Spring Events


The Hocking Hills regions has great spring events as the hills come alive after after winter. Enjoy events in downtown Logan, railway, Neslonville, parks, local businesses and communities.

Easter Bunny Train & Egg Hunt are in March/April 2024. This specialty train on the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway in Nelsonville, Ohio sell out every year! It is a newer tradition in the Hocking Valley, and it has become a favorite of kids of all ages.

Ride the train from Nelsonville to Haydenville, and long the way back, the train will stop at the Easter Bunny’s secret hiding place where the egg hunt will take place! Areas for different age groups will be set up, and at the announcement to go, all of the kids will take off through their assigned areas and collect Easter eggs. Inside the eggs will be prizes and candy to be picked up at the prize tent.

Contact: Visit their website to purchase tickets or call 855-32-DEPOT or 740 753-9531.
Location: 33 West Canal Street, Nelsonville, OH 45764.

Urban Air - Wake Up Downtown event is May 2 to 4, 2024. This Urban Air® Affair will be awesome! The City of Logan will close the streets to all motorized traffic. Our Airstreams will line the historic downtown, forming a quiet and safe pedestrian mall. Enjoy lots of live music, restaurants, Airstream factory experts, company tours and more. Board a shuttle as we journey to discover an authentic moonshine distillery, a brewery, the scenic splendor of the Hocking Hills, and much more!

It’s the gateway to the Hocking Hills Region, which is part of the Appalachian Landscape. Nearby attractions feature waterfalls, caves, the dark sky park, rivers and lakes for kayaking and fishing, horseback riding, zip-line canopy tours, hiking, rock climbing and the John Glenn Astronomy Park!

Contact: Visit the website to purcashe tickets.
Location: Streets of downtown Logan, Ohio.

Summer Events


The Hocking Hills region has some great summer events at to enhance a hiking getway trip to the region. Enjoy outdoor theater, educational showcases, live music and more.

Techumseh! is June 14 - September 1, 2024. Techumseh is live outdoor theater at Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre. Witness the epic life story of the legendary Shawnee leader as he struggles to defend his sacred homelands in the Ohio country during the late 1700’s. TECUMSEH! has been labeled as one of the most mesmerizing dramas in the nation.

Sit beneath the stars as sheer spectacle surrounds you with a herd of galloping horses, live military cannon in action, and the most dazzling battle sequences offered on the American stage.

Contact: To purchase tickets, visit their website or call 866 775-0700
Location: Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre 5968 Marietta Road, Chillicothe, Ohio 45601.

Ohio's Friendliest Train Robbery rides are in June, July, August and September 2024. This specialty train on the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway in Nelsonville, Ohio are offered only 6 times a year and often sell out! Ohio’s Friendliest Train Robbery trains are family-friendly and feature a group of bandits on horseback making an attempt to rob the train.

All passengers are given play money when they board the train. The “robbers” then come through and collect the play money once they’re able to stop the train. Guns are used but only with blanks, and we maintain a safe atmosphere for everyone aboard.

Contact: Visit their website to purchase tickets or call 855-32-DEPOT or 740 753-9531.
Location: 33 West Canal Street, Nelsonville, OH 45764.

Lilyfest at Bishop Educational Gardens is July 12-14, 2024. Lilyfest is a celebration of arts, crafts, music, and gardens in the Hocking Hills. The annual event is held at the beautiful Bishop Educational Gardens in Rockbridge, Ohio.

Lilyfest has over 60 artists, with live music throughout the three acres of beautifully designed gardens, showcasing ponds and a variety of unique garden sculptures. While at the festival look for plant sales and ask a master gardener your garden-related questions. Enjoy the Butterfly House and stroll through The Lost Viking Hoard Encampment. There is FREE admission, but donations are accepted to help support the educational gradens!.

Contact: 740-969-2873
Location: Bishop Educational Gardens • 13200 Little Cola Road, Rockbridge, OH 43149.

Nelsonville Music Festival is July 26-28, 2024. The Nelsonville Music Festival is a production of and fundraiser for Stuart’s Opera House, a non-profit historic theater and performing arts center in Nelsonville, Ohio.

Billboard has called Nelsonville Music Festival “one of the best-kept secrets of the U.S. music festival circuit,” and NMF continues to gain fans who want a music festival with a more personal experience. Set in the beautiful rolling hills of Southeast Ohio, this intimate festival offers live music from a variety of genres on multiple stages from national, regional, and local acts. Support local artist and this historic theater that benefits the entire region.

