CENTERBURG — Inflatables will replace amusement rides at this year’s Heart of Ohio USA Days festival.
According to a press release, the Heart of Ohio USA Days Association had a verbal agreement with Albanese Amusements to provide free rides for the three-day festival. However, the company did not honor that agreement.
After asking for additional money, declining to pay for its food trailers and electricity for its RVs, and booking some of its rides at another location, the company ultimately backed out of its commitment to the USA Days festival.
“You can imagine our extreme disappointment (and yes, a little anger!) in this matter. We have reported this to the Ohio Fair and Festival Association,” the release states.
The 2023 Heart of Ohio USA Days takes place June 22 to 24 at Memorial Park in Centerburg. The festival association called other amusement companies, but all of them were booked.
“So, our only alternative was inflatables,” the release states. “Not as good as rides, perhaps, but we have a lot of fun things with this.”
The eight inflatables, which will still be free of cost all three days for festival-goers, feature the following:
• 5-in-one Carnival Bounce Slide Combo ( younger kids)
• Farm Yard Combo Bounce (younger kids)
• Spidey (Spiderman) and his Friends Playground Combo (younger kids)
• Star Wars Obstacle Course
• Uncle Sam’s slide (21 feet high)
• 4-way Tricky Basketball Game
• Human Foosball Game
• The Velcro Wall where you don an attracting jumpsuit and when you run and bounce up onto the wall, you stick!
Volunteers are needed to staff the attractions. One professional will set up the inflatables and relieve volunteers for breaks. High school students can volunteer. The inflatables cannot open unless they are staffed.
“We are also encouraging any local organizations or groups to come up with some carnival-type games and have a fundraiser out of it,” the release states. “The more activities we can have, the better. We are looking into a few other things as well.”
As always, festival admission is free. A free shuttle will run between the high school and the festival, held in Memorial Park, and all entertainment is free.
Other activities include the annual parade, fair food, Diaper Derby, Princess Party, a kid’s state-sanctioned tractor pull, Cruise-In, over 50 crafters, and fireworks.
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