CHEVIOT, Ohio — Chairs will soon line North Bend Road in Cheviot in anticipation of the 6 p.m. start of the annual Harvest Home Fair Parade.
The Harvest Home Fair's annual parade begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday. The route runs from the intersection of Harrison Avenue and Frances Avenue and continues along Harrison to North Bend Road, ending at the Harvest Home Park.
Roads along the parade route will be closed from around 5:30 p.m. until the end of the parade.
Those roads include portions of:
- Bridgetown Road
- Harrison Avenue
- Washington Avenue
- Davis Avenue
- St. Ann Place
- Homelawn Avenue
Following the parade, admission to the fair itself is free Thursday night. The fair will run until 10 pm.
After Thursday, the Harvest Home Fair will operate in the following hours:
- Friday: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Saturday: Noon to 11 p.m.
- Sunday: Noon to 8 p.m.
Admission is $5 per person, but all proceeds from the fair go back into the local community, organizers said. Children under the age of 12 are free, as are first responders and military veterans with ID.
The fair dates back to 1806 when a farmer began an annual festival to celebrate a hearty harvest. The first "official" Harvest Home Fair was in 1860, modeled after the original celebration.
Each year, it brings dozens of fair games, live musical performances, 4H exhibits and more. This year, a "bigger, better" cornhole tournament will be held Saturday at 4 p.m.
There will also be an art show and general exhibits where kids and adults alike can enter a variety of categories — including new ones, like decorated and painted clothes, stained glass and handcrafted glass, and artisan bread.
Another detail new this year will be a Big Tent, which will house activities throughout the fair weekend spanning from kids games during the day to Blackjack on Saturday night.
There are a few other things that are new this year, however — specifically safety protocols.
According to fair organizers, all minors under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and must be supervised at all times.
No face coverings or backpacks will be allowed into the fair. Large bags are also not allowed, but diaper bags will be permitted; all bags will be subject to searches.
Adults will need to present a valid photo ID to get into the fair as well. Everyone entering will get a bracelet at the gate, which will be checked throughout the event, according to organizers.
