ETC: Author to sign children’s books about President Hayes on July 4

        The author of a new children’s book that celebrates President Rutherford B. Hayes’ 200th birthday will sign copies of her book for the public on Tuesday, July 4, at the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums.
        Regina Vincent-Williams will sign copies of “Those Were the Days” in a tent next to the museum before and after Hayes Presidential’s annual Independence Day Concert. Signing times are 1:30 to 2 p.m. and 3:30 to 4 p.m.
        Copies of the book are available for purchase in the Museum Store. The book costs $10.
        The lighthearted book, written in rhyme, uses a “virtual voice" of Hayes to highlight how Fremont has grown and changed since Hayes lived here. “Those Were the Days” features present-day color photos taken by the author and historic photos from the collections of the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums and local historian Larry Michaels.  
        A freelance writer and poet, Vincent-Williams said she hopes the book will spark an interest in history for youngsters. But more importantly, adults reading to and with children can reflect back on how times have changed. 
        “There was a time that we didn’t have the convenience of an automobile,” the author added. “Most children would never think of that.”
        Vincent-Williams is a native of Talladega, Alabama and has published eight books. She is active in the community and was recently appointed as a member of the Hayes Presidential Board of Trustees. Vincent-Williams lives in Fremont with husband, James M. Williams, M.D., Sandusky County coroner.
        Makennah Rettig, Hayes Presidential digital media and design specialist, designed the book, and it was published by Hayes Presidential. Christie Weininger, executive director, and Julie Mayle, curator of manuscripts, also worked on the project.  Selected pages from the book are on display downtown as part of story walk.
        The Hayes Presidential Library & Museums is located at Spiegel Grove at the corner of Hayes and Buckland avenues, Fremont.
        For information, call 419-332-2081, or visit rbhayes.org.
 
Oak Harbor Independence Day set for July 3
        The Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce will present its annual Independence Day Celebration on Monday, July 3 along the Portage River in the village’s downtown.
        Festivities begin at 5 p.m. and include food vendors, entertainment, the Royal Duck Race, 50/50 drawings, glow necklaces and beer and soft drinks available for purchase. A fireworks display will cap off the celebration.
        Admission and parking are free.
        The chamber is seeking volunteers to help clean up on Tuesday, July 4, from 8-9:30 a.m. Interested volunteers may come to the riverfront on Mill Street Monday morning.
        For more information, call the chamber office at 419-898-0479 or visit oakharborohio.net/partnership/independence-day-celebration.
 
Downtown Fremont 4th of July Car Show
        Downtown Fremont Inc. will host its second of three Fremont Federal Credit Union Car Shows Saturday, July 1 from 5-8 p.m., rain or shine, on the downtown streets. Registration for the car show is free.
        Day-of-event check-in for Car Show participants will be in Lot A (Brady Parking Lot) on Front Street. Awards and trophies will be presented at 7:45 p.m. Dash plaques and goodie bags will be given to the first 150 participants and there will also be a 50/50 raffle plus door prizes. Food trucks and vendors will be a part of the car show also. At 5:30 p.m., Down Thyme Café will host Frankfurter Feast 2023 – its annual Hot Dog Eating Contest, at the intersection of Front and Garrison streets.
        That evening, a fireworks display will be presented at dusk at Rodger Young Park.
        For more information, call Downtown Fremont Inc. at 419-332-8696 or visit downtownfremontohio.org.
 
BG Boom Festival
        The BG Boom Festival and Fireworks will be held Monday, July 3.
        The festival, which will include games and activities, food vendors and a performance by the Bowling Green Area Community Band, will be held from 4-9 p.m. at the Wood County Fairgrounds, 13800 W. Poe Rd., Bowling Green.  from the Northwest Ohio Tractor Pulling Championships property. Fireworks will begin at dusk.
               
