Circus comes to Midvale Miners Jubilee Festival in September

The Midvale Miners Jubilee Festival committee has added clowns and circus performers to their kid’s day events at the festival. The festival runs from Sept. 5-7 at the Midvale Community Park. The performers will entertain visitors at the festival Sat. Sept. 6 from noon to 4 p.m. They will do full face painting for children for free.

There will also be a butterfly display where children can feed butterflies. The Tuscarawas County Public Library and the Claymont Public Library will also participate in the festival. The Ohio State Highway Patrol will bring a vehicle for the children to see.

Last year’s festival proved to be very popular.

“It went really well; we got a lot of responses. People enjoyed all the things we did,” said Randy Cadle, a member of the festival committee.

Other popular activities include bounce houses, a cornhole tournament, talent show, professional wrestling, food vendors, crafters, a mountain men encampment and more.

Veterans will also be honored prior to the auction.

“We are going to celebrate our veterans this year on Saturday, because this year it's the 250th anniversary of the Army, and we're honoring all the different branches of service,” Cadle said. “We are going to celebrate our veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars.”

The veterans’ names will be read aloud, and they will be asked to stand and be recognized. For absent or deceased veterans, a family member is welcome to represent them.

Cadle reported the Minding Midvale’s History group’s project throughout the past year to hang banners in Midvale honoring veterans from the village has filled almost every pole in town.

For the auction, they will sell handmade coal miner helmets, there will be a decorative wooden flag, a concession trailer will be sold that was previously used by the village of Midvale, a football signed by the players and coaches of the 2024 Indian Valley High School state championship team and more.

Food available throughout the festival include barbecue, hot dogs, homemade ice cream, lemonade and shaved ice drinks. The members of the Midvale Methodist Church will hold their food stand and, among other items, will serve DiRusso sausage sandwiches this year.

The Minding Midvale’s History group will feature historical displays from the town and the school in the enclosed park pavilion.

“We have a lot of stuff going on. I'm excited about the festival this year. We've added new things that I think are really going to attract more people, especially the kids,” Cadle said.

In addition to Cadle, the committee includes Donna Cadle, William L. Weaver, Mark and Vicki Bassett, Stephanie Wilson, Rod and Candy Wilson, Larry and Lynette Kopp and Jim Milburn.

The committee donated a new piece of playground equipment to the Midvale Community Park. The equipment has a rock-climbing wall, swings, tented area, and a sliding board. They also brightened up the park by painting the pickleball courts green and blue. The village received a grant from the Reeves Foundation to put the two pickleball courts at the park.

The 2025 Midvale Miners Jubilee schedule is:

-Friday Sept. 5: 5 p.m. festival, food vendors and beer garden opens. Music by Badstone is 8-11 p.m.

-Saturday Sept. 6: 11 a.m. festival opens. Cornhole tournament begins at noon. Kid’s Day Circus and other activities are noon to 4 p.m. Music by Smalls Smalley, 1-3 p.m., 2:30 p.m. registration begins for talent show, 3 p.m. talent show, after the talent show, veterans will be honored. Auction begins at 5 p.m. Moonlighters perform beginning at 8 p.m.

-Sunday Sept. 7: 10 a.m. church service, 11 a.m. festival opens, 1 p.m. car show, and 2 p.m. Powerslam Pro Wrestling. Festival closes at 5 p.m.