Two events that originated last year – Taste of Highland County and the Hope for the Highland Glow Run – are combining forces for an Oct. 14 event that’s expected to draw large crowds to the uptown Hillsboro area.
Taste of Highland County is an event that aims to bring the community together in a relaxed atmosphere and the Glow Run is a fundraiser to help bring more sober living facilities into the county.
The combined events will run from about 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will be staged primarily around the Highland County Courthouse and on Governor Trimble and Governor Foraker places.
There will be food, games, bounce houses, live entertainment, face-painting, balloons for kids, crafters, a magic show, a one-mile walk, a 5K Glow Run, information to raise awareness about substance abuse, and more.
“It’s kind of like when I was a kid and my dad worked at Duncanson’s. We’d come up town on a Saturday night and go to Lang’s Smokery, GC Murphy’s, Magee’s and other places and everyone would sit in front of the businesses, do some shopping, get something to eat and just visit,” event organizer Sharon Hughes said. “People just don’t get together like that like they used to.”
It was after Taste of Highland County had set the date for this year’s event that Hope for Highland approached Hughes and asked if it could hold its event the same day. Hughes said she told them the more people the better.
“I just think this is a perfect match for Hope for Highland,” Hughes said. “We are all family, there’s no doubt about that, and this is about everyone coming together, joining hands, and working for the good of the community.
She said that making Hope for Highland part of the event was a natural fit because when she started Taste of Highland County last year, “I just wanted something to bring everybody together, like one big family, listening to some music, have some good food and crafters, and just kind of unite the town and the businesses.”
The Highland County YMCA will also be involved. It will hold family-friendly group fitness classes from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., a Hula Hoop contest at 1 p.m. for ages 5-12 and 13-and-up with prizes, a family scavenger hunt at 3 p.m., $10 Y-bucks coupons for anyone finishing any of the programs, and seasonal crafts and balloons all day for little kids.
Local band Blue Steel will be the featured entertainment, but there will also be performances by Herb Day, Troy Wait, Matt Roberts, Tatum Burns and others.
Food and drinks will be available from Cowaburger, Shane Wilkin’s Wut Up Dog, Hillsboro Eagles, Brown’s Bakery, Lions Club and Ancient Valley Coffee Company.
Habitat for Humanity will be on hand providing information and selling chances to win an appliance.
The event is being sponsored by the city of Hillsboro, NCB, Merchants National Bank, The Times-Gazette, Buckeye Country WSRW/WCHO, Liberty Lions Club and Hillsboro Elks 361.
The Hope for Highland 5K Glow Run said it has booth spaces for churches and resource ministries, but space is limited. The final day to register for a booth is Monday, Sept. 25. The booths will need to be set up and ready to go from 11 a.m. till 6:45 p.m.
The one-mile walk begins at 7 p.m. and the cost is $20 per person. The Glow Run starts at 8 p.m. in the center of town and the cost is $35 per person. To register online go to GetMeRegistered.com, click “Search for Events,” type “Hillsboro” and hit enter. Early registrants get a free T-Shirt.
Some of the plans are still being organized. Taste of Highland County also has booth space available, but it is limited. For more information call Hughes at 937-393-3456 or 937-708-9443.
“The more organizations we bring in that are wanting to help and do things for people, the more people will show up, because they want to be part of that,” Hughes said.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522 or [email protected].
