Allegheny Township partners with Kiski Area School District for summer festival

A community event idled for decades is returning bigger and better with a new venue in Allegheny Township.

Allegheny Township Community Days is planned for Saturday, June 24, on the grounds of Kiski Area High School. Despite the “Days” in the name, it’s a one-day event.

Township Supervisor James Morabito is spearheading the festival. He was looking for a venue that could handle the hundreds of people expected to attend.

“It’s wonderful that Superintendent (Misty) Slavic and the school board were kind enough to grant us permission to use the school facilities,” Morabito said. “We would not have been able to plan a festival of this magnitude without their help because the facility at the Allegheny Township Municipal Building is just too small.”

The event ceased more than 24 years ago, Township Manager Greg Primm said.

Morabito formed a Community Days committee this year, and a team of volunteers is busy planning the event.

Volunteer organizer Frank Weissert said those attending can expect a full-scale festival environment.

“We’re making sure different activities of this festival are school-oriented, and we’re going to raise money that will go back to these school organizations.”

Planned activities include live music, more than 40 vendors, multiple food trucks, touch-a-truck vehicles from local fire and EMS departments, a petting zoo, face painting, a pie bakeoff and clowns.

Scheduled bands are 56 East Band and the Kiski Valley Community Band.

A motorcycle and car show will serve as the anchor attraction, with proceeds benefiting a scholarship in memory of Mary Shearer, who owned and operated Shearer’s Garage in the township. The cost to register a car or motorcycle for the event is $15. Attending the show will be free.

“It’s going to be educational and entertaining,” Morabito said. “We’ll have interactions with the school. We’re working with the school band, and it’s a collaborative effort.”

Morabito plans to make Community Days an annual tradition in the township.

“Every municipality around us has been having festivals — New Kensington, Leechburg, Vandergrift and Lower Burrell. Everyone has been participating and giving back to the residents,” Morabito said. “We (Allegheny Township) have never done this, and we do nothing to give back to the residents.

“I feel that’s extremely unfair to our taxpayers in our township, which we have a great resident base. This is something that needed to be done.”

To book a vendor spot, which are $25 each, obtain sponsorship or book a food truck, contact Frank Weissert at 412-995-8776.

“We’re really focusing on bringing local vendors together, and this is the first year we’re kicking it off, so there’s some trial-and-error things,” Weissert said.