Classic car owners from all around turned out at the Columbiana County Airport for the 2024 Wings and Wheels Car Show, which this year will be held during the West Point Lions Club’s Community Day event at the airport. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

EAST LIVERPOOL — Columbiana County Airport will not be hosting its annual Wings and Wheels event this year. In its place will be the West Point Lions Club Community Day, which will have most of the same features as the Wings and Wheels event.

County Airport Authority Board Chairman Jim Pusateri said that the airport was not able to hold the Wings and Wheels event and decided to give their day for that to the West Point Lions Club for its community day event and hopes to be able to work with club on a joint event next year.

According to West Point Lions Club Treasurer Mary Duris, the airport did not have the people to help with the event and let the organization have the day on which Wings and Wheels would have been held.

“The event is called Community Day because we are hoping to pull everybody together to have a good time,” Duris said.

Community Day will be held Aug. 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Columbiana County Airport, 15606 County Airport Road., East Liverpool.

Set up for the event begins on Aug. 23 at 8 a.m.

Community Day will feature a variety of games with prizes for children including a duck pond, three-legged race, a throwing contest with the Nerf Football Howlers and more.

There will be an area for vendors/crafters to set up. Event organizers are looking for vendors who want to set up at the event.

There will be food trucks at the event. Organizers are currently seeking additional food trucks to participate.

West Point Lions Club is going to sell hamburgers, hot dogs, sloppy joes and potato chips.

A new item at this year’s event is a cornhole tournament. Registration is required for the tournament. Pre-registration is appreciated, but participants can also register at the event. Entry fee is $10 per team. There will be a winner/loser bracket and trophies will be awarded to winners.

The car and bike show will be back at the event. There is no pre-registration required, and a donation is asked for in place of an entry fee. Car show participants will be awarded dash plaques. Plaques will be awarded to overall winners based on a people’s choice selection. Ballots will be handed out for attendees to cast their votes and determine the winners.

The airport will have some airplanes on display also.

Multiple police and fire departments will be in attendance to meet with the public and have their vehicles on display. Municipalities confirmed at this point to be sending first responder vehicles such as police cars, fire trucks or ambulances include Calcutta, St. Clair Township, Lisbon, Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Goldstar Ambulance. Others have been invited to attend, and organizers are waiting for confirmation. Some departments said they will be handing out coloring books for the children and other informational items.

New this year will be a pilot (seeing eye) dog demonstration between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Duris noted that the event is the organization’s big fundraiser for the year, so there will be a Chinese Auction, and the organization is looking to get help and donations of items for the auction. They are seeking anything that would be suitable for the auction and greatly appreciate anything they can get and will be happy to receive it, Duris said. Auction tickets will sell for $1 each, $6 for five, and $15 for 10.

Entrance to the event is free. It will be cash only for items that require a donation or payment such as car show, cornhole tournament, basket raffle, 50/50 raffle, etc.

All proceeds go to the West Point Lions Club to put back into the community through its assistance programs such as $500 to residents who have experienced a house fire, donations to the West Point Ambulance and Fire Department whom the organization recently purchased a rack for storing their canisters, assist residents with eyeglasses, eye medication, food and more.

“Unfortunately, there have been quite a few children pass away due to accidents and stuff like that, so we help with the cost of their services,” Duris said. She also noted the organization made donations to Officer Dakota Wetzel for recovery costs and the family of Rosalie Martin.

“Everything goes back to the community. However we can help somebody out is what we attempt to do,” Duris said. “Unfortunately, we have to come up with money to do that, so this is how we are going to do it and hopefully make a really good amount out of it.”

Duris noted that the organization would like to raise a few thousand dollars from the event, but anything they raise would be fantastic.

Duris is hoping everyone will come out and enjoy the free family event.

For information on setting up as a vendor or food truck, how to donate a Chinese Auction item, pre-registration for cornhole tournament or any other information, contact any of the three organizers: Duris at 330-383-6937, Violet Mellon at 330-424-9220 or Mary Jane Thompson at 330-303-5523.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com