A carnival atmosphere, live music and the smell of food and funnel cake are all part of the unofficial anniversary celebration of the Guardian Angels Parish this week.
The parish, in the Natrona Heights section of Harrison, was formed by the merger of six congregations: Our Lady of Victory, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Holy Martyrs, Holy Family, St. Joseph and St. Alphonsus.
They came together last July under a decree from the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
This month marks the merger’s one-year anniversary as well as the return of Summer Fest, a four-day celebration held on the grounds of St. Joseph High School, at Montana Avenue near Freeport Road.
The festival was organized by Blessed Sacrament for more than five decades before being canceled last year because of the pandemic.
It returned Wednesday with more than 100 volunteers from throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley participating.
“We’re excited to be back,” event co-chair Dave Wygonik said. “It’s been a long year for everybody. We’re excited that the carnival rides were able to come back this year. (Ride provider) LAM really does a great job every year for us. I think everybody really recognizes that we have to come together to make one parish.”
He and his wife, Heather, began planning for the event in April. They said there was an outpouring of support throughout the parish with priests at recent Masses encouraging people to come out.
“Sometimes it takes a little persuasion, but we got there,” Heather Wygonik said. “I think everybody’s looking for something like this to do, (to) come together as one community. It’s bringing us food, fellowship and fun.
“Everybody is slowly coming together for the good of each other. We’re all here for the same reason. … We’ve got everything ready; come and enjoy yourself.”
There are separate booths for rides and food tickets. Rides include a giant slide, Ferris wheel, swings and a spinning attraction called the Sizzler.
Foods includes pierogies, funnel cakes, fresh-squeezed lemonade, hot dogs, pizza, pretzels and kielbasa.
Other activities include bingo, basket raffles, cash raffles, live music and small games of chance.
Former classmates Anna Swierczewski and Allie Wygonik, both 21 and 2018 St. Joseph graduates, volunteer at a booth run by their former Latin teacher, Wayne Schiebel.
Their booth features a large spinning wheel with pictures of famous Pittsburgh figures, places and phrases. Schiebel has taught at the high school for about 45 years and participated in the festival for the past 16.
“It feels so much better to see people,” Schiebel said.
Allie Wygonik is Heather’s daughter. She and Swierczewski also were in elementary school at Blessed Sacrament.
“The parish in general means a lot to me,” Allie said. “I kind of grew up here, and just to give a little back means a lot.”
Swierczewski echoed Wygonik’s sentiments. She said her parents were married at Blessed Sacrament and her four siblings all went through St. Joseph’s and took Latin.
“We’ve been coming here since we were babies,” Swierczewski said. “It’s special to us. The festival is special to us. The church is special to us.
“It’s good to give back after being part of something for so long.”
The festival continues through Saturday. More information is available at guardianangelspgh.org.
