EAST BRADY — The three-day East Brady Riverfest will be special this year because of a ceremony that will honor a hometown soldier with a Purple Heart medal.

The Riverfest, which runs from 6:30 p.m. July 17 to 6 p.m. July 19 at the Graham football field, will culminate with in a purple heart ceremony for Kevin Kammerdiener, 21.

Sally Snow, co-chair of the festival with Ann Moody, said this year, she expects to draw between 10,000 and 15,000 people. She anticipates the biggest attraction will be the ceremony, which will start at 5 p.m. June 19.

"When (Kammerdiener) gets the purple heart, that'll be a big event," she said.

Snow said Kammerdiener, who is from East Brady, was in Iraq and suffered brain damage when his Humvee was hit by a suicide bomber in a car. He has undergone surgeries during which part of his brain was removed.

"(The doctors) didn't think he was going to make it and would never walk again," Snow said, adding that Kammerdiener is now walking.

"He's made a remarkable recovery," she said.

There will be speakers for the ceremony, Snow said, which will include Kammerdiener's commanding officer, Captain Turner, who is flying in from Florida.

Other segments of Riverfest will include a firemen's parade, announcement of the Citizen of the Year, an Elvis impersonator, bingo, rides and inflatables, a children's craft corner, fireworks, bands, games and an auction.

She said there also will be a two-hour clown show for adults and children, featuring Ernie Carnes.

"They say he starts out like a regular person," Snow said. "As people heckle him, he puts on another piece of (clown) clothing, and at the end, he's dressed like a clown."

Also new this year is Shooting for a Cure, a basketball shootout to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. It will be held at 3 p.m. July 18 at the basketball court above the football field. There will be two contests: three-point and foul shooting. Participants will be fifth grade students to adults.