Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
Experience traditional German cuisine and imported beers while enjoying authentic German music, folk dancing and entertainment at the 59th Annual German American Festival, scheduled to take place Aug. 22-24 at Oak Shade Grove, 3624 Seaman Rd., Oregon.
Festival hours are 6 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday; 2 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday and 12-8 p.m. Sunday. A special Taste of the Festival Preview will be held Thursday, from 6-9 p.m. – attendees will enjoy brats, sauerkraut, potato pancakes, corn on the cob, potato salad and pretzels, and get Das Boot with two pours.
For more than 50 years, the German-American Festival has brought the rich traditions of German and Swiss culture to life, supporting the German and Swiss Cultural Center and other philanthropic programs in the Toledo area, all while delivering unforgettable experiences for visitors of all ages.
Attendees can participate in traditional German contests and feats and enjoy activities and rides for the kids.
A number of bands are scheduled to entertain at this year’s event, including Toledo favorites Deutchmeister German Band and D'Holzhacker Buam Schuhplattler Gruppe, along with Alpine Blast Trio, from Milwaukee; Culkar-Golob Band, from Cleveland; Phenix, from Chicago; Jay Fox & the Jammin' Germans, from Ft. Wayne and Detroit-based Alpentrio Grubelsdorfer, Enzian and Good Times Orchestra.
Dance gruppes set to perform include Deutsche Volkstanz Gruppe, and Toledo Holzhacker Buam Schuhplattler Gruppe.
Once again, the festival will feature several contests, including the popular Hummel Look-Alike Contest, Swiss Steintossen (Swiss stone-throwing competition); Masskrugstemmen (a stein-lifting contest where contestants compete to hold up a one-liter stein of beer for as long as possible) and the German-American Festival Beer Mile.
As always, a wide range of German foods and treats will also be available, including the festival-favorite potato pancakes. Speaking of potato pancakes, volunteers are needed to help peel potatoes for the festival on Thursday, Aug. 21, at 8 a.m. Bring a paring knife and a big bowl. Volunteers will receive an entrance ticket.
Admission tickets, along with VIP Tent Passes and food and beverage coupons are available online at germanamericanfestival.org/buy-tickets. A shuttle will be available to and from various stops throughout the Toledo area. Details and tickets are also available at the above website.
For a complete schedule of events and more information about this year’s festival, visit www.germanamericanfestival.org.
Block Watch to meet at Northwood's Tracy Road Fire Statio
The meeting will feature demonstrations by Northwood K9 Officer Odin and his partner/handler Patrolman Aaron Hunt. Attendees can witness Odin’s drug tracking/detecting abilities.
There will also be a presentation and a question-and-answer session with a Northwood Police detective.
The meeting is open to the public.
Kinderskills program
Kids ages 3 to 6 can join the Walbridge Library for a Kinderskills program on Thursday, Aug. 28 at 2 p.m.
Kinderskills are activities designed to develop gross and fine motor skills. The session starts with a reading of a picture book, then moves on to activities like throwing practice, balance, stretching, recognition activities, and more.
No registration is required. For more information, call 419-666-9900.
United Way Duck Race
Hundreds of rubber ducks are ready to make a splash as United Way of Greater Toledo, which serves Ottawa County, brings back its much-loved annual Duck Race Saturday, Aug. 16, at Waterworks Park, in collaboration with the Port Clinton Lighthouse Festival. Waterworks Park is located at 207 E. Perry St., Port Clinton.
The Duck Race raises vital funds to support local programs focused on education, financial stability, and health in Ottawa County. Each duck adopted represents a chance to win prizes, and more importantly, a chance to make a difference in the lives of local residents.
The Duck Drop will begin at 2 p.m. Duck adoptions will be available all day until the Drop. Adoption packs include $10 for one ticket; $25 for three tickets and $100 for 15 tickets.
Lighthouse Festival hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
‘LEGO on the Lakes’
The National Museum of the Great Lakes welcomes families for Capt. Scupper’s Kids Club: “LEGO on the Lakes,” Saturdays in August from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
The drop‐in, hands‐on building experience is supported by the Darrell & Jean Fox Fund.
The Great Lakes Community Education Center becomes a LEGO “shipyard” where kids can design and build Great Lakes vessels—from classic schooners to mini versions of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker and Museum Tug Ohio—using museum‐provided bricks.
Creations will be displayed each session before being recycled for the next build day.
NMGL is located at 1701 Front St., Toledo. For admission and more information, visit nmgl.org.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s
The Alzheimer’s Association invites Northwest Ohioans to register for the 2025 Erie Shores/Sandusky Walk to End Alzheimer’s, taking place on Sunday, Sept. 7, at Jackson Street Pier, 233 W. Shoreline Drive in Sandusky.
