COLUMBUS, OH – The 8-acre Natural Resources Park at the upcoming Ohio State Fair will again provide a variety of educational and recreational experiences for both children and adults. This year’s fair runs from Wednesday, August 1, through Sunday, August 12, at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.

Shade trees, waterfalls, picnic groves and a variety of activities make the Natural Resources Park at the southeast corner of the Expo Center a fair favorite. Managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), park attractions this year include a new aviary, a walk-through butterfly garden, a popular kids’ fishing pond, Ohio wildlife displays, log-rolling lumberjacks and other live entertainment, as well as a 15-foot animated Smokey Bear who greets visitors by name.

The park’s 500-seat amphitheater stage will provide the backdrop for a variety of acts from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. This year’s entertainment includes the Great Lakes Lumberjack Show, Columbus Zoo animals, retriever dog demonstrations on the weekends, along with musical and educational activities.

The kids’ fishing pond is fully stocked with channel catfish and bluegill. Children age 14 and younger may fish daily from 11:30 a.m. through late afternoon, using cane poles and tackle provided by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The division also offers hands-on demonstrations of outdoors skills, including a laser-shot simulator and archery range.

An Outdoor Adventure Center, located in the heart of the park, will help fair visitors plan their recreational activities for every season of the year.

A fully furnished Conestoga camper cabin on display at the park’s main entrance will encourage visitors to explore Ohio State Parks’ popular Getaway rentals, a program for families who want to experience nature without investing in camping equipment.

While at the fair, visitors can also reserve a campsite or cottage in an Ohio State Park via the online reservation system at the ODNR Information Center.

Smokey Bear stands beside an educational pavilion filled with informative exhibits on a variety of natural resource and recreation topics. Those include a new display on lifejacket and boating safety, water resources, geology, recycling, canalways, mining and conservation.

New this year in the Ohio wildlife exhibit is an aviary featuring dozens of native birds, including bobwhite quail, chickadees, dark-eyed juncos, American gold finch, wood ducks, and Ohio’s state bird, the northern cardinal

Nearby, a live wildlife exhibit features animals native to Ohio, including a bobcat, river otter, wild turkeys and bald eagles.

A boardwalk made of recycled plastic takes visitors through a tall-grass prairie landscape, which is similar to the thick fields of wildflowers that once covered much of Ohio.