AlterFest kicks off today with COVID-19 safety precautions

KETTERING — The 40th annual AlterFest kicks off today after being shut down last year due to the coronavirus.

Thousands of people are expected to pass through AlterFest this weekend to enjoy rides and games.

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The festival, which runs through Sunday, generates a lot of funding for the school which they hope to make up with this years’ event.

Lourdes Lambert, Principal at Archbishop Alter High School, says they’re excited to be back.

“We’re of course taking every safety precaution possible because we want people to be safe when they visit,” Lambert said.

Lambert says AlterFest has raised anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000 in a weekend for the school, drawing in around 10 thousand visitors a day.

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“We fund scholarships with this for students with needs, vans for the schools, school busses…We renovated all the windows one year,” Lambert said.

Dan Suffoletto, a spokesperson for Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County, says it’s okay to enjoy the fun, but it’s important to take precautions.

“A lot of times people tend to play off their sickness and think ‘well I’m not really that sick,’ but now is the time where we need to pay attention to those symptoms,” Suffoletto said.

Suffoletto says if you are sick stay home, and if you haven’t gotten the vaccine, make sure to wear a mask.

AlterFest is admission-free. Unlimited ride wristbands are available for $25 Friday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

More information on the event can be found here.

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