CRANBERRY TWP — A number of new events and some old favorites will return to the township's annual Community Days celebration July 8 to 10.

Michele Skubak, president of the Cranberry Township Community Chest, updated the township supervisors Thursday evening on what will occur during the three-day festival.

"We expect the 2010 Community Days to be the best and biggest event ever in Cranberry," Skubak said.

John Skorupan, township supervisors' chairman, said last year's event was fantastic and that a lot of money was raised to benefit nonprofit groups.

For the first time last year, Community Days added a carnival. This year, the carnival will be expanded to be twice as large, Skubak said.

Three-day booth spaces for businesses and food vendors will be available, along with discounts for artists and crafters to help encourage their participation.

Skubak said Park Road that runs through the middle of the Cranberry Community Park off Route 19 will be closed "to create a more festive environment."

The treasure hunt will return this year with multiple keys that will open Community Chest treasures and a global positioning system money hunt with daily releases of GPS coordinates to find bills that will range from $1 to $50.

Skubak said there also will be a "Mayor of Cranberry" contest July 10 that will be highlighted by personally setting off the fireworks that officially mark the end of Community Days.

A Rotary Mascot contest will be held, and whoever wins will be the Rotary Chicken this year as the Rotary Chicken Barbecue returns to the municipal center July 9.

A nonprofit midway will invite nonprofit groups to provide fun to raise awareness of their group and raise money.

Skubak also said a recycled art contest is planned that would include using only Cranberry-approved recycling items.

The car cruise, the Cranberry Township Athletic Association's Softball Tournament, the American Heart Association Bean Bag Toss, the Cranberry Lions Club pancake breakfast, concerts and THE CHAMBER's 5K Chase also will return this year.

Donation Saturday parking for $5 will return from 2 to 8 p.m. that Saturday to benefit The Butler County Victim's Outreach Intervention Center (VOICe).

Last year, the parking donation raised $7,750 for the survivors of violent crimes. This year's goal is $8,000.