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August 2007 Edition

OHIO'S #1 MAGAZINE AND #2 TOURISM SOURCE ONLINE

   
NORTH COAST HARBORS FAMILY FUN

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Cleveland plus its neighboring communities are rich with entertainment. Much of its infrastructure was developed more than 100 years ago when its concentration of wealth on Euclid Avenue was unsurpassed even by New York’s 5^th Avenue.

The legacies of business tycoons such as John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil (think richer than Bill Gates), are seen in the arts, parks, museums, architecture and business today. The region boasts the top amusement park in the world, the most loyal sports fans, Rock –N– Roll Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame, and #1 heart program by one of the nation’s leading medical facilities – Cleveland Clinic. It also has the second largest performing arts center in the country, the third most visited national park in the U.S., and a top-5 orchestra in the world. Nearby is also the world’s largest concentration of Amish.

Since the 1980s, Cleveland has surged as America’s comeback city. The Flats and Warehouse District are kings of nighttime entertainment, Tower City is a shopping hub, and Gateway draws sports fanatics to see the Cavaliers and Indians play ball. In fact, the Indians have the all-time pro-baseball consecutive games’ sellout record – 455 – which may never be broken. Just a few miles away is University Circle featuring world-renowned cultural attractions visited by more than 2.5 million people annually.  It is no surprise that Euclid Avenue runs through it. After all, this was America’s playground for the rich and famous.

What makes Cleveland plus its neighboring communities and attractions such a pleasant visit is not just the plethora of things to do for nearly every age and interest, but the ease in which the urban landscape is navigated. The highway system is built to handle major traffic centers like Chicago, rather than a mid-size city’s. It has six major highways criss-crossing it plus plenty of  buses, taxis, parking and a light rail system, which is convenient to and from just about anywhere – including straight from the airport to the heart of downtown.

In the mid-1990s, the Rapid Transit light rail system added the Waterfront Line, delivering gobs of people effortlessly to the new heart for family entertainment
– North Coast Harbor.  

North Coast Harbor is a beautiful place mixing a panoramic urban skyline with trees and green space, and sunrise-to-sunset views of a Great Lake! Lake Erie has had a tremendous renewal of its own, again attracting fishermen, boaters, divers and water-enthusiasts by the millions. But the main attraction is the number of main attractions – all within walking distance from each other.

Once you board the Waterfront Line at Tower City and roll through The Flats and Warehouse District, you’ll arrive minutes later at the North Coast Station. The welcome is more than you’ll expect. The terminal is completely glass enclosed and has several expressions of art. Its style was intended to accent the Rock -N- Roll Hall of Fame. The welcome mat is a 49-foot porcelain tile rug.

Turn left and walk downhill toward the lake and Rock Hall and you’ll come to a crossroads of fun known as the North Coast Harbor. Now you choose where to begin the day, understanding it may take more than one to see it all. There’s the Great Lakes Science Center, International Women’s Air & Space Museum, tours aboard a World-War II Submarine and massive old iron ore ship, Cleveland Browns Stadium, a skate park, trolley tours, day and evening cruise ship, bikeway, and that’s just for starters.

Special events are held regularly but a couple of the biggies are the bi-annual Tall Sails (something for the eyes to behold) and a Grand Prix that features top race-names. Currently, the Science Center is hosting Baseball As America, the blockbuster exhibition marking the first time the treasures of the Hall of Fame have left their legendary home in Cooperstown, New York to tour the country. It will be displayed here until September 3, 2007.

The Great Lakes Science Center is at the water’s edge next to the Rock Hall. The museum has more than 400 interactive exhibits, including computers that talk and space shuttle landing simulator. There’s even a restaurant with outdoor dining overlooking the inner harbor. It also features an OmniMax Theater. Visit greatscience.com for more details.

The International Women’s Air & Space Museum is located inside the lobby at Burke Lakefront Airport just east of the Rock Hall. Admission is free. The exhibits illustrate the contributions women made to aerospace history and include Amelia Earhart’s flight suit and the tail of Ruth Nichol’s Lockheed Akita. For visitor information, call 216-623-1111.

The U.S.S. COD (SS 224) is the last fully intact WWII fleet submarine left in existence. It is docked between the Rock Hall and Burke. Tours are offered to the public inviting them to see what life inside a metal box deep under the sea must have been like. It is tight inside so beware if you are claustrophobic. The 312-foot submarine was a key weapon against the Japanese, sinking many ships and itself depth-charged, surviving major torpedo fire. For visitor information, see usscod.org.

