By Gabriella Chew
Archway Days is back for its 37th year, bringing a carnival theme and fresh activities to this year’s festivities.
The festival will take place on Aug. 22 and 23 at Maplewood Park in Centerville. It will run on Friday from 3 to 11 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Attendees can expect two days of food and craft vendors, games, live music, and entertainment. The Centerville police and fire departments will also be on hand with some family-friendly activities.
The community festival kicks off Friday with the Business Carnival Showdown, where local businesses will compete by decorating displays in their storefronts. The Archway Car Show runs from 4 to 9 p.m. along Crown Creek Boulevard. In the evening, attendees can take part in karaoke alongside the police department.
Among the new additions to this year’s schedule is a waterball competition, set for Saturday at 10 a.m.
“This year, one of the new things we’re trying is waterball,” said Archway Days President Kevin Branson. “One of the cool things is the police department is going to put a team in, and they’re going to play against the fire department.”
More events are also to follow on Saturday, including the Archway Days Parade, which begins at 4 p.m. A registration link can be found on the festival’s Facebook page. The parade will start in the high school parking lot, travel through Willow Grove, then proceed onto Main Street and continue to Morton Avenue. Branson said Main Street is the best spot to view the parade.
Live performances are scheduled both evenings, and this year’s lineup includes Tony Truitt the Magician, the Scoom Squad, Sean Lamb and Janet Miller.
Parking for both days is free and available in the back lot of Walther & Hawkins Auctioneers building, just off Morton Avenue.
Archway Days has been held for the last three decades on the fourth full weekend in August. According to Branson, it takes nearly a year to plan. A committee of about 10 members selects and votes on a theme that helps guide the event’s activities. While the theme changes each year, some activities typically remain the same. This year, however, the rock-climbing wall will not return.
Branson said this is due to increased costs. The festival relies heavily on community donations and support from local sponsors.
“We rely a lot on businesses in the Richmond and Centerville area,” Branson said.
Despite the change, Branson said the number of vendors continues to grow, with 98 vendors expected to participate. Last year, that number was in the low 80s.
Branson noted that organizing the event is more work than people may realize. Much of the support happens behind the scenes in the weeks leading up to August.
A version of this article appeared in the August 20 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.