Cranberry Festival will look a little different this year, with an expanded schedule of events, spanning the week. Long-time favorites that will return this year include the King/Queen competition and fireworks!
This year marks the 23rd year of the Festival, coordinated by the Chamber for the last 19 years. Initiated by Cranberry businesses in 2001, there was a promise of free activities and entertainment for children and families, offered by the generosity of business sponsorships. Lisa Groner, the volunteer Chair of the event in those early years, shared that the collaboration and eventual hosting by the Chamber provided the staffing that was often burdensome for already busy small businesses.
The complete schedule of events can be viewed at cranberry-festival.com, but we encourage you now to mark your calendar for September 17 through 22, with events happening nearly every day. The fun will start with the King/Queen talent show, at the Cranberry Mall on Tuesday, September 17, with 8 contestants from Cranberry, Oil City, Franklin, and Rocky Grove High Schools.
In collaboration with the Cranberry Business Association (CBA), several new events have been added to this year’s Festival. CBA will host a spaghetti dinner on Thursday, September 19 from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Seneca Volunteer Fire Department. Legends of Seneca will host a Chamber Mixer that same evening from 6 – 8 p.m. at their Route 257 store.
On Friday, Schake Industries is coordinating a clean-up event, encouraging businesses and community members to work together in tidying up the entrance to the Cranberry Mall, where Cranberry Festival activities will held on the 21.
Friday evening, CBA is hosting the return of a corn hole competition and a concert, held on the property of 4 Your Car Connection. Friday evening will culminate with fireworks provided by Kellner Fireworks and sponsored by the Venango Chamber and 4 Your Car Connection.
Another brand new event, a Pancake Breakfast, hosted by the staff of Kingdom Guard Financial, will kick off Saturday’s activities at 8 a.m. at the Cranberry Mall.
The official Cranberry Festival on Saturday will feature free activities for children, a basket/prize raffle, food and craft vendors and information booths, with activities to be held from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The “Best of the Berry” Bake-Off will be returning as well. Organized by David McVay and sponsored by Jacob A Weaver Company, this contest is a chance for cranberry lovers to enter their best sweets, savory dishes, or beverages to be critiqued by local judges and awarded cash prizes.
Sunday will wrap up the week’s events, with a free children’s Fishing Derby, again hosted by members of CBA and held at Moody Pond. Bring your own pole and tackle, bait will be provided.
Chamber President Susan Williams shares that the strength of any community festival is in collaboration. Susan says, “We are so excited to have so many businesses supporting this year’s Cranberry Festival, through sponsorship, volunteering, and organizing these special events. It brings me back to the early days of Cranberry Festival when the Chamber first hosted in 2005.”
View the full schedule of events on our website: cranberry-festival.com
Pictured Above: Eli Busch, Shane Zerbe, and Reese Stiller of Kingdom Guard Financial (and members of CBA), hosts of the Pancake Breakfast with Kate Whitling, Schake Industries, who is organizing the community clean-up
This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s September 2024 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.