DiscoveringOhio

Everett Road covered bridge's haunted history

I've visited the Everett Road covered bridge in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park at several different times and during several different seasons, and I've always found it to be a quiet and scenic little spot.

However, other visitors have a different tale to tell, reporting ghostly sightings and strange, disembodied voices pleading for help in the face of danger.

The Everett Road bridge is the last remaining covered bridge in Summit County (south of Cleveland and near Akron), and I like lingering in its pretty setting in the national park near a bridle trail, watching for horseback riders and taking photos.

Perhaps if I visited the bridge at night, I might change my mind.

In 1877, Farmer John Gilson and his wife went to visit friends one cold winter night. A storm arose as the couple returned home. The couple needed to ford Furnace Run with their horse-drawn wagon or sled, but rising water and ice blocked their usual crossing.

Mr. Gilson began leading his horses across the creek at another crossing, but he and the horses lost their footing. Mrs. Gilson survived the incident, even though she fell into the water as well, but Mr. Gilson did not.

Some say that the construction of the Everett Road covered bridge was a response to the Gilson tragedy. Another researcher says the span's original name was Centennial Bridge, indicating a possible construction date tied to the United States Centennial in 1876.

The bridge's truss style and the fact that wooden bridges began to fall out of favor by the 1880s suggest that the bridge may date to the late 1870s, but there is no record confirming the bridge's construction date.

The mystery deepens when you consider the construction of Everett Road itself in 1856.

Road construction workers found a burial mound with a tomb containing the remains and belongings of Native Americans who were part of the Hopewell Culture, native groups living in Ohio 1500 to 2100 years ago.

Mid-nineteenth century folks didn't appreciate the historical and cultural significance of the discovery and simply built their road over part of the burial ground.

Ghosts, on the other hand, reportedly have a different view of things, and a ghostly hitchhiker reportedly frequents the road in an area between the native burial site and the wooden bridge.

Flood waters again played a role in the bridge's history, damaging the bridge heavily in 1913 and destroying it completely in 1975.

School kids began raising money to rebuild the bridge, but it took more than a decade for the project to come to fruition. A crew of local citizens recruited by the National Park Service rebuilt the bridge by hand in 1986, using mostly new timbers instead of the rotted remains of the original bridge.

Ghosts reportedly continue to haunt the rebuilt span with ghost hunters continuing to conduct investigations in the area and detecting nocturnal ghostly orbs, fogs and disembodied voices at the site.

Brooks Was Here. So Was Red: Following the Shawshank Trail

I arrived at the Ohio State Reformatory in the middle of a howling storm, but it wasn't just the cold that gave me shivers. The 250,000-square-foot Romanesque building houses the world's largest free-standing steel cell block and was home to more than 155,000 men between 1896 and 1990.

Initially lauded for taking steps toward prison reform, over time conditions at the Reformatory deteriorated to the point where inmates were routinely abused and tortured. 215 people who entered the prison never left -- though some believe their souls still haunt the grounds. Since the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society opened the prison for ghost tours in 1995, it has been considered by ghost hunters to be one of the most active haunted places in the United States.

The prison has been the site of many paranormal investigations and still runs regular ghost tours, (and for Halloween, a "Dead Walk") but I was visiting for a different reason: it is the first stop on the "Shawshank Trail," a self-drive tour of the filming locations used in the 1994 movie "The Shawshank Redemption."

From May to September visitors to the Ohio State Reformatory can tour the West Tower, East Cell Block, the "hole" and sites featured in the movie including the office of Warden Samuel Norton; the Parole Board Room, and Andy Dufresne's escape tunnel.

A few minutes drive into Mansfield took me to several other movie sites, including another haunted location: the Bissman Building, filmed as the Brewer Hotel where newly released Brooks takes his life, and as the exterior of the Daily Bugle's office.

The building dates from 1886 and features a Romantic Gothic architectural style similar to the Reformatory. This is also thought to be the site of paranormal activity and offers paranormal tours and investigations.

Walking around the small, nostalgic town of Mansfield I also came across the antiques store where Red looked through a window to find the compass that helped him find the old oak tree and Andy's buried treasure; the Renaissance Theatre where The Shawshank Redemption premiered in September, 1994, and the park bench where Brooks sat feeding pigeons -- all handily identified by bright "Shawshank Trail" placards.

I drove 15 miles to Bellville to the spot where Red started his walk toward Buxton, and then to the site where he boards a bus en route to Mexico -- the open country roads stirring, even in me, a casual tourist, a sense of freedom.

