Events planned for 2014 Holiday at Home

Holiday at Home Committee information

Spend the Fourth of July “Holiday at Home”.  This year’s festival has events and activities for the whole family.

The day begins with the 21st annual Isaac Van Wart Firecracker Bike Tour. The departure and ending point is Jubilee Park. Routes of 18-, 32-, and 64- miles have mapped out by bike tour organizers. Departure time is approximately 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Those taking the long route are advised to leave by 8:30 that morning.

Except for the bike tour, many of the day’s events will be held on the museum grounds. Parking will be available on Third and Second streets and Market and Jefferson streets, as well as in the lot between the caboose and museum Welcome Center.

The Historical Society-based festivities will begin after the annual Fourth of July parade, which is held at 11 a.m. July 4 downtown on Main Street, from Cherry  to Shannon streets.

Van Wert Rotary Club will supply food from its tent on Third Street, while ice cream will also be available. Entertainment will be provided by the Van Wert Area Community Concert Band from 12:30-1:20 p.m., while the The Blue Revelers will perform from 1:30-2:30 that afternoon and The Conkers from 2:30-3:30 p.m.

It’s also not too late to get signed up for the Van Wert County Historical Society’s Holiday at Home Craft Show. This handmade-homemade event will take place 10 a.m.-4 p.m. July 4 on the lawn of the historical museum, 602 N. Washington St. in Van Wert. Set-up time is from 8 to 9:45 that morning. Organizers request that there be no early teardowns.

This outdoor event will be held rain or shine. Canopies, tables, chairs will be the vendors’ responsibility, while vendors must secure their awnings with weights, or spikes.

All spaces, which measure approximately 10 feet by 10 feet, cost $15.  No electricity is available for this event and booths are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Payment is due with reservations.

For more information on rules and regulations for this event, call Fran Neiswander at 419.203.0915 or 419.749.2476. Exhibitors who want to reserve a booth should send their name, number of booths (at $15 apiece), phone number and address and description of craft or artisan display to “Fran Neiswander, 5668 Mentzer Road, Convoy, OH 45832” with checks payable to “The Van Wert County Historical Society”.

All the museum’s buildings will be open from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., so check out the thousands of artifacts from Van Wert County that are on display.

To cap off the day, the annual Fourth of July fireworks display will be held at the Van Wert County Regional Airport, starting at dusk.