Published: June 19, 2008 02:52 pm      

Coalport to note 125th anniversary with street fair

BY RUTH RICE

RRICE@TRIBDEM.COM

One small, Clearfield County community will celebrate its 125th birthday with a party.

The 11th annual Coalport Street Fair, sponsored by Coalport Community Decorating Committee and Coalport Borough, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in downtown Coalport.

“We’re going to sponsor a decorating contest for businesses and residences for the birthday celebration,” said Mary Sue Hoey, a member of the decorating committee.

“One store has a birthday cake in a mining cart pulled by mules painted in the window, and a house has a birthday cake on the roof.”

An extra large parade, with five to six floats instead of the usual two or three, will line up at 11:30 a.m. and march down Main Street at noon.

Glendale Volunteer Fire Company will unveil its new fire engine in the parade, and weather prognosticator Punxsutawney Phil will ride in his Philmobile with his Inner Circle.

The Coalport Coal Museum and the artists’ gallery, both located in the borough building, will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Vendors will line Main Street, three side streets and two parking lots with crafts, food and information tables.

More than 60 craft tables will feature handmade jewelry, country crafts, wooden shelves, stools and benches, crocheted items, sports memorabilia, embroidered sweatshirts, homemade handbags and 100 percent soy candles.

Food will include pizza, Texas-style hot dogs, funnel cakes, roast beef sandwiches, hot sausage, popcorn, homemade lemonade and ethnic food.

“Local clubs and churches make some of the food, and vendors come from Pittsburgh and Altoona,” Hoey said.

A Giant Crazy Auction, which is held every year, will feature items donated by local businesses, including two tickets to Hershey Park.

Free entertainment will be provided by the Sharptones from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the Smoke Run Band from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

“The Sharptones play ’50s and ’60s,” Hoey said.

“We had them last year and usually rotate, but everyone liked them. The Smoke Run Band is local, and they play everything.”

The entertainment, which is sponsored by local businesses, will be set up in front of the Moose Lodge on Main Street.

A Kids’ Corner children’s area will feature games, prizes, a jumping castle, a petting zoo and free children’s projects with Cen-Clear Children’s Services.

Handi the Clown will make free balloon creations from 1 to 3 p.m.

The celebration will end with a dance featuring DJ Royal Knights for Moose members and their guests from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Moose Lodge.

Proceeds will benefit the borough’s Christmas Lighting Fund.

Coalport, population 480, is located in the southern part of Clearfield County near the division line between Clearfield and Cambria counties.

It was settled in 1876 and incorporated as a borough in 1883.

Deposits of bituminous coal and various coal operations made it a center of business and gave the town its name.



Celebration

What: 11th annual Coalport Street Fair.

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Where: Downtown Coalport.

Admission: Free.

Information: 672-3556.