There’s no place like Mount Vernon this weekend, when the Mount Vernon Heritage Days festival returns after a year’s hiatus due to COVID-19.
The festival this year is being spearheaded by the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group, Mount Vernon Alumni Association and Kernoustie Golf Club.
Organizers have made a few changes from past Heritage Days celebrations. The festival will be condensed to two days with events at Kernoustie Friday and in uptown Mount Vernon Saturday. Saturday events include new family fun in Memorial Park around a Wizard of Oz theme.
The Mount Vernon Alumni Association is planning many special events around its reunion weekend, including a Hall of Fame award celebrating Super Bowl champion and Class of 2017 graduate Tristan Wirfs.
FridayThe events kick off at Kernoustie Friday, with an alumni golf event at the club from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
That golfing event is followed by an early bird reception sponsored by the Mount Vernon Alumni Association at the golf club.
The annual fun run will move from Van Metre Field at Cornell College out to Kernoustie Golf Club this year, with registration beginning at 5 p.m. and the race beginning at 6 p.m. Other kids events including inflatables, trackless train rides and a rock wall will be available.
A hot air balloon glow will return at Kernoustie this year, as well as musical entertainment. A beer and food tent will also be available at Kernoustie for the event.
The evening concludes with the fireworks show at dusk.
SaturdaySaturday will feature two different events honoring Tristan Wirfs, hosted by the Mount Vernon Alumni Association.
The first event will begin with a hall of fame ceremony at the Mount Vernon High School Performing Arts Center from 10 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. The second event is scheduled for Saturday evening at the main stage in Uptown Mount Vernon on Saturday evening, beginning at 6 p.m. The Association will present Wirfs and his award, along with honorary speakers including coaches, family, and friends.
“I’m looking forward to the excitement created by the Association’s two events honoring Tristan Wirfs,” said Kathy Staskal, Mount Vernon Alumni Association communications director. “Mount Vernon loves Tristan, and he loves us back. I think Mount Vernon will show up for Tristan on this day, and that is exciting!”
Alumni Association The Mount Vernon Alumni Association provided backing for the Heritage Days festival at $5,000 this year for the festival to move forward.
“The Mount Vernon Alumni Association [believes] this is an essential town celebration that creates a unique venue and opportunity for Mount Vernon alums, from not only the area, but from all around the country, and really all ends of the globe, to come home to reconnect with classmates, friends, and family,” said Andrew Morf, Mount Vernon Alumni Association president. “Every summer numerous class reunions are held during this weekend, a large breakfast is served at the High School for MV Alums, and tours are given of the schools prior to the town parade. It is a perfect time of year to be in Mount Vernon and reconnect with the past while witnessing future generations thriving in the present. It is a reminder of the circle of life in which we are all a part, as well as a reminder of the opportunity we all have to give back a portion of the success we have earned, thanks in part to the investment teachers and coaches made in us while attending school here. Determined to keep Heritage Days thriving, the Alumni Association has made a $5,000 commitment to this year’s Heritage Days. If we see that MV alums are supportive of this investment through the donations you continue to generously give, our hope is to provide this financial support indefinitely.”
The All-Alumni and Community Breakfast also runs from 8 to 10 a.m. at the high school.
Alumni are also encouraged to take part in tours of the new facilities at the Mount Vernon School buildings, with self-guided tours of the facilities available 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, July 9, and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday, July 10. The Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center will also be open for tours at those times.
Reunions are planned for the classes of 2016, 2011, 2006, 1996, 1995, 1991, 1990, 1981, 1970 (50th), 1966, 1961 and 1956.
ParadeThe Heritage Days parade will begin at 11 a.m. this year.
Due to construction at the Small Sports Complex at Cornell, parades and floats will instead meet at the Bowers residence on 203 Old Lincoln Highway. Parade participants can meet beginning at 10 a.m. Parade floats, marchers and other parade vehicles can meet at the Bowers residence to stage for the parade. Parking, however, will not be permitted at the property. Vehicles are encouraged to park at the Mount Vernon Police Department at 380 Old Lincoln Highway and walk to the staging grounds from there. The parade will proceed down First Street at 11 a.m., with Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department providing traffic control and closing down First Street and Scobey Road to stop eastbound traffic.
The police department is planning to hold an open house that morning – from 8 to 9:30 at the police station.
Fun zone Following the parade, most of the activities happen in the uptown Mount Vernon area.
New this year will be the Memorial Park Family Fun Zone, with arts and crafts projects centered around a Wizard of Oz theme from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Carnival games will run to the north of the old fire station from noon to 8 p.m.
Alumni from the school can take part in alumni community receptions from 11:30 a.m. until dark at the old fire station. The alumni association will be selling chocolate shakes as a fundraiser this year for $3 a piece.
The Lions will host BINGO from noon to 10 p.m., the Mount Vernon Wrestling team will have its annual bags tournament on Main Street, and there will be musical and dance entertainment on the Heritage Days Main Stage Saturday afternoon.
The evening will conclude with a street dance headlined by Crazy Delicious.
Mount Vernon Lisbon Community Development Group director Joe Jennison said six additional food vendors will have booths at Heritage Days festival, on top of Scorz offering a booth in the festival. The Mount Vernon United Methodist Church will also host a food booth outside the church Saturday afternoon.
Portapotties will be set up outside city hall and near the car show locations.
“I know everyone is excited that we can get out in person, enjoy our community and reconnect with family and friends,” Staskal said. “Like the theme for Heritage Days says, ‘There’s no place like Mount Vernon.’ I think CDG Director Joe Jenison and the Heritage Days committee have a great event planned.”
Street closuresFirst Street West up to Third Avenue will be closed beginning at 2 p.m. Friday, July 9, to set up for the Heritage Days Festival events in Uptown Mount Vernon on Saturday, July 10.
On Saturday, July 10, the closure of First Street West will move to Fifth Avenue to accommodate the Heritage Days Car Show. The road closure will go back to Third Avenue at 3 p.m., with the conclusion of the Car Show.
At 2 a.m. Sunday, July 11, First Street West should be back and open to the public.
For the parade, roads will be detoured Saturday morning. For traffic wanting to use First Street West, they are encouraged to head South on 10th Avenue, east on College Blvd. and take Fourth Street S.W. to Hwy. 1. For First Street East, traffic will be diverted to East Scobey Road and then either direction on Springville Road or to Seventh Street NW to find their way to Highway 1.
First Street West will remain open until the parade time. At the parade start, First Street West will be closed from 10th Avenue South and Bryant Road. Traffic on Scobey Road will be delayed until the last parade vehicle clears that intersection. Motorists should plan for a long delay until roughly noon. Once the parade has cleared and pedestrian traffic back to vehicles has occurred, First Street West will be open to traffic up to Fifth Avenue.
Heritage Days kicks off Friday, Saturday
July 8, 2021
Parade route
The parade route for this year’s Heritage Days parade has some minor deviations to where the event is staged, due to construction at the Small Sports Complex at Cornell College, but will still proceed east down First Street West Saturday, July 10.
About the Contributor
Nathan Countryman, Editor
Nathan Countryman is the Editor of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.