By JARED ORZOLEK

orzolek@crescent-news.com

NAPOLEON -- The 12th annual Napoleon Fall Festival brings a variety of entertainment to northwest Ohio on Saturday, including a lineup of musical entertainment that will appear at the festival for the first time.

The event runs from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Henry County Fairgrounds and features a battle of the bands, flea market, food vendors and a car show.

The festivities are sponsored by the city of Napoleon, the River City Rodders car club and American Municipal Power Inc.

"We are hoping that the 2008 Napoleon Fall Festival will be the biggest success yet," said Rodger Hefflinger, organizer of the event and president of the River City Rodders. "Our battle of the bands and the rest of our entertainment make it worthwhile to come to Napoleon to see what we are all about."

Admission and parking are free.

The event kicks off at 9 a.m. with the start of the annual car and truck show, which runs until 3 p.m.

"Some of the coolest rides in northwest Ohio will be on display at our car show," Hefflinger said.

The schedule of events at the annual fall festival shows a diverse range of entertainment.

From 9 a.m.-4 p.m. a variety of entertainment will be available, including a coin show, a flea market and swap meet, adult and children's inflatable rides and an educational bird display by the Black Swamp Raptor organization.

From 10 a.m.-1 p.m. the Napoleon Police Department will offer children's fingerprinting.

At 12 p.m., registration for the kids tractor pull will take place, with the pull scheduled for 1 p.m.

A hog dog eating contest with a $100 prize will begin at 1 p.m. and entertainer Bob Wurst will perform from 12-1:30 p.m. followed by the Manhattan Dance Co. performance from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

"We have a wide range of entertainment at the fall fest, including at least a dozen food vendors," Hefflinger said.

New at the festival is the battle of the bands contest, "Rock Your Heart Out," which will run from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

The contest will be held at the grandstand.

Bands slated to perform include Victoria For Ransom, Eirene, the Bold O'Donoghues, Hobo Stew, Oximoron, Transmute, Sweet Assault, the Side of Innocence, Mouths of Dogs, Marianna and the Music Makers, Flat Tire Ambulance and Rich and Growing Sicker.