September 2023 - Organization Pending Newsroom - Upper Arlington, Ohio
Welcome to Organization Pending's Newsroom, September 2023: Spooky Season Columbus edition.
This month, we're embracing the Halloween season with local family and adult events celebrating all things fall themed or spooky, two seasonal Book of the Month Recommendations, free movie access through Upper Arlington Public Library's streaming partners, and "spoopy" Podcast Recommendation of the Month. Don't miss the Tip of the Month for local resources on holiday, seasonal, and local decluttering events!
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Fall Around Columbus
We let you know about the StoryWalk® at Fancyburg Park last year, but did you know about the Metro Park Story Trails, featuring seasonal tales throughout the year? Find new stories and trails to explore at Blendon Woods Metro Park, Inniswood Metro Gardens, Slate Run Living Historical Farm, Highbanks Metro Park, and Sharon Woods Metro Park!
Or bring along a chair or blanket and catch the last of the Metro Parks Summer Movie Nights on Saturday, September 16 and September 23. Pan's Labyrinth will be shown at Glacier Ridge on the 16th, and Rise of Gru at Highbanks on the 23rd. Movies start at dark.
Have you stopped by the open-air market, Front Street Flea, in the CD 92.9 FM parking lot? The last two of the season will be Saturday, September 16 and Saturday, November 18, rain or shine. Sponsored by the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Front Street Flea is a "juried, well curated collection of crafters, artisans and re-sellers," with music, food, and adult beverages to enjoy while you browse and shop the booths. Stop by from 11am-4pm at 1036 S Front St, pets are welcome!
Interested in photography?
The Main Branch of the Upper Arlington Public Library will be hosting a three part Picture This series discussing the history of photography and preservation. No registration is required for these hour long programs. Join them in the Friends Theater Friday, September 22 at 4:30pm for "Photography's First Movements: Photo-Secession and Pictorialism," and Friday, November 3 at 4:30pm for "History of Polaroid and Instant Photography." "Preserving Family Photos" will be held on Saturday, November 18 at 10:30am, or check in with our friends at Vintage Solutions for professional memory digitization of photos, home movies, kids' artwork, family cookbooks and more.
The Franklinton Scrawl 17 is Friday-Sunday, October 13 from 6pm-9, October 14 from 12pm-9, and October 15 from 12pm-6! This live-mural experience will feature mobile and permanent mural creation, and is part of the Franklinton Arts District's annual calendar, offering an inclusive space that values and welcomes all artists and voices. Their YEA! (Young Emerging Artists!) program is back, with food trucks, live music and dance floor, interactive art station, and artwork available for purchase from current and past Scrawl Artists, and local Franklinton and Columbus artists.
Head over to COSI (Center of Science and Industry) to view the American Museum of Natural History's traveling exhibit, Creatures of the Light: Nature's Bioluminescence, opening October 14! Using larger-than-life sculptures, interactive pieces, and more, this exhibit will explore how animals from fireflies to deep sea creatures use light to attract mates, lure prey, or defend themselves from predators.
Spooky Columbus
Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens' Harvest Blooms is open Saturday, September 23 - Sunday, October 29. Stop by during general admission and special engagements (including Pumpkins Aglow (below)) for "botanical garden landscapes and containers with the essence of fall: thousands of pumpkins, mums, cabbages and more," with two pumpkin houses, a "tree of pumpkins," and larger than life cornucopia. Reserve tickets online by clicking "Daily Admission" and choosing your time - ages 13+ is $23, 3-12 is $15.50, 60+ is $19, and children under 3 get in free. Or stop by on the first Sunday of each month for their free admission Community Days - tickets cannot be reserved in advance.
