PHOTOS by Mark Andreasen and Brandi Grant-Rigsby / CLICK to enlarge

By Brandi Grant-Rigsby

The sights and sounds of celebration filled the air on a beautiful summer evening with the return of Ada’s beloved Patriotic Pops. The event, with organizing spearheaded by local resident Bryan Marshall, brought together hundreds of residents and visitors to celebrate not only America’s 250^th anniversary, but also the preservation of a cherished Ada tradition.

For nearly a decade, the Lima Symphony Orchestra presented an annual patriotic concert on the campus of Ohio Northern University. This year, Marshall, Ada Exempted Village Schools Superintendent Julie Simmons, Lima Symphony Orchestra CEO Elizabeth Brown Ellis, community leaders, volunteers, and local sponsors brought the concert back together. 

The event was moved to the lawn at Ada Schools, where families spread blankets and lawn chairs and enjoyed food trucks and games before an evening of music.

Support included nearly 50 sponsors, ranging from local businesses and organizations and the America 250-Ohio Commission to individuals committed to seeing the event come back. Marshall announced that with almost $39,000 in support received, there is seed money for next year’s event.

As in years past, one of the evening’s highlights came during the Armed Forces Salute, when veterans from each branch of the military were recognized for their service.

Special recognition was given to four individuals for the evening. Connie Fleming and Louise Miller were recognized as the “Legacy Ladies” and honored for their decades of service to the Ada community. Julie Simmons and Elizabeth Brown Ellis were also honored as the “Executive Ladies” for their leadership and collaboration in bringing together the Ada Exempted Village School District and Lima Symphony Orchestra to ensure the tradition of Patriotic Pops will continue.