On Sunday, June 23, the city of Marietta had the honor of serving as an overnight stop for The Great Race. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we couldn’t be prouder of how it turned out and the level of support our community showed.

For those who may not know, The Great Race is an antique and collector car competitive road rally that extends 2,000 miles over a nine-day period. The course, which changes every year, generally follows scenic local, county, and state highways through some of the prettiest small towns in the country. This year they started in Owensboro, Kentucky, and concluded in Gardiner, Maine.

Marietta secured its place in history after Dave Archer and Wally Kandel, former Great Race competitors, lobbied planners to include our town along its annual race pathway.

Consideration required that we procure a minimum of 425 hotel rooms and get a commitment from a caterer willing to feed over 600 race participants and support staff in under three hours. Thanks to the quality hotel establishments here in Marietta, we had ample rooms and The Historic Lafayette Hotel stepped up and served a fantastic meal including sweet corn picked fresh that morning from Witten Farms.

The logistics involved in planning an event of this magnitude were monumental. Committee members, recognizing the value this event would bring to our fair city, worked for more than a year preparing. We also planned Marietta’s largest ever Motorsports Car Show in which there were over 350 participants. The reward for their efforts can only be measured by the community’s fantastic response and overall attendance, which were incredible. Estimations from the Great Race Officials, for a town the size of Marietta, ranged from 6,000 to 10,000 people on Race Day. The CVB kindly provided us with numbers that showed more than 15,000 people flooded downtown Marietta on Sunday, June 23, 2024.

While the majority of attendees came from Ohio and West Virginia, we were amazed to learn that we had people from over 20 different states visiting our city. The pioneer city spirit was truly on display, and we repeatedly received many compliments on our hospitality from race and car show participants, and visitors alike.

The week following the event, the planning committee met for a recap, and by all accounts, the Marietta stop of The Great Race was nothing short of GREAT! Great attendance, great participation, great safety, and great smiles. This was a win for our community!

We would like to thank everyone who attended and supported our local shops, restaurants, and food trucks. You were an integral part of the day’s success. We also want to extend our sincere appreciation to our 170 volunteers and 49 sponsors. Without the support of these people and organizations, this event would have been impossible.

Our sponsors included–

PLATINUM: Pioneer Pipe, Morrison, Inc., Marietta Noon Rotary Club, American Flags and Poles, Memorial Health System, The Marietta Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Hayes Insurance, PowerFlo Solutions Ltd., WMOA Radio, Signality, The Citizens Bank Company, Peoples Bank, Marietta Community Foundation, American Producers Supply, and Artex Oil.

GOLD: Ron’s Porta Johns, Fisher Auto Parts, Mustang Aerial Services, Mahone Tire Service, and River City Tire & Service Center.

SILVER: Metaltech Steel, Riverview Industrial Supply, McCarthy Real Estate, O’Brien’s Safety Services, Smitty’s Pizza, Greenleaf Landscapes, Eye Care Associates, Mary Segrest – Edward Jones, Kinetic Networking, Mark Mondo Building and Excavating Inc., KMA Auto, Lowe’s of Marietta Ohio, Syensqo, and S2 Cyber.

BRONZE: John and Mary Anne Ley, Ken Strahler Masonry, David & Marcy Wesel, Country Roads T&A Ford Club, Teri Ann’s, Berkshire Hathaway, Marietta Main Street, Levee House Bistro, and Boley Enterprises.

IN-KIND DONATIONS: Theisen Brock, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Plumbers & Pipefitters Local #168, O’Neill Senior Center, Marietta College, City of Marietta, Marietta Mayor Josh Schlicher, Missy Richman, Marietta Noon Lions Club, Marietta Kiwanis Club, Marietta City Schools, Marietta High School Marching Band, Washington County Commissioners, Fire Extinguisher Specialists, Washington Morgan Community Action, Washington County Fair Board, The Matt Hansell Band, Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce, and Witten’s Farm Market.

We appreciate all the help and support, especially our volunteers and sponsors, and want to give our sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude, to anyone involved in making this a win, win for The City of Marietta.