73rd Annual West Lafayette Homecoming will be packed full of fun
The 73rd Annual West Lafayette Homecoming Parade will begin Friday evening at 7 p.m. on July 30. The theme this year is Down on the Farm. Wendell Waters with his wife Marcia from WenMar Farms will be Grand Marshall of the homecoming parade. They have farmed in the area for many years and in 2017 received the Ohio Conservation Farm Family Award at the Farm Science Review.
“A lot of people I’ve talked to are really looking forward to the homecoming,” said Chamber President Oren Griffith. “It looks like we’ll have a good turnout for the parade. My wife Patty and Jack Patterson will announce the parade units.”
Friday evening at 5 p.m. the eat stands will be open with a full menu as well as rides and games. The corn roast begins at 6 p.m. sponsored by the Ridgewood FFA. From 8:30-10:30 p.m. Moon Lyterz will be on the main stage with music from the 50s and 60s.
On Saturday morning, July 31 start the day off with an all you can eat pancake breakfast (pancakes only) from 8-10 a.m. at the eat stand. The 5K walk/run starts at 8:30 a.m. Sign up is at 7:30 a.m. “We have someone new running the kitchen at the eat stand this year, Jason Blevins,” Oren said. “He has JP Barbeque, but his kids will be running his BBQ truck for him.”
The model airplane AMA RC Fun Fly Show will be Saturday morning on the football field from 9-11 a.m.
“They are the bigger model airplanes,” Oren said. “A couple of them have a wingspan of three or four feet.”
The K-9 rescue team will be the on the football practice field at 2 p.m. West Lafayette Police K-9 Stryder and two dogs from the Coshocton Sheriff’s Office are coming together with their special equipment to show what the dogs are capable of doing. “It should last for an hour or more,” Oren said. “We’ve never had that before, and I don’t know of a lot of people who have ever seen that before, but it should be exciting.”
The music boosters are having blowups and games for kids. “We have the blow ups this year, although, we’re looking at a ride company for next year and that is looking pretty promising right now,” Oren said. “We have the pet parade for the kids with prizes and story time with Andrea Smith from the West Lafayette Library. She always reads to the kids, and they like to sit and listen. It seems like they really enjoy it, and she enjoys reading to them too.”
The golf ball drop is at 3:30 p.m. at the Ridgewood band practice field. “Gary Green will drop the balls onto the field with his cherry picker and the closest ball to the pin will win a cash prize,” Oren said. “Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place.”
Get Fit Nutrition people will be working out on the black top in front of the Ridgewood Eat Stand about the same time the chicken dinners. “That is usually the hottest part of the day, but those folks really do a work out and they love doing it,” Oren said. “We’ve got 250 chicken dinners coming from Schumaker Farms, so it’s first come first served. A few of our merchants purchased chicken dinners for prizes at Friday nights’ drawing so they may be able to get a dinner that way. You can always get something to eat at the stand. They have the Homecoming Burger, shredded chicken sandwiches, pop and pie, just a little bit of everything. Of course, there are French Fries at the Fireman’s stand.”
The Lions Club Mouse Game has been a popular game for a lot of years. “They had trouble getting mice for several years,” Oren said. “Tom Brill has a farm out at Plainfield, and he comes up with some mice from his barn now. They use them for relief mice because they get tired and hot to where they don’t want to run anymore, and they just sit there. So, they have to put a relief mouse in there. That game is one everyone likes, it’s always busy. Our grandkids come up and get our change purse and when they come back it’s always empty. It’s a lot of fun and it couldn’t go to a better cause. After that we’ve got the 90 Proof Band sponsored by Wyler’s Dairy Hut. 90 Proof is a Country/Rock Band. Also Boots and Buckles dance group will be here dancing for our bands too. They should be there Saturday night and possibly Friday night.”
The queen contest will be Thursday evening, July 29, at 6 p.m. in Burt Park. John Lindig will be master of ceremonies along with spokespeople Allison Norman and Joy Smith. Regular merchandise, 50/50 and golf ball drop ticket sales begin at the chamber headquarters and there will be a limited menu at the eat stand on Thursday.
“People are looking forward to the fireworks on Saturday night,” Oren said. “They are going to be really good this year. They were hard to get but we were able to get them all from donations. We’re looking for a corporate sponsor that would like to take over the fireworks next year but if not, we will have our boot drive like we did before. Also, we would like a sponsor for our rides if that’s possible. If not, we will do what we’re doing now. I hope the weather is good and people will come. Friday and Saturday are our big nights and people are looking for things to do.”
For information about the parade entry signup call Ed Chapdelaine at 740-545-6696 or Dave Rogers at 740-545-9298 or 740-502-1205.
Category: Arts & Entertainment