I then drove past the old oak tree -- sadly only half of which remains following a storm last year -- and to Malabar Farm State Park's Pugh Cabin, which featured in the movie's opening scene. You can reach the cabin via the easy one-mile Doris Duke trail circuit.

After the short hike I took the opportunity to stop for lunch at the Malabar Farm Restaurant and to buy some maple syrup from the farm's store, before finishing up the trail with a couple of drive-by locations: a thrift store that doubled as a bus station in the movie, and the Wyandot County Courthouse.

I finished the trail and drove home in the pouring rain with one thing on my mind: to curl up and watch this great movie again -- and spot all the places I had just seen.

Top 5 Ohio Graveyards

1. Green Lawn Cemetery – Located in south Columbus, Green Lawn Cemetery is one of the largest in Ohio. Burials here include five former Ohio governors, James Thurber, Eddie Rickenbacker and Otis Harlan who was the voice of Happy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The cemetery is a popular spot for photographers and people who enjoy grave stone etchings. Be warned if you visit, as the gravel roads split multiple times throughout hundreds of acres making it easy to get lost among the 150,000 headstones.

2. Lake View Cemetery – Located near Cleveland, Lake View Cemetery is hailed as the largest and one of the most significant graveyards in Ohio. Lake View is an arboretum and wildlife refuge with hills and ponds that provide a tranquil landscape. Founded 1869, it covers almost 300 acres with 700 new burials each year. Notable names buried here: President James Garfield, John D. Rockefeller and Raymond Johnson Chapman, a Cleveland Indians shortstop who is the only known ball player to die from being hit by a pitch.

3. Stonewall Cemetery - This small cemetery located in Lancaster is one of the most unusual—not for who is buried there—but for the legend it holds. A large stone enclosure with a gated entrance surrounds the family plot of early Ohio settlers. Haunted folklore says if you climb to the top of the wall at night and walk around it 13 times, the dead will pull you inside. The family patriarch willed the cemetery to President James Monroe in 1817 and all future presidents. So, President Barack Obama is now the legal owner of the plot of land which is operated by the Fairfield County Historical Parks. 

4. Peoli Cemetery – Located in eastern Ohio in Tuscarawas County, Peoli Cemetery is the final resting place of MLB baseball pitcher Cy Young who died in 1911. One of the unique attractions of this cemetery is Cy’s grave site which portrays a famous winged baseball carving. 

5. Brock Cemetery – Brock Cemetery, near Greenville in Darke county, is still an active cemetery. It is best known for the famous burial of sharpshooter Annie Oakley who died in 1926. The cemetery is also famous for the controversy surrounding her burial. Some speculate that Oakley was cremated and buried in her husband’s grave which is next to hers after he died several weeks later.

Cemeteries have fueled people’s fascination with the dead for centuries. Ohio’s famous burial grounds and haunted folklore are sure to satisfy those who want to seek some haunted adventure this Halloween.

Pigeon Roost Farm: Plenty of pumpkins and much, much more

A visit to the pumpkin patch: It’s not just for the kids.

That’s part of the beauty of Pigeon Roost Farm, located on U.S. 40 in Licking County, about 25 miles east of Columbus.

Of course, there are pumpkins: Big, small, orange, yellow, white, green, bumpy, smooth.

There’s also a great selection of squash and pie pumpkins to be used in baking, as well as goodies like kettle corn and bulk Halloween candy.

There’s a market with cute autumn décor and a place to purchase costumes. There are chickens, goats and rabbits.

And there are loads of places for kids of all ages (including you, grown-ups) to play in the Great Pumpkin Fun Center.

Take, for example, the giant gerbil wheels: Large black tubes you can fit inside and run, hamster-wheel style, to make it move forward or backward.

Or the corn maze, suitable for the directionally gifted; we opted for the mini-maze (which I dubbed the “soybean maze” for obvious reasons) because we could see where we were going.

What we as parents of a three-year-old appreciated was the good amount of three-year-old and toddler-friendly activities available at Pigeon Roost: Easy slides to go down, rocking horses to giddy-up on, a “straw pit” to … well … throw straw in, and a hay bale tunnel to climb through.

It’s the kind of atmosphere you feel comfortable turning a kid loose in (while keeping a watchful eye out, of course) for good, old-fashioned fun: No batteries required.

