Admission to the Biggest Week in American Birding at Black Swamp Bird Observatory in Oak Harbor, Ohio, is free.

• When: May 8 – 17, 2026
• Location: (Map It) Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, and Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio. Festival Headquarters: Maumee Bay Lodge & Conference Center at 1750 State Park Road in Oregon, Ohio
• Phone: 419-898-4070
• Email: biggestweek@bsbo.org
• Web: click here

Biggest Week in American Birding at Black Swamp Bird Observatory in Oak Harbor, Ohio: This 10-day event is planned at the peak of spring warbler migration in the Lake Erie Marsh Region of Northwest Ohio.  The “Biggest Week” will be jam-packed with workshops, warblers, free guided walks, warblers, half-day trips, keynote speakers, island birding trips, and more warblers.

“The Warbler Capital of the World” features incredible views of warblers and many other migrating songbirds, guided trips to area birding hotspots and private lands, Lake Erie Island birding trips, bird identification workshops, evening keynotes, and socials featuring some of the region’s incredible food, wine, and music, and much more!

The festival is headquartered at Maumee Bay Lodge & Conference Center on the shores of Lake Erie in Oregon, Ohio.  The Lodge is approximately ten miles east of downtown Toledo, Ohio, and fifteen miles west of Black Swamp Bird Observatory in Oak Harbor, Ohio. Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Maumee Bay Lodge & Conference Center, Destination Toledo, and Lake Erie Shores & Islands host the Biggest Week.

Admission to the Appalachian Festival in the Village of New Richmond, Ohio, is approx. $15/person

• When: May 9 & 10, 2026
• Location: (Map It) Along Front Street in the Business District of the Village of New Richmond, Ohio
• Phone: 513-251-3378
• Web: click here

The Appalachian Festival in the Village of New Richmond is a long-standing major spring event to celebrate the heritage of Appalachia. There are plenty of artisans and crafters displaying their creations and providing demonstrations of their work. The living history of Appalachia is in the fabric of the festival, from the food, dance, music, and storytelling.

Admission to the Put-in-Bay Blessing of the Fleet is free.

• ​When: May 12, 2026 at 11am
• Location: (Map It) Put-in-Bay, Ohio
• Phone: 419-285-2832
• Web: click here

The Blessing of the Fleet in Put-In-Bay:  Get ready for some fun on one of the Great Lakes as Lake Erie’s summer hot spot kicks off another season with its Blessing of the Fleet. This annual celebration of the new fishing season includes a boat parade, music, and entertainment.

Blessing of the Fleet celebrations also occur in Ashtabula, Ohio, and other locations throughout the state’s north coast and Ohio River communities.

Admission to the Butterfly Show At Krohn Conservatory: Approximately $10 adults, $7 kids ages 5-17.

• Open: Mid-May to Mid-August annually from 10am – 8pm daily
• Location: (Map It) 1501 Eden Park Drive in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Phone: 513-421-4086
• Web: click here

Butterfly Show At Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati, Ohio:  Join the Cincinnati Park Board in Eden Park for an up close and personal look at a remarkable collection of butterflies. As many as 16,000 butterflies representing more than 100 species fly freely inside the conservatory among the exotic flora. Special activities for children are planned.

Admission to the Miami County Food Truck Rally & Competition at the fairgrounds in Troy, Ohio, is approx. $5/carload.

• When: May 16, 2026, from 11am – 9pm
• Location: (Map It) Miami County Fairgrounds in Troy, Ohio
• Phone: 937-335-7492
• Web: www.miamicountyohiofair.com

Miami County Food Truck Rally & Competition at the Fairgrounds in Troy, Ohio: Join over 10,000 people for the Miami County Agricultural Society’s Food Truck Competition & Rally at the Miami County Fairgrounds in Troy, Ohio.

This unique event promises to have something for nearly every culinary delight. Whether your passion is for the main course, a sweet treat, or a specialty beverage, you will find the right truck! Entertainment is provided throughout the day, and there are plenty of dining areas for your group to gather.

