GRAND LAKE REGION

building that at various times served as a cigar factory and an opera house.

“The James Watson House will have a modern, big-city vibe with historical notes,” says Cassie. “The menu will be similar to our other restaurant, The Merchant House in Greenville … steaks, chops, pastas and seafood.”

In addition to dining, downtown Celina offers a mix of both longstanding and new shops. For over 70 years, Wilson Shoe Store has been selling name-brand fitness and fashion footwear. Jones Jeweler is another multigenerational local store known for its quality special-occasion jewelry. New shops on the block include Made Apparel, which outfits customers with screen-printed sweatshirts and tees. Made Home stocks handmade pottery, candles and home decor, while 419 Collective offers books, candies, locally made apparel and more.

Festival Fun

Along Grand Lake, warmer waters and longer days mean its time for festival season. Taking full advantage of the inviting and scenic lake locale, multiple celebrations throughout the summer provide plenty of food, music and aquatic traditions that are hard to find elsewhere.

“When summer hits in Mercer County, there’s some event going on every weekend,” says Michelle Miller, Celina resident and co-chair of the Celina Lake Festival. The city’s biggest event draws anywhere from 10,000 to 18,000 people to the shore of

Grand Lake. As a longtime volunteer with the festival, Miller says she loves how the free, three-day event (July 28 through 30) brings people together for fun on the lake. Fireworks kick off the festival, as boaters and landlubbers alike watch the kaleidoscope of colors over the water. The festival highlight is the opportunity to see vehicles known as “amphicars” drive from land out onto the surface of the lake. The event draws amphicar owners from across the United States to make a splash, with some escorting local dignitaries such as the festival’s pageant queen or the mayor. Toss in a kids fishing derby, pet and dog show, a 5K run and a parade that spans two-and-a-half hours, and it’s enough to keep you busy all weekend. Classic concessions, amusement rides and live music round out the offerings at this lively celebration.

Other nearby festivals include events like the Fort Recovery Harvest Jubilee (June

14 through 18), which kicks off the summer festival season with an antique tractor show, dodgeball tournament, animal petting zoo, pie-baking contest, parade and lots of rides, music and food. Zuma Days (June 16 and 17) transforms a small park in Montezuma into a party with a live auction, reverse raffle and kiddie tractor pull, plus live bands and inflatables for the kids to enjoy.

Tractors that do-si-do are just one of the fun events at the Maria Stein Country Fest (June 23 through 25), which also includes live entertainment, sporting competitions and local foods and is held on the beautiful grounds of the Maria Stein Shrine.

This year’s St. Marys Summerfest (Aug. 10 through 13) coincides with the lakeshore community’s bicentennial year. The full schedule of events includes live music, concessions, midway rides, cutest baby and pet contests, a kiddie tractor pull, a rubber duck race and lots more summer fun.