Patrick takes the lead on Holmes County’s America 250-Ohio plans
After tackling the recently completed Holmes County Bicentennial yearlong celebration, Melissa Patrick, Holmes County Historical Society board member, has agreed to organize Holmes County’s participation in America’s celebration of its 250th anniversary.
Melissa Patrick is jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire, and she’s ready to take on the challenge.
After the Holmes County Historical Society board member took the reins in steering the Holmes County Bicentennial yearlong celebration that just wrapped up, she quickly accepted an invitation to guide Holmes County’s participation in the nation’s celebration of its 250th anniversary next year.
Patrick met with Holmes County Commissioners on Monday, June 16 to discuss several components of what will go into creating a day of countywide celebration on July 25, 2026, at Harvest Ridge in Millersburg.
Patrick said with celebrations set to take place next year all around the country, from major cities to small rural communities, Holmes County should participate as a county to show its unity and patriotism.
Ohio itself is generating a buzz around America 250-Ohio, which is where Patrick’s journey now begins.
“The state is encouraging communities to participate in the celebration, and most of them started planning last year,” Patrick said.
Patrick and Holmes County’s planning didn’t progress at that point because Patrick was busy planning Holmes County’s yearlong bicentennial celebration, but now that the work there is in the rearview mirror, Patrick has turned her attention toward joining America 250-Ohio’s efforts.
While the Sieverdes Millersburg Glass Museum is currently on Ohio’s Creativity Trail, a series of travel expeditions featuring a variety of different types of destinations around the state, Patrick said the hope now is to create a county effort that will highlight Holmes County to not just people in the state, but also around the nation.
Patrick said she has already mapped out the blueprint for the event, so in lieu of the county creating a committee to design the celebration, she asked the commissioners designate her as the executive director, and she would then report directly to the commissioners.
“As plans are laid out, I will create executive committees, but one is not needed for planning,” Patrick said.
Highlights for the celebration slated for Harvest Ridge include a reverse parade in which businesses and organizations will be able to set up tables inside the expo center, where visitors can walk through and each business or organization can hand out candy, trinkets and whatever they choose to present to those in attendance.
“With this way there’s no blocking off streets, paying for insurance or utilizing police officers,” she said. “Anyone who would normally have an entry in the parade would have a ‘float’ in the expo center, creating a pathway that people would walk through at their leisure. It makes things much safer and easier.”
She said she also will include the outside lot next to the expo for entities bringing in large vehicles, firetrucks and other entries that would be larger than tables.
She said she wants to involve both the West Holmes and Hiland marching bands and have a Touch-a-Truck event.
“We’d get the whole feel of a parade without the work of a parade with no costs involved,” Patrick said.
Another aspect of a parade celebration is having local, state and federal elected officials available to present speeches.
In addition, there will be food vendors, carnival games, demonstrations, and plenty of music and entertainment to present a fair-type atmosphere, and she even said families can bring picnics to the grounds if they so choose.
“I want it to take on a real carnival feel,” Patrick said.
The evening celebration would consist of two major presentations, the first being a performance from the American Musical Productions group that recently performed at the grand finale of the bicentennial celebration. Patrick said that performance was received with great aplomb, and people are excited about them returning.
The grand finale would feature plenty of bright lights, but not from fireworks. Instead, Patrick has her designs set on a drone light show that would be accompanied by music.
“These drone light shows are very unique and exciting to watch,” Patrick said. “They’re just like fireworks, and a drone show would set us apart from everybody else.”
The main funding needed for the event would include finding corporate sponsors for the drone light show, the AMP band, advertising and programs.
Patrick said they currently have around $10,000 left from the bicentennial fund that can be used, and she will seek corporate and private donors.
Her needs from the commissioners include a place for the donations to be collected along with their support in promoting the event and allowing her the freedom to plan and create committees.
“We don’t want to be without a celebration, and I believe that the event I have planned is easy to execute yet different from what other counties are planning,” Patrick said.
The event would be free to all, designed as a celebration of community and country, and Patrick is considering other opportunities for the community to enjoy.
The commissioners agreed to moving forward with the plan, agreeing to make Patrick the executive director and to continue moving forward with the event and being part of the America 250-Ohio celebration.