Even the busiest schedules end up having that rare afternoon of freedom. That afternoon where you can spend it any way you want and don’t have any responsibilities to tend to. The perfect place to spend that afternoon? Downtown Findlay!
You can spend that afternoon in Downtown Findlay rediscovering yourself or reconnecting with the one you love. Either way, you can destress and have some fun.
Just check out what you can do:
Eat in Downtown Findlay
There are so many ways to eat local here. In fact, you can find yourself traveling around the world through food just in our downtown. From Italy to Japan to Thailand to Ireland and more, you can get a taste of so many different places, as well as great American food as well.
And if you’re here on a Tuesday afternoon, make a stop for a Courtyard Concert. You can bring your own food, takeout or you can buy food from the local restaurant’s stall at the concert. And they you can spend the lunch hour enjoying local music and sunny summer weather.
Shop in Downtown Findlay
With your obligations to your kids and others, it’s likely you aren’t taking the time to give yourself what you need. An afternoon in Findlay is the perfect time to correct that.
Need a new outfit? From casual to dressy, you can find it here.
Need a new piece of jewelry? That’s here as well.
Or perhaps you want to spruce up your home? You can that here too.
Our shops carry unique items that you won’t be able to find anywhere else, and a few even let you create your own custom item. So make sure you stop into a few during your free afternoon.
Explore in Downtown Findlay
There are so many ways to explore our downtown.
A favorite is walking around to check out the beautiful murals. Another is taking a walk on the Riverwalk to enjoy the Blanchard River. Or maybe you might want to marvel at the beauty of our historic homes just a few blocks away. No matter what you choose, you can have a relaxing afternoon doing it.
Toast Yourself in Downtown Findlay
The best part of a free afternoon is taking the time to toast yourself. Whether it’s an accomplishment or just taking the time for yourself, you deserve it. And you can do it with wine, beer, coffee or ice cream. Because when you celebrate yourself, it can be with any treat you want.
Megan is just a University of Findlay student who fell in love with a boy (and a town) and never left. A former art student turned marketer, she has the incredible privilege of working for Marathon Center for the Performing Arts and loves it! She lives with her wonderful husband, Tyler, three amazing (fur) kids, Lenny (horse), Barski and Nova (cats), and a mountain of books.
Findlay’s favorite wine fest (and all of Ohio’s for that matter!) is back with a new name and even more sips, Saturday, June 29 from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Riverside Park. Marathon Center for the Performing Arts present this 11th annual toast to the arts to enjoy amazing wines and raise funds for arts programming through MCPA.
Never been? Need a refresher? Want to find out what’s new
this year? Fear not, we have you covered with this step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Save $5 on
admission with pre-sale tickets!
We heard the people, and this year we brought back pre-sale tickets! Save $5 when you pre-purchase your admission passes through the MCPA box office (in person, by phone or online) any time prior to Saturday, June 29. Pre-sale admission passes are just $15 (and include 5 drink tickets and a tasting glass), admission passes at the door are $20 (still include 5 drink tickets and a tasting glass) and non-drinking passes are just $10 anytime you buy.
So, it’s Saturday and
Summer Sips is here! There is free parking available in all the parking
lots throughout Riverside Park. Depending on when you arrive, you may have to
walk, but you won’t have to pay!
New this year, we are letting the dogs IN—on his or her leash with some extra baggies for business on hand, please. Children are also welcome to attend this event with a $10 admission pass for non-drinking attendees. Adults who wish to attend, but not drink, can also purchase a non-drinking pass. Those who do purchase a drinking pass will be asked for ID and given a wrist band at the admissions booth to designate them as such.
Don’t leave Fido at home this year, bring them on a leash with you (and don’t forget some extra baggies!)
Step 2: Come with
your taste buds ready!
All the wineries and breweries represented at Summer Sips
are from right here in Ohio! #DrinkLocal
Ranging from world-class wines like pinot grigio, chardonnay, cabernet franc or
Riesling to fun-to-drink fruit wines made from fresh strawberries, blackberries,
peaches and raspberries. Meade, ciders and (new this year!) beers are also
available to sample!
