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EBENSBURG -- What started out in 1997 as a way to celebrate the borough's bicentennial year has become an annual tradition, known as Ebensburg Homecoming, in which the community comes together to celebrate summer and welcome former residents home.
The celebration consists of several events that get bigger and better every year, said Danea Koss, the borough's community development director.
The festivities begin each year with the Ebensburg Main Street Partnership's Downtown Shutdown, when officials close the intersection of Center and High streets for bands to perform live music while downtown businesses host their own events and specials.
The streets will close this year at about 5 p.m. Friday, July 24, until after the event ends, which is scheduled to be about 11 p.m., Koss said.
Events happening throughout the evening include live music at the American Legion Post 363, events at The Castle Pub and a Wolf street party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Wolf's Performing Arts, 226 West High St.
Laura Wolf, owner of the performing arts studio, said there will be a disc jockey playing music outside the studio, and they'll be passing out gift bags, filled with chalk and novelty toys, for kids to draw on the streets and make their own art.
Wolf said her studio has participated in the festivities before, but this is the first time in four or five years they've done something special in conjunction with Downtown Shutdown.
"At our end of the block, there's not as much stuff going on, so we're trying to make it a destination point," she said, adding they'll likely have some balloons, flags and ribbons for kids to play with, too.
Then, from 6 to 7 p.m., they're going to offer free line dancing classes, which are open to both kids and adults, Wolf said. People can expect to learn five or six different popular line dances before the hour is over, she said.
"Anybody is welcome," Wolf said. "It's not that they have to be people who are registered with our studios specifically."
The Altoona-based Shallow 9 rock band will begin playing classic rock under the streetlight of Center and High streets about 8 p.m., according to Koss.
"We encourage everyone to come out, meet up with friends, bring a chair, explore downtown establishments and enjoy food, drinks and live music all evening long," Koss said.
Since Downtown Shutdown is only the kickoff to Ebensburg Homecoming, the fun doesn't end until Saturday night, when the Ebensburg Main Street Partnership will host a fireworks show at Lake Rowena.
Koss said many people plan their class and family reunions around Ebensburg Homecoming, and many have booked pavilions at the lake this year to cook food with their families and make a weekend of the festivities.
"It's a community favorite," Koss said of the event. "We have so many people that come out for it and celebrate with their families. We really get a good turnout for this event."
Homecoming's schedule of events begins about 8 a.m. Saturday, July 25, with indoor yard sales, a basket raffle and food and drink sales benefiting the Bishop Carroll Catholic High School's student council at the high school's cafeteria until 2 p.m.
From 8 to 11 a.m., there will be an indoor flea market at Holy Name Church Hall, 500 North Julian St.
Zumba with Brandy Smith will be held at LDE Fitness, 526 West Ogle St., about 8:15 a.m. There is a $5 walk-in fee, according to a list of events on the borough's website.
The Ebensburg-Cambria Library will also have a basket raffle, book sale and yard sale throughout the day, with the book sale and basket raffle beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at about 2 p.m.
Drawings for the raffle are expected to start about 2:30 p.m., according to the borough's website. The library's yard sale will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and there will be food, drinks and baked goods for sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, First United Church of Christ, 217 East High St., will have an indoor yard sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. On Saturday only, there will be a lunch and basket party to benefit the Sunday School program during the same time as the yard sale.
The Friends of CCXC will host a 5K and 15K homecoming duathlon Saturday morning on the Ghost Town Trail; a kid's fishing derby from 9 to 11 a.m. at Lake Rowena; a farmer's market from 9 a.m. to noon at Penn Eben Park; and an open house and free tennis lessons at the Ebensburg Tennis Center.
Some of the other events include yoga with Alexa Novak at LDE Fitness; a Cambria and Jackson Elementary parent teacher organization Goodwill donation drive at the Ebensburg Goodwill; and a vintage ceramic tree workshop at Artistry from Scratch, 129 West High St.
At Lake Rowena, Hogue's Fun Factory will set up a bounce slide and Nerf battlefield from 4 to 8:30 p.m.; a free backpack giveaway will take place, while supplies last, about 5 p.m.; a basket raffle and food trucks will be on hand from 5 to 8 p.m.; and live music by Wanderlost from 7 to 10 p.m.
The fireworks show on the lake will be set off at dusk, according to the borough's website, where a full list of details and events can be found at www.ebensburgpa.com/homecoming.
Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.