SESQUICENTENNIAL

Liberty Center tops off summer of history

Fall festival is 12 hours of activities

9/20/2013

LIBERTY CENTER, Ohio — In the grand finale of its Sesquicentennial Summer, the village of Liberty Center will commemorate its 1863 beginnings with a fall festival Saturday.

With tributes already paid to the past during Founders Day and the Wheels of Time and to the future with Kids Day, the celebration this weekend turns to the present with 12 hours of activities, opening with breakfast at 7 a.m. at the Liberty/​Washington fire station and closing with two performances of The Spirit of Liberty production.

Events in the downtown area include the public library’s book sale in the annex; the Garden Club flower show at Charlie’ s Liberty Café; the work of local artists at Tyler Sharpe’s studio; a restored classic car and truck show in the Methodist Church parking lot; inflatables and a mini-train for kids, and vendors and craftsmen’s displays.

Visitors can take horse-drawn wagon rides, and the historic Wabash Depot will be open to visitors through the day.

On the hour, beginning at 11 a.m., the stage set up near the Gerald Grain Center will welcome the Henry County Chorale, the Delta Community Band, and single acts by Garry Cline and Shane Piasecki and Guest. A chicken barbecue, bingo, and a dunk tank are on tap as well.

The Bell Choir from St. Patrick’s church near Grand Rapids will be featured in a guest appearance with the multi-community cast of The Spirit of Liberty production, which focuses this year on the 150-year-history of the community with all-time American musical hits. Shows for this special sesquicentennial production begin at 4 and 5:30 p.m. In lieu of admission, free-will gifts will be accepted at intermission to benefit the Liberty Center Public Library and the Liberty Center Historical Society.