Cleveland’s great shipping heritage is seen aboard the Steamship William G. Mather. This 618-foot vessel was built in 1925. It now serves as a floating museum and educational facility near the Coast Guard Station between the Rock Hall and Cleveland Browns Stadium behind the Science Center.  On and below deck, the public gets to tour one of the largest ships to sail the Great Lakes much like the infamous Edmond Fitzgerald. See the captains quarters, engine room, galley, and steer the captain’s wheel. To plan a visit, log onto wgmather.nhlink.net.  

The Goodtime III is the largest quadruple-deck 1,000 passenger luxury ship on the Great Lakes. It is docked across the harbor from the Mather north of the Rock Hall. Daytime and evening cruises feature river and lake tours, live entertainment, dancing, full bar and meals. They sail rain or shine and allow people to enjoy the entire ship, whether you choose the spacious top sun decks, the large semi-opened second deck or the main glass enclosed lower deck, which is air conditioned or heated. For types of cruises and schedules, sail over to goodtimeiii.com.

Every Wednesday in August 2007 from 6-9pm, there are free concerts in front of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Each concert features multiple acts playing many versions of rock music, including punk. People come from around the globe to journey through the past, present and future of rock and roll. To plan your journey, start at rockhall.com.

The new Cleveland Browns Stadium offers fans an inside look at the press box, luxury suites, locker room, and other areas fans typically would not see when attending games. These tours are available from 10 am - 3 pm Monday – Friday, April – November. For more information, call 440- 824-3361 or e-mail Tours@clevelandbrowns.com.

In addition, Cleveland’s North Coast Harbor has a skate park, bike trail and Voinovich Park where you may throw Frisbee, jog, fish, people-watch, feed birds, sunbathe, or attend the many festivals that become available.

Cleveland’s North Coast Harbor development is beginning to shine but it is far from the grand vision that is coming into focus. In the coming years, aquaria, apartments, restaurants, shopping, and hotels are all expected to dot the landscape. If visiting Cleveland for pleasure or business, take a quick trip from the airport, suburbs or downtown on the Rapid Transit and explore North Coast Harbor, Cleveland’s newest family-funapolis. Stay and spread your fun across The Flats and Warehouse Entertainment District, Gateway sports complex, Tower City or the cultural Mecca that is University Circle. Or take in Cleveland plus Cedar Point Amusement Park and Lake Erie Islands, Canton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame and Akron’s Inventors Hall of Fame, Amish country and other northern Ohio attractions.

Cleveland plus the surrounding area is the most fun place to visit, not just in Ohio, but anywhere in the Midwest.  

By Frank R. Satullo
The OhioTraveler

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GERMAN VILLAGE

A literal stone’s throw from the heart of Ohio’s capital, German Village is one of Columbus’s oldest and most beloved historic areas. German or not, both visitors to and residents of the Village are, through its shops, restaurants, and overall period feel, able to relax and enjoy a moment apart from the life outside. 

What is now known as German Village was in fact the far southern end of Columbus when the city became the capital in 1812. Settled in the early part of the 19^th century by wave after wave of German immigrants, the Village served as a sort of ‘home away from home’ through both the good times of economic prosperity and the not-so-good fears and prejudices that accompanied two World Wars.  

German Village as it exists today came about in the 1960s when a man by the name of Frank Fetch spearheaded a movement that established the German Village Society and eventually awarded the Village a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Restored entirely from private funding, German Village was granted by the city the ability to review and approve or deny all aesthetic amendments to the area’s exterior. This allowed the residents of German Village to preserve the traditional look and atmosphere that the area has become known. 

The main draw of German Village is its distinctive collection of shops, entertainment, and eateries. All throughout the Village, visitors can find stores like the Golden Hobby Lobby, Franklin Art Glass Studios, and The Red Stable that offer a vast array of skillfully-created arts and crafts unique to the German Village area. A landmark in and of itself, The Book Loft is a 32-room, block-long book store packed so full it would take days to see everything properly. 

In the summer, a group of players known as the Actors’ Theatre continuously presents a healthy dose of Shakespeare, free of charge at the outdoor amphitheatre located in beautiful Schiller Park. Local restaurants such as Juergen’s Bakery and Cafe, Katzinger’s Delicatessen, and the Old Mohawk are all known for serving up both time-honored treats and contemporary classics to placate your hunger. But, when it comes to traditional German food, there is really only one place to go. 

Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus began as a meat packing plant in 1886. Founded by a German immigrant, the J. Fred Schmidt Packing Company supplied all sorts of beef products and German sausages to customers and grocery stores alike as it was handed down, generation to generation, until the plant’s closing in 1966. In no way willing to give up the family business, the very next year third generation brothers Grover and George F. Schmidt decided to open a traditional German eatery in an old livery stable just off of Kossuth Street where customers could not only still purchase sausage made on premises from the Schmidt family’s classic recipes, but grab a bite to eat while their order was being prepared. The rest, as they say, is German Village history. 

