NORTHUMBERLAND, Pa. -- A 46-year-old tradition in Northumberland County brought people to King Street Park in the borough of Northumberland.
Pineknotter Days is held every year during the first week of July.
Food, games, live music, and crafts are some of the ingredients of a fun event. And it perfectly describes Northumberland's 46th annual Pineknotter Days. Some people tell Newswatch 16 they consider Pineknotter Days the official Fourth of July kickoff.
"I've been coming here ever since I was 7 years old. I've been here when it first came out. They had rides on Second Street School, and it's a yearly thing. You come down here and you meet old friends you haven't seen in a long time," said Michael Gordon of Northumberland.
Organizers say this year's event hasn't been as busy as in years past. They believe that's because of the heat.
"Some of our vendors didn't show up, and some of our crafters didn't show up because of the heat," said Pineknotter Days co-chair Michael McWilliams.
So what is a pineknotter? It's a tough person because a pine knot is where the branch goes into the tree and forms a tight knot.
Many people attending the street fair had cold treats in hand. Aura Lee of Sunbury tells Newswatch 16 she comes every year but won't stay long this time.
"We're sitting here melting, so we won't be here long today. We might come back after the sun starts to hide," Lee said.
It was especially hot for food vendors.
Something else that could be keeping people away? Construction from the Duke Street project. To help with that, there is a free parking shuttle running from the old W and L Subaru on Route 11.