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49th annual Salamonie Summer Festival shows competitive edge this year

Urban Legend will bring some of the music to the Salamonie Summer Festival in one of two concerts set for Friday, July 1, the first night of the celebration. Urban Legend plays at 9 p.m. on the downtown stage, and Joe Bachman & The Tailgaters play after the parade in the Wagon Wheel parking lot. The festival continues through Monday, July 4.
Urban Legend will bring some of the music to the Salamonie Summer Festival in one of two concerts set for Friday, July 1, the first night of the celebration. Urban Legend plays at 9 p.m. on the downtown stage, and Joe Bachman & The Tailgaters play after the parade in the Wagon Wheel parking lot. The festival continues through Monday, July 4. Photo provided.

This year’s Salamonie Summer Festival will introduce a couple of events tailor made for anyone with a competitive streak — and an affinity for the out-of-the-ordinary.

First, there’s a “porcelain chariot” race utilizing, you guessed it, toilets.

Then there’s the Rough Mudter, a race so grimy that there’s a shower station at the end.

“It’s going to be awesome,” says Brittney Morton, manager of Warren Health and Fitness, sponsor of the Rough Mudter.

The 49th annual Salamonie Summer Festival in Warren opens Friday, July 1, and continues through Monday, July 4, kicking off the morning of July 1 with the Samuel Jones Award breakfast honoring an outstanding citizen of the community.

The Rough Mudter takes place on Monday, July 4, the final day of the Salamonie Summer Festival. Competition begins at noon, with registration at 11:30 a.m. at Warren Health and Fitness, 1111 Huntington Ave, Warren.

Individuals or teams of four will walk or run approximately three miles of wooded trails to reach the Knight Bergman Center.

“They’ll literally pop out of the ground and they’ll hit the mud,” Morton says.

They’ll be faced with a mud pit, tires to flip, wet tubing to crawl through and a muddy hill to climb before ending the event on a 200-foot water slide. Then they can hit the shower station and climb on a hay wagon for a ride back to Warren Health and Fitness.

“It’s for any type of fitness level,” Morton says. “If you can walk approximately three miles, you can do this race.”

The Rough Mudter is an event new to Warren and one of five festival events sponsored by Warren Health and Fitness. The fitness center wants everyone to participate.

“They’re all for any type of fitness level,” Morton says. “No one will be turned away for inability to pay.”

The Half Century Bike Ride on July 2 will take riders through 50 miles of scenic roads, but Morton notes that there’s an alternative 25-mile route for anyone not up to the 50 miles.

After registering at Warren Health and Fitness between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., riders can leave between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on a back roads course that heads toward Huntington, then the Salamonie Reservoir and into Wells County. Flaggers will be stationed along the route and while helmets are not required, they are recommended, Morton says.

Warren Health and Fitness is also sponsoring a 3-on-3 basketball tournament and cornhole tournament on July 2, and a 5K walk/run on July 4.

The porcelain chariot race will be run in downtown Warren on Saturday, July 2, at 3 p.m. The chariots will consist of a toilet bowl mounted on wheels. The riders will attempt to navigate an obstacle course using only plungers; feet, hands or another person may not be used.

A more conventional activity, the festival parade, will wind through downtown Warren on Friday, July 1, at 7 p.m. Also on Friday, the quilt show at Heritage Pointe will be open from noon to 8 p.m., and an art show and baby photo contest are open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Town Hall annex. Kids’ train rides will be available downtown from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the Warren Health and Fitness water slide will be open from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the hill at the Knight Bergman Center.

Two bands will play at two different locations Friday evening.

After the parade, Joe Bachman & The Tailgaters, a “party band” based in Nashville, TN, will play in the parking lot of the Wagon Wheel, 215 N. Wayne St., Warren.

At 9 p.m., Urban Legend will play on the downtown stage. Urban Legend plays a blend of old school soul, R&B and rock classics.

A full day is set for Saturday, July 2, starting with a pancake breakfast at the Sportsman’s Club from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The art show, baby photo contest and quilt show continue, and it’s the day for the Half-Century Bike Ride, Rebel 3-on-3 basketball tournament, cornhole tournament and porcelain chariot races.

There’s also a Frisbee golf tournament, SAM Olympics and a karaoke contest; the Luscious Legs contest at 8:30 p.m.; and music by the Mountain Dewe Boys from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Waterball fights are one of the highlights on Sunday, July 3, along with a kickball tournament and an open house at the Sportsman’s Club. Fireworks take place at dusk.

The 5K walk/run and Rough Mudter take place on Monday, July 4, along with a volleyball tournament.

An antique tractor and engine show takes place July 1 through 3 at The Daugherty Companies, 534 E. 1st St., Warren. Field demonstrations will take place Friday and Saturday. The Cumberland Gap Band plays at 8:30 p.m. Friday, and The Untouchables provides the music Saturday beginning at 7 p.m.

Throughout the festival, food vendors will be located at the corner of Wayne and 2nd streets. Last-minute updates, changes and judging results will be available at the information booth, also at Wayne and 2nd streets.

A complete schedule of festival events appears inside today’s edition of The TAB.