Recreation and Culture

Recreational and cultural opportunities for adults and children abound in St. Marys.

Parks Memorial, Benzinger, Luhr, and Kaulmont Parks offer a wide array of well-organized programs including swimming, basketball, tennis, volleyball, softball, baseball, soccer, archery, arts and crafts, day camp, aerobics, and more.

Golf St. Marys has two golf courses. The St. Marys Country Club is a private nine hole golf course with excellent dining and banquet facilities. The Bavarian Hills Golf Course is a newly constructed 18-hole public facility.

Health Clubs the community has two private health clubs with fitness rooms, racquetball courts, and a variety of athletic programs.

Youth Programs Boys and Girls Club of St. Marys has long been a center for youth services and recreational activities within the community.

The Historical Societies have made great efforts to accurately preserve our local heritage by publishing books, developing historical presentations, and creating museum exhibitions.

The St. Marys Public Library is a modern, well-managed facility that provides a wide range of cultural and educational information.

Arts Organizations There are numerous groups and collectives for visual arts and crafts and for the art of the written word.

The Elk County Footlighters is a local community theater organization that has been entertaining area audiences with Broadway productions, musicals, comedies, and dramas for over 30 years.

Elk County Council On the Arts: Since its inception in 1984, ECCOTA has successfully established itself as a center for the development of the arts. As one of Pennsylvania’s most successful rural arts councils, the Elk County Council on the Arts is dedicated to promoting the cultural enrichment of the residents of Elk County.

The Council enhances the local communities by offering experiences in the arts, providing educational opportunities, and by supporting local performers, musicians, artists, and writers. We work with local industry to bring in topnotch theater performances, cultural events and children’s programs.

In addition to bringing the arts to Elk County, we take Elk Countians to the arts by sponsoring bus trips to Pittsburgh, New York City and Toronto. ECCOTA offers classes in calligraphy, drawing, weaving, painting, fabric decorating, clay, stained glass, writing, photography, dance and more. We host The Summer’s End Festival annually in late September. We have doubled the number of attendees and the number of vendors in just two short years.

The Council operates an art gallery/gift shop at 237 Main Street in Ridgway where works of many local artists are featured. Visitors can admire and/or purchase handmade pottery, woodworking, stained glass and paintings. The Council Office/Gallery is open Monday-Friday 10 am to 5 pm and 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday (with extended hours during the Christmas holiday shopping season).

For more information you may call (814) 772-7051 or e-mail us at ECCOTA@ALLTEL.NET or check out our web site at www.eccota.com.