Coplay Community Days begins 5-10 p.m. tonight, Thursday, Aug. 23, with pay-one-price rides 5-10 p.m.

It continues tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 23, 6-10 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 25, 2-10 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 26, noon-10 p.m.

The event will include entertainment, food and activities. Rides will be offered through Saturday but not on Sunday.

Coplay Community Days began in 1981 as a way to bring visitors to the Saylor Cement Museum and kilns and to pay tribute to retired Coplay Cement Manufacturing workers. It originated as a two-day event, expanding last year to four days.

Past and present organizers of the event agree the festival had become stagnant. It was revived and expanded starting last year.

A coalition of volunteer organizations and churches in town is providing a stellar lineup of entertainment, contests and good food.

Looking back to 1981 when Coplay Community Days was first held, the entire event was planned within four months.

Performances were first held at the South Whitehall Township portable band shell. Polka bands were popular for the two evenings and Sunday afternoon event. To date, only one polka band remains, Johnny Dee Orchestra, which has performed on the bandstand for the past three decades. Polkas are not what draws today's younger generation. They've grown up with a different style of music.

Coplay Saengerbund sponsored the race across borough streets and back to the parkway. The American Club of Coplay's pizza was popular as well. The Coplay Committee for Christmas Lighting had a trailer selling hot dogs, but it was Helen Wallisch's pork barbecue which was a best-seller. Coplay Sports rib eye steaks had more than a sizzle for its legion of followers.

This year's event includes a whole new food lineup including pierogies, halupkies, steak sandwiches and snacks, served by community groups.

From the start, the proceeds were intended to benefit community and groups taking part. A few years later, the format changed to one where organizations had to turn over a percentage of profits to cover expenses and finance community projects.

All signs point to a successful weekend, as long as the weather cooperates. So far, the forecast calls for partly sunny and partly cloudy skies all weekend with only a small chance of rain on Saturday. The event in 2011 was hit by Hurricane Irene.