25th anniversary: Powell Festival slated June 24, 25, featuring Spin Doctors, Ryan Cabrera
The Powell Festival turns 25 this year with its biggest lineup ever.
The Spin Doctors and Ryan Cabrera are to headline the festival’s 25th anniversary, set for June 24 and 25 in Village Green Park, 47 Hall St.
This year marks the return of the city’s signature event in its traditional format, after two years of alternative schedules due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
“The event has grown along with our city,” Mayor Dan Swartwout said. “This is a really exciting time for our community to come together and celebrate these 25 years.”
“It means a great deal to have this recognition of 25 years as a special point in time,” City Manager Andy White said. “It’s also exciting looking forward as we set the stage for the kinds of quality-of-life activity, whether in our new comprehensive street maintenance package or in our expanded events calendar, that we’re undertaking as a city.”
Festival hours are 5-11 p.m. June 24 and 10 a.m.-11 p.m. June 25.
The festival also is to include a marketplace, with local business and service-organization booths lining the bike path in Village Green Park, with hours of 5-9 p.m. June 24 and noon-9 p.m. June 25.
Additionally, a street fair is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 25 along Olentangy Street in downtown, among the numerous shops and dining establishments. The street fair is to feature a variety of Ohio-based artisans and vendors.
The city’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area is to be in effect throughout the event, allowing patrons who purchase alcohol inside festival grounds to take it outside the event as long as the beverage is in a DORA-designated cup and the patron remains within DORA boundaries.
The festival also is to feature food trucks, activities for children and many other attractions.
A fireworks finale is scheduled to close the festival at 10 p.m. June 25.
Josh Rizzo is scheduled to open for Ryan Cabrera (“On the Way Down”) on June 24, with Rizzo taking the stage at 6 p.m. and Cabrera at 8:30 p.m.
Soul Punch is to open for ’90s rockers the Spin Doctors (“Two Princes,” “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”) on June 25, with Soul Punch performing at 6 p.m. and the Spin Doctors at 8:30 p.m.
“We’ve never had these types of artists before,” White said.
“Whatever it is that brings you to the festival and whether you’re a resident of the city or a visitor, Powell Festival is an opportunity to come together and show pride in our community,” Swartwout said.
Swartwout mentioned some recent challenges that make the 25-year anniversary noteworthy. The nonprofit Heart of Powell that previously operated the event was disbanded in 2015, at which time the city took over the festival’s planning. He also said the past two years, with the COVID-19 restrictions and safety measures, make this year’s return to the traditional festival format across a single weekend extra special.
Go to festival.cityofpowell.us for more information.
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