HUBBARD, Ohio (WKBN)– The 65th Annual St. Patrick Church Festival in Hubbard is in full swing.

The four-day festival kicked off at 6 p.m. It serves as the church’s biggest fundraiser that benefits the entire parish community throughout the whole year.

Father Mike’s Famous Steak Hoagies is a favorite stop at the festival.

“All of our parishioners are making them, and a lot of love goes into it like every bit of food made on these grounds. Everything is homemade, and people come from all over just to eat,” said Father Mike Swierz.

Throughout the festival, the parish will be selling several varieties of homemade food. There will be games, rides, a basket auction and free live entertainment each night.

Thursday night’s performer is RDNA from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The St. Patrick Parish hasn’t been able to host its other fundraisers including Lenten fish fries since a fire heavily damaged the church in January of 2021. Father Michael Swierz said it’s made them a stronger community, helping them realize that a building isn’t what makes them a church, but one another.

“Even with the fire and even with everything that we went through I think it really made us a stronger community. We realized that a building isn’t what makes us a church. It’s one another, joining together, walking together,” Swierz said.

Sierz said that St. Pat’s is expected to reopen by the end of the fall.

“The day after the fire, I decided that our theme to rebuild would be “A future full of hope.” And that’s been our theme, our song, that we are not going to give up but that we are going to hang in there,” Swierz said.

There will also be a grand raffle for a brand new 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, or $20,000 cash. Tickets will be available at the festival, and the drawing will take place on Sunday.

“The money generated from the festival really goes toward the operation of the parish. We have a lot of ministries, a lot of things we do with the youth, a lot of things we do with religious education,” said Father Swierz.

Parking is free all around the city of Hubbard, and there are limited spots available at the parish. Admission to the festival is free each day.

The festival runs through Sunday.