Category: food

Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival Returns September 19 & 20

The Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival returns to Memorial Park September 19 and 20, bringing a weekend of family-friendly activities, demonstrations, exhibits, food, crafts, and plenty of opportunities to celebrate the area’s agricultural heritage. WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart recently talked with Donna Strosnider, Board Secretary for the festival, about what visitors can expect this year.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the picture link below.

The festival is completely free to attend and begins Saturday morning with a parade through downtown Centerburg. Throughout the weekend, visitors can enjoy pony rides, historical exhibits, agricultural demonstrations, craft booths, food vendors, church services, and the popular horticultural exhibit. This year’s theme, “America’s 250: Keep Plowing Forward,” celebrates America’s 250th birthday while recognizing the history and progress of farming and rural communities.

Several longtime traditions will return, including the annual pie auction on Saturday evening, which serves as the festival’s primary fundraiser. The auction features creative pie and specialty packages from local bakers, artisans, and community members, with proceeds helping sustain the festival.

The horticultural exhibit will feature 40 categories, special ribbons for record-setting entries, new competitions, and the “Little Sprouts” category designed for young children. Visitors can also learn about history from Valerie Hamel, the “Civil War Herb Lady,” and see the return of the tractor parade at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Volunteers are an important part of keeping this free community festival running, and help is especially needed with setup, cleanup, and selling commemorative T-shirts, including a special edition shirt celebrating America’s 250th birthday. For the complete schedule, volunteer information, and festival details, visit oldtimefarmingfestival.com or find the Old Time Farming Festival on Facebook.

WNZR will be in the parade at 10am on Saturday and then at the Park for a live broadcast on Sunday from Noon to 4pm.

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Fredericktown Tomato Show Brings Community, Creativity and Garden Bounty Together

The Fredericktown Tomato Show is gearing up for another celebration of community, gardening and good food. WNZR got to talk with Bernie Douglas, who once again helping make it happen.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click the picture link below!

Now in his 19th year with the show, Douglas oversees the tomato products, tomato classes, baked goods and canned goods exhibits. From ketchup, salsa and tomato pie to more than 40 categories of baked goods, the show offers plenty of opportunities for area residents to showcase their talents and creativity. Vegetable growers can also enter exhibits featuring just about anything from their gardens—including a category for the “most unusual garden vegetable or plant.”

Douglas says one of his favorite parts of the Tomato Show is the opportunity to reconnect with people he doesn’t often see, describing the event as one big community reunion. He also shares his appreciation for the canned goods exhibit, which brings back memories of preserving food with his grandparents. Entries can be brought in Wednesday, September 9, from 2–6 p.m., with judging beginning after the opening ceremonies. Visitors can find the exhibits and Douglas at the vegetable tent near the corner of Main and College Streets by the splash pad, and he encourages everyone to come out, have fun and enjoy everything the Fredericktown Tomato Show has to offer.’

Click HERE for more info on the Fredericktown Tomato Show!

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From Pies to Pages: Kiwanis Helps Put Books in Children’s Hands

An exciting live auction was held on Saturday 8/15 at the Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival.
There were 15 pies up for bid in the 3rd Annual Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon Pie Auction. All proceeds from the auction will be given to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library through the United Way of Knox County.

Childhood Literacy is one of the main initiatives for the Kiwanis Club.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a free book gifting program. The program is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five. Knox County children received 27,039 books in 2024!

The Pie Auction Total was $4,910!

Thanks to auctioneer David McDowell for his support.

Thanks to the pie donors, bakers, bidders and buyers.

• Pie #1 was a Cherry Pie donated by CES Credit Union. This Cherry Pie was sold along with wood cake display stand and charcuterie board.
Buyer – ACS Title and Closing Services, Cindy McDowell – $250

• Pie #2 was a Blueberry Pie donated by Park National Bank. This Blueberry Pie was sold with a pie plate.
Buyer – Ruckman Group Auctions & Appraisals – $300

• Pie #3 was a Triple Berry Pie donated by Crystal Snell-Tomes, Realtor e-Merge Real Estate Champions. This Pie was sold along with a beautiful serving tray and the Book of Pie Cookbook.
Buyer – Greg Galiete – $460

• Pie #4 was a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie donated by Kenyon College.
Buyer – Jackie K’s Vintage & Venue – $550

• Pie #5 was a Strawberry Pie donated by the Mount Vernon School District.
Buyer – Alice Hutzel and Knox Community Hospital – $200

• Pie #6 was a Gluten-Free Pecan Pie donated by Happy Bean Coffee Shop.
Buyer – Jackie K’s Vintage & Venue – $200

• Pie #7 was an Apple Cranberry Crisp Pie donated by Nancy Jo Todd, Kiwanis Member.
Buyer – Diane Henwood – $200

