Point Place Days Parade and Events

It's that time again - parades, festivals and wonderful events are coming our way this summer. One of the best events is the Point Place Days Parade which takes place Saturday, June 1, at noon along Summit Street in Point Place.

It's part of the kickoff for a month of events celebrating and highlight our great Point-Shoreland community.

The day starts at 7 a.m. with a Pancake Breakfast at the Harbor Light Lodge #746, 3024 131st Street The Placers Car & Truck Show begins at 10 a.m. at Friendship Center, 2930 131st, and runs through the afternoon. The Dress Your Pet Contest and Decorate Your Bike Contest is at 11 a.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, 4731 N. Summit, and participants are invited to walk in the parade. The American Legion Post #110 opens their chicken barbeque at 11 a.m. and they will do to-go boxes so you can eat while you enjoy the parade...they're at 5110 N. Summit.

On Tuesday, June 11th, the Point Place Library hosts an outdoor concert beginning at 7 p.m. Bring your own chairs or blankets.

The annual Canoe Race and Chicken & Ribs BBQ at Cullen Park is Friday, June 14th from 4-8 p.m. June 14th is also Flag Day, so at 9 p.m. there will be a Flag Ceremony/Lantern Walk from Cullen Park to the Lighthouse. Always a nice way to end the day.

June 22nd is the huge and fun Washington Township Summer Fest from 2 - midnight at Shoreland Park. My favorite event (and by fare one of the best in the entire county) is the Fireworks Display hosted by the Washington Township Fire Department at 10 p.m. They launch the spectaular explosions from the Fred C. Young Bridge which covers the Ottawa River on Summit Street between 131st and Shoreland. Expect heavy volumes of traffic before and after as well as the closure of the bridge.

There are tons of fun things going on all month long, so come on out to the Point and enjoy with us!

To see a complete list of events, times and locations, go here.

Point Place Days 2012

Every year the Point Place Business Association and local organizations in Point Place put together Point Place Days - a month of fun activities in the Point Place area.

For anyone who isn't familiar with Point Place, it is the area bounded, roughly, by Manhattan Avenue, Suder Avenue/I-75, the Ohio-Michigan State line and Maumee Bay/Lake Erie. It includes a large portion of Washington Township. The main drags are Summit Street, Ottawa River Road, Suder Avenue, Shoreland Avenue and Edgewater Drive.

Below is the calendar of events - more information about each event is available on the PPBA web site under the calendar tab.

May 31-June 2:

Point Place Community Garage Sale - various times & locations throughout the Point/Shoreland area

June 2:

9-3 Food, Crafts, Rummage Sale - Friendship Center

9-3 Garden Club Plant Sale - The Crimping Tree

10-3 Placers Car & Truck Show - Friendship Center

10 a.m. Dress Your Pet Contest

10:30 a.m. Decorate Your Bike Contest - Messiah Lutheran

11 a.m. Chicken BBQ - American Legion #110

Noon 22nd Annual Parade - along Summit Street

2-5 Free Bike Inspection and Repair - CrossPoint Church

June 3:

7-3 Walleye Tournament - Spot & Spam's

June 5:

6:30 p.m. Canoe & Kayak outing - Howard Pinkley Landing

June 7:

6-8 p.m. Placers Car Show - Toledo Speedway

6 p.m. Mills Trophy Race Party - Toledo Yacht Club

June 9:

9 a.m. Cullen Park Clean-up - Cullen Park

11 a.m. Lighthouse Clean-up - Lighthouse on Summit Street

all day Kroger Kid's Day - Kroger on Suder

June 10:

11 a.m. Outdoor Service at Lighthouse - Lighthouse on Summit Street

June 12:

6:30 p.m. Canoe & Kayak outing - Howard Pinkley Landing

6:30 p.m. Pie & Cake Contest - Friendship Center

June 14:

6 p.m. Flag Day - Flag Sales & Repair

6 p.m. Placers Car Show - Toledo Speedway

June 15:

4-8 Chicken & Ribs BBQ - Cullen Park

5 p.m. Games for Kids - Cullen Park

6-8 Canoe Race - Cullen Park

June 16:

9 a.m. Walk for Mustard Seed - Cullen Park

1-2:30 Kids' Jam Music Class - CrossPoint Church

June 19:

6:30 p.m. Canoe & Kayak outing - Howard Pinkley Landing

7 p.m. Outdoor Music Concert - Point Place Branch Library

June 20:

6 p.m. Parade Winners Awards - Friendship Center

June 21:

6 p.m. Placers Car Show - Toledo Speedway

June 23: 9 p.m.