We chose a warm and windy October day to visit and spent $5 each (for adults and children ages two and above) for unlimited time in the Great Pumpkin Fun Center. An extra $3 each nets you a hayride.

After enjoying our packed lunches in the picnic area (you can also purchase hot meals there), we explored just about every piece of play equipment on the property.

Among our last stops was Fort Pigeon Roost, which we climbed to get a look at the lay of the land. It was a sight to behold.

Racing the clock to nap time, we descended from the fort and made a beeline for the pumpkins, of which there was an ample selection.

Analeigh chose a slightly sickly-looking one because she liked its yellow color; we also left with a pie pumpkin and a perfectly round, orange, softball-sized one that makes a nice decoration atop our bookcase.

Though it wasn't our intention, we walked past a candy display and somehow ended up with a container of candy corn; it remained in the cupboard less than a week before mysteriously disappearing.

So far, our yellow Jack-o-Lantern-to-be has held up remarkably well. Even if he didn’t, we’d have some great photos from the day at the farm to prove it was time well spent.

 Pigeon Roost Farm’s PumpkinFest lasts until Oct. 31. It’s open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.pigeonroostfarm.com or call (740) 928-4925.

The Search For the Great Ohio Pumpkin Is On

Each and every pumpkin that makes it to our front step (and there will be six of them) comes with a savory story, with details that glow just as bright as the grin of the jack o’ lantern it will soon become. Underneath those giant wilted leaves, along the muddy furows of those fields, lies your great pumpkin -- but where? With so many pumpkin patches in Ohio to choose from, we need a navigator. To help, we’ve created an alphabetical list of Ten Unique Pumpkin Patches to help you tailor your adventure for the Great Pumpkin.

Circle S Farms Fall Fun Days includes not only a haunted cornfield but also a sunflower maze.

This Grove City Pumpkin Patch also offers hayrides to take you to the pumpkin field to search for the perfect pumpkin, and a straw-filled barn with slides. You’ll also find a bale cave, and farm animals.

Honey Haven Farm, Ashland, offers a horse-drawn wagon ride to the pumpkin patch, where you can try out their pumpkin slingshots, and air-powered corn cannons.

There is an indoor straw maze, an 8-acre corn maze and a barnyard zoo. 

Horsetail Run, Perrysville, gives you a Haunted Hayride through the woods to the 8-acre corn maze and pumpkin patch. Bring a flashlight! 

Kingsway Pumpkin Farm, Hartville, opens in 22nd season, where children can crawl through a long indoor straw tunnel, play in a large box of corn, pick their own pumpkin on the wagon ride,

visit the petting farm to feed the animals, and experience the challenging corn maze.

Leaders Farms offers the haunted cornfields, monster-infested laboratories, wild war zones, and the PanDEMONium Project.

You’ll also find gem mining, a petting zoo, and barnyard activities. The goal? To scare you silly.

Ma & Pa's, Geauga County. Nothing says fall better than a horse drawn hayride through the woods. There are non-haunted hayrides, and pumpkins are pre-picked. But they come in all colors -- pink, blue, white, orange and green.

 

McDonald’s Greenhouse, builds a yearly evolving corn maze theme. This year, the 5-acre corn maze celebrates the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts.

The farm includes a hayride and a “corn sandbox.”

Last spring, school kids in Hamilton County visited the Niederman Family Farm, and planted pumpkin seeds.

Now, those pumpkins are ready to be picked. There is a hayride to the pumpkin patch, along with a 17-acre corn maze.

Regal Vineyards, in Ashtabula County, is a vineyard – that includes a two-acre pumpkin patch. You can pick your own pumpkin with a choice of two corn mazes

(one for big kids and one for smaller.) There is a Haunted Winery – but this is a haunted walking event and recommended for those 13 years of age and older.

Rockin’-R- Ranch, in Cleveland, is a two-for-one. By day it offers a live interactive musical, and a ride to the pumpkin patch.Paint your own pumpkins right there!By night, the Ranch becomes the Spooky Ranch with a “family friendly” haunted hayride which leads to the “Haunted Barn” theatrical show. No one under 10 is allowed.

A Haunted Ohio

During this time of year we seek to find thrills and chills from amateur kids getting paid to jump out of dark corners at the local commercial haunted house. Trust me, I find it a great way to get the adrenaline pumping and trigger that fight or flight response, but this year I’ve graduated to seeking more authentic ways to get the other worldly experience. I’ve discovered that in Ohio, there are some genuine ghostly places to visit.

