Thousands attend Centerville’s annual ‘Americana Festival’

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“I marched in the parade for like the last 10 years of my life and this is the first year I’m actually watching it,” she said. “It’s kind of funny now.”

The Americana Festival is a Centerville tradition that celebrated its 44th year this July 4. It’s estimated that the festival welcomes more than 75,000 people and more than 100 volunteers.

Along with the parade, the festival offers a street fair with vendors selling crafts and food, a classic car and truck show, a 5K run with more than 1,200 participants and fireworks. Most of this year’s festival was dryer than 2016’s, when thousands still attended in the rain.

“It’s just so fun…it’s one of the biggest things Centerville is known for,” Fowler said. “It’s just a reason to get together and celebrate… it’s a tradition.”

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The parade Fowler marched in at least 10 times and watched on Tuesday included more than 120 acts. There were floats, bands, horse-drawn carriages and a 10-foot tall uncle sam on stilts, among other things.

As Fowler watched the parade she marched in for years, Bennie Jones drove up from Kentucky to see the event for the first time. Jones and some friends were “scoping out” different craft booths and the wide variety of fair food, a staple of the annual festival.

John Muceus, a Centerville resident, was visiting the festival for the second time. While it was just his second year going to the event, he said he thought Centerville was the perfect place for it.

“It’s small-town America right here,” he said.

Like Fowler, Muceus said his favorite event was going to the parade with his family. Fowler, a Centerville native who recently graduated from high school joked that she’s officially “aged out” of the parade.

Although she may be done marching, Fowler didn’t rule out coming back for more of Centerville’s signature Fourth of July bash.

“Everyone’s around and having a good time,” she said. “It means a lot. I love it.”