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Yetsu (pictured) will perform for the Laurel Queen’s Preview this Friday, June 16. Band members are: Joe Callahan of Wellsboro on guitar; Sean Monroe of Horseheads, N.Y. on bass guitar; Mike Watkins of Addison, N.Y. on piano, organ, accordion, mandolin and fiddle; Mike Nickerson on drums; and Joe Narde on percussion. Both Nickerson and Narde are from Corning, N.Y.

The 81st Annual Pennsylvania State Laurel Festival is underway in Wellsboro with a free concert-a-day leading into a full weekend of events, including the coronation of the 2023 Pennsylvania State Laurel Queen on Saturday, June 17.

While in Wellsboro, the 27 Laurel Queen candidates will enjoy a full weekend of activities.

At noon this Friday, June 16, they will gather on the Tioga County Courthouse steps for the official welcome. The young ladies will then go to Colton Point State Park to visit the West Rim to see the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon followed by a picnic lunch.

At 4:30 p.m. on Friday, the band Yetsu will open the Pennsylvania Laurel Queen’s Preview on the Deane Center’s outdoor stage at 104 Main Street. The 2022 Laurel Queen Regan Regina and this year’s queen candidates will be introduced to the public at 5 p.m. and the band will close the event with a performance of their rock to roots, blues to country, pop to indie original music. Bring lawn chairs. The rain location is the Deane Center’s Coolidge Theatre.

Saturday afternoon, June 17, the young ladies will ride on floats in the 2 p.m. Laurel Festival Parade. Also featured will be the Pennsylvania Bucktails, drum and bugle corps, bagpipers, high school marching bands, vintage cars, floats and more.

That evening at 6:30 p.m., the coronation of the 2023 Pennsylvania State Laurel Queen will be at the Wellsboro Area High School Auditorium at 227 Nichols Street. Coronation tickets are available at the Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce office at 114 Main Street in Wellsboro and at the door.

The Juried Arts and Crafts Fair and International Streets of Foods will be open with 95 vendors from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 16 and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 17. The festival concludes Sunday morning, June 18 with the 10:30 a.m. Union Church service on The Green.

For more information about Laurel Festival activities, call the chamber at (570) 724-1926, email info@wellsboropa.com or visit www.wellsboropa.com.

Diane Eaton
dianetn@ptd.net
(570) 724-3800