Madison Messenger - September 4, 2022

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South Charleston
September 4, 2022 - MADISON MESSENGER - Page 9
Gearing up for annual Heritage Days Festival
By Kristy Zurbrick
Madison Editor
The South Charleston Heritage Commission
is hosting its biggest event of the year,
the Heritage Days Festival, on Sept. 24. Visitors
can expect all sorts of food, entertainment,
vendors and more with everything
taking place in and around the historic train
depot and log house at 147 W. Mound St.
The day kicks off at 10 a.m. with a parade.
Lineup starts
at 9 a.m. at 140 S.
Church St. near the
Veterans Memorial.
Parade organizer
Patty Moore said
more than 50 units
have signed up so
far and include
everything from
tractors and horses
to 40H groups, antique
cars, and
queens visiting
from other festivals.
“We have a couple
of special anniversaries
this
year. The Presbyterian
Church is celebrating
its 200th
anniversary, and American Legion Post 176
is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Both
will have floats in the parade,” said Moore,
adding that anyone who would like to participate
in the parade can contact her at
(937) 206-5072.
South Charleston resident Sue Mattinson
is the parade grand marshal. Mattinson
recently completed six years as president of
the South Charleston Heritage Commission.
During her tenure, she oversaw installation
of a new stair lift at the opera house and a
mural celebrating the village’s heritage. She
also wrote “Edward Edwards: The Man Who
Built South Charleston, Ohio,” led cemetery
tours, organized two tours of historical
churches, and gave a talk about the women
of South Charleston. She now serves as a
Heritage Commission trustee. She also is
treasurer of the Ladies Monday Night Club
and a member of the South Charleston
Community Club.
“Sue is a fountain of information. She
knows everything about everything,” said
Rick Burton, Heritage Commission president.
“What I really like about her is her
passion for the history of the village. She is
a dynamo.”
Sue Mattinson, shown here selling copies
of her book, “Edward Edwards: The Man
Who Built South Charleston, Ohio, is this
year’s Heritage Days parade grand marshal.
Also on the festival schedule is the always
popular kiddie tractor pull, sponsored
once again by Jennifer and Brian Harbage
and their family. The pull starts at 1 p.m.
Children’s games, including the cane toss,
football toss, and milk can toss, run all day.
Adults are invited to play poker.
Homegrown talent takes the stage starting
at 3 p.m. and continuing through the rest
of the afternoon and evening. All three vocalists
are Southeastern High School graduates,
and all have previously
performed at
the festival. Justin
Brue is traveling
back to South Charleston
from Tennessee
to perform.
Matt Clarkson now
hails from Springfield.
Ty Cooper is a
teacher at Southeastern.
The Heritage
Commission is holding
a silent auction
in conjunction with
the festival. Items
will be on display
outside the train
depot starting at 10
a.m. Bidding closes at 6 p.m. Items up for bid
include home decor, paint supplies, merchant
gift certificates, overnight stays at bed
and breakfasts and log cabins, holiday decorations,
children’s toys, lawn furniture and
more.
Festival goers will have plenty of food options,
including the famous pork chop dinners
made by American Legion Post 176. A
local organization will serve up homemade
gingerbread. Several food trucks are on the
schedule, too: All In Flavor, Diamond Dogs,
The Fat Straw, Miller’s Ice Cream, Poppy’s
Smokehouse, Cray Cray Cajun, Chido’s
Tacos, and Stix Street Food.
Fireworks sponsored by the Madison
Township Fire & EMS Association will close
out the festival. The fireworks will go off at
9:45 p.m. from Church and Woodward streets.
For more information and updates, visit
“South Charleston Heritage Days Festival”
on Facebook. Visitors are encouraged to
bring lawn chairs. Some hay bales will be
set up for seating.
Proceeds from the festival go toward upkeep
of the historic train depot and log
cabin, as well as the opera house at South
Charleston’s town hall.
Food Truck Rally coming to town
The Rose City Food Truck Rally is coming
to South Charleston on Sept. 16. The following
food trucks will be set up from 4 to 8
p.m. at the corner of South Chillicothe and
Jamestown streets: Poppy’s Smokehouse,
Stix Street Food, C Marie’s, SSM Concessions,
and Da Fudge’s Kitchen. Part of the
proceeds will benefit Clark County SPCA.
Messenger photo by Kristy Zurbrick
The historic log cabin and train depot will be open during South Charleston’s Heritage
Days Festival set for Sept. 24.