Mascot to be Named at Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Food, and Entertainment Festival

The Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Food, and Entertainment Festival will kick off it’s 40^th Anniversary with something new: A mascot!

The patriotic eagle is a great addition to the Fourth of July Festival tradition. And the committee held a contest to name the mascot. There were five finalists, and the winner and name of the mascot will be announced on July 2 at 4:30 p.m.

Finalists include:

-Issac L (After Issac L Ellwood, Creator of Barbed Wire, and whom our town is named after) submitted by Donna Ann Hope

-Ellwood The Eagle submitted by Kevin Swogger

-Long Crested Woodrow (But his Friends call him L Woodie) submitted by Jim McIntyre

-Arty (ARTS and crafts Festival) submitted by Shelley McAllister

-Eric the Ellwoodian Eagle (After Eric Rayner for his work in the town) submitted by Megan Anderson

The idea for a mascot was the brainchild of Richard and Mari DiGia.

I was working the festival booth in 2018, and as I was sitting there I was thinking this festival needs a mascot,” Richard said.

Immediately he thought his wife Mari would be the perfect person to actually make the mascot costume come to life.

So the couple did their research when it came to concepts and costume design. Then Mari worked her magic.

“She did a wonderful job on it,” Richard said.

It’s not suprising that the mascot is a crowd favorite, both Richard and Mari are creative and talented Ellwoodians. Richard does all the graphic designs for the festival as well as the animated videos on the Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, Food and Entertainment Festival’s Facebook page.

They are thrilled to be part of bringing the mascot to life and the festival returning following a hiatis.

“This lets the community know we are back,” Richard said. “It’s all about the community and the mascot is a gift to them.”

The mascot did make a debut at the Wander Ellwood event on June 1 as well as the Memorial Day Parade.

“He was a big success … very well accepted,” Richard said. “Kids and adults alike loved him.”

The crowd may not have know this, but Mari was the one wearing the costume in the parade.

Be sure to give the new mascot a big welcome at the Festival!