As Mayor of Renovo I would like to welcome you to our town like so many Mayors have done over the last 75 years. The Queens and their escorts, parents and the good ole Renovo natives continue to return back to a wonderful homecoming.

75 years shows you how people over the years have left their mark and passed on the baton to the next group of volunteers willing to step up to continue this wonderful tradition of the PA State Flaming Foliage Festival. Let’s take a short glance of what 75 years looks like.

The first Festival was created by the Bucktail Park Association in 1949 to promote Renovo, Lock Haven, and Emporium as hospitality spots for tourists along the Bucktail Trail.

Governor James Duff was present to speak to the crowd of 1,000 and crown the first Queen, Sherrill Verna Hiller in 1949.

Mr. Duff was busy that day, he also cut the ribbon to open the road to Hyner View where the venue took place along with the incorporation of modern technology, a microphone. The Queens’ Ball took place at the Fallon Hotel in Lock Haven that year and there was also a 40 Mile Canoe Race from Emporium to Lock Haven with the Race was from Hyner to Lock Haven in 1951.

1950 was a special year for Renovo, Carl Bergdahl was the first Chairman to Represent Renovo and Sonya Brown was crowned the first Renovo Queen. All the events were held in Emporium before Renovo hosted the Event on its own in 1955 with a crowd of approximately 6,000 in attendance to the Festival and Coronation. Don Mason served as the Chairperson.

1987 brought the husband and wife Team of Alex and Pattie Rauch, the two have guided the Flaming Foliage Festival to where it is today along with the 2024 Co­ Chair Dave Watt and a committee of dedicated volunteers over the years. In 2010 the Committee lost one of their own, Alex Rauch a member who had given us all he had and who was very much involved and led by example.

As each year passes, generations enjoy the return of their reigning Queen to crown a new Flaming Foliage Queen.

In Closing, we hope you enjoy your visit to our beautiful small community nestled in the beautiful mountains of Renovo.