McCandless planning bigger, better blowout for 2025 Community Day

A longer day and more space are on the docket for this year’s McCandless Community Day, set for Sept. 13 at Town Hall and the surrounding grounds off Grubbs Road.

McCandless’ premier community event will kick off at 1 p.m., an earlier start time compared to past years, and end around 8 p.m. with a fireworks display, according to Abby Lucostic, the town’s director of parks and recreation.

With an estimated 1,000 people attending in 2024, the extra time is a good idea, she said.

“It’s our major community event for the year. This year, we’re excited that we are taking it back to a start time of 1 p.m. We wanted to make it a longer day,” Lucostic said.

The event will begin with the fifth grade choirs from North Allegheny’s Hosack and Ingomar elementary schools singing the national anthem, followed by a performance by the North Allegheny Marching Band.

The day’s entertainment will continue with Michele’s Dance Center, Americana alternative folk group The 729ers, rock cover band This-That & The Other Thing and Totally 80s as headliner.

“We try to have a little bit for everybody and certainly want to highlight local talents of our community,” Lucostic said.

The entertainment stage and community booths will be located on the baseball field, which sits next to Town Hall.

The town also is expanding its space by housing all of the rides and other attractions on the Lorrain G. Rogers Soccer Fields, which can be easily accessed by walking up the short bridge from the park next to Town Hall.

Some attractions set for the soccer fields include inflatables, sports games, a target-shooting game called GellyBall, Euro Bungee, a pirate ship ride and a mechanical bull, according to Lucostic.

McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center, located near the soccer fields, also will be open for visitors.

Parking for the event can be tricky, so Lucostic is instructing drivers to park at the PRT Park and Ride on Blazier Drive, where there will be shuttles running to and from the event all day.

Wheelchair-accessible parking is available in front of Town Hall and the parking lot next to the soccer fields and cultural center also will be open.

“Hopefully, the extended hours will assist in keeping traffic from getting as congested as last year,” Lucostic said.

The space behind Town Hall will have 27 community booths and a variety of food trucks, including Clementine’s Coffee, named after local McCandless toddler Clementine Blackham who suffers from a rare genetic disease called TLR-8. Part of the proceeds of those sales will support the needs of families going through similar situations and benefit TLR-8 research, according to the Blackham family.

Also for the first time, beer, hard seltzers and cider will be served by a local vendor, Lucostic said.

McCandless K-9 Leroy will be on hand to greet visitors, too, Lucostic said.

The Frank J. Farina Jr. Memorial Car Cruise, a longtime community day staple, will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at Ashton Commons off Blazier Drive.

“Fingers crossed that the weather will be just as nice as last year so the turnout is high,” said Frank Farina, son of Frank Farina Jr., the cruise’s namesake.

Community Day also is the last chance for adults to buy tickets to enter the McCandless Big Adventure raffle, giving a McCandless child a chance to win a ride to school in their choice of a public works truck, McCandless police cruiser, ambulance from the McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority or fire truck from the Peebles, Ingomar or Highland stations.

Cash-only tickets are $1 each or six for $5. Winners will be drawn on Sept. 16. Proceeds will benefit the town’s upcoming 175th anniversary celebration.

The Allegheny Brass Band will wrap up Community Day, performing during the evening’s fireworks display.

Lucostic said the town’s administration and public works crew are working hard to get the town ready for the big day.

“It’s all hands on deck,” she said.

McCandless’ next major community event will be Winterfest, which is scheduled for Dec. 6.