First town days new philadelphia ohio

Forty-three years ago, members of the New Philadelphia Park and Recreation Board along with a few other civic-minded individuals decided that it would be a great idea to stage a city festival in the park for the purpose of raising funds to restore the aging 1928 Hershel-Spillman Carousel.  The festival was such a fun event for all involved and here we are 43 years later, still having fun!!

First Town Days has certainly evolved over those forty-three years, like so many other things, but as the saying goes, "the more things change, the more they remain the same" and sometimes that is a good thing. First Town Days still maintains so many of the same great events and traditions that generations of Tuscarawas County citizens have come to expect and enjoy year after year as we celebrate our Nation and our Community each July Fourth Holiday season. Events such as Junior Superstars have been with us since the very beginning as have several of our food concessions and vendors. Our Family Day Frog Jumping, Turtle Races, and Fishing Tournament have been part of our tradition for many of those same years. We truly are a Family Festival and wouldn't want it any other way. Our goal as the First Town Days Festival Committee is to provide our citizens and visitors to the festival, a genuine, family friendly, good time and entertainment experience including many events that can be enjoyed together by children, parents, and grandparents together as a throwback to a simpler time. Don't have children or grandchildren? There's still lots to do. We have mouthwatering Festival Food favorites, Craft and other Vendors to shop with and explore, Free Musical Entertainment every night, Contests, Softball Games, 5-K Run, Car Show, and Fireworks just to name a few.

Also, for 2020, we are adding a second stage inside the Cronebaugh Auction Entertainment Tent at the diagonal walkway between the Midway and Crafts Pavilions. This will be a smaller stage featuring two 2-hour shows on Friday and Saturday as well as our Talent Show on Sunday. This year we are also adding an "Anti 5-K Run/Walk" for the less energetic crowd to go along with our traditional 5-K (New Course) Run on Saturday.

Maybe not something for everyone, but very close.

43 Years in the making, we're still going strong. Many of the names and faces have changed, but like the festival itself, our committed group of volunteers continue to give of their time and energy to make sure that our children and their children and yours, will be able to look back and remember all of the good times they had and memories that were made visiting the First Town Days Festival in New Philadelphia, Ohio. We hope to see you there...

NEW PHILADELPHIA  – After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, First Town Days is returning to Tuscora Park during the Fourth of July weekend.

Festival chairman Joe Croft said it has been a challenge for festival volunteers to get the event ready to go after a year off.

"Everybody's trying to make sure that we have as close to normal of a festival as we can," he said.

"We may have a couple of things that we don't have this year. We're looking to just have a good festival. We want people to come out and have some fun, enjoy the weather and enjoy the holiday."

One of the biggest changes is that the fireworks display has been moved from Saturday night to Sunday night at 10 p.m.

The city of New Philadelphia provides the fireworks in conjunction with the festival.

"This year has been very difficult in getting things scheduled, getting things planned," Croft said. "The cost of fireworks has gone up 30% or 40% and finding someone to do our show for us has been a challenge."

The chance of having fireworks had been a long shot just a few days ago, he said.

"Through the fire department, they've been able to locate someone that will come in and do the show, but they're only available to do them on Sunday night," he said.

Because of the change, the car show on Sunday will have to be moved from its usual location near Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium to the top of the hill beside the Little League fields. The area near the stadium is needed to set up the fireworks, he said.

The festival begins Thursday with opening ceremonies at 6 p.m.at the Al Maloney Midway Stage. The plate auction is schedule for 6:30. There will be two plates auctioned off this year — one for the 2020 festival and one for the 2021 festival. 

The evening will close out with a performance by SOBOS, a band from the Wooster area.

Friday will be Senior Day, with bingo, a performance by Mike Wikoff at 5 p.m., a bocce tournament in the evening and Greg and Shayne, an acoustic duo, performing from 8 to 10 p.m.

A highlight of the day will be the parade, which begins at 6:30 p.m. It will go down Third Street to High Street, turn at the courthouse onto N. Broadway and end at the park. Croft said entries need to be in the lineup by 5:30 if they want to be judged.

