SHADYSIDE — The 16th annual Shadyside Loop Festival is set for this Friday and Saturday with festivities taking place in downtown Shadyside on the historic “loop” section of Central Avenue.

The festival will start at 5:45 p.m. Friday with a Flood of Tears Remembrance ceremony in front of the Shadyside American Legion. The theme of the remembrance assembly is “It has been 34 years, Never Forget.”

The Flood of Tears was a flash flood of Wegee and Pipe creeks on June 14, 1990, that claimed the lives of 26 people.

Following the remembrance, the American Legion will be giving special recognition to Nathan and Dylan Booth, Shadyside HIgh School students who are the state champions in high hurdles & top ten.

The Grim Reapers Motorcycle Club will be hosting a motorcycle show on Friday evening. The show is from 6-8 p.m. with awards for first through third places. It costs $10 to enter your motorcycle, and all proceeds will be going to the Lincoln Avenue United Methodist Church Shadyside High School Lunch Fund.

On Saturday, Loop Festival will host its annual car show. Line-up and registration for the cars are at 4 p.m. with the first 100 entries receiving dash plaques and placards. Awards will be given at 8 p.m.

In addition to the motorcycle and car shows, there will be a 5K race, a parade, rides for children, games and the annual alumni weekend and banquet. This year the SHS classes of 1964, 1974, 1979, 1999, 2004 and 2014 will be having reunions.

Organizers said there will be something for everyone of all ages since this year’s Loop Festival has over 40 vendors. Official 2024 Loop Fest T-shirts will be sold for $15-$18.

This year will also feature all new rides as well as its classic games. The new rides that will be featured will be Firemen Bounce House and Slide, Bungee Run, Little Zoo Playland, Hippo Chow Down, Pirate Ship Obstacle Course and a 24-foot Rock Wall. The games that the Loop Festival will have will include Ring Toss, Water Balloon Race and Plinko. Ride tickets will be $1 apiece.

Music and live entertainment will be provided on both days of the festival. The Shadyside Community Band will be performing on Friday, and the Shadyside High School Steel Drum Band will be performing on Saturday. D.J. Mike Ringer and “AMP THE DJ” Anthony Warner will be providing music on both Friday and Saturday.

Sponsors for this year’s Loop Festival are AB&L Concrete, Altmeyer Funeral Home, Shadyside American Legion, Belmont Savings Bank, Carlini’s Pizza, Central Grille, Hughes Office Equipment, Kucera Plumbing and Heating, Family Dentistry, Matt’s Tiger Pub, New Life Fellowship, Ohio/West Virginia Excavating, Prima Marina, Raze International, Trigg Construction, United Masonry and WesBanco Bank.