T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Volunteers Natalie Burkhart, from left, Bradie Nixon, and Jenny Schumacher greet attendees dressed as Disney princesses at the inaugural Disney in the Ville.

BARNESVILLE – The Barnesville Area Chamber of Commerce turned the village into “the happiest place on earth” Thursday evening in the West Main Street parking lot.

Fun in the Ville is a monthly event hosted by the chamber, with Thursday’s theme “Disney in the Ville.”

The event featured five local women-owned businesses — Blue Moon Tavern, Wood Fire Pizza Company, Easy Squeeze Lemonade, Slum Dogs Food Truck and Kirke’s Ice Cream — providing food and beverages to attendees.

In addition to serving ice cream, Kirke’s partnered with the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley for the inaugural Golden Scooper competition.

The event featured Barnesville Mayor Jake Hershberger, Police Chief Rocky Sirianni, Barnesville High School English teacher Tricia Zaccagnini and math teacher Samantha Huff competing for tips to raise money for the United Way and win the Golden Scooper.

Chamber Director Jill Hissom said June’s Fun in the Ville theme was chosen because the Barnesville State Theatre Company recently did a showing of “Lady and the Tramp.”

“It’s just a wonderful community event to get people into downtown as we try to develop more and more functions each month,” Hissom said. “Obviously the food is never going to be free, but we try to have everything else free. We have the balloon artist and face painting that either the chamber pays for, or we get sponsorships for.”

She added that the chamber never charges vendors a fee to set up at Fun in the Ville events.

Thursday’s event was sponsored by Twinkle Travel, and the Blue Moon Tavern beer garden was sponsored by DJ Ruckus.

Blue Moon Tavern and chamber member Susan Lapham said Disney’s popularity helped drive attendance.

“This is a great turnout, I think the weather is just perfect,” she said.

Lapham added that Fun in the Ville was created to provide families a reason to come downtown and enjoy an evening together. She said it also helps bring life back to Main Street.

The next Fun in the Ville will be July 1, with the theme “Happy Birthday USA in the Ville.”

Hissom said it will be the only one of the four Fun in the Ville events held on a Wednesday instead of a Thursday due to the busy Fourth of July week.

The summer Fun in the Ville series will conclude Aug. 6 with the theme “Back to School in the Ville.”