ZELIENOPLE — The sound of music, laughter and children screaming with joy filled the St. Gregory Catholic Parish parking lot Friday at the St. Gregory’s Lawn Fete Festival.

From Thursday to Saturday, parishioners and residents showed up at the annual celebration.

“It brings an opportunity for everyone to get together and have fun,” festival organizer Laura Cristalli said.

For more than 100 years, the church has hosted the festival. Although the area is paved with asphalt now instead of grass, the festivities continue.

About 30 booths are run by about 100 volunteers and parishioners. Children and families played a variety of games and inflatables.

“It feels great. It’s safe and that’s a big thing,” said volunteer and parishioner Dave Losos. “You get to give back to the community.”

Losos volunteered to help run a chance game called “the pan game.”

“It goes by several different names,” Losos said.

A soccer ball is rolled down a ramp onto rows of colored cups. Whichever colored cup the ball lands on is the winning color.

More than a dozen other games were there for people to play.

Each night, dinner is served and entertainment provided.

On Thursday night Until Dawn played. Friday’s double feature was the Bell School of Irish Dance and the family band This, That and the Other Thing. Saturday was another double feature, Siri’s School of Dance and the Pittsburgh variety band Spincycle.

Proceeds from the festival go to help either the parish or the school depending on each’s financial needs, Cristalli said.

Festival organizers said the parish gets on average about $30,000 from the festival, making it the church’s biggest fundraiser.

Festival organizers said planning for next year’s festival will start “the day after” this year’s celebration ends.

But festival co-chairperson Valerie Bucek said, “The bulk of the work starts three to four weeks before the festival begins.”

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s also fun work,” Cristalli said. “I would just like everyone to have a good time and enjoy the fellowship.”