He said, “We want to honor people who were visionaries in Hamilton. After this year, our plan is to find a visionary that lived here, and had a contribution to society, and honor that person.”
The first Hollow Earth Fest will be held from noon to 4 p.m. April 13 at Symmes Park in Hamilton. Celebrating the history of Hamilton, the event will feature historical discussions, STEM/STEAM demonstrations and experiments, food trucks, and a specialty beer from Municipal Brew Works.
“We want to create a festival in the spring for Hamilton to celebrate not only our past history and veterans, but also celebrate people who were visionaries that lived here, and just to help Hamilton grow, and become better,” Smallwood said. “This is another reason for Hamilton to celebrate our history.”
The Hollow Earth Fest will celebrate visionaries such as local hero Captain John Cleves Symmes, whose idea of a hollow earth inspired well-known works of writers, artists, and filmmakers, such as Jules Verne’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” Symmes was a veteran of the War of 1812. He was buried in the park, and a marker was placed there to celebrate his visionary ideas.
“The land was donated by Mr. Symmes, who was a veteran of the War of 1812, and he, at the time, was a noted visionary in Science. He was the founder of the Hollow Earth Theory,” said Smallwood.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The monument at Symmes Park initially marked his gravesite, and the city cemetery was later turned into a park.
“This is year one, and we want to keep doing the festival, year after year, to raise more money to do more things to make the park a safe haven for teens in Hamilton,” said Smallwood.
Some of the ideas for the park include revitalizing the basketball courts, modernizing the fields for soccer and putting in a skatepark.
Activities throughout the day will include the dedication of a marker for Revolutionary War veteran Paul Bonnel (also referred to as Bonnell.)
Eagle Scout candidate Zack Kramer, along with the American Legion/Veterans Administration (VA) will lead a dedication and memorial ceremony featuring Taps, a 21-gun salute, and the Presentation of Colors. Kramer has taken on a leadership role, and he is working closely with the American Legion/VA on the project.
As part of his service project, Kramer coordinated the search for the remains of Revolutionary War soldier, Private Paul Bonnel and his wife Mary Bonnel. With the help of the Underground Detective, they used ground penetrating radar to find the couple, who died more than 200 years ago.
The Symmes Park property was initially the Hamilton Burying Grounds. Most of the graves were moved to Greenwood Cemetery in 1848, however, the Bonnels’ remains are still on the property; they were not moved. As part of Kramer’s project, a memorial will be placed at the location of their graves.
Plus, there will be an educational component with history of the park, a Kid’s Zone focusing on STEAM activities (astronomy, aerodynamics, engineering, and art projects), live music from local artist Joshua Smith, food trucks, and a special beer for the day created by Municipal Brew Works. (They are creating a beer with donuts, because there’s a hole in the middle of the donuts.) Unsung Salvage Design Company will be creating T-shirts for the event.
Participants from the Boys and Girls Club, along with those involved at the Booker T. Washington Community Center, have invited their families to join in the festivities.
Members of the Hollow Earth Fest committee include Chris Maraschiello, Brad Spurlock, Dan Schneider, Jennifer Albinus, Katharine Steele, Joshua Smith, Heather Frechtling, Liz Hayden, Zack Kramer, and Scott Smallwood, along with the support of the Hamilton Community Foundation.
“We as a group are hoping to help revitalize this amazing park and build a festival that for in the future will be able to help fund improvements such as a place for teens to be able to use in a positive manner,” said Smallwood.
How to go
What: Hollow Earth Fest
When: Saturday, April 13, noon to 4 p.m.
Where: Symmes Park, 401 S. Third St., Hamilton
Cost: Free, open to all. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
More info: facebook.com/HollowEarthFest or at hollowearthfest.com
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