Residents of Boone County and travelers from abroad arrived Saturday for Boone County’s 225th Birthday celebration, where they could eat, shop, listen, and learn about Northern Kentucky’s second youngest county.
Attendees could busy themselves with any number of activities provided by 40 different local organizations, providing a multitude of experiences, such as Touch-a-Truck, where multiple privately owned and community vehicles, such as excavators, a school bus and even a steamboat could be explored and sometimes operated.
Groups like the Florence Community Band and Hills of Kentucky Dulcimers provided music in the early afternoon, with the Rabbit Hash String Band showcasing their square dancing skills and encouraging audience members to join in the fun.
Event participants came from as far away as Minnesota and Illinois, with the parking lot lined with Boone County residents, as well as those from Ohio and neighboring counties in Kentucky.
Kenton County resident Kevin Bachmann came with his wife and 2-year-old son.
“We ate, had dessert… went to all the trucks, listened to some music, stopped at a few booths, and spent a lot of time at the game area.” Bachmann said. “A good two hours.”
Bachmann’s son was most excited about the school bus and excavator.
Historical organizations such as the Sons of the American Revolution, educated attendees about the history of the Ohio-Valley area and what life was like for their ancestors- including a musket-firing demonstration.
President of the Cincinnati chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, Scott Freeman, planned their involvement as a joint venture with the Simon-Kenton chapter in order to provide an educational experience at the fair.
“I find these events and the different things we do gratifying,” Freeman said. “We teach the youth and the public about the American Revolution.”
The event’s head organizer, Bridget Striker, who is also a member of the Boone County Planning Commission as their Preservation Planner, was excited to finally see a year’s worth of planning come to fruition and bring Boone County together.
“The most exciting part… is just creating something the community can all come together with,” Striker said. “There’s something for everybody.”
The planning was not without its issues, though. Striker feels the greatest challenge was ensuring that each organization in the area had a chance to have a voice and be represented.
Striker would like to thank the county court and parks department, as well as the city of Florence, for helping to make this event happen.
The county’s next celebration on this scale will be in two years, in July 2026, when the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.