2025 Festival of the Bells closes with Ricochet concert, annual auction
Members of the band Ricochet are pictured during their concert Saturday night at the Festival of the Bells. (HCP Photos/Stephen and Caitlin Forsha)
The threat of inclement weather forced the Festival of the Bells committee to rearrange the schedule Saturday night, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of concertgoers who saw country music band Ricochet and other artists close out the 2025 event at the Highland County Fairgrounds.
Popup showers were an issue at various times during the busiest day of activities Saturday at the festival, and the headliner Ricochet was initially slated to perform at 9 p.m., when Highland County was under a storm advisory. Due to the potential for severe weather, the opening acts — including Kyle Norris, who performed at 5:30 p.m, and Sean Poole and Buckin’ Crazy at 6 p.m. — were moved up, and Ricochet took the stage a little after 7 p.m.
Ricochet lead singer Heath Wright thanked the audience for their patience with the schedule changes and for coming early to the show. He also made a point to thank the 2025 Festival of the Bells committee and sponsors for giving the community “a place to come and enjoy some good country music” Saturday night.
The band engaged in some good-natured teasing and banter with the crowd, as Wright said it was the “best audience” the band had seen all week, while Ricochet performed a variety of hits from their career that spans roughly 30 years. That included their hit lead single from 1995, “What Do I Know,” as well as “Blink of an Eye,” “Daddy’s Money,” “Ease My Troubled Mind,” “He Left a Lot to Be Desired,” “Love Is Stronger Than Pride,” “Seven Bridges Road” and more.
Before Ricochet’s performance, the annual Festival of the Bells auction was conducted by local auctioneer and retired longtime committee member Rick Williams. Assisted by the queen’s court and current committee members, Williams auctioned off a variety of items, including a #3 C.S. Bell, a basket and a guitar autographed by this year’s entertainers; Cincinnati Reds tickets and an Elly De La Cruz autograph; and a signed University of Cincinnati Bearcats football. The Hillsboro Rotary Club also held a gun raffle fundraiser.
Also on Saturday, the Firecracker 5K Walk/Run was held in the morning, with over 110 entrants. That was followed by a 3-on-3 basketball tournament at Hillsboro Elementary, which raised $1,760 for the Hillsboro Lady Indians basketball program. Another highlight was the annual car show, with 88 cars on display.
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