Designer Purse Party
        The East Toledo Senior Center will hold a Designer Purse Party Fundraiser Thursday, July 13 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Navarre Park Shelterhouse, 1001 White St., Toledo.
        The cost is $30 per person. Guests will have a chance to win one of 11 designer handbags, with brand names such as Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Coach and more. Refreshments will be available, including soft drinks, snacks, beer and sangria. Participation is open to ages 21 and older.
        All proceeds raised benefit East Toledo Senior Center programming. Call 419-691-2254 for tickets or more information.
       
Big Charity Raffle
        Tickets are available for Baumann Auto Group’s 21st Big Charity Raffle.
        The winner will have the choice of a new Chevrolet Trailblazer, Ford Escape or Jeep Compass donated by Baumann Auto Group.
        Tickets are $5 each, with 100% of proceeds going to charity, including First Step; Village House of Fremont; Oregon Senior Center; Liberty Center of Fremont; SCAT of Tiffin; Ruth Ann’s House of Port Clinton, Parker’s Purpose; Back to the Wild; Easter Seals; NAMI of Seneca, Sandusky & Wyandot Counties; CASA of Seneca, Sandusky, Wood & Wyandot Counties; Engaging Opportunities; Riders Unlimited; Joyful Connections; Sandusky County Cancer Care Fund; F.A.C.T. of Seneca County; Genoa Area Food Pantry; Oak House of Port Clinton and ARC of Ottawa County.
        Fifty finalists will be drawn on Nov. 4 and the winner will be drawn Nov. 11. Locally tickets are available at the Oregon Senior Center.
        In the past 20 years, the raffle has raised $1,183,997 for charity.
 
Garden tour set
        The Bedford Flower and Garden Club will present its 26th annual garden tour on Saturday, July 8 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Bedford Branch Library, 8575 Jackman Rd., Temperance, Michigan.
        The self-guided tour includes six gardens, vendors featuring a variety of gardening and other items, refreshments at the library, and a raffle with garden-related prizes. A food truck will also be on site at the library. Tickets include a map to each garden location.
 
Giant Lemonade Stand
        Support local young entrepreneurs at the Great Big Gibsonburg Lemonade Stand, Saturday, July 15 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Williams Park, located at 410 E. Stone St.
          One giant lemonade stand will be open to all young businessmen and businesswomen in the community to set up shop with their lemonade, Kool-Aid, baked goods, arts and crafts or produce to sell or fundraise.
        There is no to participate, but tables under the tent must be reserved by noon on Wednesday, JULY 12. Limited electricity will be available. A cookout lunch will be provided to all participants.
        For more information or to reserve a table, call the Gibsonburg Town Hall at 419-637-2634 or email m.glotzbecker@gibsonburgohio.org.
 
Great Lakes Fest returning
        The National Museum of the Great Lakes and Ramsey Brothers Restoration are teaming up to host Great Lakes Fest, featuring the return of the Toledo Antique and Classic Boat Show, on Saturday, July 22 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
        “From 2007 to 2018 the Toledo Antique & Classic Boat Show grew from a small gathering of enthusiasts to a multi-day extravaganza,” said Scott Ramsey, of Toledo-based Ramsey Brothers Restorations. “After a couple years hiatus, we look forward to bringing back the show in partnership with the National Museum of the Great Lakes, and we have been excited to see the growing interest in boater registration since it officially opened a few weeks ago.”
        In 2019, the Antique and Classic Boat Show took a hiatus from a Toledo-based event and then, in 2020, the pandemic struck, lengthening its pause. In 2022, Ramsey Brothers Restoration supported a smaller showing of boats during an inaugural Great Lakes Fest event hosted by the museum, which brought more than 400 visitors to its grounds and sparked the return to this summer’s larger show.
        “Last year’s Great Lakes Fest event was a daylong celebration that provided us with a wonderful opportunity to champion Great Lakes history,” says Kate Fineske, the museum’s senior director of institutional advancement. “With the grand opening of Phase 2 of the Glass City Metropark and more and more individuals recognizing our extraordinary riverfront, there is no better moment than now to bring back the full tradition of the Toledo Antique and Classic Boat Show.”
        Tickets to join the Great Lakes Fest celebration are free for NMGL members and children under 6, and $10 (pre-sale) or $15 (day-of) for all others. Admission includes full access to The National Museum of the Great Lakes and museum vessels, all land and water boat show displays, live demonstrations, maritime vendors, food trucks, family activities and more.
        The boat show is open to classic boats of all types but is particularly focused on those built prior to 1975 or modern recreations. Boater registration is $50 per boat and $25 each additional boat by July 15 or $65 after that deadline and includes two tickets to the boat show and Friday night reception on the Col James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, as well as a gift bag and official show T-shirt.
        For more details, to pre-purchase tickets, or to apply to be a Great Lakes Fest Marine Mart vendor, food truck or community partner, visit nmgl.org/GreatLakesFest2023 or call 419-214-5000. For more information on registering a boat, visit toledoboatshow.com.
 
