Discover Gahanna Ohio

Gahanna’s greenest day of the year is coming up Saturday, May 11 from 9 am - 2 pm. That’s right, Herb Day is right around the corner, signaling that it’s thyme to start your garden. This day is a big dill around Central Ohio.

Listen to herbalist speakers and herb-based business owners, enjoy demos and then stroll through a multitude of local artists and vendors offering unique herb-inspired items. Browse and shop 100+ varieties of fresh herbs available for purchase for your home and garden. Dine at one of the local Creekside Restaurants. (It is Herb'n Restaurant Week, after all!) This event is free to the public.

Herb Day Speakers:

9:15    Perfect Pollinator Plant   -- Jerry Hinton, Hinton Apiaries

10 am     Honey as a Medium for Medicine:  Electuaries, Oxymels and More
Dawn Combs, MA, Ethnobotanist, Author & Functional Foods Expert 

Honey has long been rumored to be the best option for seasonal allergies, but did you know there's much more to this sweet remedy? While it's common to use alcohol, vinegar, or water to make Western medicines, honey has been used for centuries in other cultures, not as a sweetener, but as a synergistic base for traditional herbal medicine. Modern science is taking notice and researching honey for its potential in the antibiotic resistance crisis. Find out how you can use this common household product along with your herbs for more targeted and potent remedies by creating electuaries, oxymels, and more.   Dawn and her husband are the proprietors of Mockingbird Meadow and Soda Pharm in Marysville, Ohio. (Book signing immediately following talk at Ohio Herb Center)

11:45am  Culinary Garden Ideas   Shannon Barnette, Daydream Acres Homestead

12:30 pm Building Herb Garden Planters in Small Spaces -Andy Evans, Home Depot

In the Herb Center

10 am Fun Hack Ideas for Seed Germination   (Amanda Ferguson, Ohio Herb Center)

12:30 The Perfect Pair: Herbs and Mushrooms  
Janell Baran, Herb + Mushroom farmer / Proprietor of the Blue Owl Garden Emporium

Janell Baran has been growing herbs for close to 30 years in environs ranging from a 3rd floor balcony in Southern California to the 130-acre tree farm where she now lives in Central Ohio. In 2005 she quit her day job and took up herb farming full-time as the proprietor of the Blue Owl Garden Emporium herb farm. Located among the hills and hollows of NE Licking Co., the herb farm is home to hundreds of useful plants from around the world. Culinary, medicinal, and crafting herbs are sold fresh-cut and/or dried year-round at local farmer's markets. Specializing in the unusual and hard-to-find, the herbs are grown sustainably using organic methods, harvested and processed by hand to ensure the highest quality.

For more information on Herb Day and everything herbs, check out OhioHerbCenter.org.

Cinco de Mayo — the 5th of May — is one Mexican holiday that gets Americans celebrating, and it means: fiesta time! To help you savor a little bit of Mexican culture, we found 5 local establishments that are celebrating Cinco de Mayo in their own unique way. Grab an ice-cold margarita or some chips and salsa and let’s taco ‘bout how we’re going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Mi Tradicion
It doesn’t have to be Cinco de Mayo for Mi Tradicion to serve the best authentic Mexican cuisine on the daily basis; however, they are throwing a big, two-day fiesta on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5, with live music and a DJ, so bring your dancing shoes!



101 Beer Kitchen
When does 101 Beer Kitchen not go above and beyond for customers? To honor Cinco de Mayo and their Hispanic team members, 101 BK is putting a fun twist on a pairing dinner! Chef John will be creating traditional and Mexican-inspired dishes to pair with equally inspired specialty cocktails and beers. Tickets include six courses and six beverages with tax & gratuity included. Get your tickets here!

Barrel & Boar
This is nacho typical Cinco de Mayo celebration… Barrel & Boar is celebrating the 5th of May with house made chips topped with queso cheese sauce, choice of smoked meat, pico de gallo, guacamole and chipotle sour cream for only $10! To add to the fiesta, locally brewed Mexican Lager will be on tap.

Buckeye Candy Company
This candy shop is always prepared for ANY holiday and celebration. Give into your sweet tooth craving and try margarita flavored cotton candy and lollipops, or take home some candy shot glasses for your own Cinco de Mayo fiesta! 

Creekside Local Cantina
This place celebrates Mexican-inspired food and drinks year-round; however, on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5, there will be lots of drink specials. Patron drink specials include a $30 house pitcher made with patron blanco, $10 pomegranate margarita made with Patron Reposado using pomegranate Simple Times and a $10 neat pour of Patron Anejo over Sphere. Also, new to the mixed-drink lineup at Local Cantina, you’ll find locally-made Simple Times Strawberry Sage Margarita mixers!

