CLEARFIELD – Clearfield will mark the beginning of summer with the annual Clearfield Riverfront Festival this weekend.
The 20th anniversary of the festival, presented by CNB Bank and Veolia Environmental Services, opens at 11 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Festival-goers will find plenty of food concessions and craft stands as well as other booths.
Vendors will remain open in Clearfield Borough’s Lower Witmer Park throughout each day and evening. The park will close at approximately 11 p.m. each night.
Admission to the family-friendly festival is free.
Events this year include plenty of free, live entertainment, which has become a staple of the Clearfield Riverfront Festival. There are also several new twists this year.
Two of those additions come thanks to the Clearfield Revitalization Corporation. The first takes place Friday morning at 10 with the Amazing Race: Downtown Clearfield Challenge. The race will have participants scrambling through the downtown and completing tasks to get their next clue. The winners will receive a “Welcome to Clearfield” prize package. The contest is limited to the first 10 teams to sign up. A $5 registration fee will be collected from each participant.
The CRC has also organized the “Anything That Floats” Boat Regatta as an addition at the 2010 Clearfield Riverfront Festival. Homemade watercrafts will launch from Upper Witmer Park at 1 p.m. Saturday and race to the finish line at Lower Witmer Park. Rules can be obtained at the CRC office, and entrants will be taken until 4 p.m. Friday at the CRC office. For more information on either the Amazing Race: Downtown Clearfield Challenge or the “Anything That Floats” Boat Regatta, contact Clearfield Main Street Manager Kellie Truman at 765-6000.
The younger set will discover that the inflatable bouncer has returned to the Clearfield Riverfront Festival again this year. The bouncer, sponsored by Fun Central, will open Thursday afternoon and will re-open Friday and Saturday, as weather permits.
Entertainment for this year features a bevy of local talent.
The live acts kick off with the Clearfield Arts Studio Theatre’s Youth Choir Thursday at 4 p.m. At 7 p.m., the Primer Greys will provide all-American rockabilly.
Friday will see the CAST Youth Choir on the gazebo at 3 p.m. Clearfield’s Mary Beth Geppert will take to the stage at 3:30 p.m. with her acoustic guitar. Keith Lucas of Philipsburg will also perform an acoustic show, beginning at 5 p.m.
The Dream Catchers, under the direction of Jo Maines-Lowman, will perform at 6 p.m. Friday. Jerry Schickling and North Country round out the night with their show, which begins at 8 p.m. Schickling is a local country artist and will perform his own music as well as songs made popular by others.
Saturday’s events begin with registration for the Diaper Derby beginning at 11 a.m. Races start at noon. Registration is free and can be made at the festival information booth near the gazebo.
The Diaper Derby, sponsored by Destini’s Daycare, is open to children aged 24 months and younger.
Racers will be divided into three age groups: 8 months and younger, 9-15 months and 16-24 months. Trophies will be awarded in each division.
All babies should be accompanied by at least two adults (one to “launch” at the start line and one to “catch” at the finish line).
A Pet Parade will step off at 1 p.m. Saturday. Owners can register their pets at Upper Witmer Park for the parade, which will end at Lower Witmer Park. Note that this will be the only parade for this year’s festival. The parade that had been planned for Thursday is canceled due to a lack of participation.
Gene Allen will perform beginning at 1 p.m. Allen, who hails from the DuBois area, will offer a family-friendly variety show featuring music, comedy and magic.
Curwensville-based Christian rock/pop band A Days Awaits will perform two shows Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
The Dance Company, under the direction of Dana Lamertina Timko, will perform at 6 p.m.
Adam Bell of Curwensville will be joined by special guest Brandon Giuffre of Clearfield on the gazebo stage at 7 p.m. The set will include several of Bell’s original songs.
Live Bait, a local band featuring an eclectic mix of music, will perform at 8 p.m. until the fireworks show over the West Branch of the Susquehanna River at 10 p.m. Live Bait will return to the stage at 10:30 p.m. to close out the festival.
Wok!W 102.9 FM will be providing live broadcasts from the festival grounds daily.
Directions, a map of the festival grounds, photos from previous years and more can be found on www.clearfieldreunions.com by following the “Clearfield Riverfront Festival” link.
Thursday
11 a.m. – Vendors open and remain so throughout the day and evening
4 p.m. – CAST Youth Choir
7 p.m. – Primer Greys
Friday
10 a.m. – Clearfield Revitalization Corp. Amazing Race: Downtown Clearfield Challenge
11 a.m. – Vendors open and remain so throughout the day and evening
3 p.m. – CAST Youth Choir
3:30 p.m. – Mary Beth Geppert
5 p.m. – Keith Lucas (Philipsburg)
6 p.m. – Dream Catchers under the direction of Jo Maines-Lowman
8 p.m. – Jerry Schickling and North Country
Saturday
11 a.m. – Vendors open and remain so throughout the day and evening
11 a.m. – Diaper Derby registration
Noon – Diaper Derby
1 p.m. – Clearfield Revitalization Corp.’s Inaugural “Anything That Floats” Boat Regatta
1 p.m. – Pet Parade
1 p.m. – Gene Allen
2:30 p.m. – A Day Awaits
4 p.m. – A Day Awaits
6 p.m. – The Dance Company under the direction of Dana Lamertina Timko
7 p.m. – Adam Bell with special guest Brandon Giuffre
8 p.m. – Live Bait
10 p.m. – Fireworks
10:30 p.m. – Live Bait continues
The Clearfield Riverfront Festival has been held in Clearfield’s Lower Witmer Park each year since 1991. The event features food, craft and other vendors; entertainment; and activities for all ages.