We can’t let Tuesday end without sharing the GOOD NEWS about our State Fair Award Winners! Thanks to Knox Count 4H for sharing the news with us.
We would like to give a huge congratulations to the following still project exhibitors who received Outstanding of the Day recognition at the 2026 Ohio State Fair:
And an extra special shoutout to Lainey Dunham for earning a Clock Trophy award for her Seeing Through Graphic Design project!! Clock trophies are awarded each year to the best project in each category, and we are so excited for Lainey to receive this honor!
Today on The Morning Thing, our theme was Monday Motivation!
We shared some ideas we had to make sure you start your morning off strong! Here were some of our ideas:
Spend time with God each morning with prayer and Scripture reading
Encourage one person each day by sending a text, or letting someone know you appreciate them
Be more intentional about the time you spend with your family by putting your phone down and be in the moment
Choose gratitude every day and write down three things you’re thankful for each day
Do something you’ve been afraid to do, and start that project you’ve been wanting to do
Take better care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and taking the time to just sit and breathe
Pray for one specific person each day
Replace complaining with encouragement and positivity
Take one step toward a God-given dream– just take 30 minutes out of your day
Get caught up on one thing you’ve been putting off
We also talked about kindness! What is one kind thing you can say or do for someone this week? It doesn’t have to be complicated! Ask God to give you an opportunity to share some kindness this week! Here are some ideas:
Text someone.
Leave a positive review.
Pay for someone’s coffee.
Compliment a coworker.
Pray with someone.
Thank you for listening to The Morning Thing from 6am – 9am!
Praisestock returns to Mount Vernon this Sunday with a full day of worship, fellowship and opportunities to connect with local ministries.
WNZR’s Eric Brown spoke with Dave Ewart and Ben Staats about Praisestock 2026, which will be held Sunday, August 23rd, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Schnormeier Event Center in Ariel-Foundation Park.
The event began 21 years ago as a church project at Owl Creek Baptist Church. Ewart and Staats said the original goal was to bring churches together for worship while also supporting ministries serving the community. Praisestock later moved to Mount Vernon and has grown to attract hundreds of people throughout the day.
That focus on unity remains an important part of the event. Praisestock is designed to bring Christians from different denominations, cultures and generations together for worship and fellowship.
The event also continues its partnership with Food For The Hungry. A love offering collected during Praisestock helps kick off Food For The Hungry’s fall fundraising season.
Sunday begins with a community worship service featuring Ekklesia and a message from Greg Zelinski. The afternoon schedule includes Set Free Worship, Chestnut Ridge, Lakeholm, Footprints of Jesus, Faith Outpost, Covenant and Trinity.
The day will conclude with a unity song bringing the participating groups together.
Praisestock also gives local ministries and organizations an opportunity to share more about their work. Throughout the day, visitors can learn about services available in the community and ways they can become involved.
Activities are also planned for children, making the event an opportunity for families to spend the day together while enjoying worship and learning more about local ministries.
Dave and Ben said they hope people leave Praisestock encouraged by the worship, strengthened through fellowship and connected with new opportunities to serve.
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
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.
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!
Rise and Shine 