After being canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic, Elverson Day in the Park will return this year, offering family-friendly activities, including children's games, music and food. Events will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 26, at Livingood Park on South Chestnut Street in Elverson and end with a giant firework display at approximately 9 p.m. The rain date is Sunday, June 27.

Local musical acts that will perform throughout the evening will include Ring of Fire, Carol Ruffner and Company and Dawson Estes. The West Chester Swing Kings, known for their repertoire of music by artists such as Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie and Duke Ellington, will conclude the performances. The fireworks will begin after the group's last song.

Food will be offered by Stampede Barbecue. "They will be the major food vendor," said Esther Prosser, a member of the Elverson Day Committee, noting ice cream and other food items will also be offered for sale.

For children, there will be face painting, T-shirt decorating, a moon bounce and a petting zoo. "Twin Valley Fire Department will bring their ladder and rescue truck," Prosser noted. Attendees will also have an opportunity to enter in the fire department's drawing for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Children who complete the various activities in the park can have a bingo card stamped to earn tickets they can use to enter a drawing to win a new bicycle.

The Elverson Trails Committee in conjunction with the Chester County Planning Commission will have a booth and provide free bike helmets. Supplies will be limited.

Visitors to the park will also be able to pet and hold adoptable kittens from Calla's Critter Rescue, as well as adoptable puppies. In addition, vendors will be on hand offering items for sale.

According to Prosser, the tradition of holding Elverson Day in the Park began in 2011, when Elverson residents celebrated the borough's centennial by gathering at Livingood Park on a Saturday at the end of June. The event has been held each year since with the exception of 2020.

For more information about Elverson Day in the Park, including cancellation information, visit http://www.elversonboro.org.

To kick off Elverson Day in the Park, Anchored Ministries, a local charity that provides food, clothing and necessities to people in need, will hold the Elverson 5K and 1 Mile Fun Walk/Run, which will also include virtual options. The in-person portion of the event will begin at 9 a.m. at Livingood Park. Awards will be presented to the overall male and female winners of the 5K, as well as the top two female and male winners in various age groups.

To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/elverson5k for the in-person race or https://tinyurl.com/elv5kvirtual for the virtual race. More details are available by emailing contact@anchoredministries.org or calling 484-525-0803.