STEUBENVILLE - Plenty of real food and fun is coming July 1.
The second-annual Stars and Stripes Concert at Harding Stadium, sponsored by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and WTOV-TV, will offer plenty of entertainment - and nourishment - before the concert featuring the Clarks and Joe Zelek begins at 7 p.m.
Starting at noon, the Family Fun Zone will be open and free to the public at the Harding practice field and will feature inflatable games, activities and food vendors.
Beth Rupert-Warren, event volunteer and community relations director for Heritage Complete Home Care in Toronto, said there will be a variety of food vendors located in the fun zone.
Those vendors include T.J. Concessions, which will offer pizza, corn dogs, fried cheese and ham sandwiches; Ohio Valley Sno, offering shaved ice, funnel cakes, kettle corn and caramel corn; Ziggy's Elephant Ears, which will sell elephant ears, funnel cakes fried Oreos and lemonade; Trinh's Oriental Food, featuring lo mein, chicken fried rice and more; Ice Cream Brothers, which will feature ice cream, chips and candy; and Baby-Boyz BBQ, which will offer pulled pork and beef brisket.
"Many of the vendors are returning from last year. They want to support the event as it continues to grow," said Rupert-Warren. "This is something great for the entire community and county. It's a fun-filled day for all ages."
In addition to the fun zone, there will be a beer garden located in the Kroger parking lot at Hollywood City Center with additional vendors and a live disc jockey.
Festival chairperson Tricia Maple said the event is just "exciting from morning to night."
"It's crazy and fun all over the place. It's so fun to come down, and sometimes you can catch a glimpse of the band walking in and setting up," said Maple.
The Fort Steuben Mall is sponsoring the fun zone, which also will feature inflatable fun and games from Kurt James Fun and Games.
Steph McVicker, marketing director, said the mall was a sponsor last year, but decided for this event to focus solely on the fun zone because they "want families to have access to fun things to do in the area."
"The Fort Steuben Mall makes family events a priority when deciding what community activities to be involved in, and we think the Stars and Stripes Concert is the perfect example of a wonderful and affordable family activity that supports the community and allows families to enjoy time together without traveling too far," said McVicker.
Maple said the only event with a charge within the fun zone will be for riding a mechanical bull.
Also at noon that day in the upper parking lot, there will be the Stars and Stripes Car Show, as well as karaoke and a disc jockey until 3 p.m.
Major event sponsors are Chesapeake Energy, the city of Steubenville, Hollywood City Center, Steubenville City Schools and TEAM Automotive. Other sponsors include Choice Brands of Ohio, the Fort Steuben Mall, Iron City Distributing, WesBanco, the Herald-Star, AEP Ohio, Kwik King Food Stores, New York Life, Ambulance Service and Jefferson Security.
Tickets for the July 1 Stars and Stripes Concert featuring the Clarks and the Joe Zelek Band, set to begin at 7 p.m., are on sale at Kwik King locations on Main Street in Wintersville, North Seventh Street in Steubenville and Franklin Street and Fourth Street in Toronto; Peoples National Bank branches on East Main Street in Adena, Union Street in Mount Pleasant and Smithfield Street in Dillonvale; online by visiting the chamber website at www.jeffersoncountychamber.com; or in person at the chamber office, 630 Market St., Steubenville.
General admission bleacher tickets cost $15, while field seating tickets cost $20 if purchased in advance. General admission bleacher tickets will cost $20 and field seating tickets will cost $25 if purchased the day of the concert.
Gates to the concert open at 5:30 p.m. with Joe Zelek taking the stage at 7 p.m. The Clarks will perform at 8:15 p.m.
Fireworks, courtesy of Pyrotecnico of New Castle, Pa., are expected to begin around 9:45 p.m. following the concert. The fireworks are free to attend and will launch from the upper tier of the Hollywood City Center, right behind Kroger and up from the Harding Stadium practice field. The city, Hollywood City Center and TEAM Automotive are again joining forces to present the fireworks show.
"I hope to see entire neighborhoods at the practice field watching the fireworks together," said Rupert-Warren.