Admission to the Port Clinton Walleye Festival is free.

• When: May 21 – 25, 2026 (Always Memorial Weekend)
• Location: (Map It) Waterworks Park on the shores of beautiful Lake Erie, Port Clinton, Ohio
• Phone: 419-734-5503
• Web: click here

Port Clinton Walleye Festival:  With a beautiful view of Lake Erie from the Waterworks Park in Port Clinton, the Walleye Festival is five days of great outdoor celebration to kick off the beginning of summer. Port Clinton is known as the “Walleye Capital of the World” and brings in those seeking walleye. With live entertainment, including a kids’ fishing derby, carnival rides, Walleye Beer Fest, a Grand Parade, live concerts, a 5-k race, and hundreds of food and merchandise vendors from around the nation, the Walleye Festival is one of Ohio’s largest outdoor celebrations. The free annual festival is five fun days on the picturesque Lake Erie shore.

Admission to the Feast of the Flowering Moon in Chillicothe is free.

• When: May 22 – 24, 2026 (Always the Friday – Sunday of Memorial Weekend)
• Location: (Map It) Chillicothe, Ohio (downtown at Yoctangee Park)
• Phone: 740-702-7677
• Web: click here

Feast of the Flowering Moon in Chillicothe: This annual three-day themed event features native-American music and dancing, traders and exhibits and mountain-men encampments depicting pioneer life in the 19^th century, and daily entertainment. In addition, it displays arts and crafts and traditional entertainment and food.  All events are FREE to the public. These events include Main Stage Entertainment, Kid’s Fun Run (Saturday), Senior Citizens Day & Bingo (Friday), Gospel Day (Sunday), Memorial Day Parade, and more.

Admission to the New Straitsville, Ohio Moonshine Festival is free (tickets for rides may be purchased). 

• ​When: May 22 – 25, 2026 (Friday to Monday Memorial Weekend)
• Location: (Map It) Main Street, New Straitsville, Ohio
• Phone: 740-394-2425 or 740-394-2239 or 740-394-2727
• Web: click here
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New Straitsville Moonshine Festival:  An Ohio festival for the rebel inside you. Once the moonshine capital of the world, New Straitsville hosts an annual festival devoted to celebrating the history and making of moonshine. During the days of Prohibition, the town of New Straitsville churned out more moonshine than anywhere else in the country. The festival has been held every May since 1971. The five-day Moonshine Festival features free live entertainment, amusement rides, carnival-style food and drinks, and the Moonshine Festival parade along New Straitville’s Main Street. The city gets a five-day license to brew old-fashioned moonshine to demonstrate the complicated process to festival-goers. Visitors can also visit the history museum and see a working moonshine still display. Visitors are welcome to experience everything this unique festival has to offer. ; )

​Admission to the Oak Hill Festival of Flags is free.

• When: May 22 – 25, 2026 (Always Friday to Monday, Memorial Weekend)
• Location: (Map It) 316 W. Main Street in Oak Hill, Ohio
• Phone: 740-682-9956
• Web: click here

The Oak Hill Festival of Flags is an annual tradition commemorating Memorial Day and has become a fun-filled way to celebrate the holiday weekend. The town first created the Festival of Flags to celebrate patriotism around Memorial Day weekend. More than 2000 flags are on display, and festive decorations are around the town each year for the event. The festival at Aetna Park includes continuous, fun, and free entertainment for people of all ages. Features like rides, crafts, food booths, an old car show, a baby contest, a dog show, several historic exhibitions like Oak Hill’s one-room school, a quilt show, a karaoke contest, a corn hole tournament, children’s activities, and an annual 5-k run. The festival highlights the town’s history with five days of endless activities.

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Admission to the Coshocton Flint Festival & Knap-In is approx. $5/car.

• When: Always the Fri – Sun on Memorial and Labor Day Weekends
• Location: (Map It) Coshocton County Fairgrounds at 707 Kenilworth Ave. in Coshocton, Ohio
• Phone: 740-622-4877
• Web: click here for May and click here for August/September
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The Coshocton Flint Festival & Knap-In provides an entertaining and educational weekend for all ages. Craftspeople demonstrate the art of flint knapping to create arrowheads and other tools, a tradition dating back thousands of years. Demonstrations, auctions, and contests are just some popular event highlights.

