Marketingstrategie für den Mittelstand

\# This meetup is around a third\-party organizer\, Focus Filmtheater\. You can either purchase your ticket online or right before the session\. **Seats are numbered**. # **Title**: The President’s Cake **Language**: Arabic **Subtitles**: English **Length**: 106 min **Director**: Hasan Hadi **More info**: https://www.focusarnhem.nl/agenda/english-subs-the-presidents-cake/ **Ticket link**: https://www.focusarnhem.nl/tickets/144299/ **Synopsis:** In poverty-stricken 1990s Iraq, young Lamia is selected to prepare a cake for the President’s birthday. Because basic ingredients are hard to find, Lamia goes on a journey in search of eggs, flour and sugar. It becomes a tender, tragicomic odyssey, offering a child-eye’s view of life under authoritarianism. Hasan Hadi’s affecting debut feature follows 9-year-old Lamia. She is tasked with bringing a cake to school for the President’s mandatory birthday celebration. Against a backdrop of crippling poverty and food shortages, she journeys from her marshland home to a nearby city in search of ingredients. Coming along with her are her grandmother Bibi, her best friend Saeed and her beloved pet rooster Hindi. Shot on location in Iraq with nonprofessional actors, this tender, tragicomic odyssey offers a poignant child’s-eye view of life under authoritarian rule. The film was inspired by Hasan Hadi’s childhood memories of 1990s Iraq under Saddam Hussein, and was awarded the Caméra d’Or at Cannes for best first feature. **How it works**: I will be at Focus around 18:30, where we can meet before the movie starts. You can message me to find us. Screening starts at 19:00. After the movie, we can have a drink together. Hope to see you soon!

NOT A TICKET!! MAKE A RESERVATION HERE: https://depingpongclub.nl/agenda/ Come through for another night filled with jokes and laughter!

So, you have experienced what improv is like? And you want to play and learn more? In this longer course you learn more about the basic techniques and mindset of improvisation, through fun and easy games. You will: • explore playfulness • listen with intent • accept making mistakes, • discover your imagination and creative thinking, • build confidence, • improve your communication skills, with and without speaking • and mostly: have fun! ### Course details course Wednesdays 20 May – 8 July 2026 lessons 19:30-21:30 . Location ZIMIHC Wittevrouwen. bouwstraat 55 Utrecht. Teacher Burgert Kirsten Show in june. 10 lessons including a show €245 incl BTW ### ### About the tickets Improv Utrecht offers 1 or 2 funded courses with 20% discount for people with less finances. Send a message to Marieke van Laar. **Tickets: improv-utrecht.weticket.io** info: www.improvutrecht.nl/courses

Hi all! 🙂 On Wednesdays we welcome you to practice languages! If you want to practice a specific (uncommon) language, please send us a message so we can find some conversation partners for you on our mailing list! We hope to see you in Café Marktzicht! In the last year we had tables for the following languages: * Dutch * English * French * Italian * Spanish * Turkish\* * German\* * Portuguese\* * Danish\* * Norwegian\* * Russian\* * Arabic\* * Chinese\*\* * Japanese\*\* * Indonesian\*\* * * Most likely, but not every week present. \*\* - Rather rare ;-) If your language is not in this list, please let us know! We have a large database of Language Cafe visitors speaking 56 different languages! We might be able to connect you with a person that does speak the language you want to practice. In case you are not in our database yet, please use this form: http://goo.gl/forms/oSCn9Dn8m8

Studenten binnen de zorg opgelet (Geneeskunde, MBO/HBO Verpleegkunde)! Voor het lustrum van de Universiteit Utrecht organiseert het Journal of Trial and Error samen met het UMC Utrecht de **Failure88**. Iedereen maakt fouten, al geven we ze liever niet toe. Wat daarbij niet helpt is dat binnen zorgopleidingen veel sprake is van prestatiedruk. Met de Failure88 helpen we daarom het falen normaliseren. De Failure88 is een variant van de Crazy88, waarbij deelnemers zoveel mogelijk opdrachten volbrengen. Deelnemers sturen foto’s en video’s om te laten zien dat de opdracht is uitgevoerd. Maar bij de Failure88 is er een twist: je krijgt niet alleen punten als de opdrachten zijn gelukt, maar ook al als je een goede poging hebt gedaan. En er valt iets te winnen! Voor de winnende groepjes is het volgende prijzengeld: * 1e plaats: €400,- 2e plaats: €200,- 3e plaats: €100,- De aftrap van de Failure88 is op 6 mei, en de inzendingen sluiten na 17 mei. De prijsuitreiking is op 20 mei vanaf 17:30 in het Louis Hartlooper. Deze avond is een samenwerking met Blik op de Zorg (UMC Utrecht). Na de prijsuitreiking volgt een gratis vertoning van de film Whiplash. Aan de hand van deze film voeren we een gesprek over prestatiedruk in de zorg. Alleen meedoen aan de Failure88 is ook mogelijk. Schrijf je hier in: https://trialanderror.org/lustrum-failure-88-2026

Join in for a some drinks (and food, if you want) after work at **The 5th \| Utrecht**. Bring your own project and payment for drinks. As evenings tend to be a bit busier, we'll reserve a table. This means: **Only sign up if you are sure you will come!** And if there's no space left on the event, please don't join spontaneously. \-\-\-\-\- As always, we talk about our projects, exchange tipps, but also just get to know each other and enjoy a drink after a long day in good company. Whether it's knitting, crocheting, stitching, origami, or something more unique, we're looking forward to seeing you!

