'Loved every minute of it': Spooktacular, fly-in and more made for busy day in Bucyrus

For Doug Foght, the day started at 5:30 a.m.

A full calendar of events had many local residents on the run Saturday. Taking advantage of The Ohio State football team's bye week, many organizations had events scheduled, including the second annual fly-in at the Port Bucyrus-Crawford County Airport, the Bucyrus Preservation Society’s annual White Christmas in October at the Toledo and Ohio Central Depot, the Linda Friend Memorial Spooktacular at Aumiller Park and the Bucyrus Kiwanis Club's Dueling Pianos event at the Crawford County Fairgrounds.

The Kiwanis Club also served a pancake breakfast as part of the fly-in, and Foght was in charge. So after the early start, he rounded up last-minute items and headed to the airport. Other club members helped him get everything ready for the breakfast, and members of the Bucyrus softball team helped with serving and cleaning up.

"We had a great crowd; we sold out of our tickets, which is just absolutely amazing; that's what we want every time," Foght said. "That's what we shoot for."

Fly-in organizer pleased with attendance

In addition to the breakfast, the fly-in included helicopter rides; an opportunity to check out a B-25, Champaign Gal; several presentations, including one on the life of Lauretta Schimmoler featuring Peg Ballou; and the dedication of the airport’s new taxiway.

Fred Fischer, the fly-in's organizer, said the event "took another step forward" in its second year.

"The whole lot was full of cars this morning and it was just steady from 8 o'clock on," he said of the morning. "We had a good bunch of planes that flew in, so yeah, we're happy. Got some ideas for next year, to expand on it a little bit. Make it a little more of an all-day event. It's been a good day. We're pleased, for where we're at."

Skies were overcast early in the morning, but cleared around 9 a.m. By afternoon, they were a cloudless blue. A crosswind on the airport's runway Saturday morning made landings a little tricky, and that kept some pilots away, Fischer said. "Weather is always a factor," he added.

A visiting B-25 based in Urbana, Champaign Gal, was a popular attraction.

"Had a lot of people go through it and they sold some T-shirts and other things with it and had a lot of people looking at it, so it's been a good day," Fischer said.

The Bucyrus Preservation Society’s Toledo and Ohio Central Depot, 700 E. Rensselaer St., was decked out for White Christmas on Saturday. Visitors could grab a bite to eat, listen to live music, visit vendors in the parking lot and say hello to Santa and Mrs. Claus. The Norfolk and Western caboose that was moved into its new home at the site last month was open, too.

There was a lot going on in Bucyrus on Saturday, Foght said. "Let's be honest: It was the Ohio State bye week."

In addition to the public events, there were several weddings in the area.

Foght and many others also attended the funeral of well-known Bucyrus resident Judy Howard Rhode, 91. Her death was "a very large loss to the community," he said.

Community support for Spooktacular is 'just crazy'

By afternoon, Foght was at Aumiller Park to help his wife, Ida, get the Kiwanis Club's popcorn wagon set up and operating for Spooktacular. After that, he was heading over to the Crawford County Fairgrounds to help get ready for the Kiwanis' Dueling Pianos event.

In the hour before Spooktacular opened at 4 p.m., Kelli Patterson, the city's administrative assistant who organized the event, was hurrying around the park, getting vendors checked in and making sure everything was in place.

"Everything's coming together nicely," she said. "The community support is just crazy. Everybody is so excited."

She said she'd even had people asking if Spooktacular could become an all-day event. "That's our goal," she said.

Mayor Jeff Reser said the day was "going wonderful."

"It started very early, and I've been on the run ever since," he said. "And I've loved every minute of it."

Reser started his day at the pancake breakfast, then visited the depot open house. After attending calling hours for Rhode, he worked for about 90 minutes before heading to the park to get ready for Spooktacular, where he was directing traffic. He was hoping to be done in time to attend Dueling Pianos.

"And then home and crash," he said, laughing. "But what a great day. Not a cloud in the sky. Just wonderful."

ggoble@gannett.com

419-559-7263

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Bucyrus was flying high Saturday with full schedule of events