Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008

50,000 expected for weekend in York

By Staff Reports

Enquirer Herald

YORK -- The 25th annual Summerfest, the White Rose City's annual summer send-off, is this weekend in downtown York, and organizers are expecting up to 50,000 visitors to attend the festivities.

The event will be held rain or shine, despite the gloomy forecast.

As Tropical Storm Fay makes her way up the Florida coast, meteorologists are predicting the storm could dump buckets of rain on the Carolinas by week's end.

According to weather.com, there's a 30 percent chance of rain and isolated thunderstorms Friday and Saturday.

"I hope Fay will not make things too bad for us," said Paul Boger, director of the Greater York Chamber of Commerce, which organizes Summerfest. "Only time will tell."

Boger said he can't recall a time in recent history that Summerfest has been rained out.

Summerfest will celebrate its Silver Anniversary from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday with live music, a 5K Run, Fun Run, Classic Car Show, Giant Scale Fly-In, hot air balloon rides and more. Also, dozens of arts and crafts vendors from across the Southeast will be selling handmade products.

York Mayor Eddie Lee will kick off the Summerfest festivities during a 10 a.m. opening ceremony on the steps of the courthouse.

During Summerfest, Congress Street will be closed from Kings Mountain Street to Jefferson Street. Liberty Street will be closed from White Rose Lane to Roosevelt Street. Roosevelt Street will be closed from Madison Street to Liberty Street.

See the enclosed Summerfest Guide for more information about the events.

-- Shannon Greene, Enquirer-Herald