America 250 Picnic, Celebration and Independence Day Concert
America turns 250 on Saturday, July 4, and the site of America’s first presidential library has a day full of old-fashioned events and its annual Independence Day Concert to celebrate. Enjoy a day of nostalgic fun with a picnic or food truck fare; the concert performed by the Toledo Concert Band, featuring members of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra; deeply discounted admission of $2.50 for a site pass to tour the Hayes Home and museum; games and crafts; historical talks and more.
The museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for self-guided tours. Hayes Home tours begin at 9:30 a.m., will last a half hour and cover the first floor of the home only. The tours will include information about President Rutherford B. Hayes’ ancestors and their ties to colonial and Revolutionary War era history.
Food trucks include Jimmy G’s barbecue, Frozen Paradice, Tim’s Bar and Grill Food Trailer and the Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor Traveling Root Beer Stand. The USS Spiegel Grove Association will dedicate a new exhibit area for the ship’s bell at noon. The Independence Day Concert runs from 2 to 3:30 p.m., featuring the “1812 Overture” with cannon fire.