ADA, Ohio (WLIO) – The annual Made in Ada Wilson Football Festival returned this weekend to the Hardin County village.
Held at Ada Depot Park, the festival celebrated the town’s Wilson football factory and its role in producing footballs for the NFL. The event featured live music, food, games, and a variety of activities, including the popular Wilson Football Drop. The village of Ada says they are proud of their influence and part in the national football stage.
“We need to do something to celebrate Ada having the Wilson football because we're the only place in the United States that can say every touchdown scored in the NFL has come from Ada, Ohio,” says Lindsay Hollar, Director, Ada Area Chamber of Commerce.
Festivalgoers also enjoyed two major competitions. The Made in Ada Hot Wing Challenge by Midwest BBQ tested contestants’ endurance as they raced to finish 10 wings coated in Carolina Reaper sauce. The second event was the first-ever Beer Stein Holding Challenge, hosted by Old Route 69 Brewery. Participants showed off their strength by holding full beer steins aloft for as long as possible.
“Midwest BBQ is sponsoring and hosting our first-ever hot wing challenge because when you think football and tailgates, you think chicken wings. Old Route 69 Brewery is sponsoring our beer stein challenge. We have one of their new brews that we're helping them debut. Everybody who participates gets a custom Old Route 69 mug, and our winners get custom Wilson footballs,” Hollar adds.
This year marked the ninth time the festival has been held in Ada, with organizers noting the community’s pride in its small-town influence on the national football stage.
