Better weather today for local festival

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Although the weather didn’t cooperate all that well for the Peony Festival’s first day on Friday, organizers see more typical Peony Fest weather for the remainder of the weekend, including today’s Grand Parade. (click here for a schedule of events).

This year’s event opened under rainy and cloudy skies, but, fortunately, no significant rain fell during the Bronx Wanders concert Friday evening in Fountain Park, although temperatures were a bit chilly.

Temperatures are expected to be more like spring today as festival events get underway, starting with the annual Fishing Derby at YMCA Camp Clay, scheduled for 9-11 this morning. Also beginning at 9 are the Flower Show, Quilt Show and Garage Sale/Craft Show, all being held at the fairgrounds.

At 10 a.m., the Peony Festival information booth opens in Fountain Park and the 2012 Peony Garden Tour will also start then and run through 3 p.m. (see story further down on the News page).

Children will have lots of activities to entertain them, from the Fishing Derby to a number of inflatables placed in Fountain Park for the day.

A number of crafters and artists will also have displays in Fountain Park as part of the ArtRageous on Main event, which is hosted by Main Street Van Wert.

This year, 17 artists from across Ohio and Indiana will have their art on exhibit, while Wassenberg Art Center will be selling 30 original paintings by local artists. Award-winning artist Sally Geething will be in Fountain Park coaching and teaching art enthusiasts of all ages, while children, adults and artists are all invited to chalk up the sidewalk north of Fountain Park as part of the Chalk the Walk contest, sponsored by Lee Kinstle GM Sales & Service. Eleven local artists also combined to create an original artwork that will be raffled off during the festival. Tickets can be purchased during the festival.

The Architecture Scavenger Hunt contest is again being held on Main Street as part of ArtRageous on Main. Children and adults will love the challenge of locating highlighted details among the elaborate 19th century commercial buildings in downtown Van Wert. The contest is sponsored by Taylor’s Auto Sales, with special thanks to Gibby’s Photo.

A full schedule of ArtRageous events can be found on the Convention & Visitors Bureau website (http://visitvanwert.org) or picked up at the Main Street Van Wert/CVB office on East Main Street.

Also today, a Peony Festival Pet Show will be held at 11 a.m. in Fountain Park, while the Queen’s Tea will start at 1:30 p.m. at Willow Bend Country Club.

PSD Stars by Erin will take place at 2:30 p.m. in the Fountain Park bandshell, with dancers from Kim Hohman’s DanceWorks taking the bandshell stage from 3-4 this afternoon.

Today’s events culminate in the annual Peony Festival Grand Parade, featuring more than 100 units, that begins at 5 p.m. at the fairgrounds and will travel up Washington Street to Jubilee Park.

This evening, 2 Sticks and a Chick will entertain in the Fountain Park bandshell.

On Sunday, the garage sales and craft show and quilt show will continue at the fairgrounds, while the Garden Tour will also run from noon-3 p.m. that day.