For three days this summer, Girard residents will come out for the annual Dan Rice Days, a tradition started in 1965 by a volunteer committee that has been planning the event for over half a century.
This year’ s schedule of events includes a photo contest, crafters and food vendors, a cruise-in, music throughout each day and the annual parade on Saturday morning.
“ This is by far the largest event in the Girard borough,” says Rob Stubenbort, Borough Manager.“ The money raised by the festival will help fund next year’ s event and allow us to make some donations to local groups like the food pantry, library and school.”
Dan Rice Days boasts West County’ s longest parade featuring various Girard school athletic teams, the marching band, fire department, and antique cars, just to name a few of the highlights.
The parade starts at 11 a. m. on Saturday and proceeds south on Rice Avenue( Route 18) to Main Street( Route 20) where it will continue east on Main Street.
There will be two musical venues— the Main Stage in Wells Park and Culbertson House Porch. Entertainment includes The BangerZZ, the Erie Heights Brass Band, Tennessee Backporch, West County Rangers, Polka on the Porch and the O’ Needers.
So who was Dan Rice, anyway?
According to West County resident and historical writer, Geoffrey L. Domowicz, Dan Rice was a charismatic and generous figure in the Girard community with a colorful and interesting history. His claim to fame was a traveling circus called Dan Rice’ s Great Hippodrome and Menagerie.
A plaque honoring him, placed by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, refers to Rice as
“ American’ s most famous clown of the 19th century.” Rice made Girard his home base for the off-season due to the proximity to Route 20, a major thoroughfare at the time, and access to the Erie Canal. He married the daughter of a prominent business owner and one of Girard’ s founding families, Rebecca McConnell.
His most lasting contribution to our community resides on Main Street to this day. It’ s a Civil War monument dedicated in 1965. Rice commissioned the tribute and donated it to the town. An inscription on the monument reads,“ In memory of the officers and soldiers from Erie County, Penn., who have died in defense of their country.”
Now, more than 150 years later, we are still honoring Rice and paying tribute to the Civil War veterans.
[ You can get schedule details and times or register to be a vendor at danricedays. com. n
West County | Summer 2016 | icmags. com 25