Crowds drawn to Ebensburg for wings, vehicles and fun

EBENSBURG, Pa. – The atmosphere, food options and shops are what keep Indiana County natives Mitch Dishong and Tyler Cochran coming back annually to Ebensburg’s Wheels & Wings event that was held on Friday this year.

“I really like Ebensburg as a town,” Dishong said Friday, adding the shops on High Street are great to visit.

He’s attended the annual food and vehicle festival, now in its 20th year, for as long as he can remember and enjoys every aspect of it.

Although the heat wave – around 5 p.m. the temperature was 91 degrees in Ebensburg – and date were new this year, that didn’t dissuade the 22-year-olds and many others from attending.

Cochran and Dishong even arrived early to walk around and scope out the food options, but ultimately lined up at The Grove food truck for wings and waited in the blazing sun happily.

“The Grove are a staple,” Cochran said. “As long as we hit that, we’re good to go.”

For him and Dishong, the local restaurant’s wings can’t be beat.

The Grove and numerous other food vendors lined West Sample Street in the borough on Friday and each had a line as community members piled in to get dinner.

Motorcycles and classic cars were also plentiful, which is what brings David Williams, fiance Chelsea Nihart and his daughter Baleigh Williams to the event annually.

The group were checking out the vintage vehicles in a parking lot off Sample Street and were impressed by what they saw.

“She loves to come up here every year,” David Williams said of his daughter.

Baleigh, 11, said the vehicles are always an interesting draw.

The trio were also stopping by the American Legion Fairgrounds for the sister event Bikefest, a fundraiser for American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, which they are part of.

In the American Legion Post 363 lot, Sons of the American Legion Commander Matt Kelly and Sergeant at Arms Joe Vermeulin were busy cooking hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill.

“I enjoy doing it,” Vermeulin said about volunteering. “It give me a sense of pride to help out.”

Kelly agreed, noting that he enjoys supporting the Legion and helping promote Ebensburg.

Other events taking place throughout the evening included the annual wing-off and live music.

At the corner of Sample and North Center streets, The Jaded Lips were playing, and outside the Legion, Stacy and the Rejects were entertaining crowds.

Danea Koss, Ebenburg Borough community development director, said she expected a good turnout for the event and the switch to Friday was an experiment that, if successful, may be permanent.

Wheels & Wings used to act as a Thursday kickoff event for the Johnstown’s annual Thunder in the Valley, but since that event was ended, the organizers saw an opportunity for change.

Koss said they always try to have something for everyone and she hopes everyone enjoys Wheels and Wings.

“It’s really nice to see everybody come together,” she said.