Threat of rain doesn’t dampen Fourth of July celebration
The threat of rain showers Sunday didn’t keep people from attending the annual Fourth of July celebration at Uniontown Mall. Event organizers said the 13th annual Fayette County Independence Day Festival, sponsored by the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, went off without a hitch.
“Everything went great,” said Muriel Nuttal, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.
Nuttal said chamber members really stepped up to the plate this year, despite a lagging economy that has made it difficult for business owners.
“We were a little concerned at first if we’d be able to pull the festival off this year with the economy the way it is, but our chamber members always come through. We told them what we needed and they supplied everything,” she said.
According to Nuttal, the 550 members of the Chamber of Commerce pay for the festival.
“It’s an expensive festival to hold, but our members feel it is important to give back to the community. This is their gift to the people who support their businesses throughout the year,” Nuttal said.
Nuttal said the festival has something for everyone, old and young alike.
A variety of food booths serving everything from cheeseburgers and curly fries to shaved ice and kettle corn were on site.
Members of Pleasantview Presbyterian Church in Smock were busy making funnel cakes and other desserts while a few booths down, volunteers from the Salvation Army sold freshly squeezed lemonade.
As people wandered from booth to booth sampling food, others sat and listened, or kicked off their shoes and danced in the grassy area in front of the stage, as bands performed throughout the day.
In addition to food and music, the festival featured activities for children and games of chance.
“There’s something to do for everyone,” Nuttal said.
The Chamber of Commerce has sponsored the Fourth of July festival for the last several years. Event organizers said the daylong celebration, always held the Sunday before Independence Day, attracts between 12,000 to 15,000 people on average per year.
Mark Rafail, a longtime member of the Chamber of Commerce, said the festival has become an event that people look forward to attending every summer.
“It’s a great opportunity for our local businesses to give back to the community,” he said.
The celebration concluded at dusk with fireworks.