Community Unity Explosion to offer sports, games, food, music, fireworks
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
COATESVILLE – Sponsored by the city and organized by a City Council committee, there will be basketball and soccer tournaments, food, music, a firebreather, moon bounces and fireworks on Saturday for the Coatesville Community Unity Explosion.
Events will kickoff at 10 am at Ash Park with a soccer and basketball tournament. Registration is $1, and prizes will be offered.
At 2 pm, the action will head over to Gateway Park with music and vendors. Apple Frankie’s and Sabatino’s will be among the food vendors. Caroline’s Commercial Cleaning, Image is Everything, and Coatesville Cheerleading will also have stands along First Avenue.
District Justice Grover E. Koon also helped to organize a car and motorcycle show to take place between First and Third.
In addition, various family-friendly activities will be offered, including moonbounces, laser tag, a rock wall, a balloon artist, and a caricature artist.
The event looks to be comparable to the annual Celebrate Coatesville Day, which the Rotary Club will be holding later in the year. After City Council received news that Rotary Club was looking to change the date of their event, a committee of Council Members Arvilla Hunt, Linda Lavender-Norris, and Marie Hess was charged with organizing festivities for early July, which eventually became the Coatesville Community Unity Explosion.
The committee seized the opportunity to improve the city’s image.
“At the end of the day, we are who we’re waiting for,” said Lavender-Norris, emphasizing that the city has to look to itself for change.
On Saturday evening, a firebreather will perform at Gateway Park 8:15-9:15. The day will conclude with fireworks at 9:30-10.
Event Planner Dee Hunt, who offered her services pro bono after the council committee reached out to her, said that she wants the event to bring positivity back to Coatesville. In particular, she wanted to gear events toward the city’s young people.
“They’re our city’s future,” she said.
