CRESTLINE, Ohio – The 42nd annual Crestline Harvest Festival runs from Sept. 17 through 19 in downtown Crestline and is highlighted by many events, including contests, rides, and live musical performances.
According to Crestline Village Councilman and Chairman of the Festival Committee Clayton Herold, the festival has something for everyone.
“It’s something that’s been going on for forty-something years,” he said of the festival. “Everyone around the area knows about it, and we’ve scaled back a lot of our advertising because of that.”
He also said there is no admission charge to get into the festival; however, ride tickets and wristbands can be purchased at varied prices.
The festival events begin with the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. Sept. 17 on the main stage, followed with a performance by Crestline High School’s show choir the Royal Blue Express.
The Queen’s Pageant and the Pioneer Performing Arts Academy will hit the stage back-to-back at 7 and 9 p.m., respectively.
“We’re hoping to make the Queen’s Pageant this year a big attraction,” said Herold, who added that it used to take place at 5 p.m.
“A lot of family and friends work or live out of town and couldn’t get there on time,” he said.
The Pioneer Performance Arts Academy will perform again at 2 p.m. the next day, Herold added.
Other events on Sept. 18 include the Crestline Patio Gardener’s Club’s horticulture show at 4 p.m. in the Golden Age Center at 102 N. Thoman St., and Alumni Night at 6:30 p.m. in the St. Joseph Convocation Center at 333 N. Thoman St.
Two bands will provide musical entertainment on the main state that night, starting with Galion’s own classic rock/blues band The Rolling Hams at 5 p.m, followed by rock and pop group The Martini Affair.
The original musical lineup included After Midnight, a classic rock cover band from Cincinnati, but it canceled.
On the final day of the festival, Sept. 19, a craft show at the First United Methodist Church of Crestline will start at 9 a.m., as will the Crestline Police Department Car Show at Village Hall.
The Patio Gardener’s Club also will have another showing at noon at the Golden Age Center.
A new attraction this year, according to Herold, is the Farmers Market, which is slated for noon Sept. 19 at First United Methodist Church of Crestline.
“(The church) started a Farmers Market this year that they do every Tuesday night,” Herold said. “They pulled some of their vendors from that to be at the festival on Saturday.”
The festival’s most-popular event, the parade, also will take place Sept. 19, stepping off at 3:30 p.m. from Kelly Park.
“During the parade, the whole midway of the festival has barely anybody on it,” Herold said. “After the parade, that’s probably the busiest time for the festival – the midway is just packed with people.”
There are roughly 60 entries in the parade, Herold said, adding that lineup will be on Park Road, with Clink Blvd. providing overflow.
“The parade will travel east on W. Bucyrus St. and go right by the festival and down Seltzer St. and under the underpass,” Herold said. “It’s a nice little mile, mile-and-a-half stretch.”
That night, two more musical acts, both hailing from Indiana, will perform: the Jai Baker Band, a country/rock group, at 6 p.m. and the Jessie Brown Band, also a country group, at 9 p.m.
Both will be on the main stage.
“We also have all three nights a beer garden, which is just a block away from the festival and has a band playing,” Herold said.
The beer garden runs from 9 to 11 p.m. the first night, which will feature DJ Brian Hauck, and 9 p.m. to midnight to following nights.
Three Minute Echo, and Slap Shot Sammy are slated to perform in the beer garden on Sept. 18 and 19, respectively.
Kissel Amusements is providing rides for the festival.
Additionally, there are contests lined up for Sept. 19 on the main stage, starting in the morning and going through the afternoon. Registration forms for the contests can be picked up at all Crestline schools, the Crestline Public Library, Village Hall, and at www.crestlineoh.com.
For information about the Crestline Harvest Festival, visit the village’s website or “like” the festival’s Facebook page. Herold also can be reached for information at 419-689-3711.
