Ohio Magazine June 2023

June is the perfect

wealth of wineries. Here are seven stops to get you started.

42 LiveWell

Keep these fire-safety precautions in mind this summer, and get guidance on how to stay hydrated.

136 Milestones

On June 30, 1905, aeronaut

A. Roy Knabenshue’s Toledo No. 1 dirigible took flight over its namesake city.

PHOTO

ARTHUR G O’LEARY OF ARTHURGPHOTOGRAPHY

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33 OHIO GRAPE INDUSTRIES

Browse this guide to wineries across the state.

107

Drink Local: Our state is home to a wealth of wineries that offer great places to relax, dine and even stay. From Hocking Hills Winery, tucked away and surrounded by woods, to the 100 scenic acres at Vermilion Valley Vineyards, visit these six destinations to get a taste of the range of Ohio’s winemaking industry ohiomagazine. com/summerwines

from the archive: Lighthouses capture our imagination but also illuminate our heritage and history. The beacons that dot the Lake Erie shoreline come in a range of styles, but they each reflect the role the Great Lakes has played and continues to play in both the life of those who live along Lake Erie as well as those who sail it ohiomagazine.com/ohiolighthouses

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who to follow

Our favorite social media accounts for June

Ohio Wines @ohiowines

Celebrate Ohio Wine

Month with updates on wineries to visit, varieties to try and events you won’t want to miss.

Lake Erie Living @lakeerieliving

From beautiful sunsets to popular activities to fun events, discover the best of life on our Great Lake and along its shore.

Are you receiving our email newsletters? Learn about fun experiences throughout the state, get great food and drink ideas or plan for your next weekend getaway. Sign up by visiting ohiomagazine.com/newsletters

FAMILY FIELD TRIPS

Plan a getaway filled with fun for all ages.

127 DESTINATION HILLIARD

Explore shopping, dining, parks and attractions.

instagram shoutout: @wanderlustinohio

Mady Stoner is an avid hiker and photographer based in northeast Ohio — though her adventures take her across the state and beyond. While exploring the several hiking trails at Girdled Road Reservation at Lake Metroparks, she discovered fun features including a meadow, a new overlook deck and this cool suspension bridge

Akron, p. 7

Ashtabula, p. 63

Chillicothe, p. 87

Cincinnati, p. 10

Cleveland, p. 9

Columbus, p. 12, 65, 75

Conneaut, p. 24

Cuyahoga Falls, p. 5

Dayton, p. 6, 66, 95

Findlay, p. 12

Fremont, p. 7

Garrettsville, p. 67

Glouster, Cover

Granville, p. 7, 25

Huron, p. 64

Lancaster, p. 67

Logan, p. 12, 23, 63

Mansfield, p. 12

North Lawrence, p. 62

Troy, p. 65

Ohio Magazine encourages you to recycle this magazine. Great Lakes Publishing supports the use of paper milled from replanted forests as a renewable resource and purchases paper from Sustainable Forestry Initiativecertified sources when available. We have also taken steps to reduce the amount of plastic used when mailing issues to subscribers.

Chairman Lute Harmon Sr. President & Publisher Lute Harmon Jr.

EDITORIAL

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Editor Jim Vickers

Senior Editor Hallie Rybka

Associate Editor Gracie Wilson

Contributing Writers Jason Brill, Nicholas Dekker, Lisa Galek, Kristen Hampshire, Nathan Havenner, Brad Hoehne, Richard Jeffers, Macy Kile, David Nilsen, Kim Schneider, Zakk Sheehan, Kristina Smith, Damaine Vonada, Ilona Westfall

Digital Content Assistant Kelly Powell

Editorial Interns Lauren Patterson, Brett Price

Art Director Rachael Jirousek

Contributing Artists Scott Ash, Mike Balonek, Megan Leigh Barnard, Ken Blaze, Doug Hinebaugh, Brad Hoehne, Matthew Hoffman, Arthur G. O’Leary, Brian Prose, Zakk Sheehan

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Finding Adventure

The way we live as a society today, adventure tends to get a little lost in the shuffle. In an age of convenience, information and technology, it’s easy to get stuck inside or, even worse, stuck inside behind a screen — or two if you scroll on your smartphone while the television plays in the background. Throw air conditioning on a hot summer day into that mix and it is easy to see why modern living is one of adventure’s biggest enemies.

We’re adventurers at heart though. You wouldn’t be reading these words if you weren’t. The very act of opening this magazine means you’re seeking inspiration for new experiences. That’s what we aim to deliver every month, but as story planning for “The Outdoor Issue” begins each year, I get excited about helping people explore the Ohio of sunny skies, lazy rivers and starry nights.

I’ve been playing in the woods since I was a little kid, and summer getaways during those days meant our family taking the Jayco pop-up camper to Atwood Lake. High adventure was helping my dad build the campfire with the help of a box of Blue Tip matches and some crumbled pieces of the day’s newspaper artfully interspersed between the logs that would get the evening’s main event going.

800/453-1025

When I joined Boy Scouts, adventure meant weekend campouts and learning new outdoor skills, becoming more self-sufficient and being changed in positive ways by all of it. That’s the appeal of an adventure. It sends us searching, and what we find along the way is often more interesting, fun and valuable than we could have imagined before we set out on it.

Adventure can mean a lot of things. It can be as adrenaline-inducing as strapping on a jetpack and soaring over the surface of a lake (find out where on page 67) or as thrilling as standing under a canopy of stars on a dark summer night and picking out the same constellations that humans have been looking at for eons. (Learn Ohio’s best spots for stargazing starting on page 44.) The adventures you chase are up to you, but we all could use a little more of them.

The arrival of summer gives us warm days and clear nights to use to their fullest for the weeks and months stretching out in front of us. Let’s make the most of them. We hope this issue helps you find some new adventures to chase with your family and friends this season.

JIM VICKERS

Wonders of Nature: Dayton-based artist Nicole Kessel’s Ember and Art line of pottery reflects her love for the outdoors in pieces inspired by the natural world

Scenic Spot

The city of Cuyahoga Falls is home to a portion of the winding Cuyahoga River as it heads toward Cuyahoga Valley National Park on its way to Lake Erie. This particularly scenic stretch of the river can be seen from the pedestrian walkway at High Bridge Glens, a park along Front Street near downtown Cuyahoga Falls. Photographer Matthew Hoffman captured this view on an August day while out hiking with his son, who requested they go see a waterfall. 1817 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls 44221

Yard Game: These three landmark properties have long histories and expansive grounds that visitors can explore during regular hours or special events

MATTHEW HOFFMAN

Wonders of Nature

Dayton-based artist Nicole Kessel’s Ember and Art line of pottery reflects her love for the outdoors in pieces inspired by patterns and colors found in the natural world.

Nicole Kessel is fired up about pottery. She has been since 2018, when she received a small kiln as a gift. Soon, she was trying her hand at throwing clay on the weekends and experimenting with different glazes. Kessel, who had worked as a photographer for almost a decade before taking a job as an administrative assistant, realized she missed being creative.

Near the beginning of 2020, Kessel dove further into pottery as a career, and her love for hiking, kayaking, traveling and photography shines through in the outdoors-inspired line she makes in her Dayton home studio and sells under the name Ember and Art.

“The lighting and colors and textures that are found in nature … I feel like I tried to translate into the pottery, because pottery is very tactile,” Kessel says. “Just working with the wet clay itself is very organic. It’s literally like playing in the mud.”

Kessel throws her mugs on a wheel and lets them air dry for at

least 12 hours before creating handles for each and carving surface decorations. The mugs are then glazed, a part of the process Kessel has evolved since the start of her business. After beginning with commercial glazes, she pursued the trial-and-error process of making her own.

Kessel’s mushroom mugs began as a whim but quickly became a customer favorite. Other nature-themed pieces depict floral and celestial elements. Kessel says she loves treating each mug as an empty canvas for what inspires her each day. She also makes oil bottles, plates, vases, garden bells, saltand-pepper shakers and other Earth-inspired pieces that serve as both beautiful and functional works of art.

“With the speckled pottery, specifically, it does have that harkening back to nature,” she says. “As you’re drinking your morning coffee, you have that connection.” Kelly Powell

For more information, visit emberandart.com.

Yard Game

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums • Fremont

OHIO FINDS

Oil painting representative of the magic realism art movement

Ohio native Paul Riba was part of an art movement that remains largely unfamiliar. Magic realism, a style used in both artwork and literature, portrays a realistic view of the world with magical elements tossed in, subtly chipping away at the wall between reality and fantasy.

These three landmark properties have long histories and expansive grounds that visitors can explore during regular hours or special events.

President Rutherford B. Hayes and first lady Lucy Webb Hayes believed in the restorative powers of nature. Walk the peaceful grounds of the couple’s tree-filled Fremont estate, which is also an accredited arboretum due to its mix of 100 types of woody plants and plant-related programs. There’s also a rose garden, wildflowers and an abundance of squirrels that delight younger visitors. A fun and educational Squirrel Doors hunt begins June 24 and teaches why the animals would choose a particular tree in the grove to use as shelter. Paved paths traverse the property for visitors, who can also tour the home and visit the on-site museum. Spiegel Grove, Fremont 43420, 419/332-2081, rbhayes.org

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens • Akron

Former home to F.A. Seiberling, co-founder of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Stan Hywet Hall’s name comes from the Old English for “stone quarry,” and one was once located where the property’s lagoon is today. The 70-acre grounds span restored historic gardens and the landmark Birch Tree Allee. The elegant estate also serves as a backdrop for outdoor yoga during the summer, an annual Father’s Day car show and performances by the Ohio Shakespeare Festival. No visit is complete without a tour of the 64,500-square-foot manor house the sixth-largest home open to the public in the U.S. 714 N. Portage Path, Akron 44303, 330/836-5533, stanhywet.org

Bryn Du Mansion • Granville

The grounds of Bryn Du Mansion span 52 acres, but 30 of them comprise the Great Lawn, which plays host to special events the public can attend. Purchased by the city of Granville in 2003, the estate was home to a string of families who renovated and added to the property, including its last owner, Dave Longaberger, founder of the Longaberger Co. The Bryn Du Art Show is held each March. In spring, the Great Lawn is the site of Taste of Granville. Summer brings polo matches that are open to the public. The matches are free, but some benefit charities and donations are appreciated. 537 Jones Rd., Granville 43023, 740/587-7053, bryndu.com

Lauren Patterson

Born in Cleveland in 1912, Riba studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Cleveland Institute of Art before teaching at the latter from 1949 to 1962. The timing of Riba’s early career coincided with the rise of magic realism, which first took root in Germany in the 1920s.

Riba was among a handful of American artists who concentrated on magic realism early in the movement, and the concept helped mold who he became as an artist. Its influence was evident in Riba’s later years, prior to his death in 1977. A 1975 newspaper feature on the artist described his work as “drawn from some inner source of whimsy and mystery.”

“Bells,” an oil-on-Masonite painting, depicts various types of bells suspended from a framework against a backdrop of blue sky and clouds. Richard “Jeff” Jeffers

$3,875 SOLD AT AUCTION

Richard Jeffers is the owner of Garth’s Auctioneers & Appraisers in Columbus.

FASCINATING OBJECTS FROM OUR

“BELLS” BY PAUL RIBA

Visitors check out the lagoon at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron.

Thinking Big

Artist and Mazza Museum curator Dan Chudzinski discusses the allure of hyper-realistic art and sending one of his works to the moon.

The moon has seen small steps and giant leaps, but it’s soon to be visited by Bigfoot. Findlay-based artist Dan Chudzinski’s roughly 300-pound Bigfoot head sculpture, “Evasive Species,” was chosen to be part of Lunar Codex, a cultural time capsule that is taking art, music and more from over 30,000 artists around the globe to the moon. An image of Chudzinski’s massive work will be laser etched onto a thin sheet of nickel that is set to ride aboard a SpaceX rocket in 2024.

The moon mission is just the latest trip for Chudzinski’s hyper-realistic beast made of silicone and taxidermy hair, which he created for an exhibition at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Massachusetts.

“My thought was, what if I were to make the most realistic Bigfoot and put that in front of people in a place that they’re not expecting,” says Chudzinski, who is the curator at the University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum.

“Evasive Species” is currently on display at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums in Fremont through June 25. We caught up with Chudzinski to talk Bigfoot, going to the moon and more. Jason Brill

You started working on “Evasive Species” right as lockdowns were implemented. What was it like to work on the project at that time?

A: I had studied Michelangelo to the point where I lived in Italy for a while and learned to carve marble in the same village as him. When he was working on projects like the Sistine Chapel, the Black Plague was sweeping through Europe, killing a third of the population and Rome was being sacked by rival armies. My thought was, if he could do that back then, and he didn’t even have artificial lighting, what’s my excuse?

There have been many depictions of Bigfoot. Why did you want to create a hyper-realistic one?

A: When you see Bigfoot, or when you see something come up on the news about Bigfoot, it’s almost always a letdown. It’s always a blurry, out-of-focus picture, or it’s a hoax. … Hyper-realistic art is a powerful illusion. To walk into a gallery and see even a human figure that looks so lifelike that you’re waiting for it to breathe or blink, that will always capture people’s fascination.

What does it feel like to know something you created will be on the moon?

A: It’s incredibly flattering. It is surreal. I still don’t think, even after it happens, I’ll fully be able to wrap my mind around it. One of the first things my mind jumped to was imagining this little alien scuttling around the moon and finding this thing, opening that up and leaving with a very warped perception of what’s happening on Earth, and I’m okay with that.

To see more of Dan Chudzinski’s artwork, follow @danchudzinskistudio on Instagram.

Dan Chudzinski’s “Evasive Species” is on view at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums through June 25.

Parade the Circle

June 10, Cleveland

Wade Oval is known for its beautiful vistas and spring cherry blossoms, but each June the University Circle hot spot also hosts Parade the Circle. The cultural celebration, organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art, embraces creativity and community. Members of the public work in tandem with local artists to create a vibrant procession of larger-than-life, human-powered floats and decorative costumes. This year’s June 10 event focuses on the theme of transformation. Noon. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland 44106, clevelandart.org

Calendar of Events: Your summer plans start here. Check out our guide to festivals, concerts and other happenings scheduled between now and the end of July.

Second Nature: “Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds” shows how the legendary artist’s body of work included pieces that captured the world around him.

By

“Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds” at the Cincinnati Art Museum shows how the legendary artist’s body of work included pieces that captured the world around him.

Ilona Westfall

riangular tree trunks topped with round bursts of green stand in front of the stark shapes of buildings. The oil painting of a Parisian park, “The Vert-Galant” by Pablo Picasso, has the unmistakable sharp angles of his works of cubist art.

“It’s a wonderful composition with the geometries and the colors working so exquisitely together,” says Peter Jonathan Bell, curator at the Cincinnati Art Museum, where the exhibition “Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds” is on display June 23 through Oct. 15. Originally conceived by Picasso scholar Laurence Madeline and organized by the American Federation of Arts, the touring exhibition features more than 40 paintings.

While Picasso may be more well known for his portraiture and still life work, landscapes held an important place in his life and art throughout his career. This is the first exhibition to dive deep into how the physical landscape around Picasso played into his art.

“The Vert-Galant,” for example, was painted during a period when the artist was stuck in occupied Paris during World War ll. He wandered the city, painting the things around him. Picasso experimented with a wide range of subjects and styles in his landscapes, which depict his travels around the world. Other pieces show the spot where an abstract coastal cafe meets the sea (“Cafe in Royan”), a grove of trees painted with softer brushstrokes that offers a contrast to many of his works (“Grove”) and a cubist hallmark, “The Reservoir, Horta de Ebro,” depicting a Catalonian hill town.

“With the cubist paintings, when he’s working through this totally revolutionary style, he uses the landscape like building blocks to construct these very architectonic views of mountains or urban cityscapes,” says Bell.

The overall effect of the exhibition is of a tour through a lesser known but crucial aspect of an artist we think we already know.

“When you look at these works throughout his career,” Bell says, “you get a sense of how important looking at and painting the land-

scapes and cityscapes around him was and how much that played into all the other landmark things he was doing with his art.”

953 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati 45202, 513/721-2787, cincinnatiartmuseum.org

“The Vert-Galant” (opposite page), “Landscape of Mougins II” (top) and “Landscape” (above) are among the paintings in the exhibition.

event

Plein Air Gatherings

Every Thursday through Nov. 16: hancockparks.com

The thick woodlands, open prairies and rippling water of the Hancock County parks system are great ways to immerse yourself in nature. A series of outdoor art events scheduled through autumn encourages artists to capture the beauty of various park locations to take home with them.

Plein Air Gatherings — referring to the French practice of painting outdoors to capture scenery occur at a chosen park each Thursday through Nov. 16 and are open to anyone. Paint views of the Blanchard River at the Eastpoint Area on June 22, birds of the Lehman Conservation Area on July 6, or the rushing waters of the Waterfalls Area on Aug. 3.

festival

Beginning in 2014 as an extension of program leader Sharon Hammer Baker’s nature journaling workshops, Plein Air Gatherings have evolved into a popular Hancock Park District offering that attracts both professional and amateur artists to take part.

“We would step outside if we could, but it was in the evening,” Hammer Baker says of the journaling workshops. “So, I decided that it would just be really nice to be able to go out during the day doing something additional.”

Plein Air Gatherings are not just about art, but also community and connection. Aspiring artists can hone their skills by learning from one another about techniques, and the variety of Hancock Park District locations provides plenty of inspiration.

“We really enjoy taking advantage of whatever is available,” Hammer Baker says. “We have a really good park system in the sense that they have a lot of locations.”

Lauren Patterson

Juneteenth Ohio Festival June 17–18: Columbus

Since 1997, this weekend festival at downtown Columbus’ Genoa Park has marked Juneteenth with entertainment, education and celebration. In addition to live music, shopping at the on-site marketplace, a classic car show and plenty of great soul food, Juneteenth Ohio also hosts exhibitors that provide health screenings, employment scouting, college information and other resources. “That was one of the traditional purposes for Juneteenth: to bring resources together for people as well as celebrate,” says event organizer Mustafaa Shabazz. juneteenthohio.com

festival

Logan Washboard Arts & Music Festival

June 15–17: Logan

The lead-up to Father’s Day brings the Washboard Arts & Music Festival to downtown Logan, an annual event chock full of fun that includes barrel-train rides, a car show, washboard factory tours, family activities and a stacked lineup of live music. The event celebrates the fact that Logan is home to the last remaining washboard maker in the U.S. loganwashboard festival.com

exhibit Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects

June 2–Sept. 17: Mansfield

Imagination meets nature at Kingwood Center Gardens beginning June 2, with artist Sean Kenney’s depictions of various creatures built with more than 460,000 individual Lego bricks. Check out Kenney’s take on a majestic monarch butterfly feeding on milkweed, his interpretation of the majestic peacock’s brilliant plumage and 13 other sculptures displayed across the grounds as part of this special exhibition. kingwoodcenter.org

State Regions

CALENDAR

JUNE Central Festivals

JUN 9–11

Columbus Arts Festival

jewelry and more. Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center, 777 Evening St., Worthington, 614/4310329. worthingtonartsfestival.com. Visit website for times. Free

JUN 22–24

London Strawberry Festival

Indulge in rides, games, foods with strawberries, free nightly entertainment, a massive Cobra car show benefiting cystic fibrosis and, of course, strawberry shortcake. Downtown London, londonstrawberryfestival.com. Visit website for times. Free.

JUN 23–24

Powell Festival

The Columbus Arts Festival is the city's welcome-to-summer event, pairing the finest artists from across the country with entertainment, activities for all ages and a great lineup of food. Columbus Downtown Riverfront, 614/224-2606. columbusartsfestival.org. Fri.

11 a.m.–10:30 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–10:30 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Free

JUN 10

Mid-Ohio Fiber Fair

Peruse the finest in yarns, fibers, fiber arts tools and supplies, and enjoy a raffle benefitting the local food pantry. Canal Market District Pavilion, 25 E. Canal St., Newark, midohiofiberfair.com.

9 a.m.–4 p.m. Free

JUN 16–17

Columbus Pride

Celebrate LGBTQIA+ rights, culture and progress. These events bring community together in camaraderie and recognition of the strength, resilience and fight of LGBTQIA+ individuals past and present. Goodale Park, 120 W. Goodale St., Columbus, 614/299-7764. stonewallcolumbus. org/pride. Visit website for times. Free

JUN 16–18

Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival

Attend the 24th year of this festival gathering world-famous performers for Ohio’s best blues and jazz. The celebration features musicians on three stages, mouthwatering cuisine, regional artisans and more. Creekside District, Mill St., Gahanna, creeksidebluesandjazz.com. Fri. 5–11 p.m., Sat. 2–11 p.m., Sun. noon–5 p.m. Visit website for prices

JUN 17–18

Worthington Arts Festival

This juried show features over 120 fine artists and craftsmen from across the country exhibiting and selling original paintings, artist-made

Save the date for this family-friendly extravaganza with live music, children’s activities, local shopping, food trucks and a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area. Village Green Park, 47 Hall St., Powell, 614/885-5380. festival. cityofpowell.us. Visit website for times and prices

Museums + Exhibits

THRU AUG 31

Earth, Hand and Fire

Explore the way man takes the earth’s gifts to create beautiful glass works. This exhibition features pieces from the museum archives, on loan and from a 104-piece gift of Fenton Glass. Ohio Glass Museum, 124 W. Main St., Lancaster, 740/687-0101. ohioglassmuseum.org. Visit website for times and prices

JUN 3–AUG 27

Intrinsic Luminescence

Whether it’s the dreamlike, epic landscapes of Judith Brandon; the poetic figures of Stanka Kordic; or the architectural sculptural glass forms of Michael Mikula, each of the artists featured in this exhibition employs techniques that create a sense of inner light. Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster, 740/681-1423. decartsohio.org. Wed.–Fri.

11 a.m.–4 p.m., Sat.–Sun. 1–4 p.m. Free

Music + Theater

JUN 17

Ne-Yo Symphony with Soul

Be wowed by Ne-Yo, an R&B singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, producer and Grammy Award

Because dates, times and locations are subject to change, please call ahead to confirm all details before traveling. For a more complete listing of events, visit ohiomagazine.com/events.

To submit event information, visit ohiomagazine.com/submit. Events must be submitted at least 8 weeks in advance. Include the date, cost, address of the event, phone number and website, as well as a brief description of the event. Events are published on a space-available basis; however, all events submitted 8 weeks in advance appear on ohiomagazine. com/events.

Listings with photos are paid for by advertisers. For more information on enhanced listings, email us at adsales@ohiomagazine.com.

winner, as he joins the Columbus Symphony for a concert featuring several of his hits, performed with his band, dancers and the symphony. Columbus Commons, 160 S. High St., Columbus, 614/469-0939. columbussymphony.com.

8 p.m. Visit website for prices

Other Events

JUN 4

Bexley House & Garden Tour

Explore nine local homes and gardens, as well as a beautiful alley in the city of Bexley. Afterward, grab lunch from a number of food trucks, including Cousins Lobster, Schmidt’s Sausage Truck and Pittsie’s Ice Box. Various locations in Bexley, 614/253-3307. bexleywomen.org.

10 a.m.–4 p.m. $20–$25

JUN 4

Columbus Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Enjoy a day out shopping at this annual summer event featuring artists and crafters selling original handmade items. A portion of proceeds benefits local nonprofit Pets Without Parents. Makoy Event Center, 5462 Center St., Hilliard, 440/227-8794. avantgardeshows.com. 10 a.m.–

4 p.m. Adults $3, children free

JUN 17

Shamrock Vineyard’s Twilight Dinners

Enjoy a slice of heaven with vineyard views, a catered dinner, live music and a tasting of estate-made wines. Additional event dates are July 15, Aug. 19 and Sept. 9. Reservations required. Shamrock Vineyard, 111 County Rd. 25, Waldo, 740/726-2883. shamrockvineyard.com.

6 p.m. $100 per couple

JUN 25

WesterFlora

Delight in this annual tour of beautiful Westerville-area residential gardens open to the public. The colorful event celebrates its 32nd year.

FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF EVENTS ACROSS OHIO, VISIT OHIOMAGAZINE.COM/EVENTS.

Various venues, Westerville, westerflora.net. Noon–6 p.m. Free

Northeast Festivals

JUN 3

Kids Day & Teen Fest

Winery at Wolf Creek. International wines are also available. All offerings can be sampled and bought by glass or bottle, with over 100 different wines and several beers on-site. Vistors can also take a tour of the mill and see creations by the Mohican Valley Artists. Wolf Creek Grist Mill, 10000 S. St. Rte. 3, Loudonville, 419/541-0161. wolfcreekmill.org. Noon–10 p.m. $10.

JUN 16–17

2023 Dean Martin Festival

unique mediums, indulge in craft beer, wine and food, and view a beautiful garden space from Petiti’s. Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resorts, 7100 Riverview Rd., Peninsula, bmbw.com. Visit website for times. Advance $10, at window $12.

