Make the most of summer’s end! The Destination Mansfield – Richland County calendar is filling up with great activities to fill those final warm days and those cool September nights including favorites like the Prairie Peddler Festival and new events like Shawshank 100 dirt track race.
This month, festivals come in all shapes and sizes. An American classic, enjoy your favorite fair foods and thrill rides at the 168th annual Bellville Street Fair (Sep 12-15). For four days, the picturesque streets of downtown Bellville will be packed with exhibits, shows, free entertainment, and much more! The Annual Great Mohican Pow-Wow (Sep 14-16) returns to the Mohican Reservation for its 34th year. Immerse yourself in Native American culture with traditional ceremony, dancing, competitions, and storytelling. The fry bread is a “must try”. Head out to Malabar Farm State Park for the Ohio Heritage Days Festival (Sep 29-30) for a perfect fall day. This festival features crafts, antiques, primitives, antique tractors, horses, food, live music, Civil War & Buck Skinners Camp, and archaeological displays on Sunday. This is a free event and fun for the entire family.
Step back in time and experience the simple life at the Prairie Peddler Festival (Sep 22-23, 29-30). Located in a scenic wooded area with over 180 artisans, live music, festival food, wagon rides, and demonstrations; this festival has something for the whole family. Shop the handmade marketplace while your kids enjoy some hands-on crafts. If you’re looking for even more family-center festivities, fun at The Barnyard (Sat & Sun Sep 29-Oct 21) is back for four weekends only! Make some memories with over 20 attractions including a corn maze, apple blaster, hillside slides, pumpkin slingshot, petting farm, inflatables, Barnyard ball zone, wagon rides, gemstone mining and more.
Looking for a dose of the fine arts? The Mansfield Symphony Orchestra kicks off their international 88th season with “Spanish Fiesta” (Sep 22), a collection of musical images of Spain from the world’s best-loved composers. Come early at 7 p.m. for a free “Symphony Chat” in the Renaissance Ballroom with a music historian. More interested in the cinematic arts? Main Street Books will host author Maura Grady for a Book Talk & Signing (Sep 7) of her recently published book, The Shawshank Experience: Tracking the World’s Favorite Movie. This event is a must for all fans of The Shawshank Redemption or anyone curious to uncover what all the Shawshank fuss is about.
If you’re in the mood for something more heart-pounding, the 4th annual Mid-Ohio 13ER (Sep 8) is sure to get your blood pumping. This half marathon and 5k fun run through Richland County gathers the community together to bring light to organizations that are involved in drug prevention. If you get a rush from the roar of engines, Shawshank meets open-wheel racing for the Shawshank 100 at Mansfield Motor Speedway (Sep 21-22). For hair-raising excitement, The Ohio State Reformatory presents Escape from Blood Prison (Sep 28-Nov 4). In this terrifying haunted house, the world’s worst inmates have taken over the Ohio State Reformatory and placed it on lockdown. Enter if you dare – escape if you can!
Don’t miss these awesome recurring events!
- Mansfield First Friday Shop Hop (Sep 7)
- Pleasant Hill Lake Park Movies at the Lake (Sep 2)
- Final Friday Concert Series (Sep 29)
Summer may be coming to an end, but there’s still fun to be had in Richland County! Check out our full list of local events at destinationmansfield.com/calendar