Fathers Day is THIS Sunday.
The WNZR Summer Staff honored Dad on Thursday by telling some Dad Jokes.
You can listen below!
Click HERE if you need some Dad Jokes to add to your arsenal!
WNZR Summer Staff Shares Dad Jokes
Centerburg Celebrates America and Community During Heart of Ohio USA Days Festival
The Heart of Ohio USA Days Festival is returning to Centerburg for its 21st year, bringing two days of family-friendly entertainment, live music, food, rides, and fireworks to Memorial Park.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart and Olivia Skillings recently spoke with Candy McCracken, President of the Heart of Ohio USA Days Festival, who has been involved with the event since its beginning.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
McCracken says one of her biggest motivations for helping organize the festival is making sure today’s children have the same opportunities she enjoyed growing up. She remembers attending community festivals and events throughout her childhood and wants future generations to create those same memories.
The festival begins Friday at 1 p.m. and continues until 9:30 p.m. Activities include rides, food vendors, crafters, Cowboy the Pony, face painting, and the return of the popular Reptile Adventure, where visitors can interact with snakes, lizards, frogs, and other animals while learning more about them.
Friday’s entertainment schedule includes the Waterloo 5 Band at 2 p.m., followed by the Baby Crawl and Toddler Race at 6:30 p.m. The Little Miss Liberty and Little Uncle Sam Pageant begins at 7 p.m., with live music from Katie and the Red Hots closing out the evening at 8 p.m.
Saturday starts with the festival parade at 10 a.m. featuring the Columbus Saints Drum and Bugle Corps. Following the parade, the American flag will be raised and the National Anthem performed before activities officially begin at noon.
Saturday attractions include a Princess Party featuring Moana and Merida, Old-Time Wrestling at 2 p.m., a karaoke competition at 4 p.m. with youth and adult divisions and cash prizes, Nicks and Tricks at 6 p.m., and Crossthread at 8 p.m.
The festival concludes with fireworks at 10 p.m., sponsored by Peter Hayden Chapman Amvets Post 59 and Charles Andrews American Legion Post 460, which together funded the $10,000 display.
This year’s festival also celebrates the upcoming America 250 observance, with patriotic themes featured throughout the weekend, especially during Saturday’s parade.
McCracken reminds visitors that parking at Memorial Park is very limited due to the new playground and is reserved for vendors and handicap parking. Additional public parking is available in designated lots near downtown Centerburg, with walking access to the festival grounds.
She also expressed appreciation for the many volunteers and organizers who help make the event possible each year. Those interested in supporting the festival or volunteering can find more information through the Heart of Ohio USA Days Festival Facebook page, at heartofohiousa.com, or by contacting festival organizers directly.
Click HERE to find out more about the Heart of Ohio USA Days Festival!
(Photo courtesy of Heart of Ohio USA Days website)
Fathers Day is almost here!
On the Morning Thing Wednesday, the WNZR Summer staff thanks dad for the impact on their lives!
Our comments can be found below!
WNZR Summer Staff Honors Dads!
With Father’s Day right around the corner, the WNZR Summer Staff is honoring their dads with some memorable gifts they have given to their dads!
Their comments can be found below!
Founders Food Hall Brings Dining, Entertainment, and New Energy to Downtown Mount Vernon
After nearly five years of planning, renovation, and preparation, Founders Food Hall is ready to open its doors in downtown Mount Vernon.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart recently spoke with Sam Filkins, President of the Knox County Area Development Foundation and the Knox County Land Bank, about the project that has transformed the former Mount Vernon News building into a new community gathering place.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
Filkins says the journey began in 2020 when the Knox County Land Bank purchased the vacant newspaper building. What started as an effort to revitalize an underutilized property quickly evolved into a much larger vision — creating a destination that would bring more people downtown while supporting surrounding businesses.
The project required extensive work, including clearing out the former newspaper operation, renovating the interior, restoring the building’s exterior, and creating the HW Hub partnership with MVNU. Along the way, Filkins says he and his team found themselves learning everything from demolition and construction to restaurant operations.