Blues, Brews & Brats
        Waterville Rotary and Third Street Cigar have again teamed up for the 8th annual Blues, Brews & Brats Festival, which will be held Saturday, July 29 at 5:30 p.m. in downtown Waterville.
        This year’s musical lineup includes Grammy-nominated Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers. The show will also feature The Altered Five Blues Band, who are fresh off two nominations from the prestigious Blues Music Awards (BMAs) for Album of the Year and Song of the Year, and, for the first time, The Ghost Town Blues Band, whose album “Shine” was the #1 Blues album on the Billboard album charts. Detroit’s Chris Canas will open the show.
        Tickets are $20 and are available day of the show. All tickets are general admission.
        Brats and other food, along with adult beverages will be available for purchase. Attendees can bring their own lawn chairs.
        Proceeds from the event will go to the Waterville Rotary.
 
Unbe-leaf-able
Photography Event
        Celebrate your summer garden and plants with the Wood County District Public Library’s Unbe-leaf-able Photography Event.
        The monthlong event takes place from July 1-31. Participants are invited to submit photos of their local gardens, plants, or backyard to be entered into a raffle to win an unbe-leaf-able prize. Submissions should be in jif or .jpg file formats and submitted to woodref@wcdpl.org anytime during the month of July. Submissions will be displayed in a slideshow in Meeting Room C on July 29 and July 30 at the Bowling Green Library and posted on WCDPL’s social media accounts.
        For more information, call 419-352-5050, email woodref@wcdpl.org or visit wcdpl.org/events.
 
Submissions sought for BGSU art show
        Celebrating the talents of regional artists, Bowling Green State University Art Galleries is seeking submissions for the 16th annual Northwest Ohio (NOW OH) art show, which runs July 14-Aug. 4 at the BGSU Fine Arts Center.
        Artists 16 and older from Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Sandusky, Seneca, Williams and Wood counties are invited to submit up to one entry for exhibition.
        Artists are eligible for up to $2,000 in cash prizes and gift certificates, and awards will be given for Best of Show, Young Artist and People’s Choice. Entry fees are $5 for artists ages 16-18 and $15 for artists 19 and older. Registration is available online until Friday, June 30.
        This year’s show will be judged by Melissa Ladd, a graduate of the BGSU art history master's degree program. She also earned a certificate in public history from BGSU and bachelor’s degrees in art history and archaeology from the College of Wooster. Ladd focuses her work on contemporary art with research in graffiti and graffiti culture and is pursuing a career in gallery and museum curatorship.
        The NOW OH art show opening reception is 6-9 p.m. on Friday, July 14, with a gallery talk by Ladd at 6:30 p.m.
        Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 - 4 p.m. with free parking daily after 6 p.m. and on weekends in Lot N on the BGSU campus.
        Sponsored by the Ohio Arts Council, the BGSU School of Art and local businesses, the NOW OH art show is free and open to the public.
        For more information, visit BGSU.edu/Gallery.