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Cinco de Mayo! For more information on what to see and do in Gahanna, go to VisitGahanna.com. And don’t forget to post pictures using the hashtag #UniquelyGahanna on social media for a chance to be featured on Visit Gahanna’s social media channels and website!

After what seemed like a never-ending winter, the sun in out and the kids are almost out of school for the summer. And we’re guessing the kids will want to get out of the house and do something fun. From popcorn, candy and picnics to putt-putt and paddle boats, we have 7 family fun activities that will get your family out of the house without breaking the bank. 

Pam’s Market Popcorn
Who knew popcorn could come in so many different flavors?! Try fun flavors like Cookies & Cream, Cotton Candy, Rory’s Rainbow, Carmel Tuxedo, the special “flavor of the week” and more!  Pam’s also serves delicious Chicago Style coney dogs, cotton candy and other yummy treats.

Buckeye Candy Company
Speaking of yummy treats, sweet lovers NEED to experience the candy collection over at Buckeye Candy Company! Parents may feel a bit nostalgic with treats like Pop Rocks, PEZ Dispensers, Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans and classic Buckeyes ... while the kiddos will love the selection of Cotton Candy, Gummies, Insect Suckers (yes), Crispycakes and hundreds of other amazing treats.

The Story Trail
Gahanna Parks & Recreation has collaborated with the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Gahanna School students and the Gahanna Rotary to present the Gahanna Story Trail. The Story Trail is located at Friendship Park and provides an engaging opportunity for visitors to learn the value of being good stewards of our environment, while they walk and read the story. The Story Trail is part of the Gahanna Library Summer Reading Program and encourages families to engage in the outdoors through reading.

Glow Putt Mini Golf
For a unique miniature golfing experience, escape the house and day-to-day routine and come on a safari that is fun for the whole family! Under a spectacular umbrella of black lights, you will navigate through a jungle of tiki Gods, exotic wildlife, bamboo forest and Dino invasion. Glow Putt is also a great place for birthday parties!

Lazer Kraze
Lazer Kraze is the ultimate indoor fun zone for kids of all ages.  It combines laser tag with an indoor trampoline park, Cyber Sport, arcade games, a snack bar with domestic and microbrew beer and more! Lazer Kraze is also offering spring and summer deals for the family. Check out some of the fun below:

• Munchkin Madness: This is a special time for younger players to enjoy playing laser tag with others of their age group. "All-You-Can-Play" laser tag session for kids 12 and younger on Saturdays, 11 am-1 pm. Purchase a Munchkin Madness pass and receive a $5 arcade card free! Find out more about this special here.

• Thrilling Thursdays: Thursdays are now all-you-can-play laser tag from 6-9pm! This includes a 30-minute trampoline jump session all for just $20!

• Summer Camp (July 16-18): Camp activities include a ton of laser tag, jumping and air dodgeball on the trampoline, arcade games, pizza and pop lunch, and other camp activities designed to build leadership and teamwork skills. Register in advance by July 9th and pay just $119 per child.

• Laser Tag Pass: Purchase your pass and enjoy 10 laser tag missions for just $20! Limit 1 laser tag mission per day per card. Valid for laser tag only. Valid May 30 - August. 15, 2019.

• Trampoline Jump Pass:  Purchase your jump pass and enjoy 10, 30-minute jump sessions for just $50! Limit 1 session per day per card. 1 pair of socks per card. Valid for trampoline jump sessions only. Valid May 30 - August. 15, 2019.

Pack a picnic and visit Geroux Herb Garden
Enjoy the great outdoors and stroll through a variety of herbal gardens at the Geroux Herb Garden. Pack a picnic and call it enjoy themed mini-gardens including the culinary garden, the biblical garden, the medicinal garden, the scented garden, the shade garden and more! The Garden is located on 206 South Hamilton Rd.

Cookies-and-Milk Happy Hour
Mrs. Turbo’s Cookies is putting an entirely new spin on Happy Hour! Visit Mrs. Turbo’s retro themed, 50’s style bakery and enjoy hand-crafted gourmet cookies made from scratch with only the best ingredients--along with an ice cold milk (or coffee).  Sit at the counter or in a booth--then head to the park to burn off those sweets.

For more family fun and what to see and do in Gahanna, check out our event listings on VisitGahanna.com or download our Visit Gahanna app!

Gahanna will be partnering with COSI Columbus to encourage hands-on fun and learning during COSI’s Science Festival (May 1-4, 2019). Two Gahanna businesses are hosting events to celebrate how fun science can be.  On May 1, the Ohio Herb Center will be presenting the “Colorful World of Herbs,” followed by Noble Cut Distillery’s presentation on “The Science of Whiskey” on May 2! Sound intriguing? Check out all of the fun-filled science-themed activities below!

 Colorful World of Herbs
When: From 12 - 2 pm on Wednesday, May 1.
Where: Ohio Herb Center (110 Mill St.)