Contact: Visit their website for tickets and information or call 740 753-1924.
Location: Stages are at various venues around Nelsonville, OH. Stuarts Opera House 52 Public Square Nelsonville, Ohio 45764

Lancaster Festival is July 28-27, 2024. The Lancaster Festival celebrates the artistic creativity of all cultures, serving as the foundation of year-round community efforts to nurture participation in the arts. This annual festival has epic performances by the Lancaster Festival Orchestra, National musicians, local performing and visual artists.

The 2023 lineup included the Lancaster Festival Orchestra, Cheryl Crow, Andy Grammer, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and more artists over this nine day festival. Hands on experiences, small venue concerts and more. Support the amazing cultural organization that promotes the arts in Lancaster.

Contact: Visit their website to purchase tickets or call 740 687-4808.
Location: Multiple Venues in Lancaster, Ohio. Lancaster Festival • 117 West Wheeling Street • Lancaster, OH 43130

Hocking Hills Bigfoot Festival is August 2-3, 2024 and is a super fun, recreational, nature savvy Bigfoot themed festival! Get your bigfoot on and enjoy this great theamed festival and learn more about it from speakers while partaking in fun activites! Located in the heart of bigfoot country, Logan, Ohio is Home to Ohio's Bigfoot!

Enjoy live music, local food vendors, art exhibits, craft vendors, national bigfoot speakers, squatch N' find, squatch walks, howling contests and more.

Contact: Visit their website and facebook for more information or email.
Location: Workthington Park in historic downtown Logan, Ohio. 1 S Market St, Logan, OH 43138

The Sweet Corn Festival is August 28 - 31, 2024 in Millersport, Ohio. The Millersport Sweet Corn Festival offers concerts, rides, games, animals, tractor pulls, contests, prizes, entertainment and more for free admission and a parking fee per vehicle! It’s ear – resistable fun!!

Stop by the Beer Garden or sign up for the 5k event, which is always held the Saturday of the Millersport Sweet Corn Festival at 9:00AM. Sign up on-line at a discounted rate. Support local non-profit organizations, the provide many of the concession stands.

Contact: Visit their website for details or to register for the 5K. Call 740-467-3639 with questions.
Location: 2718 Blacklick Eastern Rd. Millersport, OH 43046

Fall Events


The Hocking Hills region is popular in the fall; with the hills full of color for great hikes and wonderful views. Enjoy some of the regions festivals, concerts, and community evetns to enhance your getaway trip!

Ken Keener Classic 5k is August 31, 2024 in Millersport, Ohio. The 5k takes place the weekend of the Millersport Sweet Corn Festival. The 5K run starts at the festival and Participants run along the Ohio & Erie Canal, passing the historic Summerland Beach Hotel, Weldon’s Ice Cream Factory and turning around at one of the many state parks on Buckeye Lake to finish at Historic Lions Park!

Contact: Visit their website for details or to register for the 5K. Call 740 246-6101 with questions.
Location: 2718 Blacklick Eastern Rd. Millersport, OH 43046

Ohio Pawpaw Festival is Sepbember 13-15, 2024. The festival is a fun-filled, educational community event celebrating one of America’s largest native tree fruits, the pawpaw (Asimina triloba). This all-weekend event highlights the rich history and future possibilities of the pawpaw through delectable food and beverages, and a full line-up of presentations, activities and live music.

Presentations and activites that cover pawpaw growing, cooking, genetics, medical use and other topics related to sustainability. Over 10 local and regional artists performing live music over the weekend!

Contact: Visit their website for ticket / weekend pass or more information.
Location: Lake Snowden, 5900 US-50, Albany, OH 45710

Hocking Hills Trail Run is September 17, 2022. The trail run offers athletes the beauty of the park in the fall while providing challenging trail runs for all levels. Register for a 5K, 10K, 20K, 40K or 60k!

Beginning at the Hocking Hills State Park Naturalist Cabin, the Trail Run winds through vast wooded areas of the Hocking Hills State Park and Hocking State Forest, crossing streams, deep gorges, shimmering waterfalls and lush forests, leading uphill and down. The Trail Run is the ultimate challenge to the runner’s power of concentration.

Contact: Visit the run website to register for the event or call 740-385-2750 with questions.
Location: Hocking Hills State Park Naturalist Cabin at Old Man's Cave 19852 St. Rt. 664 S, Logan, Ohio 43138.

