SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, Pa. — In Susquehanna County, it's the third year a community has hosted a festival at its park, however, this is the first year the event has fallen on 9/11.
Organizers of Parkfest in Clifford Township say the party is still on with a display of hundreds of American flags to honor those killed on that day 20 years ago.
Rows of hundreds of American flags stand at this baseball field at the Clifford Township park.
In all, 2,977 flags were planted by township employees and volunteers with each flag symbolizing all those lives lost on 9/11.
Beatty Price is a member of the Clifford Township Volunteer Fire Company here in Susquehanna County.
Price had just joined the fire company six months prior to September 11th, 2001 and watched the tragedy unfold on the news while at high school.
“The best way to put it was, that's what you had to live up to,” said Price. “There's a whole generation of us that were young at that time that said this is what, kind of what was expected of you, but they kind of hammered home, this what it could be.”
Folks can view the flag display during the township's Parkfest here at the park Saturday.
It's the third year for Parkfest but the first year it's fallen on September 11th.
Clifford Township Supervisor Chris Marcho says they wanted to acknowledge the day without making it too sad.
“It's a somber situation. We don't want to bring down Parkfest, it's a fun time. And it will, it's very important to realize what had happened and be reminded of it I think,” said Marcho.
Donna Gacoby is the organizer of Parkfest.
She was among the volunteers who built the flag memorial.
“It was really solemn when we were doing it. It was beautiful,” said Gacoby. “We remember and we will never forget. And we just wanted to do something gentle.”
Parkfest runs from 10 am to 5 pm tomorrow, Saturday, September 11th.