The Tuna Valley will once again become the epicenter of the oil
industry next weekend as the American Refining Group celebrates the
125th anniversary of the Bradford refinery.
The trappings of the historic industry will be on full display,
as the company holds a parade, swap meet and auction, among other
events, to commemorate the occasion. The festivities are slated to
run from Thursday through Sept. 9.
According to officials, the weekend will kick-off with a parade
at 5 p.m. Thursday in downtown Bradford. More than 80 units – and
counting – are expected to take part in one of the largest parades
the city has seen in years.
The parade will run along Main Street, before turning onto
Mechanic and Barbour streets.
“There are more (units) getting into the parade daily,” Patti
Kunselman, event coordinator for ARG, said Thursday.
According to Kunselman, 23 of the units in the parade will tell
the story of oil, from drilling for it to the final product.
“Each truck will tell a story,” Kunselman said, adding a
majority of the units taking part are oil industry related.
However, a large contingent of community organizations and
groups are also included.
Kunselman said among those slated to take part include the Boy
and Girl scouts, Shriner’s Zem Zem’s, the Zippo cars, Street Dreams
Car Club, every fire department in the region, the John Kohler
Zippo Racing Team car, Miss McKean County, the Dive and Rescue
Team, Alpacas from Kendall Creek, McKean County ATV Club, Quarter
Century Club from ARG, a float with the children of ARG, Bradford
Area High School Marching Band, Bradford Manor king and queen,
McKean County SPCA, the Grave Digger Monster Truck and relatives of
ARG workers who have served in Iraq and elsewhere, including Jamie
Himes Dana and her dog Rex.
Meanwhile, a VIP dinner is also slated for that night, with
cocktails starting at 6:30 p.m. and an invitation only dinner at
7:30 p.m. at the Pennhills Club. Kunselman said roughly 240 people
are slated to attend.
Following the dinner, a fireworks display will be held for the
public at the Pennhills Club; it will be open to the public.
Kunselman said residents and visitors will be able to park along
Minard Run Road to view the display, similar to the Fourth of July
extravaganza.
“It will be done by the same people that do the Old Home Days
(in Duke Center) display,” Kunselman said. “The fireworks are a
donation from a company as a gift to us.”
Also, early registration for the swap meet will take place from
6 to 8 p.m. in the lobby of ARG’s main offices on N. Kendall
Avenue.
On Sept. 8, the oil and gas industry swap meet will run from 8
a.m. to 4 p.m. at ARG’s main grounds on N. Kendall Avenue.
The swap meet will feature numerous vendors displaying oil and
gas and general store memorabilia for sale.
Refinery tours will also be offered that day from 9 a.m. to 3
p.m., followed by a pre-auction mixer from 5 to 7 p.m. at the
Sports and Fitness Center at the University of Pittsburgh at
Bradford.
During the mixer, participants can enjoy a casual dinner while
looking over the auction items. The auction is slated for 7 p.m. at
the same location, with world famous auctioneer Chuck Garrison.
Also that day will be the hydrogeneration project groundbreaking
at 2 p.m. by invitation only. The new $20 million project will
allow the refinery to meet the new lower sulfur standard for diesel
fuel and upgrade distillate solvents and two types of lube base
stocks.
Meanwhile, the Time for Three Concert will have two performances
– at 7:30-8:15 p.m. and from 8:45-9:45 p.m. in the Bromeley Theatre
at Pitt-Bradford. The trio hails from Philadelphia and is part of
the philharmonic orchestra. They will be debuting a song
commissioned by ARG specifically for the anniversary
celebration.
Also that day will be appearances by the Grave Digger Monster
Truck with its driver Randy Brown and the Sadie Green Sales Jug
Band, which will perform throughout the day at the swap meet.
On Sept. 9, the swap meet will continue from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
along with performances by the Sadie Green Sales Jug Band and the
monster truck.
Meanwhile, a historical marker dedication is slated for 11 a.m.
at ARG’s main office. The marker will be only the second industrial
one in McKean County. It is open the public.
Additional area events will include Dancin’ in the Street from 5
to 8 p.m. on Main Street and the Autumn Daze Car Show in the same
location from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
