In between are carnival rides, a midway and food put on by Funtime Carnival from 6 to 10 p.m. July 1-3 and noon to 10 p.m. July 4. The West Milton Lions will host bingo each evening and serve barbeque chicken beginning at 11 a.m. July 4.
In a new event, the Steel Horse Stunters, a motorcycle stunt group that participated in last year’s parade, will perform July 3 at 6 p.m. at West Milton Park.
The festival has been going on in one form or another for nearly 50 years, said Jack Scudmore of the West Milton Lions’ Club.
The club took over the festival in 2006 when the local chamber of commerce was considering discontinuing the event.
“The Lions club believed the festival was a tradition that should not be dropped,” said Scudmore, festival coordinator.
The annual festival parade now is called West Milton’s Independence Day Parade at the request of the local American Legion Post commander, said Susan Willis, parade chairwoman.
The parade will start at the Municipal Building on Ohio 48 and move north to Ohio 571 at McDonald’s.
“In my opinion the reason this parade is so popular is the whole town is involved in it, from the band, to the sports teams, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Friends of the Library and many of the local churches,” Willis said.
A parade tradition for more than 20 years is the barrel train from the West Milton Church of the Nazarene carrying local children, she said. “As many communities have cut back by not having a parade, we in West Milton are moving forward and growing each year,” Willis said.
Among new parade features will be a historical re-enactment society from World War II 101st Airborne T Company; the God’s Great Outdoors Radio Program; and a Dayton Freight Lines truck adorned with the American flag.
Anyone interested in participating in the parade is asked to visit http://www.westmiltonohio.gov/ for a sign up sheet or email willis@ci.west-milton.oh.us
Contact this reporter at nancykburr@aol.com.
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