Pickerington Police

The Pickerington Police Department would like to remind residents that the annual Picktown Palooza returns Thursday, July 9, through Saturday, July 11. We look forward to another outstanding community event featuring live entertainment, great food, and a fun atmosphere for those attending.

Festival Hours
• Thursday, July 9: 4:30 PM – 11:00 PM
• Friday, July 10: 4:30 PM – 12:00 AM (Midnight)
• Saturday, July 11: 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM (Midnight)

Please Note: The Picktown Palooza is an 18-and-over event. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times in accordance with the event's admission policy.

To accommodate the festival, Opportunity Way will be closed to through traffic between Lockville Road and the Pickerington Public Library (201 Opportunity Way) throughout the event.

The Pickerington Public Library and Pickerington Central High School will remain open during the festival. Visitors to either location should access the area from Hill Road South via Opportunity Way, as access from Lockville Road will be unavailable.
Motorists should expect heavier-than-normal traffic in the area, especially during the evening hours. To help reduce congestion and avoid delays, drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and use West Columbus Street or Busey Road as alternate east-west routes whenever possible.

The Pickerington Police Department appreciates your patience and cooperation as we work with event organizers to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone attending. Whether you're visiting for the food, entertainment, or spending time with friends, we hope you have a safe and enjoyable time at Picktown Palooza.

For additional event information including entertainment schedules, admission policies, and a list of permitted and prohibited items, please visit the Picktown Palooza webpage at: https://picktownpalooza.org

The officers and staff of the Pickerington Police Department extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and members of the Rittman Police Department following the tragic line-of-duty death of Sgt. Scott Ries on Sunday evening.

Sgt. Ries was fatally wounded while responding alongside other law enforcement officers to a 9-1-1 call reporting a burglary in progress and gunfire at a residence. As officers arrived, they were met with immediate gunfire. Sgt. Ries was killed, and four deputies from the Medina County Sheriff's Office, along with a K-9 unit, were injured during the incident.

This heartbreaking tragedy is a solemn reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face every day as they answer the call to protect their communities. We also keep the injured deputies, their families, and everyone impacted by this unimaginable event in our thoughts and prayers.

May Sgt. Ries' courage, dedication, and selfless service never be forgotten.

Rest easy, Brother. We have the watch from here.

The Pickerington Police Department is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone attending the City's Independence Day weekend fireworks celebration. To help manage the large volume of vehicles leaving the event, officers will implement a temporary traffic control plan immediately following the fireworks display.

Each year, hundreds of vehicles exit the event at the same time, creating congestion on the two-lane roadways surrounding the viewing areas. Traffic traveling north on State Route 256 through the Olde Pickerington area is especially prone to significant delays. Our goal is to safely move traffic away from the event by distributing vehicles across several roadways, helping reduce congestion and improve traffic flow.

What to Expect
Following the fireworks display:
1) Traffic exiting Opportunity Way, the Pickerington High School Central, and Pickerington Central Junior High School campuses will be directed southbound on Hill Road South and Lockville Road (marked in orange on the diagram).
2) Drivers will be able to use Busey Road (marked in green) to travel either west toward Diley Road (marked in yellow) or east to other connecting roadways. Diley Road is better equipped to handle higher traffic volumes in both directions and will help reduce backups.
3) Vehicles attempting to travel northbound on Hill Road South near Opportunity Way (marked in teal) will be temporarily held until outbound event traffic has cleared.
4) Hill Road South between West Columbus Street and Stonebridge Boulevard will be temporarily closed to allow traffic exiting the event venues to safely disperse (marked in purple).
5) Westbound traffic on East Columbus Street (SR-256) (marked in red) will be directed north onto North Center Street, where motorists may continue north or turn onto Milnor Road.
6) Eastbound traffic on West Columbus Street (SR-256) (marked in blue) will continue to operate normally. Drivers may continue east or turn south onto Lockville Road.

These temporary traffic patterns are designed to move vehicles more efficiently and safely following the event. Officers will be stationed throughout the area to direct traffic and assist motorists.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as our officers work to safely move everyone home. Following officer directions and using the designated routes will help reduce delays and ensure a safer departure for all attendees.

We hope you have a safe and enjoyable Independence Day weekend celebration. Thank you for helping us keep our community moving safely.