Lantern Walk - Cullen Park to Lighthouse

June 26: 6:30 p.m.

Canoe/Kayak, safe boating - Howard Pinkley Landing

June 27:

6:30 p.m. Visions of Cullen Park meeting - CrossPoint Church

June 30:

Washington Township Summerfest - Shoreland Park

10 p.m. Fireworks by the Washington Township Fire Department - launched from Fred C. Young Bridge (Summit Street over the Ottawa River)

Point Place Days and Parade!

Today is the Point Place Days Parade at noon and it is the official kick-off of a month of activities for the 20011 Point Place Days, sponsored by the Point Place Business Association.

This parade - along Summit Street - is one of the best parades in the entire county - and I've seen and been in a LOT of parades in my career. :) There are prizes for participants in the parade and those will be announced on June 15th at the Friendship Center at 8 p.m.

But it's not just the parade, there are a ton of activities today, listed below:

* 9 am – 3 pm Food, Crafts, Rummage Sale at Friendship Center, 2930 131st

* 9 am – 3 pm Placers Car & Truck Show at Friendship Center, 2930 131st

* 10 am Dress Your Pet Contest, 4731 N. Summit

* 10:30 am Decorate Your Bike Contest, 4731 N. Summit

* 10 am – 2 pm Plant Sale by Garden Club at The Crimping Tree, 5108 N. Summit

* day long Chicken Barbecue at American Legion #110, 5110 N. Summit

* 12 Noon 21st Annual Parade along Summit Street starting at 108th

* 2 – 5 pm Free Bike Inspection & Repair at CrossPoint Church, 4212 Onondaga

Tomorrow is the Walleye Tournament at Spot & Spam’s on Edgewater Drive from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Other events include:

* Tue June 7 6:30 pm Pie and Cake Contest Friendship Center 2930 131st

* Thu June 9 All day Community Garage/Yard Sale Point/Shoreland

* Thu June 9 6-8 pm Placers Cruise-In Toledo Speedway

* Fri June 10 All day Community Garage/Yard Sale Point/Shoreland

* Fri June 10 4-8 pm Chicken & Ribs BBQ Cullen Park Kelly’s Catering

* Fri June 10 6-8 pm Canoe Race Cullen Park Alternative Plumbing

* Sat June 11 8-11 am Pancake Breakfast Friendship Center 2930 131st

* Sat June 11 All day Community Garage/Yard Sale Point/Shoreland

* Sat June 11 10 am Flag Raising Ceremony Point Place Lighthouse

* Sat June 11 10:15 am Community Clean-up Day Lighthouse

* Sat June 11 12 pm – 4 pm Kids’ Day by Kroger Kroger 4633 Suder

* Sun June 12 11 am Outdoor Service at Lighthouse Lighthouse CrossPoint Church

* Mon June 13 7 pm Celebration of Flag Day Friendship Center 2930 131st

* Tue June 14 7 pm Outdoor Concert Point Place Library 2727 117th

* Sat June 18 9 am Mile Walk for Mustard Seed Cullen Park

* Sat June 18 9 pm Star-Gazin’ Lantern Walkin’ Cullen Park

* Sat June 25 2:00 pm-midnight SummerFest Shoreland Park WTFD

* Sat June 25 10 pm Fireworks by WTFD Fred C. Young Bridge Summit St.

Some of my favorites from the above include the pancake breakfast, the flag raising at the lighthouse, the outdoor concert at the Library, the star-gazin' lantern walk and the Flag Day celebration.

