Fun Fest coming to downtown Massillon
Divine Harmony stilt walkers will entertain at MassMu's Fun Fest downtown.
MCTV, the Massillon Museum and the Downtown Massillon Association invite families to participate in this year’s Fun Fest on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fun Fest has entertained thousands of families in downtown Massillon for 27 years.
The outdoor event will be centered on the Massillon Museum lawn at 121 Lincoln Way E. in downtown Massillon, Duncan Plaza and First Street Southeast.
Admission to the festival is free. There is no cost for most activities, but a few require a minimal charge. Nearly 90 local social service agencies, civic groups, law-enforcement agencies, churches, arts organizations and businesses will set up games, art projects, activities, and health and safety information stations.
Live music, dance, gymnastics and entertaining performances will fill the Duncan Plaza stage throughout the event. Families can visit the Massillon Museum galleries, which will be open with no admission fee during and after Fun Fest.
Among the attractions will be inflatables, balloon sculptures by clowns Philbe and Bertha, Divine Harmony stilt walkers, Mad Science, ballroom dancing, Tom Fox and his didgeridoo, Akron Children’s Museum Monster Mission, Akron Zoo, Ohio State University’s Bugmobile, Steve Dallas’ accordion, En-Rich-Ment Drummers, Tiger majorettes, Tiger Swing Band Drum Line, Starlight Dancers, Eternity Irish Dance troupe, costumed characters and princesses, a live wildlife display, the Tulsa Lions train and more.
Children will be invited to spin for prizes; have their faces painted; learn spinning, weaving and knitting; play cornhole; make bracelets; pet 4-H animals; mine for gemstones; get temporary tattoos; toss a football; and shoot hoops.
Children will take home free school supplies, sunglasses, balloons, hygiene supplies, books and more.
The Touch-A-Truck segment of Fun Fest — in the municipal parking lot — will feature a fire truck, law-enforcement vehicles, Young Trucks, Berens Tree and Excavating trucks, Massillon Parks and Recreation Department vehicles, Reed’s Towing trucks, SARTA, Ohio Disaster Relief Haulers equipment, Massillon Street Department vehicles, a radio club trailer, and the Massillon Public Library Bookmobile.
Krackpots Comedy Club at 14 Lincoln Way W. will present a family-friendly comedy show at 2 p.m. at the end of Fun Fest.
In addition to the main sponsors — MCTV, Massillon Museum and Downtown Massillon Association — Fun Fest’s sponsors include Massillon Eagles #190, Phil Elum, Massillon Webworks, YMCA of Western Stark County, Akron Children’s Hospital, Kiko Agency, Rising with Redline, Shearer’s, Rotary Club of Massillon, Farmers National Bank and Top of the Viaduct. The event is funded in part by Visit Canton and ArtsinStark through a cultural tourism grant.
Free parking is available in city lots, in the Erie Street parking deck and on adjacent streets. Visit www.massillonmuseum.org/fun-fest or call the museum at 330-833-4061.