Zelienople Historical Society event organizer Adel Fatur stands outside the organization's Passavant House. The “Patriotic Porch Tour” will be held in the borough around the Fourth of July with the aim to unite the borough in a spirit of patriotism.

The Zelienople Historical Society will host an event aimed at uniting the borough in a spirit of patriotism around the Fourth of July and invites residents to participate.

The event, styled a “Patriotic Porch Tour,” will ask residents and businesses to decorate their homes and storefronts in a patriotic theme, including decorations on porches, gardens, lawns, windows and vehicles, between July 1 and 8.

It also will include a contest, in which people stroll or drive through the borough and its neighborhoods and vote for their favorite decoration.

The goals of the event are twofold: First, the historical society is aiming for the title of most patriotically decorated small town in Pennsylvania; second, the historical society wants to bring a sense of community through the event.

“My main goal was that we need to reunite everybody, to bring people together,” said Adel Fatur, the society's ways and means chairwoman and event organizer.

The historical society will kick off the event July 1 at the Passavant House with patriotic music in the gazebo, recognizing veterans and first responders, a flag-folding ceremony, a patriotic basket raffle and sparklers. Depending on COVID-19 guidelines, the historical society will also serve food.

Also planned is a map of participating homes and businesses with a ballot residents and guests can fill out and return to the Passavant House by July 8 for judging and prize-awarding on July 9.

Registration for the event will begin in May and end June 18, and those interested can do so by contacting the society at 724-452-9457 or by email at zeliehistory@zoominternet.net.

The society also stated residents and businesses can decorate their buildings' facades without participating in the tour.