JUN 23–25

Cy Young Days Festival

Travel to this storied festival celebrating Cy Young to enjoy stories, music, games, food, a parade, a car show and an old-timers’ baseball tournament. Downtown Newcomerstown, 740/498-4545. cyyoungdaysfestival.com. Visit website for times. Free

JUN 30–JUL 1

Ontario 4th of July Festival

Enjoy food, giveaways and fun for all ages. The Kids Day event takes place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by the Teen Fest from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Medina's Public Square and along Broadway Street. Public Square, Medina, 330/722-6186. mainstreetmedina.com/kidsday-teen-fest. 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Free

JUN 3

Monster Fest

This family-friendly cryptid festival presented by Small Town Monsters features amazing vendors, film screenings, live podcast recordings and special guests, including authors, researchers, podcasters, filmmakers and speakers well known within the cryptozoology community. The film premiere for “On the Trail of Bigfoot: Land of the Missing” kicks off the event on Friday at the Canton Palace Theatre. DoubleTree by Hilton Canton Downtown, 320 Market Ave. S., Canton, stmmonsterfest.com. Visit website for times. Tickets online $20.50, at the door $25, children 12 and under free. VIP tickets available

JUN 8–10

2023 Canton Greek Fest

Celebrate the famed crooner in his hometown with a Dino 5K, a parade, a Classic Car Cruisein, an art show, trolley rides, the “Sweet Memories” video and Rat Pack Dinner Show. Various venues in downtown Steubenville, 866/3011787. visitsteubenville.com. Visit website for times. Free, some activities require a fee

JUN 22–24

Tri-C JazzFest

The Tri-C JazzFest brings musicians from around the world to Cleveland’s Playhouse Square, including iconic artists Herbie Hancock and Trombone Shorty, bassists Richard Bona and Christian McBride, legendary drummer Steve Smith and newcomers Samara Joy and Braxton Cook. Enjoy ticketed concerts in beautiful theaters, plus a free party outside under the chandelier. Playhouse Square, 1501 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216/987-4444. tri-c.edu/ jazzfest. Visit website for times. Visit website for single concert tickets, festival pass $250

JUN 23–24

Ashland Ohio BalloonFest

Float into this fabulous weekend of hot air balloons, food, merchant vendors, live entertainment, activities for kids and spectacular balloon glows. Freer Field, state Route 60 and Morgan Avenue, Ashland. ashlandohioballoonfest.com. Visit website for times and prices.

JUN 23–24

Ohio Scottish Games & Celtic Festival

Jump into this Ohio festival packed with food, concerts, a 5K run, games, eating contests, a kid’s area and the region’s largest fireworks display synchronized to music. Marshall Park, 3375 Milligan Rd., Ontario. ontario4thofjulyfestval.com. Visit website for times and prices

Museums + Exhibits

THRU SEPT 24

Keith Haring: Against All Odds

See Keith Haring’s work at this exhibition surveying the height of his career, from the early 1980s until his death in 1990. Haring’s work exploded into paintings, drawings, large-scale murals and more, recognizable by their bold and energetic outlines. Akron Art Museum, 1 S. High St., Akron, 330/376-9186. akronartmuseum.org. Visit website for times and prices.

JUN 11–SEPT 10

A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur

Witness the stories of artists in Udaipur, a court in northwest India. Around 1700, they began creating immersive paintings that convey the mood of the city’s palaces, lakes and mountains. See the dazzling works on paper and cloth, many of which are on view for the first time. Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland, 216/421-7350. clevelandart.org. Visit website for times and prices

Music + Theater

JUN 15–JUL 9

Ragtime: The Musical

This three-day event includes indoor and outdoor dining, Greek pastries, Greek folk dancing, live music, a comedy show, wine sampling, a gift shop, Greek cooking demonstrations, silent auction items, a playground and more. Fireworks close out the event on Saturday. St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church, 251 25th St. NW, Canton, 330/454-7278. cantongreekfest.com. 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Free admission and parking

JUN 10

International Wine at the Mill Festival

Good food, wine and music are the docket. Sip on Ohio wines from D&D Smith Winery, Paper Moon Vineyards, Troutman Vineyards and The

Celebrate with pipe bands, Highland athletics, Scottish and Irish dancing, harp and fiddle competitions, a parade, competitive jousting and more. Participate in a whiskey tasting and attend a Calling of the Clans. Three stages of live music feature Seven Nations, New Barleycorn, The Kilroys, Mad Maudlin and more. Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, 19201 Bagley Rd., Berea, 216/338-8125. ohioscottishgames.com. Fri. 4:45–10:30 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.–10:30 p.m. Adults $12–$17, children 12 and under free

JUN 23–JUL 2

Boston Mills Artfest

For two weekends, experience this annual artistic tradition featuring 150 different artists each session, totaling 300 artists. View over a dozen

Witness a musical capturing the dawn of a new century, when everything is changing and anything is possible. A multiple Tony Award winner, “Ragtime” confronts the timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair. Weathervane Playhouse, 1301 Weathervane Ln., Akron, 330/836-2626. weathervaneplayhouse.com. Thur.–Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2:30 p.m. Visit website for prices.

JUN 17–18

Oklahoma!

Enjoy Rodgers & Hammerstein’s first collaboration. Set in a Western territory just after the turn of the 20th century, a high-spirited rivalry between local farmers and cowboys provides a colorful background for a charming cowboy and a feisty farm girl to play out their classic love story. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron, 330/253-

2488. akroncivic.com. Sat. 2:30 & 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2:30 p.m. $15–$30.

Other Events

THRU SEPT 4

Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects

JUN 2–SEPT 17

Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects

JUN 30

Summer Al Fresco Wine Pairing

Sean Kenney’s “Nature Connects Made with Lego Bricks” features more than a dozen towering creations displayed throughout the beautiful garden and trail landscapes at the Holden Arboretum. Holden Arboretum, 9550 Sperry Rd., Kirtland, 440/946-4400. holdenfg.org. Tues. & Thur.–Sun. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Wed. 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Adults $20, children 3–12 $14, members free

JUN 1

Kick Off Golf Season in the Alliance/Hartville Area

Explore Sean Kenney’s “Nature Connects,” an award-winning exhibit of sculptures made from Lego bricks, on display in the beautiful setting of Mansfield’s Kingwood Center Gardens. Kingwood Center Gardens, 50 N. Trimble Rd., Mansfield, 419/522-0211. kingwoodcenter.org. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Adults $8, Kingwood members and children 12 and under free. Online timed ticketing required

JUN 4

Weltzheimer/Johnson House Tour

Discover this innovative Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian House. Completed in 1949, it is one of the few Usonian homes in the nation open to the public. Weltzheimer/Johnson House, 534 Morgan St., Oberlin, 440/775-8671. amam.oberlin. edu/flw-house. Hourly tours noon–4 p.m. $10

JUN 18

Father’s Day: Bourbon, Bites & Cigars

Celebrate Summer with Gervasi Vineyard. Enjoy delicious vegetarian bites paired with Gervasi’s award-winning wine in the beautiful Pavilion. Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa, 1700 55th St. NE, Canton, 330/497-1000. gervasivineyard.com.

6–7 p.m. $39

Northwest Festivals

JUN 2–4

Van Wert Peony Festival

Enjoy a fishing derby for children, art, entertainment, a vendor show, free concerts, a parade, a car show, food, adult beverages, self-guided garden tours and pretty porch tours. Downtown Van Wert. vwpeonyfestival.com. Visit website for times. Free.

JUN 9–10

Pork Rind Heritage Festival

Dig in at this festival celebrating local ties to Rudolph's pork rinds, with rides, bounce houses, axe throwing, live entertainment, a parade and a slate of other activities. Downtown Harrod, porkrindfest.com. Visit website for times. Free.

Hit the links all summer at three premier golf courses in the Alliance/Hartville area that have been family owned and operated for generations. Call for a tee time today. Pleasant View Golf Club, 14605 Louisville St. NE, Paris, 330/8622034, pleasantviewgolfclub.com; Sable Creek Golf Course & Event Center, 5942 Edison St. NE, Hartville, 330/877-9606, sablecreekgolf.com; Tannenhauf Golf Club, 11411 McCallum Ave. NE, Alliance, 330/823-4402, tannenhaufgolf.net. Visit websites for times and prices

JUN 2–AUG 25 Night Flea

Celebrate Father’s Day in Gervasi’s Pavilion while tasting three of Gervasi’s bourbons, featuring the GV Manhattan, along with savory bites. Add on a featured cigar to enhance your experience. Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa, 1700 55th St. NE, Canton, 330/497-1000. gervasivineyard. com. 2–3:30 p.m. $39–$49

JUN 24

720 JUNE MKT: Massillon

JUN 17

Ohio’s Island Wine Festival

The outdoor Night Fleas include vendors, food trucks and live music on Friday evenings June 2 through Aug. 25. All indoor MarketPlace shops are also open until 8 p.m. Hartville MarketPlace & Flea Market, 1289 Edison St. NW, Hartville, 330/877-9860. hartvillemarketplace.com.

5–8 p.m. Free

Enjoy open-air shopping in Massillon’s Duncan Plaza with the makers, bakers, brewers and growers of 720 Market. The free and familyfriendly event also features live music, food trucks, coffee and craft beer. Downtown Massillon, 2 James Duncan Plaza, Massillon, 330/5710367. eventsby720.com. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free

Indulge in Ohio’s best wines at Ohio’s Island Wine Festival in Put-in-Bay. Sip, savor and groove with live entertainment, a thrilling silent auction and exclusive wine glass and tote bag gifts. Heineman’s Winery, 978 Catawba Ave., Put-in-Bay, 440/466-4417. visitputinbay.com.

11 a.m.–5 p.m. $35

JUN 23–25

Maria Stein Country Fest

Revel in free entertainment, including the nationally known Country Fest Tractor Square Dancers, as well as antique and stock tractor pulls, a cruise-in car show, bingo, competitions in a Mini-Indy car, a quarterback challenge and a 5K run/walk. Try your hand at a dodgeball, cornhole or three-on-three basketball tournament. Visitors can also enjoy live music, sample

JUN 23–25

Pyrate Fest XV

Bayview Ave., Put-in-Bay, 419/285-2832. visitputinbay.com.

Museums + Exhibits

THRU NOV 26

Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg —

Machine Auguries: Toledo

View this artist’s first solo presentation in the United States. The immersive installation simulates a natural dawn chorus, also known as the daily call and response performed by birds in the spring and summer months, as they defend their territory and call for mates. Ginsberg’s chorus is slowly taken over by artifical birds. Toledo Museum of Art, 2445 Monroe St., Toledo, 419/255-8000. toledomuseum.org. Visit website for times and prices.

Music + Theater

JUN 17

Chapel Hart

Sisters Danica and Devynn Hart and cousin Trea Swindle won the hearts of “America’s Got Talent” viewers (and a Golden Buzzer!) in 2022, but the Chapel Hart trio has been making its mark on country music for years. Niswonger Performing Arts Center, 10700 St. Rte. 118, Van Wert, 419/238-6722. vanwertlive.com. 7:30 p.m. $19–$49.

JUN 23

Garth Live!

Enjoy a stunning tribute to the music of Garth Brooks featuring Drew Baloh. Hear some of the greatest music produced in the ’90s country era, including massive hits such as “Friends in Low Places,” “The Thunder Rolls,” “The Dance,” “Ain’t Goin’ Down (til the Sun Comes Up)” and countless others. Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, 200 W. Main Cross St. , Findlay, 419/423-2787. mcpa.org. 7:30 p.m. $45–$55.

Other Events

THRU AUG 4

Limaland Motorsports Park Races

Join the fast-paced fun and enjoy races with sprints, UMP modifieds, thunderstocks and

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WHAT WILL YOU DISCOVER?

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The other side of Amish Country welcomes you with downtown shopping, wine tastings and delectable dinners. Experience National Historic Landmarks, murals, and the carefree fun of a vintage carousel ride. Nighttime comes alive to tell the story of Moravian Missionary, David Zeisberger in “Trumpet in the Land”.

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INDULGE

more. Limaland Motorsports Park, 1500 Dutch Hollow Rd., Lima, 419/998-3199. limaland.com. Visit website for times. Adults $12, children $6.

JUN 17

NWORRP Family Fun Day

Chillicothe, 740/702-7677. downtownchillicothe. com. 1:30–7 p.m. $30–$50.

JUN 8–10

Coshocton Hot Air Balloon Festival

Get colorful at this delightful festival offering hot air balloon entertainment, delicious food, live entertainment and local vendors, plus a special “Night Glow.“ Coshocton County Fairgrounds, 707 Kenilworth Ave., Coshocton, 740/824-3378. coshoctonhotairballoonfestival.com. Visit website for times. Free.

JUN 15–17

Logan Washboard Arts & Music Festival

Enjoy a summer day with the whole family, featuring rides on Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation’s quarter-scale trains, unlimited bounce house access and other family-friendly activities, all for just $5 per person. Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation, 12505 County Rd. 99, Findlay, 419/423-2995. nworrp.org. 1–4 p.m. $5

Southeast Festivals

JUN 3

Chillicothe BrewFest

Cheers to an afternoon full of Ohio craft breweries dotting downtown Chillicothe. Enjoy great beer, awesome music and an amazing time in a historic area. North Paint Street, downtown

The streets of Logan come alive to celebrate the washboard as a musical instrument. The town is home to the Columbus Washboard Co., the only remaining washboard manufacturing company in the nation. Dating back to the mid-1800s, when music was a centerpiece of family entertainment but money was scarce, the washboard acted as an economically attainable source of rhythm. Downtown Logan, 740/277-1806. explorehockinghills.com. Visit website for times. Free

Museums + Exhibits

THRU JUN 10

Rod Bouc: Under the Sun Rod Bouc’s large-scale landscapes are rich and tactile. Inspired by the Midwest landscapes that surrounded him on the Nebraska farm he grew up on, the paintings are loaded with feeling. The surfaces are textural, as they are executed with

paint sticks, charcoal and wet-paint overlays. Southern Ohio Museum, 825 Gallia St., Portsmouth, 740/354-5629. somacc.com. Tues.–Fri. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. 1–5 p.m. Free

THRU AUG 6

Conversations...

We often create individual meaning from simple visual connections between objects. By further investigating an artist or artwork and inviting people from different backgrounds, we engage in conversation around intentionally paired works. Kennedy Museum of Art, 100 Ridges Circle, Athens, 740/593-1304. ohio.edu/ museum. Visit website for times. Free

Music + Theater

JUN 8–11

Happy Hollow Hootenanny

Experience a re-imagined version of this famed week in the form of a four-day campout celebrating the music, art and cultural traditions of central Appalachia. Take workshops in oldtime music, dancing, crafts and more. Snow Fork Event Center, 5685 Happy Hollow Rd., Nelsonville, 740/753-1924. stuartsoperahouse. org. Visit website for times and prices

JUN 16

Bon Journey

This Bon Jovi and Journey tribute band has been covering hits by two of the most popular rock bands since 2006. Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 740/371-5152. peoplesbanktheatre.com. 8 p.m. $19–$79.

Tecumseh! Outdoor Drama

and plenty of festival food and drink — including funnel cakes, cotton candy, wings, hamburgers and more. American Legion, 450 Victor Stier Dr., Milford, 513/831-2411. frontierdaysmilford.com. Visit website for times. Free

JUN 3–4

Troy Strawberry Festival

Experience the epic story of the Shawnee people as they fight to save their homelands on the Ohio frontier. This Ohio tradition has been thrilling audiences for 50 years. Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, 866/775-0700. tecumsehdrama.com.

8 p.m. $31–$51

Other Events

JUN 1

Chillicothe Paints Opening Night

Enjoy collegiate summer baseball as the Chillicothe Paints open the 30th season with a matchup against the Champion City Kings of Springfield. VA Memorial Stadium, 17273 St. Rte. 104, Chillicothe, 740/773-7117. chillicothe paints.com. 7–10 p.m. $5–$7

JUN 17

Kenworth Truck Parade

Join Kenworth's Chillicothe plant for the second annual parade, featuring over 50 new, classic and customized Kenworth semi-trucks. Downtown Chillicothe, 740/774-5111. kenworth.com.

8–10 p.m. Free.

JUN 22–25

Buckeye Trail Association’s 14th Annual E.G.G.S. Hike

Take on five hiking challenges consisting of 20, 40, 60 and 80 miles to be completed in 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours, respectively. This event includes camping and meals and is run in honor of Ohioan Emma (Grandma) Gatewood, the first female to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. Burr Oak State Park and Wildcat Hollow Backpack Trail, 10660 Burr Oak Lodge Rd., Glouster, 740/394-2008. buckeyetrail.org. Buckeye Trail Association members $40, adults $50.

JUN 24–25

Hocking House Annual Garden Art Happening

Enjoy this garden tour and plant sale, also featuring Jean Magdich’s new one-of-a-kind sculptures. Meet other fine craftsmen showing their wares. Hocking House, 29580 Big Pine Rd., Logan, 740/385-4166. explorehockinghills.com.

10 a.m.–5 p.m. Free

Southwest Festivals

JUN 1–3

Milford Frontier Days

Splash into summer with this spirited festival including a parade, live music, a makers market

This popular festival is dedicated to everything strawberry, and this year‘s theme is “Berries Rock!” Enjoy a cruise-in, a pageant, delicious strawberry food and drink and more fruity goodness. Public Square, Troy, 937/339-7714. troystrawberryfest.com. Visit website for times and prices.

JUN 9–11

Versailles Poultry Days

Join in at this annual community event celebrating the area as a leading poultry producer.

Poultry Days promises “World-Famous” chicken dinners, a flower show, art vendors, a 5K run/ walk, an Ultimate Frisbee tournament and live music. Downtown Versailles, 459 S. Center St., Versailles, versaillespoultrydays.com. Visit website for times and prices.

JUN 16–17

International Craft Beer Festival

Celebrate craft beer favorites at the Oscar Station. With a six-ounce tasting glass and a trusty tasting guide in hand, visitors will be welcomed into the festival by 400 beers from over 100 breweries. Commune with like-minded beer enthusiasts, sample and sip all night, and use the tasting guide to take notes on your favorites. The Oscar Station, 8871 N. Gilmore Rd., Fairfield, 513/674-6008. junglejims.com. Visit website for times and prices.

Museums + Exhibits

THRU JUL 16

Seeing is Enough

View the work of late Columbus artist Paul-Henri Bourguignon, spanning a nearly seven-decades-long career. Dedicated to capturing everything he saw around him and encompassing a multitude of inspirations, this exhibition highlights Bourguignon’s travels, experimentations with Modern Art and the eclectic home and marriage he built with his wife: renowned anthropologist Erika Bourguignon. Springfield Museum of Art, 107 Cliff Park Rd., Springfield, 937/325-4673. springfieldart.net. Visit website for times and prices.

THRU JUL 16

Woodblock Prints of Saito Kiyoshi

Admire the work of Saitō Kiyoshi, one of the most prolific Japanese artists of the 20th century. Largely self-taught, Kiyoshi experimented with woodblock printing, including the texture of the wood grain and effects from cutting and scratching the surface with knives and awls. Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N., Dayton, 937/223-4278. daytonartinstitue.org. Visit website for times and prices.

THRU SEPT 24

Robert Lugo: Hi-Def Archives

View the work of Roberto Lugo, a Cincinnatibased artist drawing from lived experience and

deep knowledge of ceramic history to elevate the stories of those historically absent from the medium. His multicultural pieces combine classic forms and patterns with elements of hip-hop. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati, 513/721-2787. cincinnatiartmuseum. org. Visit website for times and prices

JUN 3–SEPT 10

Modern Women/Modern Vision: Photography from the Bank of America Collection

View the work of women in photography who have forged pioneering paths for the medium. Trace their influential role over the past century, including Gertrude Käsebier, Margaret BourkeWhite, Dorothea Lange, Diane Arbus, Carrie Mae Weems and more, through approximately 100 photographic prints. Taft Museum of Art, 316 Pike St., Cincinnati, 513/241-0343. taftmuseum. org. Visit website for times and prices.

JUN 17–SEPT 10

The Boat Trip: Etchings by Charles Francois Daubigny

Enjoy the whimsical paintings of French landscape painter Charles François Daubigny, who, in 1857, purchased a 27-foot ferryboat and converted it into a floating studio from which he could observe and paint at all times of the day. His works often abound with rivers and offer innovative, water-level perspectives that surely influenced younger artists, including the impressionist Claude Monet, who built a studio boat of his own. Taft Museum of Art, 316 Pike St., Cincinnati, 513/241-0343. taftmuseum.org. Visit website for times and prices.

JUN 23–OCT 15

Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Picasso, one of the most innovative and influential artists of the 20th century. Celebrate his legacy through an unprecedented exhibition, the first to examine Picasso’s lifelong engagement with landscape. The display highlights paintings and sculptures by the artist from approximately 25 public and private collections across the United States and Europe. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati, 513/721-2787. cincinnatiartmuseum.org.

Visit website for times and prices.

Music + Theater

JUN 9–18

Bold Moves Festival

Leap into the conclusion of this annual festival. Two diverse programs each offer a particular perspective on dance and its relationship to humanity. Experience featured works from some of dance’s most sought-after choreographers — some vehicles for emotional storytelling, some tools for showcasing the power and physicality of movement. Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati, 513/621-2787. cballet.org. Visit website for times. $29–$129.

JUN 10

I Love the ’90s Tour

Experience this revolving lineup of iconic ’90s artists bringing audiences back to the trend-setting decade known for iconic, indelible names

in rap, hip hop and R&B. See performances by Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath, Treach of Naughty by Nature, Kid N Play, All-4-One, 2 Live Crew, DJ Kool and Color Me Badd. Fraze Pavilion, 695 Lincoln Park Blvd., Kettering, 937/296-3300. fraze.com. 8 p.m. $45–$75.50

JUN 10

The Paul Simon Songbook

Enjoy an evening of music by the legendary Paul Simon. Explore his unique journey — from his years with Simon and Garfunkel through his solo albums, “Graceland” and “Rhythm of the Saints.” Songs in the lineup include “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard,” “The Sound of Silence” and “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton, 937/228-7591. daytonperformingarts.org. 7:30 p.m. $25–$90

JUN 13

Dead & Company: The Final Tour

Take this chance to see the famed touring band made up by Mickey Hart, John Mayer and Bob Weir, with Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti and Jay Lane. Dead & Company performs two sets, drawing from the Grateful Dead’s historic catalog. Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, 513/232-5882. riverbend.org. 7 p.m. Visit website for prices

JUN 17

Ben Folds: What Matters Most Tour

Ben Folds performs, fresh off the release of his new album, “What Matters Most.” Delight in the masterful collection live — a bold, timely and

cinematic work examining the tragic and absurd in equal measures, reckoning with hope and despair, gratitude and loss, identity and perspective. Rose Music Center at the Heights, 6800 Executive Blvd., Huber Heights, 937/610-0288. rosemusiccenter.com. 7:30 p.m. $24–$352

JUN 17

Signs of Life: The Ultimate Pink Floyd Tribute

Signs of Life features eight incredible musicians and a top-notch production team dedicated to faithfully capturing the music, emotion and excitement of a Pink Floyd concert. The Murphy Theatre, 50 W. Main St., Wilmington, 937/3823643. themurphytheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. $37–$47

Other Events

JUN 24–25

29th Annual Historic Home & Garden Tour

the church and shopping downtown. Municipal Building, 205 S. Main St., Urbana, 800/791-6010. ccpapreserveohio.org. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $20

JULY Central Festivals

JUL 15

Columbus Summer Wine Festival

Celebrate a variety of established and up-andcoming wine brands at this energizing festival. A portion of the proceeds benefits CD102.5 for the Kids, a children’s charity supporting a variety of youth initiatives in and around central Ohio. Sip on a diverse selection of wines while enjoying live music, digging into delicious fare from food trucks and shopping artisan vendors. The Kelley Green, 105 Norton Park Dr., Whitehall. columbuswinefest.com. 2–8 p.m. $15–$30.

Music + Theater

JUL 8

The Music of Whitney Houston: A Celebration

Visit historic homes and gardens, the community gardens, a historic church and the Historical Museum. Explore three buildings which have been repurposed into housing. Enjoy lunch at

Dance the night away as Windborne Music and the Columbus Symphony present the music of Whitney Houston. Featuring Broadway sensation Rashidra Scott, enjoy hits including “Saving All My Love,” “How Will I Know?” “Where Do Broken

Hearts Go?” and “I Will Always Love You.” Columbus Commons, 160 S. High St., Columbus, 614/469-0939. columbussymphony.com. 8 p.m. Visit website for prices

JUL 14

Los Lobos

Dive into the music of Los Lobos, a groundbreaking band that embodies the idea of America as a cultural melting pot. Los Lobos embraces styles like son jarocho, norteño, Tejano, folk, country, doo-wop, soul, R&B, rock ’n’ roll and punk. Midland Theatre, 36 N. Park Place, Newark, 740/345-5483. midlandtheatre.org. 8 p.m. $45–$75.

