Old West End Festival - Toledo

05/30/2026

https://youtu.be/poWtC-sVPPw?si=vkTh0FBiTgxbYcdi

Dan Finkel and Jon Khulman join us to talk about the upcoming event...

05/30/2026

https://toledocitypaper.com/music/michael-whitty-celebrates-toledo-tradition-with-new-single-festival-time-in-the-old-west-end

A Musical Tribute to Toledo’s Historic Festival Michael Whitty is bringing the spirit of Toledo’s beloved Old West End Festival to life with his new single, “Festival Time in the Old West End.” The Dixieland-inspired anthem captures the energy, history and community pride that have defined t...

05/23/2026

Press Release By Michael Whitty

Festival Time in the Old West End was written to embody the vibe and experience of the festival. The idea is for people who have attended the event to feel like they are there and to give the rest of the world a glimpse into what makes it so wonderful. It was recorded by Eric Stihls at Stone Soup Studios. The song is set to be released on all streaming platforms on May 26th which will give it 11 days of air play before the festival. This year’s party will be on June 6th and 7th.

The first public full band performance of “Festival Time in the Old West End” will happen on Saturday June 6th immediately following the King Wamba parade and the crowning of this year’s king and queen. This will take place on the Steps of the Toledo Museum of Art on the Collingwood side around noon.

Michael Whitty’s great grandfather, George Kovar, marched in the first king Wamba parade in 1909. It was billed as the “Mardi Gras of the North” and drew over 100,000 people. The song takes us back to this time period with its Dixieland style.

The band is made up of some cultural treasures who just happen to be in Toledo. “Ragtime” Rick Graffing is a nationally known stride piano player and a great wealth of knowledge. His wife Betsy plays banjo and their son John plays trumpet. Ray Heitger is on clarinet. Ray is the leader of the legendary “Cake Walkin Jass Band”. Ben Wolkins on trumpet went to New York to get a masters degree, did some touring and recording with various groups, but has returned to Toledo so his kids can be close to family. Kevin Shope on Bass trombone has a masters degree as well. He went on the road with Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, and Stan Kenton. Joel Hazard has a masters degree and has toured with Jon Hendricks. Zac Kreuz also has a masters degree and has worked with Joey DeFrancesco, Shirly Scott, and Jimmy Bruno. The group is a perfect mixture of school and street.

Michael Whitty grew up in a musical family and is proud to be from Toledo Ohio. His aunt Colleen currently plays French horn with the Maui pops orchestra along with many other ensembles in Hawaii. Michael began playing in public, outside of school, around the age of 15. Many remember him showing up to play at jam sessions riding a bicycle with the horn on the handle bars. Whitty has studied privately with over 30 instructors on various instruments and vocals. The time spent with the Jon Hendricks, Claude Black, Cliff Murphey, Mark Keiswetter, and many others including the people mentioned above, has provided a foundation to pursue a life of music. This versatility has enabled Michael to perform all over the country on trombone, piano, and vocals. He currently resides in Kansas City and is working on the next songs for the upcoming album.

Festival Time in the Old West End is going to be A LOT of fun. This year’s kick off will be truly special. Come out and bring your family.

05/21/2026

At the conclusion of the Old West End Festival this year we will not be having an afterparty at Macelwane Park - Toledo. We know that some people look forward to this event and will be disappointed. If you feel so inclined please keep the festivities going on front porches and backyards Sunday evening.

05/15/2026

The organizers of the Beer Garden have asked that "no pets allowed" signs be posted at the entrances to the beer garden. Please enjoy the festival with your furry, scaled or feathered friend outside of the beer garden this year.

05/15/2026

🎉 Want to be part of the magic behind the Old West End Festival this year? We’re looking for volunteers to help make one of Toledo’s favorite traditions happen! 🏡✨

Whether you can help for a few hours or the whole weekend, we have opportunities for everyone — setup, hospitality, info booths, vendor support, kids activities, and more. It’s a fun way to meet people, support the neighborhood, and be part of an incredible community event.

Sign up here to volunteer: https://signup.com/mobileweb/2.0/vspot.html?groupkey=381231760050

Bring your friends, your energy, and your love for the Old West End! 💛

Send a message or thank you to your Participants – it will include the SignUp link. Inviting new Participants? Please choose the Invite option on the previous screen.

05/15/2026

We need help to put on this festival. We are asking friends and neighbors and community members to signup at:

Choose your SignUps for 2026 Old West End Festival today! No login or passwords needed and receive automated reminders for your spots!

05/15/2026

IMPORTANT NOTICE

New Street Closure for 2026 Festival

After receiving many comments about safety and traffic on Delaware surrounding the Arboretum Beer Garden at Festival, we have been working with the City to close a portion of Delaware from Glenwood to Parkwood for the Festival. South traffic crossing Delaware at Scottwood will remain open. The closure will begin Saturday morning at 7am and continue until the conclusion of festival at 5pm Sunday.

We hope this will alleviate the traffic and safety problems associated with people cruising up and down Delaware during the event.

For those residents who live on the affected parts of Delaware we will be instructing the Sherrifs working security and Volunteers to let traffic pass to get to and from your homes. Traffic will not be permitted to use Delaware as a thoroughfare during festival hours. Hard barricade closures will be posted at both ends and soft warning signs will be placed at Detroit/Delaware and Collingwood/Delaware to let cars know they will not be able to pass through and to look for another route.

This will be the first time we have done this and we realize the disruption it will cause a few as well as the potential benefits for the festival as a whole. At the conclusion of festival we will examine the results and evaluate this plan for future festivals.

Thank you and Happy Festival to all!

05/08/2026

🎉 Support the Old West End Festival and get your name in front of thousands of attendees! 🎉

We’re currently looking for small sponsors for our official Old West End Festival T-shirts! This is a great way to support one of Toledo’s most beloved community traditions while helping us continue to preserve and celebrate one of the largest historic Victorian neighborhoods in the country. 🏡✨

Your sponsorship helps fund the festival and keeps this incredible community event growing year after year.

Interested in becoming a T-shirt sponsor? You can sign up and pay here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/owewa-donations

Thank you for supporting the Old West End community, historic preservation, and the festival we all love! ❤️

02/11/2026

Order your 1976 Vintage festival shirt before March 31! We’ve added a splash of color!
50 years ago, Toni Moore and WOWE joined forces with the OWEA to hand-print our first Festival T-shirt. This 1976 origin story was brought to life by dedicated neighbors, including the Basilius, Amstutz, Baldwin, Dusseau, and other families, launching a community tradition that we continue to celebrate today.
Shirts, hoodies, cards, bags, and more at OldWestEnd.printify.me (http://oldwestend.printify.me/)