MANSFIELD, Ohio – The calendar start of summer may not be until June 21, but as far as Richland County is concerned the summer months are kicking off this weekend with a packed activity schedule.
Perhaps the most anticipated summer event, the Final Friday concert series, makes its debut starting at 5 p.m. Friday evening. Presented by Downtown Mansfield Inc. at the Brickyard, the free concert opens with singer/songwriter Kelly Vaughn at 5 p.m., followed at 6 p.m. by The Jimmy Warner Band’s southern rock and roll. The eclectic sound of Gatlin closes the Friday night concert starting at 8 p.m. with a mix of R&B, pop and country sound.
For those visiting downtown Mansfield and the Brickyard earlier in the day on Friday, the first Downtown Mansfield farmer’s market of the season can be found at Fourth and Main Street. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. visitors to the farmer’s market can purchase fresh produce, locally processed meats, artisan items and homemade goods including salsa, breads, pastries and honey from local vendors.
Just down the road, the Woodland Elementary School Lawn Fete will be celebrating its 75th lawn fete on Friday evening. The neighborhood carnival kicks off at 5 p.m. and will feature games, pony rides, inflatable bounce houses and face painting. The two major fundraising events of the evening will be a silent auction and a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses. All proceeds raised at the lawn fete will benefit Woodland students, including classroom supplies and field trips.
Also kicking off on Friday evening is the Memorial Weekend Catfish Tournament at Charles Mill Lake. The tournament is open to the public, and will continue throughout the weekend.
Saturday morning brings about the Flea Market & Antique Show at the Richland County Fairgrounds. Starting at 9 a.m. visitors are welcome to roam the fairgrounds in search of hidden treasures. The show is held the last full weekend of every month from February through November.
Saturday also marks the start of the Dropt-N-Destroyed car show at the Mansfield Reformatory. Gates to the Reformatory open at 9 a.m. and allow visitors to see vehicles boasting suspensions, unique paint jobs and custom work. The show hosts 40 “mild and wild” classes as well as a bass competition and a car and truck limbo. The Reformatory will also be open for exploration. The show wraps up on Sunday.
Around lunchtime on Saturday it’s time to head to the Miracle Mile for the second annual Shriners Chili & Wing Cookoff. The festival kicks off at 1 p.m. on Park Avenue West with the Kids Safety and Fun Day as well as the Car, Bike and 4×4 Show. At 3 p.m. emcee Tommy Barnes from WMAN will officially open the Chili & Wing Cook Off featuring contestants from four divisions: restaurants, corporate, non-profit and amateur. The Blues & Jazz festival also kicks off at 3 p.m. with live performances by The Mark May Band, Johnny Reed & The Houserockers, Sy’Velt and Noah Shull. At 8:30 p.m. headliner The Jimi Vincent Band with special guest Ed Jonnet will close out the night. New at the Chili & Wing Cookoff this year are chilidog, jalapeno and wing eating contests as well as sand volleyball and cornhole tournaments.
Saturday evening, Shelby will host its first ever Poker Pub Crawl at Legends Sports Grill & Pub, Weber’s, The Vault Wine Bar and Parrothead Pub. For a $20 entry fee, registration starts at 5 p.m. and crawlers will visit all four bars, collecting playing cards from each bar to form a poker hand. Tally sheets must be turned in by 10 p.m. and one winner with the best hand from each location will be selected, along with a grand prize. Along the way there will also be a 50/50 raffle at 8 p.m. and 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Closing the evening on Saturday is the Renaissance Youth Opera Theatre production of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” Based on the 1968 film and directed by Lori Turner, the musical tells the classic tale of eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts restoring an old racecar from a scrap heap and soon discovering the car has magical powers, including the ability to float and take flight. The show will even feature a one-of-a-kind replica of the real Chitty Chitty Bang Bang from the beloved Disney film. Performances are Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. and tickets can be purchased on the newly redesigned Renaissance website.
Explore Richland Source for a complete list of local events and even a roundup of the area’s live music scene.
