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Thousands attended the event over its four-day run
YOUNGSTOWN
Food, fun and memories are reasons people keep coming back to the annual St. Christine Parish Festival that wound up its 2016 version Sunday.
This year was no different.
Kim Brownlie of Youngstown said she and her nine siblings all worked booths and other jobs that got them free admission to the festival.
Brownlie talked about the festival while her son, Ian, 9, played on the bumper cars with his buddy, Jacob King, who was there with his mother, Sarah King.
“I like the festival because it’s family-oriented. It’s a great time and great memories. I wanted that for my son,” said Brownlie.
Nikki LaRocca and Heather Jones, both of Youngstown, were hanging out in the shade of a tent enjoying some of the festival food.
LaRocca said she particularly likes the rides, the food, Black Jack and the Dollar Game.
“I like everything about the festival,” said Jones.
Adam and Danielle Poe of Youngstown watched their children, Averie, 9; Capri, 7; and Niah, 9, get banged around in bumper cars, smiling and laughing all the time.
“Getting to drive on your own” was Niah’s favorite part of the bumper cars, and Averie liked “getting to bump into people.” Capri said she even had fun when she got trapped by other cars.
Adam and Danielle agreed their favorite bumper car moment was seeing the smiles on their kids’ faces.
On a muggy, hot day, David Rivera of Canfield, one of the festival’s volunteers, cooled off by working the dunk tank aided by his children, Christina, 16, and David.
Rivera also got some help from Dominick Depizzo of Youngstown who volunteered to get dunked. Dominick was at the festival with his father, Nick, and brother, Julian.
An estimated 5,200 people had visited the festival, 3,200 paid and 2,000 parishioners and volunteers who receive free passes, Thursday through Saturday, and several hundred more were expected before the gates closed on the 63rd annual St. Christine Parish Festival at 11 p.m. Sunday, said Debbie Esbenshade of Poland, a member of the parish and festival coordinator.
The Rev. John Keehner is pastor of St. Christine and general chairman of the festival, which takes place next to the church at 3165 S. Schenley Ave. at the intersection of Canfield Road. The Rev. John Eddinger is associate pastor of the church.
Attendance has been great this year, and except for Thursday, the weather was good for the festival. It is the parish’s single largest annual fundraiser, said Father Keehner.
He smiled when he suggested that people mark their calendars.
The dates for St. Christine Parish’s 64th annual festival in 2017 are June 22, 23, 24 and 25.