JUL 29

Columbus Soul and Salvage

This eight-piece, central Ohio-based band embraces feel-good, classic and modern soul music, featuring a lively horn section, a strong vocal focus and a moving rhythm section. Edison Brewing Co., 785 Science Blvd., Gahanna, 614/762-6183. drinkedison.com. 7 p.m. Free

Northeast Festivals

JUL 1–3

Red, White & Boom Over Lake Erie

Celebrate Independence Day at this patriotic event full of food, games, rides, music, a parade and a fireworks display. Lakeview Park, 340 Erie St., Conneaut, conneautredwhiteandboom. com. Visit website for times and prices

JUL 29

Wild Maple Music Fest

Jam out at this one-day music festival deep in the heart of Geauga County. The festival was founded on the basis of love for local — and beyond — original music and art. Wild Maple brings together genre-spanning musical acts, including country, hip hop, rock ’n’ roll, indie and more. All participating bands and artists have varying experience and geography, featuring newcomers, well-seasoned musicians and traveling acts alike. Chardon Square, Chardon. facebook.com/wildmaplemusicfestival.

Noon–9:30 p.m. Free

Museums + Exhibits

JUL 2–OCT 29

Love Gardens / Forbidden Fruit

Explore nature’s symbolic and metaphorical meanings tied to natural cycles, God’s generative power, Christian spirituality and human love. From the Biblical deluge to prints and drawings, these works spark new feelings about landscape as an independent genre in European art. Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland, 216/421-7350. clevelandart.org. Visit website for times and prices.

JUL 9–AUG 13

Watercolor Society

The Ohio Watercolor Society’s annual juried show highlights the talent and diversity of artists working in water-soluble mediums, including watercolor, acrylic, casein, gouache and egg

tempera. Mansfield Art Center, 700 Marion Ave., Mansfield, 419/756-1700. mansfieldartcenter. org. Visit website for times and prices.

Music + Theater

JUL 7–9

Jurassic Park

Relive the magic of “Jurassic Park” as the movie celebrates its 30th anniversary. Watch the action-packed adventure that pits man against prehistoric predator on the big screen while the Cleveland Orchestra presents a thrilling performance of John Williams’ iconic score. Featuring stunning imagery and groundbreaking effects, the film remains a movie favorite. Blossom Music Center, 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 330/920-8040. clevelandorchestra.com. 7 p.m. Visit website for prices.

JUL 8

This family of eight siblings performs pop, rock, jazz and soul horn band music. They are all multi-instrumentalists and powerful vocalists, recently featured on Nickelodeon’s “America’s Most Musical Family.” Ohio Star Theater, 1387 Old Route 39, Sugarcreek, 855/344-7547. ohiostartheater.com. 7 p.m. Visit website for times. $42–$60

JUL 22

Debussy’s La Mer

Take a sonic trip to the ocean. Debussy developed his love of the sea during childhood visits to the Mediterranean. This imaginative, impressionistic sketch captures all the moods of the sea, from tranquil to stormy, dazzling to full of elemental force. Blossom Music Center, 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 330/920-8040. clevelandorchestra.com. 7 p.m. Visit website for prices

JUL 24

Glenn Miller Orchestra

JUL 25–30

Come From Away

Experience the Best Musical winner “Come From Away.” The performance takes viewers into the heart of a remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed, but eventually gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Connor Palace, 1615 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216/771-4444. playhousesquare.org. Tues.–Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sat. 1:30 & 7:30 p.m., Sun. 1 & 6:30 p.m. Visit website for prices.

JUL 27

James Armstrong

James Armstrong pays tribute to the past with the traditional blues and his unique songwriting skills. Using both slide and pick, James’ guitar playing is some of the smoothest in the business. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., Akron, 330/253-2488. akroncivic.com. 7 p.m. Advance $25, day of $30.

Other Events

JUL 2

Weltzheimer/Johnson House Tour

Discover this Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian House several blocks from campus at Oberlin College. The innovative structure, designed in 1947 and completed in 1949, is the first Usonian house in Ohio and one of the few in the nation open to the public. Weltzheimer/Johnson House, 534 Morgan St., Oberlin, 440/775-8671. amam.oberlin. edu/flw-house. Hourly tours noon–4 p.m. $10.

JUL 21–22

Hartsgrove Power Show

Experience this lively car, tractor and truck show with vendors, concessions and drawings. Hartsgrove Township, 5321 St. Rte. 534, Hartsgrove, 440/645-9159. facebook.com/ hartsgroveevents. Fri. noon–10 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–10 p.m. Free.

Northwest Festivals

JUL 15

Defiance Jazz Festival

This festival honors the memory of jazz greats Wild Bill Davison and Milt Buckner, who called Defiance their home. Kingsbury Park, 118 Auglaize St., Defiance. defiancejazzfestival.com. Visit website for times and prices

JUL 15

Middle Bass Music Festival

Get “In the Mood” with the “Greatest Band of the Greatest Generation.” In 1939, the Glenn Miller Orchestra hit it big and continues to be a hit to this day. Ohio Star Theater, 1387 Old Route 39, Sugarcreek, 855/344-7547. ohiostartheater.com.

1 & 7 p.m. $40–$58

Attend this festival jam-packed with live music, artist demonstrations, food from Jimmy G’s BBQ and Rose’s Rolling Food Trucks, and drinks from Catawba Island Brewing Co. and Heineman’s Winery — all with a Lake Erie view. Middle Bass Island, lakeerieislandconservancy.org. Noon–7 p.m. Free.

JUL 28–30

Celina Lake Festival

Celebrate Ohio’s largest inland lake with a spectacular fireworks display over the water,

The Rees Family

plus a boat poker run, an international amphicar convention, rides and a classic car show and cruise-in. Visitors will be also be delighted by a huge parade, delicious festival foods, a craft show, a 5K, a variety of fantastic live music, sidewalk sales, children’s games and competitions. Celina Lake, Lake Shore Dr., Celina, 419/5860993. celinalakefest.com. Fri. 9 a.m.–11 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.–11 p.m., Sun. 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Visit website for prices.

JUL 28–30

Northwest Ohio Rib Off

Enjoy this annual festival bringing ribbers from across the nation to compete in Maumee. Delight in a lineup of outdoor live performances by music industry favorites, shop multiple vendors and jump into the fun with a range of activities. Lucas County Fairgrounds, 1406 Key St., Maumee, 419/893-2127. nworiboff.com. Visit website for times. Free

Music + Theater

JUL 7–AUG 4

ProMedica Live: Summer Concert Series

This summer’s lineup includes artists from a variety of genres, including Killer Queen, Back to the ’90s, Chris Janson and Scotty McCreery. Come out and join the fun at this outdoor riverfront venue. Promenade Park, 400 Water St., Toledo. promedicalive.com. Visit website for times and prices

JUL 21

Willow Hill

Just named one of Rolling Stone’s “Bands to Watch,” the charismatic husband and wife duo behind Willow Hill has cemented itself as one of Nashville’s newest and most unique country sensations. Fountain Park, Van Wert, 419/2386722. vanwertlive.com. 7:30 p.m. Free

JUL 29

Findlay Rocks the ’60s Goes Live!

Join in this celebration of music’s greatest era, in honor of local bands that ruled the day, national acts that graced Findlay’s historic venues and the people who made it all possible. The lineup includes Scott Lavender, the Flag City Rock and Soul Revue and emcee and tour guide “Big Dave” Crosser. Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, 200 W. Main Cross St., Findlay, 419/423-2787. mcpa.org. 7:30 p.m. $25

Other Events

JUL 15

Summer at the Village

playing old-fashioned games, there is something for everyone. Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte. 2, Archbold, 419/446-2541. saudervillage.org. Visit website for times and prices

Southeast Festivals

JUL 14–16

Lilyfest

Immerse yourself in gardens, plants, art and live music. Enjoy hiking trails, a Viking village and a “Forrest Friends” exhibit for kids of all ages. Learn tips and tricks from experienced gardeners and shop from creative art vendors. Bishop Educational Garden, 13200 Little Cola Rd., Rockbridge, 740/969-2873. lilyfest.com. Visit website for times. $5 parking donation.

JUL 15

Last Call Street Festival

Delight in this ale-focused block party on Court Street that is one of the highlights of Ohio Brew Week. Last Call takes over the bricks with craft brews, food vendors and live music, as well as a selection of ciders and meads from Ohio favorites. Court Street, Athens, ohiobrewweek. com. 1–11 p.m. Free

JUL 21–23

Nelsonville Music Festival

Enjoy more than 50 performances across three unique stages, plus on-site camping, children’s activities, food, craft beer, craft vendors and so much more at the event Billboard Magazine called “one of the best-kept secrets of the U.S. music festival circuit.” Snow Fork Event Center, 5685 Happy Hollow Rd., Nelsonville, 740/7531924. nelsonvillefest.org. Visit website for times and prices

Music + Theater

JUL 9

Kenny G

The sound of Kenny G’s saxophone is as iconic as his curly coif. Take your seat as the American smooth jazz saxophonist and composer returns to perform in Marietta. Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 740/371-5152. peoplesbanktheatre.com. 7–9 p.m. $58–$158.

JUL 12

The CALT Sessions: Hilarie Burhans

Join the audience for a CALT Session, a project made possible through the Central Appalachia Living Traditions Folk & Traditional Arts Experiences program of Mid Atlantic Arts. Hilarie Burnhans is a clawhammer-style banjo player who has been perfecting her craft for 50 years. The Stage Door, 224 Putnam St., Marietta, 740/3715152. peoplesbanktheatre.com. 7 p.m. Free.

JUL 31–AUG 8

Shakespeare on Sugarloaf: Henry V

Southwest Festivals

JUL 8

Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest

If you like bold food, rocking music and a hearty party, then you'll love this festival with plenty of mouthwatering flavors as well as live music on the Lincoln Park stage. Fraze Pavilion, 695 Lincoln Park Blvd., Kettering, 937/296-3300. fraze.com. 3–10 p.m. Free.

JUL 28–30

Annie Oakley Festival

Head over to this spirited family-friendly festival featuring Western arts, cowboy mounted shooting, musical performances and more. Plus, dig into a variety of food trucks and craft vendors. Each piece of the event is in honor of Darke County’s most famous daughter, Annie Oakley. Darke County Fairgrounds, 800 Sweitzer St., Greenville, 937/623-9235. annieoakleyfestival. org. Visit website for times. Free

JUL 28–30

United Irish of Dayton Celtic Festival

Saturate your senses in the sights, sounds and tastes of Celtic heritage and discover the magic that keeps visitors coming back to this festival. Experience several rich traditions that Celtic folk hold near and dear to their hearts. Riverscape Metro Park, 237 E. Monument Ave., Dayton, 937/274-0126. daytoncelticfestival.com. Fri. 5:30–11 p.m., Sat. 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Free.

Music + Theater

JUL 6 Killer Queen

Rock out with Killer Queen as lead singer Patrick Myers channels Freddie Mercury. Since 1993, the show has lived up to the promise that they will rock you. They’ve won countless awards, including “Worldwide Best Tribute Band” and “Best Concert of the Year.” Fraze Pavilion, 695 Lincoln Park Blvd., Kettering, 937/296-3300. fraze.com. 8 p.m. $20-$35

JUL 7 3 Doors Down: Away from the Sun Anniversary Tour

Celebrate 3 Doors Down’s sophomore album, “Away From The Sun,” as the band embarks on its anniversary tour. Hear all the songs from the album as well as the group’s biggest hits, including “Here Without You,” which reached No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Rose Music Center at the Heights, 6800 Executive Blvd., Huber Heights, 937/610-0288. rosemusiccenter.com. 8 p.m. $43.50–$91.50

JUL 21

Jason Aldean: Highway Desperado Tour

Discover what pioneer life was like on the farm. From domestic duties that shaped daily life to birding in the backyard, cooking favorite foods to

Experience “Henry V” in an outdoor amphitheater. Shakespeare’s most famous war play covers the storied English victory over the French at Agincourt. Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, 866/775-0700. tecumsehdrama.com. 8 p.m. Free

Jason Aldean has garnered 27 No. 1 singles, 15 billion streams and more than 20 million albums sold. See the ACM Artist of the Decade on his 41-city headlining tour alongside openers Corey Kent and Dee Jay Silver. Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, 513/2325882. riverbend.org. 7:30 p.m. $44–$600.

FARM & TABLE

Place

Chef Matt Rapposelli brings a variety of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner to Hocking Hills Lodge & Conference Center’s Rock House Restaurant.

The new Hocking Hills Lodge & Conference Center opened its doors in fall 2022, almost six years after the 2016 fire that destroyed its previous incarnation. The former state park lodge had an on-site restaurant but no overnight accommodations, while the new one has 81 guest rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, terraces and two giant lobby fireplaces. It’s an ideal home base for exploring one of Ohio’s most popular state parks.

Classic Eats: White Turkey Drive-In serves up a flavor of the 1950s, complete with retro fare and a vintage root beer brand, in the lakeshore community of Conneaut.

Granville Brewing Co.: This former horse barn outside of Granville offers an inviting place to spend an afternoon and a lineup of brews that focuses on Belgian styles.

THICK-CUT BONELESS PORK CHOP

FARM & TABLE

The culinary centerpiece of the new lodge is the Rock House Restaurant, an allday eatery that transitions smoothly from breakfast to lunch to dinner. It is helmed by chef Matt Rapposelli, who has headed up the kitchen at southeast Ohio dining destinations such as Glenlaurel, Lake Hope Lodge and Kindred Spirits at the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls.

Rapposelli says the restaurant at the previous Hocking Hills lodge was “smokedmeat centric,” while the new restaurant is taking a different approach. Whenever possible, he draws on local ingredients, like beef from Bay Food Market in Lancaster, cheeses by Ohio purveyors and wines from Le Petit Chevalier in nearby Creola.

Highlights of the breakfast menu include a pork belly eggs Benedict, biscuits and gravy and the Harmony Hollow: home fries topped with sauteed vegetables. Lunch items include mussels, confit chicken wings and sandwiches like the half-pound Lodge Burger or the Forager Burger made with wild mushrooms. Dinner encompasses pastas, a boneless pork chop, a 12-ounce steak and the like, while Rapposelli’s signature catfish is served as a trio of hand-breaded filets with a house-made remoulade. The goal is to appeal to a wide variety of diners.

“We have three very different categories of customers,” Rapposelli says. “We have

Classic Eats

the people who are staying here at the lodge, then we have the day-tripper tourists, and then we have the locals.”

He also plans menus that will fit different tastes and budgets, from families on a summer trip to those looking for a higher-end experience. Rapposelli adds that those who visited the old lodge will be amazed by the new one.

White Turkey Drive-In serves up a flavor of the 1950s in the lakeshore community of Conneaut.

Open since 1952, Conneaut’s White Turkey Drive-In offers a little slice of roadside heaven. Founded by Eddie and Marge Tuttle, who also raised white Holland turkeys, the stand serves up retro fare and frosty soda from Rochester, New York’s Richardson Root Beer.

“We actually have a lot of the original root beer barrels, the original countertops,” says general manager John Mason. “A lot of the restaurant stuff is the same as the 1950s. We still have jukeboxes that you play 1950s and ’60s music on.”

Keeping with the classics, White Turkey Drive-In has a menu not far off from its original: shredded turkey sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, ice cream cones and root beer floats. The Large Marge tops a turkey sandwich with cheese and bacon, while the Big Ed and Super Ed are a

“It’s so vastly different,” he says. “This is the quintessential contemporary American lodge. It’s really about the views. The dining room is a big open space, with all glass windows overlooking the Old Man’s Cave area.”

Nicholas Dekker

20020 St. Rte. 664, Logan 43138, 740/270-6100, hockinghillsparklodge.com

double cheeseburger and a double cheeseburger with bacon and an onion ring, respectively.

What was once, and still is, a simple stand with counter service is also now surrounded by a large picnic area where customers can dig into the drive-in’s sandwiches along with french fries, milkshakes, sundaes and more. (White Turkey Drive-In accepts cash only, but there is an ATM on-site.)

“Those sandwiches and the root beer are still No. 1 in everybody’s hearts,” Mason says.

“There’s nothing like a root beer in a nice frosty mug in the summertime.”

— Kelly Powell

388 E. Main Rd., Conneaut 44030, 440/593-2209, facebook.com/whiteturkeydrivein

Granville Brewing Co.

This former horse barn offers an inviting place to spend an afternoon with friends and a lineup of brews that focuses on Belgian styles.

Granville Brewing Co. has a rural setting as inviting as the beers made and poured in the renovated barn it calls home. Belgian ale styles are the focus, with a lineup that includes saisons, a witbier and a Belgian tripel that is counted among the brewery’s core offerings. There is also an IPA made with local hops and the occasional porter or stout on tap.

“One of my favorite beers is our [The] Traveller Pale Ale, an American pale ale finished with the yeast that we use in the Tripel,” says Jay Parsons, who co-founded the place with Ross Kirk in 2012.

Steven “Pinto” Wagner makes the beer, and Parsons credits him as the main driver behind the brewery’s liquid creativity. Brews are frequently rotated in and out, prompting locals to stop in on a regular basis. Beyond the beer, the rural charm of the combination taproom and brewing facility is reason enough for repeat visits.

“The barn we renovated was a horse barn,” says Parsons. “You can still see the stall doors on the outside. It’s a pretty unique experience inside.”

The brewery’s interior wall decor ranges from tin signs to framed posters, and its

eclectic nature has prompted regulars to contribute their own items to the mix. For those who prefer to sit outside, there is a partially covered outdoor space. Don’t be surprised if the brewery cat shows its face as well.

“If the weather’s good, there’s a phenomenal view [of the countryside],” Parsons says.

While the brewery doesn’t have its own kitchen, it hosts a regular rotation of food trucks and invites customers to bring food in from outside. Parsons is quick to praise the small town that inspired the brewery’s name. Granville and nearby Newark together boast over half a dozen breweries, so craft beer fans can turn a visit into a weekend trip.

“Granville’s a phenomenal little town with great restaurants,” Parsons says. “We definitely encourage everybody to make a Licking County trip out of it.”

David Nilsen

5371 Columbus Rd., Granville 43023, 740/919-5495, granvillebrewing.com

JUDITH BRANDON

The Wendel Family Fund of the Fairfield County Foundation Patrick and Brenda Smith

Kick start summer with tasty wine slushies at some great Ohio spots.

By Kristin Long

Cool down this summer with a refreshing wine slushie. Many Ohio wineries are now offering specialty wine slushies, coming in many different fruity flavors.

Nestled within the Ohio River Valley, Valley Vineyards in Morrow serves a variety of delicious and colorful wine slushies. Time your trip with one of the winery's popular weekend cookouts or visit during special events to enjoy festive concoctions like red, white and blue slushies. Try wine slushies in raspberry, peach, pink lemonade and sangria flavors at Hocking Hills Winery in Logan. Paired with one of their charcuterie boards, the sweet wine slushies are the perfect way to balance the savory cheeses and meats.

Sunny Slope Winery in Big Prairie makes new slushie creations that are sure to surprise every time you visit. Specializing in

small-batch fruit wines, Sunny Slope always has new delicious flavor combinations, mixing their wines to create a one-of-a-kind experience. Enjoy your slushie with a panini from the deli and relax while watching live music most weekends.

For delicious wine and good atmosphere without leaving the city, visit CLE Urban Winery. Tucked away in Cleveland Heights, this small business is warm and inviting. For something a little less sweet, try their signature frose wine slushies. Don’t have time to stay and enjoy? CLE Urban Winery now serves frozen packs to blend up yourself at home.

Sit down, kick back and sip an ice-cold wine slushie at Brandeberry Winery in Enon. The ever-changing flavor combinations will entice even the most traditional wine drinkers.

OHIO WINE MONTH

From the foothills of Appalachia to the islands of Lake Erie, Ohio produces a wide selection of wines. Here are seven stops to make this summer. By Gracie Wilson

CASK 307, MADISON

Cask 307 | Madison

This A-frame structure tucked just off Interstate 90 in Lake County makes a dozen small-batch wines and serves six varieties of Double Wing Brewing Co. craft beer. Beth and Tony Debevc opened Cask 307 in June 2019, and the winery’s unique offerings include a bourbon chardonnay that delivers smoky peach, apple and caramel flavors, as well as a robust Marigold wine that is orange in color.

“By leaving the skins on, it gives the wine an orange color but not flavor,” explains Donna List, Cask 307’s tasting room manager. “Ours is a chardonnay grape that we use and has floral notes to it.”

For the beer fans, there are also six varieties of craft brews from Tony Debevc’s Double Wing Brewing Co., which operates on the property of Debonne Vineyards. Cask 307 is part of the Grand River Valley appellation — a viticultural area along Ohio’s northeastern Lake Erie shore — and grapes for the wines are grown on 200 acres across the region. Outside Cask 307’s tast-

ing room, a patio with Adirondack chairs invites visitors to kick back and enjoy the live music on summer weekends.

Although the winery does not have a full kitchen on-site, a small food menu spans sandwiches, flatbreads and charcuterie boards. 7259 Warner Rd., Madison 44507, 440/307-9586, cask307.com

Monarch Winery | Kelleys Island

This small Kelleys Island spot down the road from the Lake Erie island’s state park serves a lineup of four fruit wines. Owner Abbey Rosado and her husband, Rodney, first opened a gift shop in 2020 before adding the winery a year later. They both had experience in the industry, with Abbey’s parents owning Kelleys Island Wine Co.

“My husband and I were looking to start our own business on [the island], and we decided that we wanted to experiment with fruit wines,” says Rosado.

While working for Kelleys Island Wine Co., the couple had made fruit wines that proved popular with customers, so they de-

Monarch Winery on Kelleys Island (above and top); Cask 307 in Madison (left); Olde Schoolhouse Vineyard and Winery in Eaton (opposite page)

BOTTOM: KRIS MITLER

cided to continue in that vein when opening Monarch Winery. For a treat fit for summer on the water, try Rosado’s favorite, Pearl Crescent Pear, an off-dry white wine with fresh pear undertones.

When the summer heat comes in full force, order a wine slushie to enjoy outside on the winery’s patio, which hosts live music on Saturdays, or in the wine garden. The quaint, open-air greenhouse garden features a pond as well as plenty of plants to wander among while sipping sweet fruit wines such as peach and blueberry. 604 Division St., Kelleys Island 43438, 419/7462899, monarchki.com

Olde Schoolhouse Vineyard and Winery | Eaton

School is always in session at this 1800s red brick schoolhouse along state Route 726 in Preble County that has Tuscan-style interior decor and outdoor space for summer visitors. Since opening in June 2016, Mark Zdobinski, his wife and their business partners have drawn wine lovers to this rural spot for a diverse collection of around 30 wines, ranging from a dry rose and chardonnay to sweet varieties.

Sweet wines on the menu include the top-selling Bad Ass Berry, which blends flavors of blueberry and red raspberry into a sip that pairs well with an afternoon on the winery’s patio overlooking the small on-site vineyard.

Zdobinski has been making wine since 1979 and focuses on locally grown grapes for the varieties he crafts for Olde Schoolhouse Vineyard and Winery.

“We have just shy of 2 acres of grapes,” he says, “so that obviously produces a small portion of what we do.”

The grapes for the vidal come from Urbana in Champaign County, while those for the cabernet come from Washington Court House in Fayette County. Summer brings a rotating lineup of food trucks and music on Friday and Saturday nights. 152 St. Rte. 726, Eaton 45320, 937/472-9463, oshwinery.com

Shamrock Vineyard | Waldo

Four generations of the Creasap family have ties to this vineyard that opened in the Marion County village of Waldo in 1984. Located at the end of a half-mile-long driveway off County Road 25, Shamrock Vine-

OHIO WINE

yard lays claim to having some of the oldest grapevines in central Ohio. Current owner Thomas “Van” Creasap’s grandfather planted them in 1971 as a hobby while working as a local physician.

The Chateau Shamrock wines — labeled to showcase Creasap’s grandmother’s French heritage — come in seven varieties, including the dry white Delaware varietal. One of Creasap’s favorites, it has a fruity profile that his grandmother referred to as a “spritely bouquet.” For something sweeter, try the Windfall White, billed as the vineyard’s sweetest offering.

Summer is the perfect time to visit, with Twilight Dinners on the green overlooking the vineyard, where you can enjoy a bottle of wine alongside a catered meat, potato and vegetable meal followed by dessert.

“We’re tucked away in the midst of some green fields, and it’s calm, quiet and peaceful,” says Creasap. “You get to hear the birds chirping as the sun sets and enjoy a beautiful evening out in the country.” 111 County Rd. 25, Waldo 43356, 740/726-2883, shamrockvineyard.com

Winery at Wolf Creek | Norton

Located on a hilltop just outside Akron, this 35-acre winery has vineyards with eight varieties of grapes, over two dozen styles of wine and goats. The Weinberg family founded the place in 1980, but Andy Troutman and his wife, Deanna, have owned it since 2002.

“Years ago, when I started out, I thought I wanted to make goat cheese and make wine, and you realize how much work the wine business is,” says Andy Troutman. “The goats have always just hung around and had a free ride.”