Registration begins at 1 p.m., with the Promise Garden Ceremony at 2 p.m. and the Walk commencing immediately afterward.
With more than 600 Walks taking place across the U.S. each year, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest fundraising event and supports the Association’s free educational programs and support groups, Alzheimer’s care services, and advancements in treatment and research.
Participation is free. Walkers and teams can set fundraising goals and earn incentives such as including t-shirts, backpacks, water bottles, blankets, and more.
To register and receive the latest updates on this year’s Walks, visit act.alz.org.
The Toledo Walk to End Alzheimer's will be held Saturday, Oct. 18 at Glass City Metropark, 1505 Front St., Toledo.
Farmers Market - ‘Things that Go’
Downtown Fremont Inc. will host the Croghan Colonial Bank Farmers Market and Total Distribution “Things that Go” event on Front Street on Saturday, Aug. 16 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., rain or shine.
Visit vehicles on display to play “I Spy” and for a chance to win a $25 Think Fremont Card, good at more than 40 Fremont locations.
The event will feature plows, a dump truck, kayaks, a tow truck, an excavator, garbage truck, and many more vehicles.
Musical guest Brent Bliss will be performing 1960-current country hits in front of the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership Building (GLCAP) at 127 S Front St.
The Fremont Community Amphitheater and Downtown Fremont Inc. are also hosting many more events throughout the rest of the summer. The amphitheater is located at 209 S. Arch St. in downtown. Visit www.downtownfremontohio.org/event-calendar/ and www.downtownfremontohio.org/fremont-community-amphitheater for more information and event listings.
Historian to speak
Gathering Volumes, 196 E. Boundary St., Perrysburg, will welcome local historian and author Dave Westrick for a special presentation on Wednesday, Aug. 20, from 2:30-4 p.m. to commemorate the 231st anniversary of the Battle of Fallen Timbers. Admission is free and open to the public.
The event will offer attendees a deeper look into the pivotal 1794 battle that helped shape the nation. Westrick will share the often-overlooked stories of the Native American tribes, U.S. soldiers, and settlers whose lives were forever changed by this historic conflict.
“On a hot August morning in 1794, the future of a continent shifted,” Westrick writes. “What followed in less than two hours was the beginning of a proud American military tradition—and the tragic end of a way of life for the Native Americans who had called this land home for generations.”
A Maumee resident, Westrick has written and lectured extensively on the Battle of Fallen Timbers and has served on the boards of multiple historical organizations, including as past president of the Fallen Timbers Battlefield Preservation Committee.
Books will be available for purchase and signing following the presentation.
For more information, visit https://gatheringvolumes.com/events/46944 or call 567-336-6188.
Menards hosting pet supply drive
Menards, 3100 Brown Rd., Oregon, is serving as a drop site for a pet supply drive to benefit a local humane association.
Through the end of September, community members are invited to drop off items at the large collection box located hear the store’s exit doors.
"We’re excited to participate in this wonderful opportunity while lending a helping hand to the community,” said Oregon Menards general manager Josh Edgeton.
Menards offers a wide variety of pet supplies in its Pet and Wildlife Department, including food, treats, feeders, collars, beds, storage containers, mats and more.
Task Force on Aging’s 2025 Summit on Aging
The Ottawa County Task Force on Aging will host the Summit on Aging on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 122 W. Ottawa St., Oak Harbor.
Registration and light breakfast items will start at 8:30 a.m. and the presentations will be offered from 9 a.m.-noon.
The Summit on Aging is held annually to educate the public about issues impacting seniors, including abuse, neglect and exploitation. This year’s event will focus on Financial Exploitation and Scams, which are now the number- one reported issue for Adult Protective Services in Ohio.
Speakers from the Office of the Attorney General, Croghan Bank and Commodore Perry Federal Credit Union, Legal Aid of Western Ohio and a support organization called FightCybercrime.org will be on hand.
There will be a resource table at the event with free information and resources for anyone who attends.
RSVP to 567-262-3174 or ottawacoaging@gmail.com. There is a $5 suggested donation (not required).
Children’s Art Show
The Greater Port Clinton Area Arts Council is presenting an exhibit of children’s art from the Ottawa County Fair through Friday, Aug. 22, at The Arts Garage, 317 W. Perry St., Port Clinton.
In addition, The Arts Garage offers classes for children and adults. Children who live in Ottawa County may take children's classes at no cost but must be accompanied by an adult. Interested persons may register at www.gpcaac.org. The Arts Garage is open Thursday-Sunday, 11-4 p.m.
