04/15/2026
This evening Orrville Firefighters Association representatives Assistant Chief Ron Ballentine & Captain Craig Hostetler attended Orrville, A Local Story at the Orrville Public Library where the focus was on Patriotic Orrville in celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary 🇺🇸
If you were unable to attend, here was the speech given which offers a little insight into the history of the festival you all know and love today. ❤️‍🔥
The OFFA did not nor has ever claimed to start the Orrville fourth of July festivities. To the best of our knowledge the Orrville Jaycees managed and ran the festivities dating back beyond the 1950’s. In 1984 OFFA was approached by Mr. Bob Keating, a friend of the association and longtime concessioner based out of Orrville. Mr. Keating knew the OFFA was looking for fundraising opportunities to help support the department and its members, and the Jay Cees membership was declining to a point where the festival possibly would not be able to continue. The OFFA jumped at this opportunity and under the expert guidance of Mr. Keating, dove into the festival headfirst. He handled the games, food, and lined up the fireworks (which we believe was a $1500.00 show), the OFFA provided the labor and lined up a parade. As years passed, money earned was saved and put back into the festival, allowing for larger fireworks shows, new concessions, and an overall bigger festival made possible by the teamwork of Mr. Keating and the OFFA. The OFFA developed a friendship with Bates Amusements, the food concessioners, and Zambelli fireworks, growing the festival year after year. Members developed such a love for the fireworks they went out and became certified to assemble and shoot the Orrville Fireworks show and did so up until 2023. Fast forward 20 years, looking for ways to build the festival the OFFA started a 14ugirl’s fast pitch softball tournament in 2004, with 9 teams. In typical OFFA fashion, this tournament grew quickly. Becoming the largest singe age tournament in the United States. Currently the OFFA kicks off the festivities with a 12u girls fastpitch tournament consisting of 44 teams. Two days later the fire in the sky festival opens with a 3-hour long parade. The festival continues throughout the week with a large carnival midway, a 14u girls fast pitch tournament hosting 117 teams from several states and concludes the week with the region’s largest fireworks show. In honor of Mr. Bob Keating the fireworks show launches at 10:15 or immediately after the conclusion of the championship softball game, instead of 10:00!
Bob always wanted 15 more minutes for sales on the carnival midway, 10:15 is our little way of showing respect to Bob and saying thank you for trusting us to make the festival our own! 🎆
