A Look Back on 20 Years of the Liberty Fest

In the beginning there was a park. And from that park sprang a festival.

What began as an idea to draw attention to the newly finished Heritage Park – which, at the time was almost in the middle of nowhere – Canton’s Liberty Fest has become the township’s main event.

First held in 1991, Liberty Fest was designed to draw families out to Heritage Park, by incorporating elements of the Canton Charity Festival and the Canton corn roast of the late 70’s.

“They lasted about two or three years,” said Bob Dates, a co-founder of the Liberty Fest, and then-director of the Canton Parks and Recreation Department (now ). “There was no festival at the time, so Township Supervisor Tom Yack decided we should take (the Liberty Fest) on because we had the money and the resources to do so.”

Twenty years later, the small festival – with arts and crafts, small food booths and rides for toddlers – has morphed into a grand celebration of the spirit of the township and the nation.

A few of the larger elements of the Liberty Fest still exist today. The fireworks were always a central attraction, and the car show began in the first year as well, which had them displayed around the park’s pond.

Not knowing how well the Liberty Fest would be received, Dates said that it was initially a struggle to secure vendors. But, he said, after the first-year success, they were lining up to be involved the following summer.

“We had to do some arm-twisting to get them in,” said Dates. “But after that first year, we had people banging on our door to get back in.”

The idea had been one that township officials had been kicking around for about two years prior to its inception. Late in the year in 1990, they decided they were going to shoot for the summer, and formed a committee to make it happen.

They met once a month, pooling all of their ideas and pulling it all together. “The township had the money, which was the main thing,” he said, adding that overhead was also kept low because the parks and recreation department had a significant part-time summer staff to help out. “We had a built-in staff, so we didn’t have to go out and recruit one.”

Evolution

Over the years, the Liberty Fest has seen numerous events and activities added and subtracted, in an effort to keep it fresh. Food – central to the festival – has been a main attraction that has steadily grown, from small tables with simple offerings to the myriad vendors and large of today.

“We’ve seen some things come and go,” said Debbie Bilbrey-Honowitz, director of leisure services, who elaborated by pointing out the importance of the Liberty Fest for local food businesses, who have a great opportunity to display their menus. “That’s a very important opportunity for them,” she said, “for the local restaurants to introduce their foods to the festival goers is great.”

For a few years, she said, an Iron Chef-type competition was also held, during which the township caterer, Continental Food Service,  competed against Canton Fire Department's best kitchen hands in a cook-off. The small kids’ rides were also beefed up. Now, it’s a veritable carnival of attractions, with something for kids (and adults) of all ages.

Initially, the Liberty Fest was held on the Saturday and Sunday of Father’s day weekend. Then Friday was added; for a brief period the festival lasted four days, from Thursday through Sunday.

A one-time festival staple, the parade, want dropped from Liberty Fest this year, which the small-stage musicals have grown into concerts that cover two stages.

“It’s kind of an unofficial kick-off of the summer,” said Dates, who retired from the township in 2006, after chairing the festival for 15 years. “We wanted to establish a tradition.”

The tradition has definitely taken hold. And come this weekend, there are sure to be thousands of participants.