Even with prominent figures buried at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, like mogul, John D. Rockefeller, prohibition enforcer, Eliot Ness and Cleveland’s first African-American mayor, Carl B. Stokes, there still is a fair share of ghostly mystery swirling around the busy cemetery. The irony is that it is one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Ohio with over 285 majestic acres serving as the final resting place for so many Clevelanders. However, in President James A. Garfield’s monument, his ghost has been reported to still be roaming around. Witnesses have reported seeing eerie lights inside it as well.

 

 

 

 

 

In Ripley, Ohio even the ghost of a dog can be haunting. Many visitors have stated seeing one at the house of abolitionist, James Rankin. The Rankin House was at one time a stop for escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad. The ghost of a dog, apparently killed along with his master when a gambling game went awry, has been witnessed there. Strange voices have also been heard at the top of the stairway slaves used after crossing over the Ohio River behind the Rankin house.

Before I knew that the Franklin Castle in Cleveland was haunted, I remember driving by it and thinking to myself, “this place is scary.” Naturally, my instincts were correct. This place has such deep, dark history of murders and tragedy. The house has been known to be cursed with a number of deaths that have occurred there, the most well known story is one of a young girl who was hanged. Her ghost still roams the corridors.

The Ridges in Athens has such a sweet and pleasant name now, but when it was once known as the Athens Lunatic Asylum, it was not always a pleasant place to be. It was the site of such outdated medical practices like lobotomies and shock therapy and while maybe there hasn’t been a recanting of real ghost sightings, one has to agree that it is a scary site!

Finally, who can forget seeing television and films most notable narrator, Morgan Freeman, giving us the skinny on the new inmate in the movie, The Shawshank Redemption? That movie filmed, at the Mansfield Reformatory, didn’t even begin to depict the horrors that lurked there. Strange voices have been heard near where the superintendent once resided. Now the place has been turned into a tourist attraction where people come to get a glimpse of the many ghosts who are still locked inside. 

When it comes to getting scared this Halloween season, I’m going to leave it up to the professionals…the real ghosts, but whatever way you choose to get your fright-delight, Ohio has many options. What are some of your scary places to visit?

 

 

Lake Erie Shores & Islands Wine Trail an Autumn Delight

A journey along the Lake Erie Shores & Islands Wine Trail is the perfect pairing for an autumn weekend. Enjoy a leisurely trip along this trail which includes wineries on both the mainland and South Bass Island.

This trail includes 13 wineries and takes patrons as far west as Bryan, Ohio (near the Ohio/Indiana border) and as far east as Avon Lake, Ohio (just west of Cleveland). Pick a few wineries to visit or enjoy them all over the course of several days.

Wine varieties on this trail range from ice wine made from frozen grapes at Firelands Winery, to the delightfully sweet Pink and White Catawba Island varieties produced at Mon Ami Winery. This area of Ohio is well-known for it's summertime season, but the best is yet to come this fall. Enjoy a crisp breeze and the colors of autumn while sipping your choice of red, white or blush wine. Wineries on this trail include:

Chateau Tebeau Winery (Helena, Ohio)

D & D Smith Winery (Norwalk, Ohio)

Firelands Winery (Sandusky, Ohio)

Heineman's Winery (Put-in-Bay, Ohio)

Hillside Winery (Gilboa, Ohio)

John Christ Winery (Avon Lake, Ohio)

Klingshirn Winery (Avon Lake, Ohio)

Matus Winery (Wakeman, Ohio)
Mon Ami Restuarant & Historic Winery (Port Clinton, Ohio)

Paper Moon Vineyards (Vermilion, Ohio)

Quarry Hill Winery (Berlin Heights, Ohio)

Stoney Ridge Winery (Bryan, Ohio)

Vermilion Valley Vineyards (Wakeman, Ohio)

For more information about this wine trail or other wine trails in Ohio, visit the Ohio Wine Producers Association online. Trail maps, itineraries and more area also available. Consider pairing this trip with other activities in the region -- from a visit to Cedar Point amusement park, a selection of indoor waterparks, bird watching or a breath-taking sunset. The Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Center can help assist with local activity and lodging options.

Top 5 Burger Joints in Ohio

There is  perhaps no better way to pig out than with a plump hamburger! Ohio has some excellent burgers, and to prove it, I have compiled a list of The Top 5 Burger Joints in Ohio (according to ME)!

