The laurelight JTH Festival Gallery
Jackson Township Home
Jackson Township Heritage Festival Home

One of the best things about living in the Johnstown area is, on any given weekend between May and October, there’s always some kind of festival, or jubilee, or carnival going on. Jackson Township is no exception. I’m especially fond of the Jackson Township Heritage Festival because the picturesque Veterans Park is a setting right out of Meet Me In St. Louis or Life With Father. I always feel like I’ve been tossed back a hundred years when I wander through the festival: friendly, enthusiastic vendors and patrons, good music, and, of course, great food. The JTHF is on my short ‘A’ list of “There’s Too Much to do Around Here.”

I’ve also got a soft spot in my heart for Jackson Township itself. Back in the Stone Age, JT was the first, and may still be the only, municipality to link to laurelight on its website. Thanks, guys. Anything I can ever do for you… And the rest of you, try to catch up, would you?

And, so, the photos. I like to plan my visit when TREE is playing. If you’re not an aficionado, check them out here, and you will be. So, we’ve got photos of the band, some fine folks, a little Sal’s pizza, some Pie Shoppe baked goods and a few other odds and ends. Check out the 2012 Festival link above and make your plans. Enjoy.

The Bandshell Bark Gallery
The Roxbury Bandshell
On a beautiful September morning a few weeks back, I packed up the gear as cool canines and their well-behaved pets from around the area descended on Johnstown’s Roxbury Park for the 6th annual Bandshell Bark in support of the Roxbury Bandshell Preservation Alliance. Organizer Eileen Graham knows how to throw a party. Wonderful people and four-legged handlers converged for a day of howls and barks and all-around fun. Many thanks to Eileen and Alliance president Mary Borkow for inviting me to particpate in the good time.

The Beaverfest Gallery
Summerhill Twp. VFC Home Page

Nice thing about living in Johnstown is I can be just about anywhere I want to go in 30 minutes or less. Left my home in Moxham Saturday before the 4th of July, and pulled into Beaverdale exactly 20 minutes later, for the annual Beaverfest celebration and, yes, it was. I’m a little confused over the sponsorship, but I think the fest is presented by the Somerhill Twp. VFC located in Beaverdale, and I think if you want to call it the Beaverdale VFC, it’s okay by them, but I’m not sure.

Anyway, got to catch a bit of the Beaverdale fun and a bit of Ribbon Grass music before I had to head back to town to shoot the Galleria fireworks. I think you can tell by the photos that most everyone had themselves a real good time. I know I did. Can’t wait till next year.

TITV Peoples Gallery
The Official Thunder in the Valley Web Page

A final wrap-up from Johnstown’s Thunder in the Valley 2011. A few people pics to close things out till next year. There are still a half-dozen band galleries to post on the laurelight.com Facebook page, but they’ll show up as time permits. Meanwhile, this is a wrap, so on to the rest of Summer. There’s a lot of catching up to do.

Gallery of Thunder Sights
The Official Thunder in the Valley Web Page

My favorite Thunder activity? Simply looking. No matter where you turn, there’s always something else worth seeing; and something new to see every minute of the day; and the sights are always entertaining. Sometimes I just can’t put the camera down, and sometimes I probably should. Not withstanding, here’s a collection of grab shots from Johnstown PA’s Thunder in the Valley 2011 Motorcycle Rally.

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The laurelight TITV Kids’ Corner Gallery
The VOMA Johnstown Facebook Page
The Official Thunder in the Valley Web Page

Emphasizing the family-friendly nature of Johnstown’s Thunder in the Valley motorcycle rally, organizers presented the Kids’ Corner. Hosted by the Venue of Merging Arts (V.O.M.A.), Kids’ Corner offered face painting, airbrushed tattoos, braiding, those cool inflatable jumping thingees, a big ol’ hi-slide, and all other sorts of fun and games for kids and their families. A good time was had by all, children and parents. Of course, the biggest kid there was probably the guy behind the camera. A great job by all involved, staff and volunteers alike, keeping the crowds engaged and entertained. Check out these photos while I get to work on the next post: Thunder Sights – bikes and bikers and all the whatnot.

Laurelight’s TITV People Gallery I
Official Thunder in the Valley Web Page

Initially planned to shoot mostly bands @ this year’s Thunder in the Valley, but then I met a nice lady @ the VOMA Kids’ Corner who asked where she could see my finished products. So, I gave her my card and expanded the scope to include faces, places, bikes (motorcycles) and bikers, and other Thunder sights. Band pics will be coming soon to the laurelight Facebook page, so be sure to click the FB icon on top of the column to your right and ‘like’ us on Facebook.

And now, (almost) live from Downtown Johnstown PA, the first of 4 galleries covering the faces and folk, bikes and likes, and places and spaces of Thunder in the Valley. I love people photography.

Johnstown Community Day 2011 Gallery
Johnstown Community Event Facebook Page
Lift Johnstown Web Page

On the last Monday in May, I found myself scrambling down the verticle slope of Johnstown PA’s Yoder Hill, below Grandview Cemetery, to photograph the US Army Silver Wings Command Exhibition Parachute Demonstration Team out of Fort Benning, Georgia. What a pleasure it was to photograph these crack paratroopers from above as they floated down to the grassy surface of Sandyvale Cemetery. And what a privelege it is to offer these photos to honor those who have served and given all, and those who continue to serve and risk all in order to preserve our freedoms.

Thanks to Renée Daly, Johnstown’s Economic Developemnt Coordinator, for helping me work out the logisitics of the shoot.

You might have noticed I’m spending a lot of time (and drinking most of my wine) at Johnstown PA’s VOMA – the Venue of Merging Arts in Cambria City. That’s because it’s such a hoot. We had another wild night in January, organized by Johnstown’s most prolific bassist, Scott Jeffreys. Once again, the band, and the good times, exceeded expectations. The lineup included:
Mike Borstnar – guitar and vocals
T.K. Mundok – vocals and harp
Dom Peruso – drums
Scott Jeffreys – bass and vocals
Frank Genovese – guitar and vocals
Can’t wait till next week, and I’ve got no idea who’s gonna show up. Meanwhile, VOMA’s got a full slate over the coming months. Check it out here, and then get down there and have yourself a real good time.

Hangin’ out for lunch today with the local Steeler frenzies in Johnstown PA’s Central Park. A real friendly and enthusiastic crowd. Hope we get to see more of these in years to come. Grabbed a few scenic pics toward the end of the gallery, and I threw in the Celtics jacket because, let’s face it, win or lose, basketball season starts on Monday. Enjoy the Game! GO STEELERS!