There are so many fun and unique events at this year’s Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival. The 3rd annual Kiwanis Club Pie Auction is back for 2026!
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talks with Alice Hutzel, Vice President of the Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon about all the details for this year’s event. Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the picture below.
You are invited to join in this Americana traditions and bid on your favorite pie. There are 15 pies up for bid including cherry, blueberry, strawberry rhubarb, dutch apple caramel, peachy peach and many more flavors! All proceeds from the auction will support Children’s Literacy in Knox County. The Auction is Saturday, 8/15 at 3:30pm on the Public Square in downtown Mount Vernon. Thanks to Auctioneer David McDowell for his service.
Click HERE for more information about this event and the overall festival.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with JoAnne Graham, Co-Chair of the Flower Show at this year’s Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the picture below.
JoAnne shares the excitement of this year’s theme – “Celebrating America’s 250 through Artistic Designs”. She gives highlights of the different classes and what judges look for in a “Best of Show” entry. The Flower Show will be at The Living Center, 201 N Main Street in downtown Mount Vernon.
Stop by and see the displays: Friday 8/14 – 6pm – 8pm Saturday 8/15 – 10am – 8pm Sunday 8/16 – Noon – 4pm
Click HERE for more information about the Flower Show and this year’s festival.
This week for our Friday Favorites, The Morning Thing hosts celebrated the 2026 Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival. They each shared their favorite event on this year’s schedule. We hope to see you in downtown Mount Vernon this weekend!
Click HERE to hear from Marcy, Olivia, Eric, Ethan and Daniel.
KidsFest is returning to the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival with a wide variety of activities designed to give children a place to create, move, learn and have fun.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with festival board member Noella Nzishura about this year’s KidsFest and what families can expect throughout the weekend.
Nzishura has been involved with the festival for three years. She began as a volunteer before joining the board and is now helping lead KidsFest after learning from the person who previously oversaw the area.
This year’s activities include fruit kebabs, cookie decorating, fitness activities, African drumming and opportunities for kids to dress up and take part in different experiences. Returning favorites include succulents, princesses and bounce houses.
Kids can also pick up a passport and work through different activities, with an opportunity to earn a T-shirt.
KidsFest will be located on Vine Street behind Park National Bank. Nzishura said the area will include tents and bounce houses while creating a welcoming environment for children and their families. Bouquet making will also be offered through one of the businesses on Vine Street.
KidsFest opens at 11 a.m. each day. Activities continue into the evening Friday and Saturday, while KidsFest wraps up at 2 p.m. Sunday.
There is no cost to participate and no advance registration is required.
Nzishura said one of the things she is most looking forward to is seeing children try activities they may not have experienced before and discover skills they did not know they had.
Volunteers are still needed to help with KidsFest. Anyone interested can visit MVMAF.org and complete the festival’s volunteer form.
Nzishura encouraged families to simply come downtown, take part in the activities and enjoy the experience together.
Click HERE to learn more about the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival!
Food and local vendors are a big part of the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival experience, and this year there will be plenty to explore throughout downtown.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with festival board member Debbie Ruggles about the food, vendor village and volunteer opportunities available during the weekend.
Ruggles said 28 vendors are scheduled to take part in the festival, offering everything from jewelry and paintings to food and other handmade items. The vendor village will stretch through downtown Mount Vernon, including Main Street and Vine Street, and will be open throughout the festival.
Food will also be easy to find. Ruggles said 17 food trucks are expected, with options located near both the South Stage and the Main Stage. Vendors will be ready to serve beginning Friday morning and will remain open through Sunday afternoon.
Ruggles said the festival itself stretches from the Public Square down toward Ohio Avenue, creating a large footprint through downtown and giving visitors plenty of opportunities to stop at local businesses along the way.
She also emphasized that the festival still needs volunteers. Even a couple of hours can help, with volunteers needed in several areas throughout the weekend. Groups or individuals looking for community service hours are also welcome to get involved.
