Peony Festival has something for everyone

VW independent staff

A warm but dry weekend appears to be in store for this weekend’s Peony Festival in downtown Van Wert. As in previous years, the schedule of events for the June 2-4 festival is a full one. The list of events includes the always popular Grand Parade, which will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Friday, June 2

A Van Wert Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony will kick things off at 10 a.m. Friday at Fountain Park. For the kids, the early session of amusement rides will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and for lunch, dinner or anything in between, food vendors will be up and running from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The art and vendor show will run at the same time, and the Peony Patio/Beer Garden will be open from 3-7 p.m.

Other offerings on Friday include the Superhero and Friends by Adams Entertainment & Photography; concessions at Fountain Park at 4 p.m.; the Peony Festival Car Show from 4-8 p.m.; Reichelderfer carnival games from 4-9 p.m.; the late session of amusement rides from 4-10 p.m.; Kim Hohman’s Danceworks in the pavilion from 4:30-5:30 p.m., and the opening of 2023 Summer Concert Series at Fountain Park with Headgames, A Tribute to Foreigner at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 3

Breakfast concessions will be available at Fountain Park beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday, and the early session of amusement rides will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration for the Optimist Bike Rodeo will be open from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and this year’s Grand Marshal, Trooper Billy Watson will be introduced at 11 a.m. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Black Mark Mafia will present Street Outlaw Style Power Wheels on Main. In addition to those offerings, a free kids fishing derby will be held 9-11 a.m. at Camp Clay.

Caricatures by Diane will be available at Fountain Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Cincinnati Circus games inflatable games and entertainment will be available during the same time frame. The Optimist Bike Rodeo will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Central Ave. by the First United Methodist Church, and Sunny Taylor will perform in the gazebo at Fountain Park from 1-3 p.m. The Peony Patio/Beer Garden will be open from 1-10 p.m. and the late session of rides will be from 4-10 p.m.

The Grand Parade will step off at 5 p.m. Saturday and the Free Will Band will perform at Fountain Park from 7-10 p.m.

Sunday, June 4

Sunday’s events include the “Pretty Porches” contest from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the third annual burnout contest at Van Wert Cinemas from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The contest officially begins at 1 p.m. At the Van Wert Historical Society, the reopening of the log cabin annex and presentation by Clint Myers will be held at 2 p.m., followed by an annex display of Peony Festivals of the past.