Whether you’re an athlete looking to support a cause close to home while getting in your steps, or a resident wanting to dive into local history while sampling local spirits, Grove City offers several summer events that highlight connection and community for all to enjoy.
Firecracker 5K
Dr. Elizabeth Hewitt
Start your Fourth of July weekend with the Grove City Firecracker 5K on July 4 at Pinnacle Golf Club.
Created by local foot and ankle surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Hewitt with her husband, Joel Wichtman, the race was inspired by their love of running and supporting the community. What started as a virtual run in 2020 has become a widely attended event, with walking and running options for people of different ages and abilities. Kids ages 3 to 9 can get involved through the 100-meter Sparkler Sprint, and the 100-meter Independence Dash is a great space for athletes of any age with developmental and/or physical challenges.
Proceeds from race signups and donations benefit Grove City Buddy Ball, supporting maintenance of its Field of Dreams, team uniforms, equipment and more. Hewitt and Wichtman chose the organization due to its dedication to fitness for all and its “inclusion revolution” community spirit, Hewitt shares. Since the race’s inception, the Firecracker 5K has donated more than $120,000 to Buddy Ball.
“It’s something where the whole family can do something healthy, whether you do the Sparkler Sprint, or you run the full 5K,” Hewitt says. “It’s turned into a little bit of a family tradition and a Grove City tradition.”
After the race, participants and supporters can stick around to learn about various health topics at the Ohio Health & Wellness Expo on the west terrace outside Cimi’s Bistro.
Alumni Tournament
Eric Saxton
The Grove City High School Alumni Softball Tournament returns the final weekend in July celebrating 44 years of competition and connection. The largest tournament of its kind in the world, the weekend draws more than 1,300 GCHS graduates from all around the country to compete for division trophies and a spot in the tournament Hall of Fame.
Following Thursday night’s bracket drawing party, tournament play kicks off at 6 p.m. on Fri., July 24, as the roughly 90 teams face off with familiar faces – and friendly foes – at Fryer Park.
Eric Saxton, class of 1987 graduate and commissioner for the Alumni Tournament, shares that the tournament builds class camaraderie and invites friendly competition, but the impact of the weekend goes far beyond the trophies. Throughout the weekend, alumni gather together for individual class reunions and the Friday night Grove City Homecoming Celebration with live music from Lee Gantt and food vendors in downtown Grove City. They also join together to watch others compete and relive memories in their hometown.
“(The tournament)’s all about multiple generations coming together in their hometown to compete and challenge each other and then celebrate the results. It motivates graduates to stay in contact with each other… It gives grandparents and parents a reason to plan on getting together to go and watch games. It instills pride (in) classes,” says Saxton. “The weekend exposes all emotions. Players will laugh, cry, cheer, argue and give 100 percent to do whatever helps their teammates.”
Bourbon & Spirits Festival
Brent Miller
Outside of the Friday night Food Truck Festival & Shop Hops throughout the summer, Grove City Town Center Inc. is also bringing back its 11th annual Bourbon & Spirits Festival on Sat., Aug. 8, at Town Center Park.
The festival has evolved over the years – from its beginnings as the Bourbon Tasting to today’s larger festival where visitors can try products from numerous bourbon and spirit distilleries around central Ohio.
With a variety of food trucks, bourbon-inspired products such as chocolate bourbon balls and repurposed bourbon barrel furniture, and tables from Town Center businesses, the festival provides opportunities for bites and buys.
Attendees can also buy tickets for bourbon tastings, with tickets ranging from $30-35 for samples of eight kinds of bourbon, or $100 for a VIP ticket for higher-end samples and access to the VIP area and additional festival merchandise.
The event runs from 1-10 p.m., with ticket sales ending at 9 p.m. for festivities.
Director of Grove City Town Center, Inc. Brent Miller shares that the event serves as a chance for Grove City residents to connect, as well as a place to taste new drinks and mixes.
“We see a lot of locals who come down and they just want to reconnect, almost like a homecoming of sorts,” he says. “For the people who really appreciate bourbon, I think they are coming to look for something that they’ve wanted to try, but they’re not ready to buy a full bottle of it yet.”
Olde Time Fair
Bev Babbert
Following the America250-Ohio August theme, Ohio Goes To The Fair, the Southwest Franklin County Historical Society and Grove City Parks and Recreation come together to bring their own flashback fun fair to Grove City.
On Sat., Aug. 22, visitors can stop by Century Village for the Olde Time Fair, an event highlighting the 1850s through the turn of the 20th century with games and entertainment such as balloon darts, milk carton ring toss, wooden stilts and land skis.
Throughout the noon-4 p.m. event, booths from organizations such as the Lions and Rotary clubs provide activities and prizes. Then, at 2 p.m., the historic village buildings open their doors.
Food is another facet of bringing the time period to life, as corndogs and popcorn are two familiar carnival favorites, among other time-authentic treats.
At 2 p.m., the Ohio Village Muffins will also play against a team of Grove City locals in a 1860s-style “base ball” game, with old-school uniforms and rules which include no gloves.
As the event engages attendees with local history, Southwest Franklin County Historical Society Education Chair and Co-Secretary Bev Babbert shares that getting people involved and learning drives a lot of the planning – and her own enjoyment of the festivities.
“I always love and enjoy sharing history with people, so we try to make things as authentic (and) period-appropriate as possible,” says Babbert. “That’s why we do the research on the food and that sort of thing. It’ll be a very family-friendly event, enough to entertain all ages, and we have a beautiful spot out there, so I just think they’ll have a good time.”
Jane Dimel is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at jdimel@cityscenemediagroup.com.