Ruggles said she is especially looking forward to the local entertainment and spending time downtown with friends and family. She also encouraged people not to let possible rain keep them away, noting that the festival will continue and ponchos will be available.
Reserved seating is also available at a relatively low cost for those who want a guaranteed spot for some of the performances.
Ruggles said many people have worked throughout the year to make the festival possible and hopes visitors will come downtown, enjoy the food and entertainment, and support the community.
Click HERE to learn more about the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival!
The Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival is bringing a mix of music, community support and a little television nostalgia to downtown Mount Vernon this weekend.
WNZR’s Josiah Styer talked with Festival Director Noell Walton and Board Chair Joe Rinehart about what visitors can expect.
Friday night opens with Phil Dirt and the Dozers from 6:30 to 8 p.m., followed by Forever Seger, a Bob Seger tribute band. Saturday shifts to country music, with Six One Five Collective opening for Fredericktown native Preston Cooper on the main stage at the Public Square.
One unique Saturday attraction is the return of MadCap Living History. Joe Rinehart said Jim and Amy Stoner started the group, which features local actors portraying well-known figures.
This year’s theme is “Stars of 70s Television,” with portrayals of Paul Lynde, Elizabeth Montgomery from Bewitched, Betty White and Doris Day. The living history characters will be found throughout South Main Street on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Walton said she is especially excited about Preston Cooper’s appearance and encouraged people to come downtown and enjoy the festival. She also reminded visitors that the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival is a nonprofit organization and can be supported through donations, volunteering or simply attending the event.
Rinehart also thanked the many sponsors and community partners that help make the festival possible. Ariel Corporation serves as the premier sponsor, while Park National Bank, Evergreen Waste and Susan Ramser and Ramser Arboretum are among the stage sponsors.
Other partners include the City of Mount Vernon, the Mount Vernon Arts Consortium, the Woodward Opera House and the Knox County Foundation. Park National Bank is also providing use of its Vine Street parking lot, and donations will be accepted during festival events.
Click HERE to learn more about the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival!
WNZR shines the spotlight on the 2026 Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival this week. WNZR’s Josiah Styer talked with Board Member, Jacob Francis about event logistics. Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the photo below.
Jacob serves as the Site and Logistics Director for the Festival. He shared details about this year’s map and festival layout, along with news about when streets will close. He also shared the good news that 3 favorite events will return. Listen in for details about the 6th annual Car & Motorcycle Cruise-in, the Wood Challenge Auction and the 3rd annual Chalk Competition.
Click HERE for more information on the festival and to see the full schedule.
Did you know the “Biggest Little Fair in the World” is close to home and going on this week? YES! The 2026 Hartford Fair is this week! Eric Brown from The Morning Thing talked with Fair Manager, Roger Smith about this year’s event. Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the photo below.
Roger shared schedule highlights, the history of the fair, new events and how to get tickets. This is the 168th Hartford Fair! You can see the Big Blue Crew tonight along with Monster Trucks and a Fantasy Drone show!
Click HERE to see the complete schedule and all details about this year’s Fair.
A broken clock, an old typewriter or even a treasured antique does not necessarily have to end up in the trash.
WNZR’s Eric Brown recently talked with Mark Tillack, founder of Repair Café Knox County, about a program that brings neighbors together to see if those broken items can be put back into service.
Tillack said the Repair Café concept began in the Netherlands in 2009 and eventually made its way to Knox County. The local program started in November of 2018 and now holds repair events four times a year.
People have brought in everything from bicycles, fans and vacuum cleaners to VCRs, paper shredders, clocks and unusual antiques. Tillack said volunteers will take a look at just about anything that can reasonably be carried through the door.
There is no charge for the repair service. A donation jar is available to help cover expenses such as replacement parts and printing flyers. Visitors are encouraged to bring along any loose parts, manuals or other information that might help volunteers understand the item.