• Pie #8 was a Dutch Apple Caramel Pie donated by ACS Title Company. This pie was sold with a fruit stand and some fresh apples.
Buyer – Mike Copley and CES Credit Union – $450

• Pie #9 was a Black Raspberry Pie donated by Ohio Easter Star Home. The raspberries were home-grown and it was sold with a wall decoration.
Buyer – Cliff Ruggles and Cliff’s High Performance – $200

• Pie #10 was a Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie made by 92-year-old Britta Bridges representing Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Buyer – Wendi Fowler – $500

• Pie #11 was a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie made by Sandy Cable representing Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Buyer – Ruckman Group Auctions & Appraisals – $200

• Pie #12 was an Americana Apple Pie donated by COTC.
Buyer – Kathy White – $200

• Pie #13 was Crystal Browning’s Famous Pecan Pie donated by the Knox County Career Center.  
Buyer – Wendi Fowler – $500

• Pie #14 was a Peachy Peach Pie donation by the United Way of Knox County.
Buyer – Miller Electrical Solutions – $250

• #15 in the auction was two pies donated by CenterWell Home Health – a Strawberry Cream Pie and a Reese’s Cream Pie.
Buyer – David McDowell Auctioneer – $300

Then David resold the Strawberry Cream Pie for $150 to Buyer Jackie K’s Vintage & Venue

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The Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon invites pie lovers to come to the Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival

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.

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July First Friday is TONIGHT in downtown Mount Vernon

Lacey Filkins, Executive Director for Experience Mount Vernon, stopped by The Morning Thing to talk about tonight’s exciting event – July First Friday.

She shared a highlight of all the fun activities and how the downtown business district will celebrate this theme – Party Like it’s 1776!

Lacey shared details on parking, food, entertainment, the Experience Mount Vernon Passport and how your family can have fun tonight.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the link below.

WNZR will be there tonight! Look for Big Blue near the Dog Fountain on South Main Street.
Click HERE for more details about tonight’s event and our prize basket for tonight.

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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!

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June First Friday is coming to downtown Mount Vernon tonight!

The Morning Thing shined the spotlight on June First Friday today. We are excited to partner with Experience Mount Vernon for this special event.

Lacey Filkins, Executive Director for Experience Mount Vernon shared all the details of tonight’s event with us.
She gave us highlights on the schedule, parking, food, family activities, bike valet and the theme.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click the link below.

Come enjoy a fun summer evening with WNZR. It’s time to “Shake, Rattle & Roll” in downtown tonight!
For more details, go to https://www.experiencemv.org/
You can see a map of the event, list of exhibitors and parking information below.

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Local Seniors Can Now Sign Up for Monthly Food Assistance Through Interchurch Social Services of Knox County!

As food costs continue to rise, a new partnership in Knox County is working to provide extra support for local seniors.

WNZR’s Eric Brown recently spoke with Carolyn Fergus about a new food assistance opportunity available through Interchurch Social Services of Knox County.

Click HERE to hear the full interview!

Interchurch is partnering with Mid-Ohio Food Collective to offer the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides monthly food boxes to income-qualified adults age 60 and older.

According to Carolyn, the program is designed to help seniors stretch their food budgets while still receiving nutritious food items each month. Seniors who qualify will receive boxes filled with a variety of staple foods, including cereal, oats, pasta, rice, canned fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and protein sources. The contents of the boxes will vary from month to month, but the goal remains the same: helping supplement a senior’s diet with reliable food assistance.

Carolyn explained that participants will need to provide identification and proof of residency during the sign-up process, while income is self-reported on the application. She encouraged seniors who may qualify to begin signing up now ahead of the first shipment, which is expected to arrive in early June.

While the first delivery is expected to include around 90 food boxes, Carolyn says there is room for growth if community demand increases. She emphasized that the program is meant to serve as an additional resource for seniors and does not replace Interchurch’s regular pantry services.

In fact, she encouraged eligible seniors to continue utilizing the Interchurch food pantry, which offers fresh foods, frozen meats, and other grocery items throughout the month. The organization hopes the new program will provide even more stability for seniors facing rising grocery costs and financial pressures.

Food distribution will be available not only at the Mount Vernon office, but also through Interchurch locations in Centerburg, Fredericktown, and Danville, making the program more accessible to seniors across Knox County.

Carolyn also asked the community to continue praying for Interchurch, its staff, volunteers, and the families they serve as food assistance needs continue to grow throughout the county. She noted that volunteers are always needed to help distribute food and support daily operations.

For more information about the Commodity Supplemental Food Program or other Interchurch services, residents can call 740-397-4825 or click HERE!

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