NORTH EAST, Pa. — The North East Fire Department, Crescent and Fuller Hose, will kick off the 74rd annual Cherry Festival on Tuesday. The festival, located in Heard Park on North Lake Street, will run through Saturday, July 13.

The Cherry Festival originated in 1945 as a fundraiser for the volunteer fire department. Today, 74 years later, the tradition continues. Not only has the Cherry Festival become the fire department’s biggest fundraiser but it is also a much-anticipated annual event and community gathering. Thanks to the tremendous support and generosity from North East and surrounding communities, the Cherry Festival remains one of the largest running events of its kind conducted by a volunteer fire department in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

This year, the department is pleased to welcome back Powers & Thomas Midway Entertainment from Wilmington, N.C.

Other attractions at the Cherry Festival include a wide variety of food concessions manned and operated by North East Fire Department volunteers. Favorites foods include Cherry Festival sausage subs, fresh cut straight and curly fries and don’t forget the cotton candy. Visit the Ladies Auxiliary tent for ox roast sandwiches, hamburgers, hotdogs and homemade cherry pies.

In addition to food concessions, the North East Fire Department also operates the bingo tent, chuck-a-luck, pill game and the money tent. Proceeds from all concessions and games operated by the North East Fire Department will go directly to the fire department.

For more information related to the Cherry Festival, please call (814) 725-5616.