Marion Celebrates America 250
DECEMBER 2025 | The Marion America 250 initiative, co-led by the Marion Community Foundation and the Marion Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, is a volunteer-based initiative powered by dedicated community partners serving in a variety of capacities including the Steering, Storytelling, and Marketing Committees. Each group is working collaboratively to make the year-long 2026 initiative a successful community-wide celebration of Marion’s story.
Following the announcement of $50,000 in special project grants (read more below) and the year-long Marion 250 Trails, Tales, & Treasures initiative, the focus shifts to recognizing the local leaders and residents contributing countless hours to share Marion’s unique chapter in the American story.
Kate McCleese stated, “This massive celebration—from the Red, White & YOU Weekend to the historical research for the Trails, Tales, & Treasures app—isn’t being run by a professional firm. It’s being powered by Marion citizens volunteering their time and expertise. Their dedication is the true foundation of our America 250 effort.”
Leadership Committees
The following individuals and groups are the driving force behind the planning and execution:
- Steering Committee (Oversight & Strategy):
- Co Chairs Kate McCleese, Marion Community Foundation and Bev Ford, Marion Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Mayor Bill Collins and City Service Director Mike Bodine
- Commissioner Mark Davis and Chamber of Commerce President Heidi Jones
- Mike Augenstein and Wendy Weichenthal (MTC), Wendy Petrie and Sherry Hall (Harding Sites), Robin Rick (Daughters of the American Revolution), Diane Watson (Marion Public Library), Valerie Wigton (Marion Women’s Club), Cheryl Wickersham and Allen Wilson (Downtown Marion, Inc.), and Brandi Wilson and Randy Winland (Marion County Historical Society)
- Storytelling Committee (Research & Content):
- Wendy Weichenthal, Chair
- Mike Augenstein (MTC Downtown), Kevin Davidson (Marion Co. Commissioner), Tara Dyer (Marion City Schools), Kacey Fetter (First Citizens National Bank), Christine Gibson and Eryn Gillmore (Pillar Credit Union), BJ Gruber (Marion City Police Department), Wendy Petrie (Harding Sites), Diane Watson (Marion Public Library), Cheryl Wickersham (Downtown Marion Board), Randy Winland (Marion Co. Historical Society), and Nikki Workman (Marion County Board of DD).
- Marketing Committee (Promotion & Outreach):
- Bev Ford, Chair
- Mike Bodine (City of Marion), Cathy Gerber and Wayne Rowe (OSUM), BJ Gruber (Marion City Police Department), Jenny Lust (Spruce & Sparrow), Ellen Messenger (E. B. Messenger Creative Marketing), Amy Roston, Allen Wilson (Downtown Marion), Kathy Wink (Goodwill), and Nikki Workman (Marion Co. Board of DD)
Building the Legacy
The efforts of these teams have been instrumental in planning and implementing the year-long celebration, which includes a Trails, Tales, and Treasures experience available as an app through Apple or Google Play Store but is also available in print format at the Visitor Center throughout 2026. The committees’ work will culminate in the Red, White & YOU Weekend (July 16-19, 2026), the capstone four-day celebration of food, music, and community spirit.
The committees continue to welcome volunteers and ideas from the community. Interested residents are encouraged to visit the MACVB website for more information on how to get involved.
Thematic Trails Experience
The Marion America 250 Steering Committee recently announced the launch of an innovative, year-long Thematic Trails Experience designed to connect residents and visitors to Marion County’s unique contributions to America’s past and present.
The initiative will feature 12 distinct, themed Trails—one for each month of 2026—all available to the public through both printed guides and a new mobile-friendly digital platform coming in January. The app will be available through the Apple Store and Google Play Store. Printed guides will be distributed through the Visitor Center, 198 West Center Street, downtown Marion. The goal is to encourage citizens to step out and explore the physical locations behind Marion’s American story.
Co-chair of the Marion initiative Kate McCleese stated, “Following the success of our $50,000 special grant program, we are now focusing on making history – and all that our community offers – engaging and accessible. These Trails transform a typical outing into an interactive scavenger hunt, revealing hidden stories about our community’s industry, arts, and civic life at every stop. Whether you prefer a map in your hand or a guide on your phone, we have a way for you to explore.'”
A New Way to Experience History
Each of the 12 Trails is built around a monthly theme and features a collection of specific points of interest across the county. The first Trail is scheduled to be released both in print and on a new mobile-friendly digital platform on January 1st followed by a new Trail released at the start of each month throughout 2026. These Trails are groups of related places, not strict paths you have to follow. Participants are invited to visit the sites in any order—one at a time, over several trips, or all in one day.
