The Village of Batavia will celebrate its 200th year on Aug. 6 -10 with exciting activities for the entire family. Bicentennial Committee member Judy Miller said, “The Bicentennial Committee and Taste of Clermont have been working very hard to make sure we have an exciting celebration. Our featured events will be tours of the Historic Homes of Batavia, Saturday’s parade, music, and live theater.”

The festivities will kick off Wednesday, Aug. 6, with the Clermont County Philharmonic performing in front of the courthouse. Miller said those attending the concert should remember to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. This free concert sponsored by the Clermont County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. As if great music won’t be enough, UDF will distribute complimentary ice cream following the performance.

On Thursday evening, Batavia Theatre Project will have a free showing of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Sycamore Park. Please bring your own chairs and blankets to see this exciting comedy about fickle young love.

Taste of Clermont starts Friday, Aug. 9, and food venders, rides and free music will be set up downtown. Friday’s music headliner is honky-tonk and blues infused country music artist Dallas Moore. Friday is also the opening night of Batavia Theatre Project’s production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in Batavia Elementary at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.bataviatheatreproject.com or can be purchased in person at Batavia’s Old Water Treatment Plant between noon and 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The theatre will also perform several presentations of “Batavia’s Bicentennial: A Dramatic Retelling of Our Village’s History” starting Friday and throughout the festival weekend in the village firehouse. During this short multi-media presentation, village founder Ezekiel Dimmitt will relay the ups and downs of the village history since its settlement. “We are starting our theatre earlier than expected just to be a part of Batavia’s

Bicentennial,” said theater president Adam Haskell. “We are so grateful for our inaugural preview season to coincide with these other events.”

Saturday, Aug. 9, will offer a full day of bicentennial celebration activities. The Bicentennial parade begins at 10 a.m., and groups who would like to enter a float or classic car should submit an application by July 25. To apply, download an application from www.vaob.org, stop by the village offices, or call 513-732-2020. Those looking to celebrate on Saturday can participate in Taste of Clermont and hear live music throughout the day. Saturday’s evening headliner is country music band Pistol Holler. Those celebrating will have another chance to see Our Town at 7 p.m., and don’t forget to end the day with a massive professional fireworks extravaganza. Mayor John Thebout said these top-notch fireworks at 10 p.m. are not to be missed. Fireworks sponsors are Holman Motors, Auxier Gas, and Jeff Wyler Automotive Group.

The Batavia Bicentennial Celebration will wrap up Sunday with Taste of Clermont, and a 2 p.m. matinee performance of Our Town. Headlining Sunday evening’s music will be noted mandolin player and bluegrass band Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver.

“It is an honor to be the mayor during this 200 year anniversary celebration,” added Mayor Thebout. “We hope to have a nice turnout and to have local and state dignitaries present. We are proud to have completed our work on Main Street and hope to continue our work toward have one of the nicest county seats in the State of Ohio.”