Arcanum’s Old Fashioned Days is coming quickly! Do you need ride tickets? Pre-sale ride bands are available for purchase at Sutton’s Foods, Miller’s Tavern, Inc., Belle Fiole Tanning & Spa, Second National Bank and Greenville National Bank. The ride bands can only be used for one of the following time periods: 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday or 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The pre-sale ride bands are $15 each. Ride bands purchased during Old Fashioned Days are $18 each.

Let’s hope that winter is finally behind us and we can all come out and enjoy warmer weather at Arcanum Old Fashioned Days from Friday 18 through Sunday. After a couple of years with a feature attraction, this year the featured attraction is the festival itself. Organizers would like to thank the following companies for their support: Rumpke Waste & Recycling, Wintrow Signs & Designs, Greenville National Bank, Second National Bank, Flaig Lumber, Diane Evans State Farm Agent, Sink Jewelers, Johnston Chiropractic, RJ Warner Insurance, Hamilton Auto Sales, Blue Spruce Realty, Cut & Curl, Crème de la Crème Cakery, Belle Fiole Tanning, SRS Engine Parts/Ohio Crankshaft, Weiland Jewelers, Benanzer Custom Homes, A.R. Winery, Mote & Associates, SNAP Fitness, T & C Motorsports, JAFE Decorating, Graves-Fearon Insurance Agency, Village Flower Shop, Troutwine Auto Sales, Martins Old Fashioned Lemonade, Kaup Pharmacy, Eye Center of Greenville, Skippy’s Garage, Arcanum VFW Post 4161, Shortstop Barber Shop and American Muscle Car.

The festival kicks off Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. with the flag raising and national anthem, sung by Mora Menzie. It also officially opens the festival and all the food and craft vendors, along with the rides by Cromer United Amusements. At 6:30 p.m., Dale Clark, who is making his 35th appearance, will open his karaoke stage to display some of the local singing talent until 9 p.m. On North High Street from 8 until 11 p.m., you can come out to Veterans Memorial Park and enjoy a “Dance Party” on the lawn with DJ Travis Tegtmeyer.

The annual pancake breakfast will again be on Saturday morning, beginning at 6 to 9:30 a.m. at the Arcanum Firehouse, sponsored by the Arcanum Fire Company. At 11 a.m., the Old Fashioned Days Parade, with Grand Marshal Dale Clark, will travel south down Main Street from the Arcanum Fieldhouse to downtown and will kick off the activities for the day. At noon, the Lion’s Club will again be having their chicken barbecue at the firehouse until they are sold out. At 12:30 p.m., the 22nd annual Little Miss and Mr. Yesteryear Pageant will be held at Veterans Memorial Park, hosted by Yes Dear Hair and Nail Boutique. This year’s theme is “Rockin’ @ the Hop!” At 1:30 p.m., out on George Street in front of Veterans Park, will be the Kiddie tractor pull and at 2 p.m., the Boy Scouts will have a flag retirement ceremony in Ivester Park for anyone who would like to properly retire an American Flag. At 8 p.m., Whiskey Bizness will rock the Veterans Park stage until 11 p.m.

Sunday will bring the 35th annual car, truck and motorcycle cruise-in at Troutwine Auto Sales from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with tunes provided by Dale Clark. At 10 a.m., a church service led by Faith Hope Compassion Church will be at Veterans Park and the rides and concessions will open at 11. The annual golf outing has been moved to Sunday this year at Beechwood Golf Course. A hole-in-one on the ninth hole will win a 2018 Chevy Equinox LT courtesy of Troutwine Auto Sales. At 1 p.m., the egg drop competition will happen on George Street, near Veteran’s Park. Also at 1 p.m. in Ivester Park, there will be a monument dedication followed by a Scout Crossover Ceremony by the Boy Scouts. At 2 p.m. on the Veterans Park Stage, Shannon Clark & the Sugar will be providing musical entertainment with their blend of folk, pop and soul until 4 p.m. The annual festival will draw to a close at 5 p.m. will the reverse raffle drawing.

Additionally, the Jungle Island Zoo will be present on Saturday only with a petting zoo, bird encounter and pony rides. Chainsaw sculptor Dayle Lewis will be displaying his skills on Saturday and Sunday of the festival, sponsored by T&C Motorsports and Skippy’s Garage. Willie the Clown will be delighting the kids with balloon creations on Friday and Saturday and the tractor display will return this year on High Street. The Community of Faith on West George Street will open their doors on Friday evening from 5 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. to provide a private area for mothers and their babies. Their coffee bar will also be open if you need a break. In addition, the Arcanum Public Library will be having their book sale, starting Thursday through May 25 during normal library hours.

That also doesn’t include all of the wonderful craft and food vendors that will be present for you to enjoy and support that make the festival wonderful year-after-year. Arcanum Old Fashioned Days is proudly sponsored by the Arcanum Area Business Association. Information about Old Fashioned Days and other events in and around Arcanum can be found on the “Arcanum Area Community Events” Facebook page.