Patriotism filled the entire village of Fort Jennings on Friday as resident begin a full weekend of festivities! The Putnam County village kicked off this year's Fort Fest with the biker escort tradition of the POW/MIA wall as a way to pay tribute for our soldiers. Nearly 400 bikers along with emergency and military vehicles started their engines in Beaverdam and rode through Delphos, Kalida, and Ottoville before arriving to Fort Jennings. When the bikers arrived, the streets were lined up with festival goers passionately waving the American flag, a sight that symbolizes the meaning of Fort Fest- to honor those brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Fort Jennings is diving into history all while paying tribute to the men and women who have served our country. The Fort Fest has been honoring Veterans all weekend. 

Fort Fest is making a little history this year, as they will have four traveling memorials to honor the servicemen and women who fought for our country. The festival started back in 2012 for the bicentennial celebration of Fort Jennings and has continued ever since honoring those in the armed force. Not only can people check out what it was like to live in the fort during the war of 1812, but also ride in an army helicopter, and see replicas of the Washington D.C. memorials for World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, plus the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Village of Fort Jennings has a passion to pay tribute to those in the military, and the festival does just that.

The Fort Fest is underway in Fort Jennings.

Every year Fort Jennings comes alive to salute the military for the weekend. The weekend festival includes war reenactments, traveling exhibits, a military war vehicle display and runs from August 18-20.