Minerva Homecoming returns June 10-13 with days of fun

Minerva Homecoming returns June 10-13 with four days of fun, entertainment, food, music and community festivities in downtown Minerva.

The 103rd annual event will be held at Municipal Park in Minerva. The parade is scheduled for 6 p.m. June 10.

“One of the big changes at the Homecoming this year is our vendor setup,” Nathan Meadows, executive director of the Minerva Area Chamber of Commerce, said. “Unfortunately, the community building is not operable right now, so we had to make a difficult decision on how to shift things moving forward.”

Due to the community building not being operable as it has been in years past, vendor spaces will be set up similarly to Oktoberfest-style arrangements throughout the beer garden area and surrounding event spaces.

That setup will include community organizations, businesses, nonprofits and vendors that normally would utilize the community building space. Meadows said the fee structure will remain similar, but the cost will cover the full four-day event.

“We’re actually hopeful this change creates even more visibility for our vendors and organizations and helps bring more foot traffic over to that side of the Homecoming,” Meadows said.

Entertainment during the festival includes My Friend Tom from 7:30 to 10 p.m. June 10, a cruise-in from 6-9 p.m. June 11, Krackpots Comedy Club featuring Jake Hovis at 6:30 p.m. June 11 and Kindred Roots from 7-10 p.m. June 11.

Events June 12 include the Power Wheel Demolition Derby from 6-8 p.m. and New Wave Nation from 7-10 p.m.

The June 13 schedule includes AIW Wrestling from 6-8 p.m., a cornhole tournament from 6-8 p.m., a Lion Burger eating contest at 7 p.m., the Roxy Theatre duck race at 7:30 p.m., Against the Wind, a Bob Seger tribute band, from 7:30 to 10 p.m., and raffle drawings at 10 p.m.

“Another exciting addition this year is the Lion Burger Eating Contest,” Meadows said. “The Lion Burgers themselves are nothing new — they’re a Homecoming tradition that people look forward to every single year — but we wanted to add something fun around it.”

Wednesday through Friday, anyone who spends a qualifying amount at the Lion Burger stand will receive an entry ticket for the contest drawing. Meadows said every qualifying purchase earns another entry ticket.

“For those unfamiliar, a Lion Burger is pretty simple: grilled onions, mustard and a burger patty on a bun,” Meadows said. “Nothing overly fancy, but it’s one of those hometown traditions everyone associates with Homecoming.”

The beer garden and midway will be open Wednesday through Friday from 6-10 p.m. and Saturday from 4-10 p.m. Lion Burgers will be available Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Unlimited rides will be offered Wednesday and Friday from 6 p.m. to close for $20, Thursday for $15 and Saturday from 4 p.m. to close for $13, or $20 after 6 p.m. Individual tickets cost $2 each, 10 for $20 or 20 for $30, with most rides requiring 2-4 tickets. Rides are provided by Kissel Amusement Co., a leading amusement provider in Ohio.

“The beer garden entertainment has also continued to grow over the last few years, and this year is no exception,” Meadows said. “We’ll have a different band performing each night, including New Wave Nation and the Bob Seger tribute band Against the Wind.”

Meadows said the entertainment lineup helps attract visitors from outside the area while also supporting local businesses and restaurants.

“Most importantly, though, Homecoming is a celebration of Minerva,” Meadows said. “It’s one of those times each year when the entire community comes together.”

Meadows also thanked the sponsors who help make the event possible each year.

“A very special thank you goes out to Diehl Automotive in Massillon, our title sponsor for the entertainment lineup,” Meadows said. “Their support helped make it possible for us to bring in a couple of larger acts this year and continue expanding the footprint and energy of the beer garden entertainment.”

Additional sponsors include Consumers National Bank, Kishman’s IGA, Colton Kiko Realtor, Unkefer Sales LLC, Minerva Rotary, Haas Tree Service, Edward Jones, Jammin’ Sam DJ Services, Ray Electric and Patterson Specialty Services.

Organizers said the event format is new territory as they adapt and work through the logistics of the four-day extravaganza, and they appreciate everyone’s patience and support as they work out the kinks.

For more information, contact the Minerva Area Chamber of Commerce at 330-868-7979 or nathan.meadows@minervachamber.org.