Today, Founders Food Hall offers a variety of dining options under one roof. Visitors will find hand-dipped Velvet Ice Cream, pizza by the slice from Slice Mount Vernon, Mediterranean cuisine from Tabbouleh Café, a chicken-focused restaurant, and a Southeast Asian rice bowl concept. Filkins says the goal was to create a place where families, friends, and coworkers can gather while everyone finds something they enjoy.
The building also preserves pieces of its history. Portions of the original flooring and chimney remain, blending the structure’s past with its modern renovation. Guests will also find duckpin bowling and an indoor-outdoor seating area created through large retractable windows.
Filkins says Founders Food Hall is also an example of the broader mission of the Knox County Land Bank. While many people associate land banks with vacant homes and abandoned properties, he says the organization is involved in a wide range of economic development projects across the county. Those efforts include Heartland Commerce Park, new housing construction along Columbus Road, and other initiatives designed to return underutilized properties to productive use.
The official grand opening celebration is scheduled for June 30th at 11 a.m. Vine Street will be closed for a community event that includes tours of the food hall, the HW Hub, and office spaces throughout the building.
Filkins says Founders Food Hall represents what can happen when a long-vacant building is given a new purpose. The hall will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with extended hours until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Future plans include mobile ordering, duckpin bowling reservations, live entertainment opportunities, and filling the remaining vendor spaces.
Click HERE to find out more about Founders Food Hall!
The Kiwanis club of Mount Vernon is Collecting Books Throughout June
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart is joined by Wendi Fowler from the Kiwanis club.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation.
She discusses how she’s been involved with Kiwanis for 21 years in Wooster and Mount Vernon. She is a consultant and a former board member of the Kiwanis club. She talks about how a few years ago, they redefined their identity and chose to lean into literacy side of things.
This drive is in memory of Kathie Everhard and she shares her memories about Kathie, she’d been involved for years and she recalls the story about her involvement with Kiwanis and how she was heavily involved early childhood education. She talks about how vibrant she was and how she was such an amazing member of Kiwanis.
She talks about how they collect books and what they do to help literacy by handing books out at summer camps. The collection dates are throughout the month of June, last year they collected 1200 books of their goal of 1000 books.
She tells you that you can drop books off at the Gallagher center at noon on June 22nd as well as going to the front office of the Ohio Eastern star and dropping books off at their front desk. She talks about the categories that they want from infant books, toddler books, preschool books, and graphic novels for the summer camps.
She talks how the better quality books, the better, but they aren’t picky unless they got chewed on by the dog. Upcoming events include their pie auction at the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival, they have a pancake breakfast on September 12th at Lakeholm Church and she mentions what the funds will be used for. You can become a Kiwanis club member on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at noon located at the Gallagher center. She talks about their members and who you can contact about getting involved.
Click HERE to learn more about the Kiwanis club of Mount Vernon
If you received a free weekend trip, where would you go?
The Summer Travel Season is here!
If you received a FREE weekend trip right now, where would you go?
The Beach, Mountains, City or would you just stay at home?
The Big Blue Crew shares their thoughts and dreams for summer fun!
Click HERE or click on the pic below to hear from the WNZR Crew.
The Morning Thing Friday Favorites – our favorite weekend getaway memory
For our Friday Favorites today, the hosts shared their favorite weekend getaway memories.
Click HERE or on the picture below to hear from Marcy, Eric, Ethan, Olivia and Daniel.
We hope that you make some memories this weekend!
WNZR Staff Shares Summer Bucket List
WNZR shared their summer bucket lists on The Morning Thing! Check out the conversation HERE!
We shared some examples from Happy and Ordinary that gave us 100 ideas to choose from. Check out the full list HERE!
Here are some ideas to make your summer more fun!
- Fly a kite
- Go fruit picking
- Go to a water park
- Have a spa day
- Watch the sunrise
What is the nicest thing someone has done for you lately?
The Morning Thing asked you a question today – What is the nicest thing someone has done for you lately? The WNZR Staff shared stories of kindness. What will you do today to show kindness to others?
Click HERE to hear from the Big Blue Crew or click on the picture below.
Rise and Shine 