Peony Fest, Art-Rageous this weekend

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The 40th edition of the Peony Festival — and the 23rd in a row since the festival’s revival in 1992 — will take place this weekend at various sites around the city.

The festival was begun in 1932 to honor Van Wert’s commercial peony farms and the city’s designation as the “Peony Capital of the World”. During the festival’s heyday in the 1930s, more than 100,000 people flocked to Van Wert for a weekend of events that included not one, but two parades. The closing of the peony farms and the advent of World War II also ended the Peony Festival for a time, but the festival was revived in the 1950s, and finally returned for its current run with the current Peony Festival Committee organization.

This year, the festival returns to its roots with a decision to hold Saturday’s Grand Parade on Main Street, rather than Washington Street, as it has for a number of years. The parade, which begins at 5 p.m. Saturday, will run from the YWCA on East Main to American Legion Post 178 on West Main. Cherry Street will be closed from the railroad tracks on North Cherry to Franklin Park on South Cherry so parade units can use the street as a staging area that day.

The Peony Festival, which now includes activities from the Art-Rageous on Main arts fest, will begin at 10 a.m. this Friday with the opening of a festival information both at the intersection of Jefferson and Main streets at Fountain Park, as well as the Optimist Youth Art Show in the park.

Lunch with Queen Jubilee XL Schylar Miller and her court will be held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday at DeShia Country Gift Shoppe on U.S. 127 south of Van Wert.

Food vendors will open, beginning at noon Friday through 9 p.m., as will Art-Rageous on Main art exhibits in Fountain Park and a silent auction conducted by Wassenberg Art Center in the park until 9 that evening.

At 4 p.m. the Peony Festival Committee’s concession stand will open in Fountain Park, with registration for the Peony Festival Car Show also beginning then. The Car Show will run from 6-9 p.m. Friday, while the classic Rock group Ambrosia will perform in the park from 7-9 Friday evening (see story below).

Saturday will feature a flurry of activities, including the free Peony Festival Kids Fishing Derby held from 9-11 a.m. Saturday at the YMCA’s Camp Clay on Liberty Union Road west of Van Wert.

The Barony of Shadowed Stars will be held in the Fountain Park bandstand starting at 9 Saturday morning, while the festival information booth will again open at 10 a.m. that day.

The Driving Force Women event will be held on Jefferson Street, alongside the S.F. Goedde Building from 10-11 a.m., while local Girl Scouts will have a petting zoo on South Jefferson Street from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. The scouts will also have children’s games in the same area.

The Peony Festival Garden Tours will also begin at 10 a.m. Saturday in a number of locations in the Van Wert area, while the Peony Festival Craft Show and the Optimist Youth Art Show and Art-Rageous artists exhibits will also be held in Fountain Park at 10, along with the Chalk the Walk activity for children of all ages.

Food vendors will also open their stands on Jefferson Street at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Dancers from Kim Hohman’s DanceWorks will perform at the bandstand from 11 a.m.-noon, while Darlene McCartney will offer free caricatures in Fountain Park from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Free activities and inflatables will be available in Fountain Park from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, with a disc jockey playing music at the bandstand from 1-3 p.m. Saturday.

The 54th annual Jubilee Flower Show will be held at Wassenberg Art Center, 214 S. Washington St., from 1-5 p.m. Saturday, while a martial arts demonstration by 540 Martial Arts will be held from 1:30-2 p.m. in the bandstand.

The Van Wert High School Punt, Pass & Kick competition will be held at Eggerss Stadium behind the Goedde Building from 2-4 p.m., while a magic show will be performed at the Fountain Park bandstand, starting at 2 Saturday afternoon.

Sweet Science Boxing Gym will hold a boxing demonstration at the bandstand from 2:45-3:15 p.m.

Following the parade on Main Street, Connor Rose will be in concert in Fountain Park from 7-10 p.m. Saturday.

Sunday’s activities include continuation of the Jubilee Flower Show from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and the Peony Festival Garden Tours from noon-3 p.m.