DOVER, OH - Teaching the public about forest resources, and raising money to help treat and prevent children's illness and injury, is the focus of the 9th Annual Forest Heritage Festival being held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
The event, hosted at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds in Dover, is co-sponsored by New Philadelphia Wal-Mart Store #2115 and the East Central Ohio Loggers Chapter and is supported by the ODNR Division of Forestry.
"Over the years, the festival has generated more than $270,000 for the Akron Children's Hospital as part of the Log-a-Load for Kids and Children's Miracle Network programs," said Dennis Cable, district forester with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry. "Last year alone, the festival generated more than $74,000." Fred Scheer's Lumberjack Show will entertain the crowd with activities such as pole climbing, ax throwing and a wood chopping competition to name a few.
The festival is free and will include more than 40 craft displays, activities for kids, chain saw sculpturing, and rail splitting. In addition, the Life Flight air ambulance will visit each day. Visitors also can see on display logging trucks, logging equipment and forest products.
The popular Loggers Ball is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday. A $10 admission fee will include supper, live entertainment, line dancing and square dancing. Special Saturday events include a chicken and sausage BBQ, a charity auction at noon, live music, wagon rides, and portable sawmilling.
For more information, contact Dennis Cable at 330-339-2205 or go online at forestheritagefestival.com