Celebration Johnstown New Year's Eve event will feature family-friendly activities

Dec. 22—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Family-friendly activities will welcome in 2024 at a citywide, alcohol-free New Year's Eve event.

Celebration Johnstown will be held from 5:45 to 10 p.m. Dec. 31 in Central Park and other locations throughout downtown Johnstown.

The free event will feature musical entertainment, children's activities, horse-drawn carriage rides, food and beverages, animated Christmas displays and fireworks.

"It's a really nice way to usher in the new year, and it's also a way to show people our downtown," said Rose Howarth, co-chairwoman of the event.

She said the event continues to grow and attracts nice crowds each year.

"We have people who come year after year, and we see a lot of families," Howarth said.

New this year, organizers will kick off the celebration at 5:45 p.m. with "Our Hope for Johnstown" at the gazebo in Central Park. The prayer service will be led by Christ Centered Community Church.

"People will be able to say what their hopes and good wishes are for 2024 for Johnstown," Howarth said.

"We'll have index cards where people can write what they hope to see in Johnstown or what they're praying for, or even their New Year's resolutions for Johnstown."

Bands will play jazz, polka, oldies, rock 'n' roll, Irish, bluegrass, Americana and feel-good songs.

"It's very much a variety of music," Howarth said. "Many of the bands people have seen before, and that seems to be successful."

Children's entertainment will include West African and Irish dancing, face-painting, clowns, storytelling, crafts and photo opportunities.

Beginning at 5 p.m., the Christmas Tree @ Central Park will feature its animated light show throughout the evening.

New Year's Eve visitors can travel to Christmases past by viewing animated displays from Glosser Bros. and Penn Traffic in the lobby of AmeriServ Financial, 216 Franklin St.

Entertainment venues will be located at First Presbyterian Church, 309 Lincoln St.; Franklin Street Church, 510 Locust St.; Cambria County Library, 248 Main St.; Visit Johnstown, 416 Main St.; and The State Theater of Johnstown, 336 Main St.

Jazz in Your Face will entertain from 6 to 8 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church.

Cambria County Library will host Moonbeam the clown from 6 to 8 p.m.; face-painting, crafts and storytelling from 6 to 9 p.m.; and Rosie and the Jammers from 7:30 to 9:40 p.m.

The Rusty Shackles will perform in the sanctuary at Franklin Street Church from 6 to 7 p.m.; Striped Maple Hollow from 7 to 8 p.m.; and Whiskey River Panhandlers from 8:15 to 9:40 p.m. Kulani dance group will entertain in the church hall from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m., and Irish Pretenders with Ellory Dabbs, Irish dancer, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

At Visit Johnstown, Tom Katz will perform from 6 to 7 p.m.; Hard Rok, KoKo & Joe from 7 to 8:30 p.m.; and Bo Moore from 8:30 to 9:45 p.m.

Rachel Allen will entertain from 6 to 6:45 p.m. at The State Theater of Johnstown, followed by Matt Otis and the Sound from 7 to 8:15 p.m. and Christ Centered Community Church from 8:30 to 9:15 p.m.

Food and refreshments will be available for purchase at most venues.

Carriage rides will be provided by Misty Haven Carriage Rides, of Davidsville, for a $5 fee. Loading and unloading will take place on Franklin and Locust streets.

The celebration will conclude with a fireworks show lighting up the night sky at 9:50 p.m. from Prospect Hill.

"All the spots in town are great, but the area by the post office and over by the Johnstown Flood Museum are fabulous places to watch the fireworks," Howarth said. "It's a highlight of the evening, and it's great when everyone is together and you hear the 'oohs' and 'aahs.' It's a really nice show."

She said those attending this year's event will experience a comfortable, fun and community-based celebration.

"We hope people have a good time with family, or maybe they'll get to meet up with friends they haven't seen in a while," Howarth said. "It's a relief from everything that people had to do over the holidays. It's a night of wonderful entertainment, seeing the talents in Johnstown."

Celebration Johnstown is organized by the West End Improvement Group, Roxbury Civic Group, Moxham Neighborhood Watch and United Neighborhoods, a Vision Together 2025 capture team.

Sponsors of the event include Croatian Hall, Concurrent Technologies Corp., EADS Group, Vision Together 2025, JWF Industries, Sheetz, Wessel & Co., DQE Communications, 1st Summit Bank, Alma Lodge, Rosie and the Jammers, William L. Aurandt Auto Sales, Krouse Automotive, Family Dentistry Associates, Harris Funeral Home, Johnstown Housing Authority, Somerset Trust Co., Habits Beer & Tobacco, Suppes Ford, Slovenian Savings & Loan Association and G.A.P. Federal Credit Union.

For more information or to leave wishes for Johnstown, visit the Celebration Johnstown Facebook page at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064829345766.