WORTH THE DRIVE: History, hiking and trail hopping in Lancaster

The Lancaster Festival is an annual 10-day event celebrating art, music and community. CONTRIBUTED

Credit: Visit Fairfield County

Credit: Visit Fairfield County

The Lancaster Festival is an annual 10-day event celebrating art, music and community. CONTRIBUTED
What to Know
By
March 21, 2023
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As spring signals warmer temperatures, it’s just about time to return to day-tripping and exploring new places. Lancaster, Ohio is drivable in under two hours from Dayton, and is worth the drive for the whole family with its food trails, outdoor recreation and music festival.

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Have a sweet tooth? Lancaster hosts an annual Chocolate Walk in April where you can explore the bars and shops downtown as you hop from stop to stop collecting chocolatey treats along the way. Brownies, cakes, truffles and more await walkers April 7 from 4 to 8 p.m. for $30 a person.

You can also follow the county’s Sweet Tooth Trail— one of many themed trails— to visit over a dozen treat shops, including Dockside Donuts, Cottage Candy, and Al’s Delicious Popcorn.

Lancaster is home to several local dining and drinking trails. CONTRIBUTED

Credit: Visit Fairfield County

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Credit: Visit Fairfield County

State Route 33, which cuts through Lancaster, is home to the Route 33 Brew Trail. The trail winds around to six local breweries including one on a rural horse farm and a tap room in the heart of downtown Lancaster.

Lancaster has a rich history that visitors can learn about by taking on Fairfield County’s Covered Bridges Trail. The trail winds through the county to 15 covered bridges that were once used for horse carriage crossing before cars came around. The county has the most original covered bridges out of any other in the state, promising a “relaxing day of sightseeing” as you visit each one.

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Speaking of trails, Lancaster is bordered by Clear Creek Metro Park and about 30 minutes from Hocking Hills State Park, known for its hiking trails and picturesque waterfalls. The nature preserve in Clear Creek Metro Park is a popular spot around Lancaster for fishing, birdwatching and hiking, while Hocking Hills is nationally recognized for its hiking trails and scenery.

Visitors explore Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park. STEVE STEPHENS/SPECIAL TO THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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The town is gearing up for its annual Lancaster Festival that celebrates music, art and community over 10 days in July. Headlining the festival this year is Sheryl Crow, the Red Hot Chili Pipers and Andy Grammar. Community entertainment and art events are scheduled throughout the festival, beginning July 20. The Lancaster Festival Orchestra will perform as well as local artists and bands throughout the week.

A portion of the audience at the Lancaster Festival in Lancaster. CONTRIBUTED

Credit: Visit Fairfield County

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Credit: Visit Fairfield County

Tickets for the annual festival go on sale Monday, April 3. More information about the festival can be found by visiting https://www.lancasterfestival.org/.

This story was updated to add Red Hot Chili Pipers, a bagpipe band, to the festival lineup.

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About the Author

Zoë is an All Media Journalist with Dayton.com. She earned her BA in communication from the University of Dayton and has four years in the journalism industry, including bylines in national and local news. She previously worked as a reporting intern for Dayton Daily News.