Inside the cozy tasting room that looks out over the vineyard, guests sit by the fire on cool evenings or head outside on warm nights to grab a spot on the covered patio or a seat on the lawn. The wines at this family-friendly spot range from dry to sweet reds and whites. Troutman recommends the cherry, blueberry or apple fruit wines for the summer months.

Customers can pair the wine with an on-site selection of cheese and salami from Grandpa’s Cheesebarn — a nearby branch of the original location in Ashland — or get food delivered from spots like the local favorite Fat Boy’s Pizza. 2637 S. Cleveland Massillon Rd., Norton 44203, 330/666-9285, wineryatwolfcreek.com

Winery at Wolf Creek in Norton (above); Shamrock Vineyard in Waldo (right)

TOP: KARIN MCKENNA

GRAPE TIMES

Check

Pleasant Hill Vineyards | Athens

Located in the countryside south of Athens, off state Route 33, this family-owned vineyard is tucked among the rolling Appalachian foothills. The 13 varieties of wine on the menu range from dry reds and whites to a sweet rose with a Catawba grape base and a semisweet soleil with notes of black raspberry. Nosh on flatbreads and cheese plates or visit on Saturdays for wood-fire pizzas. Since summer is also cocktail season, get the best of both worlds with rotating options that include a tropical wine spritzer. 5015 Pleasant Hill Rd., Athens 45701, 740/502-3525, pleasanthillvineyardsllc.com

Leisure Time Winery | Napoleon

Husband-and-wife duo Jerry and Lori

Shaver opened Leisure Time Winery in the Henry County city of Napoleon in 2014 and make more than 20 wine varieties for guests to enjoy. During the sunny season, try Lazy Daze, a semisweet riesling; the sweet red Comfort Zone made with Concord grapes; or the dry white Stress Reliever. The winery features a rustic tasting room as well as plenty of places to sit outside. A full-service kitchen offers a lineup appetizers, pizzas, panini and shareable desserts like iced cinnamon bread and cherry- or apple-topped dessert pizzas. 16982 County Rd. M2, Napoleon 43545, 419/758-3442, leisuretimewinery.com

enter to win one of FOUR great giveaways this issue!

GREAT MIAMI RIVERWAY

Come fly with us! Experience the thrill of an open cockpit bi-plane ride in beautiful “Sunny” the big yellow biplane. Your adventure starts at the WACO Learning Center and Air Museum and a discovery ride for two. You will also enjoy passes and certificates to eat, paddle, play, and explore the Great Miami Riverway. More than just a river, this regional destination in southwest Ohio includes mores than 99 miles of paved trails and connected communities where you can surf the river, cycle the bike trail, and immerse yourself in aviation heritage.

THE SPA AT GERVASI VINEYARD

Win a $300 Spa Gift Certificate! The Spa at Gervasi Vineyard is a haven of tranquility and rejuvenation. Take in vineyard views while enjoying The Spa’s luxurious atmosphere. Connect with your partner in our Couple’s Suite, indulge in a restoring body treatment, or simply unwind. Gift certificate entitles recipient to a Spa service(s) at equal or lesser value. Any Massage, Skincare, Body Indulgence, or Couple’s Spa Suite service will receive the complimentary Tranquility Welcome. Now open and ready to serve you!

WESTERVILLE

Getaway for two in Westerville, the ‘city within a park’ where small-town charm meets big-city style. Enjoy a one-night stay for two at the beautiful Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris and be treated to a complimentary gourmet breakfast at their onsite restaurant, The Two-One. Explore Westerville’s historic Uptown district with two complimentary tickets to our newest walking tour, Uptown Clue. Indulge your tastebuds with gift cards to Good Vibes Winery and Sugarbees Fine Confections.

Enter

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Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

GENERAL CONDITIONS: By participating in this contest and submitting an entry, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decision of the Sponsor in conducting the contest. By entering the contest, winner agrees to waive any and all claims against the Sponsor, its parent, employees and representatives for a personal injury or loss that occur from the participation in this contest or from the receipt or use of any prize. Sponsor, its parent, employees and representatives, are not responsible for incorrect, inaccurate transcription or loss of entry information for any reason whatsoever. By entering, entrants acknowledge compliance with these Official Rules including all eligibility requirements.

HOW TO ENTER: Sweepstakes begin on June 1, 2023, and end on June 31, 2023 (“Sweepstakes Period”). There are multiple ways to enter this contest. Each person can enter both ways for additional chances of winning.1) Fill out the Reader Response card and

GRAND LAKE REGION

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is Ohio Magazine

unwind.

Plum Run Winery

3946 Broadway Grove City, OH 614-991-0338

plumrunwinery.com

118 West Front Street, Suite G Napoleon, OH 419-599-WINE (9463) thelumberyardwinery.com

Locally owned boutique winery in the heart of downtown Grove City, featuring 22 varieties of house wines & ciders, 40 taps of artfully crafted beers, along with a full scratch kitchen and large pet-friendly patio. Great space for meetings & private events as well!

The Lumberyard Winery

& Supply

The Lumberyard Winery & Supply is situated along the scenic Maumee River in a historic lumberyard in Napoleon, Ohio. With a combined 40 years of winemaking experience, our winemakers are producing a variety of wines. Come in and enjoy an appetizer with your favorite wine or try something new in a tasting or flight.

Stonegait Winery

1700 55th Sreet NE Canton, OH 330-497-1000 Gervasivineyard.com

Gervasi Vineyard Resort and Spa

This summer, escape to Gervasi Vineyard and experience the beauty of a unique,Tuscan-inspired winery resort and spa.Three distinct restaurants offer casual and upscale cuisine paired with award-winning wines and spirits. Retreat to a luxurious suite and enjoy the comforts of high-end amenities, as well as an outdoor patio providing beautiful lake views.Treat yourself to a tranquil Spa treatment or experience the intimate wine-tasting room in The Cave.

Red Fern Inn at

Rocky Point Winery

111 West Main Street Marblehead, OH 419-967-5344 redferninn.com

Located in the historic Marblehead Schoolhouse just steps from Lake Erie and down the street from the Marblehead Lighthouse, the Red Fern Inn is the perfect getaway. Guests have access to complimentary bicycles, a private lounge and several fire pits. We’re open year-round, with live music and special events April-October.

White Timbers Winery

4275 Bates Road Madison, OH 440-307-9571

stonegaitwinery.com

Stonegait Winery is a family-owned winery. Featuring estate and American wines all crafted on-site. We offer a full menu showcasing our wood-fired pizzas, appetizers, sandwiches and more. Along with our large wine selection, we have beers on tap, bourbons and specialty drinks. We invite you in to enjoy our beautiful patio and relaxing atmosphere.

Chateau Winery & Vineyard

10036 Rittman Road Wadsworth, OH 330-331-7383

thewhitetimbers.com

White Timbers is a new uniquely tranquil winery, vineyard and event center located at 10036 Rittman Road, Wadsworth Ohio, in Medina County. Find us online at thewhitetimbers.com and on Facebook and Instagram. Email: whitetimberswinery@gmail.com. Join us for a “Sip and a Sunset”!

Merry Family Winery

525 State Route 635 Helena, OH 419-638-5411

chateauwineryandvineyard.com

Experience Chateau Winery & Vineyard, a hidden gem where guests can sit by the koi pond, stroll the vineyard, or relax in the tasting room. All of the wine is made on the premises, including a few estate grown wines. Open year round. Food menu, craft beer, live entertainment, and tours available.

Owners: Bill and Michele Hollister

2376 OH-850 Bidwell, OH 740-245-9463

merryfamilywinery.com

Come sip, sit and relax at Gallia County’s first winery/ brewery. Take in the picturesque views of the countryside, stroll through the vineyard. Sample handcrafted wines and beers, try our homemade root beer soda. With so many great varieties to choose from you are sure to find something to love!

16982 Country Road M2 Napoleon, OH 419-758-3442 leisuretimewinery.com

9050 West Old Lincoln Way Wooster, OH 330-804-9463

lincolnwayvineyards.com

Leisure Time Winery

As our name implies, Leisure Time Winery is the perfect place to enjoy a leisurely afternoon or evening. Tucked into the peaceful countryside of Napoleon, Ohio, we offer a little something for everyone. We proudly craft an assortment of wines, including several fruit options.

Lincoln Way Vineyards

Come sit in the tasting room, on the patio, picnic area or our event space, relax and enjoy our wine, hard cider, fruit-based wine slushies and more. Check out our website or like us on Facebook to see our year-round food truck and entertainment schedule.

Knotty Vines Winery

2920 County Road 19 Wauseon, OH

419-446-WINE (9463) knottyvineswinery.com

Welcome to Knotty Vines Winery, where friends become family, stories are shared, and memories are made. Tasting room open Wednesday through Saturday with weekend entertainment. Take a day trip to the rich farmland of Fulton County and let us share the fruits of our labor with you.

Laurello Vineyards

978 Catawba Avenue

Put-In-Bay, OH 419-285-2811

heinemanswinery.com

Heineman Winery

Celebrating 135 years of family traditions, Heineman’s is the oldest family-owned and -operated winery in Ohio. This award-winning winery is also home to the world’s largest known celestite geode and offers combined tours of the winery and Crystal Cave. Visit the tasting room featuring wines made on-site, while enjoying a fresh-cut cheese plate. Check our website for hours. Online ordering 24/7 to 38 states!

Gillig Winery

1720 Northridge Road Findlay, OH 419-408-3230 gilligwinery.com

432 North Whitewoman Street

Coshocton, OH 740-622-4877

threeriverswinetrailohio.com

Enjoy a relaxing environment and extensive wine menu. A full lunch and dinner menu is available to visitors. The winery is located off Interstate 75 and Northridge Road and is open Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Three Rivers Wine Trail

4573 Route 307 East Geneva, OH 440-415-0661

laurellovineyards.com

Laurello Vineyards is a familyowned winery providing handcrafted, award-winning wines and specially prepared foods as well as beer on tap. Laurello offers premium, vinifera wines in addition to unique blends and delicious ice wines. We invite you to stop by to experience our boutique winery.

715 E. Lakeshore Drive

Kelleys Island, OH 419-724-2200

crookedtreevineyard.com

Fill Your Glass on the Three Rivers Wine Trail!

Enjoy the wide-open spaces of the Appalachian foothills and explore the eclectic mix of seven unique wineries and a craft brewery, all within a short drive of one another in beautiful Coshocton County. It's the perfect romantic getaway or girlsʼ weekend adventure.

Fill your glass on the Three Rivers Wine Trail! Enjoy the wideopen spaces of the Appalachian foothills and explore the eclectic mix of seven unique wineries and a craft brewery, all within a short drive of one another in beautiful Coshocton County. It’s the perfect romantic getaway or girls’ weekend adventure.

Crooked Tree Vineyard

Crooked Tree Vineyard is a quiet oasis on Kelleys Island. The tasting room, with both indoor and outdoor seating, offers eight wines from dry to sweet produced on-site. Grapes grown on the property are the foundation for the wines. Prime season is May through September. Visit us online for hours.

LIVEWell

Flame On

Enjoy a campfire or backyard fire pit with family and friends this summer without feeling the burn.

From s’mores to stories told by firelight, there are good reasons why fire pits have become a backyard staple. But flames must be respected, and even those who think they are being careful can get burned if they don’t take precautions. Beyond that, flames that escape the backyard fire pit or campsite can do significant damage. “Nearly all wildfires in Ohio are preventable and caused by humans,” says Aaron Kloss, wildfire prevention program administrator at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Here are some safety strategies to put into practice this season. Kristen Hampshire

Prepare the Pit. “Your fire ring should be made of nonflammable material like a steel rim, concrete ring or a prefabricated fire pit — even a ring made of rocks and stones,” Kloss says. Also make sure flammable materials like dead grass or dry leaves are cleared away. If your fire is in a portable fire pit, the clearance minimum is 15 feet.

Burn Clean. Use dry, seasoned firewood. Avoid using fresh wood, scrap lumber that may contain chemicals and wood with poison ivy vines. (Ohio prohibits burning a range of items, including those containing rubber, grease, asphalt or petroleum). Dry, windy conditions can increase the chances of a fire escaping the ring, and if there is an air-quality alert or warning, save the fire for another day.

Keep Water on Hand. Be sure you have water nearby and be thorough when extinguishing a fire after you’re done enjoying it. “Extinguishing a fire pit involves water, then stirring the fire pit with a shovel or rake, making sure the heat is completely out of there [and] the campfire is cold to the touch,” Kloss says.

Water Ways

Hydration is important for good health, and the season of soaring temps makes that need even greater. Here are simple strategies for keeping your fluids up.

By the time you recognize you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated, and not everyone experiences it the same way. Aside from feeling parched, common signs that it’s time to fill up with fluids can include fatigue, headache, dizziness and muscle cramps. During the summer, our body’s fluid levels can drop more quickly as temperatures rise.

“Fluids are important for regulating body temperature, to flush out toxins and just stay healthy overall,” says Carly Sedlacek, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition.

Proper hydration helps reduce joint inflammation, prevents infections, delivers nutrients to cells and keeps organs in good working order. Plus, it improves sleep at night, energy levels during the day and cognition in general.

“There are some health risks with not being hydrated,” Sedlacek says. “Sometimes we’ll see higher blood pressure, and lack of hydration is related to other conditions, like kidney damage.”

Here are some sip-savvy tips to keep your body, which is about 60 percent water, refreshed and ready for summer fun.

— Kristen Hampshire

Fill Up. Most people need about eight 8-ounce cups of water every day as a baseline, Sedlacek says. If that sounds like a lot, you’d be surprised how much water you’re consuming in foods like strawberries. Dairy drinks count, as do decaffeinated teas, sparkling water, juices and sports beverages. Just be careful about added sugars, Sedlacek cautions. Tired of swigging on plain water? Infuse it with lemon, lime, cucumber or berries. “Make your own beverage,” Sedlacek says. “We see people drink more water if they have a fun water bottle they like, especially with a straw.”

Remember the Electrolytes. Beyond fluids, your body needs electrolytes to stay hydrated, and we’re not just talking about Gatorade. “[Electrolytes] can be defined as minerals like sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium,” Sedlacek explains. For instance, milk is a rich source of electrolytes, as are bananas. Other sources include nuts, potatoes, broccoli and seeds. Those with more adventurous palates can sip pickle juice — it contains sodium, potassium and magnesium as a natural electrolyte — after exercise.

Know Your Needs. Adults’ fluid reserves tend to shrink with age. “They might not necessarily feel thirst, but it’s still super important to get enough fluid throughout the day,” Sedlacek says. As for children, fluid requirements evolve as they grow, so keep an eye on how much liquid they’re consuming. “Continue to introduce kids to new foods that are higher in water and electrolyte content,” she says. “[This] can be very helpful for staying hydrated as they grow.”

n i g l i

SHAWNEE STATE PARK

h t g h t s

Stargazing is one of humanity’s oldest hobbies. Here are some of our state’s best places for it.

Heavenly Haven

John Glenn Astronomy Park director Brad Hoehne shares his inspiration for helping create a place where everyone can share in the splendor of the night sky.

Humans have always looked to the night sky and marveled. For countless generations, we have put our hopes, dreams and stories in the connectthe-dots patterns above. Those who built Stonehenge did it. Those who laid down the stones of the ancient Kivas in New Mexico’s desert to match the rising sun and stars did it. And those who formed the great mound of the Newark Earthworks in Ohio to point to the most northerly moonrise — a feat which would have taken more than 18 years of careful observation to pull off — were clearly obsessed with the heavens.

Gazing at the sky and stars is in our bones.

Sadly, since the advent of electric lighting, the sky in its unblemished state has faded from view. Most of us live in a place where the ghostly arc of the Milky Way is invisible against a pall of illumination. From my backyard in Columbus, a meager few dozen stars can be made out.

In the early 2000s, I found myself confronted with a question: “Where can I go to see the stars?”

Cities were too bright. Parks were closed after dark. Private land was off limits. The ordinary stargazer had been squeezed out of the places where they could engage in one of humanity’s oldest pastimes. It was as if someone had drawn a curtain over the Grand Canyon or Yosemite Valley.

BRAD HOEHNE

For this reason, back in 2003, I dreamed of a place that was open, convenient, away from city lights and amenable to stargazing. It would be a place anyone could visit and one that paid homage to the thousands of generations of humans that watched the skies before us. The park’s features would capture the rising and setting of the sun on the first days of the seasons, like Stonehenge or the great Mayan temples of Chichen Itza.

Members of the organization Friends of the Hocking Hills State Park worked to make the idea a reality. Why the Hocking Hills? It was in the middle of one of the few remaining oases of dark sky in Ohio. There were hundreds of campgrounds, cabins and other lodgings nearby. Millions of people were within easy driving distance. Finally, thanks to the rerouting of state Route 664, a newly formed plot of land on a suitable plateau had become available.

Since opening on the first day of summer in 2018, John Glenn Astronomy Park has shown tens of thousands of people the rugged mountains and craters of the moon, the hard-tobelieve-they’re-real rings of Saturn, shimmering great globular clusters a half million stars strong, the ghostly glow of stellar nurseries and the remnants of dying stars — all through one of our telescopes.

Others have visited the park to lie on their backs and count meteors during the annual Perseid meteor shower. Thousands sat socially distanced in our field and gawked at the comet NEOWISE, which hovered in the evening sky during the first summer of the pandemic. Many have turned this place into a mecca for capturing photos of constellations, the Milky Way and objects in the distant heavens.

You, too, are welcome to visit and marvel along with us.

Star Parties

Want to find an astronomy club? Here are 13 Ohio organizations that regularly hold outdoor stargazing events. Visit their respective websites for more information.

Astronomy Club of Akron Summit County acaoh.org

The Black River Astronomical Society Lorain County blackriverastro.org

Chagrin Valley Astronomical Society Geauga County cvas.cvas-north.com

Cincinnati Astronomical Society Hamilton County cinastro.org

Cincinnati Observatory Center Hamilton County cincinnatiobservatory.org

Cleveland Astronomical Society Cuyahoga County clevelandastronomical.org

Cuyahoga Astronomical Association Cuyahoga County cuyastro.org

Lima Astronomical Society Allen County limaastro.com

Mahoning Valley Astronomical Center Trumbull County mvobservatory.com

Miami Valley Astronomical Society Montgomery County mvas.org

Richland Astronomical Society Richland County wro.org

Stillwater Stargazers • Miami County stillwaterstargazers.com

Wilderness Center Astronomy Club Stark County twcac.org

20531 St. Rte. 664, Logan 43138, jgap.info

JOHN GLENN ASTRONOMY PARK

Sleeping Beauty

Photographer Zakk Sheehan tells of his long fascination with the night sky and how he hopes capturing its grandeur helps inspire awareness of its fragility.

MOHICAN STATE PARK

I’ve always been fascinated by the night sky. As a child, I loved looking up at the stars and imagining what was out there. From building Lego rockets and checking out every book at the library about space, I was hooked. I wanted to know as much as I could.

I still remember my first attempt at capturing the stars. I set up my tripod in my backyard, pointed my camera toward the sky and clicked the shutter button. When I saw the result, I was amazed. I had captured the stars, and they looked even more beautiful on my camera’s LCD screen than they did with my naked eye.

I wanted more, so I started watching and reading everything I could find about night-sky photography, and I began to experiment with different techniques and equipment. I quickly learned that capturing the stars is not easy. It requires patience (which I don’t have), knowledge and practice, practice, practice.

Over time, my passion for night-sky photography has taken me to some of the most beautiful places in Ohio. Some of these include the shores of Lake Erie, the rolling landscape of the Hocking Hills and my favorite spot: Mohican State Park.

Mohican is where I fell in love with the outdoors. When I was young, I would spend weekend after weekend there fishing, camping and exploring everything the forest had to offer. Today it’s one of my favorite places to shoot. With the vast forest and very limited light pollution, it has the perfect ingredients for dark-sky photography. If you haven’t been there, I suggest grabbing a campsite on the next clear, moonless night.

I’ve spent countless nights under the stars, but my passion for night-sky photography has taught me more than just how to take breathtaking photos. It has shown me the wonder and mystery of the universe. It has reminded me of how small we are in the grand scheme of things and how much there is to explore and discover.

It has also taught me about the importance of preserving our natural world. The night sky is a fragile and precious resource that is increasingly threatened by light pollution. By capturing and sharing its beauty, I hope to raise awareness of the need to protect it for future generations.

Mohican State Park, 3116 St. Rte. 3, Loudonville 44842, ohiodnr.gov

How to Get Stunning Night-Sky Photos with Your Smartphone

A seasoned photographer shares his advice for getting the best results with a tool nearly all of us carry around all the time.

By Zakk Sheehan

1. Find a Dark Location: Light pollution can spoil a night-sky photo. For best results, find a location that is as dark as possible, such as a park, beach or rural area.

2. Use a Tripod: To capture photos of a starry sky in low-light conditions, your camera needs a longer exposure to let in more light. Consequently, any movement can lead to blurry results. A tripod takes the shakiness out of the equation by stabilizing your phone.

3. Install a Manual Camera App: Smartphones come with their own camera app, but settings can be limited. By installing a manual camera app such as Slow Shutter Cam or Night Camera, you can easily adjust the ISO, shutter speed and focus to have better control over your photos.

4. Know Your Settings: The correct ISO, shutter speed and aperture are vital to capturing excellent night-sky photos. Aim to keep your ISO between 800 and 3200, with your aperture at the lowest setting (many smartphones can go down to f/1.8 or lower) and your shutter speed between 10 to 15 seconds.

5. Shoot in RAW: New smartphones can be set to shoot in this format that captures an uncompressed and unprocessed image. Shooting in RAW allows you to edit your photos later using software and gives you more control over the look of the final image. You may see it in your phone under DNG.

(A DNG file is the same as RAW just in a smaller size.)

FINDLAY STATE PARK

Save the Date Home Sweet Home

Every star visible in the night sky overhead is part of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. It’s an incredibly vast space. Even if we could harness the ability to move at the speed of light, it would take around 100,000 years to travel across it, from one edge to the other. During the summer, on clear and moonless nights in dark areas, you can see a portion of the barred spiral galaxy we call home in the sky above. Here is when and where to look.

When to look: Light is the main obstacle to seeing the Milky Way, so look when there is a new moon and skies are completely clear. For best results, view from a wilderness or rural area far from lights. The Milky Way is visible all summer, but late in the season is particularly good.

What to look for: Yes, you have seen incredible photos of the sparkling strand of the Milky Way cutting across the night sky, but that is possible because camera sensors are different than what the human eye can register. The Milky Way will look to us like a faint glow stretching in an arc across the sky.

Where to Look: In summer, the arc of the Milky Way stretches from the southern to the northeastern horizon. The constellations Perseus and Cassiopeia sit at the northeastern end, while Sagittarius sits at the southern end. Look for the star Deneb in the constellation Cygnus. Just below it is one of the brightest parts of the northern Milky Way, the North American Nebula.

Source: space.com

Full & New Moons

Native American tribes gave names to each full moon to keep track of the passing year. No single list can do justice to the diversity and variation of such names across the many tribes. This list includes the most common names for each full moon. In parentheses are the names used by the Ojibwe, one of the largest Algonquin tribes in the Great Lakes area. (Because a lunar cycle is 29.5 days, the dates of the moons change from year to year.)

June 3, 2023

July 3, 2023

Aug. 1, 2023

Aug. 30, 2023

Sept. 29, 2023

Full Strawberry Moon

Full Buck Moon

Full Sturgeon Moon

Blue Moon

Full Corn Moon

Sources: skyandtelescope.org, ojibwe.net

New Moons

New moons are the best time to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.

June 18

July 17

Aug. 16

In a year with 13 full moons, one is called a Blue Moon. The name is not Native American but included here.

(Mid-Summer Moon) (Ricing Moon) (Leaves Changing Color Moon)

Sept. 14

Source: NASA

June 4, 2023: Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation

This is the best time to view Venus since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for it in the western sky after sunset.

June 21, 2023: June Solstice

Known as the astronomical beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the June Solstice occurs at 10:58 a.m. EDT as the sun reaches its northernmost point in the sky.

Aug. 10, 2023:

Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation

This is the best time to view Mercury. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.

Aug. 12-13, 2023:

Perseid Meteor Shower Peak

This annual event runs from mid-July through August in 2023. Its peak, which can produce up to 60 meteors an hour, arrives on the night of Aug. 12 and morning of Aug. 13.

Aug. 27, 2023: Saturn at Opposition

The ringed planet is at its closest approach to Earth. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and visible all night. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons. A medium-sized or larger telescope will allow stargazers to see Saturn’s rings and a few of its brightest moons.

Sept. 19, 2023: Neptune at Opposition

The last planet in our solar system is at its closest approach to Earth. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and visible all night. This is the best time to view Neptune. Due to its extreme distance from Earth, it will only appear as a tiny blue dot in most telescopes.

Sept. 22, 2023:

Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation

This is the best time to view Mercury, because it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.

Looking Ahead

April 8, 2024: Total Solar Eclipse

SUMMER-SKY CONSTELLATIONS

ursa minor

Ursa Minor, also known as the Little Dipper, is easy to find in the night sky because Polaris (the North Star) is located at the end of the dipper’s handle.

