September First Friday in downtown Mount Vernon focuses on education with Back-to-School night.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart spoke with Experience Mount Vernon’s Lacey Filkins about the happenings at the event including the “Are You Smarter than a 5h grader” contest between teachers and college administrators.
There will also be a street show from “Six Miles to Nellie,” food and fun!
Click HERE to learn more about September First Friday!
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
In celebration of the Fredericktown Tomato Show, our hosts have a special Friday Favorite – their favorite ways to eat tomatoes!
September First Friday’s theme is “Back to School”! MVNU Faculty members encourage you to join the focus on education in downtown Mount Vernon. Families are invited to participate in the education activity and department fair located in the Public Square. From 6pm to 9pm, you be able to visit multiple tables hosted by MVNU Departments. You and your kids will get the chance for hands-on learning and exploration. Find out more about MVNU and have some FUN this Friday 9/5 from 6pm – 9pm.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with these professors:
Click HERE to hear their conversations.
Dr. Jose Oomman – Engineering – This department will offer tours of the newly renovated Hunter Wright Hub for Engineering and Computer Science. Stop by the basement of 18 East Vine Street.
Dr. Jon Bosley – Environmental Biology – Stop by their table to see rocks, minerals, fossils, plants and other items related to biology.
Dr. Dawn McKee – Communication Sciences and Disorders – Stop by and pick out a gently used book and a children’s book about stuttering. Find out about MVNU’s Speech Therapy Services.
Dr. Rachel Young – Social Work – Their table will focus on self-care! Stop by to pick up your own self-care bag!
Professor Amy Dubusky – Education – Stop by their table and make an origami bookmark. You can also sign up for a book giveaway and a book bundle.
Dr. Deb Garee – Nursing – Stop by their table and pick up a sensory bag filled with health care items. They will also be giving away gently used children’s books.
Don’t forget to stop by Big Blue and see talk to students in the Communication & Media (Digital Media) Major. You can be part of a live broadcast, sign up for a great prize basket and sing our Birthday song!
We will see you and your family this Friday from 6pm – 9pm in downtown Mount Vernon!
We got to chat with several members of the Teen Advisory Counsel about their program and the upcoming Color Run! Their members tell us all about the TAC, why they are involved, and they highlight the fun event coming this weekend!
To learn more about the TAC or their Color Run, click HERE!
Marcy got a chance to speak with some very special people: Jen Odenweller from Friends of the Dog Fountain, Wynne Morgan from The Annex, and Alisagrace Raynak who is an artist that participated in the exhibit! They all talked about the famous dog fountain and the amazing exhibit that is being shown right now downtown. Go check out the Schnormeier Gallery and The Annex downtown to get in on the fun!
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — Twenty-seven dog-fountain-inspired artworks from 16 community artists are now on display at the Schnormeier Gallery. The Dog Fountain Exhibit is the Friends of South Main Plaza’s free community art show, running from July 28-August 28, 2025 at the Schnormeier Gallery, in celebration of the fifth anniversary of downtown Mount Vernon’s beloved dog fountain.
The special community anniversary celebration also involves an additional fountain-inspired exhibit in the making at The Annex, where community members can visit and create their own dog masterpieces to be placed around a large watercolor fountain created by Annex instructor and professional painter Jim Leitz.
This free community art show honors the whimsical spirit of South Main Plaza, home to hand-painted, cast aluminum sculptures of 18 dogs, one cat, two pairs of birds, a pony, an apple, and the cherished golden dog bone. Recently voted “2025 Best City Street Art in Ohio” by Midwestern Traveler Magazine, Mount Vernon’s dog fountain has been a joyful community hub where residents and visitors have gathered over the past five years for friendly conversation, memorable photos, and creative inspiration.
