This is my first blog post with Cranberry Patch. I am very proud to answer people when they ask “What do you do” by saying, “I volunteer at St. Ferdinand Church.”

Today, I want to chat about one of my favorite, fun church and community events, the annual Family Festival & White Elephant Flea Market.  The event will be open to the public the second weekend of August.

This is the 51st year that people of Cranberry Township and surrounding areas come together and prepare a summer community event. St. Ferdinand has a long tradition of hosting a festival with concessions, indoor dining, craft and baked goods booths, raffles, bingo, children’s play areas and games—and the largest flea market in the area.

Getting ready is a very busy and most exhilarating time at St. Ferdinand. One month before the festival, donations of all sorts of household items begin to arrive at the church property; and for the whole month 80 volunteers sort the continuous incoming donations for the well known gigantic White Elephant flea market.

Two weeks before the event, the giant, circus-sized tents go up. Some 40 people work to install electricity, fencing, display tables, and such.

The week just before the August event, 100 more volunteers come to build concession and game booths, install electricity, place tables and chairs and put up decorations and signs along the outdoor festival row. 

And, indoors, in the air-conditioned, Oldenski Hall, another 50 come to cook, bake, set up tables, and decorate, for serving turkey, ham, Italian foods, and chicken barbeque (cooked on a huge outdoor grill) dinners. Soon the refrigerated vendor trucks park, speakers are tested, and volunteers arrive for finishing touches.

Excitement builds as the event draws closer! 

This year, Friday, August 10 at 4:30 pm, the doors open at Oldenski Hall for the Italian buffet. Soon, the line will begin to form, waiting for the 6 p.m. opening of the festival and flea market tents.

And the festival will be in full swing! The event runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday. See www.stferd.org for more information. Click the festival poster, it’s a link.

It is exciting every night of the festival to meet new people and greet friends. I work the Antiques & Collectibles booth. 

When I catch breaks, I buy a hamburger, raffle tickets, and lottery tickets.  I take a few minutes to watch kids ‘fishing’ or jumping in the jungle gym, I’ll check out how the Bingo is going and I get an ice cream cone. 

Maybe this year, I’ll get a balloon animal hat and a heart painted on my face.  And, of course, I will visit my flea market friends’ book room, decorative goods, kitchen everything, appliances, floral, toys, tools, furniture, sports and more market areas. I’ll have a jolly good time.

Come join me!  It’s great fun!