Dan Rice Days has been happening in Girard since the 1960s - but how much is known about the man it’s named after?

Dan Rice has a very long history that didn’t start in Girard. He grew up in New York City and started his own circus company. He was one of the highest-paid performers in the country. 

At the recommendation of a friend, Rice moved here in the early 1850s. His circus wintered in Girard for many years. 

While they eventually grew to like him, many residents weren’t fond of Rice at first. 

“He loved the town. He also fell in love with the teenage daughter of the Presbyterian minister, so that didn’t go over very well,” said Stephanie Wincik, Girard’s “unofficial” historian. 

Dan Rice Days started in 1965 to mark the 100th anniversary of a Civil War monument being erected in Girard. Rice paid for the monument to be shipped to Girard.

Dan Rice Days runs Thursday through Saturday in downtown Girard.