Thousands expected at annual picnic

The 69th BROOKVILLE — annual Brookville Community Picnic this weekend promises entertainment and tasty food.

The picnic, which brings a crowd of 5,000 people in three days, offers food, games and bounce house for residents and visitors to enjoy.

The event will have 12 rides and four bounce houses. This year, the bounce houses are included with children’s ride wristbands.

Chicketti Family Amusements, based in Enon and in their third generation of family ownership, is the ride provider. Popular rides include a kiddie fire truck, a pirate ship walk-through and a mini Himalaya.

“All of our rides are manufactured in the United States, including the bounce houses, and my rides do not leave Ohio,” said Colton Chicketti, current owner of the amusement company.

The Brookville Fire Department will do inspections of the rides before the picnic.

The food vendors will bring an assortment of hot dogs, chicken, French fries, pork, gyros, homemade ice cream, nachos, corn on the cob, kettle corn burgers and elephant ears.

“The majority of our games are put on by our local nonprofit groups,” said Angie Dull, member relations for the Brookville Chamber of Commerce.

The games can include bingo, archery, basketball, raffles, cane toss, fishing, bungee jump and face painting.

Live music will be offered throughout the weekend, including Elevate, the Brookville High School band, Us, Soul Express, Lauren Kelly, Grant Phillips and The Distance.

“Our community has done an amazing job of coming together in the aftermath of the tornado, and the Community Picnic and this will give everyone a chance to do just that,” Dull said.

The picnic is hosted by the Brookville Chamber of Com- merce. The event is free, but they ask for a $2 donation, per person, to give to the park and other groups that help with the event.

Wristbands for the rides will be $18 Friday and $20 Saturday with pre-sale wristbands for $15 that can be purchased at the LCNB in Brookville or McMaken’s IGA until noon Thursday.

The picnic is Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from noon to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Golden Gate Park on Upper Lewisburg Salem Road.

Visit the event’s Facebook page for more information about the picnic and other chamber events.