DRACO

Draco is the eighth-largest constellation in the night sky and is named for Ladon, the dragon that guarded the garden of Hesperides in Greek mythology.

Sept. 23, 2023:

September Equinox

Known as the astronomical start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, the Fall Equinox occurs at 2:50 a.m. EDT. During the equinox, the sun’s center crosses what is referred to as the “celestial equator,” an imaginary extension of the Earth’s equator line out into space.

The moon will completely block the sun across a large swath of the United States, including a significant part of Ohio. The 124-mile-wide path of totality includes cities such as Dayton, Sandusky and Cleveland.

Sources: amsmeteors.org, earthsky.org; ohiodnr.gov; space.com

Cassiopeia

Found in the northern sky, this large constellation is easy to remember from the W shape formed by its five brightest stars.

ursa major

This constellation is known to most as the Big Dipper, due to the prominent shape formed by its brightest stars. Ursa Major, which translates to “Great Bear,” is the largest constellation in the Northern Hemisphere.

cepheus

Cepheus, which represents King Cepheus in Greek mythology, contains VV Cephei and the Garnet Star (Mu Cephei) — both among the largest known stars in the Milky Way

hercules

In traditional depictions, the star Ras Algethi (Alpha Herculis) represents Hercules’ head The keystone shape represents his torso, as he stands victoriously on Draco’s head.

Source: constellation-guide.com

Keep an eye out for these constellations in the night sky this season

Star Search

Rookie stargazer Jason Brill tells how a visit to Observatory Park in Geauga County

Ohio’s first International Dark Sky Park — offers a connection across space and time.

With my non-full-frame camera, bargain-bin tripod and constant checking of my star-chart app, I stick out like a wayward comet at Observatory Park in Montville. Fortunately, the regulars with their tricked-out telescopes can’t see my shame, because the 1,100-acre park is almost completely dark. Part of the Geauga Park District, it’s the first place in Ohio to be designated as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association.

“Considering that we’re 31 miles from Public Square in Cleveland, this is a remarkably dark spot,” says Chris Mentrek, a naturalist at the Geauga Park District. “There is a nice elevation gain, which helps keep it dark. And the other big boost is the Amish population around the park. There’s not a whole lot of electricity used in eastern Geauga County.”

The dark-sky designation might be why so many stargazers continue to filter in as the light of the sun fades on this cool April evening. I’m just trying to keep my eyes on Orion. The constellation, along with the Big Dipper, is one of the few things I can readily pick out in the night sky.

Holding up my star-chart app, I can see that Orion’s right shoulder (his right, my left) is Betelgeuse, a reddish star that’s something like 500 to 600 light years away. At first, I thought it was Mars, but my app confirms that’s a little farther up in the sky. In my defense, they’re both red.

For those who want to delve deeper, Observatory Park offers programming such as planetarium demonstrations and night-sky viewing through one of its two large telescopes, including one originally used at the Warner and Swasey Observatory in East Cleveland.

Luckily, I can see Orion just fine with the naked eye, every so often snapping a wobbly photo. As the sky gets darker and more stars become visible, I can make out more of the mythical Greek hunter, including something I’ve never noticed before. Orion’s sword seems a little cloudy. Pulling up my app, I zoom in to discover the cloud is the Orion Nebula.

Around 1,300 light years away, the cloud of dust and gas is where stars are born. According to NASA, the Mayans believed the nebula to be the cosmic fire of creation surrounded by smoke, while ancient Egyptians thought the stars in Orion’s belt signified the resting place of the soul of the god Osiris.

As I get lost in the nebula, more stargazers walk by me, looking for their own little slice of Earth to set up. I can’t see them, but I can hear them. It’s then that I notice something else. In addition to English, I hear other languages. First bits of Arabic, then Mandarin. Here we are, together — people with backgrounds tied to different parts of the globe — gazing up at the night sky in the same park on the same night, all hoping to understand our place in the universe just a little bit better.

Night Moves

Stargazing doesn’t have to involve an out-ofthis-world investment. If you want to get into this stellar pursuit, here are four tools to get you started By Jason Brill

Stargazing Phone App: Using your phone’s gyroscope, smartphone apps display the stars, nebulae and constellations currently in the sky. Most apps require some kind of investment to unlock all features. For 99 cents a month, Star Walk 2 is a breeze to use and has a function that lets you skip ahead in time. The paid app Sky Safari and the free app Stellarium are also good.

Red Flashlight:

Believe it or not, your eyes have a night-vision mode triggered by darkness. But nothing snaps them out of it like bright white light, which is what’s given off by your phone’s flashlight. Red light, on the other hand, doesn’t have the same effect, making it ideal for getting around stargazing sites without disturbing anyone’s ability to take in the night sky.

Binoculars: Once you get the brightest stars and constellations in sight, you can zero in on planets and star clusters using binoculars. More portable than a telescope, binoculars offer a broader look due to a wider field of vision. Look for 7x42, 10x50 or 15x70 lenses, which are comfortable to hold for long periods of time but let in enough light to see stars.

Telescope: When you’re ready to take the next step, invest in a small and simple Dobsonian-style telescope, which doesn’t require as much setup or know-how as others. If you plan on viewing the moon, Mars, Jupiter or other more visible objects, a 6-inch-diameter telescope will do. An 8-inchdiameter scope will let you see fainter objects.

10610 Clay St., Montville 44064, geaugaparkdistrict.org

BOY: BRAD HOEHNE; GEAR: ISTOCK

where to stargaZE

Check out 13 sites that open a world of stargazing opportunity.

Visit the Astronomy Field within the Scout Camp area for unobstructed views. The Astronomy Field is accessible on foot and open to the public. Camping is allowed by permit and approval by park manager. Burr Oak Lodge: 10220 Burr Oak Lodge Rd., Glouster 45732, ohiodnr.gov

The Sky Deck offers night-sky views as well as astronomical information on reference panels. Access the Sky Deck on foot from the campground parking lot. Camping is not required to access the deck. Campground: 5265 Dillon Hills Dr., Nashport 43830, ohiodnr.gov

The south end of the park offers the most unobstructed views. Visit Kendall Hills, Indigo Lake or the Everett Covered Bridge, which are open to visitors 24 hours a day. Visitor Center: 6947 Riverview Rd., Peninsula 44264, nps.gov/cuva

The International Dark-Sky Association named this Stark Parks site as Ohio’s first Urban Night Sky Place. The certification is given to parks near cities that work to optimize the night-sky experience. Open daily until 11 p.m. 2533 Farber St. SE, Magnolia 44643, starkparks.com

Situated within Hocking Hills State Park, this site offers public programs on Friday and Saturday nights from March through November (weather permitting) and offers a place to stargaze set far away from city lights. Visit website in advance for free parking pass. 20531 St. Rte. 664, Logan 43138, jgap.info

Located high above the rest of the park, the horse staging area is the best place to stargaze at this Richland County spot. Follow signs on Bromfield Road for the horse staging and picnic areas. Access to the horse staging area is on foot. 4050 Bromfield Rd., Lucas 44843, ohiodnr.gov

1. Burr Oak State Park

2. Cuyahoga Valley National Park

3. Fry Family Park

4. Dillon State Park

5. John Glenn Astronomy Park

6. Malabar Farm State Park

SHAWNEE STATE PARK THE WILDS

7. Middle Bass Island State Park

Enjoy the high visibility of stars over Middle Bass Island in Lake Erie. Take in views from the state park campground, where there are primitive campsites available for all-night viewing. 1719 Fox Rd., Middle Bass Island 43446, ohiodnr.gov

8. Mohican State Park

Set up for stargazing at the Mohican Mountain Bike Trail staging area across state Route 3 from the campground or the Mohican Fire Tower area for the best open-sky visibility. Parking is available on-site. State Park Entrance: 3116 St. Rte. 3, Loudonville 44842, ohiodnr.gov

9. Observatory Park

Recognized by the International Dark-Sky Association as a Silver

Tier Dark Sky Park, this location offers free viewing programs for the public at 8 p.m. on select nights during the summer. The site is open daily until 1 a.m. 10610 Clay St., Montville 44064. geaugaparkdistrict.org

10. Oak Openings preserve Metroparks Toledo’s Oak Openings Preserve campground has an open field for unobstructed views of the night sky. Because the preserve is closed at night, stargazing is only open to campers and overnight guests at the cabins and lodge. Lodge address: 5440 Wilkins Rd., Whitehouse 43571, metroparkstoledo.com

11. Shawnee State Park

Visit the Shawnee State Park Lodge and walk out to the

playground for night-sky views or set up in the area surrounding Copperhead Fire Tower for stargazing within Shawnee State Forest. Shawnee State Park: 4404 St. Rte.125, West Portsmouth 45663, ohiodnr.gov

12. Stonelick State Park

Head out solo or with the volunteer group from the Cincinnati Observatory to view the remote,

dark skies at Stonelick State Park beach. 2895 Lake Dr., Pleasant Plain 45162, ohiodnr.gov

13. The Wilds

Expansive night sky hangs over the pastures at The Wilds. Stargazers must be overnight visitors to enjoy views from outside the lodge, cabins or yurts. 14000 International Rd., Cumberland 43732, thewilds.org

Gracie Wilson

OAK OPENINGS PRESERVE

JOHN GLENN ASTRONOMY PARK

OBSERVATORY PARK OAK OPENINGS: DOUG HINEBAUGH; OBSERVATORY PARK; JIM MARQUARDT;

JOHN GLENN: MIKE BALONEK

Made

In 2013, Marc DeWerth began posting photos of large trees he saw during accounts have built a large online audience by sharing gargantuan

Story by Kim Schneider | Photography by Ken Blaze

This is the tree that started it all a massive white oak (Quercus alba) that’s easily 250 years old.

Marc DeWerth, outfitted in khaki shorts, hiking boots and a tape measure, looks like a Lego minifigure standing underneath the white oak’s sprawling canopy — its branches reaching out and up toward the sun. Located in Lorain County’s Columbia Reservation, the towering tree measures 83 feet tall and 225 inches in circumference.

It’s breathtaking to look up under the white oak’s sweeping arms, seeing a crystal-clear blue sky and thinking about all the lives that have gazed upon this tree. These moments out in nature are what DeWerth lives for.

As the organizer of the Ohio Bigfoot Conference, the 54-year-old Columbia Station resident has spent plenty of time hiking throughout Ohio, searching for the hairy, humanlike creature. During those outings, he also felt a kinship with the trees surrounding him. After encountering this white oak, he started Big Trees Ohio in 2017 as a social media volunteer group that is dedicated to documenting Ohio’s big trees.

Now, he’s in the process of turning Big Trees Ohio into a nonprofit organization focused on educating people about big trees and helping those who have them on their property to care for them.

“My true passion is to be in the woods and to learn about the history of Ohio’s forestland,” says

DeWerth. “I’m the kind of person who hikes all over the state — every forest preserve that I could find and even little city parks just checking out what’s around. And in my travels I’d always stumbled upon big trees.”

When we think of big trees, we tend to imagine the giant redwoods and sequoias in the Pacific Northwest and throughout Northern California. But there are plenty of large trees that are rooted right here in Ohio — ones that deserve to be preserved and cared for and that can teach us a lot about the world around us.

Back in 2013, DeWerth started posting photos of the trees he’d come across on his personal Facebook page. Soon his followers began asking about each tree: where it was located, what kind of tree it was. After a few years of growing interest, he started Big Trees Ohio’s social media accounts (@big_trees_ohio on Instagram and Big Trees Ohio on Facebook) and the interest only bloomed. By May 2023, those accounts had a combined total of almost 50,000 followers.

Today, his email inbox is full of notes from Ohioans letting him know about interesting trees throughout the state: a 73-foot-tall chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) in Kansas, Ohio, that was struck by lightning in 1978 or a Perry County American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) that clocks in at 351 inches in circumference and is more than 114 feet tall.

“Sometimes someone will have a huge tree in their yard and they’ll also have a photo of the house in 1909 with the tree next to it when it was first planted,” says DeWerth. “It’s cool seeing those historical references.”

In addition to sharing the information he collects on social media, he also passes along any big tree data to the Ohio Division of Forestry’s Big Tree program, which locates, measures and records the largest tree species in Ohio with the help of volunteers.

Marc DeWerth measures a white oak in Medina County that is 326 inches in circumference.

Trees that are the biggest of their kind in the United States receive the special designation of National Champion Big Trees from American Forests, a conservation organization based in Washington, D.C.

Since he started looking for big trees, DeWerth says he’s identified five national champions in the state of Ohio. When he’s visiting a tree, he typically starts by measuring the tree’s circumference — at least 200 inches in circumference is a good barometer of a large tree. He also gathers the tree’s height and the spread of its crown or how far its branches stretch.

And while he can easily rattle off the names of trees oaks, hickories, sycamores, maples, magnolias and Osage orange — he took the time to learn about each species. He read books and watched YouTube videos on tree identification. He also spent time with arborists such as Alistair Reynolds of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

“I’d go in the field with him and learn firsthand, learn the leaf and bud identification,” says DeWerth. “The best tool you can ever have is being in the field. If you have something you’re not sure about, then you can look at twigs, buds, leaves and fruit. And you’ll learn how to identify rather easily and quickly.”

While many of the trees he features are in public spots like parks, some are on private property. For those, DeWerth doesn’t have any qualms about knocking on someone’s door to ask about their tree.

“I have a background in sales, so when it comes to networking and talking to people, that’s just a natural attribute I have,” he explains. “I’m not afraid to knock on anyone’s door asking to look at their tree. And typically, they’re kind of shocked at first. Then I explain that I just want to photograph it and measure it for its beauty.”

But not everyone appreciates the splendor of large trees. He’s come across his fair share of trees that have fallen or been damaged due to factors like weather, development or human interference. He recently checked in on a former national champion — a pin oak (Quercus palustris) — located on private property in Olmsted Falls. After a snowplow struck the pin oak’s trunk this past winter, someone came out with a chainsaw. Now its branches are gone leaving behind sawed-off limbs and a truncated trunk.

“This is the sadness of stupidity,” DeWerth says. “It’s heartbreaking.”

The goal of turning Big Trees Ohio into a nonprofit will help DeWerth take his passion for big trees even further. He envisions a YouTube channel, offering free tree cleanups and being an advocate for cities to plant Ohio native trees such as American beech, oak, tuliptree, hickory, black cherry and American basswoods.

“I always tell people, you are the ambassadors of these big trees,” DeWerth says. “These are trees that have stories. I will teach you how to keep them clean and how to maintain them.”

As of right now, Big Trees Ohio is funded by DeWerth, who also crisscrosses the state giving lectures on Bigfoot and big trees. Since starting Big Trees Ohio, people have frequently messaged him looking for ways to make financial contributions or offer support — and becoming a nonprofit will allow him to accept people’s generosity.

And there’s plenty of ground to cover, says DeWerth, who spends about 3 or 4 days a week scouting trees across Ohio. Since starting Big Trees Ohio, he has found thousands of big trees that were undocumented by the state.

“I guarantee you there’s probably another 10,000 waiting to be found,” he says. “There’s opportunities everywhere to see big trees, and they become forgotten if people don’t say something about them.”

This eastern cottonwood is located on private property in the village of Spencer. It measures 370 inches in circumference and is 114 feet tall.

makinG

waves

Whether

By Brett Price

Tucked away in Stark County, just outside the town of North Lawrence, this 500-acre summer resort is known for its kid-focused waterpark. Open since Memorial Day 1948, Clay’s Resort Jellystone Park underwent an ownership change in 2020, but it continues to offer a family camping experience, whether that be in a tent, RV or one of the 90 cabins built at the park since Northgate Resorts of Grand Rapids, Michigan, purchased it.

Clay’s Resort is widely known for its swimming lake with waterslides and inflatable obstacles for kids to climb, but 2023 brings with it the addition of an arcade and a new Adventure Park waterpark that will provide more ways to help visitors stay cool on hot days.

“It’s just a massive splash pad,” says Britani Eaton, who handles promotion of Clay’s Resort Jellystone Park for Northgate Resorts. “It’s got waterslides and a hydro storm bucket.”

As far as camping accommodations, the park offers lakefront and private RV sites, tent sites and cabin lodging that ranges from a deluxe lakeside suite to the pet-friendly Ranger Smith Cottage. Clay’s Resort also has an 18-hole mini golf course, beach volleyball leagues and a kids zone for families to enjoy. For those looking for more thrills, check out the barrel rolls, ring swings over the lake and the 150-foot Wet Willie Water Slide.

“Whether you’re splashing in the pool or you’re hanging out with a [Yogi Bear mascot],” Eaton says, “there’s something going on every hour of the day.”

12951 Patterson St. NW, North Lawrence 44666, 330/854-6691, clayspark.com

Tubing on the Hocking River

The Hocking Hills region has long been an outdoor draw for Ohioans looking for an accessible adventure in their own backyard, complete with waterfalls, caves and scenic overlooks. Another fun summer outing in the region is to rent an inner tube from Hocking Hills Adventures and enjoy a leisurely afternoon float down the Hocking River. The trip stretches 5 miles and how long it takes depends on water levels. When the river is higher, a trip lasts two to

three hours, while lower water levels can stretch your float up to five hours. (Current river conditions are always posted on the livery’s website.) A tubing excursion runs over two different portions of the river. In spring and early summer, the trip usually starts at Crockett’s Run and concludes at the canoe livery. Later in the season, the trip typically starts at Riverside Campground and concludes at Crockett’s Run. 31251 Chieftain Dr., Logan 43138, 740/385-8685, hockinghillscanoeing.com

pontoon boat rentals on Ashtabula Harbor

Harbor Yak provides a way for those who don’t own a boat to get out on the calm waters of Ashtabula Harbor. Pontoon Boat rentals run from two to six hours and can fit up to six or nine passengers, depending on which model you choose. It’s a great option for those who want to cruise out on to the harbor for a leisurely afternoon. There’s even a sandbar where you can anchor to swim or have lunch. Both pontoon boat options have a Bluetooth audio system, swim deck and top to protect the cockpit from the sun’s rays when it’s time for a little shade. Harbor Yak also offers rentals of single and tandem kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and even hydrobikes. For those who want to make a weekend of it, Harbor Yak has lodging options ranging from townhouses on Ashtabula’s Bridge Street to cozy cottages along the water. 1 Ferry Dr., Ashtabula 44004, 440/9900161, harboryak.com

Inspired by its owners’ tradition of visiting national parks and their affection for wildlife, Lake Erie Adventure Co. in Huron helps its customers enjoy an outdoors-focused lifestyle. Although the business started with selling kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and merchandise, it now focuses on the rental and group-tour side of its operation. Lake Erie Adventure Co. offers two locations for those who want to get paddling. The Huron River paddle launches from the operation’s River Road headquarters with the option of heading north toward

kayak the Huron River and Sandusky Bay

the lake. Lake Erie Adventure Co.’s other location on Sandusky Bay offers a paddle with sights of Cedar Point. Both spots are good for beginners because they feature calm water, and staffers are happy to provide a tutorial for those who need it. (Family season passes and group-outing prices are also available.) Special events offered during the summer include sunset and full-moon paddles. 507 River Rd., Huron 44839, 419/366-3830, lakeerieadventure.com

The city of Troy’s outdoorsy overnight excursion gives new meaning to the term waterbed. In 2020, Float Troy launched the only public tent-floating experience in the United States. Located on the Great Miami River in the Miami County city of Troy, the attraction welcomes travelers to spend the night in an inflatable floating tent that is anchored in place.

The tents, which were designed by local business owner and entrepreneur Ethan Smith of SmithFly, can fit up to four people and have windows that let in the breeze or allow campers to take in the sunset. A stay is made complete with access to canoes and kayaks as well as an onshore picnic shelter with charcoal grills.

During check-in, Float Troy walks guests through how to

get into the raft and provides a brief orientation, which also includes a paddling course for anyone who needs it. For those who want to grab a bite on land, Smiths’ Boathouse Restaurant is along the river, as is the Treasure Island Park amphitheater, which hosts food trucks and live music in the summer.

Matt Clifton, the city’s on-site coordinator for Float Troy, says what has struck him most about running the program is the range of ages that seek out these unique overnight stays.

“Year one the oldest person I had was 94 years old, four weeks post hip replacement. and she came back the second year we did it, too.” he says. “So, we don’t have [a specific audience] to market this to. It’s literally anyone and everyone that wants a unique experience.” For more information, visit float-troy.com.

Stand−Up Paddleboarding on the Scioto River

The Scioto River winds through downtown Columbus, and Windrose Outdoor helps locals and travelers alike get a peaceful perspective on our bustling capital city. Renting a stand-up paddleboard is one way to take to the water, but Windrose Outdoor also offers rentals of single and tandem kayaks for those who want to go the seated route. (Of course, you can sit or kneel on the paddleboard, too.) The typical trip lasts one hour and takes paddlers 1 mile upriver and back, preceded by 15 minutes of instruction to review the route, conditions and equipment. There is also a 2.5-hour excursion available for those who want to take it slow, but most people find an hour of paddling a good length of time. No matter the method you choose to take to the water, Windrose Outdoor will meet you at downtown’s Bicentennial Park with your equipment of choice. For more information, visit windroseoutdoor.com.

Thrill

Catching a wave in the middle of Ohio may seem far-fetched, but Shannon Thomas’ Surf Dayton has helped adventurers do just that on portions of three different waterways since 2019. Surf Dayton’s guides take river surfers out on the Mad River and Great Miami River — both of which have multiple drop-in spots that offer access to whitewater features with varying levels of difficulty.

After spending some time in Florida, Thomas, who is a native of Dayton, founded surfdayton.com as an outgrowth of his surfing.com community website. The idea was to launch a clinic business that would teach people how to river surf and paddleboard on both whitewater and flatwater.

Beginners should start with the flatwater stand-up pad-

dleboard clinic and gain proficiency before booking a whitewater lesson. The surfing clinics are more demanding, and participants should be strong swimmers and confident in their physical abilities. Each lesson starts by outfitting surfers with boards, life jackets and helmets. There’s then 30 minutes of on-land instruction, followed by 90 minutes of surfing.

Lessons begin in the middle of June and run through September, but some of the best water for surfing comes in August due to a lower flow. Thomas says Surf Dayton has a roughly 95% success rate of visitors standing on a wave by the end of their lesson.

“That’s part of our reward,” he says, “seeing someone stand up for the first time and the absolute joy on their face of riding a wave.” For more information, visit surfdayton.com.

Take the Plunge at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park soar above the water in Lancaster

We have the work of the Ice Age to thank for the sprawling sandstone and quartz cliffs of Nelson Ledges Quarry Park. And what goes great with cliffs that tower over a deep body of water? Cliff diving! The adrenaline-packed plunge is just one of the fun adventures visitors can pursue at this privately owned park in the Portage County village of Garrettsville. Nelson Ledges Quarry Park is also a popular scuba diving spot for those who have the gear and the certification. But even those who want to peek beneath the surface with just a mask and snorkel will be rewarded. Visibility on a clear day can reach 15 feet or more, and with an average water depth of 30 feet, there are plenty of rock formations, fish and plant life to check out. For those who want to stay longer, the park has over 800 campsites. 12001 Nelson Ledge Rd., Garrettsville 44231, 440/548-2716, nlqp.com

Since 2012, one of the most thrilling water sports has been offered on a lake 3 miles from downtown Lancaster. Jet Pack Water Adventures is aimed at those who want to soar above the water. Although the experience seems at the top end of extreme, the company prides itself on providing a safe experience that will earn a rightful spot on your adventure bucket list. Customers are greeted by certified instructors who provide a flotation vest, wet suit and helmet, as well as a training session that teaches the basics. From there, participants learn how to move comfortably in the air with a jetpack strapped on or a flyboard underfoot. The experience is offered on a private lake, and helmet intercoms keep customers connected to their instructor. Offerings range from a basic 25-minute introductory flight to an all-day excursion for six. Reservations are required. 2715 Sugar Grove Rd. SE, Lancaster 43130, 740/359-8463, jetpackwateradventures.com

NELSON LEDGES: SCOTT ASH

LAKE COUNTY

From beautiful beaches to boutique lodging, summer is a perfect time to explore what this part of northeast Ohio has to offer.

By Lisa Galek

FAIRPORT HARBOR LAKEFRONT PARK

Beaches

Known colloquially as Mentor Headlands, Headlands Beach State Park is the largest beach in Ohio. With over 3,500 parking spots and 35 acres of sand, weekends and holidays at this beach don’t feel overcrowded. Visitors can experience everything from local food trucks to an arts festival this summer. On an overcast or windy afternoon,

watch kitesurfers on the lake riding giant wind-powered kites that pull them across the water.

“It’s poetry in motion,” says Gary S. Gerrone, Headlands Beach State Park manager. “It’s just amazing to watch them flying across the surface and doing various jumps and acrobatics.”

In addition to swimming and sunbathing, Headlands is an ideal site for

bird-watching because of its diverse animal habitats. In the evening, summer sunsets are breathtaking, too.