Of course, I believe the best fireworks display of all is the one sponsored by the WTFD on June 25th. It's my favorite for two reasons: 1) it's always the weekend before the Fourth of July so you don't have to miss any of the regular fireworks events sponsored by the various municipalities and more fireworks is always a good thing; and 2) it's paid for by donors from the area - no tax dollars.

Thursdays, the Placers Car Club displays their antique and collectible vehicles during their Cruise-In at the Toledo Speedway from 6-8 p.m. I believe they do this throughout the summer and not just during Point Place Days.

Additionally, I saw a flyer last night for stagecoach rides Thursdays through Saturdays in the evening beginning at the flag shop on Summit Street. They'll be giving a tour of historical places and events in the Point, though I did not get the cost. I'm sure that if you call Flag Sales & Repair at 419-726-9571, they will be able to give you more information.

There are more events, including a lot for children at the Library, so for a complete list, you can go here.

Hope to see you in The Point!

I love fireworks!

Today is the Washington Township festival for the Point/Shoreland area as part of Point Place Days. It's at Shoreland Park.

And then tonight - FIREWORKS!!!!

I love these fireworks, put on by the Washington Township Fire Department, as I believe they are one of the best presentations in the entire area. They'll be set off from the Summit Street Bridge over the Ottawa River. Best viewing areas are the parks along Ottawa River Road and Shoreland Avenue, the boat clubs along the river and Merchant's Landing parking lot (though that fills up very early).

This is a great way to end the Point Place Days events and also kick off the Fourth of July celebrations. Enjoy!

Point Place Parade

Tomorrow is the Point Place Days Parade, one of the best parades in the area. Here are the scheduled events:

Saturday, June 6
•9 a.m. to 4 p.m., food beverage and rummage sale by the seniors at Friendship Center, and Placers Car and Truck Show at Friendship Park.

•10 a.m., Dress Your Pet and Decorate Your Bike contests at Ottawa River Automotive.

•Noon, parade on Summit Street begins with a fly-over by the St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center Life Flight. Parade route is along Summit Street, starting at 108th St., and then down 131st St. ending at Friendship Park.

•1:30 to 3 p.m., fingerprinting by Toledo Police at Friendship Center entrance.
•Chicken barbecue at American Legion Post 110

•2 to 5 p.m., free bicycle inspection and repair at CrossPoint Community Church.

Fireworks tonight!!!

Tonight, if the weather holds, is one of the best fireworks displays in all the area - the Point/Shoreland/Washington Township Fireworks sponsored by the Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department and made possible by the donations of many individuals and businesses in the area.

They close off the Summit Street Bridge over the Ottawa River and begin the festivities at dusk. There are multiple viewing points in the Ottawa River (if you have a boat) or at any of the public access sites along Ottawa River Road, Shoreland Avenue or Summit Street. The newly renamed Harry Kessler Park at the corner of Ottawa River and 290th Street is a good location with parking and plenty of grassy areas for seating. Many people park in the Merchants Landing parking lot (Summit & Jasik Dr. just before the state line) as this gives an unobstructed view of the fireworks in probably the closest, safe vantage point.

If you plan on coming out to the Point for the yearly extravaganza, leave early for a good spot and ... Enjoy!

"Fireworks are an art form that uses the night sky as the canvas."
-Larry Crump

"You can look up at the stars and every night they're going to be in the same place, but you can launch a six inch shell and you don't really know what it's going to look like until it actually performs."
- James Sousa

"We anoint their fuses with a tiny amount of fire, and they come alive, playing out their life span in a matter or seconds. In those few seconds a crack in the universe is opened, giving us a glimpse of the energy locked within all matter."
-Bob Weaver

"I often use the word "joy" when describing fireworks. It is a considered word, deliberate in choice. Not just amusement, entertainment, astonishment, but joy. Our art makes us all into children again for a while. We become one in our experience for the moment; lost in the sound and color and light. We see large forces, stronger than we could ever be, yet beautiful in their effects. Sometimes violent, sometimes restrained. Delicate beyond imagination at times, coarse and rude at others."
-Bill Withrow