Grove City’s most successful and longest running event and parade is Arts in the Alley, an event held in September each year sponsored by the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce. Arts in the Alley has grown to become a stand-alone event which has enjoyed healthy growth since its origin in 1980. The first Grove City Community Parade was held in 1990. At first, there was considerable opposition to the parade because there was a feeling it was inappropriate for a juried art show. That feeling evaporated when the parade was promoted as a living art creation. The parade eventually became known as the Arts in the Alley Parade. Parades have been held every year except in 2001 when it was cancelled following the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

Several Grove City organizations have sponsored street festivals in the downtown and at Beulah Park. Those organizations include the International Order of Odd Fellows and Rebekah Auxiliary, Lions Club, Grove City Businessmen’s Association, Grove City Park Board, Pascall Post of the American Legion, Eesley-Zimmer Post of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Civic Club, Grove City Centennial Committee and the Grove City Community Fair Board. Various other groups sponsored Christmas and Independence Day events, annual fish fries and ox roasts. Pictured is a float from the 1950s.

Before the Park Street School was torn down in the 1960s, a number of city officials considered purchasing the old brick building for use as the municipal building. The plan called for Grove City to sell its current city hall on Park Street as commercial property (That property today is where the Police Department is located.) The idea behind the plan was that Grove City had the potential to become a commercial, financial and educational center for Southwest Franklin County, according to as survey by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce.

A 245-pound professional wrestler, known as the Golden Gladiator, was at the Grove City High School auditorium match sponsored by the Grove City Lions Club. The event drew a packed crowd as Buddy “Killer” Austin met his opponent, Terrible Teddy the bear. At 600-plus pounds, Teddy stood seven feet tall. The outcome wasn’t reported and its anyone’s guess who won the match.

Ever wondered why a hyphen is part of the South-Western City School District name? Many references even today omit the hyphen but there was a real reason why Robert Mounts, assistant executive for the school district in 1956 made the initial recommendation. There were other Ohio districts which had southwestern incorporated in their names.