Lexington Community Park was filled with vendors, festival rides, and a busy event schedule for the Lexington Blueberry Festival.
“I would say this year’s event is hugely successful. Every year the community comes out and supports it more and more,” said festival director Lisa Beilstein,
Alexis Tackett, Miss Lexington 2013, noted that she had “never seen so many people here before.” The Lexington High School senior was especially glad to see blue skies and sunshine for the August event, “This is actually the best Blueberry Festival I’ve ever been too; because the weather is not too hot, it’s nice and breezy.”
Sunlight and cool breezes cooperated to make for a pleasant Saturday over Lexington Community Park. A busy events schedule in the morning kicked off with pancake breakfast at the Lexington Senior Civic Center. The events also included a 5K run/walk, soccer tournament, color splash, arts and crafts, volleyball bash, and community rummage sale.
The lower field in the park held the Scottish highland games from 9 a.m. and into the late afternoon. The caber event saw athletes in kilts tossing a 150 pound pole spanning nearly 20 feet across the open grass. Columbus resident Malcolm Majesky competed in the games. He said that the small town event comes with plenty of comraderie. “Everybody here is super nice,” said the former Ashland University discuss and hammer thrower, “Everybody is just here to have fun.”
Activities, rides, and a petting zoo filled the afternoon with family fun.
As the day progressed, a crowd gathered around the petting zoo and were treated to a mid-afternoon pig race. From Jeff Gordham to Dale Oinkhardt Jr, the pigs’ names resembled those of NASCAR drivers in town for the Nationwide 200.
The evening events slate were live music and a 10 p.m. fireworks festival.
Just a few of the events on the schedule are: a 10:30 church service on the main stage, a 2 p.m. parade, 3 p.m. Big Wheel Race, and 3:30 p.m. Blueberry Bash with pie eating and games.
Beilstein summarized, “It’s going to be a great family day tomorrow.”
