Bellville Street Fair starts Wednesday
BELLVILLE — The 172nd Bellville Street Fair will be in full gear Wednesday with concession stands, rides, livestock and nightly entertainment. The annual truck and tractor pull was held Sunday before the fair.
There is every imaginable food available from French waffles to perch and hot apple dumplings. And an even better reason for heading to Bellville this weekend is to see old friends from Clear Fork Schools who grew up in the Clear Fork Valley.
Kerri Gottfried, who is on the Bellville Agricultural fair board, estimates that 8,000 to 10,000 people will attend the Bellville Street Fair over four days.
"It's just everybody coming home to visit. They call it the Bellville homecoming. If you only see someone once a year it's going to be during the Bellville Street Fair," she said.
This year there is going to be a wedding at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the bandstand.
"They met at the Bellville Street Fair," she said.
The fair is affectionally called "The World's Fair."
Gottfried said, "It will be the 'World's Fair" forever."
The fair board office at 131 Main St. was busy Monday as Gottfried had people lining up to talk to the board.
The Bellville Street Fair is one of two agricultural street fairs left in the state of Ohio. Loudonville Street Fair is the other one, according to the Bellville Agricultural fair board.
The nightly entertainment schedule is: Devon Michael Stevens at 8 p.m. Wednesday; The Wayfarers, 8 p.m. Thursday; Taylor Schlupp, 7 p.m. Friday; Acoustic Edge, 9 p.m. Friday; Ricky Mitchell, 7 p.m. Saturday, and China Grove - A Doobie Brothers Tribute at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
The fair has a week-long art show at the Bellville Public Library; a Fair Queen Contest at 6 p.m. Wednesday, followed by the Clear Fork Marching Band at 7 p.m. Wednesday, both on the main stage.
On Thursday, the Marching Princesses will perform at 6 p.m. on the main stage.
"The big event is the Junior Livestock Sale at 10 a.m. Saturday in the livestock tent," Gottfried said. The Clear Fork Band Boosters Cake auction is at 4 p.m., at the bandstand.
Saturday's highlights include a pet show at 11 a.m., a Kiddie Pedal Pull at 2 p.m. and Heart of Ohio Athletics-Gymnastics exhibition at 2:30 p.m., both on the main stage.
A sampling of Facebook posts of local people headed to Bellville include Mary Martin Bolin, a Lexington High School graduate, who said she always goes to the Bellville Street Fair. "Corn dogs, my favorite. I also love the small town feel and running into so many people that you know," she said.
Barb Procker, a Madison Comprehensive High School graduate, said she likes going because the fair allows her to see people she doesn't normally see.
Jean Von Blon said she loves watching the fair queen contest.
"I love watching the ladies put on their pretty dresses and show their pride about 'The Valley,'" she said. "We are not 'native' Bellville, but feel a part of this wonderful community."
Joe James said he loves seeing people he knew from school and feeling the nostalgia from when he was in middle and high school at Clear Fork.
Tommy Barnes said he goes for the Tall Timber wings and a big glass of lemonade.
The fair opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Friday, the fair opens at 1 p.m. when Clear Fork Schools releases students early to attend the fair.
Also this weekend:
Dozens of bands are part of the legendary Snow Trails Music Fest, which kicks of Friday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. and fires up again at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. Visitors will hear music spilling out over the rolling hills of Snow Trails -- minus the snow. Bands from every genre will perform both inside and outside at this beautiful location, best known for skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing. Music Fest tickets are $20 for one day or a weekend pass is $40. Travelers will experience great food, gear, art and clothing vendors, along with bands like Spooky Boy, Sink the Ship, DJ Drojack and County Line, just to name a few.
Mansfield Arts Festival:
The work of fine artists will fill Central Park on the Square, Saturday, Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This free festival includes engaging live art demonstrations, art vendors, live music, food trucks, children’s make-and-take art projects and even a scavenger hunt. This is an annual celebration of arts and creativity in Richland County showcases local artists and the wealth of talent in this area. Guests also have the special opportunity to meet the artists first hand while supporting their work. The festival wraps up with its Artist Awards, including: Best of Show - $500, Painting - $250, Photography - $250, Watercolor - $250, Ceramic - $250, Fiber - $250, Innovation - $250 and High School - $250, as well as three Awards of Potential.
The Phoenix Brewing Company is kicking off its Oktoberfest the same day as Oktoberfest in Germany, Saturday, Sept. 17 taking place from noon to 11p.m. This year’s Oktoberfest will feature “Kilts vs Lederhosen,” a unique rotation of Irish and German beer-drinking music performed live by an Irish band. The fun takes place in the Phoenix Brewing Company beer garden in the heart of downtown Mansfield’s Carrousel District, where travelers will find delicious German food and 23 taps of craft beer with loads of German-style beers from some of Ohio’s best breweries. Driven by a love of craft beer and a passion for brewing, Phoenix Brewing Company was founded by local beer enthusiasts bent on bringing a craft beer revival to Mansfield in the very place where the city’s pre-prohibition breweries once stood. Housed in the beautifully restored 103-year-old Schroer Funeral Home and Mortuary, Phoenix beer wins awards, including the USA Gold for its Toe Tag, a traditional Belgian tripel.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
419-521-7223
Twitter: @LWhitmir
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Bellville Street Fair has livestock, concession stands, rides, more.