Some important logistics when it comes to tasting at Summer Sips. Tasting tickets are 1 for $1. When tasting wine, each ticket will get you 1oz. You will be able to choose how many ounces you want, up to 5oz. However, when beer tasting you will submit 2 tickets ($2) for one full tasting glass of 5oz.
Beer served in the beer garden must be kept separate from
the wine served in the other areas of the park. Your admission pass and drink
tickets work for all of it, but keep in mind you will not be able to take your
wine into the beer garden or your beer into the wine area due to the special
licensing we have from the state.
Step 3: Find
something you love? Take it home!
So, you’ve tried a dozen new wines and found your perfect match. Is this goodbye forever? No way! You can stock up on your new favorite for the weeks (or days—we get it) to come! Now, you won’t be able to open any bottles at the event, but you also won’t have to worry about lugging your new favorite wine around for the rest of the afternoon. A service will be provided to collect your purchased bottles and keep them in the “wine warehouse” until you are ready to leave the event.
Taste something new and delicious? Purchase a bottle to take home and enjoy!
Step 4: Bring cash
Admissions accepts cash or card for passes and drink
tickets, but we also have a wide variety of vendors at Summer Sips. From the
wineries and breweries to food trucks and local artists, you will probably do
some shopping. And while many of the vendors are equipped to accept credit
cards, you don’t want to miss out on fabulous finds with those who might not!
Step 5: Paint &
Partake
Two words, paint and partake! Awakening Minds Art will be hosting a paint and partake party at the top of every hour from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. for just $10 a participant. Enjoy the shade of a shelter house whilst painting (and drinking wine) right in the park! Not to mention AMA is another incredible Findlay arts organization you can support with your participation in this fun event option.
Step 6: Dodge the
rain!
We get this question a lot, and yes! this event is held rain
or shine. There are plenty of permanent structures that the wineries serve from
you can stand under, lots of trees and a large tent for the beer garden to
dodge the rain or maybe just find shade from the sunshine for a while.
Check out even more information on the wineries, breweries, vendors and LIVE music we’ll be featuring at Summer Sips on the Facebook event! Can’t wait to see you there!
This blog post was written by Megan Talbert. Megan is the Marketing Manager for Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, Equestrian Enthusiast, and Fur-Mom. That isn’t much, is it? Learn more about her here!
After a long year of uncertainty, some ingenuity, and a whole lot of generosity from the community, all of us at Marathon Center for the Performing Arts are feeling more hopeful than ever and beyond excited to announce a summer show!
On Friday, June 4 at 7 p.m., in our lot, we’re gonna party like it’s 1981 with America’s favorite Yacht Rock tribute band, The Docksiders, playing the best soft rock songs of the 70s and 80s.
Two Words: Yacht Rock
If you happened to see my photo on this blog the answer to your question is no, I was not alive to experience Yacht Rock in its original glory, and yes, I did have to Google what the heck Yacht Rock was when I first heard it. (During my research, I found Spotify has curated a Yacht Rock Playlist that is a fabulous sampling of the genre!)
Yacht Rock is coming to Findlay!
Yacht Rock (as it has been dubbed) includes all your favorites of the “soft rock” genre of yesteryear. Think Michael McDonald, Olivia Newton-John, Hall & Oates, Christopher Cross, Air Supply, the list goes on.
The Docksiders are made up of veteran musicians from Milwaukee, Wisconsin – led by 3-time Grammy™ nominee, Kevin Sucher – that bring this music to life in all its captain-hatted, sequined glory.
Pod Concert
If you’ve been following along with MCPA programming throughout the last year, you’ll remember we had our first “Pod Concert” back in October 2020 with local band, The Athen Ry.
Socially distant concerts are returning to MCPA this summer
Now that warm weather is on the horizon again, we wanted to bring this same concert-style back for the summer given the public health protocols still in place and that our surveys told us outdoor shows would be the most comfortable option for many of our patrons.
The basic set-up of a pod concert is that there will be 10ft circles painted on our parking lot (allowing for adequate social distancing requirements) and the “ticket” you purchase is for one of these pods. Each pod can accommodate up to 6 people for that single pod price.
Gather your pod and enjoy a show at MCPA
For example, if you have 5 people coming to the show, you can purchase one pod for everyone to sit in. If you have 12 people coming with you to the show, you’ll need to purchase two pods to fit everyone.
Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, April 21 at noon. You can purchase online at MCPA.org, in person at MCPA, or over the phone, 419.423.2787 ext. 100.
RSVP on the Facebook event for the June 4 concert with The Docksiders, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and sign-up for emails because we’ve got a lot more planned for the summer!
Did I mention Summer Camp is Back and In-Person?
Youtheatre Summer Camps for Grades 1-12 are some of our most popular programs at MCPA, and we are so happy to be offering these for the kids in-person again this summer.
Youtheatre Summer Camps are back!
Performing Arts Camp for Grades 1-5 will be half-day camps held July 12-16, with the theme of “The Four Seasons”. Camp sessions will run from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1 p.m-4 p.m.
Youtheatre Academy for Grades 6-12 and high school seniors who graduated in 2021 will run July 19-23 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
You can learn more and register for camps at MCPA.org/Camp!
As always, thank you so much for your support of the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts. I’m so excited to be able to share these summer plans with you all, and be sure to follow along because we have even more shows, programs and events to come!
This blog post was written by Megan Talbert. Megan is the Marketing Manager for Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, Equestrian Enthusiast, and Fur-Mom. That isn’t much, is it? Learn more about her here!
Summer is here. It’s time to run through grass barefoot and eat our weight in ice cream.
There are so many ways to have fun during the summer, but unfortunately, a lot of them cost a pretty penny. The good news is that you can come to Findlay and find a lot of free things to do this summer!
So if you’re ready for a budget-friendly summer, here are three things we think you’ve just got to check out.
Free Live Music
Young and old love to hear a band play live. Your toes get tapping and you get lost in some of your favorite tunes.
If this sounds like a good time to you, then get to the 68th Annual Riverside Summer Concert Series. Not only is it free, but you get to hear music at the beautiful Riverside Park. This summer, you’ll get to hear everything from the US Army Band to a barbershop chorus. There’s a little something for everyone during this series, so you definitely should check it out.
Free Outdoor Fun
If you’re anything like us, you want to soak up the sun and be outdoors as much as possible this summer (with lots of sunscreen, of course).
Then you have to get to our local parks! Have a picnic by the river at Riverside Park. Take a walk along the Findlay Reservoir. Play disc golf at the Riverbend Recreation Area. There are just so many free things to do at our local parks that you won’t know what to do first.
Free Festivals
The best part of summer is usually all of the fun festivals you get to go to. And we definitely have a lot of must-attend festivals in Hancock County!
One of our favorites is the Flag City BalloonFest! It’s free to attend and you get to see some amazing hot air balloons. Not only that, but the Visit Findlay hot air balloon comes home every year and it’s a beautiful balloon full of lots of Findlay pride. Between the balloon glow and lots of demonstrations throughout the festival, you get a lot without paying a dime!
Looking for more free things to do this summer? Check out our events calendar and our things to do section to discover all of the summer fun you can have in Findlay!
The other day I was scrolling through social media. I do admit it, I enjoy scrolling and reading about people, places and things on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. I came across a post for a local boutique that had pictures of fun accessories. I, of course, had to look at all the pictures because accessories are my Achilles heel. Not only were these cool, but they were unique. I definitely don’t fit the mold of other people, so I want my wardrobe and accessories to reflect that uniqueness.
Accessories are my Achilles Heel so local shops with unique options, like Papillon Boutique, are perfect!
In Findlay, we are blessed with lots of boutiques that offer
unique items. How lucky are we to have
those stores right here in our own back yard?
We are so lucky in fact that, I think we all need to do a boutique
day. Pick any day of your choosing,
grab a girlfriend or two and go shopping right here in your own back yard.
If you need to sit down and get in touch with your creative side, check out Painter’s Pottery.
While you’re visiting the downtown shops, plan to park and
walk. That way you won’t feel so guilty
for eating all of that good food. Make
sure you pace yourself, though with all of that eating. You have a lot to fit into that one day.
Then, grab your spouse or significant other and have dinner at one of amazing locally owned restaurants. And, don’t let it end there, head over to one of our local wineries or taverns for a night cap. Heck, you may not even get it all done in one day! Who knew there was so much to experience right here in our own Findlay back yard? I did! Now get going!
