ONTARIO ─ The community is poised for a full-scale Fourth of July celebration in Ontario this year.
The festivities will begin with the first Ontario Youth Sports Land Regatta at Marshall Park on the evening of July 2. OYS director Kenn Spencer said the event is still open for registration and first place will win $1,500.
Ontario Fourth of July committee has put together a schedule for the all-day celebration on July 3. The Ontario 5K Liberty Run will start at 8:30 a.m. in front of the high school, following by the OYS boys and girls all-star games at Marshall Park.
Committee chairman Frank Flaugher said the festivities will be “a little more supersized” this year with events on both sides of Shelby-Ontario Road.
Right before the parade starts at 5 p.m., the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard based at Lahm Airport will fly over the area. Flaugher said the committee tried hard to get the local military force involved in the event.
“Because there’s some talk about the base may be having some issues, and we really want to try to back those guys as best as we can,” he said.
The 179th Airlift Wing will also be the lead group for the parade, which will begin on Milligan Road next to the high school parking lot and then goes on to Shelby-Ontario Road. Flaugher said Shelby-Ontario Road will be closed from 4 p.m. for the evening.
Those interested in joining the parade can register by 4:30 p.m. on the event’s website or by scanning the QR code. OYS will host the “Pour One Nine Beerfest” at Marshall Park after the parade.
Food vendors will be available. There will also be pizza eating and hot wing eating contests on the stage. Flaugher said Richland County Dog Shelter partners with the committee for the first time to host an adoption event on Saturday starting at noon behind the middle school.
People are encouraged to bring their dogs out to join the event.
The celebration will end with the fireworks show at 10:15 p.m. at the Ontario School Complex. Flaugher said the show will last 26 minutes, a little longer than those in previous years.
The community is excited about the return of the Fourth of July celebration, according to the committee chairman. He said businesses and community members have been highly supportive that the committee will be giving out well over 230 raffle items, probably the most significant number it has ever done.
Flaugher said the support also speaks to the fact that the committee has worked hard to organize a good show and create fun for everyone.
The schedule of the Fourth of July celebration in Ontario is as follows:
Ontario Fourth of July celebration
