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Downtown Parkersburg will be filled Saturday with not only runners and walkers taking part in the News and Sentinel Half Marathon, but also thousands of other people taking part in the Parkersburg Homecoming. From now until around the middle of October area residents can find a festival of one sort or another just about every weekend in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Every one of those festivals is made possible because of the tireless work of the organizers and the selfless contribution of the volunteers that help stage it.
Every event has its own unique set of challenges. As you read this on Saturday morning, there is a dedicated group of hundreds making sure hundreds of racers navigate the streets of Parkersburg. Making sure they all get hydrated, fed, and make the correct turn at intersections is the work of a variety of volunteers. A different group will make sure the crowd along Point Park will safely enjoy homecoming Saturday.
The Parkersburg events are just one example of communities taking their turn to shine. A few weeks ago, it was Belpre's turn to showcase their community. Organizers had Civitan Park looking great; they even spent weeks getting the pond in the park back to the ideal level of water.
The fact that there are so many festivals in the fall makes sense. Summers are full of vacations for many people. By fall, people are back to where they belong as schools get underway and people return to a home-based routine. At their core, festivals all celebrate something. The oldest of all festivals of course are the fairs.
People in western Washington County are filling the grounds of the Waterford Community Fair. The fair is one of three agricultural fairs in the county. Fairs have a long history in Washington County. Fairs were first held here as early as 1819. The Washington County Fair has been held since 1851. Each fair has its niche. Hogs are the feature animal at Waterford, steers and lambs the centerpiece at the Washington County Fair and horses the featured animal at the Barlow Fair.
The Waterford Fair was first held in 1959 when the local Grange set it up. Events included hay exhibits, a fiddling contest and a contest to catch a greased pig. The hog show has been part of the fair since 1971. The fair also serves as a fundraiser for a wide range of community groups. School groups are an important part of nearly all fall festivals. I have spent at least one shift hawking concessions from the Waterford Athletic Boosters stand, something hundreds of other parents can also relate to.
Coming up Labor Day weekend will be the biggest fair in the county. Filling a large tract of land near the north end of Front Street, the fair will make its presence known first with a parade, and then with the sound of tractor pulls, midway rides and the sound of livestock auctions toward the end of the four-day event. The sale of the grand champion steer is always a big deal - the catch line "Remember, there is only one grand champion" is burned in my brain after covering it for years.
The final fair of the season, the Barlow Fair, arrives at the intersection of Ohio 339 and 550 on Sept. 29. Even though the tagline, "It never rains on the Barlow Fair" is false advertising some years, the fair is always a good time. Wrapping around a tree-covered hillside, the fair has been held since 1872 and claims to be Ohio's oldest independent fair. It's a great place to enjoy a fall weekend and marvel at the horses and other agricultural exhibits. Make sure you are there for one of the horse pulls. The raw power of the giant draft horses will show you the true meaning of the term "horsepower."
In addition to all the fairs, the area also has plenty of fall festivals. The biggest, of course, being the Ohio River Sternwheel Festival on Sept. 8-10. The brainchild decades ago of Harry Robinson, who owned the Lafayette Hotel at the time, the festival attracts dozens of sternwheelers and thousands of people to the Ohio River levee for three days of music, boat races and of course, fireworks. It is organized by a dedicated group of community members to somehow pull off a huge event in their spare time every year. October brings the Lowell Octoberfest to Buell Island on Oct. 7. Come hungry and enjoy an afternoon on the island. Add to the mix all the high school and college sporting activities and homecomings and there is a full slate of things to do in the area. While you are there, thank the volunteers, remember, they are giving up their free time so you can enjoy yours.
Art Smith is online manager of The Times, he can be reached at asmith@mariettatimes.com