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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.There were bounce-a-rounds and slides for the children to play on during Oktoberfest at Boardman Park on Oct. 2.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Clowns at Oktoberfest at Boardman Park on Oct. 2 made balloon animals and entertained the families who attended the event.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.People picked out pumpkins at Boardman Park during Oktoberfest on Oct. 2 to paint and take home.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.More than 150 vendors set up tents to sell handcrafted items during Okoberfest at Boardman Park on Oct. 2.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Madeline got her face painted during Oktoberfest at Boardman Park on Oct. 2.
By ALEXIS BARTOLOMUCCI
The Boardman Rotary Club hosted its 40th annual Oktoberfest at Boardman Park on Oct. 2.
Thousands of people made their way to Boardman Park to celebrate Oktoberfest by exploring more than 150 vendors and eating food from 15 different food trucks. The event ran from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. with plenty of activities, vendors and performances to enjoy. The Rotary Club’s co-chairs Joe Ignazio and Ted Thornton, along with the other members of the Rotary Club, work tediously year after year to make the event a success.
“Everything we make here goes right back to the community. Not only for Boardman, but for Youngstown and North Lima,” said co-chair Joe Ignazio.
The event is always offered on the fourth Sunday after Labor Day and is weather-driven; the nicer the weather, the more people who come out to attend. A children’s area with drums, cornhole, a bounce-a-round and arts and crafts is available for children of all ages to participate in. There were stations for face painting, pumpkin paintings and plenty of dogs to pet.
Boardman Rotary Club has hosted Oktoberfest at Boardman Park for all 40 years and plans on continuing to host the event there for future Oktoberfests. Admission is $3 for adults and children older than 12-years-old. There is free parking on-site and free parking off-site with a shuttle to take guests to Boardman Park.
“The first time we had it, it was 1,000 people and now it’s crazy. We give back about $50-60,000 a year and we don’t keep one penny of it,” said Ignazio.
Oktoberfest is a long-standing tradition that attracts several people. It is the largest fundraiser for the Boardman Rotary Club to collect money and donate back to the community.