CORTLAND — Members of the Cortland Lions Club have stepped up to make sure the community has its annual summer festival, with this year marking the 78th year for the three-day event.

The festival is scheduled for 6 p.m. to midnight Thursday and Friday and 1 p.m. to midnight Saturday along Main Street.

David Kovacs, chairman of the festival, said the Lions Club has had meetings with the public for the past year to make sure the club would be able to once again host a festival.

He said returning this year will be a fireworks display on Saturday.

“In recent years, the street fair has gotten smaller, so the goal is to bring it back to the way it once was. The fireworks are big and will be coming back after three years. We tried to get a ride company, but there will be no rides,” Kovacs said.

He said a lot of organizations, businesses and the Lakeview Local School District and its band and athletic boosters are providing support and volunteers to make the festival possible.

Kovacs said the Lakeview Alumni Association is hosting a homecoming in connection with the street fair, which is like a sister event taking place along with the festival.

He said the many businesses located along Main Street have also stepped up to provide assistance and support to the festival.

OPENING NIGHT

Kovacs said the opening ceremony for the festival will be 6 p.m. Thursday, which includes a flyover by the Youngstown Air Reserve Station and the Little Miss Cortland and Miss Cortland pageants.

He said all three days will feature different musical acts from local bands and ensembles, with one performance on the Main Street main stage and another taking place inside the beer tent.

On Saturday there will be a children’s matinee 1 to 4 p.m. with various activities and games, along with the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library Bookmobile and a wildlife show with Jason Lee, a park naturalist with Mosquito Lake State Park.

The parade will be at 6 p.m., starting on High Street to Main Street to Grove Street to Erie Street to Main and along Park Avenue, and concludes at Pearl Park.

The fireworks display will conclude the festival at 10 p.m. Saturday.

“We are able to hold our festival because of the community outreach. The overwhelming support from the community re-energized the Lions Club. The members saw how important it was for so many people in the town who wanted to have a festival. We received support from the schools and city council and the mayor. We received many sponsorships from the local businesses,” Kovacs said.

He said this has been the biggest year for financial support and sponsorships and more volunteers to help where needed at the fair.

He said the members felt with all the support and sponsors, the festival could take place.

Kovacs said at one meeting hosted by the Lions Club about the future of the festival, 71 people showed up and provided ideas and what they could do to help make the festival possible.

FRENCH FRY BOOTH

Kovacs said the 23 members of the Lions Club will be active at the French fry booth and the beer tent.

“This is my third year with the Lions Club, and this street fair is our primary fundraiser. To get all the support and vote of confidence will help us put on a good festival that people will enjoy,” Kovacs said.

He said he and other Lions Club members want to see the festival continue to grow each year.

Harry Miller, a club member, said he wants to see the continuation of the large crowds that for many years walked to the festival with their families.

“I can remember for three days and three nights this street was packed with people. That is what I want to see again,” Miller said.

Frank Danso, a club member, said he has heard from so many people in the community that they look forward to the street fair every year.

“I will be there to help cook French fries. I like seeing people from the community who come to our booth and come to the festival,” he said.

Kovacs said after hearing from so many people, he realized how important it was to continue the festival.

“Those public meetings were uplifting. We have got to keep this festival going. That helped re-energize the club,” he said.

Proceeds from the French fry booth and the beer tent are for scholarships.