Charleroi ready for Magic City Saturday

The second annual summer celebration will take place this weekend.

The second annual Magic City Saturday will take place this weekend.

The event started last year as a new summer tradition to replace the borough’s weekend- long community festival.

Instead of a two-day event, officials decided to bring all the fun together for one day — the first Saturday before the Fourth of July — so it wouldn’t conflict with other celebrations.

On Saturday, the event will return to the borough with a few minor changes.

The most notable change this year is the start time. Instead of 11 a.m. like last year, it will begin at 3 p.m. and run through a fireworks grand finale around 9:45 p.m.

Food and artisan vendors will be set up on Fifth Street between Fallowfield Avenue and the railroad tracks.

The Main Stage on Fifth Street will have entertainment starting with a performance by Smoke & Mirrors from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and followed by the Marcus Tyler Band from 7 to 9:30 p.m., leading up to fireworks. Entertainment equipment was donated by Dave Barbe Sr. of D&B Rentals, the event’s largest sponsor.

Borough officials decided last year to host their celebration the week before the fourth of July holiday to give residents an early chance to enjoy the holiday with their families.

It was expected to bring more people into the borough by not conflicting with other Fourth of July plans. It also frees up vendors who want to attend and have a more flexible schedule.

“We’ve decided to hold our celebration a week early so that everyone can enjoy the other towns’ festivities,” council President Kristin Hopkins said. “We realized that a lot of residents go out of town or celebrate with family, or again, like to visit neighboring towns on the (Fourth of July).

“We wanted to give our residents kind of a week-long celebration for the holiday by starting a week early. It also frees up our vendors to partake in other events throughout the Valley.”

Councilman Jerry Jericho, who heads the parks and recreation committee, said he understands some people want to celebrate on the actual Fourth of July, regardless of whether it falls on a weekend. The borough wants to make the event as successful as possible and not have to compete with neighboring celebrations.

“Monongahela always has theirs on the fourth, and it’s always great turnout. We don’t want people to have to choose,” Jericho said. “And our event last year was really great, so we’re hoping it’s even better than it was last year, even though we are get- MAGIC CITY •A4

“We’ve decided to hold our celebration a week early so that everyone can enjoy the other towns’ festivities.”

KRISTIN HOPKINS

COUNCIL PRESIDENT ting a later start.”

Organizers hope that by starting a few hours later, vendors will see more customers, and residents will spend more time in town.

Food and artisan vendors can still register to set up. Applications can be found on the borough’s website, charleroiborough.org, or on the Charleroi Borough Facebook page.

All vendors pay $25 for a 10×10 space and $50 for 10×20.

Roads will close to get ready for the event Friday night, and setup will begin at noon Saturday.

Vendors will be set up by 2:30, but will not start selling until 3 p.m.

“(We) hope to see (everyone) on the 28th. Let’s celebrate our great nation for more than one day, and instead for two weekends,” Hopkins said.