CANAL WINCHESTER, OH - The 99th annual Canal Winchester Labor Day Festival, presented by Diley Ridge Medical Center, will fill the streets of historic downtown Canal Winchester over Labor Day weekend. Opening ceremonies will take place on the festival main stage Saturday, August 31st at noon.
“The Canal Winchester Labor Day Festival is celebrating nearly a century of family-friendly activities in our downtown during the Labor Day weekend. With so many food vendors, arts & crafts vendors, rides, games, free entertainment, a hospitality tent and our renowned parade, there is something sure to please everyone in the family,” said Mayor Mike Ebert.
Each Day of the Festival, Labor Day Weekend
In addition to hands-on children’s activities, midway rides and your favorite festival food, make sure to visit the many unique craft vendor booths located in the festival’s main thoroughfare as well as the dynamic Quilters-on-the Canal Quilt Show at the Community Center. For those over 21, the Kingy’s Pizza Pub Beer Pavilion will be located near Stradley Park.
Two exciting raffle opportunities will be available at the festival, with tickets on sale for $5 each at the Festival Information Booth throughout the weekend. This year, buyers will have the chance to win a 50/50 cash drawing or a large flat-screen UHD Smart TV! Festival organizers will donate 100 percent of all money earned from this year’s raffle drawings to Wagnalls Memorial Library to support their Building Fund. Winners will be drawn at 5pm during the festival’s closing hours, on Monday, September 2nd.
Saturday, August 31st
Special attractions on Saturday include an open-air CW Farmers Market area from 10am to 2pm, Miss Canal Winchester Pageant Queens’ Lemonade Social between 12:30pm and 2pm, Columbus Zoo animals from 1pm to 2pm, COSI Science Spots from 3pm to 7pm, and the preliminary round of festival’s very own Karaoke Contest on the Main Stage from 6pm to 8pm! In addition, children’s rides located in the festival midway will allow kids to ride for free from Noon to 5pm (*Saturday ONLY– does not include specialty attractions) courtesy of Jeff Wyler Dealerships.
Free Festival Entertainment will be presented on two dedicated stages as well as Stradley Park’s picturesque Gazebo. Saturday’s featured performances include music by Winchester Steel Co., God’s Dirt, The Treble Catz, and headliner Jolivia -featuring Josh Logan of The Voice, who will take the main stage at 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 1st
The Labor Day Festival will once become a showplace for some of the finest hot-rods and classic cars in central Ohio. In past years, over 200 antique, muscle, and classic cars have been on display. The cruise-in, sponsored and hosted by Mac’s NAPA Auto Parts and C-Town Cruisers, will start at 10am and will wrap up at 4pm with trophy presentations. Registration is just $15 per car and begins downtown at 9am on West Waterloo St.
Columbus Zoo animals will be back from 1pm to 2pm, as well as COSI Science Spots from 3pm to 7pm. The festival will also deliver small-town old-fashioned fun on Sunday at Canal Winchester Historical Society’s Ice Cream Social at the Railroad Depot from 2pm to 4pm, with music by the Canal Winchester High School Marching Band.
Featured performances on Sunday afternoon will include music by The Terry Douglas Band as well as the Brighton Boys at the Waterloo Stage. Main Stage performances feature music by Marquis66, Toes in the Sand, and Shucking Bubba Deluxe.
Monday September 2nd
On Monday, enjoy the festival’s annual Canal Winchester Labor Day Parade presented by Kelly Abbott & the “A” Team, HER Realtors. The parade steps off from Canal Winchester High School at 1pm and makes its way through the city’s historic downtown (to view the parade route, visit cwlaborday.org). The 2019 Labor Day Parade theme is “Heroes.” Parade entry is available online through August 23rd. This year, the Labor Day Festival will honor the Brockstrong Foundation as Grand Marshal of the parade.
After the parade, make sure to make your way back to the center of town and stroll the midway, visit the food and craft vendors, and stop in to enjoy the Quilt Show one last time. As the festival winds down, the fun doesn’t stop! The festival’s 50/50 winners and Flat-screen TV winners will be drawn and announced at 5pm and the festival’s Karaoke Contest Finals will be held on the Main Stage from 3pm to 6pm, when the festival closes.
Since 1920, the Canal Winchester Labor Day Festival has proudly partnered with the local government and nearby businesses to host the festival. Labor Day Festival organizers recognize all festival supporters, with special thanks to the City of Canal Winchester and the festival’s presenting sponsor Diley Ridge Medical Center. For all Labor Day Festival details, including parade entry, attraction schedule, and complete sponsor listings, visit www.cwlaborday.org.