Ticket reservations for the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens' Pumpkins Aglow started August 25! Join them 5pm-9 Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, or 5pm-10 Fridays and Saturdays October 11-15, 18-22, and 25-29. You'll find after dark family-friendly events and spooky surprises, including a new pumpkin tunnel light show and alien invasion, live entertainment, activities and crafts, glass pumpkin patch, and food venders. Admission for this special engagement is half-off for members, or ages 13-59 is $26, children 3-12 $15.50, and 60+ $22. Are you a participant in SNAP, EBT, WIC, or Medicaid? Through Museums for All Columbus, tickets for this event and others are available at a reduced rate for you and qualifying family members, and available for reservation.
Stop by the Franklin County Fairgrounds for the Jack O'Lantern World Friday, September 29 - Sunday, October 29. This traveling event is "an incredible walk through thousands of hand carved jack o'lanterns" from over 50 artists, featuring multiple 1,000+ pound pumpkins. Ticket prices and times vary.
Registration opened at 10am on September 14 for Upper Arlington Public Library's Murder Mystery After Dark: 'Til Death Do Us Part, taking place on Saturday, October 14. Doors open at 5:45pm, and actors from the Murder Mystery Company will begin selecting participants to play suspects at 6:30. Join a "raging bridezilla" and "unenthused groom" on the quest to find out who murdered a member of their wedding party! Costumes are encouraged, and The Daily Growler will have adult beverages available. This event is for ages 18 and up.
The Upper Arlington Civic Association is hosting their Fall Fest Sunday, October 1 from 1pm-5 at Fancyburg Park. Bring the family for live entertainment, inflatable games, food vendors, animal petting zoo, shelled corn pit, hayrides, cider pressing, caramel apple dipping, and create a jack-o-lantern and/or scarecrow to take home! This event is free, some activities require a fee.
Slate Run Metro Park's Fall Fest is Saturday, October 14 from 8am-5pm. Join them for a free evening of hayrides, archery, games, crafts, animals from the Ohio Wildlife Center, activities from Slate Run's Living Historical Farm, and a corn maze! Did you start the Columbus Metro Parks 75 Year Challenge we mentioned last month in "Back to Books"? Don't forget to submit your Challenge Activities Card by October 10, and pick up your prizes at the Fall Fest!
Join the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Sunday, October 1 from 10am-2pm for their Sensory-Friendly Halloween Character Meet and Treat in the Suzie Edwards Conservation Education building. This event is ticketed and reservations are required.
Or stop by for their family-friendly Boo at the Zoo every Friday-Sunday of October. Trick-or-treat without the fright 5-8pm on Fridays, 10am-8pm Saturdays, and 10am-5pm on Sundays. Don't have a membership? Visit their website to plan your trip.
Looking to get scared? Zoombezi Bay is turning into ZOMBIEzi Bay Horror Park every Friday-Sunday, September 22-October 29. This attraction allows guests access to six amusement rides, specialty food and drinks, four haunted houses and two scare zones. ZOMBIEzi Bay Horror Park is not recommended for children under 13 years old.
Or stop by the Smith Nature Park for Upper Arlington Civic Association's annual Golden Bear Scare Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, October 16-18! This free event has two scare levels: elementary age kids from 6-7:30pm, or middle school age from 7:30-9pm.
The 116th Circleville Pumpkin Show will be Wednesday-Saturday, October 18-21. As Ohio's oldest festival, this event features over 100,000 pounds of pumpkins, squash, and gourds, with food vendors, arts and crafts, live music, entertainment, and 25+ amusement rides for all ages! Each day, look forward to new parades, including the Miss and Little Miss Pumpkin Show Parades on Wednesday, Baby Parade on Thursday, and Pet Parade on Friday. Check out the largest pumpkins from previous years for a sneak peak (prepare to be amazed!). There is no cost to attend this event, but some attractions might charge admissions.
Make sure to stop by German Village Makers Market's Apple Fest! on the corner of City Park and Thurman from 11am-4pm, Sunday, October 22. This new, free event will have food trucks, activities, photo opportunities, and over 70 local makers - find the most recent updates on Instagram.
