In the early morning light, the green fields that surround our little town have a certain glow to them; the dew covered shards of grass reflecting the sun rays that beam down in the valley. The astounding beauty in the nature embedded throughout the landscape is coupled by an almost deafening silence that settles thick as fog, interrupted only by the chirping of birds and crickets.
This is what Middletown is like every morning- well until the seasons change and dew turns into frost, but you get the gist. The town itself resembles a picture frozen in time, its tiny Main Street acting as home to Mom and Pop businesses with a welcoming, homey atmosphere as people wave to each other on the street because of course everybody knows everybody.
You can take a walk along sidewalks lined with seemingly endless rows corn stalks and take drives on windy back roads passing nothing but rolling hills and mountain views from every angle. Some could argue that that’s the best thing about our little time capsule, the scenery.
However, while the scenery adds a specific appeal to our town, the thing that keeps people coming back is the atmosphere that engulfs it. When you walk the tiny sidewalks, there’s always a feeling of comfort and security in that Middletown has stood the test of time.
The Heritage Day Festival, which began 31 years ago, has served as yet another hometown tradition the citizens of Middletown flock to year after year. Originally a two day festival, it is now only one, always celebrated on the last Saturday in September.
The festival’s parade begins at 10:00 which supports local businesses, school activities, and other local groups like LDS, the Middletown High School cheerleaders, the MHS Homecoming Court, boy scouts, girl scouts, and Dee Buchanan Dance Studio.
Upon the conclusion of the parade, townies are free to meander around Main Street as they please since the main roads passing through the town are closed at the start and end of town limits. The festival ends at 4 o’clock that afternoon, but that gives people plenty of time to explore all the unique “shops” and food vendors that line Main Street.
Heritage used to be a two-day festival celebrated at the carnival grounds located behind the town’s new fire hall.
Burgess of Middletown John Miller discusses the history of the festival and the significance of the day. “Bringing it back downtown was a major focus for us because we wanted people to see what was downtown as well as see the craft people and local businesses,” Miller said.
“It really has gone through a number of changes to where we are today but it has maintained its consistency of the celebration of our history and things that are important in our town,” Miller added.
The culture that surrounds the festival is a major part of the festival because there are always women who dress up in 20th century style dresses and men who wear union uniforms to pay tribute to Middletown’s involvement with the Civil War. Also, the stands that line the town are always local businesses.
Miller said, “The Heritage festival really is a link for the past for people who have just come into our town, who are newer residents. They get a glimpse into the past of what Middletown was and, by being there, seeing what it is today.”
The Heritage festival ties in perfectly with Middletown’s inviting mood and it allows a close-knit community to come together to celebrate its past while looking forward to its future.
