Killbuck celebrating 150th year during Early American Days

With multiple activities on the docket, Killbuck is making sure the 150th anniversary of its rich history will be a long-remembered weekend.

The Killbuck Early American Days celebration, scheduled from Aug. 30 through Sept. 2, has something for the entire family, according to event chairperson Regina Proper.

“This year we are celebrating the 150th-year birthday for Killbuck, and we are actually partnering with the bicentennial anniversary for Holmes County,” she said. “For that reason we are incorporating a lot of history as well as exciting news in going forward for what Killbuck has to offer.”

Beginning Friday, “Our Town Killbuck” will be performed by the Holmes County Historical Society at the Duncan Theater. The 7 p.m. show is free, and seating is based on a first come, first served arrangement. Anyone is invited to share stories or items of historical significance.

Proper said the festival will have a Dino-ROAR Show on Saturday, offering even more than what may be expected. The shows are scheduled for 1 and 3 p.m. with interactive performances with baby dinosaurs and a growing T-Rex.

“This year we are also going to include a dinosaur dig, so I am pretty excited to see the kids come to that,” she said. “We always have the kiddie tractor pull on Saturday. On Sunday we are bringing back the community church on the square, so that should be a big draw on Sunday.”

She said the main parade would be held on Sunday, and other weekend events include a Classic Car Cruise-In and live bands on both days.

Those interested in participating in the parade are asked to be in the formation area by noon. The parade route is approximately a half-mile long and will form at the south end of town.

“We also have a 5k planned and a pickleball tournament to go along with the softball tournament and the school reunion,” she said.

Along with the 5k run, a fun walk will be available.

Proper talked about the areas over the weekend that make the event special for everyone in the family.

“One of the things I am really excited for is we are expanding the children’s game area,” she said. “We will have a bounce house and some different things that we have incorporated to expand on what activities we have for the kids. We have a Euro jumper, which is something I definitely will not be on as it is kind of like a death-defying gravity test. It is like a reverse bungee, and the older kids like that. We are just trying to get a lot more activities for the kids to be involved with.”

Other areas of interest include a mechanical bull and a rock wall.

Proper is thrilled with the number of vendors that have continued to want to attend.

“Actually, I am getting excited because more and more people are coming in,” she said. “We are going to have a lot of craft vendors. Independent people from the area are wanting to come in and set up, whether it is the raffle drawing or different craft vendors selling their products like jewelry or crafts in general.”

Nobody should go home hungry as Proper said plenty of food will be available.

“A little bit of everything because I am a girl that likes to eat,” she said. “We do have the local women’s VFW auxiliary that is going to have a chicken barbecue in addition to our normal vendors to get your hot dogs and normal barbecue and lemonade and all that stuff.

“For the 150th birthday, we are going to have a birthday party on the square, so we will have ice cream and cupcakes.”

Proper said a pair of politicians are penciled in for the weekend.

Congressman Troy Balderson and Dave Hall, a county commissioner for over a decade in Holmes County before being elected a state representative, are scheduled to speak.

“I am pretty excited that state representatives are coming in,” Proper said.

During this event past committee members of Early American Days will be honored, and a village group photo will be taken to commemorate the special weekend festivities.

A time capsule will be finished, and Proper said the items to be placed inside have been left up to the local businesses.

“We are asking them to donate and to help us show where Killbuck has come from and where we are going,” she said. “And we are excited to see what items they bring that weekend.”

The Killbuck Valley Museum also will be open throughout the weekend and have a timeline complete with pictures and articles about Killbuck’s 150 years.

The Killbuck Early American Days Facebook page will continue to have updates on any recent changes.

Proper has spent many hours helping prepare the event, which she has tight ties to, going back many generations.

“This is a huge honor to be a part of this celebration,” she said. “My family has been documented in Holmes County as long as Holmes County has been around, as well as my husband’s family. For us to be a part of this and to get to be involved in the planning session is incredible.”