Under Saturday afternoon's blue skies, the Jim Thorpe Memorial Park was filled with families enjoying the local patriotic celebration.

The American Legion Post 304 has been running the annual Fourth of July Stay at Home Festival for four years. This year organizer Keith McQuait said the festival was the biggest yet."We did away with the coupon system, now it's all cash. We also started it at 3 p.m. instead of having it all day," he said.McQuait said the minor tweaks helped the event run more smoothly."Before we had just one person who sold drinks, but now anyone can sell them at their stands. It's been a fight with older people changing the traditions, but it's going well," he said.Coordinating the event took a 15-person committee, 40 volunteers and six months to iron out the details."We could use more volunteers. If we had more volunteers we could do more stuff," he said. "They were here when they were kids, now it's their time to volunteer," he said.During the opening ceremony McQuait addressed the crowd, thanking the volunteers and vendors for their time and efforts."Mauch Chunk Trust Company donated the fireworks and the Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank paid for the bands. If it weren't for them we wouldn't be able to do this," he said.More rides and games were added this year, including face painting and a fun house to entice more families to enjoy the park."We came in with our family. It's really cute," said Julie Nelson of Springfield. "It's good because it's kid friendly."Kids enjoyed old-fashioned games including a pie-eating contest, potato sack race, a peanut scramble and frog catch.Maryellen Franklin, a Carbon County native, travels from her Alabama home with her family to enjoy the festival."My grandfather used to run the games in the '70s and '80s," she said. "We come every year. This year they brought the frog race back."A beer garden was held in the front pavilion where adult beverages were served by the American Legion Post 304 Home Association.Country band We Three opened the free event after McQuait's remarks."The drummer is a member of the American Legion," McQuait said.The band played well-known country hits followed by local bluegrass band Serene Green and classic rock band Nightwind finishing out the evening before the grand finale fireworks that could be seen from almost any place in the borough at 10 p.m.To donate or volunteer for next year's event, contact the American Legion Post 304 directly.