Chillicothe is gearing up for its annual celebration of its claim to fame: sliced bread. In 1928, baker Frank Bench and inventor Otto Rohwedder made history by selling the first commercially sliced bread in Chillicothe. This year’s celebration will take place on Saturday, June 29, 2024.
The festivities kick off on Friday, June 28, with a free concert at Silver Moon Plaza from 7 to 10 p.m. Main Street Chillicothe invites everyone to bring a chair and enjoy live music from local band Branded Souls. Food and beverages will be available from MOCOCO and Fresh on the Go. Webster Street will be closed from 6 to 10 p.m. for the event.
The celebration will be held at several locations: the Grand River Historical Society Museum at 1401 Forest Drive, Silver Moon Plaza at 707 Webster Street, and The Home of Sliced Bread Welcome Center at 100 Elm Street. Attendees can park downtown and ride the new Sliced Bread Trolley, with the route and schedule posted on the event day.
The Grand River Museum will host events including a bread-baking contest, a slice-bread pageant, an innovations fair, and heritage exhibits. The downtown square will feature the YMCA’s 5K run at Silver Moon Plaza and the Farmer’s Market at the courthouse square. Local businesses will offer special Sliced Bread Day sales, with several hosting sidewalk sales.
In the afternoon, activities at 1st and Elm Streets will include bounce houses, face painting, The Rockin Rob Show, a caricature artist, food trucks, and an interactive 4’x16’ mural where community members can help paint “Toasty’s Journey.” This mural is presented by Main Street Chillicothe and is the debut project of The Main-iacs, a new student volunteer group.
The festivities will culminate with the Slice of Home Concert presented by the Chillicothe Area Chamber of Commerce. Local musicians will perform in the Blackwater Restaurant parking lot, playing popular tunes to conclude the celebration.
For more information on Sliced Bread Day, visit this link to view the events taking place at each location.
