Bath Community Day brings township together
By Kathleen Folkerth
BATH — Bath Community Day packs Aug. 5 with activities ranging from a pancake breakfast and parade to Bath’s Best Pooch contest.
The ninth annual day was put together by a group of volunteers headed up by Bath resident Nadine Clar, who is in her eighth year working on the event. She said the day is important to bring the Bath community together.
“For a lot of people, we live in Bath but our ZIP code is Akron,” Clar said. “A lot of people work in Cleveland or Akron and we need something to let us know we are a strong little community here.”
This year, the event actually kicks off the night before, Aug. 4, at 6:30 p.m., with a Native American smudging ceremony at the recently installed carving of Mingo Indian Chief Logan on the grounds of Bath Community Activity Center. The carving was donated to the township by Stow artist Joe Frohnapfel. It was carved out of a red oak tree that fell in Fairlawn.
On the morning of Aug. 5, Bath Community Day begins with breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Bath Church. Members of the Bath Homeowners Association will cook up pancakes and sausage and offer coffee and juice.
“They work like crazy for us,” said Clar of the homeowners’ group. Proceeds from the breakfast go toward the expenses of Bath Community Day. At press time, Clar did not know the cost of breakfast. The highlight for many is the parade, which steps off at Ken Stewart’s Lodge and heads south on Cleveland-Massillon Road to Bath Elementary School. Clar said the parade usually attracts 50 to 60 units, including the Revere High School Band.
Bath firefighter Larry Coffee will be this year’s grand marshal. The grand marshal emeritus, Howard McKisson, who is the oldest living resident born in Bath, also will take part in the event.
Spectators should be ready to collect some candy at the parade.
“I always encourage kids to bring bags because there’s lots of it,” Clar said.
Following the parade, around noon, events will begin at the Bath Community Activity Center, 1615 N. Cleveland-Massillon Road. Activities will take place until 6 p.m. The day will include:
• A children’s cross country race takes place at 1 p.m., with registration for this free event available in the hour preceding it. Trophies will be awarded to the top three boy and girl finishers in each age category, while all participants will receive ribbons.
• A bubble-gum blowing contest is set for 2 p.m., with winners getting bubblegum and toothbrushes as prizes. • At 3 p.m., the Bath’s Best Pooch contest begins, with categories such as Most Talented and Most Obedient. “It’s a fun, tongue-in-cheek contest,” said Clar, who added that about 30 dogs took part last year.
• A new event, the Wackiest Container Garden Contest, will be judged at 3 p.m. Interested contestants can bring their unique creations to the community center between 9 and 11 a.m. Prizes include gifts from Bath gardening shops.
• Music will be provided by Backtrack, and five inflatables will be set up for children, with no charge to play.
• A large tented area will feature local community organizations and businesses with informational booths.
• Food available will include hot dogs, corn and turkey legs, all hot off the grill. Clar said the turkey legs in particular are a big hit. “We sell out within an hour,” she said. “We could not believe how many we’ve sold. Every year we order more.” Pizza, slushies, Dippin’ Dots ice cream, kettle corn and pop also will be for sale.
Clar said she hopes one day to expand Bath Community Day into the evening, with a dinner and fireworks display.
She said the event differs from other local community festivals.
“Ours is still the smallest,”
she said. “But what’s
nice is how everybody gets on board to help.”
For many residents, the highlight of Bath Community Day is the parade (shown above is last year’s parade), which steps off at Ken Stewart’s Lodge and heads south on Cleveland-Massillon Road to Bath Elementary School. Photo: Krista Galloway
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