JANUARY 

A BI-CYCLING DANDY EXCUSE FOR GETTING HIBERNATED IN JANUARY! (A.B.C.D.E.F.G.H.I.J.!)
(Admission is Free)

• When: January 1, 2008 at Noon

• Location: Medina Square in Medina, Ohio

• Phone: 419-433-8353

This is a free bike ride of 3, 24, or 12 miles on New Year's Day – despite the weather. A map is provided, but NO other services are provided. NO sag wagon, NO snack stops, NO closed course, NO first aid cars, NO food. Get the idea? Then come prepared! The route does go through a couple of cities where food may be purchased if you need it. Optional personalized participation certificates are available at the end of the ride for 25 cents. Donations up to 50 cents are cheerfully accepted for this ride.

CHOCOLATE IS FOR LOVERS WINE TRAIL
(Admission: $40/Couple, $30/Single) 

• When: January 25 & 26 and February 1& 2, 8 & 9, 2008

• Locations: Wineries from Cleveland to Sandusky

• Phone: 800-227-6972

Celebrate Valentine's Day with this self-driving tour by traveling the shores of Lake Erie from Cleveland to Sandusky sampling wines. Trail includes wine glasses as a gift at your starting winery. Receive two samples and an appetizer at each stop.
 

CLEVELAND BOAT AND WATERFRONT LIFESTYLE EXPO
(Admission is $12 for adults. Children 12 and under free. Seniors 60 and better $11.) 

• When:  January 11 – 20, 2008

• Where:  Cleveland International Exposition (I-X) Center, Cleveland, Ohio

• For more info:  Visit www.ClevelandBoatShow.com or call 440-899-5009 

Celebrating its 50^th year, the all-new Cleveland Boat and Waterfront Lifestyle Expo, (formerly the Cleveland Mid America Boat Show), is the largest indoor boat show between both coasts. And this year’s show is totally redesigned to feature waterfront living displays alongside its 1,200 power and sail boats, making the Cleveland show the first boat show in the country to feature a full-scale Cape Cod home complete with dock and nautical interiors! With other brand-new offerings, including a Pirate Island educational center for children and Air Nautique’s Ride and Slide extreme wakeboarding show, this year’s show will offer something for every boating, sailing, and waterfront living enthusiast.

Printout: Cleveland Boat & Waterfront Lifestyle Expo
 

Elvis Presley the "Original" American Idol and the Fabulous Fifties and Sixties exhibits (Admission is $3 adults, $2 seniors, $1 children 6 and up)

• When: Saturdays and Sundays 1-4 PM,  November, December,  March and April and by appointment only in January and February

• Location: Heritage Hall Museum, 169 East Church Street, Marion Ohio 43302

• Phone: 740-387-4255

• Web address: www.marionhistory.com  

Visit the Marion County Historical Society museum Heritage Hall and tour the  “Elvis – the Original American Idol” and “The Fabulous 50’s & 60’s” exhibits.  Featured is a large collection of Elvis memorabilia on loan to the Historical Society from the collection of Jon Daly a local collector and president of the Elvis Memories Loop Fan Club as well as a nostalgic trip down memory lane into the  world of soda pop, early TV, record albums, Howdy Doody and aluminum tumblers!    Tours of the Wyandot Popcorn Museum and the Marion County Historical Society's Warren G. Harding collection are also included with admission to Heritage Hall. 

Join Elvis Fans at Heritage Hall on January 12, 2008 from 1-5 PM for a special birthday tribute to Elvis Aaron Presley. Guests may come in their favorite Elvis era clothing and rock 'n' roll the afternoon away celebrating with Elvis karaoke, ice cream and cake.  Please call 740-387-4255 to pre register for this event. Regular museum admission will be collected.

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MOHICAN WINTER FEST AND SNOWBALL DANCE
(Admission to Winter Fest is free, but the Snowball Dance is $10/person)

• When: January 11 & 12, 2008
• Location: Downtown Loudonville
• Phone: 419-994-4789

Come and enjoy ice carving competitions featuring Olympic Ice Carvers. Ice carvings are displayed throughout downtown but most of the events occur at Central Park. Visitors will enjoy speed carving, demonstrations, ice-skating, winter hikes, carriage rides and more. On Saturday evening catch the "Snow Ball Dance" at the American Legion Hall in Loudonville.  

Printout: Mohican Winter Fest and Mohican Snowball Dance

THE GREAT SLED DOG RACE CLASSIC OF NORTHEAST OHIO
(Admission is Free!) 

• When: January 5 - 6, 2008 from 9am - 3pm

• Location: Punderson State Park, in Newbury, Ohio

• Phone: 1-800-775-TOUR (8687)

The Sled Dog Classic is the only sled dog event in Ohio attracting mushers from across Ohio and other states. Teams will cover one to six miles through woods and across open fields. Because the weather doesn’t always cooperate, there will be an alternate race date announced. Call the office 800-775-8687 for updates. This event is  presented by Geauga County Tourism Council and the Siberian Husky Club of Greater Cleveland.

