A large fireworks display will close out the City of Dover's 2018 End of Summer Celebration on September 2 at Dover City Park (Submitted photo).

Dover, Ohio - An event featuring live music, fireworks, and family-friendly fun will close out the summer this Sunday at Dover City Park.

The City of Dover’s Annual End of Summer Celebration is set for Sunday, September 2, with special events and activities planned throughout the afternoon and evening. 

The fun officially kicks off at 1:05 p.m. with a 1800s-style baseball game between the Canal Dover Redlegs, an organized vintage baseball team, and the Dover City Sluggers, a team comprised of City of Dover employees. 

Dover Parks Director Scott Jerles says the matchup will be played using traditional rules and will look a bit different from a modern baseball game. 

“There’s no gloves, just some different rules. At that time, they called it a gentleman’s game. There was no cussing, no tobacco of any type, just some different rules that were in place,” he explains. “You cannot overrun first base. You can catch the ball if it hits the ground. On the first hop, you can catch it and it’s an out. You have to ring a bell whenever you score a run. It’s definitely changed from today’s game.”

Live music begins at 1:30 p.m. with a performance from Dover High School senior Max Beal. The Dover Marching Tornadoes will take the stage at 3, followed by the Moonlyterz at 4 and Elvis impersonator Wesley Allan at 5, leading up to the headlining act - Fleetwood Mac tribute band Rumours - from 7 to 8:30.

“They’re coming from Atlanta, Georgia. They’re a national touring tribute band, and they’re phenomenal,” Jerles says. “The leader singer, if you were to close your eyes, she sounds like Stevie Nicks. I highly recommend that people come to listen to them.” 

Food vendors will be on site throughout the day, and there will be plenty of activities for children including free inflatables, free swimming at Dover City Pool, and free train rides from 4 to 7 p.m.

In addition, the event will also feature a car and motorcycle show sponsored by the Chuck Nicholson Auto Superstore. Registration begins at 3 p.m. for the car show that starts at 5. The cost to register is $5 per vehicle, and dash plaques will be awarded to the first 150 vehicles. Additional plaques will be presented to the top 25 cars and the top three motorcycles, with special honors for Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen’s pick for the Mayor’s Choice awards. 

The entire celebration will close out with the bang at dusk as the city unleashes a spectacular fireworks display. 

“It’ll kick off as soon as Rumours complete their final song. It’s probably going to be somewhere right around a 25-minute display, so it’s pretty amazing,” Jerles says. “That’ll just cap off the evening.”

Jerles says the city’s annual End of Summer Celebration is made possible through sponsorships from area businesses and community organizations. 

“We couldn’t do this without our sponsors. That’s why we offer all these free events - the train rides, the inflatables, the music and the fireworks. This is a $20,000 event that we put on for one day, and it’s paid for by all of our sponsors,” he says. 

Sponsors for this year’s event, in addition to Chuck Nicholson, include Kimble Companies; First Federal Community Bank; Dover Chemical; Atwood Trailer Sales and Service; the law offices of Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty; Dover Hydraulics, Bellstores, Comfort Inn and WJER Radio. 

Stacey Carmany, Tusco TV