Rismiller, an officer in the Tipp City Police Department, was scheduled as the festival leader in 2020 when the event was canceled. The 2020 theme, “Have a Mummy of a Time in Tipp City,” was shelved and then updated this year to reflect the festival’s return.
Most of the festival popular events will return. An exception was the festival queen’s pageant, which usually is held earlier in the year and wasn’t possible to coordinate once the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in June, Rismiller said.
Instead of a queen and court, the festival plans to have some former queens return.
Rismiller has been involved in the festival a dozen years. “I enjoy the community. It is a good time,” he said. Thomas has volunteered for the festival even longer and is a past festival president
“We want people to come out and have a good time. The more people the better,” Rismiller said.
The festival’s Friday, Sept. 24, event is the annual car show in the area from Hyatt Street to First Street.
The city’s downtown Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, or DORA, will be suspended that evening because the car show extends beyond the DORA district lines. This could cause enforcement issues with the DORA program of allowing alcohol within the designated boundaries during certain hours.
A prefestival event – a motorcycle ride – was held Labor Day Weekend with proceeds to be presented during the festival to the Tipp City Needy Basket organization to help feed the community.
Saturday of the festival weekend kicks off with the Run for the Mums, an event that has involved Kathy Taylor of Tipp Monroe Community Services for more than 40 years. The run has walkers, runners and strollers but cannot allow dogs, she said.
Around 70% of run participants are local residents, Taylor said. Same-day registration will be available. Run for the Mums proceeds go to the TMCS youth programs.
The festival parade is at 10 a.m. Saturday and carries the same theme as the festival. The year’s parade grand marshal is new Police Chief Greg Adkins, a native of Tipp City.
Activities at City Park begin at noon both days. Food concessions, arts and crafters and a kids’ land will be among the offerings along with entertainment. The food choices will include the popular firemen’s waffles, Boy Scouts cobbler and water and pop from Needy Basket.
For more information, visit tippmumfestival.org.
A key change in locations this year will be the move of handicapped parking from the north park area to the row of parking by the football field across from the city parks department, Rismiller said. The stage was moved to the former handicapped parking area.
Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com.
Tipp City Mum Festival
- When: Sept. 25-26
- Where: Tipp City Park
- What: Car show, kids’ area, Mum run/walk, booths, concessions, entertainment
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