Ohio celebrates summer

5/29/2011
BLADE STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES
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    • In every corner of Ohio, summer fun is on the calendar.

    We've organized the best festivals, fairs, and family-friendly destinations in the four quadrants of our fine Buckeye State.

     

    COUNTY FAIRS

    Dates and locations for area Ohio and Michigan county fairs in 2011. VIEW LIST

     

    NORTHWEST

    Things get a little swampy at northwest Ohio’s festivals, and that’s a good thing.

    The area is, after all, the Great Black Swamp and while that moniker isn’t so accurate anymore given all the development, the region’s ethnic heritage and geographical quirks make it a wonderful place for fun traditions like King Wamba parades, Polish street festivals, and things like the Festival of Fish.

    With that in mind, here’s a look at three of the bigger festivals that are centered in the region’s two major metropolitan areas —Toledo and Bowling Green — accompanied by a rundown of some of the other events throughout northwest Ohio.

    READ MORE: From the Old West End to the Black Swamp

    TO DO: Northwest Attractions

     

    NORTHEAST

    From football and hamburgers to twins and duct tape, summer festivals in northeast Ohio hit nearly every interest and activity.

    Native sons Cy Young and Dean Martin are honored here, as are the region’s strong Irish and Italian roots. Wine lovers have a weekend all their own; so, too, do fans of airplane acrobatics.

    Even history buffs who want to re-enact the Middle Ages have an event to call their own.

    So whatever your interest, there’s no excuse for claiming there’s nothing to do this summer in northeast Ohio.

    READ MORE: From Parade the Circle to Canton enshrinement

    TO DO: Northeast Attractions

     

    SOUTHWEST

    Too many banana splits and too much tobacco aren’t recommended. But summer festivals inspired by them are two reasons to take a drive in southwest Ohio this summer.

    Attractions at the Feast of the Flowering Moon festival in Chillicothe include Native American music and dancing, as well as a "mountain men encampment" on the shore of Lake Yoctangee, with working craftsmen and demonstrations.

    You’ll likely find a smaller crowd at the 17th annual Banana Split Festival in Wilmington, but that’s part of the event’s charm.

    The Ohio Tobacco Museum will be the site of the aptly named Ohio Tobacco Festival in August.

    READ MORE: From Flowering Moon to banana splits

    TO DO: Southwest Attractions

     

    SOUTHEAST

    There’s a festival almost every weekend in southeast Ohio this summer. Deciding which one to visit might be a challenge ... or it might be as easy as following your nose to Marietta, your ears to Coshocton, or turning your eyes to the Hocking Hills that surround Nelsonville.

    You can get a whiff or a taste of what’s cooking if you attend the Brick Street BBQ in Marietta, the first stop on the 2011 Ohio Triple Crown barbecue competition.

    It’s not often that you come across a convention of organ grinders and music-box collectors, but Coshocton will play host to a major event for the second time in five years.

    If you enjoy a good parade and family fun, hightail it to Nelsonville where there will be three parades during the four-day Parade of the Hills festival.

    READ MORE: From barbecue to organ grinders

    TO DO: Southeast Attractions