FOLLANSBEE -- A parade and 5K race are in the works as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Garibaldi Lodge.
The Giuseppe Garibaldi Lodge was incorporated in October 1926 in Follansbee as a fellowship and service organization for the community's Italian residents and their descendants. Among its local activities was the organization of an annual celebration held the first weekend of August for 60 years until 2004.
Such a celebration is returning this year in honor of the lodge's 100 years of service.
Planned for July 31 and Aug. 1, the event will include a street festival on Broad Street, with live music, food and more, as well as a 5K run and walk and a parade.
Mayor Scott McMahon offered a reminder of the event during Follansbee Council's Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, noting the Red, White and Blue Wave 5K is set for 9 a.m. Aug. 1.
"It's starting down at the Garibaldi. It will go through downtown," McMahon said.
Registration is being accepted now at a cost of $25 per participant.
Those signed up prior to July 18 also will receive a T-shirt as part of their registration. More information about the race and registration can be found online at https://runsignup.com/Race/WV/Follansbee/Follansbee5K.
The mayor is encouraging individuals interested in participating to sign up.
"We have a good base of people. We just need some more," he said.
A parade is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 1, following a route from the Follansbee Community House to the area of the Garibaldi Lodge.
"If everyone can come out, it would be great," McMahon said.
Festivities will kick off at 6 p.m. July 31, with Broad Street opening to the celebration and live music from 76 All Stars from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
In addition to the 5K and parade, activities on Aug. 1 will include performances by Twice As Nice at 3 p.m., The Crush at 5:30 p.m. and Verdict at 8 p.m., with a fireworks display at 10 p.m. to close out the event.
Sponsors of the event, to date, include Lombardi General Contractor, Solid Platforms Inc., McDonald's of Follansbee, Cipco Solutions and Hood's Pharmacy at the Diamond level; Mullenbach Funeral Home, Cipriani and Thomas, Golden Oaks Residential Board and Care, Chambers and James Funeral, Pet and Cremation Services, iHeart Media, WVU Medicine and Puskarich Accounting and Tax at the Platinum level; and Guida Law Offices, WesBanco, Carenbauer Distributing Corp., Stephen Mascio, D.O., Wine and Beverage Merchants of West Virginia, Undo's Italian Restaurant, First Choice America Community Federal Credit Union, Assure America, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and Lauttamus Communications as Gold level sponsors.