How to go
What: Barn Quilt Tour of Champaign County
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 19, noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 20
Cost: $10. Tickets can be purchased at the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor's Bureau, 113 Miami St.
Information: (937) 653-5764 or www.champaign countybarns.com
URBANA — In just a couple more weeks, Champaign County residents and tourists from across the region will roll along rural roads on a tour highlighting the county’s agricultural history.
The Barn Quilt Tour of Champaign County is scheduled for Sept. 19-20, said Tina Knotts, executive director of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce.
For a $10 ticket, residents can tour 60 barns throughout Champaign County, as well as stop in at farmers markets, festivals, antique exhibits and more. Those who buy tickets will also receive a full-color map of the county, allowing them to tour the barn quilts at their own pace.
The tour was created in 2006 as a way to celebrate the county’s agricultural heritage and draw more visitors, Knotts said.
“It’s probably one of the biggest events the chamber puts on each year,” she said.
This year, the tour will also fall on a particularly busy weekend, allowing residents to take part in a number of other events throughout the county.
A traveling exhibit focusing on the life of Ben Franklin will be on display at Urbana University, and tours of the Johnny Appleseed Museum will also be offered.
The barn quilt tour is also taking place the same weekend of the Ohio Fish and Shrimp Festival at Freshwater Farms. The festival, now in its eighth year, is free and includes live music both days.
A handful of barns on the tour will also provide their own entertainment, including a farmers market, a farm animal petting area, artist demonstrations, and a lavender festival. In all, five farms on the tour will host displays and demonstrations.
Jon Berry, of Cable, said his barn will be featured on the tour for the first time this year. He said his wife was particularly proud of the farm and wanted to get involved in the tour.
Among the activities at his farm, visitors will be able to enjoy a farmers market, a farm animal petting area and an artist who will create designs from metal.
Knotts said one of the most important aspects is that the tour allows visitors to tour almost every section of the county.
“Wherever you look in Champaign County, north, south, east or west, you will find quilts,” she said.
This year, organizers have also added a new twist, as several area businesses and homes will feature garden quilts.
The quilts are similar to those seen on the barns. However, these designs are displayed on lawns using a variety of flowers arranged in specific patterns. Of these, the largest will likely be a red, white and blue star quilt at Mercy Memorial Hospital that was designed by Burton’s Lawn and Landscape of Woodstock.
Knotts said while many businesses and individuals want to get involved in the tour, not everyone can afford to put up a barn quilt. The lawn displays were added this year to allow more individuals and businesses to get involved.
“We thought this is a way to extend the barn quilt tour in a new dimension,” Knotts said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@cox ohio.com.
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