Swampfest brings full schedule to Shreve

For most of a decade, what was once known as Shreve Homecoming has been rebranded as Swampfest. Last year, though, stuff really started to get real.

Nothing cranks an almost century-old festival up a notch or two quicker than wiener dog races. Introduced a year ago, the dog derby is sure to evolve into a highlight of the annual festival.

“It’s starting to be a thing,” said Amy Duda, spokesperson for Swampfest. “They’d done it for years at Woosterfest. There’s some wiener dog people down in Shreve. They said, 'Why don’t we try that too?'”

So last year 27 of the best and brightest badger hunters went head to head. That number is expected to grow this year.

Nothing, after all, ramps up excitement more than some Dachshunds speeding down a race course. There are five age categories: Weenie Sprouts, puppy to 1 year; Speedy Franks, 1-3 years; Sassy Sausages, 3-5 years; Barkin Brats, 5-8 years; and Old Schnitz, 8 years and up.

Preregistration is available, or you can register your dog at noon Saturday, June 13, the day of the event. The first heat will be at 1 p.m. Prizes will be given to the top three race winners.

Swampfest is about far more than racing dogs. The festival will run Thursday, June 11 through Saturday, June 13 from 4-10 p.m. Thursday and Friday and noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Thursday will be highlighted by honoring the Citizen of the Year. Highlights Friday will include a cornhole tournament and Swampfest car show. A busy Saturday will feature the wiener dog races, goldfish racing, the frog jump, the kiddie tractor pull and the ATV show.

Car show registration will begin at 5 p.m. June 12 with a $10 entry fee. The ATV show, joining the wieners in its second year, will take place at 4 p.m. June 13. Prizes go to first place in Best of Show, Best in Class, Best Cage, Best Stereo and Best Lighting. There is a $15 registration fee.

Cornhole is $40 for a team. Registration will be at 5 p.m., with throwing at 6 p.m. June 12. Prizes will go to the top teams.

Live music will be provided from 7-10 p.m. each day, featuring Five Old Guys Thursday, Mental Faculties Friday and Homeland Country Band Saturday.

Bingo will be available all three days from 5-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 2-4 and 5-7 p.m. Saturday.

Each day will conclude activities with a prize drawing at 8:30 p.m. including a gift card raffle, more than $500 worth of prizes Thursday; an Ohio State-themed raffle, with prizes such as cornhole boards, folding chairs, blankets, coolers and more Friday; and a gun package and Kids Western Express Wagon and Goodies raffles Saturday, which also will include a Business Association drawing with a grand prize of $1,000 if the winner is present and $500 if the winner is not present.

Raffle tickets are $5 for one and $20 for five for all drawings but the gun raffles, which are $20 each. Prizes for the “Shootin’ Raffle” are a Taurus 9mm and a Winchester 12 gauge.

A quiet community for the other 362 days a year, Shreve will come alive this coming weekend.

“That’s one thing: Shreve is not a very exciting place to be,” Duda said. “This is just a community event. Not that there aren’t people coming in from the other side of the county. It’s just a good time for the Shreve folks to come together and enjoy coming together.”

The three-day festival will be capped at 10:30 p.m. Saturday with a fireworks show, which this year moves from its Wells Street location to just south of town, where it will be visible from the park.