By SYDNEY HERDLE
Staff writer
The 39th annual Oil Heritage Festival will kick off Thursday and last until Sunday, July 23.
Although the festival itself is only four days long, executive director of the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce Susan Williams said there are events that occur throughout the week.
“(The festival) started with just a few days of competition events and grew into a week-long festival in just a few years,” Williams said. “It celebrates the area’s history and brings the community together.”
The Bike ‘n Brew offers biking activities for all ages from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and brewfest sessions from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets at the door are $35 for participants and $5 for designated drivers.
Thursday’s events include the Junior Olympics at Oil City High School, the children’s parade – which starts at 5:15 p.m. and runs from Free Methodist Church to the Central Avenue Plaza – and the crowning of the Oil Heritage Festival queen in Central Avenue Plaza.
The children’s pool party at the James A. Nelles Memorial Swimming Pool in Hasson Heights and the Youth Alternative’s Barrel Race along Oil Creek are among the events planned for Friday.
On Saturday, the Oil Heritage parade will kick off at 5 p.m. on Oil City’s South Side with the theme of “Transportation” this year.
“We’re a hub of interesting transportation,” Williams said, adding the area has a long history with trains and automobiles and a “phenomenal” bike trail.
There are 50 units in the parade as of Wednesday, but Williams said there are normally between 75 and 85 units by the time the parade starts.
Following the parade will be a Lawyers, Guns and Money concert at 7 p.m. and fireworks at 10 p.m. in Justus Park.
A baseball tournament at the junior league baseball fields and the artisan and fine crafts festival along Seneca Street will also highlight Friday and Saturday’s events.
The artisan and fine crafts festival will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, July 21, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 22. About 40 vendors had signed up as of Wednesday, but Williams said they chamber will continue to add more “until we run of room or patience.”
Sunday’s events include a disc golf tournament in Hasson Park and the car and motorcycle cruise along Seneca Street.
The car and motorcycle cruise lasts from noon to 4 p.m. and charges a $5 entry fee for participants. The first 100 participants will receive a dash plaque, T-shirt and goodie bag.
The Oil Heritage art shows and newly-founded photography show will begin on Wednesday and last through Sunday in the National Transit Building, Annex and Graffiti Gallery. The shows will be open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
The Chamber of Commerce has been busy preparing for the festival, which occurs annually on the fourth weekend of July and brings thousands to the area, Williams said.
“We are very fortunate that many of the attractions are hosted by community members,” Williams said. “We’re thrilled when anyone from the community supports the festival through sponsorship and volunteers.”
More information about the festival can be made available by calling or visiting the chamber’s office or the festival’s headquarters – which opens on Wednesday at the former site of Lydia’s Stitches on Seneca Street in Oil City – or visiting festival’s website and Facebook page online.
Oil Heritage Festival schedule
Several events and pre-festival activities have been scheduled for the annual Oil Heritage Festival. A complete schedule is available online at www.venangochamber.org.
Today through Sunday
Annual Hop Homan and Chops Cunningham Memorial Softball Tournament – Hasson Heights and Mitchell fields.
Saturday
Oil Heritage Festival Bike ‘n Brew – Brew Fest sessions from 1 to 4 p.m. or 5 to 8 p.m.; outdoor activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; at Justus Park, Seneca Street.
Sunday
Oil Heritage annual raft race – 11 a.m.; Henry’s Bend to Justus Park.
Wednesday
Oil Heritage Art Show – 6 to 9 p.m., National Transit Building
Venango County Humane Society Pet Show – 6 p.m., Justus Park
Youth Alternatives Tiny Tot Contest – Voting at Festival Headquarters on Seneca Street.
Thursday
Oil Heritage Festival Junior Olympics – 9 a.m., Oil City High School Track
Friends of the Library Book Sale – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Christ Episcopal Church
Oil Heritage art shows – noon to 4 p.m., National Transit Building, Annex and Graffiti Gallery
YWCA Spaghetti Supper – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., 109 Central Ave., Oil City
Children’s Parade – 5:15 p.m., Free Methodist Church of Oil City to Central Avenue Plaza.
St. Stephen Church Heritage Festival – 5 to 10 p.m.; St. Stephen Church Parking Lot, State and Front streets.
Children’s Fun Fair/Teddy Bear Picnic – 5:30 p.m., Central Avenue Plaza
FLEX Ice Cream Social – 6 to 8 p.m., Central Avenue Plaza
Oil City Front Porch Contest – 7:30 p.m., Central Avenue Plaza
Oil Heritage Festival Queen crowning – 7:30 p.m. Central Avenue Plaza
Well Strung – 8 to 10 p.m., Central Avenue Plaza
Friday, July 21
Friends of the Library Book Sale – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Christ Episcopal Church.
Oil Heritage Artisan and Fine Craft Festival – 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Seneca Street.
Bike Rodeo – 10 a.m., Dek Hockey parking lot, Hasson Height
City of Oil City Children’s Pool Party – noon to 4 p.m.; James A. Nelles Memorial Swimming Pool Hasson Heights
Old Fashioned Photo Shoot – Bright Ideas Learning Center; Lyric Theatre, Seneca Street
Oil Heritage art shows – noon to 6 p.m.; National Transit Building, Annex and Graffiti Gallery.
Dinner in the Park – 5 to 7 p.m., Hasson Park Main Pavilion
Oil Heritage Baseball Tournament – 5 p.m., Oil City Junior League Baseball Fields
Youth Alternative’s seventh annual barrel race – 6 p.m., Oil Creek, behind Webco
Community Drum Circle – 7 p.m., National Transit Building
Dead Level – 7 to 10 p.m., Justus Park, Oil City
Saturday, July 22
Old Fashioned Photo Shoot – Bright Ideas Learning Center, Lyric Theatre, Seneca Street
Venango Youth for Christ Oil Heritage Pancake Breakfast – 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., Grace United Methodist Church
Fourth annual Arms For Christ Arm Wrestling Tournament – noon, Justus Park, Oil City
Oil City Firefighters 5K Run/Walk – 9 a.m., West First and Petroleum streets
Oil Heritage Artisan and Fine Craft Festival – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Seneca Street
Oil Heritage Baseball Tournament – Oil City Junior League Baseball Fields.
Ike’s Oil Heritage Children’s Fishing Derby – 9 a.m., Waltonia Park
Oil Valley Quilters Guild Fabric Bazaar – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church
Ultimate Frisbee Tournament – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oil City High School Football Field
Oil Heritage Art Shows – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., National Transit Building, Annex and Graffiti Gallery
St. Stephen Church Heritage Festival – 4 to 10 p.m., St. Stephen Church Parking
Oil Heritage Festival Parade – 5 p.m. step off
Lawyers, Guns & Money – 7 to 10 p.m., Justus Park
Oil Heritage Festival Fireworks Spectacular – 10 p.m., Justus Park
Sunday, July 23
Oil Heritage car and motorcycle cruise – noon to 4 p.m., Seneca Street
Oil Heritage art shows – noon to 4 p.m., National Transit Building, Annex and Graffiti Gallery
River Valley Disc Society Disc Golf Tournament – noon, Oil City Disc Golf Course in Hasson Park
Ultimate Frisbee Tournament – 3:30 p.m., Hasson Heights Softball Field
