By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
The city of Walton will go all out for their Old Fashion Day celebration, on September 8, 9 and 10, announcing the 50th year the celebration has taken place. The first Old Fashion Day was in 1973, during the time when Boone County held their 175th anniversary celebration.
“We are going to do three days this year,” said Walton Mayor Gabe Brown. “First night we will have movie night at the park. We are bringing back the Miss Walton pageant, and we will use three judges that are not related to anybody in Walton so nobody can get mad. I have arranged with one of the local business owners, they’re going to put up a $1000 scholarship to the winner of this.”
On Friday, September 8, Hoxworth will hold a blood drive in front of Kohls all day, but appointments are necessary because participants will receive a $10 voucher for food at the festival.
The Miss Walton pageant, beginning at 4:30 p.m., also includes a Little Miss Walton pageant, plus a Junior Miss Walton pageant, and all the winners will be featured in the parade on Saturday, which begins at 11 a.m., and marches down Main Street to the delight of children and adults alike. Later on Friday there will be a movie, Trolls, in Walton park starting at 8:30 p.m. There will also be a bounce house, and a food truck.
“Saturday will be a big day, as always,” Brown said, “and if you’re thinking, Gee Gosh, Mayor, I can’t make it that Saturday, well, wait, on Sunday, we will have the Mayor’s Picnic at the park, so you pick which day you guys want to come and hang out with me. I’m going to have a hot air balloon ride, tethered, up to 100 foot, free.”
Also at the picnic the Cincinnati Beard Barons will visit to judge who has the most incredible beard.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever seen these guys, I didn’t find them, I can’t take the credit,” Brown explained. “These guys are awesome. They do this big charity thing, you know, beard contests, and letting kids make beards and stuff.”
The beards will be judged in categories, 6 inches and over, small beard, 6 inches and under, partial beard, goatee, chops and whaler, mustache, which is the mustache only, and then children 17 and under can be creative and make their version of facial hair at home and show up at the contest.
The picnic starts at 2 p.m. and food will be served.
There will also be a dog agility contest during the four-hour event.
The 5K run is early on Saturday morning. He said the race starts at 8 a.m. and participants can sign up by September 7 or show up around 7 a.m. on the day of the race to register. The cost is $25, and those who pre-register will get a T-shirt. The race benefits Larry’s Kids Foundation, which is an organization that helps underprivileged children in the school district.
Other attractions include old fashioned games and food and craft booths.
Two bands will be on hand to entertain the folks on Saturday. E5C4P3 will play for three hours in the afternoon, and Gen X will take over to play up until 9:30 p.m. when there will be fireworks that will be set off behind Krogers and Kohls.
“There will be bluegrass music all day long, and old time games, really family friendly,” said Brown. “Lots of food and drinks, a lot of fun, come on down.”
