Sept./Oct. 2025

Travel

From a pizza trek and wing festival to an expansive paintball park and historic gardens, this Columbus suburb offers a variety of adventures.

From a magical celebration in downtown Lancaster to a driving trail featuring over 250 scarecrows, here is how to embrace fall in Fairfield County.  

The newest region at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium opened in June 2025. We visited and found some great things to look out for during your next visit.

Bring your furry, four-legged family members to these great happenings from baseball games to parades. 

From migrating birds and square dancing to honey harvesting and a scenic hike, check out these great events this fall in park systems across the state.

The Halloween season offers a perfect time to get your pulse racing with some legitimate frights. 

These retail shops across the countryside offer a mix of authentic Amish-made fare, modern clothing and unique gift ideas.

From a long-standing central Ohio tradition to local events featuring colossal gourds, sweet treats and creative jack-o-lanterns, celebrate the season at these great Ohio events. 

This annual autumn event in the Hocking Hills embraces Glinda and Elphaba with its 2025 theme.

The rescued bear cubs came to the zoo in September, and now they have received their names as they make their debut in the zoo’s new Bear Ridge habitat.

Thousands of cat lovers gather at the I-X Center Oct.11 and 12 for a weekend of pet-centric entertainment, animal adoptions and even a visit from Pudge the Cat.

This storied Tuscarawas County community celebrates October with lantern-lit walks, themed meals and trick-or-treating for the littles ones.  

The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums in Fremont invites guests to explore the haunted side of history during its after-dark tours filled with ghost tales, campfires and fall charm.

Experience the magic of this Newark destination’s annual Winter Wonders Walk, which invites visitors to stroll an illuminated path. 

Author, economic historian and professor Burton W. Folsom Jr. discusses the early competition to reach the skies during a presentation about his new book. 

This favorite ticketed event celebrates 58 years in 2025 and brings together over 100 exhibitors selling handmade goods.

The Buckeye Trail Association invites hikers and visitors to head through this southwest Ohio town while venturing along the 1,444-mile route that helps connect Ohioans with nature and history.

The annual Haunted Mountain experience returns to Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre this October with an original production of “It Flies By Night,” as well as scavenger hunts, a haunted trail and more.

From Civil War battles to a journey through the Middle Ages, these Ohio festivals immerse visitors in centuries past. 

The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in Sugarcreek invites visitors for two days of steam engines and other vintage attractions on Sept. 26 and 27. 

Autumn is the most beautiful time of year here, so we asked photographers across the state to share a favorite image of the season and the story behind it.

This Halloween tradition at the I-X Center has been a seasonal staple in Cleveland since 1994, and this year marks its “Final Boo” with games, rides, entertainment and all the candy your kid can carry.

Gooey cinnamon rolls, fresh apple cider, impressive woodworks and an annual Halloween event are all on the docket this month at this living-history destination in Archbold.

Experts from the University of Cincinnati lead the fourth annual Ohio Bat Fest on Oct. 25, raising awareness about this often-misunderstood creature. 

The Cornell School in the Licking County city of Johnstown invites visitors to learn how students made the grade during the late 19th century. 

From Bluegrass State legends that have been around for generations to newer destinations with their own approach to crafting bourbon, check out these four distinct distillery experiences.

From glowing lights to costumed characters, this annual event at Lake Metroparks Farmpark lets visitors celebrate Halloween from the comfort of their car.

Food + Drink

These Ohio winemakers embrace the harvest season with great wines, comforting bites and the sort of seasonal charm that’ll have you ready for sweater weather.

The northeast Ohio native and creator of the Tasting With Tina food blog turns her love of family meals into recipes that celebrate connection, comfort and creativity.

Housed in a former post office, High Bank Distillery’s speakeasy delivers with an inviting space and excellent cocktails.

Olinda, a Stark County restaurant from the people behind Gervasi Vineyard, shares a look at what’s coming in 2026.

