Vandergrift resident Melissa Levy spent the last several days obsessing over the weekend weather.

As part of the committee behind Saturday’s Bandergrift music festival, Levy was counting on sunshine to draw people to Kennedy Park.

“We’re hoping a lot of people come out and that we raise a lot of money for the local animal rescues,” Levy said.

Hosted by the Vandergrift Business Association, the event runs through 8 p.m. with live music all day.

Five local bands were scheduled to perform, with DJ Flipside Louie hosting karaoke between sets.

Levy said all of the bands donated their time for the fundraiser, which will benefit animal rescues Tiny Cause and Champions Crusaiders.

As of about 1:30 p.m., there were clusters of people spread across the park dancing, browsing vendors and enjoying lunch from one of the multiple food trucks.

There were three dozen gift baskets to be raffled, along with a 50-50.

From the stage, members of Midnight Lights were blasting out ‘70s hits from Three Dog Night and The Doors.

Baker Jamie Robertson of East Vandergrift moved to the area about two years ago and said she appreciates the effort put into community-building.

“These events are nice for everyone,” she said.

A graduate of the now-defunct Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh, Robertson works as a “lunch lady” for the Burrell School District but is building her sweet shop on the side. Her cakes and pastries are sold locally at Sweet Lane and Kochka’s, both in Vandergrift.

For Saturday’s event, she crafted “paws and claws” cookies with the Bandergrift logo made from an edible print.

Cindy Martin, owner of Cindy’s Lemonade, spent the afternoon meeting the demand for fresh-squeezed beverages and hand-dipped chocolate-covered bananas and strawberries. A native of Los Angeles, Martin said she’s been in the vending business for more than 30 years. She’s a regular at Mingle on Main in Saxonburg and the Vandergrift Arts Festival.

Nearby, Beth Cooper of Latrobe manned her do-it-yourself silicone bead bar where festival-goers made key chains, pens and carabiners in all colors and designs.

Cooper is a regular at the Latrobe Night Market and said people seem to love the whimsy her booth offers.

“It’s something fun to do on the side,” she said. “It’s nice to come out and spend the day at events like this.”