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2014 summer festival season gets start this week at Heritage Days

A hot air balloon glow is one of several events that can be found at Huntington North High School on Saturday evening, June 21, during Heritage Days.
A hot air balloon glow is one of several events that can be found at Huntington North High School on Saturday evening, June 21, during Heritage Days. TAB file photo.

Anyone looking for something fun to do in Huntington this weekend will find it when the Heritage Days festival returns for its 51st year, beginning Wednesday, June 18.

Some old favorite activities return this year, with some new ones added to the list.
The festival kicks off with Poor Jack Amusements, the familiar midway carnival, setting up on Warren Street for all five days of the festival. Festival-goers can expect some new rides and games this year.

Wednesday evening, two queens will be crowned in the Little Miss Heritage Days and Junior Miss Heritage Days pageant, which takes place in the Merillat Centre for the Arts at Huntington University.

On Thursday, June 19, the 46th Chief of the Flint Springs Tribe will be named at a breakfast at the LaFontaine Golf Club and will be charged with presiding over the Heritage Days' activities. Darlene Stanley, the 2013 chief, will present the honor to her successor.

The award, which is largely based on philanthropic efforts and community service, is a closely-guarded secret until the winner is surprised with the announcement.

"The past chiefs all get together and they actually select the new chief for this year," explains Huntington County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Steve Kimmel. "I don't even know who it is."

A new event on Friday fits right in with the festival's theme this year, "Flourishing in the 1920s," as the LaFontaine Center hosts an open house during the afternoon. The event will include refreshments, tours of the facility and live music of the era by the Towpath Players. A historic slide show created by the Huntington University digital media arts department will display old photographs of the Hotel LaFontaine, where celebrities such as swimmer Johnny Weissmuller stayed and splashed around in the Olympic-sized swimming pool in the building's basement and John Dillinger spent some of his easy-earned cash.

Also on Friday, the American Red Cross will throw a 1920s dance in the LaFontaine Center Ballroom aptly called "Guys & Dolls: Roaring for the Red." The "speakeasy" patrons are encouraged - but not required - to wear their Roaring '20s outfits, and prizes will be awarded for the best costumes.

Arthur Murray dance instructors will be on hand to teach everyone how to do dances that were all the rage back in the day.

Within yards of the former hotel's front doors. the Heritage Days car show will showcase everything from antique vehicles to the newest wheels, as well as tricked-out motorcycles.
Kimmel says the show is "open" this year, meaning anyone can enter and display their vehicle.

"Typically what we've had in the past, it's been a car show for cars that were from the '60s and '70s," he says. "This open car show means that it can be from an antique, like a Model A or Model T - which we're trying to get some of those - all the way up to like if you buy a brand-new Corvette, you can have a brand-spanking-new car in there if you want. Anybody can bring any car and show it."

Downtown stores will also have their doors open during the show, with restaurants serving sit-down customers and street vendors offering food and drink as well.

"When you come to the car show this year, don't go out and eat before you come to the car show. You can eat while you're there," Kimmel says.

The car show is one of two planned for the festival. The second show takes place Saturday, June 21, at Huntington North High School. That show will feature classic and muscle cars, located in the west parking lot of the school.

The Huntington Chapter of Freedom Riders will lead the 51st annual Heritage Days parade on Saturday, June 21, starting off from Huntington North High School with more than 90 units in tow.

The parade gets underway from North Jefferson and MacGahan streets at 10 a.m. It will continue south on Jefferson Street, turn right onto West Park Drive, then left down Cherry Street. The procession continues south, across the bridge on Jefferson Street, and will finish around noon at the corner of South Jefferson Street and Etna Avenue.

Keep an eye to the sky during the parade for fly-overs by either Warbird airplanes or EMS helicopters.

After the parade, head downtown for some new games in the Fun Zone that will keep youngsters entertained. Huntington County Head Start has planned some new activities including beanbag toss, fingernail painting and face painting.

There will also be a petting zoo and pony rides, all free for kids, plus the kiddie tractor pull contest.

A new event will appeal to cornhole enthusiasts who want to try their skills in team competition at the Heritage Days Cornhole Challenge Tournament Saturday afternoon.
The contest will have as many as 40 teams vying for trophies in this fund-raiser for Habitat for Humanity.

The Parkview Huntington YMCA's Strength Challenge will return this year, held on Jefferson Street between Court and Franklin streets (in front of the courthouse) on Saturday. Several fitness events will be offered.

Four-legged friends can also have fun, when the Huntington County Humane Shelter has its dog walk and wash on Saturday, June 21 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Drover Park, located on Etna Avenue next to the fire station.

HNHS is the site of one of two "festivals within a festival," the Hot Air Balloon Festival. The front lawn will be aglow Saturday evening with balloons and crews working to get the aerostats off the ground in one of three hound-and-hare races planned throughout Heritage Days.

Other activities include entertainment by the YMCA Dance Team, the winner of "Huntington's Got Talent" competition and Parkview Huntington Hospital Samaritan and Lutheran Air helicopters. A variety of food will be available, artists will paint faces and Joy Pleaser Clowns will make balloon designs. At 9:30 p.m. the balloons return for the balloon glow event, always a spectacular show of color evoking awe.

Another new event that takes place on Sunday, June 22, is "A Taste of Two EE's," an afternoon of wine tasting, food and music at Two EE's winery located on U.S.-24 east of Huntington. The Roanoke Rounders will provide bluegrass tunes to entertain those who are sampling the wines.

The second "festival within a festival" puts the crowning touch on Heritage Days weekend, as JeFFFest gets under way on Sunday evening on Jefferson Street downtown. Beginning at 6 p.m. there will be a flurry of art, food and music at the event. Eric Clancy Jazz will entertain, featuring soloist Shannon Persinger. Pictures created by local artists will be sold at a silent auction, and local restaurants will sell some of their best food selections. There will be tables and chairs, but patrons are encouraged to bring their own chairs to be assured of a seat.

In case of inclement weather during the weekend, festival-goers will be directed to shelters for safety, located in the Huntington County Courthouse and other venues. In addition Parkview Huntington Hospital's emergency medical services will have medics mounted on bicycles for ease to get around at events. They will provide care to anyone who may need it.

Many more events are on the schedule for this weekend. See the Heritage Days special section in today's TAB for details about festival events, including times and locations.

Complete caption: A hot air balloon glow is one of several events that can be found at Huntington North High School on Saturday evening, June 21, during Heritage Days. The “festival within a festival” features a balloon launch, car show, food vendors, talent showcase, clowns, a DJ and the bed race.