Welcome to the Pennsylvania Sacred Harp web page.

This site contains information about Shape Note and Sacred Harp activities in the Keystone state.

For more information or to get involved, please contact the site manager at PASacredHarp@gmail.com

Please join us in Philadelphia on Saturday, December 5th for the 2026 Philadelphia All-Day Singing from the Shenandoah Harmony!

The FULL WEEKEND OF SINGING also includes a Saturday evening social with singing from the Valley Pocket Harmonist, a Sunday afternoon pub carol sing, a Monday evening regular pub sing, and a Friday evening first-night-of-Chanukah latke fry with informal singing. More details and a full schedule are below.

For housing info and all other questions or requests, please contact chair Ellie Knickman: eknickman@gmail.com.

FULL WEEKEND SCHEDULE:

2026 Philadelphia All-Day Singing

Saturday, December 5

10:00am to 3:30pm (registration opens 9:30am)

St. Mary’s Church, Hamilton Village (at the University of Pennsylvania)

3916 Locust Walk

Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Singing from the Shenandoah Harmony, with potluck dinner on the grounds. Loaners and books for sale will be available.

Social with singing from the Valley Pocket Harmonist

Saturday, December 5

6:30-9:30pm

At the house of a local singer; details will be available at the all-day singing

Desserts will be served; takeout dinner can be delivered from local restaurants. Singing from the Valley Pocket Harmonist will start 30-60 minutes after the start of the social.

4th Annual Philly Pub Carol Sing

Sunday, December 6

12:30-3:00pm (bar and kitchen open at 12:00pm)

Fergie’s Pub

1214 Sansom Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107

Join local singers at Philly’s iconic Irish pub for an afternoon of brews, Irish breakfast, and carol singing from the Sheffield, West Gallery, shape note, gospel, and many other traditions. We will have printed songbooks. Everyone is also welcome to bring music to pass out, or teach a carol by ear. Instruments are welcome, but by no means necessary.

PLUS, COME A DAY EARLY…

First-Night-of-Chanukah Latke Fry and Informal Sing

Friday, December 4

6:00-9:00pm

Ben Fink’s house in South Philadelphia

(email, text, or call if you need the address)

This is an annual event, which this year happily falls on the night before the all-day sing! Join us for an evening of song, food, and merriment as we light the candles for the first night of Chanukah. The informal singing will feature hymns, odes, prayers, and other songs from the in-progress tunebook The Jew’s Harp. We will fry the latkes and provide the applesauce and sour cream, along with some beverages; if you can, please bring a protein (no pork or shellfish), vegetable, dessert, or drink, but no worries if you’re coming from a long distance! RSVP requested — just send me an email or text — so we know how many latkes to make!

…AND STAY A DAY LATE!

Philly Pub Sing
Monday, December 7
5:30-8:00pm

Fergie’s Pub

1214 Sansom Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107

Yes, another pub sing, the day after the pub carol sing! This is the regular first-Monday pub sing, where you’re free to bring any song you can sing or teach by ear, or just come to sing along. Everyone is welcome, and you definitely don’t have to be a “good singer”…whatever that means. We sing shanties, drinking songs, labor songs, work songs, old-time gospel songs, call-and-response songs, verse-and-chorus songs…even the occasional round.

Transportation information:

• The main parking location for the all-day singing, for all who are physically and financially able, is the Acme parking garage at 40th and Walnut, about two blocks from St. Mary’s. $15 flat rate for all day, including evening during the social. Accessible parking can be found in the small East and West lots on either side of the church, accessible from Irving Street. Please leave these lots for people with special needs and those who are loading/unloading from their cars.
• Fergie’s Pub is located in the middle of Center City Philadelphia. Street parking is very limited, but there are many paid parking garages and lots nearby. Both singers’ homes, for the Friday evening latke fry and Saturday evening social, have limited street parking available nearby.
• All of the weekend’s venues are also easily accessible by SEPTA, Philadelphia’s public transit system.

Accessibility information:

We regret that the venues for the Saturday evening social and Friday evening latke fry require walking up several stairs, and the venue for the Sunday afternoon pub carol sing and Monday evening pub sing requires walking up a flight of stairs.SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2026

St. Mary’s Church (location of the all-day singing) is ADA compliant. There are two small accessible parking lots, an entrance ramp, and accessible restrooms. The singing and dinner on the grounds take place in a single room with movable chairs and no steps. For more details, including contact info for anyone with further questions, please visit https://saintmarysepiscopal.org/accessibility/.

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KEYSTONE CONVENTION

January 23-24, 2026

10:00 AM- 3:30 PM

Registration opens at 9:30 AM

Bareville Fire Company

211 East Main Street

Leola, PA 17540

We will be singing from the 2025 Denson edition

For more information: Emily Raffensberger 717 818-0861 or eraffens@gmail.com