Hilliard Love on Display Saturday!
It's a night game so don't worry about it!
In Hilliard, the first Saturday after Labor Day, since the early 1980s, has been a de-facto reunion for lifelong residents and was also a showcase to introduce any and all visitors to the charm of our city, particularly Old Hilliard.
First known as Old Hilliard Day, and most recently as Old Hilliardfest Art and Street Fair, the annual festival featured multiple stages of live music, arts and crafts, food trucks, and other entertainment on Main Street and Norwich Street.
Organized by the Hilliard Civic Association, the event was cancelled last year owing to a drastic decrease in the number of vendors, in-kind donations, and other support needed to keep the event viable, stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was not an easy decision, but it was apparent it couldn’t continue,” said Ed Daniel, of the Hilliard Civic Association.
The event lost money in 2022, according to Daniel, and was postponed last year but this year it was decided to end the event.
“For the Love of Hilliard.”
While not a festival, the event- presented by Destination Hilliard and the City of Hilliard- is meant to still showcase all Hilliard has to offer.
The scaled-back event is for only three hours, from 11 a.m. to 2p.m. Saturday, September 7.
Businesses on Main Street in Old Hilliard, and Lattimer Street, are participating.
There are no street closures.
Participating businesses will each plan their own in-house activities, said Samantha Brill, executive director of Destination Hilliard.
Tables and booths will be set up at Hilliard’s Station Park for businesses outside the Old Hilliard district that desire to participate, Brill said.
Live music at Hilliard’s Station Park features Dr. Awkward, a band including Phil Nagy, a teacher on the Innovative Learning Hub who leads Academy Vibe, a class for aspiring music makers, producers and engineers.
https://www.awkwardband.com/about
For the Love of Hilliard was “born from requests from (Old Hilliard) business owners” to fill the void of the former festival, Brill said.
“Old Hilliard Day was part of the fabric of our community,” and our business community came together to create this event, Brill said.
Patrons can obtain a passport of participating businesses and collect stamps to enter a drawing for prizes.
For a list of vendors, detailed site maps and further information about For the Love of Hilliard and the community, visit https://destinationhilliard.org/for-the-love-of-hilliard/
