Published: August 09, 2009 11:37 pm      

Portage celebrates a sizzling Summerfest

PORTAGE — The 20th annual summer celebration at the Crichton McCormick Park came to an end Sunday night, and already organizers are planning for the 2010 community blowout.

Estimates are that close to 20,000 people attended the three-day Portage Summerfest. People come from far and wide, using the event as a springboard for high school and family reunions and a homecoming of sorts.

“It’s gone very well,” said Summerfest Chairman Chester Hochrein. “The biggest hurdle was the fireworks. It was a military salute, and it went good.”

This year the committee pulled out all the stops for the fireworks, the highlight of Saturday’s events.

The fireworks were on the minds of people like Glenna Garis, Dixie Lewis, Connie Nagy and Heidi Hasse.

The women had pulled the celebration out of the park and onto the side yard of the Garis Johnson Avenue home.

It’s something they do every year.

“The fireworks honored the veterans and they were better than they’ve ever been,” said Garis.

Summerfest is a spinoff of the Portage Centennial in 1990, a celebration of a few friends and some fireworks.

The three days are packed full of music, kids entertainment, games, food and craft sales.

Portage police Officer Don Wyar said the celebration was held with few problems.

“We haven’t had any problems, even with the juveniles,” said Wyar as he helped coordinate a K-9 presentation by three officers and two dogs from the Johnstown Police Department.

For some, especially food vendors, the economic downturn had little impact.

Sale of the sausage sandwiches made by the Portage Knights of Columbus were off a little Sunday, said Larry Kowalczyk of Portage, who blamed it on the heat which was pushing people toward the ice cream vendors.

But the sale of homemade potato chips went through the roof, said Dave Baron, Summerfest food committee chairman.

“Last year we had 1,900 pounds of potatoes. This year we have 2,150 pounds,” he said, predicting the supply would run out Sunday afternoon.

Many of the 65 different craft vendors were equally pleased.

By Sunday afternoon, Kim Pepple and her mother, JoeAnn Stapleton of New Enterprise, were nearly sold out of the country crafts and quilts they made.

“I doubled my sales over last year,” Pepple said. “This is a very well-run festival. The people are so nice and the whole community really comes out for the festival.”

Roger “Red” Weyandt came across the mountain from Claysburg for Sunday’s classic car show. It’s something he’s been doing for years.

“But I love the great food and you can’t beat the price,” Weyandt said as he listened to gospel music and ate ice cream. “I have high praise for the organizers of the festival.”