The Bluffton Icon and Ada Icon will take a Labor Day weekend holiday from Saturday, August 30-Monday, September 1. Breaking news and sports coverage will continue to be posted. Please send us information and inquiries 24/7 to [email protected]. You may also leave a message at 567-400-4266.
The 20th annual Bluffton Fall Festival will be celebrated on Saturday, September 27 with activities in and all around Bluffton, Ohio. For more information, visit www.blufftonfallfestival.com or Facebook.
Activities are scheduled for 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. unless noted otherwise.
The official opening of the Bluffton Community Dog Park on Lake St. was held on Sunday, August 24. The event honored Bluffton teacher, heart transplant recipient and dog lover Katrina Riepenhoff, who passed away in 2024. Donations in her honor accelerated the creation of the dog park.
A ribbon cutting ceremony with volunteer organizers as well as Riepenhoff’s parents Joe and Becky celebrated the development of fenced areas for both large and small dogs with water stations. The dog park is located on Lake St. next to the Village Arboretum on the north side of Cobb Lake.
Ian Shriner sadly left our world on Tuesday, August 5, in Burke, Virginia. He was born July 31, 1983, in Durham, North Carolina. His parents are John (Joann) Shriner of Cookeville, Tennessee, and Elizabeth Kelly (Ray Person) of Bluffton, Ohio.
Ian graduated from Cookeville (TN) High School and the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) with a major in Marine Biology. He was a committed Superfan of the UNCW Seahawks baseball team and known for rallying up the fans in the stands. He volunteered his time with the Special Olympics and Miracle Field baseball.
The Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the date of November 29 for the 2025 Blaze of Lights parade and Festival.
The theme for downtown decorations and parade floats is "Home for the Holidays."
The chamber message notes, "It's hard to believe that three months from today is the highly-anticipated annual Blaze of Lights event! ....More information regarding parade participation, etc will be coming soon. We look forward to making this another wonderful Blaze of Lights event for our community!"
