LaRue’s Oorang Bang Marks Village Pride, Festival Tradition and a Rare Link to NFL History
- Chip Gregory
- Jun 11
- 2 min read
The 2026 edition of Oorang Bang carries a Star Spangled theme tied to America’s 250th anniversary and LaRue’s 175th, with two days of live music, food, a parade, a car show, a 5K and community events in downtown LaRue. Historical exhibits will also be displayed throughout village buildings.
LARUE, Ohio — More than 100 years ago, LaRue became part of early professional football history.
The village was home to the Oorang Indians, an all-Native American NFL team connected to Walter Lingo’s Oorang Airedale kennels and coached by football legend Jim Thorpe. The team played in the 1920s and left LaRue with one of Marion County’s most unusual connections to the early NFL.
This weekend, that history returns to the streets.
Oorang Bang, LaRue’s annual two-day street festival, runs Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13, in the village. The 2026 festival has a Star Spangled theme tied to America’s 250th anniversary and LaRue’s 175th anniversary.
The weekend includes live music, food trucks, craft vendors, a beer garden, a car show, parade, 5K, tractor show, duck race, cow plop, inflatables and family activities.
The name comes from the Oorang Indians and the Oorang Airedale kennels operated by Lingo. He used the football team to help promote his dogs and hired Thorpe to manage and coach the franchise. The team’s short run gave LaRue a place in professional sports history that few communities can claim.
The parade begins at 3 p.m. and runs from the LaRue Community Alliance building through downtown. Nostalgic Band performs at 4 p.m. The duck race follows at 6 p.m. near the firehouse. The bake auction runs from 7 to 8 p.m. in front of the barbershop. Final silent auction bids are due at 8 p.m. at the bank drive-thru, and Hard Drive Band takes the stage at 8 p.m.
Both days include MaxAir Inflatables, Romick Railway, food trucks, craft vendors, the beer garden and other family activities.
For readers who want more background on LaRue’s connection to the Oorang Indians, Jim Thorpe and one of Marion County’s most unusual links to early professional football,
The Marion Star has published several deeper stories and photos over the years:
Oorang Bang runs Friday and Saturday in LaRue, bringing the village’s early NFL history, anniversary year and street festival tradition into one weekend downtown.
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