The City of Ravenna’s plans to unite the community for its America250 celebration, recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States. The celebration will be headlined by Ravenna resident Fallon Schwab-Davis aka “DJ Krooze”, who will emcee the event on July 11 beginning at 11 a.m. on the Courthouse Lawn.
“I think it is going to be way bigger than what I even realized,” the 2014 Ravenna graduate told The Weekly Villager on June 26. “We are just trying to bring some positivity back to town, have everyone remember that there is a bigger picture to life and let us just be kind to each other so hopefully we give the town something to look forward to.”
Ravenna’s local DJ will have plenty of mashups to entertain the attendees on the day of the big celebration, which the City of Ravenna has worked tirelessly to plan over the last several months.
According to Schwab-Davis, she has some new pieces of music that she is eager to debut at the celebration.
“I have gotten some new mixes and it is all about what pulls you apart from being a basic DJ to a unique DJ is what makes you different,” she added. “You need to play and manipulate the music in a way that no one is going to be expecting. It is about the element of surprise but also the flow. It has to be a surprising flow if that makes sense.”
Schwab-Davis said that her musical array will be a diverse mix of genres, including country, Spanish, reggae and classical hip-hop, celebrating the diversity of the country’s history.
“It is all about bringing people together and that is what music does,” she noted. “Music is the bridge that brings generations, that brings culture, and brings diversity together. I am just ready to bring the energy and the positivity and wake Ravenna back up and give them something to party to.”
The Ravenna native said that she was originally contacted by Ravenna City Clerk Chelsea Gregor, who has been responsible for overseeing the development of the celebration from the beginning, to emcee the celebration at the beginning stages.
For “DJ Krooze”, who has become a popular entertainment icon across several counties, having the chance to emcee one of the biggest celebrations in the City’s history was an opportunity she could not pass up.
“I am not sure if it is finally that I made a name for myself or if it is because I am a Ravenna native that they are trying to keep that patriotic Ravenna spirit there or Ravenna alumni and stuff,” she acknowledged. “That made me feel good.”’
Throughout the span of her 11-year career as a performer, Schwab-Davis has stayed close to her community by scheduling several parties each year.
“I have seen so many iconic people that have either become professional athletes or big-time DJs that just don’t totally ever come back,” she said. “I never understood. I know Ravenna is not New York City, but it is always good to give back to your hometown.”
Schwab-Davis said that she not only will bring a sense of Ravenna pride to the day’s festivities but is feeling inspired by the America250 celebration’s theme, which not only cherishes the country’s history but its resiliency.
Resiliency is a word that Schwab-Davis can identify, having survived a battle against leukemia and has been in remission since January 2024. Her triumph was recognized by the Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce when she was named the Honorary Way Recipient during the Thanksgiving holiday of 2023.
“There was a possibility I could have not made it, same with America, but because of all of the adversity and obviously the obstacles through history, America made it, we made it,” she noted.
In addition to celebrating America’s overcoming of adversity and its resilient pride, Schwab-Davis said that celebration is all about embracing the good times that are ahead in spite of some dark moments recently.
“There are people out there trying to spread the positivity through tough times and I think that is all we are trying to do through this goal,” she said. “Our country is very divided but with this party, it opens people’s minds and eyes to realize that we are still one people, one America, not matter who is in charge or who is trying to split it up, we are still together as one people, let us get back to that, let us open our eyes and wake up.”
