SPRING VALLEY — The 47th Spring Valley Potato Festival will take place Oct. 5-6.

This year’s theme is “Peace, Love and Potatoes.”

Get ready to savor a ton of different potato-themed food items featuring the famous potato candy and potato soup as well as baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, squealin’ taters, ribbon fries, french fries, potato sundaes, and more.

More than 100 vendors will be selling mums, food, and crafts. There is also a farmer’s market and more.

Music from Subterranean, Locking Up Otis, Phinley McKee, Justin Moon, Chris Bro, Jenny Walker, and Brad Denson will be featured on the Thompson Pavilion Stage in Bledsoe Park both days. This year the Beer Garden will be located in Bledsoe Park so patrons can enjoy all the acts.

On Saturday there will be kids’ games at 11 a.m. and a pet parade at 12 p.m..

The Tater Trot 5K fun walk/run will be Saturday at 8 a.m. beginning at Walton Park. Register at https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/SpringValley/TaterTrot5K.

The National Anthem will be performed both days at 11:45 a.m. Renee Ponder will be singing on Saturday, and the Xenia Marching Buccaneers will be playing on Sunday.

Festival Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 5 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6. Parking is $5 at Walton Park on the corner of 725 and Main Street.

Check the festival Facebook page — Spring Valley ACTS Potato Festival — or springvalleyohioacts.com for schedules and event updates.

Harold Smith has been named the Potato Festival Citizen of the Year.

Known as the “quiet man” behind the scenes, Smith has been an important figure of Spring Valley for many years. Being the son of Everett and Rosemary Smith and husband of Carla, he learned the importance of volunteering. He was a Boy Scout and also a Greene County FFA member. During the 1980s, he was a first responder at the Spring Valley fire department.

Smith helps wherever needed at the Spring Valley Potato Festival, from making sure the local booths have what they need, to emptying a trash tote, turning on the light towers so that event goers can see in the parking lot, and even collecting money or making change as needed.

Smith has also provided security for the Greene County Fair Art Hall under Marjorie Lovett and has volunteered at the Spring Valley Methodist Church. A lifelong resident of Spring Valley and Spring Valley Township, Smith has been known to remove road hazards after storms and help his neighbors as needed.

He has helped the Spring Valley ACTS replace the front steps and flower gardens at the Historic George Barrett Cement House. He has procured equipment from his company to help with several projects over the years. During the Halloweenie Roasts, one is never sure where to find Smith as his costume creations are always a big hit. He and his three daughters — Jessi, Kassi, and Maria — makes sure the George Barrett Cement House is decorated in scary fashion for all the trick or treaters.