Instantly, the restaurant side of the business took off for two simple reasons: the environment and the food. The building itself has a welcome feel of casualness and comfort. The inviting interior is filled with art from both well-known German painters and local talent (including several incredible pieces by the restaurants founder, George) as well as bits and pieces of decoration from the old packing plant and other keepsakes highlighting the history of the family business. 

As far as the food goes, for the German staples of bratwurst, knockwurst, sauerkraut, hot potato salad, or a half-pound vanilla cream puff, Schmidt’s really can not be beaten. In fact, fourth generation Schmidt and current operator Geoff takes pride in the fact that there are not a ton of other German restaurants around.  

“There’s only one restaurant in Columbus that anybody considers German,” comments Schmidt on the lack of competition. “We’re sort of tickled to death that we’re the only kid on the block, at least in Columbus and central Ohio.” 

With both growing out of the area’s revitalization in the 1960’s, it is pretty safe to say that neither Schmidt’s nor German Village would be quite the same without one another. Geoff Schmidt acknowledges this important, almost-symbiotic relationship that they share. “Schmidt’s sort of compliments German Village [and] German Village compliments Schmidt’s,” states Schmidt. “It’s so important that we always try to package the village and Schmidt’s together. It is a full deal. German Village is truly one of the more interesting areas [of Columbus] because of two things: it’s beautiful and it’s done by the individuals. It’s not a government project and I know the people who live here take pride in that.” 

Even with the buildings of downtown Columbus just over your shoulder, when your tires (or your sneakers) hit the well-worn, brick-paved streets that mark the edge of the Village, you will realize you have found something special. From the look of the houses and the gardens to the experiences of food and fun, there really is no other place around that is so thoroughly infused with the feel of the Old Country’s culture than German Village.

By Bram Fulk

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MARIETTA
River Town Preserves Past

The folks at Marietta had a great idea for preserving the historic home of Gen. Rufus Putnam. They built a museum around it. 

"If Rufus Putnam came up out of Mound Cemetery today, he would recognize a lot in this house," said Andy Verhoff, museum manager. 

Among the belongings once used by Putnam are a dining room chair, a settee and a large parlor chair. "General Putnam was very important in the history of our area," Verhoff said. “He and George Washington were friends. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington told General Putnam about the beauty he had seen in his travels through the Ohio Valley.” 

In case people cruising down the river don't know where they are, Marietta has its name spelled out in large letters on the riverbank. A gazebo, fountain, benches and old-fashioned streetlights make it a pleasant place to sit and watch the water. 

"Back in the day of the steamboats, every boat's whistle had a unique tone," Verhoff said. "You knew which boat was landing in Marietta just by its whistle." 

Founded in 1788, Marietta is alive with history and culture. Along with Putnam, the area was settled by a group of Revolutionary War veterans.  

"It was the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory," Verhoff said. "It was named for Marie Antoinette of France who helped so much in the struggle for American independence." 

In April 1788, Rufus Putnam, who served as a general under George Washington during the Revolution, led 48 men into today’s location of Marietta. They built a walled fortification with four blockhouses to discourage Indian attacks. Putnam coined the name Campus Martius, which means “field of wars.” The Treaty of Greene Ville in 1795, however, virtually ended hostilities in the region. 

Along with Putnam family memorabilia, the museum exhibits hundreds of items from Marietta’s early days, including antique musical instruments and surgical equipment from Dr. John Cotton. The doc practiced medicine in Marietta from 1815 to 1847. 

Lavish gowns and dresses from the 19th century and weapons also are highlighted at the Campus Martius Museum. The sword used by General Putnam during the Revolutionary War is displayed along with old rifles, muskets, uniforms and dress swords. Putnam later gave his sword to George Washington. A Civil War exhibit includes a Confederate flag captured at the Battle of Chancellorsville, along with uniforms, saddlebags and a drum and fife. 

Once a thriving port, Marietta honors its river history at the Ohio River Museum. Just down the street from the Campus Martius, the museum is located on the banks of the Muskingum River. The museum is actually four separate buildings connected with covered outdoor walkways. The origins of the Ohio River, the role of glaciers in its development and the natural history of the region are presented at the museum. 

One museum building features dozens of detailed models of stern-wheeled paddleboats along with other riverboat memorabilia. Outside of the museum is one of the last steam-powered stern-wheeled towboats to operate in America. The 175-foot, 342-ton W.P. Snyder Jr. is now permanently docked on the Muskingum River behind the museum. Walk the gangplank to explore the vessel that once plied the rivers from 1918 to 1955. 

