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.
Bask in Ohio’s Colorful Array of October Events
October’s fall foliage offers the perfect backdrop for art exhibits, historical events, outdoor fun
9/29/2009
CONTACT:
Tamara Brown, (614) 466-8591
Leslie Holbrook, (614) 383-1635
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sept. 29, 2009) – With the fall season in full swing, now is a great time to get out and enjoy all of autumn’s offerings. This October, visitors will delight in the Circleville Pumpkin Show and enjoy pumpkin-infused culinary treats, revel in the artistry of world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly’s glass exhibits and check out the vivid paint colors and patterns of Vinton County’s 27 quilt barns during the Quilt Barn Festival. Following is just a sampling of October events that make Ohio Too Much Fun for Just One Day! For more fun, budget-friendly travel ideas close to home, visit
www.DiscoverOhio.com, call 1-800-BUCKEYE, follow us on Twitter @DiscoverOhio or become a fan of the Ohio Tourism Division on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/discoverohio.
Family Fun
Autumn Lighthouse Festival, Marblehead Lighthouse, Marblehead, Oct. 10 (NW)
Visit the longest, continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes for a free tour that provides a great storied history of the lighthouse and how it continues to function today. Make sure to check out live entertainment from local acts and enjoy a bite to eat from a local restaurant on the shores of Lake Erie.
61st Annual Apple Butter Festival, Century Village Museum, Burton, Oct. 10 – 11 (NE)
The 61st Annual Apple Butter Festival celebrates this delicious fruit with an array of culinary delights including apple cider, baked apple pies and, of course, apple butter. Additional highlights include children’s pony rides and the annual dance contest where the Big Band group, Sophisticated Swing, will have visitors dancing in circles.
103rd Annual Circleville Pumpkin Show, Downtown Circleville, Oct. 21 – 24 (C)
During October, the 12,000-resident town of Circleville welcomes more than 400,000 visitors for a four-day event celebrating all things pumpkin. More than 100,000 pounds of pumpkins, squash and gourds will be featured in street displays while visitors can take their pick from pumpkin chili, burgers, fudge, donuts and more. The parades, Giant Pumpkin Contest, world’s largest pumpkin pie and Little Miss Pumpkin Show contest make this event a treat for all.
Arts and Culture
Chihuly Toledo! Toledo Museum of Art, Now through Nov. 29 (NW)
Through the end of November, Toledo builds on its Glass City reputation with glass pieces from the world-renowned glass artist, Dale Chihuly. This free exhibit features rarely seen master works from the museum’s extensive Chihuly collection. Accompanying the pieces are the very sketches and drawings that inspired the glass pieces that made Chihuly’s collection world famous.
Cleveland: A Celebration of Culture, Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, Beachwood, Oct. 1 – 31 (NE)
Celebrate Cleveland’s cultural heritage with an exhibition on Cleveland’s Cultural Gardens featuring artifacts, costumes and items from African-American, Irish and German settlers of the early 1800s to Hungarian, Polish, Chinese and Ukranian cultures who later settled in the area. Throughout the month, events and activities will showcase the diverse mix of Cleveland’s ethnic populations and neighborhoods.
40th Annual Ohio Sauerkraut Festival, Downtown Waynesville, Oct. 10 – 11 (SW)
This two-day event offers a unique approach to traditional sauerkraut dishes and takes them one step further with wildly creative recipes featuring sauerkraut-infused pizza, donuts, fudge and even sundaes! Check out more than 450 juried craft exhibitors with some traveling from as far away as Hawaii. Live local and regional entertainment acts cap off this delicious event.
Sports and Recreation
Annual Pumpkin Run Nationals Car Show, Clermont Co. Fairgrounds, Owensville, Oct. 2 – 4 (SW)
Join car enthusiasts from all over the Midwest, and check out the display of more than 3,000 vintage cars and trucks including street rods, custom-made vehicles and restored classics. Highlights of the event include a Hot Wheel race and live performance by the regional rock band, Blue Stone Ivory.
All-American Quarter Horse Congress, Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, Oct. 3 – 25 (C)
Established in 1951, the All-American Quarter Horse Congress is the world’s largest single-breed horse show and welcomes more than 650,000 people to the Columbus area annually. Equestrian enthusiasts enjoy performances from the Professional Bull Riders Tour, the popular Freestyle Reining, Quarter Horse Racing and a trade show that brings in top Western retail shopping from across the country and Canada.
30th Annual Fall Hike, Lake Hope State Park, Oct. 17 (SE)
Enjoy the crisp, autumn air on a three-mile guided trek through Lake Hope State Park’s stunning fall foliage. Bring binoculars to catch a glimpse of the area’s bird migrations and learn more about the region’s flora and fauna. Enjoy a cup of sassafras tea, bean soup and cornbread when you reach the Hope Furnace end point.
History and Heritage
Vinton Co. Quilt Barn Festival, Throughout McArthur, Oct. 3 – 4 (SE)
A quilt barn is a barn decorated with a large, painted quilt block, and the Vinton County Quilt Barn Festival pays homage to the County’s 27 brightly-patterned barns that add to Ohio’s brilliant fall foliage. Maps are available with various viewing drive routes. Selected barns also are hosting quilt shows and traditional Appalachian music to round out the experience.
Replica Wright Flyer Flight, Huffman Prairie Flying Field, Dayton, Oct. 5 (SW)
Celebrate the 104th anniversary of the Wright Brothers Practical Flight and the waves this historic flight made in aviation history. An opening ceremony kicks off the event, followed by the flight of a historically accurate replica of the Wright 1905 flyer. Visitors also enjoy static displays of aircraft gliders and early flyers and demonstrate on how they were constructed, controlled and flown in the air.
Latino Heritage Day, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland, Oct. 11 (NE)
October kicks off Latino History Month, and the Rock Hall is celebrating with Latino Heritage Day. Enjoy colorful performances and dance ensembles by authentic Latin bands and an awe-inspiring Salsa dance contest.
To order your free copy of the 2009
Ohio Travel Planner or
Fall/Winter Ohio Calendar of Events, click on the Free Publications icon at
www.DiscoverOhio.com or call 1-800-BUCKEYE. The
Ohio Travel Planner and
Ohio Calendar of Events also are both viewable online at DiscoverOhio.com. 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 total sales 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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