THE FIRST ROCHE DE BOEUF FESTIVAL 1974
The festival was named for the large out cropping of rock in the Maumee River. The rock was called Buffalo Rock by the Indians and translated by the French as “Rock of Beef.” The festival salutes the Roche de Boeuf or Rock of the Buffalo. So people would remember how to spell Boeuf they were taught the rhyme “Buffalo Over Eat Until Full.”
The festival all started at the kitchen table with Gary and Diana Waugh. They along with Kenny and Annabelle Blair decided to add a new event to the Village of Waterville community events.
The First Roche de Boeuf Festival was to be held on the first Saturday after Labor Day, September 7, 1974. It was started by the Jaycees which included Gary Waugh, Don Blewett, Rick Young and Ken Blair as the chairmen and coordinators. Some of the others that helped were Bill Lommatzsch, Alan Porath, Bill Price, Walt Seymour, Dave Myerholtz, Ed Plante, Bill LaRue and Mike Dehner. The festival was supposed to be a day of celebration and merriment in downtown Waterville with singing, dancing, craft booths and a barbeque, etc. with Waterville history tied to the river, canal and railroad, village government and service organizations. The official costume was to be 1880 to the 1910s. The purpose was to establish a day for Waterville people to get to know each other and their town, and bridge the past with the future. They wanted to establish an annual event different from a carnival type that was happening here and in other towns. Of course it was also a way for the Jaycees to increase membership and have the business community participate. Also much of the money that left town with the carnival would now stay in the community.
The first festival had a bike decorating contest and parade with 30 children participating. They had special rides to Grand Rapids and back on the Bluebird Special, picking up people in a hay wagon and tram ride. They had tours of historical sites in downtown Waterville. At 12 noon a special meeting of the Village Council was held with reading a proclamation honoring Roche de Boeuf Day as an annual event and dedication of a plaque for the Roche de Boeuf Bridge Society. They also announced that the old power plant would be turned over to the Waterville Historical Society for a museum.
Don Lahote of Perrysburg piloted the homemade plane “Breezy” over Waterville and Bernie Steinbaugh parachuted from the plane and landed on his target at Route 24 and 64 at the point where Mechanic Street and AW Trail meet. He was still jumping from the plane in 1990 at the festival. The AW band was unable to play at the first festival so the Perrysburg Band was invited and played.
About 60 people dressed in 1890s attire. They had the sky diver at 1:00 p.m. that landed on his target. The Waterville Playshop put on an old fashion melodrama and the Rhythm Rambler’s, a western square dance group, demonstrated. That was followed by street dancing. There were craft booths on Second and Third Street. It was a big day and lasted all day and into the night. They even had a rock band.
The Roche de Boeuf Mission Statement said it was to be a family affair, promote local business and bring people to Waterville, then to encourage visitors to come back to visit and shop. It looks like they did a good job as we are now celebrating the 50th festival this year and it is bigger and better than anyone could imagine. Only the 47th Annual Festival was canceled due to Covid-19 concerns, adhering to the health department restrictions during the Covid pandemic and the best interest of the community.