Granville's Fourth of July celebration
The Reporting Project asked folks visiting, working at and passing through Granville, Ohio's annual Fourth of July celebration, one of the biggest events in Licking County each summer.
People answered questions about what the festival and what the holiday mean to them.
This is a feature of a continuing series depicting the lives of Licking County.
Answers have been edited for clarity.
Photo by Delaney Brown
Photo by Delaney Brown
Glen Funk, Granville, Ohio
I have lived in Granville since I was about 5 years old, so I have seen a few of these Fourth of Julys. This year I get to be on the float for my 55th class reunion, so I will see even more people that I know compared to a normal Fourth. Seeing all of the people I know or getting to hear the bands keeps me coming back year after year. I am actually playing on Saturday with my Steel Drum band ‘Pandomonium’ plus the float with the class, this year will be the most challenging to remember everyone’s names but I am always looking forward to these four days with everyone.
Photo by Delaney Brown
Photo by Delaney Brown
Carmen Blackstone, Granville, Ohio
I am originally from California, and I only came here for the Fourth of July when I met my husband. And let me tell you, I have never experienced small-town Americana in a rom-com – it's an actual Hallmark movie. His grandparents are from here, and my sister-in-law lives right on the corner, and we can see everyone putting their chairs on the corridor 24 hours, or more, ahead of time to have the best seats for the parade. I have heard some people leave town during the fourth, which I don’t understand.
For me, the best part is just seeing everyone outside together, and this officially marks that summer is here, FINALLY. It is about time. While I don’t know everyone, when we all walk from the fireworks together or fill the streets, it feels like you know everyone.”
Photo by Maddie Luebkert | From left to right, Carmen Wolcott and Ivy Gilbert
Photo by Maddie Luebkert | From left to right, Carmen Wolcott and Ivy Gilbert
Carmen Wolcott, New York and Ivy Gilbert, Columbus, Ohio
Carmen: “We both grew up in Granville. It’s where we became friends. I live in New York now, and so I’ve just come back for this week. A lot of it was to come back to the fair. My birthday is on the fifth so it always feels like a big birthday celebration for me. I think part of it is being able to walk around town and see it in a different way. Like not having cars and instead having so many fun activities, makes it feel special, running into people that you haven't seen in a while.”
Ivy: “I also have been living in New York for the last six years, and I have not been able to come back to the Fourth of July fair. And having grown up in Granville, this is like the highlight of the year in so many ways. So it's kind of a homecoming for both of us. Granville is very buttoned up in a lot of ways, and kind of on the preppier side of things. And this is a time that this town lets loose, and we do silly things, and we're gorging ourselves on holiday food and fair food. And this town doesn't really doesn't really do that any other time.”
Photo by Maddie Luebkert
Photo by Maddie Luebkert
Tony Gayden
“Making memories with people. I travel all the time, it’s not even all about the money. Just to see the smiles on people’s faces always gets me in my heart. So I just do it for the thrill. I’ve been doing the fair stuff for around three and a half years now, and it’s been fun. It’s my first year working this fair, but I’m going to be back next year because I like this one.”
Photo by Katie Nader
Photo by Katie Nader
Matt McGowan, Granville, Ohio
“You know, it's the thing that brings the community back together. Whether you've been here for one year, whether you've been here for 50 years or longer, or you used to be here and you just want to come back. And I know a lot of people from Newark, Heath and around the community come here because it's been going on so long…the parade goes all the way back to like 1900s. So it's just something that keeps on getting bigger and bigger. Great fireworks, great activities downtown. And as you can see, just people come and just walk around, whether you're two years old or 82…I live close by, so I can walk five blocks to get here, which is the best thing about it, because it's hard to find a place to park!”
Photo by Katie Nader
Photo by Katie Nader
Mary Miller, Utica, Ohio
“Fourth of July means our freedom. It means family and community and coming together to celebrate every year, taking a little time to get away from the usual schedules and just to be with people you love and to celebrate the freedoms that we have in our country. We're very blessed to have this beautiful country that God has given us, and my faith is a big part of it…I love to sing ‘God Bless America.’ That's my favorite.”
Photo by Katie Nader
Photo by Katie Nader
Stephanie McLemore, Newark, Ohio
“This celebration means an opportunity to come together and celebrate our country and our nation with family and friends, and this kind of traditional Street Fair is just a fantastic event…this lemon shake up booth raises funds for the Granville Arts Boosters, choir, band, orchestra and the marching band, yeah. And so we are parents and students…It's great. We're keeping up and sometimes getting ahead. And I got the easy job with the cash!”
Photo by Katie Nader
Photo by Katie Nader
Bill Page, Newark, Ohio
“This country means a lot to me…And I think it's worth protecting. I'm a veteran, I was in Vietnam. I know what it's like to protect what is ours and should stay ours.
So I'm just really proud to be an American, as the song says. And I wish more people were…And I think it's a shame because there's no place in the world that I'd rather be, and it's pretty obvious that a lot of people feel the same way. They're coming here. They're not running away from here for a reason.”
Photo by Alan Miller
Photo by Alan Miller
Lee Anne Belt, Pataskala, Ohio
From inside the comfortably air-conditioned Kussmaul Gallery gift shop, Lee Anne Belt has a front-row view of the July 4 festivities on Broadway in Granville.
"A front-row view of the back of the booths," she said with a laugh before helping a young teenager who was eager to buy and wear a new bracelet.
"It's so much fun to see the people come in here," said Belt, who lives in Pataskala and works at Kussmaul. She especially enjoys being in Granville at this time of year because people young and old are having fun together.
"This is something the kids always look forward to," Belt said.
Her son, Todd Belt, and his family live in Granville, and she is especially fond of going with them to the July 4 parade on Broadway.
"People get there early to spread out their blankets, and then chit-chat with everyone," Lee Anne Belt said. "It's a good time."
Katie Nader, Maddie Luebkert, Alan Miller, Tyler Thompson and Delaney Brown write for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.
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