Oregon brings in chart-topping singer for Boomfest

7/1/2013

Oregon’s fourth Boomfest at the Grove, its annual July 4 weekend festivity, is slated for Saturday from 2 p.m. to midnight at Oak Shade Grove, 3624 Seaman Rd. As in past years, it will feature a car show, music, food, drinks, and the city’s fireworks display. Admission and parking are free.

Oregon Mayor Mike Seferian said the 2012 celebration drew about 10,000 visitors and he was looking for a similar turnout this year.

The entertainment headliner will be British singer John Waite, whose 1984 recording “Missing You” climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard chart.

The album containing the single, No Brakes, sold 1.5 million copies and reached the Billboard Top 10. The song later was covered by Tina Turner. In 2006, Mr. Waite released “Missing You” as a duet with Alison Krauss and it hit the Top 40 on the country music chart. Other hits include “Change,” and “When I See You Smile.” His Oregon performance will begin at 8:30 p.m.

The live entertainment begins at 5 p.m. with KGB, a central Florida band whose repertoire includes music from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, to current rock.

Next up, at 7 p.m., will be Arctic Clam, a local cover band featuring vocals by Nicole Khoury, a Toledo criminal defense attorney.

The Cruisin’ in the Grove Car Show will run from 2 to 6 p.m. and feature the Jimmy and Bob Show, disc jockeys who will spin ’50s and ’60s music.

Jerry Thompson, the organizer, said the car show this year will be inside Oak Shade Grove instead of out front on the grass.

“It was very hot last year, and the grove is shady,” he said. “Also, people were confused. They thought the car show was a separate event when it’s part of Boomfest.”

He said he expected about 300 cars to be on display. Gift cards will be awarded to the car owners.

“We attract just about every car you can imagine, mostly old stuff,” he said.

Mr. Seferian said Boomfest would cost about $45,000, most of which would be covered by corporate sponsors, including BP-Husky Refining LLC, which donated $20,000.

Other sponsors include Toledo Refining Co., Mercy St. Charles Hospital, ProMedica-Bay Park Hospital, Toledo Edison, Press Newspapers, Holiday Inn Express-Oregon, A. A. Boos and Sons Inc., Piccadilly Apartments, C&W Tank Cleaning Co., Oregon Clean Energy LLC, and Treu House of Munch Inc.

Mr. Seferian said the city may absorb a small part of the cost. “Our whole objective is to give Oregon a Fourth of July event our citizens can be proud of. Nothing makes me happier than to see groups of people leaving with a smile on their face and saying they’re looking forward to next year.”