STEUBENVILLE - The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce is dialing up plenty of music, food and family fun for this year's Stars and Stripes Concert and Festival, set for July 1 at Harding Stadium and Hollywood City Center.
The day-long event will include a host of activities, including a classic car show and family fun zone, performances by two bands, food and craft vendors and a fireworks display.
"It's going to be a fun event," Chamber President Sue Hershey said at a press conference announcing plans Wednesday in Scaffidi's at Hollywood City Center. "There will be something for everybody, and we want our community to come out and enjoy it."
Article Photos
EVENT PLANNED — Among the community and business leaders helping ensure the 2012 Stars and Stripes Concert and Festival is a fun-filled holiday celebration are, from left, John Cucarese, first chair of the chamber board; Geary Teramana, representing TEAM Automotive and the Teramana family; Sue Hershey, chamber president; Jim Morgan, chamber chairman; Ross Gallabrese, executive editor of the Herald-Star; Pete Kenworthy of Chesapeake Energy; John Riley of Riley Petroleum and Kwik King food stores; Nick Latousakis of Choice Brands of Ohio; Cathy Davison, Steubenville city manager; Kevin Medley of Iron City Distributing; Barry Gullen, Steubenville City Schools assistant superintendent; Steubenville Mayor Domenic Mucci Jr.; Stephanie McVicker of the Fort Steuben Mall; Tricia Maple, chamber special events chair; and Chrissy Taylor, committee member. Tim McCoy of WTOV-TV also was on hand for Wednesday’s press conference announcing the event, which will be held July 1. -- Linda Harris
The concert, which gets under way at 7 p.m., will feature two well-known acts: The Joe Zelek Band from Mount Pleasant, a regular at Jamboree in the Hills, and the Clarks, a Pittsburgh-based group which, after selling more than 300,000 CDs and making an appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman," can no longer be considered a regional band.
The bands will perform on the main stage, located on the visitors' side of the stadium.
Zelek, the opening act, is a regular on the main stage at Jamboree in the Hills, and actually penned the theme song for the annual event. He opened the show at last year's festival, Hershey said, "and is back by popular demand."
The Clarks, who take the stage at 8:15 p.m., now play to sell-out crowds throughout the region, and will be featuring songs from their new CD, "Restless Days," due to be released June 9.
Tricia Maple, the chamber's special events chair, said the concert should appeal "to all ages and demographics."
After opening ceremonies at noon, there will be a classic car cruise-in the upper parking lot at the stadium and a family fun zone set up on the Harding practice field. Food and craft vendors will be stationed at the practice field as well, with a beer tent in the Kroger parking lot.
"It's going to be a great celebration for our city," said John Cucarese, first chair of the chamber's board of directors. "We expect several thousand people in and around Steubenville on July 1. The community is going to get a wonderful show."
Hershey said the event wouldn't be possible without the support of local business leaders and the city: title sponsor WTOV-TV; and major sponsors Chesapeake Energy, the City of Steubenville, Hollywood City Center, Steubenville City Schools and TEAM Automotive.
Tim McCoy, WTOV-TV vice president and general manager, said he sees the event as an investment in the community, pointing out the importance of having activities for youth.
"That's what we want to do, invest back into the community and make sure we have a great quality of life," he said.
Mayor Domenick Mucci Jr. promised an outstanding event, "right here in mid-city." The city is providing the fireworks display immediately after the concert, "but it would not be possible without the assistance of YES Team, TEAM Automotive and the Teramana family," he said.
The city's fireworks display is scheduled to begin at 9:45 p.m.
"This isn't the first time the Teramana family has stepped up to the plate," he said, "and once again they're stepping up."
Geary Teramana told the group that, "If it wasn't for the community, we wouldn't be able to do these things."
"The Teramana family is very happy to be part of the community, to be able to give back to the community," he said.
Barry Gullen, assistant superintendent of Steubenville City Schools, said they had a lot of positive feedback after last year's festival, and "anything we can do for our community, for our city, is good."
Chesapeake Energy's Pete Kenworthy said the energy giant is "proud to be a sponsor again."
"We feel it's our responsibility to give back to the communities where we operate," he said.
Hershey also credited Alex Marshall, publisher of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times, for his "Vision in bringing the concert idea to the city, and John (Cucarese) and Tricia (Maple) for carrying it out."
Additional sponsors are Choice Brands of Ohio (Busch Beer), Fort Steuben Mall (family fun zone), the Herald-Star and Iron City Distributing (IC Light Mango and IC Amber), gold level; Iron City Distributing (Mike's Hard Lemonade) and Choice Brands (Yuengling beer), silver level; Kwik King Food Stores, ticket outlet, and New York Life/John Cucarese, ticket sponsor, bronze level.
Gates open at 6 p.m. for the concert, which will be held rain or shine.
Tickets for the concert will go on sale at noon May 11. They can be purchased in advance for $15 (general admission) or $20 (field seating) at Kwik King stores in Wintersville, Toronto and Steubenville; at People's National Bank locations in Dillonvale, Adena and Mount Pleasant; at the chamber offices, 630 Market St., Steubenville; or on the chamber's website, www.jeffersoncountychamber.com.
Concert tickets also will be available the day of the event for $20 (general admission) or $25 (field seating).
The Stars and Stripes Concert and Festival will help get Steubenville's Independence Day celebration under way. Mucci said activities will continue on July 4, when there will be a lunch for seniors and veterans at noon at the JFK building, while Belleview Park will offer free swimming all day.
Hershey said the chamber and sponsors are looking to build off the success of last year's first Stars and Stripes Concert and Festival. That event included a concert that featured Zelek, country artist Josh Thompson and country music group Little Big Town.