If all this river memorabilia has you yearning for a cruise, the Valley Gem is happy to oblige. Docked adjacent to the Ohio River Museum, the 300-passenger excursion vessel travels down the Muskingum and Ohio rivers on 50-minute cruises, fall foliage tours and dinner cruises. Every year on the weekend after Labor Day, the landing is the site of the Ohio River Stern Wheel Festival. Stern-wheelers from all parts of the inland waterway system compete in races and show visitors what made them famous. 

Downtown Marietta is filled with great shops and boutiques including Mad Hen, Needful Things, Two Peas in a Pod, Turquoise Spirit and Twisted Sisters with its unusual women's clothing and gifts. A striking sight from the river, the Lafayette Hotel is one of the last riverboat-era hotels. Opened in 1918, the hotel was named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, who visited the city in 1825. With its distinctive triangular shape, the hotel offers guest rooms with views of either the Ohio or Muskingum rivers. 

The hotel is said to be haunted, manager Jennifer Auville said. “There is supposed to be a ghost and we’ve heard stories from guests about it,” she said. “One husband and wife who stayed here said that every time the husband got in the Jacuzzi tub, the water would go cold. He would get out and the water would warm up again.” 

The hotel dining room has a nice collection of long rifles, including one made by J.J. Henry that accompanied the Benedict Arnold expedition to Quebec in 1775. An 11-foot pilot wheel from the steamboat A.D. Ayres is suspended from the lobby ceiling. The hotel has a Marengo Institute Spa and some interesting guest rooms, including one that resembles a riverboat stateroom. 

In the lobby beside the elevator are two benchmarks that show the raging power of the river. The 1936 flood put 4 1/2 feet of water in the dining room. The 1937 flood brought 10 1/2 feet into the lobby of the hotel. A plaque located just below the balcony of the second floor on the outside corner of the Lafayette shows the watermark of the 1913 flood. 

Marietta is an excellent town for walking and offers a walking guide for visitors. You'll really get your exercise trying to enjoy it all – museums, the Ohio Company Land Office (oldest existing building in the five states of the original Northwest Territory), and historical homes and churches galore. 

Along with all this, Marietta's hallmark attraction is the prehistoric Hopewell and Adena Indian mounds. Covering 95 acres, the carefully preserved mounds have been studied since the 1780s. The mounds were the first in Ohio to be accurately surveyed, mapped and described. The Conus Mound was built by the Adena Indians (800 B.C. to 100 A.D.). The square enclosure and other structures were built by the Hopewell Indians (100 B.C. to 500 A.D.) 

The mounds have long been considered to be among the most perfect works of the early mound builders, says Marietta Mayor Michael Mullen.

“Thousands of these mounds once covered the Midwest but many of them were destroyed,” he said. “These were protected and preserved which is why we have them today.” 

The mounds are among the many reasons to visit Marietta, Mullen said. “We’re one of the friendliest places you’d ever want to see,” he said. “Once people come here, they have such a good time that they want to visit again.” 

If you go, more information is available by calling the Marietta/Washington County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-288-2577. 

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

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SECRET VIEWS OF OHIO

If you have a little explorer inside you just waiting to make a discovery or  venture where few have been, you'll enjoy the secret views of Ohio.

Much in the spirit of our nationally reported GraveQuest adventures and the geocaching phenomenon fast-becoming a mainstream recreational activity of the new millennium, Secrets of Ohio will take you to breathtaking places in the state that are just not publicized much. For geocachers, it is an introduction to waymarking, where the destination is the cache. For those that have no idea what geocaching or waymarking are, don't worry, the sights/sites revealed can be found without techno gadgets in this new way in which we hope to lead you to rare Ohio sights and sites.

Below are two secret views of Ohio. We encourage you to share yours. List a description of what you'll see or provide a picture. Explain how to get there and what level of difficulty is the trek. If you use geocaching coordinates, great, but also provide written directions so all may partake in the exploration.

Secret Views of Ohio:

1. There's a secret Wetland in North Royalton, Ohio. It is in the limits of the Cleveland Metroparks' Mill Stream Run Reservation and was created in part because of the disturbance of a nearby wetland by South Park Mall in Strongsville, Ohio.

To get there, park on the edge of West 130th Street across from 16624 W130 St., Strongsville, OH  44136. You will see a metal road block before a path starting at the treeline on the East side of the street. Enter there and follow the path as it winds deep into the woods. Eventually, it takes a hard left and a dip bringing you out into a hidden paradise of natural splendor.

The wetland here will usually be frequented by a wide-variety of waterfowl. The view is wide and far as this open space is expansive and surrounded by tall trees.

