55th annual Antique Festival brings back all the old favorites
For those who put together the annual Holmes County Antique Festival, the more things stay the same, the better they are.
For 55 years the Holmes County Antique Festival has been a huge success, bringing a massive crowd into Millersburg, where patrons enjoy two days of stepping back in time in what for many has become a huge reunion.
For more than a half-century folks have been flocking to Millersburg to step back into yesteryear as part of the Holmes County Antique Festival celebration, and this year’s festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7-8, and Historic Downtown Millersburg will be bustling with all kinds of activities for the whole family.
Saturday, Oct. 7 will see the Antique Festival agenda kick off with a 5K race beginning at 9 a.m. near the courthouse. The antique market located on Monroe Street and on the courthouse lawn and the arts and crafts show in the courthouse area will display loads of interesting, unique and collectible items for sale.
During that time slot, there also will be tons of kids’ games that will provide excellent entertainment for the kids while the adults peruse the arts and crafts and antique market booths.
The Millersburg Glass auction will take place on the courthouse lawn beginning at 9:30 a.m., and there will once again be a huge selection of incredibly iridescent glass and crystal ware for buyers to purchase.
As always new royalty will be crowned during the annual princess and queen contests held at Millersburg Christian Church on North Clay Street. The princess contest will take place at 10 a.m. with the queen contest following closely behind at noon.
The Darb Snyder Memorial Classic Car Show will feature dozens of classic and antique cars that will keep car enthusiasts more than occupied from 1-4 p.m. With the car hoods wide open to view those vintage motors, the sparkle of newly polished chrome, and each car showcasing its own unique and personal touch from their caring owners, these cars will take patrons back into the 1970s and then the 1960s and perhaps all the way back to the times when Model Ts ruled the roads.
Following the show, the annual Antique Festival Classic Car and Firemen’s Parade will roll through Millersburg as the automobiles and dozens of fire and EMS vehicles traverse Jackson Street and provide plenty of candy for the kids.
The day also will include plenty of live entertainment. Bayou Rhythms will perform on the small stage in front of the courthouse from 2:30-3:30 p.m., followed by a performance by Upriver from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Rounding out the night’s entertainment will be the featured band Wolff Pack, which will take the big stage on East Jackson Street from 7-9 p.m.
On Sunday, Oct. 8 the festival will kick into high gear. While the antique market, arts and crafts show, and kids’ entertainment will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. again, the festival will add the popular lumber jack show, which will take place on the large stage on East Jackson Street.
The lumber jack show will begin at 12:30 p.m., and immediately following the show at 2 p.m., the grand parade, filled with upward of 100 entries each year, will meander through town. The introduction of visiting royalty will take place following the parade on the main stage and as always the kids’ tractor pull on North Monroe Street after the parade.
There will be live entertainment on the small stage on East Jackson Street near the courthouse, where United 4 will take the stage from 12:30-1:30 p.m.
In addition to all of the festivities, patrons are invited to explore the Millersburg Glass Museum, Victorian House and all of the amazing downtown area antique shops and businesses.