“Any summer day is a vacation here,” says Gerrone. “It’s a great place to just be on the beach, next to a big, beautiful body of water. That’s a huge attraction.”

Not far away, travelers will find Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park. Compared to Headlands, this beach is smaller and nice for families with young kids.

“We’re protected by a harbor, so when other beaches are experiencing big waves, we have a better chance to have a little bit calmer water,” says Seth Begeman, chief of outdoor education for Lake Metroparks.

From Memorial Day through Labor Day, there’s a small fee for parking and the beach is open for swimmers. (Swimming is at your own risk when lifeguards aren’t on duty.) Because of the calm waters, popular activities include kayaking and paddleboarding. Bring your own or purchase an hourly rental at the park. Plan ahead by checking out the harbor webcam online.

“It will tell you exactly what’s going on,” says Begeman. “You can tell if it’s busy, windy or wavy.”

Headlands Beach State Park offers fun on Lake Erie. His Majesty’s Bed & Breakfast (opposite page) is located near the area’s wineries.

Boutique Lodging

In 2010, Carol Shamakian’s husband went to the grocery store. On the way home, he bought a decaying mansion, months away from demolition. After five years of construc-

tion, their family opened Steele Mansion Inn & Gathering Hub in Painesville.

Today, the fully renovated 1867 home is a 16-room luxury hotel and event center. Guests enjoy a morning hot breakfast featuring scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes and more seven days a week. Most Wednesdays and Fridays, there is a cocktail hour. Visitors can walk the mansion halls while sipping draft beers or local wine.

“It’s romantic. It’s lovely,” says Shamaki-

an. “The world goes away when you’re here.”

Built in 1884, Homestead House Bed & Breakfast is in the heart of historic downtown Willoughby. Drive 20 minutes west, and you’re in downtown Cleveland. Travel 20 minutes east to spend the day visiting wineries.

“We’re a hub,” says Deanna Rowe, owner of Homestead House. “We’re so centrally located.”

The Italianate-style home has five guest rooms, each with an en-suite bathroom. Rowe was born in the South and attended culinary school in Paris, so her meals are a unique Southern-French fusion. A multicourse breakfast is served every morning — complete with a dessert like molten chocolate cake or peach cobbler.

“We want people to think of this as their home away from home,” says Rowe.

Interested in visiting Ohio’s wine country? His Majesty’s Bed & Breakfast in Madison is a Victorian-style home in the Grand River Valley.

“The reason everybody comes to our B&B is for the wineries,” offers Laura Shimko, co-owner of His Majesty’s Bed & Breakfast. Shimko and her husband offer person-

A GLASS

to avoid crowds? Try visiting on a weekday or evening when you can still enjoy ice cream at the concession stand or walk in the water as the sun sets over the lake.

COURTESY OF HIS MAJESTY’S BED & BREAKFAST

Ohio’s Premier Barn Theater Madison, OH

LAKE COUNTY

2023 Season Dancing at Lughnasa

By Brian Friel

May 26 - June 10

Cole

June 16 - July 8

The Hound of the Baskervilles

July

alized tours of three to four locations. “We can walk into a winery, and we know the owners and the winemakers, but we also know their wine.”

Even if you choose not to take a tour, they’ll help direct you to wineries, distilleries and restaurants to suit your tastes. Folks enjoy the experience so much, Shimko says that roughly 60% of her guests visit again.

Food & Drink

Aug.

Lake County is home to nearly two dozen authentic Mexican restaurants, which can all be explored on the Lake County Taco Trail. One highlight of the journey is Hola Tacos. Located in Willoughby, the flavors of this restaurant are inspired by the street tacos and salsas of Mexico City. A popular menu item is the birria taco, made with slow-braised beef, cilantro and onions.

“We also have margaritas with probably around 10 different flavors,” says Paola Valbuena, co-owner of Hola Tacos. “We incorporated elements like gummy bears. Crazy stuff like that.”

Hola Tacos is also home to Pulpo Beer Co., which serves Latin-inspired beers that are made on-site. For a refreshing summertime choice, try Pulpo Libre, a Mexican-style lager.

On the east side of Lake County, Double Wing Brewing Co. in Madison serves 12

beers on tap. One of the bestselling summer brews is the blueberry kolsch, a crisp, refreshing beer with just a hint of blueberry.

“Some people are so afraid of craft beers,” says Loretta Todd, manager at Double Wing Brewing Co. and Debonne Vineyards. “So, we’ve introduced a few that are very light.”

Lake County is best known for the Grand River Valley, which includes 10 miles of boutique and estate wineries. Founded in 1972, Debonne Vineyards, where Double Wing Brewing Co. is located, is one of the originals.

Grab a glass of wine or beer at Debonne Vineyards (top). Check out Pulpo Beer Co. brews (above) at Hola Tacos (opposite page).

By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Adapted by Steven Canny & John Nicholson

Book by Joe Masteroff, Music by John Kander. Based on play by John Van Druten. Story by Christopher Isherwood

Debonne Vineyards debonne.com

Double Wing Brewing Co. doublewingbrewingco.com

Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park lakemetroparks.com

Headlands Beach State Park ohiodnr.gov

His Majesty’s Bed & Breakfast hismajestys.com

Homestead House Bed & Breakfast homesteadhousebb.com

Lake County Taco Trail elcaminodetacos.com

Steele Mansion Inn & Gathering Hub steelemansion.com

Visitors can enjoy live music and snacks at the outdoor grill, while sitting on the sprawling patio area. Head to the gazebo at the top of the hill for a semi-private getaway.

“It’s really a choose-your-own adventure,” says Todd. “There are people looking for the buzz and excitement of the crowd. But we have so many private nooks and crannies, too.”

In addition to Debonne, there are over 30 other wineries in the Grand River Valley, region to explore.

RACHAEL JIROUSEK

Come for a festival. Make a splash. Catch a game. Whatever you do — don’t miss the fun happening in Columbus this season! Plan your next trip at ExperienceColumbus.com.

COLUMBUS

Ohio’s capital city comes to life in the summer with a variety of concerts, art events, festivals and more that serve as just the start of what there is to explore.

By Nicholas Dekker

SCIOTO MILE

COLUMBUS

Downtown

During the summer, downtown Columbus buzzes with festivals, concerts and sporting events. The riverfront is a focal point, offering beautiful views of the city skyline and trails to hike or bike along the Scioto Mile, which hosts popular events like the Columbus Arts Festival, Jazz & Rib Fest and Festival Latino.

Families love making a stop at COSI, with its hands-on activities, planetarium and special exhibitions like “Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures,” which runs through Sept. 4. For baseball fans, there is not a bad seat in the house at Huntington Park, home of the Columbus Clippers Sip a local beer and plan your visit around special events like the ballpark’s fun Dime-ADog Night.

The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts hosts a variety of summer events, including its popular and long-running CAPA Summer Movie Series, during which film classics are screened at the Ohio Theatre.

“Any time you have family and friends in town, bring them to the movies,” says Rich Corsi, vice president of programming at CAPA. “There’s nothing better than watching a classic movie with 2,000 people.”

Columbus Commons is a hub of activity throughout the summer. Weekly pro-

gramming includes carousel rides for the kids, activities for tots on Friday mornings, and a Thursday food court featuring local food trucks and lots of live music. The Columbus Symphony’s popular Picnic with the Pops brings the crowds for symphonic renditions of pop music, classic rock and patriotic favorites. Corsi suggests visiting for the Common Ground Concert Series, which has free shows featuring Martina McBride on July 9 and Boyz II Men on Aug. 25. Make a full weekend of it with a stay at The Junto, a stylish new hotel on the Scioto

Peninsula that bills itself as the first independent lifestyle hotel in Columbus.

“It’s less transactional,” says Caitlin Beveridge, director of brand communications for Makeready, the management company for The Junto. “We create this space that locals want to spend time in, then travelers will want to stay there, too.”

This includes common areas and multiple eateries, such as the Brass Eye Rooftop Bar. There’s even a gear garage for hotel guests to check out bikes, kayaks, scooters and GoPros.

Neighborhoods & Nearby

Located just a couple blocks north of the heart of downtown Columbus, the Short North Arts District offers a hub of creativity, from visual art to culinary fare. Although the neighborhood is always a draw for art lovers and foodies, the area shines during the summer.

“June is easily one of the most exciting times in the Short North Arts District,” says Betsy Pandora, executive director of the Short North Alliance. “The first Saturday of every month is Gallery Hop which is a celebrated, nearly 40-year tradition where art galleries feature exhibitions with new artists.”

The Columbus Pride Festival draws over 700,000 people each summer. Held each June at Goodale Park, the event features live music, speakers and a wellness area for what Pandora describes as “the ultimate party with a purpose.”

Head south of the city center to explore German Village, with its brick streets, charming storefronts and rich, pre-Civil War history. Visit Schmidt’s Sausage Haus for fare such as the restaurant’s signature Bahama Mama sausage and half-pound cream puff. Then, browse The Book Loft of German Village and its 30-plus rooms of reads.

Not far from COSI, the Franklinton neighborhood is home to Land-Grant Brewing Co., a popular spot with a large outdoor beer garden and food trucks onsite. A stage for live music completes the block-party feel.

Just outside Columbus, Grandview is a destination of its own that also offers easy accessibility to favorite city destinations like the Arena District and the Short North.

“It’s a walkable, dense neighborhood with a lot of things to do,” says Brian Cheek, executive director of Destination Grandview.

The Grandview Hop summer night market series happens the last Saturday of the month, starting in June. Grandview Avenue is lined with food trucks, vendors and street performers. While you’re there, visit Law Bird Supply House for a glass of wine, craft beer or cocktail.

Located about 15 miles north of downtown, the city of Dublin is a favorite stop for travelers. The majestic Dublin Link connects Historic Dublin and Bridge Park, offering a new community focal point with a beautiful pedestrian span over the Scioto

COURTESY OF THE GRANDVIEW HOP / CYP CLUB

HEADLINERS AT GENOA PARK MAIN STAGE

COLUMBUS When You Go

River. The Dublin Market brings together local vendors on Saturdays from May through September, while the Dublin Irish Festival draws crowds for music, dance and food in early August.

Outdoors

Experience Columbus has teamed up with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission to create the Columbus Outdoor Trails Pass, spanning 42 destinations. Anyone can sign up for the free digital pass using a mobile phone.

“We want people to get outside, get moving and experience some of the beautiful trails we have on our Central Ohio Greenways,” says Michelle Wilson, director of visitor experience for Experience Columbus. “It also encourages users to walk, bike and paddle, which promotes active transportation as sustainable options.”

The pass includes suggested itineraries that incorporate local businesses along some of the trails, and GPS check-ins via mobile devices enter users into a monthly drawing for a $100 gift card to a local business.

Explore the Heritage Trail in Hilliard,

where you can end the day with beers and dinner at the Center Street Market. Cycle past the bison roaming the open prairie at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, spy the bald eagle nest along the 14-mile T.J. Evans Trail or bike the 16-mile Camp Chase Trail that follows railroad tracks and has murals along the route.

One of the more unique experiences on the Trails Pass is the new urban via ferrata at Quarry Trails Metro Park The park, which opened in 2022, is fashioned out of a former quarry on the city’s west side. Following the success of the climbing wall at Scioto Audubon Metro Park, park managers were looking for ways to create a new climbing experience in Columbus.

Via ferrata is Italian for “iron pathway,” explains Liz Christian, marketing and social media specialist for Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks.

“Ours is the first urban outdoor via ferrata,” she says. “What you see at Quarry Trails is a bunch of iron rungs that you climb across. You’re clipped into cables that are seated three-to-four feet into the rock.” The 1,040 feet of cabled via ferrata includes a 90-foot suspension bridge.

Learn more about other destinations and events in Columbus at experiencecolumbus.com.

DOWNTOWN

Columbus Clippers milb.com/columbus

Columbus Commons columbuscommons.org

COSI cosi.org

The Junto thejuntohotel.com

Scioto Mile sciotomile.com

EVENTS

CAPA Summer Movie Series capa.com

Columbus Arts Festival columbusartsfestival.org

Columbus Pride Festival columbuspride.org

Dublin Irish Festival dublinirishfestival.org

Festival Latino festivallatino.net

Jazz & Rib Fest hotribscooljazz.org

Picnic with the Pops columbussymphony.com

NEIGHBORHOODS & NEARBY

Dublin visitdublinohio.com

Franklinton experiencecolumbus.com/ neighborhoods

German Village germanvillage.com

Grandview destinationgrandview.org

Short North shortnorth.org

OUTDOORS

Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park metroparks.net

Columbus Outdoor Trails Pass experiencecolumbus.com/outdoortrails

Quarry Trails Metro Park metroparks.net

Climbers ascend the new urban via ferrata at Quarry Trails Metro Park. The park, which opened in 2022, is located on the city’s west side.

TONY JACKSON

SHORES & ISLANDS

Ohio’s Lake Erie islands and our state’s northwestern shoreline are full of history, nature and great lakeside towns to explore this time of year.

By Kristina Smith

JACKSON STREET PIER, SANDUSKY

Island Adventures?

IT’S A SHORE THING

Shores & Islands Ohio is more than just a place... it’s a feeling. Play along 150+ miles of rejuvenating shoreline, choose from over 25 beautiful beaches to relax on, or explore 100+ inspiring nature areas in our region. Discover all of these, more fun things to do, savory local cuisine, and unique places to stay at SHORESandISLANDS.com. Make memories that’ll last a lifetime.

SHORES & ISLANDS

Island Hopping

From quiet, pristine beaches to opportunities for kayaking and hiking, Ohio’s Lake Erie islands offer a great day trip or weekend getaway. South Bass Island, Kelleys Island and Middle Bass Island are all accessible via local boat lines. Each island has a different vibe, and ferries that run between them make it possible to hop from one to the next.

South Bass Island is home to Putin-Bay, known as the Key West of the Midwest. The bustling island is packed with attractions and has a downtown full of restaurants and bars. Put-in-Bay’s most recognizable feature, visible from the mainland on clear days, is Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial, which rises 352 feet above the island. This monument commemorates the Battle of Lake Erie that took place nearby during the War of 1812 and the lasting peace between the United States, Canada and Great Britain. For a fee, an elevator takes visitors to the observation deck for breathtaking views of Lake Erie and the islands. Inside the nearby visitor center, travelers can learn about the pivotal U.S. victory on Lake Erie led by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.

South Bass Island’s neighbor to the east, Kelleys Island, is Ohio’s largest Lake Erie island, measuring 4 miles long and 2 miles wide. Kelleys Island offers a qui-

eter vibe and a downtown area with a few restaurants, bars and shops. One of the island’s biggest draws is Glacial Grooves Geological Preserve, a national landmark showcasing grooves that were carved into the island’s limestone by glaciers more than 18,000 years ago.

“It’s a part of natural history that we rarely get to see the direct evidence for in such a dramatic way,” says Bill Kennedy, an archaeologist with the Ohio History Connection. “When you see this, you can appreciate the immense power of the glaciers to really scour the rock and shape the stone. It’s a fascinating site.”

The Ohio History Connection and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, who oversee the site together, recently completed major upgrades to the preserve. It is now fully accessible, with an observation platform and an interpretive trail where visitors can learn about the grooves’ geology.

To the north of South Bass Island sits Middle Bass Island, the smallest and least developed of the three islands. Middle Bass’ most iconic feature is the historic Lonz Winery site, which dates to 1866. Today, the now-shuttered business is part of Middle Bass Island State Park. The state of Ohio restored the winery’s stately facade and displays exhibits in the wine cellar where visitors can see artifacts found on the property and learn how wine was made here. The state park includes the soon-to-be restored Lonz family mansion, kayak rentals, a large marina, a primitive campground and a beach.

How to Get to the Islands

Here are the boat lines that can take you to and between the Lake Erie islands.

To South Bass Island

Jet Express high-speed passenger ferry jet-express.com

Miller Boat Line car and passenger ferry millerferry.com

To Middle Bass Island

Miller Boat Line car and passenger ferry millerferry.com

To Kelleys Island

Kelleys Island Ferry Boat Line kelleysisland ferry.com

Jet Express high-speed passenger ferry jet-express.com

Between South Bass Island and Kelleys islands

Jet Express high-speed passenger ferry jet-express.com

Between South Bass and Middle Bass islands

Sonny-S passenger ferry middlebassferry.net

Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial on South Bass Island (above); Glacial Grooves Geological Preserve on Kelleys Island (below); Jet Express on Lake Erie (right)

MONUMENT: COURTESY OF SHORES & ISLANDS OHIO; GROOVES: KRISTINA SMITH; FERRY: COURTESY OF JET EXPRESS

IT’S A SHORE THING

Discover what makes Shores & Islands Ohio more than just a place...it’s a feeling. It embodies the excitement felt from the first time you visit, to becoming a seasoned regular, or a part of the community. It’s a sense of belonging, it’s home. Find your Lake Erie Love at SHORESandISLANDS.com.

SHORES & ISLANDS

Along the Shore

Picturesque towns lining the Lake Erie shoreline are home to historic lighthouses, beaches and wildlife areas. Perhaps the most popular lakeside attraction is Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky. Since the late 1800s, Cedar Point has drawn lake lovers and thrill seekers to its pristine beach and exciting rides. In 2023, the park unveiled a new boardwalk along the beach and debuted the Wild Mouse roller coaster. Cedar Point’s historic Hotel Breakers is a favorite for visitors staying overnight.

The city of Sandusky’s vibrant down-

town has seen a renaissance of new businesses and restaurants. Jackson Street Pier hosts an array of public events, such as outdoor movie screenings and concerts. Visitors can stroll by the water, fish, have a picnic or catch a ferry to the islands. Downtown is filled with restaurants and unique shops. Everwild Spirits serves locally made bourbon paired with the distillery’s flatbreads, appetizers and desserts. Moseley’s Rooftop Bar, overlooking Jackson Street Pier, is a unique spot to enjoy cocktails.

Across the Sandusky Bay, Lakeside Chautauqua, a historic gated community founded in 1873 as a Methodist church

camp, is a throwback to a simpler time. Lakeside hosts concerts at its historic Hoover Auditorium as well as talks by historians and pastors, art classes and more. The pavilion and pier offer lake views, fishing and swimming.

To the east lies Vermilion, known for its scenic downtown beach, Vermilion River lagoons and rich history in lake shipping. Shipbuilding for the Great Lakes shipping industry was one of the city’s earliest trades. This drew a surge of lake captains to Vermilion and many of their homes still stand today. Along the waterfront, the city and local partners are upgrading the popular swimming beach, an area that includes the Vermilion Lighthouse. The Main Street Beach and Park have new bathrooms and a concession stand, seating areas with benches and picnic tables. The beach is a favorite spot to spend the day, enjoy ice cream or takeout from the downtown restaurants, or watch the vibrant colors of sunset, says Marc Weisenberger, Vermilion parks operations director.

“There will definitely be a wow factor, especially for people who have been there [before],” he says. “What we were really after was to improve the user experience.”

Further inland, the village of Milan is the birthplace of inventor Thomas Edison, who created the incandescent light bulb, phonograph and other inventions. The 1800s home where he was born in 1847 has been preserved as the Thomas Edison Birthplace Museum. The inventor’s descendants are involved in running the historic site, which highlights Edison’s achievements, family and the age of invention. The museum features some of his early inventions, family items and documents.

East of Milan, Berlin Heights’ Quarry Hill Orchards and Winery draws summer travelers to sample locally grown peaches, cherries, raspberries and apples. The orchard’s vineyard supports the winery, which has a tasting room where visitors can sample its red, white and fruit wines while enjoying the view of the farm and vineyard.

For more information about the Lake Erie islands and communities along the northwest Ohio lakeshore, visit shoresandislands.com.

Lakeside Chautauqua (left) is rich in history and summer fun. Vermilion’s Main Street Beach (bottom) is a great place for families to swim, grab a scoop of ice cream and watch the sunset.

CHILLICOTHE

Learn about the history of Ohio and its Indigenous people, explore the outdoors at Ross County’s parks and visit downtown shops and restaurants.

By Damaine Vonada

DOWNTOWN CHILLICOTHE

CHILLICOTHE

Step into History at Adena Mansion

& Gardens

This summer is the perfect time to visit the splendidly restored estate that father of Ohio statehood Thomas Worthington created on a hilltop just outside Chillicothe in the early 1800s. In addition to a 19th Century Independence Day Celebration and a Red, White and Blue Ice Cream Social, Adena Mansion & Gardens

Historic Site is hosting a party — think cake, concerts and artisans offering old-time wares

to mark the 250th anniversary of Worthington’s birth in Virginia on July 16, 1773.

When Worthington began acquiring land in southern Ohio during the 1790s, Chillicothe was a fledgling but promising frontier town poised at the confluence of Paint Creek and the Scioto River. A tenacious advocate for Ohio statehood, Worthington not only helped write Ohio’s initial Constitution, but he also rode horseback from Chillicothe to Washington, D.C., to deliver it for Congress’ approval. Thus, Ohio became the nation’s 17th state in 1803, and Chillicothe served as the first state capital.

Besides serving as one of Ohio’s first U.S. senators and the state’s sixth governor, Worthington also influenced the Great Seal of Ohio, which for more than 200 years has depicted a view believed to be inspired by the one of Mount Logan from his estate.

“The inspiration for that image supposedly occurred after Worthington and his friends worked all night on Ohio’s Constitution, then watched the sun rising over Mount Logan,” says Kathy Styer, executive director of Adena Mansion & Gardens Historic Site.

Worthington’s acquaintances ranged from President Thomas Jefferson to the famed Shawnee leader Tecumseh. He even hired eminent architect Benjamin Latrobe to design the Georgian-style sandstone mansion where Worthington and his wife, Eleanor, raised their large family and often entertained prominent people. According to an 1811 entry in his diary, Worthington rechristened their home “Adena” after reading in a history book that the word means a remarkably delightful place.

Along with walking the gardens at the idyllic estate, visitors can tour the 20-room home that was once considered the most magnificent mansion west of the Allegheny Mountains. Tour guides point out original Worthington family furnishings, such as the foyer’s tall case clock and dining room sideboard, and they tell fascinating stories of the history that happened here. The Worthingtons’ house guests, for example, included Tecumseh, who ate with them in the dining room but slept on the lawn instead of in a bedroom. In appreciation for Worthington’s hospitality and goodwill, Tecumseh presented him with a handsome tomahawk peace pipe that is now displayed at the on-site visitor center.

Learn about Ohio’s Indigenous People

Performances of the outdoor drama “Tecumseh!” have been a Chillicothe summer tradition for five decades, captivating audiences with galloping horses and the sound of cannon fire. Staged under the stars at Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre, the production highlights

Artifacts at Adena Mansion & Gardens (above); Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

EXPLORE & ENJOY DOWNTOWN CHILLICOTHE

ADENA MANSION AND GARDENS

The former estate of Ohio’s sixth governor, Thomas Worthington. Designed by Benjamin Latrobe and completed in 1807, the restored mansion looks much as it did when the Worthington family lived there, including many of the original Worthington family furnishings.

THE AQUA DOOR SUITES

BLUE BRICK INN

FRIENDS OF

CULTURE

POUR HOUSE AT MACHINERY HILL

The Pour House at Machinery Hall is a full-service Gastropub featuring chef driven food, craft cocktails, premium wines and 30 rotating draft beers with inside and rooftop terrace dining.

25 E. Second St., Chillicothe, OH, 740-771-4770 pouronchillicothe.com

THE HISTORY STORE

WILLIS JAMES B&B

Whether you are visiting for pleasure or business, a stay at The Willis-James provides you with the relaxed comforts of home. The five well-appointed guest rooms each feature private ensuite bathrooms, comfortable bedding, complimentary gourmet breakfast, and all the modern amenities that create an unforgettable experience.

58 W. Fifth Street Chillicothe, OH, 740-229-9019 thewillisjames.com

MAJESTIC THEATRE

The historic Majestic Theatre features a wide variety of entertainment throughout the year. Perfectly located in downtown Chillicothe near local restaurants and shops for a convenient, fun-filled evening out with friends or the whole family.

majesticchillicothe.net, info@majesticchillicothe.net 740 772-2041

PUMP HOUSE COA

Be sure to stop in at the Pump House Center for the Arts when visiting Chillicothe. The Pump House displays new artist exhibits every month, a gift gallery, and offers private rental space for weddings, organizational meetings, and other activities.

1 Enderlin Circle, Chillicothe, OH, 740-772-5783 thepumphouse.art

WHEATBERRY BOOKS

Wheatberry Books features a cozy atmosphere with a wide selection of new and used books, a delightful children’s room, and frequent events (including storytime, book clubs, and local author readings).

9 W. Second St. Chillicothe, OH, 740-771-3369 wheatberrybooks.com

ATWOOD HOUSE B&B

This enchanting bed & breakfast is within walking distance of the amazing restaurants and local shops in Downtown Chillicothe, and just minutes away from area attractions. Your stay will feature excellent comfort, an amazing host, and delicious signature breakfasts.

atwoodhousebandb.com, info@atwoodhousebandb.com 740 774-1606

TROLLEY

chillicotheoh.gov 740 773-1569

Jump on the Trolley for an enjoyable experience! Park at a municipal parking lot and enjoy the convenience and excitement that the trolley offers as you shop and dine in downtown Chillicothe. Free to ride & fun for all ages!

