Thorpe plans festival at Sam Miller Field

Jim Thorpe residents will be able to stay at home and enjoy fireworks and fun once again this Independence Day weekend.

The Jim Thorpe Hometown Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday at a new location, Sam Miller Field, thanks to a partnership between the Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency and the Jim Thorpe Community Athletic Association, the organization which maintains the field. Fireworks will take place at 10 p.m. Saturday at the rear of the park.

The free event benefits the field and local nonprofits that will be selling food.

“The town of Jim Thorpe will have fireworks. Fireworks and our nation’s birthday go hand in hand,” said Leroy Strohl, president of Sam Miller Field board.

The event, which is free to attend, features food, live music, rides for kids of all ages, a beer tent and of course fireworks.

The board of Sam Miller Field and Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency have teamed up to continue a tradition that American Legion Post 304 oversaw at Memorial Park for many years.

“I give the American Legion all the credit in the world for doing it for all these decades,” Strohl said. “I know the hard work they’ve done to put a show on every year.”

While Jim Thorpe is a tourist destination, the Stay at Home festival has always been an event for locals. The Legion announced in January that it was stepping away in January. The Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency wanted to continue the event because it is aimed at Jim Thorpe residents, and of course the fireworks display.

“The goal was to pick up where the Stay at Home festival left off. It’s really meant to be a local festival. (JTTA) is also a community organization, and the board of directors really wanted to make sure that we were supportive of this particular event,” said Michael Rivkin, vice president of the Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency.

They found a host in Sam Miller Field. The board which oversees the field stepped up and volunteered to host and organize the event.

Sam Miller Field is dedicated to providing a safe place for the youth of Jim Thorpe to play. They hold movie nights, block parties, and for many years have provided a venue for youth sports.

“We’re a community athletic field. We’re there for the town. We just want the kids to have a safe place to play,” Strohl said.

The borough of Jim Thorpe has assisted along the way, including Mayor Michael Sofranko, Jim Thorpe Police Department and Jim Thorpe Fire Department.

The event received sponsorship from Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank, the SOS project, Legion Post 304, and many other residents.

People coming to the festival should be advised that parking is limited. North Avenue will be closed. Because the event is aimed at Jim Thorpe residents, people are encouraged to walk to the festival.

The fireworks display will begin at 10 p.m. Saturday. Fireworks will be launched from the north side of the park. The festival will take place noon-10 p.m. on Saturday and 2-8 p.m. on Sunday.

The live music schedule for Saturday includes Bees Knees (noon-4 p.m.) Jay Smarr (5-7 p.m.), and the Oldies Rockin’ Duo (7-10 p.m.)