TEAMWORK … Volunteers kept the event going during Archbold’s Route 66 Bash.
(PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
VOICE … Singer Jay Allen performs live on stage during the Route 66 Bash.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
Despite rainy weather and a lighter crowd than usual, Archbold’s annual 66 Bash still brought music, food, and community together for an evening downtown.
Now in its sixth year, the event is organized by the Archbold Parks and Recreation Department and has become a favorite summer tradition.
While the Parks and Rec team handled the planning and logistics, the Archbold Lions Club stepped up once again to help make the event possible.
The club provided 38 volunteers who staffed the gates, sold beer tickets, and helped run the beer tent.
As part of their ongoing community support efforts, the Lions Club uses donations from the event to fund local projects, with some projects from the past being the funding of scholarships, tree plantings, and the creation of a inclusive playgrounds for children with special needs.
This year’s bash featured an expanded entertainment lineup, with performances by local singer Garrett Grime, the Amelia Airharts, and country singer Jay Allen, who was featured on the television show “The Voice”.
The Parks and Rec Department increased its investment this year by bringing in a larger headlining act, hoping to draw an even bigger crowd and offer more variety in the downtown experience.
Six food trucks lined the streets offering a range of choices for hungry guests. Even with the steady rain, attendees who stayed made the most of the evening, enjoying the music and food while reconnecting with friends and neighbors. Performers played through the weather, doing their best to keep spirits high.
The event officially kicked off at 5 p.m. and was set to run until 11. While this was the first-year weather played a major role in dampening attendance, organizers remain optimistic and are already looking ahead to next summer’s bash.
The focus now shifts to building on past success, learning from this year’s challenges, and continuing to create a fun, community-centered event for Archbold residents and visitors alike.