If you desire, there's more exploring to do. Walk to the Northwest corner of the wetland area and turn left and follow whatever trail you can pick up. It goes to a river and if you go far enough, you can hike up a cliff and get a wonderful bird-eye view of the valley.

2. Nearby the first secret view of Ohio, there's something in the woods that shouldn't be amidst the trees. You can discover it by following these directions.

From I-71, exit at the Route 82 East exit (Royalton Rd) toward North Royalton. Head East on this road and at the bottom of a hill, turn right onto Valley Parkway. As you make the bend, turn right again onto Royalview Lane. Park off on the left just before this road makes a sharp right turn up a hill.

There should be an opening in the treeline where you'll find the trailhead. It is a circular trail, albeit a couple miles. Bare right and head uphill on the trail. Once you ascent is leveled out, the trail turns left/east. Start looking through the trees on your right side for something that should not be there. If you find an oil drill, you went too far. I know, that shouldn't be in the woods either but that's not the sight you're after.

Once you find it, venture either way on the trail to get back.

Send your secret views of Ohio to ohiotraveler.com. Make sure they are open to the public!

Dublin Irish Festival
(Admission: Adults $8 - $10, Seniors $8, and Children are Free) 

• Open: August 3 - 4, 2007

• Location: Coffman Park, 5200 Emerald Parkway in Dublin, OH

• Phone: 614-410-4545 

It’s been named “….one of the biggest and best festivals in the country” by Chicago’s Irish American News and a “Top 100 Event in North America” by the American Bus Association (for 2005). It draws around 90,000 visitors from across the globe. Set on 20 rolling acres, the event features more than 60 musical acts from the U.S. and Ireland performing music on eight stages (from Celtic rock to traditional ballads).  Three cultural stages feature storytelling, folklore, music and hands-on workshops. Visitors can discover Ireland’s traditional instruments while learning to play the fiddle or tin whistle …or… be transported back into Irish history when they visit a 10^th Century Irish village—a time when Irish hero Brian Boru chased the Danes out of the Emerald Isle. Irish dancers compete in the Columbus Feis—a competition that attracts 1,300 of the nation’s best Ceili dancers. Visitors can watch sheep herding demonstrations, explore their genealogy, shop the Emerald Isle for imported good, attend a Gaelic mass, learn to make a proper scone or sample an endless variety of Irish food and drink.  

Twins Day Festival
(Admission: $3)  

• When: August 3 - 5, 2007

• Location: Twinsburg, Ohio

• Phone: 330-425-3652

If you want to see double - attend the next Twins Day Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio. This is said to be the largest gathering of twins in the world. And it’s right here in Ohio. Officials estimate that more than 2,500 sets of twins appear every year. Now that’s got to be quiet a sight. Twins from around the world participate in a parade appropriately named the Double-take Parade, which is nationally televised. Other activities include entertainment, fireworks and contests.

Vintage Ohio 
(Admission: Advanced tickets are $18 for adult wine samplers and $10 for non-drinker/designated drivers.  At the gate prices are $22.

• When: August 3-4, 2007

• Where: Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland, Ohio

• Call: 800-227-6972

While Vintage Ohio has truly grown to showcase more than just wine, the winemakers and their vintages draw more than 30,000 wine lovers to Lake County each August. Vintage Ohio is sponsored by the Ohio Wine Producers Association. It was named American Bus Association ‘Top 100 Event in North America’ in 2001 and AGAIN IN 2005 and was named as one of the nation’s top wine and food events by ‘Wine Spectator,’ ‘USA Today’ for the past five years as well as by ‘Bon Appetit,’ Southwest Airlines in flight magazine, and many other national publications. Vintage Ohio is the premier wine, food, and family fun festival between the Appalachians and Rockies. It is the largest event of its kind in Ohio and offers a premier tasting opportunity for people to discover the award winning wines of Ohio. It is at this event that nearly 20 Ohio wineries produce over 150 varieties, and nowhere else are so many Ohio wines available at a single venue. In addition, Vintage Ohio hosts two stages of live jazz, blues, oldies, reggae, and rock music. Dozens of regional restaurants and caterers will be serving their finest cuisine.

Lebanon Blues Festival
(Admission is Free)

• When: Saturday, August 4, 2007

• Location: downtown Lebanon, Ohio

• Phone: 513-588-0321 or 513-228-3103

The annual Lebanon Blues Festival presented by the Lebanon Optimist Club will take place in historic downtown Lebanon along Broadway & Mulberry Streets. Listen to the sultry sounds of seven blues bands while enjoying your favorite foods. Sit and sip a cool drink in our deluxe beer garden. Gaze at more than150 classic automobiles. Browse the downtown specialty shops for gifts and antique treasures during "Old Fashioned Bargin Days".  Come out and enjoy the "Blues, BBQ & Bumpers.”  In addition, there will be a 5K Blues Run along the new bike trail.

