Claysburg to Celebrate 45th Community Days Aug 14 & 15

Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 14 and 15, 2021, will mark the 45th Claysburg Community Days. Saturday’s events kick-off at 10:30 a.m. and will continue to 10 p.m. Sunday’s events begin at 10:30 a.m. and continue to 6 p.m.

There will be food, games, crafts and entertainment on both days.

The lineup of special entertainment on Saturday, Aug. 14 is as follows:

• 11 a.m. – Cornhole Tournament

• 11:30 a.m. - Little Miss Claysburg Pageant

• 1 - 5 p.m. - Petting Zoo (sponsored by West Central Equipment/John Deere)

• 2 p.m. – Children’s Games (sponsored by Hometown Bank)

• 2:30 - 5 p.m. – 5DC (sponsored by First Commonwealth Bank)

• 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Gayle’s Shining Stars

• 7 - 10 p.m. - Felix and the Hurricanes.

Sunday, August 15 events will begin at 10:45 with a Community Worship Service. Pastor Wendy Farber of United Church of Christ will deliver the sermon. The Claysburg Church of God Drama Team will present their special message of music. The Claysburg Community Chorus will perform under the direction of Danny Crist. The proceeds of the offering will benefit the on-going needs of the Claysburg Community.

The rest of the activites are as follows:

• 1 - 5 p.m. - Petting Zoo (sponsored by C & S Market)

• 1 - 2 p.m. - Claysburg American Legion Band, Claysburg Community Band, and a Salute to Veterans

• 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. – Stephanie and the Wild Hearts.

Both days, a softball tournament at the Little League Field will be held.

As with other prior Community Days, there will be a large selection of foods on both days as well as games, crafts and other events.

History of Community Days

The first Claysburg Street Fair took place in 1975. It was basically a flea market to help raise money for the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration. Starting in 1976, the Street Fair was moved to August and became a grander event each year.

For many years, Bedford Street was blocked off from Catherine to Arden Streets, and the event was held right on the street. Each year a trucking company would donate a trailer that would be placed in front of the old Bennett Recapping building and used as a makeshift stage. Churches and other organizations in town would line Bedford Street with booths offering a great variety of food, crafts, and other items for sale. These booths were mostly on the east side of the street with the community’s booth and a pizza booth on the opposite side near the firehall. A BBQ chicken booth was located next to Geraldine Gordon’s, and games for kids were held near the General Refractories Co. shipping gate at the northern end of the event.

This tradition continued on Bedford Street until 1995 when it was moved to the high school softball field. In 2001, the Claysburg Community Park was developed. Following the park’s completion, the event moved there.

Today, the weekend event is referred to as Claysburg Area Community Days.