American flags line the streets of Centerville, Ohio, on Independence Day as a parade highlights the largest single-day festival in Ohio.
In this city 15 miles south of Dayton and 45 miles north of Cincinnati, the Americana Festival represents a patriotic tradition reflective of a Norman Rockwell painting illustrating a simpler time, yet the annual event is only part of the community’s passion for America’s heritage.
On five flag holidays (Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day), volunteers from the Centerville Noon Optimist club place 3-foot-by-5-foot American flags on a 10-foot pole in the front yard of homeowners and business owners….