The exhibit is made possible through the collaboration of Schnormeier Gallery, The Annex, and the Ariel Foundation — partners in the Friends of South Main Plaza initiative. Special recognition is given to Phil and Mary Samuell of Gambier, the original visionaries behind the fountain. Inspired by the late Claude Cormier, the internationally renowned landscape architect who designed the original Dog Fountain in Toronto’s Berczy Park, the Samuells brought their dream to life in Mount Vernon through a unique community partnership.
About Schnormeier Gallery Located at 221 S. Main St., Mount Vernon, on the first floor of MVNU’s Buchwald Center, Schnormeier Gallery is dedicated to showcasing diverse artistic expressions. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 1-5 p.m., Friday from 1-7 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission is free, and all are welcome to experience the transformative power of art in this vibrant community space. For more information, contact the Schnormeier Gallery at artgallery@mvnu.edu.
About The Annex Located in a restored storefront at 12 E. Gambier St., Mount Vernon, The Annex is an extension of Kenyon College’s teaching museum, The Gund. Through programs informed by The Gund’s growing permanent collection, we reimagine what it means to “learn with art” as a community. We invite neighbors, families, students, and lifelong learners to discover new connections to art, ideas, and each other through free workshops, creative activities, and events.
Marcy got to chat with two wonderful women, Debbie Ruggles and Noella Nzishura, both are members of this years Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival Board!
Debbie tells us about the different vendors they will have at this years festival, as well as the many food options there will be.
Noella describes how great it is to be a volunteer and she highlights her journey from volunteer to board member. She will also be participating in the West African Percussion performance on Saturday at 4pm!
For more information on the festival, click HERE!
Today was an exciting day at the Salvation Army in Mount Vernon. A group of Women United joined together to pack 300 backpacks for the Salvation Army. Women United is an affinity group of the United Way of Knox County Ohio comprised of passionate women who offer their time, talent and treasure to improve lives throughout Knox County.
After packing backpacks for local students, the ladies had the chance to tour the new Salvation Army 13,270-square-foot childcare center called “The Learning Lighthouse”.
Captain Christine Moretz shared a timeline for opening the new center, plus an update on fundraising.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the link below. Pictures from the event are also included below.
Congratulations to the the city of Mount Vernon, Ohio, Volunteers of the Year for 2025.
These outstanding volunteers were announced and recognized by Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr at August First Friday. They tell us more about what they do in our community and give us some advice on getting involved!
Here is some more information on each of them:
• Paul Acitelli, who died on June 18 of this year, consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to helping others, particularly individuals with disabilities. In addition to adopting a family every Christmas through the Salvation Army or Interchurch Social Services of Knox County, he continually raised thousands of dollars to support disabled people in need of housing assistance, utilities or to fund recreational access via pool passes.
• Heather Barbour, the physical education teacher at Twin Oak and Columbia Elementary Schools, has been responsible for bringing many sports programs and activity initiatives to Mount Vernon. She’s done this through her volunteer work with Lifepoint Church, the City’s Recreation Board and more. Bicycling is a priority for her, and she has helped many kids learn how to ride a bike via the All Kids Bike program and as the bike safety coordinator for Mount Vernon’s Safety Town.
• Jeff Williams and Courtney DeCosky, through their Nellie Six Productions, have made a huge impact on the arts scene in Mount Vernon and Knox County. Within just a few short years, they have turned the Summer Front Porch Concert Series into one of the City’s top cultural events of the year. As founding members of the Kokosing Valley Arts Alliance, they have worked to create opportunities and remove barriers for local and regional artists to develop and share their art.
For this week’s Friday Favorites we shared our favorite memories with a family dog! This comes in honor of the WNZR annual Dog Costume Parade happening at August First Friday.
Our crew is very excited for this cute and cuddly event!
Marcy sat down with Lacey Filkins, the Executive Director of Experience Mount Vernon!
Lacey gives us the rundown on everything happening at August First Friday. Not only does she highlight the schedule but she also gives us the details on street closures and the parking situation.
WNZR’s annual Dog Costume Parade is highlighted tonight and we hope to see you there. Come sign up at WNZR’s tent up on the public square!
Rise and Shine 