Miller Park Branch of the Upper Arlington Public Library will have Pint-Size Pumpkin Decorating available for teens and kids on Tuesday, October 24 from 10am-7:30pm while supplies last.
Head over to the Lane Road Branch of Upper Arlington Public Library Wednesday, October 25 at 10:30am or Thursday, October 26 and 4pm for a Costume Dance Party! Make a craft, dance, and play with a parachute - no registration is required.
Frankenstein!: Myth, Monster and Popular Culture will happen at the Tremont Road Branch Wednesday, October 25, 6:30pm-7:30. This "haunting exploration of the Frankenstein tradition" will be presented by author and OSU Professor of Women's Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Linda Mizejewsky, exploring Frankenstein in literature, movies and technology, the "gendered implications of the motherless monster, and the social and psychological meanings of the monster who will not die."
Join the Main Branch of the Upper Arlington Public Library in costume for the Pumpkin Parade and Storytime on Saturday, October 28 - storytime starts at 10:30am and the parade starts at 11 to gather treats around the library! No registration is required.
Make sure to stop by during Upper Arlington's Beggars Night on Tuesday, October 31, 6pm-8 to show off your costume and get a treat at all the Upper Arlington Public Library Branches!
Drop by the Thurber House on Saturday, October 28 for their free family-friendly Books & Boos from 1pm-3, or their ticketed 21+ Bonfire & Boos from 6pm-8! Listen to kid-friendly "strange and spooky tales about what goes bump in the night," enjoy treats and activities, and make sure to bring a jacket for their outdoor fun (weather permitting)! Or bring your lawn chair or blanket to Bonfire & Boos' spooky bonfire storytelling from local author John Kachuba (6:30pm-7:30), and tours of the haunted Thurber House, including "real life historical events that some say have contributed to decades of ghostly activity at 77 Jefferson Avenue."
Highball Halloween will be Saturday, October 28! "Highball Halloween is the nations' most elaborate costume party. Staged in the fashion capital of Columbus, this yearly event for the Halloween Season bridges runway style with the culture of the Short North Arts District." Since 2008, teams of local designers have competed for a top spot and cash prize in a variety of categories centered around their Costume Couture Fashion Show. Stay up to date with their announcements on Facebook, Instagram, or sign up for their email list.
Do your kids love fashion? Take a look at Columbus Fashion Academy for sustainable fashion education, and talk to your kids' school about connecting with them for after school programs - learn more about Columbus Fashion Academy and our partnership in the "Getting Warmer" issue of the Newsroom.
Tip of the Month: Holiday, Seasonal, and Local Decluttering Events
Are you looking at the turning leaves and thinking about upcoming seasonal yard work? Visit The City of Columbus' Yard Waste Collection page (updated from last year!) for your year-round options, and stay up-to-date with the City of Upper Arlington's annual Leaf Collection program from mid-October through early December. The City would like to remind residents that leaf piles should be placed at the end of the curb, but not in the street or gutters, and not near sign posts, light poles, trees, or mailboxes. Parked vehicles should be at least fifteen feet away from leaf piles, and leaf piles should not contain rocks, sticks, firewood, pumpkins or any objects other than leaves to ensure the safety and accessibility for leaf collection crews. Need assistance with your yard work or future snow removal? Reach out to Community Recommendation Rivera's Moving and Landscaping!
If you're carving or decorating pumpkins this year, make sure to compost them at Fancyburg Park November 1-December 8! Special collection containers only for pumpkins will be available from Halloween Weekend through early December. Have food scraps to compost? Fancyburg has green food waste containers year-round! The City asks that pumpkins not be placed in the green containers, and food waste not be placed in the pumpkin containers.
Putting up lights? Make sure to collect any unusable strands for recycling after the winter holidays through January. The City offers this special service annually, as holiday light strands require specific recycling services, and can cause major issues if placed in the regular blue recycling bins. You can find these holiday light recycling bins, and year-round food waste composting bins, behind the Municipal Services Center building at 3600 Tremont Road.
