Heart of Ohio to celebrate nation's birthday with festival

The Heart of Ohio USA Days Festival brings fun, food and entertainment to Centerburg on June 19-20.

The festival kicks off Friday afternoon at Memorial Park with rides, concessions, a face painter and a Build-a-Bear workshop. Waterloo 5 will take the stage at 2 p.m. and will bring some of the greatest rock songs back to life.

Waterloo 5 was formed in 2016 and plays songs from Janis Joplin to the Beatles. Lisa Carrington plays the acoustic guitar and harmonica, and is the lead singer. Ron Gorenflo is on lead guitar, with Gary Williams on keyboard and base, Skip Longshaw on drums and Aaron Eastman on bass and vocals.

A new attraction – Reptile Adventures – will bring a petting zoo with some amazing animals on Friday at 2 p.m. Guests will see tortoises, turtles, giant frogs, lizards and snakes, and even get a chance to hold and pet them.

The Baby Crawl contest will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the stage with babies and toddlers going for trophies and prizes.

One of the favorite events – Little Miss Liberty and Little Uncle Sammy pageant will be at 7 p.m. on the stage. Then, Katie & the Red Hots Band will headline the evening at 8 p.m.

Katie Basinger leads the group that will perform classic rock from the 1980s and ‘90s. Centerburg’s own Mike Allen plays lead guitar, while Mark Basinger will play both keyboards and guitar. Dave Lorenz is on bass and Rod Covey Jr. will anchor the band on drums.

The annual parade, this year honoring the nation’s 250^th birthday, will kick the day off Saturday at 10 a.m. Veterans from the area will serve as grand marshals.

At noon, there will be a Princess Party on stage with Moana and Merida, followed at 2 p.m. by the Old Time Wrestling Comedy Show.

Kids of all ages will get an opportunity to show off their singing skills at the karaoke contest at 4 p.m. Then, at 6 p.m., Nicks & Tricks Band will take the stage. Melissa Gerren Boggs and her husband, Patrick Boggs, will bring up memories of Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac and other rock stars of the day.

Cross Thread will headline the evening’s entertainment, bringing a high-energy rock show. The band, from Sugar Grove, includes Big Mike Whittington (bass) and his two sons, John Angles (drummer) and Michael Whittington (guitar). Aaron Wolts also plays guitar and James Furey will be on lead vocals.

The event will finish with a bang with a fireworks extravaganza. The Peter Hayden Chapman AMVETS Post 30 and the Centerburg Charles Andrew Post 460 of the American Legion will bring guests the fireworks display beginning at 10 a.m.