A tradition will continue Saturday as the Jim Thorpe American Legion Post 304 hosts the Stay At Home Festival at Memorial Park.

For organizers, however, the 2017 version of the event may be the most rewarding.When Mauch Chunk Trust Company reduced its sponsorship amount to support additional community projects and initiatives, Legion officials were left with lofty fundraising goals.One day out from the event, the Legion is still taking in donations and inching closer to its goal of $19,000 toward the festival.In the past week, for example, American Dream Mortgage, Mauch Chunk Historical Society and Annie's Ice Cream pitched in a combined $600.Earlier this month, the Jim Thorpe Cruisers and Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency held a car show that generated over $500.The band Nightwind, who will be performing at the festival, played a benefit show at the Legion, netting an additional $952."We're getting near the finish line," Post 304 Commander Keith McQuait said in a Facebook post this week.Jim Thorpe Borough Council waived the $750 fee it normally charges the Legion to rent Memorial Park."We are really fortunate to have the Legion and the things they do for this community," said Council President Greg Strubinger.McQuait said council was "gracious" and the money will "go a long way toward helping out with the finances of the festival and putting money right back in the community and charities."Jim Thorpe's police department also helps out by giving the Legion a break on the police services contract for the event.Other donations have come from Jim Thorpe National Bank, Mauch Chunk Trust Company, American Legion Post 304, Sons of the American Legion Post 304, American Legion Auxiliary Post 304, St. Joseph's Regional Academy, a fundraiser performance from Blunt, John Mertz, Dave Steidle, Jim Thorpe Lions Club, Lou and Becky Hall, Ron Sheehan, Keith McQuait, Jack Kmetz, Tim Gasker, Tom and Judy Williams, Bacon Kattner, Mary Kimmel, Mike McHale, Ed Klematovich and Justin Souders.Festival detailsThe festival will run Saturday from 3-10 p.m. with fun, food, games and rides planned in addition to the fireworks, which are scheduled to go off at 10 p.m.Admission is free and there will be food and beverages for sale. All of the proceeds collected by the American Legion go to defer the cost of the festival, support the troops, and children and youth programs in Carbon County.The Legion will sell $2 raffle tickets with the winner named as "grand marshal" of the fireworks show. The grand marshal will press the button to start the show, which will be put on by Bixler Pyrotechnics.A rain date for the fireworks only is Sunday. The determination of a rain out will be announced on the Jim Thorpe American Legion Facebook page on the day of the event.At noon, there will be a three-on-three basketball tournament. A welcoming ceremony with remarks from McQuait is scheduled for 3 p.m.Kids games begin around 3:30 p.m. including a blueberry pie eating contest, watermelon seed spitting contest, potato sack races, water balloon toss, water relay, peanut scramble and more. Prizes include two new bicycles.Other highlights include rides from Bales Amusements, a mechanical bull, carnival games, face painting and more.Bands, which are all Legion members, include Abandoned Mind, Nightwind and Blunt and are sponsored by Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank.Abandoned Mind will play from 3 to 5 p.m., Nightwind from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Blunt from 8 to 10 p.m."We are so grateful for both banks contributing to this festival, because without them, this event is a dead duck," McQuait said.