Pioneer Days
(Admission is Free)  

• When: August 4-5, 2007 (First Weekend in August)

• Location: 352 Cherry Street · Gnadenhutten, Ohio Historical Park and Museum

• Phone: 330-602-2420

Celebrate pioneer-style at Gnadenhutten Historical Park & Museum. Visitors will see a parade and a mixture of other entertainment. Also, there is an 1840s pioneer encampment sure to make children and adults alike appreciate their modern amenities. In addition, there are plenty of arts, crafts and more to see at this traditional annual event.

Port Clinton Annual Car And Truck Show
(Admission is free)

• When: August 4, 2007 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

• Location: Downtown Port Clinton, Ohio

• Phone: 419-734-5503

The show is very popular and attracts great crowds to view the classics on display.  There will be a parade of cars at 9:00am to the downtown area.  The Port Clinton rotary will be hosting a fish fry for all hungry visitors, and the Port Clinton artists club will be holding their annual “arts in the park” on the same day. 

Teddy Bear Picnic
At Bluebird Farm and Susie's Museum of Childhood

• When: August 4, 2007

• Located at Bluebird Farm Estate - 190 Alamo Road in Carrollton, Ohio

• Phone 330-627-7980 for reservations

Bring your favorite Teddy Bear(s) for a unique afternoon of fun at Bluebird Farm, home to Susie's Museum of Childhood. The estate covers 55 acres and includes a restaurant, a Nature Trail featuring a covered bridge, a unique gift shop, beautiful English gardens, a tea room and much more.

Bluebird Farm is nestled in the rolling hills of Carroll County, Ohio. The restaurant is set in a charming, century old farmhouse. Dining areas include a two-story glassed-in porch providing a scenic view of the farm's picturesque surroundings and an outdoor deck complete with a view of a waterfall cascading down the adjoining hillside. English tea is served on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. by reservation only.  Bluebird Restaurant serves its luncheon menu Tuesday through Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Don't forget to stop by the restored 19th Century barn turned into a gift shop offering many unique and one-of-a-kind items.  

Navigational Sunday

• When: August 5, 2007

• Where: downtown Columbus

• Call: 614-645-8760

The Santa Maria celebrates the beginning of Christopher Columbus' voyage. A free family event with boat making and coloring books for the kids, all day entertainment, demonstrations and a visit from the Columbus Zoo 2-3 p.m.. Figure boards for photo opportunities and an appearance from Christopher Columbus. Ship tours available, $3.00 for Adults and Youth 5-17 $1.50. The Santa Maria is located downtown Columbus, 25 Marconi Blvd. across the River from Veterans Memorial. For more information call the office 614.645.8760 or the ship 614.645.0351.

Corn Festival In North Ridgeville
(Admission is Free)  

• When: August 9-12, 2007

• Location: North Ridgeville, Ohio

• Phone: 440-327-3737or 440-327-5144

Living in Ohio, everyone needs to go to at least one corn festival. Join the North Ridgeville community for three fun summer days and experience Amish-style corn. The festivities include a parade, live bands nightly, corn eating contest, car show, horseshoe tournament, rides, kids games, crafts and a midway.

Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival

• When: August 9-12, 2007

• Where: Mount Vernon, Ohio

• Phone: 800-837-5282 or 740-392-FEST (3378)

Music, crafts, cars and family fun abound at the Dan Emmett Music and Arts Festival. Held to celebrate the legacy of Daniel Decatur Emmett, author of such songs as "Dixie" and "Turkey in the Straw," the Dan Emmett Music and Arts Festival showcases artists and musicians performing such styles as bluegrass, country, folk, oldies, rock-n-roll, Christian and big band.

Held on Wednesday through Sunday of the second week of August, the Festival's trademark is its outstanding music and entertainment format and a juried artisan exhibition offering awards for artistry and presentation.

Miami County Fair
(Admission: $5 for those nine and older) 

• When: August 10-16, 2007

• Where: Troy, Ohio

• Phone: Call 937-335-7492

Welcome to the 159th Miami County Fair, a timeless tradition providing a little bit of country for over 100,000 visitors annually.  This great family favorite consists of a week of competitions, food, entertainment, food, harness racing, food, art exhibits, food, midway rides and of course, FOOD!  There is virtually something for everyone to see, enjoy and experience at the Miami County Fair. Interested in showcasing your talent?  Then head to the Entertainment Tent and be part of a talent show or even karaoke.  Local entertainers will also perform. Rides all day from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Leave the hustle
and bustle of city life behind and capture a bit of country life. 