Examples of monthly themes include:
- Marion’s Firsts & Originals Trail – This trail celebrates Marion’s pioneering spirit by exploring 10 key locations that represent national “firsts” and local originals, from political legends like Mary Ellen Withrow to world-changing industry and unique local food.
- Marion Works: Innovation & Industry Trail – This trail celebrates Marion’s essential role as a center for innovation and labor, highlighting 10 active sites that range from the oldest continually operating manufacturer to the state’s leading robotics training center (RAMTEC), proving that the spirit of industry is alive and well in Marion County.
- Marion Outdoors: Exploring Marion’s Natural Resources – This trail celebrates the county’s natural beauty and recreational access by leading explorers to 10 key greenspaces, from the challenging mountain bike trails at Quarry Park to the conserved prairies and historical waterways of the Olentangy River.
America 250 Grants in Marion
The Marion America 250 Steering Committee, co-led by the Marion Community Foundation and the Marion Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, announces $50,000 in grant awards. This funding, provided through a special, one-time America 250 Grant Program established by Marion Community Foundation, officially kicks off Marion County’s preparations for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration in 2026.
This collaborative, year-long endeavor will distribute funds to empower a diverse group of local organizations to share Marion County’s unique American story.
Red, White & You Weekend
Serving as the centerpiece of the 2026 calendar is The Red, White & You Weekend, a spectacular four-day capstone event running July 16-19, 2026. All community members and visitors are welcome to join this series of patriotic events:
- Thursday Evening, July 16: Downtown Marion’s Third Thursday goes Red, White & Blue.
- Friday Evening, July 17: The featured Homecoming Picnic at the Harding Presidential Library and Museum.
- Saturday Morning, July 18: Warren G. Harding Presidential Wreath-laying Ceremony
- Saturday Day, July 18: The Explore-it-Torium will host the family-friendly O-H-I-Oh What a Celebration Birthday Party.
- Sunday Afternoon, July 19: An old-fashioned Ice Cream Social at the Women’s Club Home, serving as the cherry on top of the weekend’s celebrations.
Community-wide Grant Funding
“The partnership between the Marion Community Foundation and the Visitors Bureau gives this celebration the deep roots it needs within the community, alongside the reach it needs to attract visitors,” said Kate McCleese, Program Manager at Marion Community Foundation and co-chair of the local America 250 steering committee. “Through this dedicated, one-time America 250 fund, we are ensuring that history comes alive in every corner of the county next year.
The grants were specifically provided to support programs focused on local heritage, civic education, arts, and community engagement throughout 2026.
Grant Recipients
The grants were provided to support programs focused on local heritage, civic education, arts and community engagement throughout 2026.
“The partnership between the Marion Community Foundation and the Visitors Bureau gives this celebration the deep roots it needs within the community, alongside the reach it needs to attract visitors,” Kate McCleese, program manager at Marion Community Foundation and co-chair of the local America 250 steering committee, said in the announcement. “Through this dedicated, one-time America 250 fund, we are ensuring that history comes alive in every corner of the county next year.”
The following organizations received grant funding to launch their specialized 2026 programs:
- Downtown Marion, Inc.: Taste of Time Festival
- Harding Presidential Sites: Marion’s Homecoming Picnic
- LaRue Village Council: LaRue Village 250th Year Celebration
- MARCA Industries: O-H-I-Oh What a Celebration at the Explore-it-Torium
- Marion County Historical Society: Celebrating America 250 – Moments & Memories of Marion County History
- Marion Matters, Inc.: Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Future – Marion’s West Side Welcomes America 250
- Marion Noon Kiwanis: Capture the Moment
- Marion Public Library: Making History Come Alive at Marion Public Library
- Marion Women’s Club & Home: Ice Cream Social – 130 Years of Nourishing Our Community
- Mid-Ohio Fine Arts Society: We Are Marion Created
- Palace Cultural Arts Association: Happy Birthday America Youth Summer Theatre Camp
- River Valley Local Schools: RV Celebrates America
- The Ohio State University at Marion: Echoes of Marion: A Living History Project
About Marion America 250
Marion America 250 is a collaborative effort co-led by the Marion Community Foundation and the Marion Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, dedicated to planning and promoting a year-long commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. The mission is to celebrate the area’s history, honor the contributions of all residents, and inspire local civic pride for the next 250 years. For more information, please visit https://www.visitmarionohio.com/news/america-250.
If you would like to support America 250 events in Marion, click & donate below:
Learn more about our other grants programs:
TEACH Grants Program
Racial Equity & Justice Grants Program
Field of Interest Grants
