Festival Season is HERE in Lorain County!

June marks the beginning of Festival Season in North Central Ohio. There is no doubt that we like to celebrate in Lorain County. You name it, we have a festival for it: hot air balloons, fairies, fish, duct tape, chalk, and that's only during the month of June! Our festivals keep going all summer long: cheese, corn, quilts, woolybears...

Here is a sampling of Festivals in June you won't want to miss.

Jun 6–7 Columbia Antique Engine Show & Flea Market, Columbia Township Park, Columbia Station, Sat 8am–5pm, Sun 8am–3pm. A variety of food, and activities including a peddle pull for children. 440.653.7289

Jun 12 Nature at Night Festival, French Creek Nature Center, Sheffield Village, 6–10pm. View live nocturnal animals, make crafts and go on a night hike. Pre–register. 440.949.5200

Jun 13 Hot Air Balloon Fest, Lorain County Fairgrounds, Wellington,
10am. Food, children’s games, tethered rides, entertainment, evening hot air balloon glow. 440.647.6172

Hot Air Balloon Fest photo by Howard McGuire

Jun 13 Annual Fairy Festival, Days of Yore Herb & Flower Farm, Wellington, 11–5pm. Tour the fairy gardens, make a fairy container garden, learn the habits and when and how to see them. End the day with a fairy tea party.440.647.2045

Jun 19–21 Festival of Fish, Victory Park, Vermilion, Fri–Sat 12–11pm, Sun 12–6pm. Entertainment, lighted boat parade, crazy craft race, and a sand castle building contest. Queen’s pageant and parade on Sunday. Food and craft booths. 440.967.4477

Fish Festival photo courtesy of Vermilion Chamber of Commerce/Main Street Vermilion.

Jun 19–20 Juneteenth Festival, Harrison Cultural Community Centre, Lorain. Gospel fest on Fri, parade, vendors, rides, music, and games on Sat. 440.244.0359

Jun 19–21 Avon Heritage Duct Tape Festival, Veterans Memorial Park, Fri 4–11pm, Sat 11am–11pm, Sun 11am–5pm. Rides, food, games, entertainment, duct tape sculptures, crafts and activities. 866.818.1116

Avon Duct Tape Festival photo by Rona Proudfoot

Jun 20 Fine Arts & Authors Fest, Columbia Branch Library, 10am–4pm. Meet area authors and enjoy the rural scenic yard at a unique outdoor arts and crafts event. 440.236.8751

Jun 20 Chalk Walk, Oberlin, 10am–4pm. Watch professional artists recreate works from Allen Art Museum on the sidewalks of downtown Oberlin or create a masterpiece of your own. All materials free of charge. 440.775.2423

ChalkWalk photo by Barb Bickel for Visit Lorain County

Jun 26–Jul 18 Tue–Sun, Oberlin Summer Theater Festival, Hall Auditorium, Oberlin. Free performances of The Glass Menagerie and The Tempest. 440.775.8169

Jun 26–28 Lorain International Festival and Bazaar, Black River Landing, Fri 6–11pm, Sat 12–11pm, Sun 12–6pm. Featuring the Puerto Rican community as the spotlight community, and Easter Seals as the spotlight industry, ethnic food vendors, craft booths, and entertainment. 440.244.6808

Lorain International Festival photo by Holly Miller-McGuire

Jun 26–28 Columbia Homecoming Festival, Columbia Station. Miss Liberty & Baby Liberty Pageant, community dinner, live entertainment, Kids Day, Battle of the Bands, 5K run, car show, and parade and fireworks. 440.236.9053

Columbia Homecoming Festival photo by Terri Biasci-Biacsi Photography

Stop in Visit Lorain County's Travel Information Center at 8025 Leavitt Rd, Amherst, OH to pick up a June-December 2009 Events Calendar or click here to have one mailed. Have fun this June!!

May Flowers in Lorain County

April showers bring May flowers! Thanks to the warm weather we've been having in north central Ohio, flowers and trees are blooming much faster and lasting longer. It's a beautiful time of year to visit Lorain County!

Lakeview Beach by Lynne Lisner, Visit Lorain County

May also brings many opportunities throughout Lorain County to get excited about flowers, gardening and Spring:
Tulip Garden at Lakeview Park, Lorain. As of May 6, the tulips are still in bloom. Click on the photo below to learn how this beautiful garden was recently discovered.

Lakeview Park Tulip Garden by Rona Proudfoot

Oberlin's Farmers Market, Saturdays, beginning in May, 9am-1pm. Fresh flowers and locally grown and prepared foods.

Oberlin Farmers Market by Barb Bickel, Visit Lorain County

Gazebo Garden Walk, Howk Memorial Park, Wellington, May 9, 10am-4pm. Stroll through displays of unique antiques and gardening items from some of the area’s finest crafters and vendors.

Growers, Gardens, and Homes Tour, North Ridgeville, May 16. Visit North Ridgeville's finest home builders, home related retailers, and horticultural growers during this free, self guided 18th annual tour.

Growing Arts Tour/Spring Open House, Don Mould's Plantation, Amherst & North Ridgeville, May 16, 9am-5pm. Fun, informative day with sales reps and industry specialists, special sales, and drawings.

Music, Flowers & a Sunset, downtown Vermilion, beginning May 21, every third Thursday, 5:30-9pm. Free musical entertainment with over 12 bands scattered throughout Harbour Town. Lots of flowers to enjoy, artwork to browse, and a stunning sunset over Lake Erie.

Third Thursdays, photo courtesy of Main Street Vermilion.

For additional event listings from Visit Lorain County, visit http://www.visitloraincounty.com/ or call 1.800.334.1673 to request a printed events calendar.