Where better to celebrate Flag Day than Flag City U.S.A.? Findlay has so many things going on during this day of designation – so get on your red, white, and blue and check out what is going on on June 14!
See the 13 Star Flag at the Hancock Historical Museum!
See this rare 13 Star Flag, dating from the Revolutionary War!
A very rare 13 star flag, dating back to the Revolutionary War, will be on public display beginning on Flag Day at the Hancock Historical Museum for a limited time. The Revolutionary War-era flag is owned by the Mooney Family of southern Ohio, and has most recently been on display at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati. The flag is believed to have been used during the Revolutionary War at Ft. Independence in Boston. The flag will be on display at the Hancock Historical Museum through July 5th. A opening reception for the flag will take place on Friday, June 14 at 10:30 a.m.! VisitFindlay.com
Shop in Flag City!
Several locations are hosting specials, like Cammys – you can get 10% off their handmade wooden flags, like this one!
Several Downtown locations are hosting special deals in honor of Flag Day!
Sleek Styles Salon, Enjoy $1/minute chair massages, 15% off products on the table and buy a $50 gift certificate for the salon, get a $10 gift certificate for free!
Take part in the Flag Day Scavenger Hunt!
Downtown businesses are staying open late with specials and promotions throughout the evening to celebrate Flag Day and several are participating in a special scavenger hunt!
The scavenger hunt is free and each participant who completes the hunt will receive a $5 Downtown Findlay gift certificate courtesy of Visit Findlay and Downtown Findlay, and will also be entered into a drawing for a gift basket! The Scavenger Hunt clues can be picked up on June 14 at any of the participating businesses, Visit Findlay Welcome Center, or will be posted to download on Facebook and VisitFindlay.com on June 14 at 10 a.m.
Do you know why Findlay is Flag City U.S.A.? The road to Findlay becoming designated Flag City, USA began in 1968 when John B. Cooke moved to Findlay. As a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Cooke believed in the value of flying the American flag and went door-to-door in town asking residents and businesses alike to fly a flag on Flag Day, June 14, 1968. Cooke created a fund and purchased 14,000 small flags for the community. This project continued until 1974, when the Women’s Division of the Chamber of Commerce started a campaign to, once again, have flags fly and to have the city of Findlay become officially known as Flag City USA. On May 7, the House of Representatives passed a resolution officially declaring Findlay Flag City, USA. Today, you may see a flag display in the Hancock Historical Museum, see the Flag City monument welcoming visitors to our town at I-75 and US 224, pass under the Flag City, USA distinction while driving on I-75 and pass by the mural on a Marathon Petroleum storage tank. Findlay is a place of great pride; both in its unique designation and patriotism.
We hope you enjoy all the Flag Day fun in Flag City! Make plans to celebrate Juneteenth with us on June 19 from Noon – 8 p.m. with the Miles of Bravery: A Juneteenth Celebration self-guided art tour. Seven Findlay locations are participating with artwork from Mazza Museum’s “Miles of Bravery: The Underground Railroad through Picture Books” exhibit. Each location will have art and books from the collection as well as family-friendly activities. Information about this event and all others in Findlay and Hancock County can be found on our Event Calendar!
It’s hard to
believe that we are kicking off MCPA’s fifth season this fall! Just five short
years ago this wonderful community performing arts center was a construction
site and the stage was empty. But it is certainly empty no more.
As word of
MCPA spreads throughout the region and the performing arts industry, the shows
we present get better and better. I’m excited about the artists coming to
Findlay next season as well as our expanded education and community offerings. I
hope you are too.
Keep reading to see who is part of the upcoming MCPA Season! (Like The Family Stone, pictured here!)
The entire season line up can be found at MCPA.org and there’s a Spotify playlist too, but here are a few highlights of what’s to come:
We are
featuring two “spotlight shows” in the 2019/2020 season. These performances
stand out as the biggest productions of the year; the “don’t miss” shows; the
ones you’d normally have to travel to a large city to experience.
On December 4
we kick off the holidays with Celtic Woman in The Best of Christmas
Tour. Accompanied by the Lima Symphony Orchestra and featuring both
contemporary and traditional Christmas music from around the world, this all-female
ensemble is the must-see show of the holiday season.
