The Butler County Soccer Association 50th anniversary logo.

Making it 50 years is reason to celebrate.

And celebrate Butler County Soccer Association will — with a festival-style day of games, food and activities Saturday at the BCSA fields in Center Township.

“It’s one of those things we felt deserved the biggest event possible,” BCSA president Colin Leyland said. “I can’t think of another community organization, sports organization that’s been around this long in the county. … It deserves an event worthy (of 50 years).”

Butler County Soccer Association will host a daylong celebration featuring food and coffee trucks, yard games, a DJ, raffles and giveaways. Youth recreation-league soccer games will also be played throughout.

Leyland, who has been president for five years and with BCSA for 12, said he expects 1,500 to 2,000 people to attend. “Upward of 60” volunteers will help launch the event, and that doesn’t count dozens of coaches.

“People should expect to enjoy and watch some soccer,” he said. “We hope to see former players and alumni of the organization and kind of tour the complex.”

Leyland is one such alumnus, having started as a player when he grew up in Karns City Area School District. His kids have also come through BCSA.

This will be the first of two celebrations for BCSA’s 50th anniversary. Leyland said another will be held during the fall travel season.

Jeff Schnur, a recent Butler County Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Robin McKee and Tom Campion, all Butler High School graduates, launched Butler County Soccer Association in 1976. Schnur, who coaches club soccer and has been involved in various levels of Butler soccer, hopes to attend the event.

“It was essentially me seeing (McKee and Campion) digging holes at the Butler athletic field (to set up goals),” Schnur said. “I said, ‘Yeah, I’d really like to do this. It’ll be fun.’”

Many people in the organization have been involved for decades, he and Leyland said. Board members, coaches and parents are committed. At various times, Slippery Rock, Knoch and Karns City youth soccer players were or are in the organization.

Leyland said there are about 450 athletes in the program now.

“I think the continuity of people staying involved,” Schnur said. “My own kids went through the program and it was just a great place for them to grow and develop. I can’t tell you how many kids I know from soccer and had in high school.”

Leyland said he thinks BCSA has a “really bright future as we progress into the next 10, 20 years.”

He said one of the next projects is to install lights at one of the fields and another will be to expand a parking lot.