CRESTLINE, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—With the first day of fall approaching, the season’s festivities are coming into full swing.

The Crestline Harvest Festival, celebrating more than 50 years, kicks off Thursday, Sept. 18, on the main stage with opening ceremonies at 5 p.m., followed by the crowning of festival royalty at 5:15 p.m.

New this year, the festival will feature roaming midway acts:

  • On Friday at 6 p.m., Sky Circus will perform balancing acts, juggling, acrobatics, and other variety entertainment.
  • On Saturday at 6 p.m., a towering LED robot on stilts from Glovation Circus will roam the grounds.

Rides open at 5 p.m. Thursday, 4 p.m., Friday, noon, Saturday. Wristbands are $15 on Thursday, $20 on Friday, and $25 on Saturday. Individual tickets are $1 each, 24 tickets for $20, or 45 tickets for $35. Each ride requires three to five tickets.

Weekend contests include a decorated pumpkin, water balloon toss, hula hoop, pizza eating, hay bale toss (adults only), and more.

Stage entertainment lineup:

  • Thursday: Tracy Rose at 6 p.m., followed by Pioneer Performing Arts Center students at 8 p.m.
  • Friday: Wastin’ Neon at 5 p.m., and At It Again Band at 8 p.m.
  • Saturday: Attaboy at 5 p.m., and Bernadette Kathryn and the Lonely Days Band at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday night at 6 p.m. at The Hubb is Alumni Night and Bulldog Backers Night. A reverse raffle will be held, and Baker 47 — a hometown favorite — will perform.

“The great thing about this event is that generations of Bulldogs gather for a fun night to raise funds for Crestline athletic boosters and youth sports,” said media relations representative Courtney Moody.

Other notable events include:

  • The Crestline Fire Department pancake breakfast at the fire station starting at 7 a.m.
  • The Back the Blue Car and Motorcycle Show at Village Hall on Saturday at 9 a.m.
  • The craft show on Saturday at 11 a.m. on the lawn of the Methodist church
  • The Crestline swim team’s Jeep Invasion on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on Seltzer Street
  • The parade on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Lightning Nutrition will host the Harvest Festival 5K Color Run. The run begins at the high school and winds through the festival grounds before they open. Participants may register on-site or pre-register via the Harvest Festival Facebook page or crestlineharvestfestival.org.

“For small towns, the hometown festival is like a big reunion,” Moody said. “So many people who have moved away come back to reunite with friends.”
 “We wouldn’t be able to do this festival without the tremendous community support we have. More than 30 sponsors help us make it happen.”

For a full schedule of events, click here.