Kick off the holidays with Celtic Woman in The Best of Christmas Tour!
We will wrap up the season with the first national touring production of SpongeBob the Musical on June 8. The perfect show for Broadway lovers, families and anyone who grew up watching the beloved Nickelodeon TV series, this Tony Award nominated musical is full of heart, humor and pure theatricality.
The rest of
our mainstage season offers a little bit of everything, and something for
everyone.
If “oldies”
are your jam, you won’t want to miss the pioneers of psychedelic soul The Family Stone on September 14, folk icon Arlo Guthrie on November 15 or Motown hit machine The Four Tops on May 5. From Woodstock to Detroit, with a quick
stop at Alice’s Restaurant, each of these artist are legends in their
respective genres.
Speaking of
oldies, Postmodern Jukebox (here on October 20) is a collection
of musicians focused on making the new sound old with their versions of current
hits remade as songs from vintage genres. Think swing-style Brittney Spears and
Bon Jovi reimagined as a jazz tune.
Postmodern Jukebox will be in Findlay on October 20 – hear their take on Brittany Spears’ “Oops!…I Did it Again” on MCPA’s Spotify Playlist!
Realty television
has produced some of today’s hottest stars like Carrie Underwood, Kelly
Clarkson and Daughtry. Fans of America’s
Got Talent will get their fix this season as we present three alums of the
popular show.
The first is Puddles Pity Party from season 12. This 7-foot melancholy clown
with a golden voice brings his sulking serenades to MCPA on November 9.
William Close and the Earth Harp Collective brings his Season 7 standout
performance to Findlay on May 2. The body of this massive harp rests on the
stage while the strings stretch up to 1000 feet in length over the audience and
attach to the back of Donnell Theater, encompassing every space within the
instrument.
Three alums from America’s Got Talent will grace the MCPA stage, including William Close and the Earth Harp Collective!
Classically-trained
and extremely versatile, with a repertoire that spans the gamut from patriotic
and country to Broadway and classical, The Texas Tenors from season 4 appear on May 17. The Tenors are one of only two acts
from AGT to star in their own PBS
special, for which they won 3 Emmy awards.
“Sunshine of
Your Love” and “(They Long To Be) Close to You” are songs that inhabit opposite
ends of the musical spectrum, yet both Cream and The Carpenters have amassed
huge followings and inspired generations of musicians. And both of these fan
favorites will be honored on our stage next season.
Are you a fan of Cream? You won’t want to miss members of the original band when they are at MCPA on October 25!
Featuring the
talented sons of original band members Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce along with
Eric Clapton’s nephew, The Music of Cream 50th
Anniversary Tour resurrects one of classic rocks all-time great bands on October 25.
Then on
December 19, Michelle Whited shares her note-perfect renditions of Karen
Carpenter’s classics from “We’ve Only Just Begun” to “Merry Christmas Darling”
in A Very Merry Carpenters
Tribute Christmas.
Celebrate Christmas with the Carpenters when Michelle Whited performs the classics you love on December 19
Film buffs and
blues fans will want to break out their sunglasses and stock up on dry white
toast on March 20 for The Official Blues Brothers
Revue. Jake,
Elwood and their powerhouse band perform hits from the film — including “Soul
Man” and “Sweet Home Chicago” — in the only tribute to the classic movie
sanctioned by Dan Ackroyd and the Belushi Family.
Break out your sunglasses and stock up on dry white toast for The Official Blues Brothers Revue on March 20!
On the more
classical side, the 2017 Cliburn competition audience award winner Rachel Cheung bestows her immense talents on our beautiful Bösendorfer piano on
October 27. The National Ballet Theatre
of Odessa
returns with their production of Romeo
and Juliet on January 28 and Chanticleer – a stellar all-male vocal
ensemble whose repertoire includes everything from madrigals to sea shanties –
comes on March 1.
We celebrate diversity
in our community and Findlay’s biennial Japan Week with Yumi Kurosawa on October 17. A master of the koto, the national instrument of Japan,
Yumi is joined by an eminent Indian tabla player Anubrata Chatterjee.