101 N. Paint St., Chillicothe, OH, 740-775-7400

Tecumseh’s valiant attempts to retain his homeland as well as the unique rapport he had with Worthington.

“Tecumseh!” is just part of Chillicothe’s remembrance of Native American history. Some 2,000 years ago, Indigenous people of the Hopewell culture built massive earthworks throughout the Scioto and Ohio River valleys that are believed to have been used for ceremonial and religious purposes. Today, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park preserves the sites of several clusters of earthworks and mounds in Ross County. They are under consideration for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of a serial nomination that includes the Newark Earthworks in Licking County and Fort Ancient in Warren County.

“The monumental scale of the earthworks as well as the number and concentration of mounds is not found anywhere else in the

world,” says Chris Alford, superintendent at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park.

Walking among these ancient earthworks is an awe-inspiring experience, but Alford also recommends spending time at the park’s visitor center to learn about the Hopewell culture and the knowledge it took to build geometric earthworks that aligned with solar and lunar cycles and drew prehistoric people from far and wide. Visitors are often surprised to learn that effigy pipes, spear tips and other artifacts found in the Ohio earthworks contain obsidian from what is today Wyoming, copper from Michigan and mica from North Carolina. Shells and shark teeth from as far as the Gulf Coast have also been found.

Explore Nature in Ross County

Ross County beckons nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts with four state parks and a county system of parks and nature preserves that showcase the region’s location in the Appalachian foothills. Camp within a 16,000-acre forest at Tar Hollow State Park; find seclusion and scenic views at Scioto Trail State Park; and choose from horseback, mountain bike and hiking trails at Great Seal State Park, where Mount Logan is located.

“When you’re here, you’re standing in the Great Seal of Ohio,” notes Nathan Steiner, park manager at Great Seal State Park.

Ross County Park District locations include Kinnikinnick Fen, which has sprawling wetlands, three observation decks and a tongue-twisting name derived from a substitute tobacco product made from dried sumac leaves and the inner bark of the willow that settlers and American Indians alike enjoyed.

There is also Buzzard’s Roost Nature Preserve, where the reward for traversing the flat, wooded trail is a marvelous view of Paint Creek Gorge. The paved Paint Creek Recreational Trail stretches 32 miles between Chillicothe and Washington Court House and approxi-

Scioto Trail State Park (above); The Pour House at Machinery Hall (opposite page); Paper City Coffee

mates Paint Creek’s sinuous course through Ross County’s bountiful farmlands. Along the way, the trail passes through the Hopewell Mound Group and by downtown Chillicothe and the country village of Frankfort, where travelers can get treats at the Dairy Cone.

Shop and Eat in Downtown Chillicothe

With its lively vibe and trove of Victorian-era buildings, Chillicothe’s downtown is a destination all by itself.

“When visitors come here, they discover our historic downtown offers much more than

they expected, and that it’s an ideal place to shop, dine and even stay,” says Tiffany Baldwin, program manager at Downtown Chillicothe.

Although downtown is walkable, many people take advantage of the bright red Chillicothe Trolley that loops through the business district on Fridays and Saturdays. The trolley is free, and its stops include Yoctangee Park and Paint Street. It also provides transportation during downtown events.

Ivy’s Home & Garden is a downtown mainstay with tastefully curated items, such as Polish pottery and Italian glass. Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop carries retro sweets, while Paper City Coffee serves scrumptious cinnamon rolls. High Five Cakes Bakery and Tea House makes oversized, peanut-shaped cookies, and The History Store specializes in exquisitely detailed miniatures of civilian and military figures.

When it’s time to eat, head to Carl’s Townhouse, Hometown Hibachi, Fire and Stone Pizzeria or Old Canal Smoke House. Another downtown favorite is The Pour House at Machinery Hall, known for its signature burger and beer selection. Located in a repurposed 1881 farm-implement building, the popular gastropub epitomizes downtown Chillicothe’s incomparable old-meets-new ambiance.

When You Go

For more information about other destinations in Chillicothe and Ross County, go to visitchillicotheohio.com.

Adena Mansion & Gardens 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe 45601 800/319-7248, adenamansion.com

Downtown Chillicothe downtownchillicothe.com

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park 16062 St. Rte. 104, Chillicothe 45601 740/774-1125, nps.gov/hocu

Ohio State Parks parks.ohiodnr.gov

Ross County Park District rosscountyparkdistrict.com

Tecumseh! 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe 45601 866/775-0700, tecumsehdrama.com

Here’s why right now is a great time to be a Raider:

• Nationally ranked academic programs

• Affordable tuition and housing

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wright.edu/now

DAYTON

Learn about our state’s rich aviation heritage, enjoy live music and great brews, and explore the nation’s largest paved network of multi-use trails.

By Macy Kile

LEVITT PAVILION DAYTON

Aviation Excellence

Dayton’s Aviation Trail was founded in 1981 to help promote the city and region’s aviation heritage. Each of the 40 sites on the trail illuminate why Ohio played such a pivotal role in flight. First-time visitors should begin their journey at the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center/Aviation Trail Visitor Center to learn about each stop and pick up an Aviation Trail passport. Those who get the passport stamped at eight of 17 listed locations can redeem it for an adorable Wilbear Wright aviator teddy bear.

While at the visitor center, be sure to check out the on-site Aviation Trail Parachute Museum. It offers insight into Dayton’s role in what has become a vital piece of gear for those heading into the skies. James Floyd Smith developed the first free-fall parachute with a ripcord, which was a precursor to today’s modern parachute, while working at Dayton’s McCook Field during World War I.

“Here, you can see a multitude of handson items and exhibits that are related to the use of parachutes … and the history of the

first emergency free-fall parachute events,” says Randy Zuercher, curator of the Aviation Trail Parachute Museum.

Other sites along the trail include the WACO Air Museum in the nearby city of Troy, which was the nation’s largest producer of civil aircraft during the late 1920s and early ’30s. Visitors can view vintage aircraft and artifacts, take part in 100th anniversary celebration events and even book a flight in a WACO plane.

Make the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center/Aviation Trail Visitor Center your first stop when exploring aviation heritage (above). Levitt Pavilion Dayton hosts free concerts all summer long (opposite page).

Another special stop on the Aviation Trail is the National Museum of the United States Air Force, which is also celebrating its 100th anniversary. The museum opened in 1923, making it the oldest military aviation museum in the world. It’s

also the largest on the planet, with over 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles as well as a vast collection of artifacts. Notable aircraft include the Boeing B-17F “Memphis Belle,” a legendary World War II bomber.

“[It] was the first heavy bomber to complete 25 missions over Europe and return back to the United States. That was a rare feat in World War II,” says Rob Bardua, public affairs manager for the National Museum of the United States Air Force. “Visitors can also walk through presidential aircraft and see how presidential travel has changed over the years.”

The four presidential planes that visitors can walk through include smaller ones used by Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower, as well as the SAM 26000 jet that was used by eight presidents beginning with John F. Kennedy.

Music, Beer & Outdoor Fun

Levitt Pavilion Dayton brings a summer full of free concerts to the heart of the city. Since 2018, the downtown venue has hosted a concert series where all are welcome to bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair, choose

a spot on the grass and relax to a variety of live acts scheduled throughout the summer. Food and drinks are welcome in the park, but there are concessions and food trucks available on-site as well. The concert lineup can be found at the Levitt Pavilion website.

Fraze Pavilion in nearby Kettering has outdoor concerts and community festivals scheduled throughout the summer. Touring acts from all genres make stops at this 4,300-capacity outdoor amphitheater. In addition, Fraze Pavilion also hosts the annual

Say yes.

See our Social Side.

Bacon Fest, Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest and Kettering Block Party, which are all free to the public. Fraze Pavilion has both reserved seating and a lawn area for concertgoers. (Lawn seating allows blankets and seat backs can be rented on-site.) A concession stand serves ice cream, soft drinks, beer, wine and more, and offers patio seating.

For those who want to get a flavor for the city’s beer scene, a trip along the Dayton Ale Trail is in order. In 2018, Hairless Hare Brewery head brewer Michael Muncy and Crooked Handle Brewing Co. owner Jason Moore collaborated to create the Dayton Ale Trail. Today, there are 28 breweries on the passport that offer a sampling of what’s brewing in the region.

“We were trying to figure out something new and fun for the breweries,” says Muncy. “Before COVID, we were getting less than 1,000 participants. It’s grown every year since then with 2,500 or more participants expected this year.”

For those who want to burn off some carbs, the regional Miami Valley Trails network offers over 350 miles of paved, multiuse recreational trails — the largest paved network in the United States — to explore on foot or by bicycle.

Dayton’s Newest Hotels

Book a stay at one of the city’s newest hotels to serve as a home base while you’re in town. AC Hotel Dayton, which opened in early 2023 in the Water Street District, has 134 rooms that feature a contemporary look and design.

The Foundry, the AC Hotel Dayton’s stunning rooftop bar, offers great views of Day Air Ballpark, home of the Dayton Dragons, a High-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Enjoy cocktails, beers and a variety of wood-fire fare in either the indoor or outdoor seating area. There is also the option to chill out in the AC Lounge, which offers a Spanish-inspired tapas menu, cocktails and an upscale bar ambiance.

Those seeking a comfortable stay conveniently located just off Interstate 75 can book a room at WoodSpring Suites Dayton North. The hotel has 99 rooms and amenities like free parking, on-site laundry, Wi-Fi and a kitchen area in each room.

Hotel Ardent Dayton is expected to

host its grand opening later this year. Located in the heart of downtown, this boutique hotel is housed in the Barclay Building, which was built in the 1920s. Beautiful architecture and unique designs make this 10-story, 118-room hotel a chic destination for travelers. Enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, valet parking, access to the hotel patio, a fitness center and more. Dine on-site at Bistecca, an Italian style steakhouse with a menu that ranges from handmade pastas to wood-fire grill selections.

HOTEL: ROBERT BENSON; BEER: COURTESY OF BRANCH & BONE ARTISAN ALES

Book a stay at the AC Dayton Hotel in the city’s Water Street District (top). Follow the Dayton Ale Trail to get a flavor for the local brewery scene (above).

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Find road trip inspiration, learn about giveaways and events, and connect with the beauty, the adventure and the fun of Ohio.

For

When You Go

AC Hotel Dayton 124 Madison St., Dayton 45402 937/965-7500, marriott.com

Aviation Trail aviationtrailinc.org

Dayton Ale Trail daytoncvb.com

Fraze Pavilion fraze.com

Hotel Ardent Dayton 137 N. Main St., Dayton 45402 937/222-7000, hotelardent.com

National Museum of the United States Air Force 1100 Spaatz St., Wright-Patterson Air Force Base 45433 937/255-3286, nationalmuseum.af.mil

Levitt Pavilion Dayton levittdayton.org

Miami Valley Trails miamivalleytrails.org

WoodSpring Suites Dayton North 7373 Miller Ln., Dayton 45414 937/518-6511, woodspring.com

ERIE, PA WESTERN NY

A trip to Erie, Pennsylvania, and then on to New York’s Chautauqua Lake region offers a wealth of fun, from beaches and boating to hiking and history. By

Jim Vickers

PERRY MONUMENT, ERIE

Erie, Pennsylvania

This shoreline city serves as Pennsylvania’s access point to Lake Erie. For summer visitors, it offers fun on and off the water, rich history and a vibrant food scene.

Beach Days

Presque Isle State Park offers a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula to explore that spans 11 separate beaches, each with different experiences and offerings. Beach 11 is a favorite of families with young children due to its calmer waters and, as the largest of the Presque Isle State Park beaches, there is plenty of space to spread out. Beach 8 — known as Pettinato Beach — has a ramp that provides wheelchair accessibility right up to the water’s edge. (The park also has beach wheelchair rentals on a first-come, first-served basis.) Beach 6 draws teens and those of college age with its volleyball courts and other recreation options. Lighthouse Beach provides travelers the chance to ascend Erie’s historic and still-functioning lighthouse to enjoy incredible Lake Erie views.

Trail Mix

Presque Isle State Park is home to a 13.5mile paved, multipurpose loop trail that runs the length of the peninsula. If you don’t bring your own bike, rentals are available from the Yellow Bike Rental Co., which can be found at Beach 7. About a 10-minute drive south of the shore sits Asbury Woods, 216 preserved acres that span forests, fields and wetlands. The site is open to the public free of charge and offers over 4 miles of trails for hikers. The moderately difficult Greenway Trail is the longest at 2.2 miles, while the fully accessible Boardwalk

Trail covers one-third of a mile and is great for those of all ages and abilities. Take a self-guided nature walk on the 1.25-mile Guided Trail.

History Lessons

The Perry Monument at Crystal Point on the Presque Isle State Park peninsula provides history buffs the chance to visit the site where U.S. ships were built for the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. (Presque Isle Boat Tours offers 90-minute excursions on the Lady Kate flatboat docked there.) The Erie Maritime Museum downtown is home to the U.S. Brig Niagara, a re-creation of Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship, as well as the Lettie G. Howard, a wooden Fredonia schooner built in 1893 that is designated as a national historic landmark. The

WHEN YOU GO

Asbury Woods asburywoods.org

Erie Food Tours eriefoodtours.com

Erie Maritime Museum eriemaritime museum.org

Flagship City Food Hall flagshipcity foodhall.com

nearby Hagen History Center tells the story of Erie County and houses renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s original San Francisco office and drafting room, a gift from museum benefactor Thomas B. Hagen.

Foodie Fun

In 2022, the Flagship City Food Hall opened downtown, offering a large, open space with communal seating for up to 160 people. The setup invites conversation and the opportunity to explore a range of cuisines by choosing from among the eight on-site local food entrepreneurs. Options range from Perry’s Pizza and Tavern and Jo’s Brooklyn Bagel to Dina’s Authentic Dominican Kitchen and an Asian cuisine spot called Noodlelove. Those who want to eat and stroll while enjoying a side of local history can book a walking tour with Erie Food Tours. Teachers on break for the summer serve as the guides for these educational excursions that not only introduce diners to a variety of local restaurants but also offer insight into the buildings and landmarks encountered along the way.

Western New York

The small communities that hug New York’s famous Chautauqua Lake are a summertime travel favorite. A trip promises relaxation and recreation, great food finds and lots of laughs.

Relax & Recharge

The Chautauqua Institution was founded along Chautauqua Lake in 1874 as an experiment in out-of-school vacation learning.

Hagen History Center eriehistory.org

Presque Isle Boat Tours piboattours.com

Presque Isle State Park dcnr.pa.gov

Today, the summer resort is focused on its four pillars of religion, education, cultural arts and recreation. Over the course of nine weeks each summer, the Chautauqua Institution schedules a lineup of renowned lecturers, musicians and more, and advance tickets are essential for those who wish to attend a specific talk or performance. Those who just want to walk the grounds and experience the atmosphere of the resort can do so any time by paying the gate fee (free on Sundays). Visitors can browse the shops or grab a casual meal at multiple spots onsite. Those looking for a full dining experience can book a reservation at the Athenaeum Hotel’s Heirloom Restaurant.

ASBURY WOODS

tourchautauqua.com - 866-908-4569

Chautauqua:

YOUR SUMMER VACATION DESTINATION

Request a free travel guide today and plan your adventure! Summer fun is closer than you think. This summer take a Western NY road trip to the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Region. Discover the unrivaled natural beauty of our many lakes, waterways and trails as well as experience one-of-a-kind cultural attractions. Start planning your vacation today!

Boat Rentals, Sales, Dockage, Storage, Fuel & Showroom, open daily during the season. Chautauqua Marina is a YAMAHA 5 Star Certified Dealer. Mention this ad and receive $25 Off your Pontoon Boat Rental. Fun in the Sun!

104 W. Lake Road, Mayville, NY 14757 716-753-3913 ~ chautauquamarina.com

Come in and browse our selection of wicker furniture, Lee Middleton Dolls, Chautauqua Tees and sweatshirts, Minnetonka moccasins, antiques and new & vintage jewelry. Our baskets make unique gifts. We have a barn full of ways to tell someone you care.

Open 10-5 daily thru Labor Day. Call for winter hours.

5252 Rte. 430, Dewittville, NY 14728 716-386-4033 ~ 716-386-4033

Owners of Guppy’s Restaurant & Tavern, Doug and Christy Spegar are providing a totally unique experience! Dine in a ski gondola offering a private new fun way to dine! Scratch food and cocktails will ensure there is something for everyone to enjoy!

4663 Rte. 430, Bemus Point, NY 14701 716-386-4422 ~ guppystavern.com

4. PEEK’N PEAK RESORT

Experience summer at The Peak! Climb through the Aerial Adventure Ropes Course, golf on the championship-caliber Upper Course, and relax at the Pool Complex and Serenity Spa. Overnight packages at The Inn and mountainside condos are available!

1405 Olde Road, Clymer, NY 14724 716-355-4141 ~ pknpk.com

5. WEBB’S CAPTAIN’S TABLE

RESTAURANT

A friendly meeting place on Chautauqua Lake, Webb’s Captain’s Table specializes in locally sourced, classic American cuisine with indoor and outdoor seating, as well as an upscale carryout service featuring grab-and-go foods, gourmet coffee and curbside or boatside pickup. 115 W. Lake Road, Mayville, NY 14757 716-753-3960 ~ webbscaptainstable.com

1. CHAUTAUQUA MARINA BOAT RENTALS & SALES

2. THE FARM BELL

3. GUPPY’S RESTAURANT & TAVERN

ERIE PA, WESTERN NY

On the Water

Those who want to see Chautauqua Lake from a different perspective can book a ticket on the Chautauqua Belle. The steam-powered paddlewheel excursion ship premiered in 1976 as a tribute to the original steamboats that ferried passengers out onto the lake. A historical tour is offered throughout the summer from various points of departure along the shore. There are also dinner cruises with cocktails throughout the season, and buying tickets in advance is a good idea to get the time you want. Marinas along the lake offer boat rentals, and there’s likely one nearby no matter where you’re staying in the area. Evergreen Outfitters in Mayville at the northern end of the lake offers kayak tours and lessons throughout the season.

Lucy & Laughs

Famous comedian and actress Lucille Ball was born in the city of Jamestown, and her legacy is celebrated there today with a museum that pays tribute to her and husband Desi Arnaz. The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum highlights the lives of the couple

and their on-screen work, featuring artifacts, wardrobe and more from the TV series “I Love Lucy.” Jamestown is also home to the National Comedy Center, a fun museum that celebrates all that has made us laugh over the years, from vaudeville to modern memes. The interactive museum asks guests their comedy tastes and tailors an experience to match it. The National Comedy Center also hosts the multiday Lucille Ball Comedy Festival each August.

Outdoor Adventures

A trip to this part of western New York puts travelers close to a variety of state parks and forests, as well as other outdoor destinations, that offer a multitude of trails. The expansive Allegany State Park has 18 trails that stretch a total of more than 35 miles, and those who want to stay overnight can book one of the more than 400 campsites or 375 cabins. Long Point State Park — a day park that sits along Chautauqua Lake offers a beach and boat launch. Take the 1-mile loop trail for beautiful panoramic views of the lake. Panama Rocks, a privately owned attraction just 15 minutes south-

COURTESY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU

west of the lake, is home to a fun and rugged 1-mile hike along a rocky ridge.

Food & Drink Finds

When it’s time to eat, Guppy’s Restaurant & Tavern in the eastern shore town of Be-

WHEN YOU GO

Chautauqua Belle 269belle.com

Chautauqua Institution chq.org

Ellicottville Brewing Co. ellicottvillebrewing.com

Evergreen Outfitters

evergreen-outfitters.com

Guppy’s Restaurant & Tavern

guppystavern.com

Landmark Restaurant

landmark.restaurant

Lake Erie Wine Country Trail

lakeeriewinecountry.org

Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum

lucy-desi.com

National Comedy Center comedycenter.org

New York State Parks parks.ny.gov

Panama Rocks panamarocks.com

Southern Tier stbcbeer.com

Webb’s Captain’s Table webbscaptainstable.com

Travelers enjoy the Lake Erie Wine Country Trail (left). The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum is a Jamestown, New York, favorite (opposite page).

mus Point offers a fun atmosphere and fare ranging from fried fish to burgers to specialty pizzas. Ellicottville Brewing Co.’s Chautauqua Lake location is also in Bemus Point, while fans of Southern Tier’s craft beers frequent the brewery’s taproom in its birthplace of Lakewood, New York. Webb’s Captain’s

Table in the town of Mayville offers a lakefront deck, while the Landmark Restaurant in Jamestown has a large outdoor patio for summer diners. Wine lovers can follow the Lake Erie Wine Country Trail, a string of 20 wineries that stretch across this portion of New York into Pennsylvania.

Exactly where you should be.

When you’re true to who you are, you’re true to where you are. Come join us.

TraverseCity.com

FAMILY FIELD TRIPS

Start planning your summer adventures at these destinations that offer great events, hands-on learning and fun for all ages.

BURR OAK STATE PARK

Hartville

Nestled between Cleveland and Amish Country, Hartville offers a charming slice of Americana. With its celebrated antiques and thrift trail, wholesome attractions, local shops and warm hospitality, Hartville guarantees a good time for visitors of all ages. Plus, families can enjoy an array of events throughout the year — from live music performances to community gatherings and seasonal celebrations.

Hartville Kitchen is beloved for its delicious homestyle cuisine as well as an on-site bakery, a world-class oil and vinegar shop, an old-fashioned candy store and children’s shop and more than 25,000 square feet of retail space. Indulge in baked goods, pick up unique gifts and explore the charming boutiques and curated collections.

The must-visit Hartville MarketPlace and Flea Market features over 50 indoor shops and seasonal outdoor vendor spaces, providing a treasure trove of locally crafted goods, antiques and more. Families can spend hours browsing, bargaining and bonding over the thrill of finding hidden gems. New for 2023 is a series of Night Fleas on Friday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m.

Next door, Hartville Hardware is the largest independently owned hardware store in the United States, covering over 7 acres and offering a wide range of products and services, including home improvement, gardening and outdoor living. The newly renovated Idea House is sure to inspire upcoming home renovation projects.

Choose from quaint B&Bs, campgrounds or a hotel to extend your family field trip in Hartville. With scrumptious food, fun activities and plenty of shopping, you will find something for everyone in this charming small town. For more information, visit experiencehartville.com.

Findlay

Whether you call it a weekend getaway, a staycation, a road trip or just taking a break, Findlay has your back when planning your family’s next adventure.

A visit to Mazza Museum, a one-of-a-kind art museum featuring original children’s book illustrations, never disappoints. With free admission, opportunities to flex your imagination and a bit of nostalgia, exploring artworks at the Mazza Museum is always magical. For a hands-on learning experience, don’t miss the Children’s Museum of Findlay.

Keep your artistic side going at Painters’ Pottery in downtown Findlay, where you can create memories and your own masterpieces. Then, strike a pose at each of the 18-plus stops on the Mural Trail.

Once you’ve flexed your creative muscles, exercise a different set of muscles with a paddle on the Blanchard River Water Trail or a walk along the trails that weave throughout Findlay’s parks. Make sure to keep an eye out for an eagle nest!

A visit to Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation is a great option for train lovers of all ages, especially during the Family Fun Days or seasonal events. Add even more of Findlay’s family-friendly events to your calendar as the weather heats up, including the ArtWalk, Flag City BalloonFest and Oktoberfest. No matter when you visit or which activities you choose, a trip to Findlay is always a good idea. For more information, go to visitfindlay.com.

The Hartville MarketPlace and Flea Market is a must-visit stop (above). Create memories in Findlay at a one-of-a-kind museum and spots like Painters’ Pottery (bottom left).

HARTVILLE: LAURA WATILO BLAKE

Behalt

“Behalt” is an oil-on-canvas cyclorama, 10 feet high and 265 feet long. It is on display in Berlin, Ohio, where it vibrantly displays the heritage of the Amish and Mennonites from their beginnings in Switzerland to the present day. Heinz Gaugel painted “Behalt” and many more pieces, influenced by a Mennonite of man

Suddenly, ry es. power nities take 5 9:30 located For 330/893-3192

PIGSKIN'S PALS

Great Ohio Lodges

The Great Ohio Lodges offer a fantastic family vacation experience, especially for those looking to connect in nature. One of their most appealing aspects is their scenic locations. Situated at the heart of Ohio’s beautiful natural landscapes, families gather to be free from distractions.

Whether you want to be on the water or in the woods, your family is sure to have fun together. The nine destinations are spread across the state, and guests can enjoy a wide range of activities, from golfing and fishing to hiking and swimming. During downtime,

there’s still fun to be had roasting s’mores and playing games. With no shortage of things to do, everyone will enjoy their stay.

Aside from countless attractions, each lodge features a variety of ways to stay. With nine scenic state park properties, there are plenty of options to suit every family’s needs. Plus, various package add-ons can help make your stay extra special. From cabins to lodge rooms, there’s something for everyone.

