05/31/2026
GC Rotary Making a Difference for our Southwest Community!
The Bean Dinner is Back! Please bring your lawn chairs to enjoy an entire day of fun. The Bean Dinner at Westgate Park returns Saturday June 27th from 11- 7pm. The event offers great food, live music, car show, vendors, and fun for the entire family.
This would have been the 100th-year of the Hilltop Business Association that started this event honoring the Union Soldiers who manned Camp Chase on this site during the Civil War. Camp Chase was the largest Civil War prison, holding over 26,000 Confederate soldiers and the neighboring Camp Chase Cemetary has over 2,200 graves.
Bean Dinner 2026 is chaired by Chris Gourley and Larry Titus, both were former members of the Hilltop Business Association and have a long history with this Westgate Park gem. Chris & Larry both now serve with the Rotary Club of Grove City, who was asked by the HBA to bring the Bean Dinner back to benefit the Westside.
Chris Gourley is originally from Georgia, but had lived in the Westgate community for over a decade, and led several past Bean Dinners. Larry Titus grew up in Holly Hills and was a proud Westgate Falcon & Hawk, before a West High Cowboy. "I love Westgate Park, my first charitable act as a young entrepreneur was being 1 of 6 businesses that replaced the Westgate Park fountain, said Titus. I was only in my late 20's and couldn't really afford such a large contribution, but it taught me sometimes you can't afford not to help. I smile everytime I drive past and look at that beautiful fountain."
The Ham & Bean Soup highlights an enhanced menu with Ohio Famous Grilled Bologna, Flyer's Pizza, City BBQ Cornbread, & Ice Cream Floats. Thank you Dawn with George's Coneys for her oversite.
The Bean Dinner committee is excited about a very talented group of musicians who are going to perform. The West High Alumni Swing Band gets the day started. Blue Spectrum, winners of the Regional Blues Challenge headlines the event. Blue Spectrum's bass guitar player & lead singer is Uncle Al, Alan Jefferson, West High School class of 1984. Alan's nephew is guitar sensation Zayne Harshaw, which is quite famous for overcoming severe Autism. The Phantoms will be playing Classic Rock, featuring Tom Cash on lead guitar and vocals is also a West High School graduate. Todd Lupher is piano soloist who will be playing all the hits.
"Cars in the Park" returns, led by Rotarian Mike Shifflet, benefiting St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Our "Kid's Fun Area", led by Pastor Lizzy & St. Marks Church, will feature a Bounce House and a Soccer Clinic for the kids.
Thank You to our Event Sponsors: Coca-Cola, Heartland Bank, Pathway Financial Credit Union, Leavitt Insurance, Blue Print Columbus, & Grove City Rotary.
The Bean Dinner proceeds will benefit West High School academics, Jordan's Crossing, and other Westside programs through the Grove City Rotary Foundation. Please checkout BeanDinnerAtWestgatePark.com for more information or if you are interested in volunteering.
