• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

MarionMade

People, Places, Products, Programs

Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On TwitterVisit Us On YoutubeCheck Our FeedVisit Us On Instagram
We Are Having Fun!We Are Generous!We Are Presidential!
  • Get Involved
  • About
  • Events
    • MarionMade! 5k Sign Up
  • People
  • Places
  • Products
  • Programs
  • Links
  • Contact

Marion Competing in Strongest Town Competition

By Wendy Weichenthal on March 12, 2025

decorative graphic with logo

The Marion Community is going head-to-head with 15 other North American cities in the 10th Annual Strongest Town Contest.

Marion has advanced to the Sweet-Sixteen this week and needs everyone in Marion, in Ohio, and around the country to cast their vote for us! In this bracket-style voting tournament, Marion will compete for the “Strongest Town” title by shining a national spotlight on the work it’s doing to become a stronger, more resilient city.

Cast your vote for Marion this week and every week at strongesttown.com.

Voting is open Monday through Thursday at 1 p.m. EST

Progress, Not Perfection

The Strongest Town Contest celebrates progress, not perfection. A “strong town” is any town, big or small, that is taking tangible steps to overcome its transportation, housing, or financial challenges. Strong Towns refers to this methodology as the “Strong Towns Approach,” and this contest spotlights the work of city residents and leaders who are using this approach to become more resilient over time.

Strongest Town Voting

Here’s how voting works. Competitors advance over five, weekly rounds. Anyone can vote once per week, and votes are tallied Monday through Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Winners are notified each Friday.

In the first, risk-free round, Marion competed with three other cities for an honorary title to recognize its efforts toward “Rightsizing Parking Policy.”

All cities advanced to Round 2, when bracket-style eliminations will begin and winners will advance based on the number of votes collected that week. 

Brackets

* Round 1: Meet Your Contestants (March 3-6).
* Round 2: Sweet Sixteen (March 10-13)
* Round 3: Elite Eight (March 17-20).
* Round 4: Final Four (March 24-27).
* Round 5: Championship (March 31-April 3).

Show the world how strong we are.

We Are Strong. We Are MarionMade! #MarionStrong #StrongestTown #OhioVersusTheWorld

How did Marion get nominated?

James Walker from the Marion County Regional Planning Commission nominated Marion. Read more here: Strongest Town Contest

What is Strong Towns?

Strong Towns is a 501c(3) non-profit and media advocacy organization that shifts conversations around the North American development pattern. Through reports, articles, podcasts, videos, live events and professional coaching, it provides knowledge and tools to help cities transform their communities. Learn more at strongesttown.com.

MarionMade! is a program of Marion Technical College. 

 

Recent MarionMade! Stories

  • Hope Crossing

    HOPE CROSSING. When you walk into Hope Crossing Christian Books and Gifts you’ll notice right away that honoring Christ is the most important goal in Jeanie Green and Dottie McGinty’s lives. Jeannie and Dottie grew up in Marion and enjoy the small town feeling it has. The locally owned book and gift store is located […]Read More »
  • Quilting Tradition Stitches Hope for Cancer Survivors

    Candyce Dreher of Marion remembers her grandmother quilting when she was just three years old. “I remember her putting her quilting frame up in the living room. She and her friends would quilt on it. I’ve always been a creative person but quilting really opened something in my heart,” Candy says. In 1988, Candy learned […]Read More »
  • Warren G. Harding

    WARREN HARDING FOR MARIONMADE! Newspaper publisher, Senator, President of the United States. This is how Warren G. Harding is usually described. But, there is one title missing, Marionite. Before he was President, Senator, or a famous publisher, Warren Harding was simply a citizen of Marion. Well, perhaps not simply. Warren Harding was not a passive […]Read More »
  • Equipco Logistics

    Equipco Logistics, LLC, formerly Equipco Freight, started in business in 1988, operating out of a small office in Marion. Equipco Freight was owned by Marquita and Ken Welshhans and was purchased by Marsha Persinger and Tyler Mills in 2007.  Since then, the company has built a solid reputation throughout the world as a modern and […]Read More »

Share Your MarionMade! Story

Click Here to share your story about MarionMade! people, places, products, and programs!
  • Get Involved
  • About
  • Events
  • People
  • Places
  • Products
  • Programs
  • Links
  • Contact

Marion Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Downtown Marion Love INC Marion Public Library Marion Area Chamber of Commerce Marion CANDO! Marion Community Foundation United Way of Marion County Marion Technical College

© 2025 · MarionMade! is a community initiative led by Marion Technical College · Website is powered by Neighborhood Image