Family Fun Fest features Battle of the Bands
Event to be held at Fairgrounds June 19 A Battle of the Bands will be featured at the 12th annual Family Fun Fest.
The event will be held Saturday, June 19, at the Fayette County Fairgrounds on Route 119 in Dunbar Township.
Rain or shine, the Fun Fest is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the Battle of the Bands beginning at noon and continuing until 6 p.m.
“We’re hoping to attract more teens with the Battle of the Bands,” said Sister Annette Frey.
Frey, of Rendu Services, is chairwoman of the Special Activities Committee of the Fayette County Human Service Council, which sponsors the event along with the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc., Fayette County Behavioral Health Administration, Fayette County Community Action Agency, Chestnut Ridge Counseling Services, Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation, Office of Human and Community Services, Highmark, Goldi Rock Entertainment, Community Engagement Group for Early Care and Education and other human service agencies, businesses and organizations.
Members of the Special Activities Committee noted the Fun Fest also will include a 30-foot-tall climbing wall on loan from the Army Reserves that they also hope will persuade teenagers to attend the event.
Offered free to the public, the Fun Fest features refreshments, demonstrations and entertainment that includes a petting zoo and Mr. McFeely of “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” fame. It’s also a way for numerous health and human service agencies to meet with the public and raise awareness of what they have to offer.
Robyn Brady of Fayette County Behavioral Health Administration, said, “About 24 to 30 agencies will participate. A lot have games and activities.”
She noted her agency is having a football toss.
Cathy Brady of the Penn State Cooperative Extension said that United Dairy is donating ice cream for free ice cream sundaes (as long as they last) that are being provided by 4-H as its activity. She said Eat’n Park is providing Smiley Face cookies for youths to decorate.
She said, “We’re trying to get more agencies for teens to come.”
Registration is still being taken for the Battle of the Bands, although there will be a limit as to how many can play. Prizes will be awarded, including a grand prize of a $500 recording package with Goldi Rock Entertainment. To register, call Brady at 724-438-0111 or e-mail her at cab287@psu.edu.
Each person attending the Fun Fest will receive a free hot dog and a drink.
Other foods will be available for sale.
Other activities include a basket auction, goat milking, yarn spinning, ventriloquist, milk mustaches, children’s music with John Buchanan of Waynesburg, strongman Ed Claypoole of Uniontown and blacksmith Gene King of Farmington area.
“There’s something for every age,” said Seth Caton of Dads Matter.
The Special Activities Committee of the Human Service Council includes Frey, Caton, Cathy Brady, Robyn Brady, Sister Mary Fran Bassick of Rendu Services, Gypsy Beatty of Penn State Extension, Doreen Bugai of Diabetes View, Cheryl DeCarlo of child Care Information Services, Dick Grimm of Evans Manor Community United Methodist Church, Jenny Maddas of FACT, Karen Novak of Penn State Extension Office, Tammi Stuck of state Department of Health and Erica Usher of Drug and Alcohol Administration.
For more information, call DeCarlo at 724-425-1818.