Summer concerts, events to return in McKeesport

By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com

An announcement this week from Gov. Tom Wolf that the vast majority of Pennsylvania’s pandemic orders will be lifted come Memorial Day “pretty much solidifies” that McKeesport will hold the summer events it is renowned for around the Mon Valley, the city’s mayor said.
Mayor Michael Cherepko, at last month’s meeting, said that barring any setbacks as a result of state and/or Allegheny County pandemic orders, he had full intentions of holding events like International Village, the concert series and rib festival at Renziehausen Park this summer.
After the meeting Wednesday, Cherepko said International Village — one of western Pennsylvania’s largest ethnic food, music and dance festivals — is currently slated for Aug. 10, 11 and 12 and that further information would be revealed as summer approaches.
The Wolf administration, in coordination with the COVID-19 Joint Task Force, on Tuesday announced mitigation orders, with the exception of wearing a mask, will be lifted just after midnight May 31, which is Memorial Day.
“After May 30, pretty much the only restrictions there will be is wearing a mask,” Cherepko said Wednesday. “Everything is going to go to full capacity with no restrictions, so there would be no reason not to run International Village the way it’s normal of a normal International Village, a normal rib fest, concerts in the parks and those types of things.
“Obviously we’ll ask people to wear masks.”

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