Holmes County plans reverse parade, drone show for America250

Holmes County will mark America’s 250th anniversary with a different kind of July celebration, turning Harvest Ridge Fairgrounds in Millersburg into a walk-through reverse parade instead of a traditional street route. The county’s America250 event is set for July 25 at 8880 OH-39, with families moving past displays and activities across the grounds while music, vendors, a 5K, veteran recognition and a drone show round out the day.

The format changes more than the view. Rather than standing along a curb and waiting for floats to pass, visitors will go through the fairgrounds at their own pace, sampling the parade concept as part of a larger public gathering. That setup gives local vendors and organizations a built-in crowd, while the 5K adds a recreation piece that can draw participants who might not otherwise come just to watch.

Harvest Ridge gives the county room to stage that kind of event. Local listings describe the venue as having more than 70,000 square feet of climate-controlled space, multiple buildings and meeting spaces, exhibition areas, full-hookup camping sites and onsite parking. The fairgrounds are also home to the Holmes County Fair, which makes the site a familiar gathering place for residents across the county and a practical choice for a celebration meant to bring in families and visitors from the region.

The July event also ties Holmes County into Ohio’s broader America 250 campaign. The America 250-Ohio commission is leading the state’s semiquincentennial observance in 2026, and state organizers say more than 200 communities across Ohio will gather in July for food, fun and friendship to recognize the nation’s history and Ohio’s role in it. In that context, Holmes County’s reverse parade looks like both a patriotic event and a local showcase.

It is not the county’s first America250 effort. An America 250 Grand Tea Event on April 25 at the Holmes County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau showed the commemorative calendar was already underway before the July celebration was announced. Together, the events point to a countywide effort that is building toward the national anniversary with a mix of history, community pride and public turnout.