Perhaps you would like the excitement of the crowds of more than 50,000 attending "The Little Brown Jug", part of the triple crown of Grand Circuit harness racing. Even if you don't enjoy betting at the track, the race is sure to be a memorable event. The Delaware County Fair, home to the "Jug" is known for its great annual entertainment lineup, as well as all of the trappings a county fair has to offer. Fair Week is preceded by the annual All Horse Parade, an unusual parade with literally hundreds of different kinds of horses and antique horse-drawn vehicles.

And if you enjoy animals, maybe you would enjoy visiting the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo is located in Delaware County, and is nationally known for its wonderful exhibits. Right next door to the zoo is Wyandot Lake, a huge water amusement park. Be prepared to get wet and have fun if you venture there!

Or maybe you would enjoy the cultural environment provided by a liberal arts university. Ohio Wesleyan University offers an annual Performing Arts and Lecture Series, and is the home base for the Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra which performs many annual concerts, including a Fourth of July concert prior to Delaware's fireworks display. The university also stages many drama productions, and hosts numerous musical events, in addition to hosting frequent student and faculty art exhibits.

And speaking of the arts ... Delaware is home to "The Arts Castle", an old mansion (it really does look like a castle!) that houses the Delaware County Cultural Arts Center. Each quarter, the Arts Castle offers many classes in drawing, painting, crafts, music and dancing. The classes are taught by local and visiting artists. Each May, the downtown Delaware streets are closed off for a day to present the annual Arts Festival. Scores of artists and craftsmen line the downtown streets for this event, which also includes food and entertainiment.

Or maybe you would like visiting or living in a community that has two observatories. If you are interested in stargazing and astronomy, or interested in teaching those subjects to your children, Perkins Observatory is the ideal place. Located just south of Delaware, Perkins was built for Ohio Wesleyan by Hirum Perkins, a former professor who made a great deal of money by supplying salt pork to the Union army during the Civil War. At the time it was built, the 64 inch telescope at Perkins Observatory was the largest telescope in the nation. Today, Perkins houses a 32" reflector, and is open frequently during the week for lectures, viewing and stargazing by the public. Make sure you take the tour and hear the story about the "Ghost of Hirum Perkins" (THUMP!). Delaware also houses Ohio Wesleyan's student observatory, a very large and old brass refracting telescope with excellent optics. (Sorry but you have to take a course in astronomy at OWU to look through this one!)

Or maybe you prefer shopping for antiques. The Delaware area is a great place to go hunting for those timeless treasures. The villages of Powell and Sunbury, located within Delaware county, are notable for their antique shops.

And speaking of shopping ... Delaware has several great places to shop. There is the older, more traditional downtown, including the historic Strand Theater, now owned and operated by Ohio Wesleyan University. Each spring, the Strand offers a series of old movies in conjunction with Ohio Wesleyan's film course. Delaware also has four shopping centers -- two in-town and two just south of the city. If that's not enough shopping for you, shopping at Polaris Fashion Place, the trendiest mall in the Columbus area, is only about 20 minutes away! Polaris offers very upscale shopping, and is the first mall in central Ohio to feature Saks Fifth Avenue and Kauffman's stores.

Delaware has always been home to some commuters who work in Columbus, but recent tax abatements given to builders in Delaware industrial parks have spurred job growth within the county. There is now a wider range of employment opportunities within the city than ever before. And the high-tech commerce center of Polaris is located approximately 20 minutes south of Delaware.

But while Delaware is in the shadow of Columbus, we still have our own identity, we still have a small town atmosphere, and you can still take a drive (or a bicycle ride) in the country!

After you finish a hard day of work, Delaware has plenty of fun things to offer. There are numerous outdoor recreation facilities. The Mingo Park pool complex houses an olympic size pool, diving pool and children's pool within a park atmosphere. There are numerous golf clubs in the area, both public and private. Several state parks in the area offer swimming, camping, fishing and boating. In addition, Highbanks Metro Park offers scenic forest trails, a hike down to the Olentangy River bluffs (check for deer!), and historic Indian mounds.

Speaking of history ... the Delaware County Historical Society houses a large genealogical and historical library, as well as being the site of the Nash House, an exhibit of antiquities in an old home atmosphere. Take a handout from the society, and follow a historic walk down some of the main streets of Delaware as your written guide explains the building date and purpose of some of the original structures.

We hope you will agree that there is something for everyone here! Please do come visit soon! In fact, you might like it so much that you decide to stay!

Cindy Brooman, President
Point & Click Software, Inc.
Delaware.Org Site Sponsor