Founding Day Festival to be celebrated June 28-30 in Uniontown
The ĢƵ is hosting a celebration of UniontownĢƵ birthday with the first annual Founding Day Festival June 28-30.
“Our city was founded on the same day as our country — July 4, 1776 — and I’m not sure how many other places can hang their hat on that,” said Michael Scott, ĢƵ publisher.
The festival features entertainment but is also an opportunity to showcase local businesses and opportunities.
“We do have some vacant buildings that would be great for people to open up businesses in. We have some wonderful businesses down here already and new businesses that have recently moved in. The idea behind this festival is to get people to see what we have to offer,” Scott said.
Admission is free to the festival that begins as Uniontown businesses participate in an all-day Be Local Citywide Sidewalk Sale June 28 and 29.
“Hopefully businesses will have specials,” said Scott, including retail stores, restaurants and bars. “We’re looking at this as a way to get people into your establishment.”
JacquelineĢƵ Fine Jewelry Doors to History Walk will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 29, featuring a self-guided walk through historic downtown Uniontown. Participants visit 15 doors that each have an information sign about the building and include one clue word, necessary to put together a 15-word sentence for a chance to win a gift basket.
Entries must be submitted by 3:45 p.m. June 29 to a box in Storey Square. Forms will be available there at JacquelineĢƵ booth as well as prior to the festival in the ĢƵ newspaper and at a rack in front of the ĢƵ building on East Church Street. The winning name will be drawn randomly and the winner will be notified by phone.
The event is a takeoff on a local poster made popular several years ago called “Doors of Uniontown” and provides an opportunity for people to learn local history, shop and see whatĢƵ downtown.
“An Afternoon in Storey Square’ will be the setting for vendors and a performance by Blended Reality from 1 to 4 p.m. June 29 when the block of Main Street in front of Storey Square will be closed to traffic.
“ItĢƵ like the old time central square in a town where people would come and picnic, and say hello to their neighbors,” said Scott. “We can have that atmosphere again.”
The festival moves to “An Afternoon in Marshall Park” from 11:30 to 4 p.m. June 30, featuring a performance by Black Dog Hollow, food and merchandise vendors, games and an appearance by the Pirates Parrot.
An artistĢƵ rendering of the Marshall Park rejuvenation project will be displayed with the festival set up to fit it: a stage where the new stage will be built and vendors lined up on what will be Vendor Row.
“We wanted people to see what this could be – that itĢƵ a good project,” said Scott, noting the festivalĢƵ net proceeds will be donated towards the Marshall Park project.
Scott said the festival will continue to donate net proceeds every year to something that benefits the city.
“Marshall Park was perfect for that,” said Scott. “Will we be able to get everything done this year? Probably not. So next year when we hold it down there, we’ll be able to, again, put the money towards Marshall Park but you’ll be able to see the progress.”
The ĢƵ has been working with Uniontown Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Mark Rafail and Fayette Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Muriel Nuttall on planning as Fireworks Over Fayette follows the Founding Day Festival on June 30.
“We are very excited and pleased that someone decided we should celebrate the cityĢƵ 243rd birthday,” said Rafail. “We look forward to working with the ĢƵ and growing this into a larger event. My board is very pleased to see the ĢƵ step up to help us with the process of renovating Marshall Park.”
Nuttall said, “The Fayette Chamber was welcomed to be a part of the Founding Day event and we were equally excited to be able to partner with the Herald Standard on our annual Fireworks Over Fayette event. Tying the two together just makes perfect sense, for us, for our members, and the for the community-at-large. ”
Fireworks Over Fayette takes place from 6 p.m. June 30 until the fireworks shoot at dusk in the front of the Uniontown Mall. Abacus Jones will perform at 7 p.m. Faith Assembly of God will provide family activities. Local businesses are offering support and the chamber will sell refreshments to offset costs.
Scott said the Founding Day Festival also complements the Connect Education/Career Fair hosted by the ĢƵ last winter at Uniontown Mall that will be held again in September. The career fair was designed to help students as well as the unemployed.
“We have opportunities for people in Uniontown to start businesses, to put in a second storefront or whatever they may want to do, and itĢƵ so important they have a workforce to draw from,” said Scott. “ThatĢƵ why this is tied together. We want to have a workforce. We want to make sure itĢƵ educated in the way they need to be in order to work for the different companies we have here. Having that spurs on more business. ItĢƵ a snowball effect.”
Scott continued, “This festival is for the city but itĢƵ also designed to bring people in to see what this city has to offer. ItĢƵ a good place to do business. On top of that, being able to apply monies to the rejuvenation of Marshall Park — a part of this city we can all use — is the icing on the cake. We look forward to seeing that project come to fruition and we will work with the city to see what the next project will be.”



