McKeesport’s Village for Kids returning next week

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

After a long year off as a result of concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the precursor event to McKeesport’s International Village ethnic food, music and dance festival is returning.

Village for Kids, presented by the McKeesport office of state Sen. Jim Brewster and partnering organizations, is expected to draw large crowds to the area of Renziehausen Park’s McKeesport Lions Club Bandshell on Monday and will kick off nearly a week of fun and community togetherness in the Tube City. 

International Village, which was also nixed last year amid the pandemic, kicks off at 3 p.m. Tuesday on Stephen Barry Field and under the Andrew J. Jakomas Blue Top Pavilion at Renzie Park. The event continues Wednesday and Thursday. 

It’s the 12th year of Village for Kids, which is held at the bandshell and surrounding fields.

Alison Piccolino, director of external affairs for the office of the Democratic senator from McKeesport, is proud of the event she helped create to mark the 50th anniversary of International Village. 

She’s feeling “thankful” as the 12th annual event approaches.

“I remember standing on stage our first year next to Dexter Hairston (then-executive director of the YMCA and a co-chair of Village for Kids),” she said. “Sen. Brewster, then mayor of McKeesport, asked the crowd if they had a great time and everyone yelled back ‘Yes,’

“Then he asked, ‘You wanna do this again next year?’ and the crowd even louder yelled ‘Yes,’ and the tradition began.”

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