Outdoor Columbus

Just south of the City Center (and cut off from it by the 70/71 corridor) and centered largely around 3rd St., German Village is at once a piece of living history in Columbus, and a contemporary, thriving community in the city.  Niche shopping, great food, interesting architecture, tiny but well-done gardens, and a beautiful park will greet any visitor to German Village, and many of those visitors will find it a place that’s hard to leave.

Schiller park lies at the south end of German Village.  The rolling green park, with its playgrounds, pond, picnic tables, and ample open space is simultaneously home to playing children, dog walkers, strolling couples, and lunching residents, visitors, and workers from local businesses, not to mention the flock of black ducks gliding across the waters.  A long sidewalk, with beautiful blooming flowers in the center and inscribed quotes in the original German and English translation, leads up to an imposing statue of the park’s namesake, Friederick von Schiller.  Just over the statue’s shoulder is an amphitheater, home to The Actors’ Theatre and their free performances all summer long.  (On this year’s schedule: Shakespeare’s MacB– er, Scottish Play and Measure for Measure, Moliere’s Tartuffe, and Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac.)

Walking north from the park on 3rd, one almost immediately becomes aware of German Village’s easiest to spot landmarks, St. Mary’s Catholic Church.  The tall steeple of this church provides a ready sight from virtually anywhere in the neighborhood, and serves the visitor well as a great tool to orient themselves geographically should the need arise.

More to the point, you would be moving toward several can’t miss German Village stops.  The Book Loft is a block-long, 32-room bookstore.  Who couldn’t love a bookstore that needs its own map?  Just across the street is the old 3rd Street School.  Established in 1864, the school has now been transformed into Golden Hobby, a shop, run by the parks department, that sells craft and hobby projects made by area senior citizens.  You can find some really nice pieces at amazingly low prices.  Caterina Ltd. has fine European goods for sale (including Italian, German, and Polish ceramics, bath products, and more — see below) and the third floor holds a gallery of local artists’ work for viewing and for sale.  Finally (though you may want to make it your first stop), there is the German Village Society‘s Meeting Haus, where you can get information on German Village events and history, purchase souveniers from their gift shop, or just stop in to get a free map of local attractions.  If you have a few minutes, I do recommend viewing their informative video on the neighborhood’s history.

When you have had your fill of the great shopping (window and otherwise) available on 3rd Street, head east through the many more residential blocks of the Village.  Here, on the quaint brick roads, you will see many examples of the small, tightly packed together houses of the Village’s original, working-class residents.  These small houses, with their tiny yards and gardens, are studiously maintained by the current residents, and restorations are overseen by the German Village Society.  Typical details include landscaping in every available inch (including window-boxes), wrought-iron fences (often only a small distance from the house itself), story-and-a-half designs, and touches that definitely show the older heritage of the houses — coal delivery chutes and horse hitches included.

Another bonus to heading east from 3rd, is the chance to dine at a veritable German Village institution.  Schmidt’s Sausage Haus, located in an old livery stable, does German food right.  The bratwurst, in this man’s opinion, may well be the best sausages this side of the Atlantic.  The Schmidt’s dark beer was smooth and mellow, a perfect German-style lager (a medium-sized beer was more than ample for lunch).  And the cream puff was simply divine.  (And if you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the Fudge Haus right next door!)  A stop at Schmidt’s is truly the best way to end a day spent in German Village.

Despite not having a strong reputation as an agricultural state (and let’s face it, the State Fair is about the agriculture), the Ohio State Fair (running July 30 – Aug 10 this year) really delivers a fun and festive fair environment.  It also delivers a little something for just about anyone who might want to visit.

Harkening back to it’s roots, the agricultural and horticultural displays at the fair highlight the best of Ohio’s production.  Whether it is gardening (for fruits, vegetables, or flowers) that interests you or the raising of livestock or anything in between, you will find it on display.  This fair, does, however suffer from the same problem as state fairs all over the country, in that the displays of many products and animals are very temporary, centering around the judging for their various categories, so you may not find all of the items on display at all times.  (However, the schedules are well published, so you can be sure to find exactly what you’re looking for.)  Cows, horses, sheep, and pigs are all sequestered in the livestock barns to one end of the fairgrounds, with poultry and rabbits, as well as the horticulture displays, at the other.  (Don’t worry, though, there is shuttle — tractor-driven no less — if you get tired of walking.)

Educational displays are everywhere, highlighting the importance, and often the hidden uses, of the state’s products.  Other displays highlight the great and varied nature of the state.  The Franklin Park Conservatory was there with an interesting display of Monarch butterflies, including caterpillars and (the stunningly beautiful) chrysalises.  Just outside the horticulture buildings, is an amazing set of displays highlighting Ohio’s animal life.  Song bids, butterflies, otters, eagles, and gray foxes are just some of the creatures on display.

The Midway, of course, is home to all the rides, games, and food that a visitor could want.  Try your skill shooting hoops, tossing ping pong balls into tea cups, or breaking balloons or dinner plates.  Tempt your tastebuds with all your favorites: from roasted corn to funnel cakes, from pizza to polish sausages.  (If you’re looking for a tasty piece of beef, head over to the Cattleman’s Association tent by the livestock barns…where you’ll also find the dairy products building, the perfect place to get an ice cream cone while checking out the butter cow.)  And don’t forget that you can get just about anything you want deep-fried; oreos, twinkies, candy bars, and of course, cheese on a stick!  With your belly full, you can climb aboard any number of rides and see if your iron stomach can hold on.  Beyond that, though, it’s interesting to see that the most American of all fair and carnical attractions — the freak show — is alive and well at the Ohio State Fair:

Antiques displays, including a 1924 model firetruck built in the state, and special attractions, like the

Budweiser Clydesdales, round out the displays you’ll want to be sure to see.  One final attraction, however, is the shopping.  Vendors range from common household products to clothing and accessories to collectables and sports memorabillia.  We would recommend, however, skipping much of the marketplace and heading instead to the hand-made and local crafts.  After all, supporting these people is what the fair is about, no?