Printout: The Great Sled Dog Race Classic of Northeast Ohio

A CHRISTMAS STORY HOUSE
Admission: $7 for adults and $5 for children 7-12 years old. Group discounts are available.
The price of admission includes a guided tour of the house and yard and admittance into the museum.

• When: Wednesdays November 1 through January 15. A Christmas Story House and Museum is open year-round. The days and hours of operation are: Thursday – Saturday 10 a.m. -5 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. Please note the we are closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve/New Years. Tours of A Christmas Story House are conducted every half hour beginning at 10:30 AM. The last tour of the day begins at 4:30 PM.

• Where: 3159 W. 11th Street, Cleveland, OH  44109. Admission tickets to A Christmas Story House can be purchased at the museum (1103 Rowley Ave.) located directly across the street from the house. All tours start at the museum.

• Phone: 216-298-4919

The house used in the popular holiday classic “A Christmas Story” has been restored to its original 1983 movie appearance. Purchased and renovated by Brian Jones, a true fan of the movie who sells leg lamps for a living, the house takes visitors on a nostalgic journey to the sights and scenes where Ralphie Parker dreams of nothing but receiving a genuine Red Ryder 200-shot Carbine Action Air Rifle for Christmas.In addition to A Christmas Story House, visitors can explore the museum where items from the movie are on display, more than 100 behind-the-scenes photos are featured and movie-related memorabilia can be purchased. A Christmas Story House is located just five minutes from downtown Cleveland at 3159 W. 11th Street in the Tremont neighborhood. For more information or for directions, visit www.AChristmasStoryHouse.com or call 216-255-6651.

Printout: A Christmas Story House

DICKENS VICTORIAN VILLAGE

• When: November 5, 2007 through January 21, 2008

• Location: Historic Downtown Cambridge, Ohio

• Phone: 800-933-5480 (Cambridge/Guernsey County Visitors & Convention Bureau)

Take a trip back in time and experience old world England as historic downtown Cambridge, Ohio, is charmingly transformed into a Dickens Victorian Village. Visitors are invited to stroll amidst 40 vignettes of 105 lifelike figures representing classic scenes from Victorian society. This innovative public art exhibition can be enjoyed by families, couples, and groups alike -- an experience that will engage the senses as you explore the charming streetscape, striking historic architecture, and eclectic shops and eateries of Cambridge. 

The Dickens scenes are stationed along Wheeling Avenue at each antique lamppost and bench between 6th and 11th Streets. Wheeling Avenue is also the historic National Road/Route 40 and features an outstanding streetscape of original buildings from the 1800s.  

The Dickens Victorian Village vignettes are comprised of life-sized and hand-made mannequins wearing real vintage clothing. The faces for each character are individually sculpted and painted by local artists. The displays include engaging depictions of classic Dickens-era scenes and figures such as Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim, the town crier, groups of carolers (that actually “sing” classic carols!), a bucket brigade, lamplighters, school children, street peddlers, and Father Christmas, all posed in active scenes that appear frozen in time.

Printout: Dickens Victorian Village

VALENTINE RE-MAILING PROGRAM FROM LOVELAND
(Special stamping is free; must apply proper postage to envelopes) 

• When:  January 1st through February 14th

• Location:  Loveland Area Chamber of Commerce in Loveland, Ohio

• Phone:  513-683-1544

Send your Valentines stamped with a romantic cachet and postmark from Loveland, Ohio.  Prepare your Valentines, affixing proper postage, address, and return address, and include them in a larger envelope addressed to:  The Valentine Lady, 442 West Loveland Ave., Loveland, OH  45140.   

All of the Valentine Ladies, past and present, members of the sweetheart court, and Loveland Area Chamber of Commerce staff members, will affix the special cachet bearing our signature slogan, "There is nothing in this world so sweet as love."  After the special cachet is stamped upon the Valentine envelopes, they are taken to the Loveland Post Office where they are hand canceled bearing the passionate postmark from Loveland, OH.  Please don't wait until February to send your Valentines!  For more information please visit www.lovelandchamber.org.
 

42ND ANNUAL WINTER HIKE AT HOCKING HILLS
(Participation is Free) 

• When: 9 a.m., Saturday, January 19, 2008 

• Location: Hike begins with continuous starts between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. from the Old Man’s Cave Visitor’s Center. 

• Phone:  740-385-6842

Thousands of outdoor enthusiasts will participate in the 42nd Annual Hocking Hills Winter Hike on Saturday, January 19.

Hikers should gather at the Old Man’s Cave parking lot before 9 a.m.; groups will begin walking to Ash Cave at regular intervals until 11 a.m. A hearty lunch of bean soup, cornbread and hot chocolate will be served at Cedar Falls, the hike’s mid-way point.  

The event is free and will take place rain, snow or shine. Donations are suggested for refreshments. Hikers should come dressed in layered clothing and sturdy shoes. 

Hocking Hills State Park is located about 55 miles southeast of downtown Columbus on State Route 664 in Hocking County.