First Town Days Festival History

First Town Days History

So you think it is easy???

The first, First Town Days Festival took place in 1978 and was begun as an idea of then Park Board member Keith Walker who was looking for ways to raise funds to repair and restore the Carousel at Tuscora Park. Many communities around the country had recently organized festivals in celebration of our nations' birth in the 1976 Bi-Centennial year and it seemed to be a natural fit to do something similar in New Philadelphia as a celebration of the First Town or settlement in Ohio which was Schoenbrunn. This would also be a means to raise funds for the Carousel. Fellow Park Board member "Pede" Meese and Tuscora Park Concessions Operator Larry Chaney also jumped on board and helped organize our first and original First Town Days Festival in New Philadelphia, Ohio. As First Town Days became a fixture in New Philadelphia, Ellen Fenton followed in the footsteps of Keith Walker and the other original organizers and was then followed by Al Maloney Sam Hitchcock then was chairman after Als passing in 1997 -who retired from chairing the festival following the 2019 event.

The first early First Town Days festivals actually featured many of the same events that we enjoy today including Family Day and what started out as the Ferris Adult Superstars eventually became our Ferris Chevrolet Junior Superstars. Several of the original concessionaires including Di Russo's Italian Sausage are still with us today. Many individuals have carried the torch for all of these years serving as Festival Committee Chairmen, as Event Coordinators, or have simply volunteered their time and energy to make sure this wonderful family festival continues with the same great traditions and purpose as those earlier versions. Many thanks to longtime volunteers such as Sam Hitchcock, Judy Miller, Dale & Pixie Denham, Scott Miller, Rick Recco, Ed and Darla Kilpatrick, Scott & Shalee Bloom, Sandy Aksterowicz, Michelle Yoder, Becky Craig, Marc Davis Stephanie Glazer, Michele Szabo, Silver Incarnato, Mike &Heather Lawver, Gus Lambros, Melanie Milligan. Rod Miller, George Laurence, Theresa Brown Clum, Mindy & Joe Croft. These people and many more over the years have been the driving force for our festival and I am very thankful for them. We hope you are too.

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