By Alicia Kelso
Whether you’re into art, music, food or just plain fun, there are no excuses for your social calendar to be empty this summer.
The Festival at St. Andrew
This is the 10th anniversary of the hustle and bustle at the corner at McCoy and Reed Roads – where 10,000 people of all ages gather for the Festival at St. Andrew, bringing in mechanical and inflatable rides, a casino, games, entertainment, food and much more.
Although St. Andrew’s event is fledgling compared to other church festivals in the Diocese of Columbus, John Posani, publicity chair, believes it has evolved into one of the best around.
“Not to take anything away from any other festivals in Columbus, but I do believe ours is put together by a group of overachievers who are never quite satisfied with second best. We’ve always designed, from day one, that we weren’t going to do anything second rate – no second-rate acts, no second-rate rides – and I think that’s why it’s been so successful in such little time,” he says.
The festival hasn’t been without its snags, however, and Posani laughs at how far it has come since a blooper-filled inaugural year. Just as the festival was set to open,
the power inexplicably went out
. An
American Electric Power crew restored power less than 10 minutes before the official opening, Posani says.
“The (AEP) trucks were pulling out of the parking lot as festival-goers were pulling in. That first year we also had to plug in an inflatable ride at a house behind the church,” he adds. “We were fortunate to have a neighbor nice enough to let us plug it into his garage. We’ve since invested a considerable amount of money into a power grid and haven’t had any more electrical concerns.”
Other than the reliable power source, the festival hasn’t changed much. It used to have a Ferris wheel – which received a lot of attention, according to Posani – but the committee has since switched carnival contractors and the ride is no longer featured. It may be revisited, however, in the future.
The festival also used to include a white elephant sale, which may be brought back after cafeteria renovations are complete.
“Other than that, the parishioners have stuck to a working formula,” Posani says. That formula has facilitated a steady growth in attendance – estimated to have doubled throughout the years. Of the 2,200 families who attend St. Andrew, the festival generates 700 volunteers, doing everything from baking goodies to collecting tickets for prizes.
This year’s event, which is Aug. 20 and 21 from 5 p.m. to midnight in the church parking lot at 1899 McCoy Rd. will also feature some entertainment surprises along with traditional activities.
“Every year we make sure we have our traditions because it has worked, but we also want to make sure it keeps getting better,” Posani says. “The community at large has embraced this event, and that’s what we’re most proud of. It makes us happy that we can do something for the community of Upper Arlington, and not just for our parishioners.”
For more information about the festival, visit www.standrewparish.cc.
25th Anniversary of Music on the Lawn
A Grandview tradition for 25 years, the Grandview Heights Public Library and the city’s Parks & Recreation Department coordinate the Music on the Lawn series. The Tuesday evening concerts continue through July on the library lawn, 1685 W. First Ave. from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
“We are very excited about our 25th year. We have a super lineup and are lucky to be surviving the library budget cuts from the state, with the help of voters recently passing our library levy. We are grateful and ready to enjoy the summer with everyone,” says Canaan Faulkner, coordinator of adult programs and Web content at the GHPL.
A bake sale will raise money for the Grandview Heights School District, and a new partnership with Bellisari’s Culinary Table will feature the sale of food and drink with a portion of proceeds going to the library. Also, the Friends of the Library, the Grandview Heights/Marble Cliff Historical Society and the Grandview Heights/Marble Cliff Arts Council will have information booths. For more information, visit
www.ghpl.org
.
The remaining schedule:
July 6, The British Invasion.
This popular band covers the Beatles and much more from the 1960s.
July 13, Dean Marcellana & Clave Sonic.
Grandview’s Marcellana presents jazz infused with tropical flavor.
July 20, General Guinness Band.
For nearly 30 years, this traditional Irish band has been showcasing ballads, fiddle tunes and Irish step dancing.
July 27, Sons of Gladys.
Finish the summer with a Vegas-style tribute to Elvis Presley.
Taste of Upper Arlington
The 17th Annual Taste of UA – the Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce’s largest event – is from 3:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 5 in Northam Park. This year, unlike years past, the event will be held on a Thursday, instead of the typical Tuesday. The event, which is part business expo, part community festival, features more than 130 exhibitors from area restaurants and caterers, and average attendance runs at around 12,000 every year.
The chamber will partner with the city’s Cultural Arts Division this year to welcome The Arc Band, a high-energy reggae band from Columbus. There will also be a beer garden and a raffle to for a flat screen television.
“We will have music and entertainment in two different areas, so people are able to check out as many of the booths as possible and have fun doing it,” says Becky Hajost, chamber president. For more information, visit www.uachamber.org.
Food offerings in four categories are judged by a panel the chamber selects. The top three finishers in each category last year were:
Appetizer
First Place, Caffe DaVinci
Second Place, City Barbeque
Third Place, Great Harvest Bread Company
Entrée
First Place, Schmidt’s
Second Place, Caffe DaVinci
Third Place, Moretti’s
Dessert
First Place, La Chatelaine
Second Place, Caffe DaVinci
Third Place, Great Harvest Bread Company
People’s Choice
First Place, Caffe DaVinci
Second Place, Moretti’s
Third Place, Dave’s Dogs and More
Lazy Daze of Summer Festival
Peruse some high-quality, juried crafts at the 17th Annual Lazy Daze of Summer Festival, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 24 on the lawn and streets surrounding the Grandview Heights Public Library, 1685 W. 1st Ave.. The festival is presented by the Grandview Heights/Marble Cliff Arts Council and proceeds benefit the council’s scholarship fund, as well as the library and the City of Grandview Heights.
This year’s event will welcome 60 craft exhibitors, the most ever, and will also have a themed twist.
“We’re actually calling it the Lazy Dog Daze of Summer Festival this year because we’ll feature some fun and unusual canine activities. For example, we’re going to have a Great Dane rescue dog from Cincinnati who actually paints,” says Jeri Diehl Cusack, an arts council board member who has been involved with the festival since it launched.
There will also be several organizations showcased – such as the Franklin County Dog Shelter and Cat Welfare Association – and, if it’s not too hot, animals available for adoption. Additionally, the festival includes food, musical performances, children’s activities, a silent auction, business booths, a Friends of the Library book sale and more.
“This is such a wonderful way for people to get to know Grandview,” Cusack says.
For more information, visit
www.ghmcartscouncil.org
.