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Declaration 250 Event Celebrated America's True Date of Freedom
The first weekend of August, Put-in-Bay celebrated its unique heritage with a special Declaration 250 event. Unfortunately, less-than-ideal summer weather kept the anticipated crowds from materializing, but those who attended were treated to a full weekend of activities, entertainment and patriotic celebrations.
At Freedom Village, visitors could pick up a Patriot’s Passport and stroll along a pathway lined with signs featuring images and information about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Guests were also invited to add their signatures to a giant replica of the Declaration of Independence, which reportedly collected approximately 5,000 signatures over the weekend.
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Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln impersonators greeted visitors, while the Bristol County Fifes & Drums brought the sounds of early America to the island. That evening, Bob Gatewood & Calabash opened for Bohemian Queen during a free concert on a stage set up on the lawn of Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial.
The festivities continued the following day when a large transport aircraft from the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command’s 445th Airlift Wing flew over the island at noon. Visitors could also stop by McCann Field to meet reenactors and learn about life in America 200 years ago. The day concluded with a free Jefferson Starship concert at the Monument.
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On Sunday, The Ohio State University Marching Pep Band arrived on the island and paraded through downtown before performing at Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial. Later in the day, Bowling Green State University’s Falcon Marching Band also marched through town before performing at the Monument.
Despite windy and wet conditions, the weekend’s free Lee Greenwood concert went on as planned Sunday evening.
Mother Nature, however, had the final say. By nightfall Sunday, conditions forced the cancellation of the scheduled fireworks display, bringing the Declaration 250 weekend to an earlier-than-planned conclusion.
The previous piece is published in this month’s Put-in-Bay Gazette. The Gazette has been producing incredible independent Put-in-Bay island news for over 40 years. If you have any interest at all in what is happening on South Bass Island, we urge you strongly to subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette. One-year online subscriptions are only $15, and print subscriptions are available as well. To subscribe please visit the Put-in-Bay Gazette subscription form. This piece of Put-in-Bay journalism has been provided to putinbayohio.com courtesy of the Put-in-Bay Gazette, Put-in-Bay’s only local newspaper. Visit their website putinbay.news for more information and to subscribe!
