Kathi Rickman, town clerk and this year's chairperson, is credited with being the driving force behind the festival's creation.

"I went to every festival one year and asked 'why can't we do something like that?' " Rickman said. "I felt that Hamlin should have its own festival."

From that thought and a great deal of perseverance, the Wheel Fest was born. However, it was born without a name. Naming the brand new festival was up to Mary Smith, Hamlin's town historian.

"As I looked around my town historian's office I realized that almost everything was wheels," said Smith. "Wheels were a part of our story from pioneers to plank roads to railroads."

So, Smith (who chaired the first annual festival) made her suggestion to the committee and it immediately caught on.

"I'm glad that they went with it," said Smith. "I was trying hard to find something that would separate us from other nearby festivals."