COLUMBUS, OH - Tucked away from the carnival rides, Dumbo ears and livestock exhibits at the Ohio State Fair lies the
Natural Resources Park, a cool, green oasis that offers visitors shade trees, waterfalls, picnic groves and a variety of educational and recreational activities. A favorite tradition for fairgoing families, the 8-acre park is managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) throughout the 12-day fair, which runs this year from Wednesday, August 3, through Sunday, August 14, at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.
Popular attractions at the Natural Resources Park include a walk-through butterfly garden, youth fishing pond, authentic tall-grass prairie, Ohio wildlife display, log-rolling lumberjacks and a 15-foot animated Smokey Bear who greets visitors by name.
New this year is a fully furnished Conestoga camper cabin, on display at the park’s main entrance. A popular Getaway rental in Ohio State Parks, these cabins appeal to families who want to experience nature without investing in camping equipment. While at the fair, visitors can reserve a campsite or cottage in an Ohio State Park via the on-line reservation system at the ODNR Information Center.
Smokey Bear stands beside an educational pavilion filled with informative exhibits on a variety of natural resource and recreation topics, including boating, wildlife, water resources, geology, recycling, coastal management, mining and conservation.
Hundreds of live butterflies greet those walking througnh the park’s colorful butterfly house. Nearby, a live wildlife exhibit features animals native to Ohio including a bobcat, river otters, wild turkeys and a bald eagle. Young fairgoers can try their hands at catching catfish and bluegills at the fully stocked youth fishing pond. The Division of Wildlife offers hands-on demonstrations of outdoors skills, including a laser-shot simulator and archery range.
Families with young children are encouraged to stop at the Recycle, Ohio! Depot with its play-structure train made of recycled plastic. Inside the depot, displays 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 is an authentic log cabin, standing beside a tall-grass prairie. A boardwalk made of recycled plastic takes visitors through a prairie landscape similar to the thick fields of wildflowers that once covered much of Ohio.
Centerpiece of the Natural Resources Park at the Ohio State Fair is an amphitheater, featuring live entertainment from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. This year’s shows include a retriever dog demonstration (weekends only) and the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, featuring Sandy Mae, a log-rolling Jack Russell terrier.
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.