Did you know you can use herbs to create colors and other dyes? Color with your herb garden and join herbal specialist Amanda Ferguson at the Ohio Herb Center for a hands-on demonstration to learn how science is used to extract plant materials from herbs to create dyes and colors. Then use your new skills to “color” your own bandanna to take with you as a souvenir of your day!

“I don’t think people realize that before chemical food coloring, all dyes came from plants,” Ferguson says. “It really gets people thinking about using more natural products that are readily available. You can do so much with it: coloring your easter eggs, dyeing shirts and so many other fun craft projects. It’s a great activity for the whole family.”

“The Herb Center staff loves to share our knowledge with our community,” she said.  “So many people hear ‘herbs’ and think of cooking. We love teaching all of the ways you can utilize herbs in so many facets of your life. People learn a deeper respect for plants when they truly understand the scope of what they can actually do for us.”

The Science of Whiskey
When: 5:30 pm and 7 pm Thursday, May 2. 
Where: Noble Cut Distillery (750 Cross Pointe Rd, Suite K)

You don’t have to be a science geek to enjoy this event! Experience a deep dive into the history and science of distilled spirits and the role that herbs have played in the manufacturing of whiskey. Your visit to Noble Cut Distillery will include a tour of the production facility and a brief glimpse into the science behind the distillation process, capped off with a sampling of Noble Cut’s hand-crafted liquors. All registrants must be at least 21 years of age to participate. Be sure to bring a valid photo I.D. with you! Price is $20 per person. Registration is limited, so don’t delay. Register for either the 5:30 pm or 7 pm sessions here.

“This tour takes a deeper-dive into the chemistry and physics of our distillation process. We’ll analyze data and look at the cellular structure of how alcohol is created on a scientific level,” says Ben Vause, co-owner and brewmaster of Noble Cut. “I think people will be surprised on how technical the process is and how much science is involved. There’s a lot more that goes into it than most people think.”

For a full list of community events at COSI’s Science Festival, check out the full agenda here!

Put down the pan, recipes and table settings and clear your mind of any thoughts of cleaning up -- you’re going out to eat this Easter. Several local eateries are serving up a special Easter brunch menu for you and your family to enjoy a delicious and stress-free Easter Sunday. (The only catch is that you’ll need to make reservations SOON!) Check out what’s on the menu around town in Gahanna, Ohio and other nearby restaurants.

Barrel & Boar
On of our favorite local scratch-kitchens is featuring a brunch buffet from 10 am - 4 pm on Easter along with their BYO Bloody Mary bar. Sink your teeth into carved smoked ham or enjoy a spring skillet breakfast special in the morning! Pricing for the buffet is $18 for adults and $9 for kids, while the skillet breakfast morning special is $12.

If you plan to bring the kiddos along, be sure to make your reservation through OpenTable. Complimentary miniature Easter baskets will be available for all kids whose parents make reservations through OpenTable.  To take advantage of this, just indicate in the the notes of your reservation how many kids you will be bringing. Seating will be limited for parties of 6 or more.

The Barn at Rocky Fork Creek
This gorgeous, rustic-chic restaurant is also featuring an Easter brunch buffet from 10 am - 2:30 pm. Enjoy a delicious spread of breakfast staples including eggs benedict, bacon, sausage, a carving station and made-to-order omelets prepared by their chefs. The feast will also include chilled salads and fruit, peel-n-eat shrimp, a selection of signature offerings from their menu and house-made desserts. And don’t forget about the Bloody Mary bar! Be sure to make your reservation soon as spots quickly fill up. Pricing is $31.99 for adults, $14.99 for ages 6-12, and kids 5 and under can eat for free. Juice and soft drinks are included.

Cap City Fine Diner & Bar
Cap City is known for their retro style interior and their modern comfort food. If that sounds like your type of place, you’ll love their brunch menu featuring eggs on hash, breakfast burritos, stuffed french toast, lox & bagels, classic eggs benedict and steak & eggs. Brunch hours are from 10 am - 3 pm and the pricing goes by the menu.

94th Aero Squadron
Celebrate Easter at the 94th Aero Squadron as they host a brunch buffet from 10 am - 5 pm on Easter Sunday. The main line buffet includes your traditional breakfast options such as bacon, sausage, eggs, waffles, and more. Other menu items include a seafood, meat carving, salad and bread station. There will also be a spectacular dessert display! Reservations are required The price is $34.99 for adults and $17.49 for children 5-12 years old.

Looking for more options? Here are some other nearby options serving up Easter brunch and dinner: Rusty Bucket Gahanna, Hudson 29, Mitchell’s Ocean Club, Bon Vie, Bravo Cucina Italiana, Brio Tuscan Grille, Buca di Beppo, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, McCormick and Schmick’s Seafood, and Whole Foods Easton.