Don't miss the upcoming Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO)'s household hazardous waste drop-off events: Grove City Saturday, September 23, from 8am-1pm, at 3226 Kingston Avenue; and Saturday, October 7, from 8am-2pm at the Westerville Service Complex, 350 Park Meadow Road. Visit their website for year-round disposal options.
And mark your calendars for Prescription Drug Take-Back on Saturday, October 28 from 10am-2pm at Fire Station 72 on Reed Road.
Stop by Upper Arlington Public Library's Miller Park Branch on Saturday, October 14 from 10am-4pm for another Garden Swap, trading excess healthy plants, cuttings, seeds, pottery, tools, and other supplies with your community!
Podcast Recommendation of the Month
Tabi Berkey
Are you a true crime fan? Do supernatural, unexplained, and spooky stories send shivers down your spine? Join Miss (she/her), Kevin (he/him), and Edie (she/they) on the Creepy InQueeries Podcast! "Close friends and weird queers take deep dives into all things 'spoopy', unexplained, dastardly, murderous, and, well, creepy," each Wednesday with a new true crime and 'spoopy' story each episode. These well sourced stories inform listeners on hauntings, murders, and scandals with light-hearted banter from these three queer Baltimore natives. Tune in to hear about the Cursed Filming of 'The Exorcist', The Black Widow Murders, The Patty Hearst Saga, background of the Cabbage Patch Kids, The Chippendales Murders, Typhoid Mary, Lizzie Borden, and much more since the start of the podcast in November 2021.
Book Recommendation of the Month
Tabi Berkey
Does your kid enjoy graphic novels? They may like Ghost Book, by Remy Lai! It's Hungry Ghost Month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and hungry ghosts roam the land of the living, searching for food and wandering souls to eat. "Twelve years ago, the girl lived. The boy lived. One should have died." When July Chen meets William Xiao, they discover the ties that have bound them since birth, twelve-year-old family secrets, and how closely linked the land of the living and the dead really are. I especially appreciated Wiliam's change of thinking about the forgetting soup - leaving the living with memories of the dead is painful, but can also bring joy and comfort to those left behind. With beautiful, fast-paced illustrations, action and humanity meet to bring readers a thrilling and touching adventure.
On a recent trip to Upper Arlington Public Library, this former library worker was happy to see a display focused on libraries and the Librarian experience! If you enjoy books about books, and the darker side of history, I recommend Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation Into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin, by Megan Rosenbloom.
If you're familiar with the death-positive organization, The Order of the Good Death, Rosenbloom is the cofounder and director of the events branch, Death Salon. Join her as she travels the world, searching for the history and scientific truths behind anthropodermic bibliopegy, the practice of binding books with human skin - "[...] anthropodermic bibliopegy: a combination of the Greek root words for human (anthropos), skin (derma), book (biblion), and fasten (pegia)." A former medical librarian, Rosenbloom is now a member of the Anthropodermic Book Project, focused on testing potential anthropodermic books with peptide mass fingerprinting, and discovering the histories and reasons behind these rare books. While most confirmed anthropodermic books were commissioned by doctors for their personal collections in the late 19th century, an invoice indicates that three poetry collections by Phillis Wheatley were bound in human skin in 1934, the latest known date (as of March 2020) for a verified anthropodermic book. With discussions on post-mortem tattoo preservation, after death options, and general morbid curiosity, this book gives a reader insight into some of the ethics and laws past and present surrounding bodies and death, letting us form our own opinions if these should be considered human remains, or historical artifacts.
Ghost Book and Dark Archives are available through Upper Arlington Public Library.
If you're looking to find new or classic horror and thriller movies, you don't have to spend money streaming titles! Using your Upper Arlington Public Library card, you can download the hoopla and Kanopy apps to access thousands of titles for free, or use the advanced search option in the UAPL catalog to browse Halloween and fall related media and books.