International Village Returns for 65th Season

Three-day ethnic festival remains Mon Valley’s place to ‘see and be seen’ every summer

By Staff Reports
The Tube City Almanac
August 07, 2025
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

The Rankin Junior Tamburitzans performed during the 2021 International Village. The ethnic troupe will return to the main stage at Renziehausen Park next week. (Vickie Babyak file photo for Tube City Almanac)

When Nick Vranesevic was a kid growing up in West Mifflin, McKeesport’s International Village was the place to “see and be seen” with his friends for three days — which included performing with the Junior Tamburitzans of Duquesne.

Now, Vranesevic, who lives in Alison Park, has kids of his own, but he’s still looking forward to International Village, where he and his friends — who together form the band Orkestar Pobeda — will be performing under the Jakomas Blue-Top Pavilion on Tuesday night, beginning at 5 p.m.

“We were all friends first, and then we were a band second,” said Vranesevic, who plays guitar and keyboards in the band, which features both old and new songs from Serbia, Croatia and other Eastern European countries. “For us, playing these songs is about reconnecting with my family, my ancestors, and just being with my friends more.”

One of Pittsburgh’s longest-running folk festivals, McKeesport’s International Village — a three-day celebration of ethnic food, music and dance from around the world — returns for its 65th year next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the city’s Renziehausen Park.

Gates open at 3 p.m. and entertainment begins nightly with live music at 5 p.m. in the Jakomas Blue-Top Pavilion.

“We are very proud that International Village continues to be the most successful weekday festival in Allegheny County,” McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said. “Folks gather not only to share ethnic foods that bring back memories and watch exciting performances that feature traditional dances and clothing, but also to catch up with friends and neighbors they may not have seen for some time.”

Artists scheduled to appear on the main stage include belly-dancer Sara DeRoy, the Grecian Odyssey Dancers, the Otets Paissii (Bulgarian) Dancers, Kevin Solecki, the Rankin Junior Tamburitzans, the Junior Tamburitzans of Duquesne, the Pittsburgh Slovakians, the Filipino-American Association of Pittsburgh dancers, and the Lajkoniki Polish Dancers.

In addition to Orkestar Pobeda on Tuesday, music for dancing will be provided by the Mikey Dee Band, and Richie Zebrowski’s Freestyle.

A complete schedule is available online at www.internationalvillage.info.

Tube City Community Media Inc., parent organization of Tube City Almanac, will provide streaming web coverage — conditions permitting — each night from 5 to 9 p.m. on YouTube.

The Mikey Dee Band will perform for dancing Wednesday night in the Jakomas Blue Top Pavilion. (Vickie Babyak file photo for Tube City Almanac)

The event is held at Stephen Barry Field at the corner of University Drive and Eden Park Boulevard, near Penn State Greater Allegheny. Parking is available in surface lots. Drivers with handicapped placards or license plates may use the parking lot near the Sean Sluganski Dek-Hockey Rink.

In addition, foods and treats will be on sale representing Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hawaii, Italy, Lebanon, the Philippines, Serbia, Sweden, Taiwan and Vietnam.

“It’s a must-see event for anyone who’s never attended,” Cherepko said. “I would recommend that first-time visitors share their plates with friends so they can sample flavors from around the world.”

Ace Pyro will deliver the grand finale fireworks display on Tuesday night, weather-permitting. In the event of inclement weather, the fireworks will be moved to a later night of the festival.

International Village also will feature a “Kids’ Zone” with inflatables, games and other activities for young people, along with community organization booths that feature souvenirs and informational displays.

In addition, “A Village for Kids” will be held from 12 to 3 p.m. Aug. 11, one day before the main event. “A Village for Kids” connects parents, guardians and youth age 18 and under with organizations that provide after-school activities, educational enrichment, health and wellness and other services. 

A Village for Kids, sponsored by the city of McKeesport and state Sen. Nick Pisciottano, will be held at the Lions Bandshell in Renzie Park.

(Vickie Babyak file photo for Tube City Almanac)

Founded in 1960 as “Old Home Week,” International Village moved to Renziehausen Park in 1961.

“International Village is the highlight of the summer for many McKeesporters past and present,” said Cherepko, who described International Village as a reunion for McKeesport natives — with former residents making annual homecoming trips from as far as Florida, Texas, and California — but also said the crowd isn’t limited to the McKeesport community.

He recommended that visitors enjoy their plates within view of the main stage or under the Blue Top Pavilion, with a variety of performers scheduled for each evening.

Cherepko also thanked the volunteers and staff who make International Village a success year after year.

“Their exhaustive efforts allow us to showcase what McKeesport and the Mon Valley are all about,” the mayor said. “This is an area that is so rich in heritage. We want to celebrate that history while showing that we still have plenty to offer today.”

The International Village committee is chaired by Council Member Keith Soles and the event is coordinated by Director Dan Carr. The entertainment coordinator is Mikey Dee and this year’s stage manager and master of ceremonies will be Patrick Fisher, who has shared duties in the past.

Committee members include Annette James (secretary), Kim Carr (field office manager), Bobby Billsborrow (personnel director), Tony Ura (customer relations), Marie Domingo (collections management), Ron Gongaware (field collection), Tom Rosso (logistics), Colin Clarke (sanitation), Margaret Garrahy (pop/water vending), and Sharon Soles (gate volunteer coordinator). Allison Piccolino chairs the Village For Kids event, now in its 16th year.

Vranesevic said Orkestar Pobeda will be playing music for kolo dancing — a dance where participants connect up in a circle — with music from Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bulgaria and other traditions.

In years gone past, he said, musicians who played traditional music learned songs as they were passed down from generation to generation, recorded off of ethnic radio programs such as “Voice of the CFU,” or heard on records or tapes imported from Europe.

The Internet has made it easier than ever before to seek out ethnic music, Vranesevic said, but he and other band members also have visited their ancestral homelands to get first-hand knowledge.

“My dad plays in a tamburitza band as well as my uncle, my mom taught folk lore and music, and in the past 10 years or so, we’ve reconnected with some family in Serbia,” he said. “So certain songs have new meaning to me — they’re songs about places that I’ve been or people that I’ve met.”

Vranesevic said Orkestar Pobeda is looking forward to playing under the Blue Top again for the first time in several years. “And getting some good food,” he said. “Some of the food that I haven't had in, you know, in a full year.” 

Since the last International Village, that is.

Originally published August 07, 2025.

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