Lots to do at Peony, Art-Rageous fests

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Several years ago, the Van Wert Peony Festival, with its decades of community tradition, joined with ArtRageous on Main’s celebration of the arts to create an event that is greater than the sum of its parts.

This year’s edition of the festival, which begins at 10 this morning with a ribboncutting conducted by the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce, continues to build on that foundation.

Events today include the Van Wert Optimist Club’s Youth Art Show in Fountain Park, starting at 10 a.m., while the Peony Festival Art & Vendor Show will run from 11 a.m.-9 p[.m. in Fountain Park. A photo booth will also be conducted in the park during those hours by Vividly Unique Photography, while food vendors will open their stands as well on South Jefferson Street.

Registration for a Tattoo Contest will be held from 4-5 p.m. at the intersection of Central Avenue and Jefferson Street, while the contest will run from 5-6 this evening at the same location.

The Peony Festival Committee’s Concession Stand will open from 4-8 p.m. in Fountain Park, with adult beverages, including craft beer offerings from Land Grant Brewing Company, being sold at the Peony Patio from 4-9 p.m. on South Jefferson Street.

The Chair-ity Auction’s silent auction will run from 4-9 p.m. in the park, while registration for the annual Peony Car Show will begin at 4 p.m. at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets. The Car Show will take place from 6-9 p.m. on Main Street and North Jefferson Street.

Today is also the kick-off of the Van Wert County Foundation’s Fountain Park Summer Music Series, which opens with the band Turn It Up, a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute group that plays a variety of Southern Rock music. The concert will run from 7-9 p.m. in the park.

Saturday’s events include breakfast at the Peony Committee’s concession stand in the park, starting at 7:30 a.m., and the Kids Free Fishing Derby at Rotary Lake at the YMCA’s Camp Clay on Liberty-Union Road west of Van Wert, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 11 Saturday morning.

The Optimist Youth Art Show will continue from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in Fountain Park, along with the Chair-ity Silent Auction from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday.

The Art & Vendor Show will run from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. in the park, with the Photo Booth by Vividly Unique Photography returning to the park from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Jerry Smith Memorial Historical Wagon Rides will start off from the intersection of Central and Washington at 11 a.m. and run until 1 p.m., while various groups will provide entertainment at the park’s band shell. Those include Yoga in the Park by the YMCA at 10 a.m., Kim Hohman’s DanceWorks dancers at 11 a.m., and a DONNA (Disciplining Our Naught Natured Animals) demonstration by Donna Klinger at noon.

The Chalk the Walk event will be held at the park at 11 a.m., while Gazebo entertainment will showcase young talent from 11 a.m. Those performing include Myia Etzler at 11 a.m., Gabrielle Emrick at noon, Griffen Waltmire at 1 p.m., and Tyler White at 2 that afternoon.

Caricature drawings by Darlene McCartney will run from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. in the park, while free children’s activities, games, and inflatables, sponsored by the YWCA, will be held at the same times on Central Avenue.

The Super Heroes in the Park event will also run from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, while Peony Festival Garden Tours and Pretty Porch Contest will be held at various locations (see brochure) from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Jubilee Flower Show will be held at Wassenberg Art Center from 1-5 p.m., while adult beverages will again be served on South Jefferson Street from 4-9 p.m.

Chad Thatcher will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at 4:45 p.m. in front of the Van Wert County Courthouse to open the Peony Festival Grand Parade, which begins at 5 Saturday afternoon on Main Street, from Cherry Street to Burt Street.

Registration for Buckeye State-sanctioned pedal tractor pulls will be held at 6:30 p.m. on South Jefferson Street, with the pulls to begin at 7:30 that evening.

Saturday’s events will be capped by a park concert by Kaitlyn Schmitt & the Move, a variety band that plays an eclectic mix of country, pop, ‘90s, R&B, and “a dash” of rock music.

Sunday’s events include a continuation of the Peony Festival Garden Tours and the Jubilee Flower Show.