Tuscarawas County Italian-American Festival
(Admission is Free)

• When: August 10 - 12, 2007

• Location: downtown Dover, Ohio

• Phone: 330-339-6405

Celebrate Italian-American heritage with plenty of food, music, dancing and fun. This festival features Bocce and Morra tournaments, a pizza eating contest, spaghetti sauce contest, amateur wine makers contest and plenty of other activities for the family. An old-time Procession leading to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Dover.

Midsummer Jazzfest
(Admission is free)

• When: August 11, 2007 

• Where: Indian Mound Mall, Heath Ohio 43056

• Phone: 740-345-9408

You are invited to the first annual Midsummer JazzFest. It will highlight 6 of the top jazz musicians in the Midwest. Located under a 4,000 square-foot tent, it include ribs, a hot rodders show and a new car show. The music starts at Noon and goes until 8pm. So stop on by, bring your lawn chair and enjoy the day with Free fun! 

Frog Jump Festival
(Admission is Free)

• When: August 12, 2007 

• Where: Valley City, Ohio 44280

• Phone: 330-483-1111

For more than 45 years, Valley City, Ohio has been jumping for joy when frogs take to the pavement to test their leg strength in a peculiar festival that celebrates their leaping abilities. More than a thousand people gather annually to partake in the fun. These frog-natics transport their slimy competitors in old coffee cans, coolers and jars. There are about 600 frogs entered into the contest by toddlers, retirees and everyone in-between. Trophies are awarded to the winners. Food, beverage and souvenirs are available as well as music and games. Admission and parking are free.

Feast Of The Assumption
(Admission is Free)  

• When: August 15 - 18, 2007

• Location: Little Italy’s Murray Hill neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio

• Phone: 216-421-2995

Whether you’re Italian or not, this festival is popular for all walks of life. There is a traditional religious processional through the ethnic neighborhood streets following a mass at the church. Crowds are enormous as it seems all of northeast Ohio ascends on this little Italian-American community making it “Big Italy” if only for a few days. There is plenty of music, dancing, artwork, rides, and yes, great food. The area definitely is filled with an “old-world” atmosphere. The four-day celebration draws crowds of more than 100,000 annually. How can that many people be wrong? If you’re looking for old-world charm, culinary delight and beautiful cityscape, this is the place to see. 

Parade Of The Hills 

• Open: August 15-18, 2007

• Location: Nelsonville, OH

• Phone: 740-753-3525

This annual event will be featuring a Rocky Western tent sale.  The Nelsonville Rotary will have a chuckwagon food booth, and the Nelsonville Chamber of Commerce will have an old time western photo booth for children.  The event will also feature a tractor pull on Friday the 18^th for children ages 12 and under.

Pemberville Free Fair
(Admission is Free)

• Open: August 15- 18, 2007 

• Location: Memorial Park, on the corner of Front and College Streets, Pemberville, Ohio, 43450 (mailing address: PO Box 814, Pemberville, Ohio 43450)

• Phone: 419-287-3832

This 62-year-old event, one of the last free fairs in Ohio, includes two parades and offers the usual mix of animals, flowers, produce, quilts, needlework, bingo, hobbies, and yummy food, along with a horse pull, a kiddie tractor pull, a youth talent show, and a fun run.  The opening Kidde Parade is taken almost as seriously as the Krews of New Orleans take Mardi Gras (minus the naughty young ladies earning bead necklaces and roaming drunks sloshing beer everywhere...) and is well worth watching. Each year, closely-guarded plans for kiddie costumes and floats (which get more and more creative) start far in advance of the parade date and winners not only get a small purse, they get bragging rights until the next year’s parade.

Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival
(Admission is Free)  

• When: August 16-18, 2007

• Location: Downtown Bucyrus, Ohio

• Phone: 419-562-BRAT or 419-562-0720 or toll free 866-562-0720

This festival packs in three days of family-fun and more than 27 tons of the finest sausage cooking over open pits. In 2001, Ohio Magazine voted the Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival the “Best Food Festival.” The festival celebrates this small Ohio town’s German heritage with more than just bratwurst. It has more than 100 more delicious foods made from local family recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation dating back to “the old country.” 

Great Lakes Wooden Sailboat Regatta
(Free for spectators)

• When: August 16-19, 2007

• Location Battery Park · 701 East Water St. · Huron, OH

• e-mail glwss@yahoo.com or kklemmer@sbcglobal.net

If you like regattas, come and see this one. Beautiful wooden sailboats, both large and small, grace the waters of Lake Erie in this annual attraction. See them race for special awards in numerous boating categories. It is definitely one way to enjoy a late summer afternoon, especially if it is sunny. Don’t forget to pack a picnic basket.

