WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with Jacob Francis, board member for the Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival. Click HERE to hear their conversation. Jacob shared the details of several exciting events on the schedule this weekend – the Wood Auction and the Car/Motorcycle Show. He also talked about his exciting journey from volunteer to board member. Jacob also invited the community to a special Sunday morning breakfast being served by Set Free Ministries.
The Morning Thing is shining the spotlight on the 2024 Music and Arts Festival this week. On Wednesday, we talked with Wendi Fowler from the Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon. She shared the details about the Kiwanis Club Pie Auction which is a new event to the festival. Click HERE to hear the conversation.
The pie auction will be held in conjunction with the wood auction on Saturday, August 10. Bidding registration starts at 4:30pm. The auction will from 5:30pm – 7pm on the Public Square.
There are 17 pies up for bid. Pies are being made by celebrities. Some of them include: Mayor Matt and Joanne Starr – All American Apple Pie, Bruce and Kathy White (from KCH) – Blueberry, Dr. Carson Castleman (MVNU President) – chocolate pie and Dr. Berry (COTC) – strawberry pie. The Mount Vernon High School Key Club is also involved. Wendi also shared how the money from the auction will be used. The Kiwanis Club supports youth and children in the community: Imagination Library, 4H, Babe Ruth baseball, and the Fredericktown Fire Academy.
If you would like to donate a pie, send an email to Wendi.fowler@parknationalbank.com
Wendi told us more about the Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon. Some of their programs include: boots and coats for kids, literacy projects and gathering 1,200 books for kids this summer! They also go into the Mount Vernon classrooms to read books to students. Literacy has been the focus for 2024.
Wendi invites residents to visit the next meeting for Kiwanis on Monday, 8/12 at Noon at the Gallagher Center at the Ohio Eastern Star. They meet on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month.
The festival runs on these dates: Thursday 8/8 – 5pm – 10pm (They will have a soft opening on Thursday at lunch time so that people can access the food trucks on the public square) Friday 8/9 – 11am – 10pm Saturday 8/10 – 11am – 10pm Sunday 8/11 – 11am – 3pm
Today, The Morning Thing kicked off our preview of the 2024 Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival. We talked with Board Member, Debbie Ruggles. Click HERE to hear the conversation.
She shared an overview of the festival with highlights of the vendors and food trucks coming this year. She shared that some exciting events are on the schedule including Lonestar on Saturday night, the Children’s Ballet and a new Pie Auction with the Kiwanis Club. A special KidFest will be held all 4 days. Friday will feature local community acts.
The Festival dates and times: Thursday 8/8 – 5pm – 10pm Friday 8/9 – 11am – 10pm Saturday 8/10 – 11am – 10pm Sunday 8/11 – 11am – 3pm
Find all the details and the complete schedule at www.mvmaf.org
At August First Friday, Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr announced the Volunteers of the Year: Janis Stone and Kevin Mishey.
Janis has been involved with theater in our community for several decades. She is a founding member of MTVarts. She has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund the performing arts in Mount Vernon. She has helped to develop many theater options for our community including dinner theater, Broadway musicals, the Classic Series based on American Literature, Arts IQ and youth performances.
Kevin Mishey has been an advisory board member with the Salvation army for over 25 years. He is Chair of the their Maintenance Committee and serves on the Capital Campaign Committee and the Christmas Kettle Committee. He is also an integral part of music here in Mount Vernon – teaching guitar lessons, leading a music program at Danbury Senior Living and providing special music at Faith Lutheran Church. He is a regular performer at Praisestock and other festivals. He is also a member of the Front Porch Concert Committee.
Lacey Filkins, Executive Director for Experience Mount Vernon was a guest on The Morning Thing today. She shared a preview of August First Friday. Click HERE to hear her conversation with WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart. She shared highlights of tonight’s schedule, entertainment, food and activities. She also shares information on parking and road closures. Tonight’s event is from 6pm – 9pm. We hope to see you for a celebration of the “Dog Days of Summer”!
Today for our Friday Favorites, we want to honor DOGS! WNZR’s annual “Dog Days of Summer” Dog Costume Parade is tonight at August First Friday. The Morning Thing hosts shared their favorite memories with their dogs. Click HERE to listen. We hope to see you in downtown Mount Vernon tonight from 6pm – 9pm. The parade starts at 7:15pm.
WNZR had the privilege to feature multiple 4H winners from the 2024 Knox County Fair. These talented young people participated in various projects, including miscellaneous projects. They stopped by Big Blue to tell us about their experience in 4H, how they worked to present their project and their excitement to represent Knox County at the Ohio State Fair. ClickHEREto listen in as we honor and recognize these amazing young women and men. Congratulations!
Rise and Shine 