Stop in for burgers, sandwiches or the signature 72-hour wings at this restaurant’s locations in Akron and Cleveland.

The annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival at Lake Snowden in Albany celebrates the native Ohio fruit in a variety of creative dishes and inventive brews.

Dewey’s Pizza and Skyline Chili team up once again for the limited-edition Skyline Dip Deluxe pizza.

Arts

Go around the world with quirky missionaries, see a timeless love story unfold and enjoy a Halloween classic on stage this season. 

From symphonic blues in Toledo to a soulful tribute in Dayton, classical musicians across Ohio are tuning up for a season of performances. 

Venues across Ohio are turning up the nostalgia with tribute acts that channel the sound and spirit of legends ranging from the Eagles to Pink Floyd. 

“Grasses in Sun and Shadow” showcases the art of cyanotypes at The Ohio State University at Marion from Oct. 21 through Nov. 13.

Save the date for these arts favorites happening across Ohio between now and the end of autumn. 

See this Ohio artist’s portraits, landscapes and iconic Christy Girls during this exhibition at the Zanesville Museum of Art, running Oct. 23 through Jan. 10, 2026.

This exhibition at the Toledo Museum of Art traces a century of jewelry creation by legendary designers. It is on view from Oct. 18 through Jan. 18, 2026.

With more than 100 works on display in this exhibition, British artist Paul Scott reimagines traditional ceramics as layered commentaries on history, culture and today’s pressing issues.

From photorealistic paintings to pop art works, this exhibition highlights female artists who defied barriers. See it from Nov. 25 through March 1, 2026, at the Canton Museum of Art.

Watch the glitz and glamor of the Roaring Twenties leap from the page as the Queen City hosts the North American premiere of Hong Kong Ballet’s adaptation of the classic novel.

This exhibition, which runs through Jan. 11, showcases more than 120 works that explore our connection with nature. 

The acclaimed artist donates his signature pieces “Presidential Flag” and “Yellow Flag” to The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, expanding the museum’s reflections on American identity.

Home + Garden

Jessica Guerrero focuses on making usable everyday items that also serve as beautifully crafted and decorated works of art.

Ohio Life

Fremont’s Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums hosts an immersive Victorian experience Oct. 22 and 23.

Gladys, the beloved gorilla who once needed human surrogates to raise her, is now a mom herself, marking a milestone birth during the zoo’s 150th anniversary year.

The Ohioan keeps a centuries-old musical tradition ringing as the carillonneur at Carillon Historical Park in Dayton.

In the fall of 1963, nine days before municipal elections, a march and rally at the city’s Fountain Square focused on the pivotal role Black voters played in the upcoming vote.

History buffs can check out 19th-century camp life, see a brass band on horseback and even take a spin in a Model-T at this immersive fall event.

A major restoration project at the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums in Fremont plans to reveal long-hidden rooms and revive historic details, offering visitors a richer glimpse into the life and legacy of President Rutherford B. Hayes.

Rod Serling created his iconic television series after spending time in Ohio writing radio and television dramas that examined themes of human nature, morality and society’s deepest anxieties.

The Nature Conservancy and the Athens Conservancy are partnering to open Joy Valley Nature Preserve, representing one of the state’s largest ever private conservation efforts.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife partnered with the Cincinnati Zoo to relocate 21 box turtles to a new home after they spent 30 years in a school courtyard in West Carrollton.

Ohio farmer David Selsor commissioned this artwork in the early 1800s.

The 7-month-old black bears, rescued from Montana, are settling into the zoo’s new Bear Ridge habitat and will make their public debut in the coming weeks.

The new IMAX film showcases Ohio’s wild side as it invites viewers to journey through the state’s stunning forests, rivers and skies. 

The funeral director turned artist has amassed a following in Ohio and beyond. We visited his Youngstown studio to learn why he creates vivid, colorful paintings about death and dying.

This beloved community event, billed as the “Greatest Free Show on Earth,” hits the streets of Circleville from Oct. 15 through 18.