Franklin's Liberty Fest Parade Launches Independence Day Celebrations
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The Caring Place float included Olympic champions
Sarah (far left) and Malik of  Franklin.
Anthony Seitz, 9, and other martial artists with the Franklin School of  Kung Fu and Tai Chi unleash their fists and feet of  fury for the parade judges.
Saturday, June 27
Franklin's Fourth Festivities
began with the annual parade
through downtown Saturday
evening, followed by a concert
by The Vogues in South Park.
Retired Army staff sergeant
Vincent Calbro (right) and
Army private Justin Hartford
led the Liberty Fest Parade,
and the FHS cheerleaders (left)
brought lots of spirit to the
occasion.

The annual Venango County
Humane Society Pet Show will
be held at Bandstand Park
tonight at 7:00, with registration
beginning at 6:00.
Neil McElwee presents
"Franklin's Early Oil History" at
the Barrow Little Theatre on
Tuesday at 6:30.
The Children's Penny Carnival
will be at Fountain Park on
Thursday, from 11-1.
Saturday at dusk is Fireworks.
The giant Stars & Stripes
was provided by the
Franklin Elks Lodge,
with Navy veteran Gary
Leyda (from left) and
Army veteran Scott
Sloan shouldering the
patriotic load.
Dick Eshelman (back left)
checks his watch moments
before the start of  the
parade, as the historic
Silver Cornet Band and
the Tempest Drill  Team
brace for the six p.m. start.
The National Transit
Express gave a ride to
the Daughters of  the
American Revolution.
The Oil City Civic
Center's trolley is
gas-powered, but
otherwise is a
recreation of  the
electric trolleys
popular in the area in
the early twentieth
century.
North Washington
Rodeo queen Sophie
Slyker (left) and her
trotted along Liberty
St. during the parade.
The rodeo takes place
for three days starting
July 24.

The Flames &
Flickers Majorette
Corps of  North
Washington (right)
performed
synchronized drills.
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The United Military Support Group float included Christopher (center), his sister Christina and
mother Julie. The father of  the children is an Army veteran of  the Iraq War and still active-duty.
Toby Saltarelli of  Franklin has banged the drum steadily for 35 years with the Silver Cornet Band, which celebrated its sesquicentennial several years ago.