Sandusky County celebrating 201 years of history

Celebrate Sandusky County’s 201-year history with fireworks, living history presenters, lives music, ghost stories and more during the Black Swamp Historical Festival on Friday, Aug. 13, and Saturday, Aug. 14, at White Star Park in Gibsonburg.
The festival is part of the county’s bicentennial and is organized by the Sandusky County Bicentennial Committee. It was rescheduled from last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Admission is free. There will be craft vendors, including a vendor selling items used to cook over a camp fire, a ceramics maker and a lotions maker, and seven food trucks, including Let’s Eat at Byron’s BBQ, Port Clinton Rotary Perch Wagon, the Chuck Wagon and Tim’s Bar & Grill.
Participants are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets for seating. Picnic tables will be available.
“I am so excited to bring this old-time history fair to the people of Northwest Ohio,” said John Havens, Sandusky County Bicentennial Committee chairman. “The Black Swamp Historical Festival will have great food and games along with historical performers and many different music acts. Best of all, this whole event has been underwritten and is free, fireworks and all.”
Gates open at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13, and at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 14. The entrance to the park is off County Road 60 in Gibsonburg.
The schedule is:
Friday, Aug. 13
3 p.m. – Craft and food vendors open
3:30 p.m. – Guitarist Clay Kirchenbauer performs on Stage B. Sponsored by Technique Roofing
6 p.m. – Dulcimer Group performs on Stage B. Sponsored by S.C.R.A.P.
8:30 p.m. – Ghost stories with local historian Mike Gilbert on Stage A. Sponsored by S.C.R.A.P.
Saturday, Aug. 14
11 a.m. – 10 p.m. – Craft and food vendors are open, Model-T cars on display throughout the day
11:30 a.m. – Uptown Country Band performs on Stage B. Sponsored by Motion Controls
Noon – Flag raising and opening ceremonies
2 p.m. – Living history presenter portraying Johnny Appleseed performs on Stage A. Sponsored by The Fremont Co.
5 p.m. – Guitarist Clay Kirchenbauer performs on Stage B. Sponsored by Tech. Roofing
5:30 p.m. – Medicine Man show performs on Stage A. Sponsored by Grund Drug
7 p.m. – Living history presenter portraying Thomas Edison performs on Stage A. Sponsored by First National Bank
8 p.m. – Bridge County Bluegrass Band performs on Stage B. Sponsored by Iron Workers Local 55 Toledo and Capital Aluminum.
10 p.m. – Fireworks Sponsored in part by a grant from the Sandusky County Communities Foundation.
For updates, visit www.bicentennial2020.org.
After the COVID-19 pandemic postponed most of the bicentennial events planned for 2020, the committee has offered them this year in the county’s bicentennial plus-one year celebration. A schedule of remaining events and details are available at www.bicentennial2020.org. Like the bicentennial on Facebook at @SanduskyCounty2020.