Friends grasp hands as the Typhoon thrill ride rises to the sky at Genoa Homecoming. For a photo gallery of the celebration, click here.

BY SHERI TRUSTY

Angie Grove of Genoa has attended the Genoa Homecoming celebration every summer of her life.

“I’m 42, so I’ve been coming all that time,” she said.

Like Grove, hundreds of people attended Genoa Homecoming 2023 held last week for the rides, food, parade, activities and fireworks.

“We all called it the World’s Fair. It felt like that when I was a kid. It seemed so big,” Grove said.

Her eight-year-old daughter, Millie Grove, was all smiles when she stepped off the X-Treme, a thrill ride that takes passengers up and down and twirling in fast circles.

“It makes you sick. It makes you dizzy. But it’s still fun,” said Millie, getting back in line for another ride on X-Treme.

Sixteen-year-old Hugh Janus of Genoa spent a few minutes next to the trash can after riding X-Treme, just in case.

During last week’s Genoa Homecoming Festivities, the village broke ground on the new Genoa Memorial Park and North Coast Inland Trail and its Bathroom and Concessions Project. Putting shovels in the ground are, left to right, Councilman John Lewis, Mayor Brent Huston, Village Administrator Thomas Bergman and Ottawa County Park District Director Jannah Wilson. (Photos by Sheri Trusty)

“It’s very fast and scary. There’s lots of motion in the ocean on this ride. I didn’t throw up, but I was feeling it,” Janus said. “I’m going to keep riding it until I throw up.”

On Thursday, Genoa Homecoming included a downtown car show hosted by DJ Cruisin Zeake.

“We’re hoping to get 110 cars,” he said. “This isn’t our normal cruise night in Genoa, which is the last Tuesday of every month. This is special because it’s Homecoming. They wanted us to be a part of it because it helps bring people.”

During Thursday’s festivities, village officials broke ground on the new Genoa Memorial Park and North Coast Inland Trail and its Bathroom/Concessions Project. The cost of the project, which has a projected

completion date of Oct. 31, is $341,098. Funding was provided by the Park District of Ottawa County, American Rescue Plan Act, the Village of Genoa and Shores & Islands Ohio.

“The building of a proper concessions stand and bathroom complex has been the dream for our little league associations and numerous park visitors for as long as anyone can remember. It is our number one request by a wide margin,” said Village Administrator Thomas Bergman. “Thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act and terrific partnerships with the park district and Shores & Islands Ohio, this project is finally within our budget. It is going to be a real game changer for youth baseball, soccer and, in the future, softball,” Bergman said. “With the extension of the North Coast Inland Trail to Genoa, it makes our town a destination for cyclists and other visitors. That should be a significant boost for cycling tourism.”