FORT LORAMIE — The Fort Loramie Liberty Days festival has been scheduled for July 3 and 4 in the Fort Loramie Community Park.
Friday’s activities will begin at 11 a.m. when the Fort Loramie Service Club opens its barbecue chicken dinner sales. Sales will take place at a drive-up location on Lane Street just south of the picnic grounds until 1 p.m. Sales will also take place at the concession stand on the picnic grounds until dinners are sold out. The club supports scholarships, school activities, senior citizen projects and blood drives.
Ken Sowards will read the Declaration of Independence at 11:45 a.m., followed by Maddie Geise’s singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Carnival rides will open, the Little Miss Independence pageant and a co-ed vollyball tournament all will begin at noon.
From 1 to 4 p.m., the kid’s fun zone will be open and Balloon Geeks will make free balloon art. A petting zoo will be open from 3 to 7 p.m. and the bingo games will run by the high school band from 3 to 10 p.m. The band hopes to raise money to support its planned trip to perform at Disney World in November. Registration for a junior trivia challenge for teams of children in grades 4-6 starts at 3 p.m. The tournament kicks off at 3:30 p.m. The Buckeye Mobile Tour will run from 4 to 8 p.m.
At 4:30 p.m., a ceremony will honor the state champion girls volleyball and basketball teams. The annual Miss Independence pageant takes place at 5 p.m. Advance registration is open now for a dodge ball tournament that will begin at 6 p.m. Teams of 6 people in three age groups — grades 4-6, 7-8, and high school and up — can compete by paying an early-entry fee of $12. Day-of-tournament registration fees will be $18 per team. To register, email [email protected].
The national kiddie tractor pull will begin at 7 p.m. Registration will open at 6:30 p.m. From 7 to 11 p.m., turtle races will take place. Karma’s Pawn will perform music from 8 p.m. to midnight.
The fireworks will be at 10:30 p.m.
Saturday’s schedule is as follows:
The Respect Life committee will recite a patriotic rosary at 11:30 a.m. Carnival rides will open and a Care Flight demonstration will be at noon. A kids lip sync contest for children in grades K-12 takes place at 12:30 p.m. Discounted ride bracelets will be sold from 1 to 5 p.m.
A horseshoe tournament for adults and games, including a tug-of-war, hula hoop contest, three-legged race and water balloon toss, for children will be at 1 p.m. Students at the Cheer Barn will perform at 1:30 p.m., which is the same time registration opens for a beanbag tournament. The tournament will run from 2 to 8 p.m., during which hours disc jockey Obie will play music.
A petting zoo will be open from 3 to 7 p.m. Bingo games will run from 3 to 10 p.m. Kevin and the Others will perform from 3 to 4 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., a cutest baby contest drawing will take place. The pet parade steps off at 6 p.m. A raffle will take place at 6:30 p.m. and the day’s turtle races will go from 7 to 11 p.m. Tricky Dick and the Cover Ups will perform from 8 p.m. to midnight.
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