SummerFest Repairs Final Snag Before Opening Tonight

by Jonathan Weaver

Before Ford City SummerFest makes its community debut this weekend, electrical crews had to re install wiring within Ford City Park last week.

At the Borough Council special meeting Monday, Ford City Legacy Chairman Ben Dinus, wife Rachel, and other committee members attended and told council members what happened.

“In talking to the electrician, he said that it was not caused by a storm. He said that, if three of us jumped up and pulled that down, it would not have come down – somebody intentionally did it,” Rachel said. “Obviously, there are issues with something being in the park.”

The non-profit organization paid Armstrong County Electric nearly $7,000 for the electrical system the first time, but thankfully did not have to pay for the redo.

“This is our largest expense for the weekend,” Ben said.

He even double-checked that a fireworks permit through Glory on High was even less of an expense. The fireworks permit was approved by Borough Council to allow the evening show this Sunday.

Ben said that many of the local entertainers for the weekend will also contribute at a discounted rate or with no charge.

“They’ve really went above-and-beyond. And it’s not like we’re twisting their arm to do it,” Ben said.

Still, committee members asked for Borough Council’s help in paying the electricity bill due to giving maximum effort so far.

“The idea was brought to us to ask Council for this (since) we’ve started this from scratch – basically the way Heritage Days was when it first started. We’ve put a lot of the money we raised in putting the infrastructure together, the entertainment, the fireworks, and basically tapped ourselves out, really,” Ben said. “We want to make sure we put on a good event for the town. The grand daddy of them all in this town has always been over the Fourth of July.”

“We bring in a lot of people outside of town, and it would be nice for other groups to be a part of it – like Borough Council – rather than sit on the sidelines and watch it happen,” Ben added. “We really want to push for everybody working together.”

Electricity costs about $1,600 during the 2013 Ford City Heritage Days. With SummerFest lasting a shorter amount of time, Council approved to pay a maximum of $800 toward the electricity cost.

Council Vice-President Jerry Miklos wished the event success this weekend

“I wish you all the success, and I think everybody (on Borough Council) does,” Miklos said.

The inaugural event – scheduled and publicly announced since December despite different community views – begins with opening ceremonies at 5PM Thursday, July 3 before at least a dozen musical acts steal the stage the next few days, the annual 5K race and a Fireman’s Parade July 5.

 

SUMMERFEST SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Thursday, July 3
5:00 PM - Opening Ceremonies
6:00 PM - Murphy’s Music Center Big Band
9:00 PM - Ben Valasek & the Growlers

Friday, July 4
4:00 PM - Houseband
6:30 PM - Armstrong Festival Choir
8:00 PM - Acoustic Jam (Ryan Balla & Jason Cirrincione)

Saturday, July 5
9:00 AM - 5K Race
5:00 PM - Firemen’s Parade
8:00 PM - Stonehouse Band

Sunday, July 6
12:30 PM - Polka Mass
4:00 PM - Armstrong Community Theater
5:00 PM - First Church of Ford City Worship Team
5:30 PM - Battle of the Barrel
8:00 PM - Slant 6
10:00 PM - Fireworks