McCandless gears up for annual Community Day

The 2024 McCandless Community Day, being held Sept. 14 at Town Hall parking lot off of Grubbs Road, will bring its popular Frank J. Farina Jr. Memorial Car Cruise closer to the main event.

The car cruise, a long-time staple to the annual community day, returns to its original location at the Ashton Commons parking lot on Cooper Drive.

Car cruise lovers can access both the community day celebration and the car cruise via a sidewalk, said Abby Lucostic, parks and recreation coordinator for McCandless. The 23rd McCandless Community Day will be held from 4 to 8 p.m., with the car cruise from 2 to 6 p.m.

“This has just been a celebration of community since 2001. It’s always on the second Saturday of September to bring our residents together in a fun way,” Lucostic said.

She was happy that the long-standing tradition of the car cruise will be held closer to town hall.

Approximately 75 cars are expected.

The car cruise was held for many years at this location, which was formerly the parking lot of Trader Horn and other businesses. Over the past five years, it’s been held at the North Allegheny Intermediate School parking lot on Cumberland Road, away from the rest of the celebration.

“It was always meant to be part of community day. It’s nice to bring that back to the neighborhood to make it more cohesive,” said Lucostic.

The car cruise honors the legacy of Frank J. Farina Jr., who was a music director for several schools in the Pittsburgh area, including 26 years at North Allegheny as chairman of the music department and band director. A resident of McCandless, his four children all attended NASD, according to his son, Frank J. Farina, 3rd.

Farina said this is one of the main events of the Farina Foundation and said the new location will be more convenient for festival-goers.

“It was just too far away from community day. Ashton Commons is very excited and has been very accommodating,” Farina said.

The Farina Foundation is working out details on parking, as the lot at Ashton is not typical of most cruises, but he expects about 75 cars if not more, dependent on weather.

“We get a pretty good turnout,” Farina said.

There will be entertainment by DJ Dan and the band American Pie, hamburgers and hot dogs, gift baskets and a 50/50 raffle. Bring a new or gently used instrument to donate in support of the Farina Foundation’s Play-it-Forward program.

While the car cruise begins at 2 p.m., the community day celebration kicks off at 4 p.m., beginning with a performance by the North Allegheny Marching Band.

Other performances include Michelle’s Dance Studio, of McCandless, and the show choir of Perform! Pittsburgh Theater and Talent School, Lucostic said.

The headliner 56 East Band begins at 6 p.m.

Aside from about 10 food trucks, most of the activities are free, including educational events, face painting, caricatures, a junior fireman’s challenge and the rides for kids, the last of which will be located in the adjacent baseball field. Axe throwing will be held for those 18 and older, and closed-toe shoes are required, she said.

We Brought A Zoo will be selling a stuffed-animal craft activity, with 10 percent of what it sells during the event being donated back to the town, Lucostic said.

New this year is a community recreation showcase at the Lorrain Rogers Soccer Field, located at the top of the hill next to the town hall park, accessible via sidewalks. Groups attending include the North Allegheny Soccer Club, the McCandless Athletic Association, and Coach Dave Gray of CDG Sports.

Visitors can also visit the McCandless/North Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center, located next to the soccer fields also accessible from the Town Hall and Devlin Park.

Since the National Night Out scheduled for Aug. 6 was canceled due to inclement weather, the McCandless police department will use community day to meet with residents. They will be raffling off a bike donated from Pro Bike + Run and a grill from Lowe’s in McCandless to benefit the department’s canine support fund, Lucostic said.

Local emergency services will be there including Highland, Ingomar and Peebles volunteer fire departments and the McCandless Franklin Park Ambulance Authority, she said.

The festivities conclude with fireworks at about 8:15 p.m. accompanied by the Allegheny Brass Band.

Parking is available at the Lorrain Rogers soccer field, and also at ASR North bike rental on East Ingomar Road. There will also be a shuttle running from the North Allegheny Intermediate School on Cumberland Road.

However, Lucostic said they are hoping to get permission to park and run a shuttle from the Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Park and Ride parking lot on McKnight Road, located near Ashton Commons.

Visit townofmccandless.org for information.