It’s fish fry season again!
It’s the time of year when volunteers start preparing for a very popular Southwestern Pennsylvania tradition: the Lenten fish fry.
My wife, Mary Jeanne, and I love a good fish fry, and we look forward to visiting churches, fire departments, and local clubs throughout the area.
Fish fries are popular in our area because we have a strong Catholic population that observes a Lenten fast that prohibits eating meat on Fridays. As a result, locals fill the void with fried fish sandwiches, baked fish, pierogies, haluski, French fries, desserts and other traditional items. Many organizations host fish fries to raise the funds needed to balance their annual budgets.
It’s a lot of work to pull off a fish fry and we commend the volunteers who do it every year.
Last year my office published a list of Washington County Volunteer Fish Fries, and it turned out to be quite popular. This year, I am sharing my list with the Observer-Reporter so that we can help these organizations get the word out. Finding a good, local fish fry is very important business, and the folks of Washington County take it very seriously!
The following list includes volunteer organizations and churches, but not local restaurants. If we missed a volunteer fish fry, please email me at maggil@co.washington.pa.us or call 724-228-6736 to provide all the necessary information.
Larry Maggi’s 2026 Fish Fry List
Avella Volunteer Fire Department, 1560 Avella Road, Avella, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays during Lent; 724-587-5870
California Volunteer Fire Department, 1000 Wood St, California, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent; 724-938-9283
Ellsworth Sportsmen’s Club, 20 10 Mile Lane, Scenery Hill, 5 to 9 p.m. every Friday during Lent. No phone orders. All take-out orders must be placed in person.
Fallowfield Township Volunteer Fire Department, 1660 Route 481, Charleroi, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent. Deliveries limited and based on staffing and may not be available; 724-483-8005
Hanover Volunteer Fire Department, 9 Starck Drive, Burgettstown, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent; eat in or take-out; local deliveries available; fax: 724-729-7260 and call 724-729-3929 to confirm the has been received.
Holy Trinity National Catholic Church, 605 Hewitt Ave., Washington, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Fridays through March 27; no service on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday; eat in or take-out, call 724-225-3401 for local deliveries to businesses, $60 minimum order; https://holytrinitywashingtonpa.org/2020/10/fish-fry-2023/
Lone Pine Volunteer Fire Department, 328 Weaver Run Road, Washington, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Friday during Lent. Dine-in, take-out or delivery; $50 minimum for deliveries, 724-267-4040
Marianna Volunteer Fire Department, 84 Broad St., Marianna, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent; 724-267-3112
Midway Volunteer Fire Department, 99 St. John St., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Good Friday, April 3; eat in or take-out; call 724-796-3141 to place your order.
Monongahela Elks, 444-446 Jackson St., Monongahela, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday; 3 to 9 p.m. every Friday during Lent; eat in or take-out, 724-258-3370
Mt. Pleasant Township Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, 106 Main St., Hickory, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Friday during Lent; call 724-356-2579 for take-out orders.
Muse Italian Club, 283 Muse-Bishop Road, Muse, every Friday year-round from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; 724-745-7280 or 724-745-9878; cash only
Richeyville Volunteer Fire Company, 14 Firehall Road, Richeyville, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent; take-out available, free deliveries ($25 orders and up); fax orders to 724-632-3273, call 724-632-6390 to confirm your order.
St. Andrew the Apostle, Donora Social Hall, 1 Park Manor Road, Donora, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent, except for Good Friday. Drive-thru with curbside pickup and deliveries from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with a minimum order of $25 per location; to order call 724-379-7559 or visit www.saintandrewmidmon.org
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish: https://stisidorethefarmer.org
• St. Alphonsus Hall, 219 W. Lincoln Ave., McDonald, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday and Friday, Feb. 20; dine-in and take-out available, no pre-orders.
• Our Lady of Lourdes Hall, 1111 Mai., Burgettstown, Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent except Good Friday, 4 to 7 p.m.; take-out options starting at 2 p.m.; call 724-947-5076
St. James Parish & JFK School, Immaculate Conception Church Hall, 119 W. Chestnut St., Washington, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent except Good Friday; dine in or take-out. Order can be placed by calling from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 724-222-9737. https://catholicpartnerparishes.org
St. John XXIII Parish: www.john23.org
• St. Francis of Assisi Church, Finley Hall, 3609 Washington Avenue, Finleyville, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ash Wednesday only, no pre-orders or curbside delivery.
• St. Benedict the Abbot Church, Pope Benedict Activity Center, 120 Abington Drive, McMurray, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; 4 to 7 p.m. every Friday during Lent except Good Friday; pre-orders for lunch only; no curbside.
St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Drexel Hall, 208 Abromaitis St., Bentleyville, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent except Good Friday. Eat in, take-out orders start at 10 a.m., or curbside pickup by calling 724-209-1370 ext. 424; https://catholicpartnerparishes.org
St. Oscar Romero: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday though Lent except Good Friday. Use this link to order for both locations: https://romeroparishfishfry.square.site
• Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Banquet Hall, 300 Pike St., Meadow Lands; dine-in, take-out, curbside
• St. Patrick Church Cafeteria, 317 W. Pike St., Canonsburg; take-out and curbside only; 724-416-3873
Stockdale Volunteer Fire Department, 316 Railroad St., Stockdale, 3 to 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent; eat in, take-out, and delivery with a $30 minimum; last order taken at 6:30 p.m. or while supplies last; 724-938-3300; www.stockdalevfd.com
Upper Ten Mile Presbyterian Church, 25 Church St., Prosperity, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Friday during Lent; dine-in available or call the Fish Line between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. for curbside pickup at 724-222-0454
VFW Post 191, 39 W. Pike St., Canonsburg, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday throughout the year. Cash only, ATM on premises; 724-873-9298
VFW Post 764, 460 Valley Brook Road, McMurray, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, 4 to 8 p.m. for dinner, Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent; call 724-941-2005.
VFW Post 8308, 446 Georgetown Road, Lawrence, 4 to 8 p.m. Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent. Cash only, ATM on premises; 724-941-6440
Western Area Career & Technology Center’s Take Out Fish Fry, 688 Western Ave., Canonsburg; Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent when school is in session, call 724-746-2890, ext. 131 or 137 to place orders. All orders must be placed by 2 p.m. and picked up by 2:30.
Larry Maggi serves on the Washington County Board of Commissioners.