Fireman’s Festival to open with America250 Liberty Tree ceremony
Event slated for Saturday
From staff reports
ALLENSVILLE -- The Allensville Fireman's Festival will kick off this year's celebration with a ceremony honoring America's 250th anniversary, including a presentation on the nation's founding and the distribution of Liberty Trees to every municipality in Mifflin County.
The opening ceremony will feature remarks by the Honorable Samuel E. Hayes Jr., former majority leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and former state secretary of agriculture under Gov. Tom Ridge. Hayes will present a program titled "The Birth of Our Nation," reflecting on the events and ideals that led to the founding of the United States.
Following the presentation, representatives from each municipality in Mifflin County will receive a 6- to 8-foot oak sapling to plant in their community as part of the county's America250 commemoration. The Liberty Trees were donated by Metzler Forest Products, and the ceremony is being coordinated by Steve Dunkle.
The presentation carries added significance in Allensville, where a tree planted during the nation's Bicentennial celebration in 1976 continues to grow.
The ceremony opens the annual two-day festival, which will also feature live entertainment, food vendors, a car show hosted by All American Cruizers, a cornhole tournament and other family activities.
Saturday's events will begin with the Mifflin County America250 Parade and conclude with a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m.
Admission to the festival and participation in the parade are free. Additional information is available on the Allensville Volunteer Fire Company Facebook page or by calling (717) 247-6754.