St. Joan of Arc Church in Hershey will celebrate its annual festival on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 6, 7 and 8, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. The event will feature live music, food and children's activities, including games, face painting and inflatables. Live bands will perform all three nights, and homemade dinners will be served in the church hall along with a variety of festival foods. Admission and parking are free.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the event, and organizers have planned even more activities for visitors to enjoy at this year's festival.

"We have basically doubled the amount of entertainment we had in the past," said committee member Karen Willey. "We also brought in a couple of games (from past festivals) and brought back the dunk tank. We are trying to incorporate the past to tie the old in with the new again. We also have some surprises."

A menu of food items will be offered for purchase both inside and outside the church. Homemade dinners will served in the church social hall each evening from 4 to 7 p.m. Dinners will include the following: chicken cacciatore and salad, June 6; Polish stuffed cabbage, June 7; and Italian lasagna with meatballs, June 8. Also offered during the dinners will be chicken Caesar salad and baked macaroni and cheese. Food that will be available at the outdoor food court will include hand-cut french fries, pulled pork sandwiches, egg rolls, perogies, ice cream and funnel cakes.

"What makes our festival unique in some ways is our food," noted committee member Paul Schroeder. "The inside dinners take hours and hours of preparation, and it's all homemade with highest-quality ingredients and longstanding recipes. We have so many people that look forward to the days and evenings of making the food, which is part of the fellowship of the church community."

"We make everything from scratch. It's a lot of good-quality food, and people come back for it year after year," added Willey. "We also offer cold to-go dinners that you can warm up at home, like stuffed cabbage."

Another highlight is the live music. On June 6, featured artists that will perform include Guitars for Vets, The Happy Slovenes and soloist Rachel Cullari Allen. Magician Tony Baronio, who has performed with David Copperfield, will be featured on June 7 and 8. DJ Dave Willey will also provide music all three days of the festival.

Other festival attractions will include bingo, a craft sale, a plant sale and a sale of baked goods. A silent auction will be offered that features a trip for two to Sicily; restaurant tour of Hershey gift cards; and a jersey autographed by Christian Pulisic, a professional soccer player who hails from Hershey.

Close to 1,500 people attend the festival over the course of the three days. "It's not just a church event, even though it's sponsored by the church; it's a big community event," noted Schroeder. "People have come to expect it."

The church has completed a history of the festival, which can be found at the event website. According to http://www.sjafestival.com/festival-history.html, the origins of the St. Joan of Arc Festival can be traced to 1925, when a festival was held at the original church location on Chocolate Avenue in Hershey. "That was when Mr. Hershey was still with us and a lot of employees from the Hershey Company attended," said Schroeder. "Even back then it was a big event."

The festival has evolved through the years from a one-day country fair to a Freedom Festival to its current form 50 years ago. After a break because of the pandemic in 2020, the festival returned in 2021 as a three-day event. "We have always held it in early June," said Schroeder. "It's the kickoff to summer for a lot of folks. It's something they look forward to every year."

He added that about 200 volunteers are involved in making the event happen. "We have had different committee members through the years, but (many) stay involved for a long time because of the passion and the true family sense that we all have," Schroeder shared. "It's a special ministry."

St. Joan of Arc Church is located at 359 W. Areba Ave., Hershey. For complete festival details, visit http://www.sjafestival.com or http://www.facebook.com/sjafestival. Those with questions may call the church office at 717-533-7168.