Saturday is a day for the kids, with a kiddie tractor pull and the Ferris Chevrolet Junior Superstars event. 

Also on tap that day are the McInturf Realty-Lawver Homes 5K Run and the city-county softball game at the hilltop Little League field.

Entertainment will include Eddie Kilpatrick and 3 p.m. and LaFlavour from 8 to 11 p.m.

Sunday, the final day of the festival, is Family Day. Events include a fishing derby, a church service at the amphitheatre, parent-child sack races, parent-child hoop shoots and an amateur talent show.

Because of COVID-19, three events had to be canceled – frog jumping, turtle races and the Big Wheel races.

"Those will be back next year," Croft said.

Entertainment will include the Jerome James Gospel Collection including By Grace Alone.

Croft said people are desperate for an opportunity to get out, socialize and see friends, so he anticipates a good crowd for First Town Days.

"I think we will have a good crowd if we have good weather," he said.

FIRST TOWN DAYS SCHEDULE

THURSDAY

4 to 9 p.m. — Midway and Craft Area Opens, Midway & Craft Pavilions

6 p.m. — Mayor & Committee Introductions, Al Maloney Midway Stage

6:10 p.m. — VFW 1445 First Town Days Scholarship Awards, Al Maloney Midway Stage

6:20 p.m. — Special Recognition, Al Maloney Midway Stage

6:30 p.m. — Annual Commemorative Plate Auction. Al Maloney Midway Stage

7 to 9 p.m. — SOBOS,  Al Maloney Midway Stage

FRIDAY

2 to 5 p.m. — Mike Wikoff - Wacky Country, Al Maloney Midway Stage

2 to 5 p.m. — Seniors Day Displays and Activities, Al Maloney Midway Stage

3 to 5 p.m. — Seniors Bingo. Lake Street Shelter (Behind Stage)

4 to 10 p.m. — Midway and Craft Area Opens, Midway & Craft Pavilions

6 to 10:30 p.m. — Bocce Tournament, Bocce Courts

6:30 p.m. — WJER.- Grand Parade. Downtown New Philadelphia

8 to 10 p.m. — Greg and Shayne, acoustic duo, Al Maloney Midway Stage

SATURDAY

9 a.m. — McInturf-Lawver 5-K Run, Woody Hayes Stadium

9 a.m. — Roberts Softball New Philadelphia City v County, Hilltop Softball Fields

10 a.m. — Ferris Chevrolet Junior Superstars, Woody Hayes Stadium

11 a.m. to 10 p.m. — Midway and Craft Area Opens, Midway & Craft Pavilions

12:30 to 3 p.m. — Keith's Cars Kiddie & Adult Pedal Tractor Pull, Al Maloney Midway Stage

3 to 5 p.m. — Edward Kilpatrick, rock 'n' roll classics, Al Maloney Midway Stage

5 p.m. — Men's Leg Contest, Al Maloney Midway Stage

8 to 11 p.m. — LaFlavour, Al Maloney Midway Stage

SUNDAY

8:30 a.m. — Fishing Derby, Tuscora Park Lake

10 a.m. — Parent/Child Sack Races, Practice Field

10 a.m. — First Christian Church service, Tuscora Park Ampitheater

11:30 a.m. — Parent/Child Hoop Shoot, Tuscora Park Basketball Courts

Noon to 8 p.m. — Midway and Craft Area Opens, Midway & Craft Pavilions

1 p.m. to completion — Wiffleball Tournament, Woody Hayes Stadium

1 p.m. — Dover Hydraulics Amateur Talent Show, Al Maloney Midway Stage

3 to 5:30 p.m. — J.W. Cookson Classic Car Show, Hilltop Parking Area

6 to 8 p.m. — Jerome James Gospel Collection including By Grace Alone, Al Maloney Midway Stage

10 to 10:30 p.m. — City of New Philadelphia Fireworks Display, Practice Field

Source: First Town Days festival