The 2023 Tipp City Mum Festival is scheduled for September 22-24

Written by Eamonn Bird

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TIPP CITY — The 63rd annual Tipp City Mum Festival is scheduled to take place in the city park Sept. 22-24 with plenty of events and activities throughout the weekend. This year’s theme is “Tipp City Library: 100 Years of Stories,” in honor of the Tipp City Library’s 100th anniversary.

The Mum Festival dates back to the 1950s when the newly formed Tipp City Chamber of Commerce sought a symbol to represent the city. Otto Frings, who returned from the Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan, suggested that the city honor the chrysanthemum.

At that time, Spring Hill Nurseries in Tipp City were selling chrysanthemums at such a rate that it was not long until Tipp City became known as the “Mother Capital of the World.”

Jay Taylor, chair of this year’s Festival of Mothers, expressed what to expect for this year’s event.

“The city park is full of people and has a really good, family, hometown feel,” Taylor said.

The festival begins with the annual Mum Festival cruise on Friday at 4 p.m. The cruise will feature hundreds of classic and muscle cars from almost every era of automobiles. The cruise will be downtown from First Street to Hyatt Street. Food trucks, sidewalk vendors and Tipp City restaurants will be available for festival goers to enjoy. Merchants and arts and crafts dealers from around the world during the festival weekend from 10am until dark on Saturday and 11am until dark on Sunday.

Kevin Cox, public relations director for this year’s festival, estimates that between 20 and 30 volunteers will help throughout the weekend.

“We’re looking at Super Bowl weekend in Tipp City. We’re trying to make sure that everyone on board, whether it’s the police or the fire department, knows that the whole city is on board, along with all the Tipp City merchants,” Cox said. And anyone participating in the parade.”

Saturday will kick off with the 43rd Annual Mom’s Run, sponsored by Tip Monroe Community Services. Run for the Mums is a 5K run on flat terrain that starts at 8 a.m. in the city park, and the Tipp City Mum Festival and Tipp Monroe Community Services will have multiple prizes and raffles at the finish line. The race is scheduled to continue regardless of the weather.

Following the 5k will be the annual Mum Festival Parade featuring bands, floats, classic cars and more from the local and surrounding areas. The parade starts downtown at 10 a.m. The Mum Festival Parade begins at the corner of Hyatt Street and Parkwood Street in downtown Tipp City, travels south, turns east on Main Street to travel through the downtown Tipp City area to finally turn north on 2nd Street and ends at the entrance to City Park where the main Mum Festival festivities will be held.

The Tipp City Mum Festival is partnering with Boy Scouts of America Troop 586 on the opportunity to adopt a mom. The Scouts will paint moms on sidewalks and driveways, which can be sponsored for $15. More information can be found on the Mum Festival website.

Cox wanted to give a special thank you to all the volunteers who help with the Mum Festival each year, including the Kiwanis Club of Tipp City and the senior supervisors at the Tipp City Library this year.

“We appreciate all the nonprofits and businesses that help sponsor this festival. We couldn’t do it without them and we appreciate them so much,” Cox said.

To learn all about the Tipp City Mum Festival, visit https://tippmumfestival.org/