RIO GRANDE — In an effort to bring entertainment to as many people as possible, the second annual Rockets Over Rio Fall Fireworks Extravaganza has been scheduled to coincide with the Bob Evans Farm Festival this Saturday, Oct. 11.

The village of Rio Grande, in conjunction with the University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College, is hosting the event in the Bob Evans Farm Hall parking lot.

The 38th annual Bob Evans Farm Festival is Oct. 10-12.

The festivities will start early with the Rio Grande Volunteer Fire Department selling concessions during three Red Storm soccer games, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. Firefighters will be serving vegetable soup cooked over a fire along with hotdogs, other concessions, and non-alcoholic beverages. They will also be raffling off gas cards.

The Rio Grande Police Department will be raffling off a village of Rio Grande cornhole set and two $50 gift certificates from Temple Tattoo. The fire department will hold gas card raffles.

The 15- to 20-minute firework display is set to music, which listeners can tune into on Sunny 93.1, and will kick off around 9 p.m. with a live band scheduled to perform directly after, dependent on the weather. The fireworks display, put on by Premier Pyrotechnics, will go off rain or shine.

“We wanted the town to have a fireworks show, but we didn’t want to compete with Fourth of July shows or other festivals,” said Mayor Matt Easter. “This way we can provide some entertainment for the people camping at Bob’s Fest, plus students, members of the community, and anyone else who would like to see a good show.”

According to Easter, this year’s fireworks show will be bigger than last year thanks to numerous local business donations nearly doubling the budget, a list he hopes will continue to grow.

The live entertainment will be performed by Smokestack Lightning, a bluesy jam band out of Columbus, which includes member Dan Rees, who hails from Gallia County.

This event will provide fun for families, students, and community members of all ages. No alcohol will be served. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, find a good place to watch the show, and enjoy themselves.

“Where else can you see fireworks in October?” Easter said.