Bowling Green is known as a fairly windy city, and a strong wind is needed to blow out the 175 candles it takes to celebrate the town’s birthday.

The community of Bowling Green came out to the Woodland Mall to celebrate the birth of Bowling Green Saturday.

Bowling Green was named one of Ohio’s five best hometowns by ‘Ohio Magazine’ in November, and Mayor John Quinn was given a painting of the town from the magazine’s editor, Richard Osborne.

‘When it comes to choosing the best of the best, Bowling Green was a no-brainer,’ Osborne said.

Osborne cited the town’s vibrant downtown area, beautiful parks, recreation opportunities and community spirit as a few of the reasons why Bowling Green was selected.

The magazine highlighted some places of interest in Bowling Green and gave awards out to the town.

The ‘Blast from the Past’ award went to the American Civil War Museum of Ohio at 123 Court St.

Mark Young, president of the museum, said Wood County played a pivotal role in the war, with about 400 soldier casualties from the area.

Out of the first 19 Medal of Honor recipients, five of them were from Wood County.

Many government officials came to congratulate and celebrate Bowling Green, including congressman Bob Latta.

‘It’s not the city, not the University but the people of Bowling Green are what makes it great,’ Latta said.

Members of the Horizon Youth Theater performed a scene from their upcoming play, ‘Wiley and the Hairy Man,’ which will be playing at the Wooster Arts Center Friday through Sunday.

There is also a musical commemorating the 175-year history of Bowling Green being prepared at Bowling Green Junior High School for later in the fall.

‘The Road to Bowling Green’ will give the history behind the roads of the town and will have scenes about BGSU, Scott Hamilton, the tractor pull and Wood County Fair.

Many of the roads are named after early residents of the town such as Martindale Road, named after Elisha Martindale, the first settler in Bowling Green, and Manville Road, named after a medical family who opened the first pharmacy in the town.

Bettie Boswell, director of the musical, said Bowling Green used to be known as the Crystal City because of all the sand and gas in the region.

Boswell said she thinks Bowling Green is a nice place to have a family.

‘It’s a pretty good place,’ Boswell said. ‘We raised our two boys here.’

Larry Sorrells, city councilman, has lived in Bowling Green since 1981 and said he thinks it is a great community.

‘I love it here,’ Sorrells said.

After living in Cleveland for a while, Sorrells is glad he is back in a smaller town.

‘You can’t get out of the grocery store without saying ‘hi’ to someone,’ Sorrells said. ‘It’s a wonderful place, great people.’

There were plenty of activities going on in celebration of Bowling Green, including a cake-decorating contest, with professionals, amateurs and even kids making edible art to honor the town.

Some themes on the cakes included the oil boom of the 1890s, with an oil house and oil rig with petroleum gushing from it, as well as cupcakes shaped like cows, chickens and dogs for the Wood County Fair.

The cakes were auctioned off after the winners were announced.