EBENSBURG — Potato foods, fun activities, live entertainment and performances will be featured throughout nearly 270 vendors during the 33rd annual PotatoFest this Saturday.

The event attracted over 37,000 visitors to the borough last year and continues to be the most successful event put on by the Ebensburg Main Street Partnership every year, said Danea Koss, the borough’s community development coordinator.

Beginning at 6 a.m., Koss said the 100 and 200 blocks of North Center Street, West Sample Street and West High Street and the 100 block of South Center Street and North Julian Street will be closed off so volunteers can set up for the event, slated to run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Streets should reopen by 6 p.m., Koss said, adding there will also be craft and food vendors at the Prave parking lot, Veteran’s Memorial Park and Penn Eben Park.

Most food vendors sell potato-related products — French fries, tater tots, pierogies, baked potatoes, potato pizza and potato soups — but other festival staples — hot sausage, pulled pork, funnel cakes and “tons of desserts” — will also be available, Koss said.

Koss said the PotatoFest Committee and the Main Street Partnership work year-round to put together a family-friendly event that always has “something for everybody,” including balloon and face-painting artists.

Returning this year will be a designated area for kids in the VFW lot. “Adventures in Spudland” hosted by Hogue’s Fun Factory, features several inflatable bounce areas and crafts.

The kid’s potato patch and mini golf will be held inside the Ebensburg Presbyterian Church, and Steel City Axe will be back on Sample and Center streets with their mobile axe-throwing unit.

Dauntless Fire Station will host its annual Wine Extravaganza at the station. Admission is $10, which includes a wine glass and wine testing.

This year’s festival also features new vendors and bands, according to Koss. She said the Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8 will have its rural outreach connecting kids to STEM van at the First National Bank lot from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Cambria County Farm Bureau will also have a display at Penn Eben Park about the history of the area’s agriculture, she said.

According to Koss, Cambria County is the second largest supplier of potatoes in the state. The event was started as a way to celebrate the county’s potato growers, she said, noting Benshoff Farms in Summerhill Borough is the only farm-related vendor still participating in the event every year.

“That was sort of the claim to fame,” Koss said of the area’s agricultural farms growing potatoes. “That was sort of how it started and it’s grown from there into a festival for us to celebrate agriculture in the region.”

Koss said over 100 Saint Francis University students and dozens of residents have signed up to volunteer for the event. Without them, the Ebensburg Main Street Partnership wouldn’t be able to host the event every year, she said.

“It wouldn’t be possible,” Koss said. “That’s sort of how these community events can happen. It’s because of the local people who see the value in that and want that for their community.”

Koss said there will be four different stages lined up with music all day, in addition to several character appearances from Smokey Bear, Sparky the Dauntless Dalmatian Dog and Chopper from the Johnstown Tomahawks.

There is no charge to attend PotatoFest and free shuttles will run from from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from Admiral Peary Area Vo-Tech and Central Cambria schools, Penn Highlands Community College, Lake Rowena and the American Legion County Fairgrounds.

Main tent entertainment includes John Miller & The Boys from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Kiara Smith Band from noon to 2 p.m. and Shallow 9 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

South Center Street entertainment includes Coltt Winter Lepley from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Joseph Caroff from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and The Cresson Brothers Band from 3 to 5 p.m.

Memorial Park tent entertainment includes Elena Tuinstra from 10 a.m. to noon, Rue Moyer from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and Exotic Edventures from 3 to 5 p.m.

Wanderlost Acoustic Set will be at Penn Eben Park from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by Jeff Webb & The Delectable Sound from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and Bo & Tucker Moore from 3 to 5 p.m.

“We look forward to everyone coming downtown and enjoying PotatoFest this year,” Koss said Monday while giving her report to the Ebensburg Borough Council. “Hopefully we’ll have good weather again this year.”

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.