76th Anna Homecoming Festival will feature an exciting two days

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ANNA – The Anna Homecoming Festival will return for its 76th year on June 17 and 18, and both days will be jam-packed with events for all ages.

The Anna Civic Association hosts the festival to raise money for community projects throughout the year. Currently the Anna Civic is heading up fundraising for a splash pad at the Anna Park. President Matt Bensman and the Anna Civic Association committee members are excited for this year’s festivities and hope for a big community turnout.

Before the festival officially begins, the queen and princess pageants will be held at Anna Elementary School on June 16 at 7 p.m. The princess pageant is for Anna Elementary School students going into second grade, and the queen pageant is for Anna High School students going into their senior year for the 2022-23 school year. Participants will go through an interview, modeling and talent segment, and they will also be part of the parade on Saturday.

Friday’s festival events start at 5 p.m. and end at midnight. The car show will be held at 5 p.m., which will be located south of the elementary school, as well as a hog roast by the Hog Roasters of Rumley. Registration for the car show will begin at 4:30 p.m. The second annual cornhole tournament will occur at 6 p.m., and teams can register for $10 until 5:45 p.m. on Friday. The 50/50 raffle drawing will happen at 9:15 p.m.

The rest of Friday’s events will happen at various times throughout the night, including a bubble ball by Anna girls’ soccer, a cake wheel by the Anna Fire Department and sponsored by Rachel’s Cakes, the second annual farm Olympics competition by the Anna FFA, face painting, inflatable and mechanical rides, food, and beer stands.

Saturday’s activities will go from sunup to well past sundown and will start with the Rumbling Rocket 5k at 8:30 a.m. Registration will start at 7 a.m. in the FFA Building at Anna High School and the entry fee is $18. All of the money raised will support Anna’s student-athletes. Following the 5k is a 1 mile, Kid’s Fun Run, and the entry fee is $5.

The parade lineup will start at 10:30 a.m. on the corner of Main and First streets. Step off is at 11:30 a.m. and will travel east on Main Street, turn left onto Pike Street (County Road 25A), and disband at the field northwest of the elementary school. The grand marshal of the parade will be long-time Anna track coach and teacher Dean Stewart.

Additional activities include a second hog roast at noon and a 50/50 raffle drawing at 9 p.m. There will be a silent auction occurring from noon to 8 p.m. to raise money for the Anna splash pad, and participants can win prizes such as an iPad, a smoker, half of a hog, a liquor basket, and a radio flyer wagon. Those wishing to participate in the silent auction should stop by to get a number and make a bid for the project at the Anna Park.

A punt, pass and kick event north of the baseball diamonds, face painting, bubble ball, cake wheel, inflatable and mechanical rides, food, and beer stands will also be available throughout the day.

Four bands will perform at the festival throughout its duration and will play a mix of all genres and eras. On Friday from 8 p.m. to midnight, a rock band from Shelby County called Kevin and the Others (KATO) will take the stage. On Saturday, the lineup will be acoustic duo Jay & Julia Riethman from 2 to 4 p.m., acoustic artist Will Inman from 4 to 6 p.m. Lastly, to cap off the festivities, Zack Attack from Cincinnati will perform from 8 p.m. to midnight. They are the midwest’s best throwback party band, bringing back all the best hits from the 90s all the way to today’s newest songs. They perform all over the tri-state area at venue’s like the Hofbrauhaus, Urban Meyer’s Pint House, and Standard Live in Columbus.

For more information, visit the Anna Homecoming Festival Facebook page.

The Anna Marching Band performs during the 2021 Anna Homecoming parade.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2022/06/web1_AIS_5804.jpgThe Anna Marching Band performs during the 2021 Anna Homecoming parade. Jason Alig | Sidney Daily News

By Charlotte Caldwell

[email protected]

Reach the writer at (937) 538-4824.

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