St. Joseph Church Plans 87th Annual 4th of July Celebration
- Editor
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
St. Joseph’s 87th Annual 4th of July Celebration, Clarion county’s oldest Independence Day event, will be held on July 4 from 11 AM until 4 PM on the Parish grounds in Lucinda, PA. The event features their traditional all-you-can-eat chicken and ham dinners, games of skill and chance for all ages, quilt tent, called-number games, live entertainment and a grand prize drawing worth over $10,000 in cash and prizes.
Two pre-festival kick-off events will be held again this year: St. Joseph’s Liberty 5K Run/Walk will take place on June 27 at 8 AM at the historic Lucinda Train Station, and a handmade quilt auction and sale will take place online from June 15 through July 2.
Visitors from around the region and across the state are expected to head to the parish grounds to celebrate the holiday in anticipation of the customary dinner, games, prizes and entertainment - all for the express purpose of supporting St. Joseph Catholic School.
As they’ve done for over eighty-five years, members of the St. Joseph Rosary Society are the chief organizers of the Independence Day feast which includes the chicken and ham entrée, a bowl of the Parish’s signature soup with homemade noodles, mashed potatoes/gravy, coleslaw, vegetable, roll, beverage, and a slice of homemade pie for dessert. The dining room will be serving from 11 AM until 3 PM; take outs will be available from 11 AM until 2 PM. Dinner ticket sales will begin at 10 AM. Dinner prices are Adults: $14 Children 6 to 12: $7 and Children under 6: Free. Sheltered picnic tables, which can seat 150 to 200, will be available for those who opt to eat outdoors.
The grounds will open at 11 a.m. and feature diverse games of skill and chance for adults and children, an extensive Chinese auction, prize drawings and a concessions stand.
A cornerstone attraction is the quilt tent where many handmade quilts are slated to be awarded in drawings held throughout the day, with additional quilts offered at the Rosary Society booth and in the online auction/sale. Depending on size and design, each quilt averages 100 to 200 hours to complete and holds an estimated retail value of between $800 and $1000, making this event one of the largest quilt giveaways in Clarion’s tri-county area. A limited number will be available for direct purchase and a preview of the quilts is available at www.watch4deercatholic.church.
Entertainment will begin at 10 a.m. with artists located on the main grounds and at the outdoor dining area. Among the musicians scheduled to perform during the first half of the festival are country singer/songwriter Kaleb Beichner of Shippenville featuring country hits and originals; the Step Creek String Band of Lucinda performing Americana tunes in old-time style; and Dale Krysinski of Marienville featuring country classics and patriotic tunes. The afternoon hours will bring Gravel Lick, a bluegrass band with a non-traditional flair; jukebox variety of tunes from oldies to modern rock performed by Clarion area duo Jackson Danger and the Golden Boy; Jeff Parker & Friends featuring a mix of Americana and Celtic melodies and Tyler Carson of Franklin playing a variety of country and soft rock numbers. The day’s performances will conclude with Kobe Buzard of Callensburg playing a variety of acoustic classic rock, country, and folk covers.
In addition to the musical groups, Brynn Space will offer face-painting from 12 – 2 pm.
Called-number games will begin at 11:45 am in the lower level of the social hall and will continue throughout the afternoon. Four special games with larger prizes will be held at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 PM.
The grand prize drawing is scheduled for 4 p.m. and features a $5,000 cash prize, outdoor items, gift certificates, and other major cash awards.
Altogether more than $40,000 in cash and prizes is to be awarded with proceeds from the day’s events benefiting St. Joseph Catholic School, one of the oldest Catholic schools in the Erie Diocese. The school provides quality educational programs to children enrolled in Pre-K through sixth grade each year and the institution will be celebrating 160 years during the 2026-27 academic year.
The celebration will be held rain or shine on the canopy-covered parish grounds. The children’s playground is adjacent to the festivities and St. Joseph Church, erected in 1893, will be open to visitors. The parish complex is located at 112 Rectory Lane along Rt. 66 in Lucinda (I-80 Exit 60, Rt. 66 north 10 miles) and is a short drive from Cook Forest State Park. The grounds are handicap accessible. Parking areas surround the grounds and a parking shuttle will be available. Reserved parking spaces will be available for those who cannot attend the festival but want to purchase a carry-out dinner. For more information visit www.watch4deercatholic.church, FB: @stjoseph4thofjuly or call 814-226-7288.
Registration for the Liberty 5K Run/Walk begins at 7 am on June 27 at the restored train station. Now in its 12th year, the race will start nearby at 8 am on the Rail 66 Country Trail. The non-motorized 4-season trail currently stretches 20 miles through the scenic countryside of northern Clarion County on the paved historic Knox-Kane railroad bed.
The run will be held rain or shine and entertainment will be provided by Absolute Clarion DJ Services. The Lucinda Train Station is located at 1040 Lander Drive in Lucinda and can be accessed via Maple Drive, which is the first left immediately following St. Joseph Church on Rt. 66 N. Pre-registration is encouraged and forms are available at www.watch4deercatholic.church, FB: @StJoesLiberty5K, https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Lucinda/StJosephsLiberty5k or by calling 814-226-7288. Proceeds benefit St. Joseph School.
