The Summer Moon Festival kicked off in Wapakoneta, and that means residents enjoyed Wapakoneta by Moonlight Tuesday night! To kick off the 55th anniversary celebration of Neil Armstrong's Apollo 11 mission to the moon, Downtown Wapakoneta businesses, shops, and restaurants were open late Tuesday night for residents to enjoy. There were also plenty of musicians along Auglaize Street filling the air with some favorite tunes. First on the Moon organizes the Summer Moon Festival each year, and they say Wapakoneta by Moonlight gives people a chance to enjoy the city while celebrating Neil Armstrong.
From
To
WAPAKONETA, OH (WLIO) - November is just getting started, but in Wapakoneta, it's not too early to get into the Christmas spirit.
A 2021 Wapakoneta High School graduate and current The Ohio State University student unveiled her artwork in Downtown Wapakoneta on Tuesday.
To advertise the mural to fellow travelers, he created a 2x5 tailgate painting. After the mural was installed, Cerny also gifted the tailgate where it is on display at Riverside Art Center.
John Cerney is an artist in California who specializes in painting large freestanding murals and once a year, he chooses a different community to donate a piece of his art to. This year, he chose Wapak with the intention of having Neil Armstrong as the main element.
As a part of their Façade Improvement Program fundraiser, which helps local businesses improve their storefronts, the Downtown Wapakoneta Partnership reached out to local art teacher Betsy Selover to create and sell unique artwork. She crafted the First on the Moon ceramic plaque, featuring real buckeyes. Sales started a week ago and the original 25 plaques have nearly sold out, however a second edition is underway.
Because most events in celebration of former Wapak resident Neil Armstrong have been cancelled, several organizations teamed up to create activity bags instead. This week's sponsor was the Riverside Art Center who handmade solar system-themed sidewalk chalk.
With just over a week left before the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon, the 2019 Celebration Committee is taking Armstrong admirers on the road to see the important places Neil left his mark in the Wapakoneta area. “We’re going to show the birthplace, which is the family farm still owned by the family and then we’re going to proceed to show the elementary school out at Moulton where he went to school, come back into town and show several points of interest,” said tour guide Rollie Wellington.
Beer enthusiasts, make sure to get your taste buds ready for a new beer that will take you out of this world. Moeller Brew Barn released the "First on the Moon" pale ale Thursday evening in collaboration with the 2019 celebration committee. The unique can commemorates the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. NASA astronaut Greg Johnson was on hand to talk to the crowd and celebrate the release.