COAL GROVE - Family, food and fun will be pervading the air in Coal Grove later this week.

The Coal Grove Betterment Club and the Village of Coal Grove will be hosting its 28th annual Family Fun Days beginning Thursday and ending Saturday at Paul Porter Park, 220 Lane St.

Festivities will begin at 4 p.m. and end at 10 p.m. each day. Stage entertainment will start at 8 p.m.

The celebration will include musical entertainers, an Elvis impersonator, a homemade cake and pie auction, rides, games and fireworks.

The closing day fireworks tend to be the biggest crowd pleaser.

"When the fireworks go off, you can hardly move. It's such a crowd," said Carol Gool, secretary for the Coal Grove Betterment Club.

Gool also said she doesn't worry about competition from other area festivals, such as Summer Motion in Ashland.

"We tend to hold our own against them," she said.

Family Fun Days began in 1976 as a way to honor the United States' bicentennial. Now it is geared toward providing a hometown, family-friendly event. Admission is free.

"Everybody come join us for a good time, and pray for pretty weather," Gool said.

SCHEDULE

Thursday

€ Rides and food beginning at 4 p.m.

€ Katie Owens will perform

€ VFW Post 8850 will present arms at 7 p.m. and opening remarks will be given by Mayor Larry McDaniel.

€ Lee McCormack, 8-10 p.m.

Friday

€ Katie Owens

€ Elvis impersonator, Dwight Eichenauer, 8-10 p.m.

Saturday

€ Homemade cake and pie auction, 7 p.m. (Dan Fulks will be the auctioneer)

€ Craig Haney, 8-10 p.m.,

€ Fireworks, 10 p.m.

€ The closing ceremony will be a group of singers singing "God Bless America."