The program has become increasingly popular. Tillack said a typical event once handled between 17 and 32 repairs, but the May Repair Café saw about 52 items come through the door and, for the first time, a line formed outside.
That growth has also created a need for more repair volunteers.
Tillack stressed that volunteers do not have to be professional repair technicians. The program is looking for people who enjoy fixing things, understand how things work or simply like the challenge of figuring out why something is broken. Volunteers can participate in one event or all four during the year.
The next Repair Café will be held Saturday, August 15th, from 1 until 4 p.m. in the basement of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church hall in Mount Vernon. The church is at the corner of Gay and High streets, with access to the basement from the Gay Street side. Signs will be posted to help visitors find the entrance.
Tillack recommends bringing items closer to 1 p.m. when possible so volunteers have as much time as they can to diagnose and repair them before the event ends.
Beyond fixing things, Tillack sees the Repair Café as an example of “neighbor helping neighbor.” Many of the items people bring have stories behind them, and sometimes the value of a repair has little to do with what an object would cost to replace.
He also hopes to introduce more young people to the idea of repairing instead of immediately replacing broken items. Tillack is exploring interest in a Repair Café in the Classroom program that would give children an opportunity to learn how repairs work and develop basic problem-solving skills.
Those interested in volunteering or learning more can contact Mark Tillack at mtillack44@gmail.com or 330-377-4387.
Click HERE to see more on the Repair Knox County Facebook page!
A full year of planning goes into one weekend in downtown Mount Vernon.
WNZR’s Daniel Russell spoke with Joe Rinehart, Board Chair for the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival, about what it takes to organize the event and what visitors can expect this year.
Rinehart said planning begins almost immediately after the previous festival ends. The board is made up entirely of volunteers, so much of the work comes down to finding time throughout the year to coordinate music, vendors, artists, sponsors, activities and all of the other pieces that make the event possible.
One of the biggest changes this year is the return to a three-day festival. Thursday will no longer be part of the event, which Rinehart said helps reduce the amount of time downtown streets are closed.
Music remains a major part of the weekend. Saturday night will feature Preston Cooper as the headliner, with 615 Collective opening the show. Friday night will have more of a classic rock feel, beginning with Phil Dirt and the Dozers at 6:30 p.m., followed by Forever Seger, a Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band tribute act.
The festival also continues to bring thousands of visitors into downtown Mount Vernon. Rinehart said about 9,300 people came through the downtown area during the event, creating opportunities for local businesses while giving visitors a chance to experience the community.
Several family-friendly attractions are returning. Kidsfest will run from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Sunday.
A new addition this year is BrickFest, giving visitors a chance to build and create with LEGO. It will be held on the second floor of the Woodward Opera House from 3 until 8 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday.
Other returning favorites include the Car and Motorcycle Cruise-In on Saturday, the Kiwanis Pie Auction, the Wood Challenge, the flower show and the chalk competition.
Rinehart said much of the work happens behind the scenes, from coordinating with artists and vendors to arranging food trucks, local media, promotions, websites and business partnerships. He said the effort is worth it when people come downtown, enjoy themselves and support local businesses.
For anyone who has never attended, Rinehart emphasized that the festival is free. Visitors can come downtown, find something to eat, listen to live music and enjoy the community atmosphere without needing a ticket.
The festival is also still looking for volunteers, especially on Thursday and Sunday, to help welcome visitors, answer questions and support the event.
Rinehart thanked the board of directors and volunteers who have worked throughout the year, along with the City of Mount Vernon, the Woodward Opera House, the Mount Vernon Grand Hotel, Joann and Audry for organizing the flower show, and Sweet Street Candy Shop for hosting the chalk competition.
He also thanked presenting sponsor Ariel Corporation, along with Park National Bank and the Mount Vernon Arts Consortium.
Click HERE to learn more about the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival!
Rise and Shine 