A Galley Boy from Swensons! Photo by Mike Evans.

1. Swensons Drive-Ins: Swensons has only seven locations and they can all be found in beautiful  Northeast Ohio. The very first of these yummy establishments was erected in 1934  near Market Street in West Akron. Now, you can also find  Swensons in North Akron, Kent, Montrose, North Canton, Jackson Township, and Seven Hills. These restaurants  have been recognized numerous times as having some of the BEST burgers in the  nation, including Forbes Magazine, who gave Swensons the title of America's Best Burger. Swensons was also featured on The Food Network's show "Food Feuds"  in which it won the title of the "Best Juicy Double Cheeseburger in the Akron Area." These are just some of the morsels of praise Swensons has received throughout the decades. The Galley Boy hamburger is what to get when you go there. It is famous for its two mysterious special sauces that are slathered  all over a double cheeseburger and garnished with a single green olive.

2. Kewpee Burger: I had never heard of Kewpee Burger until a  coworker and I made a random trip to Northwest Ohio. In search of a cheap yet  different lunch, my coworker spotted the Kewpee Burger  restaurant and excitedly squealed into the parking lot. The building  looked like it was straight from the 1960s and had an over-sized baby doll  donning a chef's hat on its sign. Looking past the weird baby dolls and inspecting  the menu, it looked like your standard McDonald's  menu - only cheaper! The prices seemed as frozen in time  as the burnt orange decor! I ordered the  cheeseburger combo meal that came with fries and a soda. As it turns out, there are  only five Kewpee Burger locations still in existence, three of which are in  Lima, Ohio. It was founded in 1923 and is the 2nd oldest hamburger fast  food chain in the world! In fact, Kewpee Burger is where Dave Thomas used to go growing up  as a kid and served as his inspiration for Wendy's. This was some rich fast food history that originated  right here in Ohio!

The Thurmanator! Photo from Bodybuilding.com

 

 

3. Thurman Cafe: Located in the quaint neighborhood of German Village in Columbus, this burger joint has garnered a great deal of fame, as it has appeared on national television, most notably on the Travel Channel's hit show "Man Vs. Food." On the show, the host takes on the challenge to attempt to eat the ginormous burger "The Thurmanator." It's quite an impressive sandwich that consists of two 3/4 pound beef patties under a half a pound of ham and bacon, covered in mozzarella, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, sauteed onions, pickles, jalapeno peppers and mayo. WHEW! It's so massive that the bodybuilders who come to Columbus each year for the Arnold  Fitness Classic come here to wolf one down. The normal sized burgers are indeed delicious here as well, but be warned that because of its appearance on TV, there is often a wait involved.

A burger from Fathead's Saloon. Photo by Mike Evans

4. Fathead's Saloon: Take one look at the photo above of the gargantuan burger with roasted red  peppers, bacon, cheese and a side of homemade chips and you will know why it's called Fathead's! Located in North Olmsted (a suburb of Cleveland), you can not go wrong by visiting this fan favorite brew pub! The amazing food is paired with fantastic award winning  beers like Head Hunter Pale Ale, Up In Smoke Porter, and Bumble Berry Honey Blueberry Ale. Fat Head's  also offers tours, which is an added bonus! The ambiance here is laid  back and perfect for a pre-concert or pre-Cleveland Indians game meal & brew.

5. Tank's Bar & Grill: If you're ever in the Dayton area, you owe it to yourself to head to Tank's Bar & Grill located not far from the Oregon District. This place may look like a dive bar, but they sure know how to throw together one hot, juicy, amazing beef patty! Tank's is known for their Tankburger, which consists of a half a pound of ground chuck on an onion, kaiser, or wheat roll with mushrooms and grilled onions. Additionally, Tank's offers one of the best vegetarian options around with Lori's Veggie Burger (I couldn't forget about all of you herbivores out there). After a long day of fun in Dayton with friends, I stopped here for a refreshing PBR and to find out why Tank's has been dubbed "The Best Burgers in Dayton."

Celebrating the covered bridges of Ashtabula County

Covered bridge fans find a lot to celebrate in northeast Ohio's Ashtabula County during its annual Covered Bridge Festival, taking place each October.

You can tour the bridgesby bus during the festival or take self-guided tour of the covered spans with the aid of a map available from the Ashtabula County Covered Bridge Festival Web site.

