) Free and open to the public (First come, first seated)
Van Wagner is an educator, forester and musical artist. In the classroom, he teaches Agriculture Science at Danville Area High School. He has been selected as Conservation Educator of the Year in 2005 from Schuylkill County and in 2007 and 2009 in Union County.
In 2012 he was awarded the Sandy Cochran award for natural resource education from the Pennsylvania Forestry Association. In 2015 the Red Cross presented Van with the Robert N. Pursel Distinguished Service Award.
Outside of the classroom he educates audiences with his music and programs on Pennsylvania History. He received an Outstanding Achievement Award in 2018 from the Pennsylvania Heritage Songwriting Contest. In 2021 he was recognized with an outstanding alumni award by the Danville High School alumni association. He is the 2025 recipient of the Penn State University School of Forest Resources alumni of the year award. In 2025 he completed his goal of climbing the tallest tree on the tallest mountain in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties in an effort to raise awareness about forestry in the state.
In 2024 he was awarded “best male solo artist” of the year from the Central PA music awards. His music has been featured on the History Channel, WVIA tv, Country Music Television (CMT), and in several film productions. He has released 35 original albums and published a book entitled “Coal Dust Rust and Sawdust.”
His music and programs not only entertain but inspire audiences to become involved in learning more.
Although the Tioga River is currently impacted by Abandoned Mine Drainage, restoration work is underway. In a few years, the river will once again support water-based recreation. These changes could also bring new opportunities for businesses and services along Main Street.
Artist Bibi S. Brion leads the Urban Sketch Workshop at the Blossburg Memorial Library.
Exploring Blossburg Through Plein Air
During the workshop, artists used pencils, pens, and watercolor-style techniques to capture the sights and scenes of the community. At the end of the day, the group gathered to share their work with one another.
Bibi and several workshop participants practice plein air painting—a style where artists work outdoors and are inspired by their surroundings. This approach often captures natural landscapes, painted directly on-site.
The urban sketching method Bibi shared focuses on the built environment—bridges, buildings, roads—and often begins with pencil or pen drawings created on location. Artists may later add color using watercolors, pastels, or other media.
Stay tuned for more photos of the artists’ work! We’ve asked participants to send in images of their sketches so we can share them with you.
Rivers, Coal & Crafts: Highlighting the Tioga River Restoration
The grant from SRBC is supporting a full series of events this summer: the Rivers, Coal & Crafts series. Coordinated by the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC) and the Blossburg Memorial Library, the series celebrates the Blossburg community and shares information about the Tioga River’s ongoing restoration.
Through hands-on workshops, craft projects, and storytelling, participants of all ages are learning about the decades-long impacts of Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) on the Tioga River—and how local partnerships are working together to restore the river and its surrounding landscape.
