WAPAKONETA, OH (WLIO) - It's been 54 years since Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on the moon, and the week of July 18th they will be celebrating that and more at the annual Summer Moon Festival.
The organizers say this year's festival will be bigger than ever, with more food trucks, more vendors, and more fun to be had. Activities will be held in downtown Wapakoneta and at the Armstrong Air and Space Museum, and some of the favorites like the race to the moon, bed races, wiener dog races, the antique tractor and car shows bring people in from far and wide to the festival.
"Every year more and more do come to the Summer Moon Festivals," says Jackie Martel, Ex. Dir. Wapakoneta Chamber of Commerce. "So, that is really a fun way to motivate us to make it bigger and better. We have such a great relationship with Armstrong Air and Space Museum, between the chamber of commerce and all the businesses and the service organizations in town. We all work together to really rise to the occasion."
The museum is opening a new exhibit that will spotlight the world records that Neil Armstrong set, plus they will have a special guest for the festival to go along with their activities.
"Ohio Astronaut Don Thomas will be around on Saturday, he will be signing autographs at the museum and downtown and also will be featured that evening at our astronaut dinner," says Dante Centuori, Ex. Dir. of Armstrong Air and Space Museum. "Of course, our local partners, we work with the Lima Astronomical Society that come out for the weekend, the Wright Stuff Rocketeers will launch rockets, our own education team will do activities and addition to all the just plain fun stuff."
There are various events and activities that will be going on starting Tuesday, July 18th running through Sunday, July 23rd. For a complete list of activities go to the Summer Moon Festival's website.
