By Paul Garrod
Staff Writer
LAWRENCE – The Lawrence Ox Roast & Homecoming festival on Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30- Sept. 2, will see the return of fireworks to celebrate a century-plus tradition, while marking the annual event.
The event began on Labor Day, 1921, as Lawrence area businessmen put on a one-day event featuring music, a parade, baseball games and more, including “5,000 free ox roast sandwiches”. The event continued through the years, briefly stopping during World War II. It then returned during the 1950s and 1960s, before ending before the close of the latter decade. It was revived in 1985 as a three-day event to mark the village’s sesquicentennial.
The event officially gets underway Friday night, Aug. 30, at 8 p.m. at the Lawrence Village Park pavilion with music provided by DJ Tippy Tempo. At dusk, fireworks will light up the sky at Lawrene Public Schools.
The annual Watermelon Run will kick off Saturday events beginning at 8 a.m. A pancake breakfast will be held at the Lawrence Township Community Services Building from 9 a.m. to noon. Also, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., a Farmers Market will be held in the Lawrence Village Park.
Other events scheduled for Saturday include a 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament at 9 a.m., the Lawrence Community Branch Library book sale at the Old Town Hall, downtown, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., then again on Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m., and Labor Day, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cardio drumming begins at 10 a.m. Also planned is a Chalk the Walk, beginning at 11 a.m. at the library.
A wide variety of music will get underway Saturday afternoon, with Chick & the Boomers beginning at 3 p.m.
The Lawrence Alumni Banquet will be held at 6 p.m. at the Van Buren Conference Center. A ticket is required for that event.
At dusk, a lighted truck parade will be held, and will travel down St. Joseph Street.
On Sunday, a breakfast will be held from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Lawrence American Legion Hall. At 9 a.m. a church service will be held at the Lawrence Village Park pavilion. A car show will begin at 11 a.m., with registration from 9 to 11 a.m. A craft show will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Music will get underway on Sunday afternoon with The Black River Band starting at 1 p.m., as well as a Kids’ Pedal Pull.
A volleyball tournament will get underway at 4 p.m. in the village park.
On Monday, Labor Day, the Ox Roast & Homecoming Parade will step off at 11 a.m., followed by music by Luke Lenhart and The Green Valley Boys at noon at the park pavilion. Also at noon, free Ox Roast sandwiches will be given out at the Lawrence American Legion Hall, and the Lawrence United Methodist Church will hold a chicken dinner at the church.
The festival concludes at 2 p.m. with raffle drawings.
