Franklin takes the Fourth of July celebrating seriously. So seriously that it takes more than a week to fit it all in. 

The Fourth of July festivities started Wednesday with the kick off of the annual Taste of Talent vocal competition. (See our earlier story for pictures). 

Things continued Thursday with the first of two concerts by the Silver Cornet Band. 

Then Friday's big feature was the ever popular Penny Carnival. (Scroll to the bottom for more pictures.)

Saturday, the Liberty Fest Parade concluded just as the skies opened up and soaked the streets for several minutes and delayed the start of the ice cream social and concert in Bandstand Park. 

And there is still more to come. 

On Monday, the Venango Humane Society will hold it's annual Pet Show in the Bandstand Park. Registration starts at 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday will be the second round of singing and voting for Taste of Talent. All 10 contestant will perform a song starting at 7 p.m. at Bandstand Park.

The Silver Cornet Band will give its Mostly Marches concert at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Bandstand Park. 

The festivities wrap up on Friday with a Route 8 Band concert, food vendors and fireworks in Riverfront Park starting at 6 p.m. 

The annual Taste of Talent Vocal competition in Franklin's Bandstand Park kicked off Wednesday night with 10 contestants.

​Tim Craver, a Taste veteran kicked off the first of three weeks that all contestants will perform with a cumulative vote count before the first person is "voted" off.

Mike Craig, Alexis Kline, Mason Davis, Herb Morton, Beth Schmader, Matthew Myers, Brooklyn Culver, Olivia Moorehead and Madelyn Williams followed Craver.

The organizers, the Franklin Fine Arts Council, have some new merchandise for sale, a newly design Taste of Talent shirts, sweatshirts and hats.

"Im not sure we sold any sweatshirts tonight," Events and Marketing Coordinator James Shreffler joked. The shirts will be one sale each week at the event for $20.

Mother Nature was a Franklin Knight Sunday evening providing a beautiful cool. but not cold spring graduation evening.
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132 diplomas were handed out in the ceremony at the football stadium. 

A special dedication was given to Madison Johnson who died a few years back in an accident. This was her class.
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​The Madrigal singers performed prior to the procession of seniors. The senior Madrigals performed twice including the national anthem.

​Valedictorian Olivia Tawney told of her tough senior year dealing with health issues as she encouraged her fellow classmates to live life to the fullest.

Salutatorian Abigail Boland addressed her fellow students  about their time together and the future.

​Gabriel Taylor sang "I want you to have it all and senior class president Sophia Rondinelli opened the creepy introducing the class to the stadium filled with guests.

Dr. Eugene Thomas accepted the class and presented the class to school board president Sabrina Backer who kicked off the handing out of the diplomas.

Mortar boards and tassels flew.

​Congratulation the class of 2025.