Food, fireworks, and family fun are the orders for the day from the Owensville Fire Department when they host their annual picnic Friday evening at Memorial Park.

A VFW flag-raising ceremony opens the evening’s festivities at 5:30 p.m. outside Memorial Field. All OFD chiefs are invited to gather for a group photograph immediately following the opening ceremony to commemorate the department’s 80th anniversary being celebrated this year (see page 2 for an historical look at the department’s origins).

The family fun continues with turtle races at 6 p.m. on Memorial Field, followed by a pedal-tractor pulling competition after the races. Bring your own turtles…the pedal tractors are provided. Back by popular demand, a second annual Look-A-Like Contest is scheduled at 6 p.m. at the flag pole. Prizes of $50 and $25 for the top two entries in Mother/Daughter and Father/Son categories. Registration begins following the flag raising. The Lions Club will have Bingo games.

Fireworks will once again be shot off from the No. 9 fairway at Owensville Golf Course. Viewing is advised from Memorial Field looking north as seats in the grandstands will have obstructed sight lines. VFW Post No. 6133 has its beer stand open for the festivities and the firemen and auxiliary will be selling fish, roast beef and juicy burger sandwiches, hot dogs, pie and ice cream. Admission is free.

For those viewing fireworks from the Maciejewski Plumbing parking lot, a fund-raiser for the National Breast Cancer Foundation and American Diabetes Association begins at 5 p.m. Jason Crowe, Edward Jones, and Jeb Maciejewski, NEC Insurance, host.

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