WAYNETOWN — Waynetown is geared up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The town will host its annual Freedom Festival on Saturday. The event features food, entertainment and fireworks and takes place in the Rev. Guy Tremaine Park.
A new addition to the festival will be a baseball game played on the former Waynetown High School diamond. The Byron Cox American Legion Post 72 team will resurrect the days when the Gladiators played their games on the field. Waynetown High School’s last game on the diamond was during the summer of 1971.
For more than 50 years the field has been used for youth baseball games, but has now been refurbished to enable a full regulation baseball game. Post 72 will play Speedway Post 500 at noon Saturday and there is no admission fee. Since the diamond is located near the aquatic center parking lot, parking for the pool will be in the grass on the south side of the aquatic center and on the event grounds. Foul balls will land in the pool parking lot so car owners need to find other parking spaces.
The town council is sponsoring a Happy 250th Birthday USA parade. The town is asking residents to decorate their bikes, motorcycles, golf carts, ATVs, trucks, cars and floats to participate. All participant names will be placed in a drawing to win a total of $250 in prize certificates. There will be additional prize give aways. Participants are asked to gather at the old school grounds beginning at 4 p.m. The parade will kick off at 5 p.m.
Beginning at 11 a.m. there will be food trucks, craft vendors, a carnival and games at the park.
The Wayne Township Improvement Committee will serve hamburgers, cheeseburgers, pork burgers, pulled pork, hot dogs, chips and drinks beginning at 11 a.m. in the Rusk Shelter.
Other food vendors will serve a variety of food and drinks.
A free family patriotic themed photo booth will be available 3 p.m. to dusk in the park’s event area sponsored by the Waynetown Christian Church.
The aquatic center will be open from noon to 6 p.m.
Music throughout the day will be provided by Purple Rain Productions.
The rock band Dirty Penny will perform from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on the Freedom stage.
A special patriotic ceremony will take place at 9:30 p.m. on the stage with the local Scouting America color guard presenting the colors. The program will honor veterans and will include the playing of Taps.
An expanded Forman Fire Blasters fireworks show will begin at dusk with a special grand finale.
The event is organized by the Wayne Township Improvement Committee. Festival sponsors are Byron Cox Post 72, Nucor, Hubler Chevrolet, York Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, Indiana Municipal Power Agency, Waynetown Merchants Association, Fountain Trust, Mishler Dental and the Town of Waynetown.