Festival Of Nations
(Admission is Free)  

• When: August 18, 2007 from 4-9pm

• Where: Downtown Troy, Ohio

• Phone: 937-339-9558

There’s no need to travel the world this summer because the world is traveling to Troy, Ohio’s Festival of Nations. Experience the fascinating cultures from around the globe through Food – Dance – Music – Storytelling – Interactive Displays – Arts & Crafts.  This international melting pot of fun and intrigue is a celebration for all ages and offered for FREE! 

For the kids, there’s face painting, games and activities. And everyone will enjoy getting back to their roots by visiting a display from their native countries, browsing the cultural souvenirs, and a food court offering local restaurants the opportunity to serve cuisine generic to their native countries, including mouthwatering Italian, yummy Japanese, tantalizing German and much, much more.

Sweet Corn Festival
(Admission is Free)

• When: August 18-19, 2007

• Location: Community Park East on Dayton-Yellow Springs Road in Fairborn, Ohio

• Phone: 937-305-0800

I can’t resist…this is an EAR-Resistible festival. You’ve seen eating contests of all sorts but until you’ve seen teeth chop away at corn-on-the-cob like an old-fashioned typewriter, you aint seen a corn-eat'n contest. In addition, there’s a variety of entertainment, activities, arts and crafts and lots of fresh corn.

Courthouse Square Street Fair & Vintage Ice Cream Social
(Admission is Free) 

• When: Saturday, August 18, 2007

• Location: Main Street in Georgetown, Ohio

• Phone: 937-377-1394

Join the fun…! Create a custom Sunday at the vintage style Ice Cream Social. See the Steam powered Ice cream maker churn delicious homemade Ice Cream, Take your turn on Mycle’s Cycle’s bike powered ice cream churn. Moving through the procession you’ll find tasty treats from cakes, cookies and pastries to toppings, sauces and more. You will be sure to create your own Sunday masterpiece.  Accompanying all the excitement will be The Williamsburg Community Band!

Doggie Dash 'N Splash Fest
(Free admission, $5.00 parking donation)

• When: August 25, 2007 (Last Saturday in August)

• Where: Fairground Recreation Center, 210 Fairground Rd., Xenia

• Phone: 937-562-7440

Doggie Dash 'N Splash Fest is a one-day festival dedicated to the dogs featuring land and water games. The festival provides free samples, pet product vendors, concessions, a kids area, seminars and demonstrations and lots of prizes for the whole family. All well-mannered dogs on non-retractable leashes are welcome with their families. Event proceeds benefit the Scout Burnell-Garbrecht Dog Park located on the festival
grounds.

WACO Homecoming Fly-In
(Admission to the WACO Fly-In is $5.00 per person; free parking and handicap permit parking available) 

• When: August 25, 2007

• Location: Historic WACO Field at 1865 S. County Rd. 25-A in Troy, Ohio (Exit # 69 from I-75, North 2 miles)

• Phone: 937-335-9226

• Web Site: www.wacoairmuseum.org  

The WACO Historical Society will hold its Annual WACO Homecoming Fly-In August 26 at Historic WACO Field, located at 1865 S. County Rd. 25A, South of Troy. This year’s WACO homecoming scheduled for the last full weekend in August is sure to be a memorable experience for all who attend and enjoy the WACOS and other vintage airplanes expected for the Fly-In from all parts of the United States. This year’s theme,”Preserving the Past....Inspiring the Future!” will be showcased at the educational, family orientated nostalgic aviation event. 

WACO pilots will be available to provide rides in their beautiful open cockpit biplanes.  Interested persons should register with the WACO ride scheduler when they arrive at Historic WACO Field to select their ride times. If you prefer to view Fly-In activities from the ground, bring your lawn chair and enjoy the air show and then browse the field to see some of the new additions to this year’s WACO Fly-In event.    

Zucchini Festival
(Admission is Free)  

• When: August 23-26, 2007

• Location: Obetz, Ohio

• Phone: 614-492-8364

Come and get all the fresh zucchini you need to make bread and other treats to freeze for the winter. The Obetz Zucchini Festival has zucchini in the form of many different foods including a burger and fudge. The event also hosts a parade and queens pageant, contests, arts and crafts, games and rides along the midway. Plus, a variety of music will fill the air along with the wonderful aroma of zucchini.

August Festivals & Events

German Village

Paul's Pencil is Never Dull

Marietta: Story of a River Town

World Plowing Contest

A Favorite Dockside Restaurant

The 55 West Story

Superheroes Across Stateline

Play It Again - Special Features

NEW: Secret Views of Ohio

Main Travel Directory

Editor-In-Chief: Frank R. Satullo

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