Stadium Hill in Tamaqua will be full of action on Saturday.

The Block Party on The Hill kicks off at 11 a.m. and will be going strong until 11 p.m. at the Tamaqua Area High School.

The main event is the Relay for Life of the Anthracite Region, which is open to the public and honors those who are fighting, or have battled cancer.

“This is a little bit different than it has been in the past,” said Lori Kane, who is directing the event. “Last year, we changed from a 24-hour format, to a 12-hour format.

“Times are changing and people are pressed for time with work, family outings and vacations. This is more suitable to be easier for our participants that are in the events. We also changed the name to affect our region.”

For the last 24 years, the event was called Relay for Life for the Tamaqua Area, but the organizers wanted to do something different for the silver anniversary and decided to change the name to include more than just the Tamaqua area.

“We have towns like Lehighton and Palmerton who used to have relays and no longer do, and we don’t want people to feel excluded,” Kane said. “It’s the first year Hazleton isn’t having a Relay for Life either, Mahanoy City used to have one; it’s just to make those neighboring towns feel like they are apart of it as well, that it’s not just a Tamaqua thing.”

The block party offers a variety of entertainment that appeals to all ages. There will be food, rides, games, live music and much more.

“There are so many facets to this event throughout the day,” Kane said.

There will be entertainment from Tool Shed Jack Acoustic, Venessa Vicoso, Rodney Clouser and Skyy Clouser, along with games and rides from Gombert Family Games.

Psychic Medium Kimberly will be doing readings and a Pound demonstration from Steph Gensure of the Tamaqua YMCA.

There are also basket raffles, a food stand run by St. Luke’s Miners Campus, and DJ Kristin spinning tunes, along with karaoke and individual fundraisers being held at each tent site by team members.

Local personalities RC from T-102 and Polka Joe Manjack and Ann Marie Calabrese from Magic 105.5 WMGH will also be on hand.

“We invite the public to bring their family or just themselves to come and enjoy the day,” Kane said.

There will be a Survivors Ceremony at 6 p.m. and a Luminaria Service at 8:30 p.m.

“In the evening, both the Cancer Survivor Ceremony and the Luminaria Service are both very touching events,” Kane said.

During the Cancer Survivor Ceremony, after the speaker is done, cancer survivors tell their stories.

“They might be fighting cancer right now or in remission,” Kane said. “If they desire, they say who they are and what type of cancer they have — and if they’re in remission or still battling it. Then as a group, they walk around the track as a group with their caregivers.

“It gives you goose bumps because this can happen to any of us and it’s just a matter of us trying to find a cure so that it stays away from affecting our friends and family. Then we do the Luminaria Service where candles are lined along the track, stadium lights are dimmed, and everyone sings.”

Perhaps in 1985 Dr. Gordon Klatt had no idea what his positive gesture would turn into over the years.

Klatt, who passed away in 2014, was a cancer surgeon that lived in the state of Washington, and decided to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Klatt walked the track of the University of Puget Sound for 24-straight hours. Colleagues and friends paid to join him and their efforts resulted in a fundraised amount of $27,000.

Klatt’s legacy has proven to be timeless, as many communities across the country participate in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life every year. Kane is glad that the tradition in Tamaqua continues.

“It is neat that it brings the community together,” Kane said. “It’s made a name for itself throughout the years. Even if you have someone that might not be participating in the form of a team, they will still come support the event.

“We have a core set of volunteers that do every single event that we have. We work well together and things just get done ... It’s not just one set of people; it’s people that come together whether it’s family members, co-workers or friends to do their part to help make it what it is.”

Schedule of Events

10 a.m.-noon: T-102 LIVE Broadcast

11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Tool Shed Jack Acoustic

1-1:30 p.m.: Pound Class with Steph Gensure

2:30-3:30 p.m.: Venessa Vicoso

3-6 p.m.: Psychic Medium Kimberly Eisenhower

4-6 p.m.: Rodney Clouser & Skyy Clouser

4-6 p.m.: Magic 105.5 LIVE Broadcast

6-11 p.m.: Karaoke with DJ Kristin

6 p.m.: Survivors Ceremony

6:45 p.m.: Fight Back! Ceremony

7:30 p.m.: Ms. Relay Contest

8:30 p.m.: Luminaria Service