The Division of Travel and Tourism complies news releases on a regular basis, including monthly events releases, releases on a theme and Ohio tourism trends.
Ohio’s Fall Festival Lineup Wows with Sights, Sounds, Smells of Autumn
Events throughout the state celebrate the harvest season, culinary treats, fall foliage and more
9/22/2009
CONTACT:
Tamara Brown at (614) 466-8591
Leslie Holbrook at (614) 383-1635
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sept. 22, 2009) – As Ohio’s landscape begins to transform in preparation for fall, an array of festivals kick off the season and offer activities and escapes as varied as the reds, oranges and yellows that dot the state’s fall foliage backdrop. With fall harvest season in full swing, it’s not uncommon to find visitors discovering new culinary concoctions at an apple butter festival, or celebrating the region’s rich German heritage by sampling sauerkraut-infused treats. And growers of giant pumpkins battle for the title of “King Pumpkin” while outdoor enthusiasts trek through Ohio’s rugged terrain on birding excursions as the fall migration brings exotic birds through the state.
Following is just a sampling of Ohio’s fall celebrations. For more autumn inspiration, check out
DiscoverOhio.com/Autumn Adventures or call 1-800-BUCKEYE. Fall in Ohio is Too Much Fun for Just One Day!
Barnesville Pumpkin Festival, Downtown Barnesville, Sept. 24 – 27 (SE)
This Barnesville tradition features a pumpkin weigh-in for the largest pumpkin and pumpkin-infused treats like ice cream, pies and cookies. Visitors enjoy local contests like the longest beard contest and a fiddle-playing championship. Make sure to check out Barnesville’s Royalty during the crowning ceremony of the Festival Queen. This festival is the perfect way to celebrate the fall harvest season.
Country Applefest, Downtown Lebanon, Sept. 26 (SW)
This year, downtown Lebanon transforms into the perfect destination for a delicious fall festival. Visitors will enjoy hand-made crafts including wooden toys, hand-wrapped jewelry, glass creations and more. Savory fudge-covered apples, smoked pork and locally produced honey envelop the senses for a mouth-watering experience. This family-friendly event features balloon masterpieces for children by Tears the Clown and musical entertainment throughout the day.
Feathers and Foliage Bird Festival, Throughout Kelleys Island, Sept. 26 (NW)
Take a tree identification walk through Kelleys Island State Park with a State Park manager, and bring along your binoculars for the guided birding walk at the North Pond Preserve and Boardwalk. Visitors can view a variety of migrating birds along the trail and from an observation deck overlooking the pond. At the bi-annual Long Point banding station, visitors can see birds up close as they’re marked with bands for tracking.
19th Annual Barberton Mum Fest, Lake Anna Park, Barberton, Sept. 26 – 27 (NE)
Regarded as the largest display of mums in North America, the 19th Annual Mum Fest displays 20,000 chrysanthemums that create more than a million mum blooms in a rainbow of colors at Barberton's Lake Anna Park. Visitors enjoy a potted mum sale, log carving, water ski shows, arts and crafts, fabulous foods, sand sculpting, historical displays and children's activities. This family friendly event also hosts free musical entertainment by local acts.
Ohio Swiss Festival, Downtown Sugarcreek, Oct. 2 – 3 (NE)
Enjoy Swiss costumes, Alpine horn players, Swiss-inspired storefronts with hand-made goods and samples of nearly every cheese imaginable. Known as the “Little Switzerland of Ohio” this bucolic village is the perfect backdrop to enjoy the Steintossen (a contest in which contestants “toss” a 138 pound stone), a yodeling contest, musical entertainment from polka to the Grammy-nominated Del Sinchak, parades and more.
Apple Butter Festival, Mt. Gilead State Park, Oct. 2 – 4 (C)
Grab the family and a camping tent and head down to Mt. Gilead State Park in beautiful Morrow County for a celebration of the fall season. Homemade samples of apple butter will make for a tasty treat. Afterward, gather the family together to enjoy hayrides; Halloween-themed festivities; fall hikes; entertainment; and ham and bean soup. As the night sky rises, build a campfire and tell spooky ghost stories with loved ones close by.
39th Annual Bob Evans Farm Festival, Rio Grande, Oct. 9 – 11 (SE)
Appropriate for friends and families of all ages, the festival offers country arts and crafts, farm contests, livestock and delicious home-style, home-cooked meals that warm the body and soul. Live music entertainment features some of the region’s favorite bluegrass bands, including Dailey & Vincent, winners of the “2008 Entertainers of the Year” award from the International Bluegrass Music Association.
Fall on the Farm at Historic Sauder Village, Archbold, Oct. 10 (NW)
Sauder Village’s Fall on the Farm gives visitors an opportunity to step back in time to an 1800s pioneer village and help prepare the farm for winter. From making noodles, butter and cornhusk dolls to decorating pumpkins, pressing apples for cider, exploring a straw tunnel and harvesting sunflower seeds and vegetables from the garden, there are plenty of activities for all ages to enjoy.
40th Annual Ohio Sauerkraut Festival, Downtown Waynesville, Oct. 10 – 11 (SW)
When German immigrants began settling in southwest Ohio, they brought with them culinary and cultural inspirations. Every fall, Waynesville honors this history with the Sauerkraut Festival and nearly 13,000 pounds of sauerkraut! Experience the savory flavors of the finest Reubens, “kraut dogs” and cabbage rolls. Take your quest for culinary exploration one step further and delight in sauerkraut-inspired creations including pizza, donuts, fudge and even sundaes.
Circleville Pumpkin Show, Downtown Circleville, Oct. 21 – 24 (C)
One of Ohio’s most famous annual festivals, the Circleville Pumpkin Show entertains more than 400,000 visitors with all things pumpkin. Since 1907, the Circleville Pumpkin Show has provided pumpkin foods, carnival rides, parades and the “King Pumpkin Contest” to find the largest pumpkin. Past “King Pumpkins” have weighed in at more than 1,500 pounds.
For additional opportunities to celebrate the fall harvest season in Ohio, visit
DiscoverOhio.com, your one-stop source for Ohio Autumn Adventures. For more up-to-the-minute information, we invite you to follow Ohio Tourism on Twitter @DiscoverOhio and become a fan of the Ohio Tourism Division on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/discoverohio.
To order your free copy of the 2009 Ohio Travel Planner or 2009/2010 Fall/Winter Ohio Calendar of Events, click on the Free Publications icon on
DiscoverOhio.com or call 1-800-BUCKEYE. The Ohio Travel Planner and Ohio Calendar of Events also are both viewable online at
DiscoverOhio.com. For questions and additional information, trained travel counselors are available to assist 1-800-BUCKEYE callers weekdays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
About the Ohio Tourism Division
The Ohio Tourism Division is the premier source of information for travelers and media about Ohio’s vibrant tourism experiences, attractions, and economy. Division marketing programs contributed to an estimated $39 billion in visitor spending in 2008 and 452,000 jobs sustained by visitors to the state. A part of the Ohio Department of Development, the Division’s mission is to promote and celebrate Ohio’s unique travel opportunities and market the state’s outstanding quality of life.
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Editor’s Note: High-resolution images and B-roll are available for download/request from the Ohio Tourism Division’s Online Press Room at: http://consumer.discoverohio.com/pressroom/.