Haunted Mountain performances are October 3 to 26, 2024. The annual Halloween events at the Surgarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre sell out every year. This live outdoor theatatrical performance is an interpreation of a classic halloween story. The performance also has event activities, escape rooms and more before the show.

The 2024 production is The Frankenstein Experiance - It's Alive and should be equally thrilling as the past performances of Tales of the Undead, the Sleep Hollow Experience and The Passion of Dracula. Enjoy the haunted trails, the escape room experience and more!

Contact: Visit the production website for tickets or contact the box office at 866 775-0700.
Location: Surgarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre 5968 Marietta Road, Chillicothe, Ohio 45601.

Fairfield County Fair is October 6-12, 2024. The awesome county fair has been held in Lancaster, OH since 1851. The fair offers a variety of attractions including bull riding, truck and tractor pull, horse pull, demolition derbies, mule races and harness racing. There is also a large assortment of exhibits and rides for all ages. They also have a 2 mile fun run/walk. Register on their website.

Contact: Visit the fair website for event schedules or contact the fair office at 740 653-3041.
Location: Fairfield County Fairgrounds 157 E. Fair Ave. Lancaster, OH 43130

Pumpkin Show is October 16-19, 2024. The Pumpkin Show is located in Circleville, Oh 20 minutes from Laurellville. The show has been going on for more than 100 yeasr! FInd more than 100,000 pounds up pumpkins, squash and gords are on display. See the largest pumpkin. Enjoy parades, Miss pumpkin show, live music on multiple states, the marching band, pumpking carving, 5K race, food and more.

Contact: Visit the pumpkin show website for event schedules or call at 740 474-7000.
Location: The Circleville Pumpkin Show 159 East Franklin Street Circleville, Ohio 431131

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Winter Events


Hocking Hills provides some amazing views of the parks in the winter. Enjoy blankets of snow in the parks along with spectacular frozen waterfalls. There are many events in Logan, surrounding communities and the parks during this season.

Ohio Christmas Train rides are weekends November 25 - December 17, 2023. This specialty train on the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway in Nelsonville, Ohio has been running for 40 years and often sells out! The Santa train features the same theme – Santa gets on board the train and visits with each child as the train traverses the historic (and with any luck, snow-covered) Hocking River Valley.

Each coach is decorated and heated, Christmas music plays throughout the train over the audio system, and after Santa’s visit, each child receives a special candy cane treat! Make sure your child or grandchild brings his or her Christmas wishlist to share with Santa!

Contact: Visit their website to purchase tickets or call 855-32-DEPOT or 740 753-9531.
Location: 33 West Canal Street, Nelsonville, OH 45764.

Hocking Hills Winter Hike is January 20, 2024. This popular annaul winter hike in Hocking Hills State Park is a special experience. Over 5,000 vistors participate in the annual hike. See all of Hocking Hills attractions with and ice and snow canvas!

Hikers should assemble at Hocking Hills State Park Campground at any time from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday. The Winter Hike and all pre-hike and post-hike activities are free. Donations are encouraged for the refreshments, and for the return ride to Old Man's Cave. Commemorative patches and hiking stick medallions are available for purchase.

Contact:
Location: Hocking Hills State Park 19988 OH-664 Scenic, Logan, OH 43138

Frozen Festival is January 21, 2023. Historic downtown Logan becomes a Winter Wonderland with more than 25 ice sculptures, ice games, ice sculpting demonstrations, live entertainment, locally owned restaurants & food trucks. Don't miss the iceless skating rink in the heart of it all. Lots of photo ops and fun. Bring the kids. They will love playing ice skee ball and having their photo taken on a throne made of ice. This is a FREE event!

Contact: 740 385-2750
Location: Old Downtown Main Street, Logan, OH 43138.

Ash Cave Sweatheart Hike is February 11, 2023. Meet at the Ash Cave parking lot at 5PM. The hike is from 5 PM to 7 PM. Take your sweetheart for a to Ash Cave in the soft light of dusk. Take the leisurely stroll led by Ohio State Park Naturalist Pat Quackenbush along the 1/4 mile trail back to the recess cave. Afterwards, enjoy a fire and refreshments.

Contact:
Location: Ash Cave OH-56, Logan, OH 43138.

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What Black Forest Chalet guests are saying


"What a beautiful place. We enjoyed the well equipped kitchen and the beautiful patios. Loved hiking around the caves and playing games around the kitchen table. Look forward to returning soon!"

— Guest October 2021

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