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- The 2025 Vienna Freedom Festival will be held in late June, with the event being consolidated to one location this year at Spencer’s Landing. (File Photo)
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- The 2025 Vienna Freedom Festival will be held in late June, with the event being consolidated to one location this year at Spencer’s Landing. (File Photo)
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- The Glow on the O event at Spencer’s Landing in Vienna debuted in 2024 and will be returning this year in October. (Photo Provided)
The 2025 Vienna Freedom Festival will be held in late June, with the event being consolidated to one location this year at Spencer’s Landing. (File Photo)
VIENNA — The Friends of Vienna are continuing to grow and expand entertainment opportunities for residents of Vienna and the Mid-Ohio Valley through events like the Vienna Freedom Festival and the Glow on the O, a lighted hot air balloon event which debuted last October.
For the Freedom Festival’s third year in 2024, it expanded to a two-weekend event in Vienna.
The festival kicked off the first weekend with activities at Grand Central Mall including carnival rides, crafts, circus performers and music by multiple artists, including “American Pie” singer Don McLean.
On the second weekend, activities moved to Spencer’s Landing Park and included a rodeo, hot air balloons and other attractions.
The first Glow on the O took place in October at Spencer’s Landing Park in Vienna.
The Glow on the O event at Spencer’s Landing in Vienna debuted in 2024 and will be returning this year in October. (Photo Provided)
The free event was hosted by Friends of Vienna and featured the area’s first hot air balloon glow event.
Friends of Vienna is a local organization that was formed in 2020 to help support the efforts of the Vienna Tree and Beautification Commission.
The hot air balloons began to inflate during the afternoon and the actual flying of the balloons took place after dusk hit.
There was also music and the balloons lit up at different intervals corresponding to the music.
The event also featured food trucks from local vendors, pumpkin decorating, inflatables and a live radio broadcast.
The 2025 Vienna Freedom Festival will be held in late June, with the event being consolidated to one location this year at Spencer’s Landing. (File Photo)
Amanda Mott, treasurer for Friends of Vienna, described the 2024 Freedom Festival as a “really big success,” citing music by Don McLean and others, a drone show, the rodeo and other activities and attractions.
Since it started, the Freedom Festival has been held at two locations, the Grand Central Mall and Spencer’s Landing, but 2024 was the first time it was split over two weekends.
Mott said the festival will be returning to the single-weekend format for 2025 and focusing on Spencer’s Landing as the only location this year.
The Freedom Festival is scheduled for June 27-28 and will be bringing back the rodeo, tethered balloon rides, live music, craft and food vendors. Mott said the event also anticipates some new additions to be announced later.
Mott also described October’s first Glow on the O featuring lighted hot air balloons as a “really big success” and said it is expected to return again for 2024.
“I think people really enjoyed coming out in the fall” for such a unique event, she said.
Friends of Vienna will be holding various fundraising activities throughout the year to support the events, along with seeking donations and support from the community, Mott said.
Wayne Towner can be reached at wtowner@newsandsentinel.com