Annual festival set this week in Girard

Staff report

GIRARD

The annual Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festival sponsored at the Italian Fraternal Home, 33 W. Wilson Ave., will be Tuesday through Saturday on the fraternal home’s grounds.

Games, music, food and entertainment will be featured each night of the festival. Bands also will be performing, as follows:

Pre-festival, Monday: Pete Shelby and the Blue Collar Band at 8 p.m.

Tuesday: The Girard Community Band, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., followed by the Frank Gallo Band at 8 p.m.

Wednesday: The Rage at 8 p.m.

Thursday: Cleveland Flats, 8 p.m.

Friday: DJ Steve at 5 p.m. followed by The First Degree at 8 p.m.

Saturday: The Girard Community Swingtime Band at 5 p.m. and St. Margaret’s Blue Coat Band at 8 p.m.

The annual procession to St. Rose Church will be Saturday, the Feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel starting at 10:30 a.m. at the fraternal home grounds to the church, 48 E. Main St., for an 11 a.m. Mass. The St. Margaret’s band will accompany the procession as will the Girard American Legion No. 8939 Honor Guard.

The procession then will go to the War Memorial at Girard City Hall, 100 W. Main St. and then return to the grounds for lunch.

The procession will continue at 1 p.m. to the Girard Cemetery, then the Resurrection Cemetery and Kerr Cemetery to honor deceased family members and friends.

The festival ends with fireworks at 11 p.m.

Chairman of the event is Ray Ragozzine Jr., and co-chairman is Myron Esposito.