Celebrate Japan Week by attending a concert by Yumi Kurosawa, a master of koto
Across the
hall from Donnell Theatre, the Live @ Armes series is back with five intimate
shows.
From country music
prodigy EmiSunshine (March 5) and bluesman Albert Cummings (April 4) to the exuberant Americana of The Way Down Wanderers (November 21) and folk duo The Small Glories (January 18) — with a detour to Central America with Radio Free Honduras (December 12) — these listening room-style concerts are quickly
becoming the hottest ticket in town.
The Live @ Armes series is a favorite of many and it is back again with five great performers like Radio Free Honduras, pictured here
This is just a
taste of what MCPA has to offer next season. A visit to mcpa.org will give you access to camps and school shows, community theater and
civic choirs, flower arranging workshops and book talks, visual art exhibits
and family performances… the list goes on and on.
There’s one thing my friends know about me: I love a good cocktail. Boozy, fruity, sugary or the like. There’s a reason and a season for them all.
So it’s not all that surprising that I’ve done more than one cocktail drinking tour of Findlay. And thanks to that, I have a bit of insider knowledge of some of the best to try.
Lucky for you, I’m willing to share.
Rossilli’s Restaurant
When I think of a cool, refreshing cocktail, I think Rossilli’s Restaurant. That’s because I sipped a great lemonade cocktail here on a summer day, and it makes me happy just thinking about it right now. You can get great classics here or a new twist. Whatever you order, it will be made well, and yes, it will make you happy as well.
Bistro on Main
The thing I love about Bistro on Main is that there is always something new to try. Their creative martinis are always delighting me. Expect a bit of the fruity, the sugary and the boozy here. There’s really a little something for everyone on this menu. For me, I love a sugared rim with one of their fruity martinis.
Bourbon Room
When you walk into Bourbon Room, you feel like you’ve stepped back in time to a speakeasy, and for me, it makes me feel right at home. Their bourbon selection is huge. So even though they have a great cocktail menu as well, it always seem like the best option is a cocktail that takes advantage of that bourbon selection. That’s why you’ll always see me raising an Old Fashioned when I’m sitting at the bar.
You can also find some tasty cocktails at many of our local restaurants, so make up a cocktail tasting tour of your own with these stops as well as a few others.
The sun is shining. The temps are heating up. It’s time to have a fun summer in Findlay!
Whether you want to kick your shoes off to run barefoot in the grass or eat all of your favorite summer foods, you can do it all in Findlay.
Here are some of our favorite ways to kick off summer here:
Dive into the Riverside Pool
What better way to cool off than at the Riverside Pool? You can slide down the waterslide, squeal as you walk through the splash pad or have a snack in the shaded picnic area. It’s the perfect summertime activity.
Have a Rootbeer at the Lime Avenue Rootbeer Stand
Is there anything more classic than getting a meal from a carhop? You can do just that at the Lima Avenue Rootbeer Stand. And you definitely have to try the rootbeer! It’s one of the best in town.
Walk the Findlay Reservoir
With the sun glistening off the water, the Findlay Reservoir is really gorgeous this time of year. And it provides a really peaceful walk. Soak up the sun and enjoy the sound of the water while you walk around our reservoir.
Grab a Hamburg at Wilson’s
Burgers are almost an integral part of summer. But at Wilson’s, they call them hamburgs, and it’s just not summer until you’ve made a stop to try one. And do you know what makes that hamburg even better? A malt and a slice of pie.
Go to a Farmers’ Market
The fresh veggies. The talks with farmers. And seeing your neighbors. There are so many reasons why farmers’ markets are fun. Make a stop at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts every Thursday night to enjoy the fun.
Eat a Shredded Chicken Sandwich at Archie’s
Whether you go through the drive through or sit at one of the picnic tables, Archie’s is a Findlay classic. And their shredded chicken sandwich is famous. But don’t forget to get an ice cream treat with those equally famous sprinkles.
Get a Cone at Dietsch Brothers
There is nothing quite like the perfect ice cream cone, and one of the best places to get one is Diethsch Brothers. It’s classic ice cream done right. And the combinations are endless. So you can spend all summer trying to discover a new favorite.
There are lots of other fun ways to kick off summer in Findlay. Keep an eye on our events calendar for upcoming events.