The map I ordered conveniently split the bridge tour into two parts, each covering about 70 miles. It's possible to see all of the bridges in one day, but we enjoyed planning our own leisurely tour over two days to allow plenty of time to get out at each bridge to take photos.

Here are a few of my favorite Ashtabula covered bridges:

• The Smolen-Gulf Bridge-This 613-foot-long bridge honors former Ashtabula County Engineer John Smolen, who began advocating covered bridges as safer, more durable and more economical alternatives to metal and concrete bridges during the early 1980s. Smolen argued that deterioration caused by road salt made replacing most concrete or metal bridges necessary after 50 to 75 years, while covered bridges' roofs and tendency for salt to act as a preservative on wood acted to protect the spans, making them ultimately less costly to maintain. This bridge, built in 2008, spans the Ashtabula River on County Road 25.

  
  

• West Liberty Street Bridge-Dedication of this bridge, the nation's shortest at 18 feet long, was a highlight of the 2011 Ashtabula Covered Bridge Festival.

  
  

• Windsor Mills Bridge-This 1867-vintage span once sat at the heart of a late-1800s mill town. The town disappeared with the demise of the mills in the early 20th century, and the bridge closed after falling into disrepair in the 1980s. The bridge reopened to traffic after a 2002-2003 renovation, and I think it is among the prettiest covered bridges in the county.

  
  

• Harpersfield Bridge-This bridge's hybrid combination of a wooden span attached to a metal truss bridge hints at its interesting history. The 228-foot-long bridge over the Grand River was Ohio's longest covered bridge until construction of the Smolen-Gulf span. The wooden portion, built in 1868, replaced an earlier bridge lost to a flood. Floods washed away the bank supporting the bridge's north end in 1913, so the county added a 114-foot steel truss extension. I like this bridge because a covered walkway added in 1992 allows for safe pedestrian passage across the bridge.

  
  

• Graham Road Bridge-This bridge originally spanned the Ashtabula River elsewhere, but the county moved it to a park and closed it to vehicular traffic in 1971. It is a great stop for a picnic.

  
  

The 29th annual Covered Bridge Festival happens October 13 and 14, 2012 at the Ashtabula County Fairgrounds in Jefferson, Ohio. Activitiesinclude bridge tours, farmers market, quilt show, parade, kids' rides and games, crafts, food, musical entertainment and the introduction of the festival Queen and her Court. Festival tickets cost $3 for one day or $5 for two-day pass. Children under 12 are free.

The Circleville Pumpkin Show: An annual tradition

There is no doubt that a 6ft. wide, 400lb. pumpkin pie can make quite an impression. I was just 2 years old the first time I remember seeing the world’s largest pumpkin pie (record defeated in 2010) in Lindsey’s bakery at the Circleville Pumpkin Show. My two brothers and I (as seen in this 1974 photograph) couldn’t get enough of the pumpkin food, amusement rides, parades and pumpkin patches that cover eight city blocks along Main Street in Circleville. Every outing ended the same: all of us fast asleep in the car on the ride home, each holding a pumpkin in our laps.

That early memory of Ohio’s oldest and largest festival has resulted in nearly 40 years of a special annual tradition for my family. I can hardly wait for this year’s show, October 17-20, to sample everything from pumpkin burgers and sloppy joes to pumpkin cream puffs and waffles. This free show is one of the best fall entertainment bargains for your family.

One of the most famous events of the Circleville Pumpkin Show is the great pumpkin weigh-in. Last year’s winning pumpkin, grown by Dr. Bob Liggett, weighed in at a whopping 1,436.5 pounds!!! If you want to go home with your own pumpkin, not to worry, there are thousands of pumpkins, gourds and squash available to hand select your own.

I advise going hungry to the show and wearing walking shoes. Beyond the 23,000 pumpkin pies and the 100,000 pumpkin donuts that sell over the four-day period, there are more than 300 food, game and craft vendors and you will likely want to see them all.

If you want to rest, bring a chair or blanket and enjoy one of seven parades that will take place at 3:30 p.m. (except Saturday) and 8:00 p.m. each day of the show. There are many family events throughout the show including bands, stage acts, pie eating contests, the Miss Pumpkin Show, Little Miss Pumpkin Show and Baby contests. So, plan on spending a full day!

When the calendar turns to October, and the crisp air of fall arrives, my excitement builds for another visit to the place where family memories were created so long ago. Just a short drive south of Columbus, I hope your family will begin a new tradition this year at the Circleville Pumpkin Show.