A former steel hub, Phoenixville rose to prominence in mid-19th century. When the factory began its decline–and eventually closed in 1986–the town, too, fell into disrepair.

Slowly, Phoenixville has begun its resurrection and Henrik Stubbe Teglbjaerg, who created the Firebird Festival, was one of the citizens most responsible for its comeback.

An immigrant to the United States, Teglbjaerg was drawn to the city because it had one of the few remaining walkable downtowns in suburban Philadelphia.

It would be easy to peg Teglbjaerg simply as a free spirit: he rides his bike to meetings, is often seen around town barefoot, and does not use a smart phone. But Teglbjaerg defies labels, and does not espouse a specific philosophy. He values simplicity, so he lives without gadgets.