Hoopla in Urbana is coming up again this month in Urbana, Ohio on September 24. Every year, Urbana’s downtown fills with residents and visitors to partake in the fun of the parade, chili cookoff and many other activities on the square.
The parade will start at 1:00 PM, and feature the Antioch Shriners, who march every year to set off the celebration. They will be joined by the Urbana High School marching band, one of the finest in the area. There will be many other organizations participating with their floats, antique cars galore, probably a motorcycle escort, and plenty more people marching. If you are interested in participating in the parade registration forms are available at Guild Galleries Interiors and Gifts at 118 N. Main Street, Urbana, Ohio 43078, and at Williams Furniture at 215 N. Main Street, Urbana, Ohio 43078. Have a float or just want to drive or walk in the parade, all are welcome.
The 5th Annual Simon Kenton Chili Cookoff will also be held in the Square where up to fifty contestants will be mixing and fixing their chili starting soon after dawn. These folks take their chili real seriously and you can bet there will be some razzing and bragging going on as the pots are stirred. The official judges will do the tasting and will name the winners at 2:00 PM. The winner will receive $750.00, 2nd will get $500.00, 3rd $300.00, 4th $200.00, and 5th 100.00. May the best chef win.
But the competition doesn’t stop there. After the official judges are done the public will have their say. They will be able to sample the different chili and then purchase ballots to cast for their favorite. The cook to receive the most ballots receives the People’s Choice Award, which is as coveted as the earlier judges award, although not so monetarily rewarded. These cooks are every day people and love to be named the “People’s Choice”.
There will be many other booths and activities at the Hoopla Urbana Celebration. There will be a disc jockey playing the sounds of the fifties and sixties right next to the square. THere will be a 50-50 drawing with one half of the money going to a charity, one of many that benefit from this celebration. There will be a beer garden set up right off the square where people can enjoy their favorite beverage and still be out in the beautiful late September weather for which Ohio is known. A hot pepper eating contest in mid-afternoon.
There will be many other booths around the sidewalks of downtown Urbana. Some will be selling food, everything from elephant ears to Italian Sausage Sandwiches. There will be a pig roast where a whole pig will be smoked overnight so that they can serve puled pork sandwiches. Other booths may have anything from face painting to caricature drawing to antiques to items like t-shirts commemmorating the day. A prize of $50.00 will be awarded to the booth considered the best based on criteria of originality, team spirit, and booth decor.
Just because there are so many booths set up for the day, don’t forget to check out the storefronts along downtown. The eating establishments will be offering specials for the day and many of the other antique, collectable and just plain unique stores will be open to serve you. We know its football season but you will be able to keep up with your Buckeyes throughout the afternoon because these Urbana is a hotbed of Buckeye fans and almost all of these stores will have a tv going where you can see some action and catch up on the scores around the nation.
At the end of the day as the booth are closed up and the storekeepers begin to shut down, you will find that you had one of the best times of your life at “Hoopla in Urbana”. Hope to see you there.