They are creating a space that can be used for teens and families, he said.
The Hollow Earth Fest will be from noon to 6 p.m. April 26 and feature historical discussions, STEM/STEAM demonstrations and experiments, food trucks, and a specialty beer from Municipal Brew Works.
Admission to the festival is free.
Organizers wanted to create an event in the spring in Hamilton that celebrates its history and veterans but also honors the visionaries who lived in the area, and to help Hamilton grow. About 700-900 people attended last year’s inaugural event.
“We want to continue to do this to help preserve the history, help preserve the park, and also help the community,” Smallwood said.
Similar to last year, the festival will celebrate a veteran and visionary in a veteran’s ceremony around 3 p.m. The veteran who will be honored is Sergeant Michael Popp, and the visionary will be Colonel Israel Ludlow. There will be a Color Guard ceremony and a 21-gun salute for both of the honorees by American Legion Post 138.
There will be live music throughout the day, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Artists include Gerhard Albinus, Josh Lawson and Superhound. There is also an expanded kids’ zone this year, which includes a fossil dig.
Children from the Boys & Girls Club of Hamilton will be sharing some of their science projects in a “Visionaries of the Future” presentation.
Other highlights include educational presentations and displays from local historical organizations, four food trucks and a beer truck with Municipal Brew Work’s special donut beer. Unsung Salvage Design Company will be creating T-shirts on site, and the Butler County Historical Society will also participate.
Proceeds from the festival will go toward restoring the Symmes Hollow Earth Monument, which is inside the park. Symmes Park is located at 401 South Third Street.
“It’s going to be a whole day of family fun, and trying to help the park,” Smallwood said. “It’s in an important area, where revitalization is needed, where we can hope that kids, especially teens, have a place to go.”
Symmes Park was one of Hamilton’s original parks. The land was donated by Mr. John Cleves Symmes, who was a veteran of the War of 1812, and he, at the time, was a noted visionary in Science. He was the founder of the Hollow Earth Theory.
The monument at Symmes Park initially marked his gravesite, and the city cemetery was later turned into a park.
MORE DETAILS
What: Hollow Earth Fest
When: Noon to 6 p.m. April 26
Where: Symmes Park, 401 South Third St., Hamilton
More info: hollowearthfest.com
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