COLUMBUS, OH - The popular Natural Resources Park at the upcoming Ohio State Fair will again offer visitors a way to discover the rich diversity of the state's natural world. This year's fair runs Wednesday, August 4, through Sunday, August15, at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus. Major attractions at the park include a walk-through butterfly garden, Ohio fish and wildlife exhibits, a youth fishing pond, an authentic tall grass prairie, free entertainment and a 15-foot animated Smokey Bear who greets visitors by name.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) creates the 8-acre Natural Resources Park each year on the southeast corner of the fairgrounds. It is one of the state fair's great traditions - an oasis that beckons visitors with shade trees, waterfalls, picnic groves and a variety of educational and recreational activities that are free for the whole family.
Smokey Bear stands beside an educational pavilion filled with informative exhibits on a variety of natural resource and recreation topics, including water resources, boating, geology, wildlife, recycling, coastal management, mining and conservation. This year, the pavilion is sporting a new roof made from 48,000 pounds of recycled plastic. Inside the pavilion are displays highlighting Ohio's system of recreational trails and plant species that could be growing in your backyard and are bad for Ohio's environment.
Walk among hundreds of live butterflies at the popular butterfly house. Nearby, an Ohio wildlife exhibit features animals such as wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, beaver, river otters, bobcat, badger, pheasants and a variety of waterfowl. Young fair-goers can try their hands at catching catfish and bluegills at the fully stocked Youth Fishing Pond. For the first time, the Division of Wildlife offers a laser-shot simulator where marksmen can try their skill at hitting electronically created clay targets.
Young fair visitors are encouraged to stop at the Recycle, Ohio! Depot with its play-structure train made of recycled plastic. Inside the depot, the many uses of recycled tires and aluminum are spotlighted. Additional displays will feature some of the newest products made of recycled glass, plastic and paper - as well as information on where these products are available.
Steps away are an authentic log cabin and tall grass prairie. A boardwalk made of recycled plastic takes you through a prairie similar to the thick fields of wildflowers that once covered much of the state. The prairie is home to wildflower species such as the purple coneflower, compass plant and butterfly week.
Fair visitors can see a variety of getaway rentals similar to those available in Ohio State Parks. They can also reserve a campsite or cottage in an Ohio State Park via the new on-line reservation system. A computer kiosk is located in the information booth with personnel on hand to answer user questions about the new reservation system.
The centerpiece of the Natural Resources Park at the Ohio State Fair is an amphitheater, featuring live entertainment from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. This year's entertainment includes a retriever dog demonstration (August 6-8 only), Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, Columbus Zoo animals and a variety of musical and educational programs.
EDITORS NOTE: ALL MEDIA VISITING THE STATE FAIR MUST ENTER THROUGH THE MEDIA CENTER, LOCATED ON ELEVENTH AVENUE JUST WEST OF THE OHIO GATE. PARKING IS AVAILABLE AT THE CENTER, AS WELL AS PHONES, A FAX MACHINE, A COPIER AND REFRESHMENTS.