Vandergrift wraps up holiday festival with vendors and bands

Vandergrift wrapped up its three-day holiday festival Sunday, capping off a weekend that organizers said saw thousands of people pour into the small town.

“This has been a great community event, it’s great just getting the community together,” said Lisa Schrader, a member of the Vandergrift Back When committee.

The festival kicked off Friday night with vendors, performances and a parade. Organizer Denise Lewandowski said police told her they estimated 5,000 people or more packed into the quaint downtown.

“I’ve loved it,” Lewandowski said, noting that pulling off the multiday event takes a village.

She said the wide range of activities offered — from a scavenger hunt to carriage rides to breakfast with Santa — helped to bring so many into town. Some events, such as the scavenger hunt, led participants into a variety of downtown storefronts they otherwise might not have visited.

The event, in its second year, was born out of Lewandowski’s desire to turn her community into a Hallmark movie Christmas town.

Saturday’s events included a 5K race, more vendors, a scavenger hunt, carolers and other performers and a Christmas music DJ. Sunday offered a breakfast with Santa and musical performances.

Lisa Dormire, organizer of Vandergrift Market, said turnout for the event — particularly Friday and Saturday — was fantastic. The market allows space for vendors to set up for six weeks at a time, and Dormire said the Vandergrift Back When festival was a boon for vendors.

Cody Huffman of Apollo spent Sunday in her hometown of Vandergrift celebrating the season.

“It’s just the excitement of the holidays,” she said.

Huffman said its events like Vandergrift Back When that help bring back a sense of normalcy after almost two years of pandemic-related restrictions and fears.

Marilee Painter of Leechburg brought her 3-year-old son, Rory, specifically to see the petting zoo.

Fancy the cow, Hamlet the pig and others were in Vandergrift courtesy of the Little Blessings Farm and Mobile Petting Zoo.

Painter said she and her family came to last year’s event.

“It’s definitely grown — there are a lot more vendors,” she said. “We’re always trying to do stuff for the holidays.”