Admission to the Columbus Asian Festival is free.

• When: May 23 & 24, 2026. Always Sat & Sun Memorial Weekend  from 10am – 8pm and 10am – 6pm, respectively
• Location: (Map It) Franklin Park at 1755 E Broad St. in Columbus, Ohio
• Web: click here

Columbus Asian Festival in Columbus, Ohio:  This festival is a major draw in central Ohio, attracting approximately 50,000+ visitors of all backgrounds annually. Not only will guests learn about the cultures and traditions of the people from China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Laos, and Pakistan – to name about a dozen – but it also presents a very rich and fun experience. Activities are abundant. They include performing and visual arts shows, children’s activities, cultural displays, martial arts demonstrations, and educational exhibitions.

​Parking for the Utica Sertoma Ice Cream Festival at Ye Olde Mill and Velvet Ice Cream Company is approx. $5/vehicle.

• When:  May 23 – 25, 2026, from from 9am – 7pm on Sat & Sun, and 10am – 6pm on Monday (Always held  on Memorial Weekend from Saturday to Monday)
• Location: (Map It) 11324 Mt. Vernon Rd in Utica, Ohio, at Ye Olde Mill and Velvet Ice Cream Company
• Phone: 740-892-3921
• Web: click here

The Utica Sertoma Ice Cream Festival at Ye Olde Mill and Velvet Ice Cream Company:  What’s summer without ice cream? If you like ice cream, you will love this festival with plenty of that and more. A mile south of Utica, Ohio, the Utica Old Fashion Ice Cream Festival on the grounds of Velvet Ice Cream Co. is held annually on Memorial Day Weekend. This festival kicks off with the grand parade. Over 90 artisans and food vendors come to the event every year. The festival begins with an ice cream parade. Anyone can participate in the Velvet Ice Cream eating contest. Other events include live musical performances, egg tosses, pony rides, a car show, a motorcycle show, and a magic show. The decades-old tradition draws about 40,000 people to Utica, who gulp down more than 75,000 scoops of ice cream. Ice cream and family fun are a perfect way to kick off the summer.

Admission to the Dennison Railroad Festival is free.

• When: May 28 – 30, 2026 (Always the Thr – Sat after Memorial Day)
  
• Location: (Map It) Center Street in Dennison, Ohio
• Web: click here

The Dennison Railroad Festival:  One hundred miles from Columbus and Pittsburgh, the small town of Dennison holds its annual railroad festival in the Historic Depot Museum. The Dennison Railroad was once one of the country’s largest railroad shops and yards. All trains between St Louis and New York stopped there. Today, the town of Dennison no longer sees train activity, but the six-day Dennison Railroad Festival is held every year to celebrate the town’s industrial history. Held around the Historic Railroad Depot Museum and the Historic Street District, you can enjoy tasty food, exciting games and rides, a train exhibit, tours, and performances. Visitors can also enjoy the annual parade and car show.

Admission to Milford Frontier Days is free (rides and some activities require tickets).

• When: May 28 – 30, 2026
• Location: (Map It) American Legion grounds at 450 Victor Stier Dr. in downtown Milford, Ohio
• Call: 513-831-2411
• Web: click here

Frontier Days in Milford began in 1965 as a way to celebrate the heritage of the Milford Miami Township area. Diverse groups, such as church and school organizations, businesses, and athletic associations, come together to make Frontier Days one of the area’s biggest annual events and one of Ohio’s largest parades. Frontier Days has all the earmarks of a traditional hometown festival, including a big kickoff parade, great food, and family fun. In past years, thousands of people have lined the streets of Milford to see the floats, bands, and marching units. Frontier Days combines the distinct character of southwestern Ohio with the noise and color of a carnival… It’s all there, from balloons to bratwurst, from cotton candy to craft booths.