McKeesport Celebrates Its 57th Annual International Festival

Last Updated on Monday, 29 August 2016 15:47

By Michelle Taylor

The 57th annual International Festival kicked off on Monday, August 15 with the Village for Kids Festival. This junior festival has everything you could possibly want.

Folk dancers entertain the crowd.

With typical activities like fingerprinting, games, music and inflatable rides, there were also arts and crafts and contests. In addition to those activities, there was a smokehouse simulator where kids and adults entered a small enclosure filled with smoke and had to crawl out of the enclosure to see what it would be like if in a burning building. There was a meet-and-greet with Doc McStuffins and Marshall from Paw Patrol. Lastly, the village prince and princess were crowned and awarded a 20 -inch bike, courtesy of the McKeesport Kiwanis Club, with helmets donated by the McKeesport Police Department. These activities were free of charge and took place at the Lions Bandshell.

Then on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the annual festivities took place. With admission at only $2 per person each night, there were activities and events for all ages to enjoy.

On Tuesday, the ethnic dance party theme was Kolo night. There were folk dancers and Lebanese belly dancers, and the evening finished off with fireworks, weather permitting.

Wednesday came with Bulgarian dancers and the ethnic marketplace and the ethnic dance party theme was a variety show.

Thursday wrapped the festival up with a polka theme for the ethnic dance party and Filipino and Polish dancers.

All three nights also brought craft booths, an eye glasses donation box for the needy, and an Olde World Carousel in which Miss Molly was the star attraction. The festival also hosted a photo contest; anyone could participate and submit their photo. Winners received $100 for first place, $50 for second place, and $25 for third place and all winners will have their photos used to promote the 2017 festival through the Lions Club website.

The main attraction of the festival of course are the food booths. The food booths this year included, Austrian, Serbian, Slovak, Chinese, Usa/Hawaiian, Croatian, Lebanese, Ghanan, Polish, Vietnamese, Mexican, Greek, Irish, French, Egyptian, Swedish, Hungarian, Italian, Filipino, Kenyan, and Turkish. Wow, what a spread!