A combination of scenic locations, awesome activities and comfortable spaces create a great trip. Whether you’re planning a short weekend getaway or a longer stay, the Great Ohio Lodges are sure to exceed your expectations and allow families to experience Ohio like never before. For more information, visit greatohiolodges.com.

Historic Village Open Seasonally:

Take a Walk through Time from 1803 - 1920s. Visit historic homes & shops with costumed interpreters. See animals in the farmyards. Ride on the train or trolley. Marvel at working craftsmen with demonstrations. Enjoy unique shopping at the general store, quilt shop, gift shop and craft shops.

Stay at the Sauder Heritage Inn with indoor pool or Sauder Village Campground with splash pad Homestyle dining at the Barn Restaurant and tasty ice cream at the Soda Fountain Freshly baked treats & specialty drinks at the Doughbox

Discover

VENTURE IN AND Adventure on Adventure on

If you’re looking to trek into new adventures, in search of a family friendly getaway, or just trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of it all... IN GROVE CITY, OHIO

Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa

Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa is expanding its popular Summer Concert Series and including 16 concerts and performances in the estate’s beautiful open-air Pavilion. Rebranded to Thursday Musica Concert Series, concerts and performances are set to take place every Thursday on the property. The series features a wide variety of musicians and genres, from the ’80s to a Bruno Mars tribute band. Guests are able to enjoy dinner before the show in one of Gervasi’s three distinct restaurants on property.

This summer, you can experience a wide range of pairing events, as well. Gervasi is offering several wine and spirit pairing events in the open-air Pavilion. Events range from Bourbon, Bites and Cigars to a Summer Al Fresco vegetarian wine pairing. Gervasi is also producing several of its popular Pavilion Dinners, which feature a five-course gourmet meal, wine pairings and live music.

Guests are also able to experience several themed nights on the property. Tuesdays continue with Pups on the Piazza and Wednesday features Car Cruise-Ins. Yoga offerings will be presented throughout the summer months. In addition to the wide array of events,

visitors are able to experience live music Tuesday through Sunday on the property. Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa is the perfect destination for your summer plans. For more information, visit gervasivineyard.com.

Sauder Village

Make the past part of your future at Sauder Village, a fun place to slow down, unplug and create memories with your family this summer. The Walk Through Time Experience covers 1803 through the 1920s. Explore wigwams and a trading post at Natives & Newcomers, visit historic homes, a log school, a barn and gardens in the Pioneer Settlement Area. Learn about life in rural Ohio at the Grime Homestead.

The newest addition, the 1920s Main Street brings the decade roaring to life. Families can see what’s playing on the big screen, buy treats at the candy store, explore the grocery and clothing stores, visit the fire station, meet horses at the livery, sip a chocolate malt at the soda fountain and more.

Throughout the Historic Village, talented craftsmen demonstrate their trade, from basketmaking and weaving to glassblowing and pottery. Other highlights include free train rides and meeting farm animals. Sauder Village also offers a variety of unique shopping venues, including the Village Gift Shop, Threads of Tradition Quilt Shop and an old-time General Store.

Complete your visit with delicious, home-style food. The Barn Restaurant offers a buffet, a range of menu options and daily specials. The Doughbox Bakery serves homemade pies, sweet rolls and more.

For those looking to extend their stay, the Heritage Inn has a spacious country inn atmosphere, and the scenic campground offers 87 relaxing sites. For more information, visit saudervillage.org.

Steubenville

If you are looking to fill your calendar with familyfriendly activities, plan a trip to Steubenville. Start with

shatter your expectations EXPLORE THE GLASS CITY

Plan your adventure at VisitToledo.org

Step back in time at Sauder Village, where you can experience life in Ohio from 1803 through the 1920s (above). Visit Steubenville for a lineup of familyfriendly events (opposite page)

Maumee Bay State Park

a visit to the nature preserve in the heart of Steubenville: Beatty Park. On the National Register of Historic Places, the park offers hiking and nature trails, disc golf, picnic areas as well as a StoryWalk that changes every month.

Then, take a tour of Historic Fort Steuben, a fully reconstructed 18th-century military fort with eight buildings that depict life on the Ohio frontier. The tour includes the adjacent First Federal Land Office, a log structure that served as a home office in the early 19th century. The fort hosts Ohio Valley Frontier Days on June 3 and 4 with reenactors, crafters, music, food and a fun scavenger hunt.

Steubenville’s downtown livens up during First Fridays on Fourth, themed street celebrations with live music, food, crafts, art and drama. June features medieval activities and costumes, while July celebrates freedom.

The life and music of native son Dean Martin are celebrated June 16 and 17 with a Dino Dash 5K, art show, Classic Car Cruise-In, parade, trolley rides, a Rat Pack Dinner Show and a video featuring Martin’s “Sweet Memories of Steubenville.”

Don’t miss the Holy Family Greek Fest with great food, music and dancing June 21 to 23. Summer concerts, outdoor markets and unique shops make Steubenville a great addition to summer plans. For

Wayne County

Huntington, West Virginia

Huntington, West Virginia, is redefining fun and encouraging families to get in on the action. Through the Huntington Area Fun Pass, several of the area’s attractions are offering a 20% discount to offset the cost of inflation.

Experience what life was like on the Appalachian Frontier at Heritage Farm. Then, conquer TalithaKoum, the destination’s four-story aerial adventure course built on the mountain overlooking the village.

West Virginia’s only amusement park, Camden Park, is home to The Big Dipper, an old-fashioned, wooden roller coaster that will take your breath away.

Get on the trails at Rustic Ravines, where families can take a hike or rent an ATV. You’ll find out why West Virginia is nicknamed “Almost Heaven.”

If your tastes lean more toward arts and culture, take advantage of the 20% discount for admission to the Huntington Museum of Art, a world-class art museum. Immerse yourself in a live Pops performance by the Huntington Symphony Orchestra on the banks of the Ohio River. Or, take your seat to enjoy a play presented by Alchemy Theatre.

Add in the wide assortment of local dining options and hotel accommodations, and you have the perfect getaway. Best of all, there is no fee for the Huntington Area Fun Pass. Visit the website to download the discounts and let the fun begin. For more information, contact the Huntington Area Convention & Visitors Bureau by calling 304/525-7333 or by visiting the website at visithuntingtonwv.org/funpass

Traverse City, Michigan

New family activities are popping up in the northern Michigan getaway of Traverse City. While Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, beaches, festivals, hiking and biking trails always top the Traverse City activities, there are new family-focused things to do this year, too.

Wheels on Rails is a unique, 6-mile railbike tour that includes scenic hills alongside streams. The bikes are tandem or quad, and they travel along a now-closed train line. For families that want to take to the water, the Inland Seas Education Association offers a new option. The organization, which has operated a school ship for many years in Grand Traverse Bay, is expanding. The group has purchased the three-masted schooner Alliance and will bolster its environmental education programs on the lake.

The acclaimed National Cherry Festival is slated for July 1 through 8, featuring parades, fireworks, concerts and an air show with performances by the U.S. Air Force precision flight team, the Thunderbirds. A majority of the festival events are free.

Other family-friendly activities include Traverse City Horse Shows, the Northwoods League baseball team the Traverse City Pit Spitters and the Interlochen Center for the Arts summer concert series, which includes performances by Styx, The Temptations and the Beach Boys. For more information, including available accommodations, visit traversecity.com.

Camden Park, West Virginia’s only amusement park, offers fun for all ages (above). Enjoy beaches, festivals, hiking, biking trails and more activities in Traverse City (bottom left).

Family fun thrives in Toledo, with a range of museums, educational destinations and natural escapes. Get immersed in a multisensory experience at Imagination Station, Toledo’s hands-on science museum, then head across the Maumee River to learn about the world’s greatest natural resource at the National Museum of the Great Lakes. Be sure to tour the SS Col. James M. Schoonmaker and Tug Ohio museum ships, both included with full admission

The world-renowned Toledo Museum of Art features 35 galleries, a campuswide sculpture garden and the Glass Pavilion with its famous glass collection. The Family Center offers free sessions for young children and adults to create their own unique art together. The museum is a Certified Autism Center, expanding on accessibility offerings found throughout Toledo.

Summer is the perfect time to visit The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium, where families can experience three attractions with one admission and enjoy the zoo, aquarium and ProMedica Museum of Natural History. Check out the new Komminsk Family Kodiak Ridge, the new home of three rescue bears, including two grizzlies and a Kodiak brown bear.

Step back in time at Sauder Village, located nearby in Fulton County. Ohio’s largest living-history destination features more than 40 historic homes and shops, working craftsmen and highlights such as the 1920s Main Street.

From the 1,336 acres at Maumee Bay State Park to river cruises aboard The Sandpiper, Toledo offers so many ways to embrace the outdoors. Metroparks Toledo features more than 19 unique destinations and a robust lineup of programing to get all ages involved in outdoors fun. For more information, go to visittoledo.org.

More than buggies

Living life simply. Holmes County & beyond.

Whether you’re looking to immerse yourself in a rich culture, hop on a tour, enjoy a little comfort food or find your bliss away from the everyday, you’ll find what you are looking for here in Ohio’s Amish Country. Explore

With a vibrant arts scene, rich history, outdoor recreation and other entertaining attractions, Huntington is fun for everyone. Get your free 2023 Fun Pass for a 20% discount at some of the area’s best attractions good through October. Scan below or visit our website to sign up.

Ohio Amish Country

Family-friendly adventures abound in Ohio Amish Country, providing plenty of opportunities to create memories together. Face a geyser, bridges and more entertaining obstacles at Cabin Creek Golf, a 36-hole miniature golf course in Sugarcreek.

Visit The Farm at Walnut Creek to experience a working farm and animal park. Hand-feed domestic and exotic animals, and step inside a nonelectric Amish farmhouse to observe baking, canning and sewing demonstrations.

When it’s time to eat, grab a sandwich, salad and ice cream at Mudd Valley Cafe and Creamery. The full-service eatery is located at Walnut Creek Cheese, which also offers one of the area’s largest bulk food shops.

Head to the Berlin area for more great dining options, including Berlin Farmstead or its sister eatery, Der Dutchman Restaurant. The Millersburg favorite has been serving delicious Amish-style comfort food since 1969. From fry pies to whole pies, get the area’s best baked goods at Hershberger’s Farm & Bakery in Millersburg, as well as fresh, home-grown produce. Kids can

Representing Cabell & Wayne Counties, West Virginia

Representing Cabell & Wayne Counties, West Virginia

hilarious variety shows, visit the Amish Country Theater just outside of Berlin. Then, extend your stay overnight with accommodations such as the country camping at Timbercrest Camp and RV Park in Millersburg. For more information, go to visitamishcountry.com.

Medina County

From music-filled gatherings to festivals that are ripe with tradition, Medina County is hopping with summertime fun.

The Wadsworth Blue Tip Festival returns June 20 through 24, kicking off with a huge parade and the lighting of a 20-foot Blue Tip match. The Saint Ambrose Summer Festival features tribute bands, games, rides and delicious food in Brunswick from June 22 to 25.

Hop into the action at the Valley City Frog Jump on July 23. Held for over 50 years, the celebrated event attracts more than 700 frogs. A tradition since 1845, the Medina County Fair promises fun for all July 31 to Aug. 6, with great food, craftwork, entertainment and even a live rodeo. Affair on the Square brings over 140 handmade craft makers, live music, food trucks and more to Medina’s Public Square on Aug. 13.

Live-music lovers can get their fill at the South Town Music Festival on Aug. 19, featuring more than a dozen bands and singers on multiple stages. The Mapleside

Farms Concerts Over the Valley bring picturesque views and live music together on Friday evenings. Experience other great events such as Balloons over Wadsworth, Aug. 4 to 5, and Medina Cars & Coffee classic car cruise-ins on June 18 and Aug. 13. The weekly Medina Square Farmers Market runs through September, and the Wadsworth Farmers Market kicks off on June 24. For more information, go to visitmedinacounty.com.

From festivals to concerts, Medina County is packed with events (above). Family adventures abound in Ohio Amish Country (opposite page).

Celebrate Summer

Canton

Feel like a legend this summer in Canton. Kick off the season with great attractions in the Hall of Fame Village. Don’t miss the 90-foot Forward Pass zip line at Play Action Plaza, as well as its newest addition — the Red Zone Giant Wheel, a 125-foot-high Ferris wheelstyle ride.

Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium hosts a variety of events, from United States Football League games to concerts and tournaments. On July 25, the Kidz Bop Never Stop Live Tour hypes up the crowd with the ultimate pop concert for kids. On Aug. 5, the Zach Brown Band headlines the Concert for Legends during Enshrinement Week.

For more affordable family entertainment, the Pigskin’s Pals program offers digital savings passes, which are available to print from the Pigskin’s Pals landing page. By signing up for emails or joining the Facebook group, families can receive additional offers and discounts at destinations such as Canton Palace Theatre, MAPS Air Museum, McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, Canton Museum of Art, Funtimes Fun Park and more.

Enjoy the Centennial Plaza Movie Series every Wednesday from June 7 through Aug. 9, as well as Canton Palace Theatre’s summer movie series. Check out

the Sensory Cinema showings for dimmed lights, lower sound and dietary-sensitive concessions.

Head to the McKinley Museum for “Brick Flicks,” July 1 through Sept. 30. The exhibition explores iconic and memorable film moments, recreated by well-known Lego-brick artist Warren Elsmore. For more information about Canton’s summer attractions, go to visitcanton.com.

Canton offers affordable family fun (above). Bring your pets to events, restaurants and parks in Grove City (opposite page).

To learn about the Anabaptists and their place in history, plan a visit to Behalt, a 10 ft x 265 ft cyclorama painting that illustrates the heritage of the Amish and Mennonite people from their beginnings in Switzerland to the present day.

The Stories of Ohio’s Plain People are Complex & Colorful.

Grove City

Make plans for your whole family this summer — including your furry friends. Grove City offers a variety of events and attractions to enjoy with your pets.

Visit the Grove City Visitor Center on June 9 for Pet Appreciation Day. The event highlights several small business partners, including Grove City Veterinary Hospital and the family-owned and -operated luxury pet resort Pinnacle Pets.

Four-legged friends are always welcome to stroll through the historic town center. Stop by during Food Truck Friday, which takes place on Friday evenings throughout the season. For more pet-friendly dining, grab a seat on the patios at places like Grove City Brewery and Local Cantina.

Named after the founder of Grove City, Breck Community Park is also a prime destination for dog lovers. The dedicated dog park offers four enclosed off-leash play areas that ensure both pet fun and safety. Two areas are designated for dogs weighing 35 pounds or more, while the other two are for dogs under 35 pounds. The park also features walking and biking paths, a water fountain with a pet-bowl function and off-street parking. For more outdoor adventures, hit the trails at Scioto Grove Metro Park.

Man’s best friend deserves a getaway, too. So before turning in for the night, check in at the pet-friendly Home2 Suites by Hilton. For more information, go to visitgrovecityoh. com/event.

In Findlay, there are plenty of ways to spend time on the water. Whether you’re looking for a quiet day of fishing or a float down the river in a kayak, the entire family will enjoy the chance to unwind and connect with nature. Find more things to see and do at VisitFindlay.com

Dayton

Known as the birthplace of aviation, Dayton offers a variety of interesting and educational attractions to explore during your next family day trip or weekend getaway.

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the largest and oldest military aviation museum in the world, housing thousands of artifacts, aerospace vehicles and missiles. Nearby, the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park details the pioneering work of the Wright brothers. The Wilbear Wright Aviator Teddy Bear Passport Program encourages families to visit eight or more of greater Dayton’s 17 aviation sites to earn your own Wilbear Wright bear.

Head to the 65-acre Carillon Historical Park for a glimpse into Dayton’s history, and step further back in time at SunWatch Indian Village/Archaeological Park. At the Dayton Art Institute, explore the impressive collection of American, European and Asian art. Boonshoft Museum of Discovery offers interactive science learning experiences for all ages. Visit the 200-acre Aullwood Audubon Center & Farm and look for the giant wooden trolls created by artist Thomas Dambo.

Embrace the outdoors at Five Rivers MetroParks,

featuring over 20 parks with diverse habitats, trails and fishing. Ride the waves in downtown Dayton, where you can surf on several manmade water features on the Great Miami River. Hit the pavement on the Miami Valley Trails, the nation’s largest network of paved trails, and make a stop at the numerous attractions, accommodations and restaurants along the route. For more information about planning a family trip in Dayton, visit daytoncvb.com.

Explore aviation history in Dayton at sites such as the National Museum of the United States Air Force (above). Plan a cozy and entertaining overnight trip at Atwood Lake (opposite page).

Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District

Tucked in the scenic countryside in Carroll and Tuscarawas counties lies Atwood Lake, one of the eight lakes of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD). The manmade reservoir is home to waterfront entertainment such as boating, swimming and kayaking. Plan an overnight stay among the towering pines at one of more than 500 campsites and make family memories to last a lifetime. Two of the campsites bring camping comforts within reach for eager outdoor adventurers who do not have their own campers and RVs. A partnership with General RV Center in North Canton has provided two RVs with full hookups that are available to rent.

With plentiful accommodations and modern design, these RVs are akin to a cozy hotel room on wheels. A dinette by the window provides a place to eat, while the private bedroom allows guests to enjoy their own space and a queen-sized bed. Pots, pans and utensils are included to allow for cooking in the full-service kitchen. Bring the whole family, with the sleeper sofa and full-size bunk beds providing space to relax in the serenity of the woods.

After a good night’s sleep, take advantage of all that the 2,500 acres have to offer, including waterfront activities, 6.5 miles of hiking trails and plenty of kid-friendly activities. In addition to Atwood Lake, MWCD also offers premier camping at Charles Mill, Clendening, Piedmont, Pleasant Hill, Seneca and Tappan Lake parks. For more information, visit mwcd.org.

Wayne County

Celebrate the kid in all of us in Wayne County, where families can enjoy comfort foods, unique shopping and nostalgic activities.

From longtime classics like Hartzler Family Dairy to newcomers such as Scoops Sweet Treats, Wayne County’s Ice Cream Tour highlights 16 drive-in destinations to satisfy your sweet tooth.

At the J.M. Smucker Company Store and Cafe in Orrville, shop for pantry staples and unique gifts, including personalized Smucker’s jars. Grab a bite at the cafe serving brick-oven pizzas, signature PB&J sandwiches and more.

No matter the season, you’ll find something fresh growing at Bauman Orchards in Rittman. Step into the Farm Market for pies, cookies, gift baskets and seasonal produce.

After fueling up at The Barn Restaurant in Smithville, the fun continues at Jump N Shout, which provides inflatables and activities for all ages. At Toyrifix, families are encouraged to play with a range of toys and games.

Get active at Freedlander Park in Wooster, home to 18 holes of disc golf, horseshoe pits and a fishing pond. Kids will especially love the 5,000-square-foot playground. Then, explore the United Titanium Bug Zoo. Located at The Ohio State University’s Wooster Science Building, the collection features more than 30 species of live insects and arthropods.

Complete your trip to Wayne County with a visit to Lehman’s in Kidron. The 45,000-square-foot retail store is filled with thousands of nonelectric, practical and nostalgic products. For more information, visit wccvb.com. ●

Merchant Park is located where the community’s first trail depot once stood honors the first Black family believed to settled in Hilliard. The park boasts local a gazebo, and is steps away from the trailhead for the 7-mile Heritage Rail Trail

One of the first memorials built with steel and artifacts from the World Trade Center, First Responders Park honors those who died on 9/11 and pays tribute to the 403 first responders who died making the ultimate sacrifice for their community.

The locally owned and operated Crooked Can Brewing Company and Center Street Market are open seven days a week with an eclectic group of vendors offering foods, desserts, coffee, and shopping all under one roof. Vendors include Al’s Popcorn, Bakes by Lo, Coffee Connections, Dumplings of Fury, Hot Mess, Pitabilities, The Cheesecake Girl, and Two Step Tacos

The Shoppes by Westwood have brought boutique-style retail to Hilliard. The space includes four shopping locations: Alive Mercantile, Birch Tree Home, MAK Home Furnishings, and The Urban Market

T he vibrant community of Hilliard boasts one-of-a-kind attractions, dining experiences, and unique special events that pay tribute to the City’s rich history.

Ten Pin Alley offers family fun for all ages including bowling, laser tag, arcade games, and events along with great burgers, pizza, sandwiches, salads, and craft beer for lunch and dinner.

Known for weekly shipments of new comics, graphic novels, games, and toys, Packrat Comics also routinely hosts events, including game nights and in-store signings, with local and national comic creators and celebrities.

HillGarten is a new family-friendly beer garden serving German cuisine, craft beer, and wine with the bonus of scheduled live music and events!

After a and renovations, reopened authentic The all-new bourbon Coffee much more coffee and from over complete annex, is with friends, With its Diner offers tasty, and for its Cuban-inspired Southwestern

Visit the in the core a retro delicious

Strawser’s known of fun sodas Heggy’s from ice dipped Grab a pies that for the impressive 8.1 rating from the Barstool One Bite Pizza Reviews.

Bee Bubbly Bubble Tea & Fresh Juice is a local favorite after a playdate at the splashpad or a bike ride on the Heritage Rail Trail.

Brewing Intuition is a modern apothecary and an inclusive and safe space to explore magic, spirituality, and your authentic self without the pressure of rules and expectations.

LEFT: Sip on local craft beer at Crooked Can Brewing Company. BELOW, TOP: Enjoy a leisurely stroll on the Heritage Rail Trail. BELOW, BOTTOM: Search for comic book treasures at Packrat Comics.

First Responders Park

Celebration at the Station

Thursdays Beginning June 1

On Saturday, July 1, Hilliard’s Freedom Fest is back at Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park! This popular patriotic celebration is complete with live music, food trucks, a Kids Zone, chalk art, and fireworks.

This 10-week, free concert series is a hometown favorite. Live music, dining, and shopping all within the DORA boundaries of Old Hilliard.

Franklin County Fair

July 17–23

For over 100 years, Hilliard has been home to the Franklin County Fair. Farm animals, magic, dog shows, music, amusement rides, and more provide entertainment for the entire family.

Columbus Food Truck Festival

Hilliard Edition 2023

August 19 & 20

Located at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Downtown Hilliard, the festival showcases flavors and fare of over 50 gourmet food trucks from Ohio and across the Midwest. Beyond cuisine, the festival also includes over two dozen artisans and a full lineup of live music throughout the weekend on two stages.

and win fun prizes through two fun gamified passes: the Hilliard Playground & Parks Pass and the Hilliard Sweet Treat Trail!

Stay Awhile

Hilliard offers lodging options for every traveler, including a pleasant range of hotel accommodations and an Airbnb (Residence 1852) nestled in the heart of Old Hilliard.

Hilliard hotels are conveniently located moments from I-270, 2 miles from the heart of Downtown Hilliard and less than 15 miles from The Ohio State University, Downtown Columbus, and Dublin, Ohio. Guests can expect a hometown feel and a variety of amenities unique to Hilliard with the perk of a short commute to neighboring city attractions.

A. Roy Knabenshue’s Toledo No. 1 Takes Flight

On June 30, 1905, the Ohio-born aeronaut took to the skies over Toledo to demonstrate the capabilities of his airship.

When it comes to famous Ohio flyers, A. Roy Knabenshue isn’t usually part of the conversation, yet the Lancaster native made his mark piloting airships during the early days of flight. On June 30, 1905, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers at the Toledo fairgrounds, Knabenshue took off in his new airship, Toledo No. 1.

“Navigating the air at a height of a mile, Roy Knabenshue made the first perfect flight with his airship,” The Cincinnati Post reported in its June 30, 1905, edition.

Toledo No. 1 lifted off at 9 a.m., and Knabenshue was able to maintain “perfect control at all times.”

“Knabenshue manipulated the ship with perfect ease, and as it gradually grew in spectators’ sight, it was evident that he would make his landing in spite of the strong head-

wind against him,” the article noted. The pilot then landed Toledo No. 1 atop the Spitzer Building, “as easy as if it were stopping from a trolley wire.”

“Knabenshue dismounted and received the congratulations of those on the roof, he then moved the ship over to the Huron St. side of the building, re-entered the cage and sailed gracefully away,” according to the report.

The Newspaper Enterprise Association distributed a column Knabenshue penned that detailed his airship’s construction. It ran in June 30, 1905, editions across the country. In the column, he explained that Toledo No. 1 held 7,000 cubic feet of hydrogen gas and measured 58 feet long and 15 feet in diameter.

“My engine, which is of my own invention, is a four-cylinder, eight-horsepower gasoline engine weighing 75 pounds and drives the propeller approximately at 300 revolutions a minute,” Knabenshue wrote. He estimated that under favorable conditions, the airship could reach speeds of 25 miles per hour.

“I don’t know that the airship will ever become a commercial possibility,” he noted, “but I have my own opinion about it, and it is to demonstrate that the theories which have been followed by aeronauts are not mere dreams …”

Nathan Havenner

This circa 1905 photo shows A. Roy Knabenshue’s dirigible surrounded by a crowd.