Northwest Ohio Family Fairs and Festivals Continue Through September

In September and October, small Northwest Ohio towns like Malinta in Henry County, end summer months with community fests that offer family fun and community historical focus. The Eighth Annual Malinta Festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 11, beginning at 10 a.m.

Larger county fairs in Northwest Ohio sponsor harness racing competition and demolition derbies, as well as Junior Fair projects and competition. The city of Wauseon, where the Fulton County Fair is an annual event, registers upwards of 250,000 people through its gates each year. It is the biggest fair-festival event in Northwest Ohio.

Small Fests in Northwest Ohio

One of Northwest Ohio's best attended local events is little Hamler's Summer Fest that offers polka dancing under a permanent tent and some of the best bratwurst available. Hamler's population is little more than 600, but their yearly weekend fest garners thousands of visitors.

Malinta, population generally around 400, is one of several small Henry County communities that in days gone by had its own high school. Like other small county towns, Malinta looks to its annual festival to promote its unique history and to keep revenue flowing back into its village coffers.

Malinta's location on State Route 109 in Henry County between Road L and Road K is north of Hamler. Both villages had their high schools consolidated into Patrick Henry High School, located on State Route 18, between Hamler and Deshler, the third part of the Patrick Henry High School consolidated area.

All three communities hold annual village festivals.

Malinta is also known as Malinta-Grelton, from its high school days, when its personnel included students from the tiny, nearby elevator berg of Grelton, which until last year housed the Henry County Historical Society Museum. For information on the Museum's status mail inquiries to Four Corners Historical Cooperative, Inc., PO Box 23044, Grelton, Ohio. FCHC may also be contacted through Peggy Bohls at 4190748-8700, or bohls@ieee.org.

Free admission to Northwest Ohio's smaller community fests attract the locals and area residents who share family ties in neighboring villages.

What Does Malinta Festival Offer?

Malinta holds its Eighth Annual Malinta Festival at the Monroe Township Fire Department, 08865 at County Road K-2 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Scheduled activities include the following:

All day Flea Market
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. -- Car, Truck, Tractor Cruise-In
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. -- Chicken Barbecue
All day Kids Area -- Opens at 11 a.m.
1 p.m. to 8 p.m. -- 50/50 Drawings
2 p.m. -- Euchre Tournament
3 p.m. -- Pedal Tractor Pull
3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. -- Auction
All day Shizzle Dizzle Magic Show
4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. -- Entertainment by Michelle Garza Paxton
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. -- Entertainment by The Big Chuck Show
All day Bake Sale and Food Item Sale

The Pedal Tractor Pull is the project of the Patrick Henry Young Farmers and Farm Bureau Youth.

Helping supervise the all day Kids Area will be the Grelton Bluebirds and Prize Livestock 4-H Club. Youth 4-H clubs will benefit from the proceeds earned from the Kids Area rides featuring a bounce house, baseball speed pitch, and a 70-foot obstacle course.

Cruise-In Is New

The Malinta Festival's newest event this year, the Cruise-In, is sponsored by the Four Corners Historical Coop, and features vehicles of historic value. Cars, trucks, and tractors will be on display.

The Monroe Township Fire Department handles the Chicken Barbecue cook-out.