MANSFIELD — A bomb threat Saturday morning did not deter revelers from supporting the annual Greek Festival in Mansfield.
Mansfield police Chief Jason Bammann told Richland Source that Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church received a text message around 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning from an unknown person.
According to Bammann, the text message claimed that a bomb had been placed in the ceiling of the church. This prompted church and festival officials as well as volunteers to evacuate the building, the chief said.
“This was your standard bomb threat that was a hoax, which we’re thankful for,” he said.
The festival was originally scheduled to open to attendees at 11 a.m. Both the Mansfield Police Department and the Ashland County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad responded to the church, located at 265 W. Third St.
Following protocol, Bammann said Mansfield police made the initial sweep of the building to ensure no one was left inside the church.
“We did a quick sweep of the inside and didn’t see anything,” the chief said. “But as precautionary, we had Ashland Bomb Squad come over and do their thing.
“They did a sweep. We did a secondary sweep of it (church) and found nothing suspicious.”
Bammann said Mansfield police are still investigating the incident, but the festival was cleared to open around 1 p.m. after about two hours of searching by law enforcement officers.
Several folks were already in line as soon as the festival began allowing attendees inside to enjoy food and entertainment.
The Greek Festival is open until 10 p.m. Saturday evening. Guests can enjoy authentic home-cooked Greek food, as well as traditional music and dancing. Admission is $2.
‘This is how you hold towns together,’ says Ellis
Rev. Father Michael Ellis said he was appreciative of the thoroughness from law enforcement to ensure the building was safe — even if it meant delaying the festival for a few hours.
“This is probably the safest place in Mansfield right now,” Ellis joked Saturday afternoon.
Mansfield police also serve as security for the festival, which included watching over the building Friday night into Saturday morning, Ellis said.
“We’re just appreciative of how people responded. They (attendees) were waiting in the lot (while the building was searched). They knew we were ready for them and would never let them anywhere unsafe. We have Mansfield police running our security again today,” he said.
Events like the Greek Festival, which has been around since 1981, help build community, said Ellis, who’s been involved with the event for the past 16 years.
The two-day event blends food, music, dance and faith. It’s an opportunity to learn about Greek Orthodoxy and the people who keep its traditions alive, all while raising the funds needed to keep the church running smoothly.
“I love when people outside (of the church) come in and see,” Ellis said. “We love sharing our culture. Half of us aren’t even Greek, but we love our community and we’re here to support it and create community.
“This is how you hold towns together,” he said. “There’s no expectation here. Just come. Eat with us, drink with us, dance with us, listen to our music and be with us and just spend time with us.”
Below are photos taken Saturday at the 2025 Greek Festival at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Mansfield. (Credit: Hayden Gray)