> The location is Landhuis in de Stad, Utrecht Want to expand on a game design idea? Talk about a game feature that isn't just ready yet? Are you looking for playtesters or do you want to brainstorm on a new board game design with others and get their feedback? Find out what goes into making board games or just meet like-minded board game enthusiasts? Then the Amsterdam Board Game Design session is for you! Join us on [Discord](https://discord.gg/eDfmkyCyVX) for more information about what we do and upcoming events!

(english/german below) **Bitcoin Pizza Dag!** Op 22 mei 2010 betaalde programmeur Laszlo Hanyecz 10.000 BTC voor twee pizza's — de eerste gedocumenteerde aankoop met bitcoin. Hij plaatste een bericht op een forum waarin hij BTC aanbood voor pizza; een andere gebruiker ging akkoord, bestelde de pizza's en leverde ze af. Die transactie werd later bekend als "Bitcoin Pizza Day". Laszlo bewees dat Bitcoin als ruilmiddel gebruikt kan worden. **Sluit je bij ons aan voor pizza-avond bij De Pizzabakkers! (vanaf 18:00)** RSVP zo snel mogelijk; we moeten reserveren bij De Pizzabakkers en er is beperkte plek. Zorg dat je je geladen Lightning-wallet meeneemt! *** **English: Bitcoin Pizza Day!** On May 22, 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC for two pizzas — the first documented purchase using bitcoin. He posted on a forum offering BTC for pizza; another user accepted, ordering pizzas and delivering them. That trade later became famous as "Bitcoin Pizza Day," Laszlo proved that Bitcoin can be used as a medium of exchange. **Join us for pizza diner at De Pizzabakkers! (from 18:00)** Please RSVP as quick as possible as we need to make a reservation at De Pizzabakkers and there is only limited space. Be sure to bring your loaded lighting wallet along with you! *** **Deutsch: Bitcoin Pizza Tag!** Am 22. Mai 2010 zahlte Programmierer Laszlo Hanyecz 10.000 BTC für zwei Pizzen — der erste dokumentierte Kauf mit Bitcoin. Er postete in einem Forum und bot BTC für Pizza an; ein anderer Nutzer akzeptierte, bestellte die Pizzen und lieferte sie aus. Dieser Tausch wurde später als "Bitcoin Pizza Day" bekannt. Laszlo bewies, dass Bitcoin als Tauschmittel verwendet werden kann. **Begleite uns zum Pizza-Abend bei De Pizzabakkers! (ab 18:00)** Bitte antworte so schnell wie möglich; wir müssen bei De Pizzabakkers reservieren und es gibt nur begrenzten Platz. Nimm unbedingt deine geladene Lightning-Wallet mit!

Join us for a relaxed and friendly matcha tasting meetup. I’ll bring matcha for everyone to try, and you’re welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks, including alcohol if you like. This is a casual event for meeting new people, enjoying Japanese tea culture, and spending a cozy afternoon together. Beginners are very welcome. Free to join.

**Speeddaten Utrecht** Al twaalf jaar organiseren we speeddates in Utrecht. Ontmoet je graag een groot aantal singles in korte tijd, dan is speeddaten iets voor jou! Tijdens een speeddate heb je ongeveer 15-20 dates van 4 minuten. Wanneer de bel klinkt, schuift de helft van de singles door naar de volgende tafel. Op je datekaart geef je aan met wie je verder in contact wilt komen. **Locatie** Het speeddaten vindt plaats bij [Anne&Max Domstraat](https://www.annemax.nl/vestigingen/utrechtdomstraat/), een sfeervol en ruim opgezet restaurant. We hebben een apart gedeelte van het restaurant gereserveerd, zodat je alle privacy hebt tijdens het daten. **Matchmail!** Binnen een dag na de speeddate ontvang je van ons een e-mail met de voornaam en het e-mailadres van de singles met wie je een match hebt. Heb je bij alle deelnemers ‘nee’ ingevuld? Dan is je volgende speeddate [gratis](https://aboutlove.nl/geen-klik-volgende-speeddate-gratis/)! **Kom je ook speeddaten bij About Love?** Heb je zin in een avond vol ontmoetingen in Utrecht? Schrijf je dan nu in voor deze speeddate! Bij About Love ben je in goede handen; wij zijn een ervaren speeddate-organisatie met uitstekende [recensies](https://aboutlove.nl/is-speeddaten-leuk/) en bieden speeddates aan voor de laagste prijs. Date je mee? >> [https://aboutlove.nl/event/details/speeddaten-utrecht-hogeropgeleid/](https://aboutlove.nl/event/details/speeddaten-utrecht-hogeropgeleid/)

**RSVP here via EventBrite [here](https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/you-and-your-brand-a-casual-networking-hour-tickets-1984283125243).** Expand your visibility. Join a casual online time to share about you, your brand and business, and learn more about other business owners, locally and globally. Share upcoming events and workshops, too. After each business owner gets the spotlight to share, we then move into a topic-oriented discussion. This month, the topic is begin chosen by [Isabella Maria Noguera, MSc](https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabellamarianoguera/) over of Be Your Brand Consulting. Every session closes with gratitude and a creative activity, so have a pen and paper, tablet, or something available in case we write/create/draw. **RSVP here via EventBrite [here](https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/you-and-your-brand-a-casual-networking-hour-tickets-1984283125243).** *-* *\*\*\*The only requirements are a minimum age of 18 years old, be a business owner or preparing to launch,* *and **at least three attendees** register to make it a worthwhile hour for everyone.\*\*\**

Come along, lovely queer hikers! 🌿✨ This time we’re serving an easy-going queer nature moment with a short loop through **Landgoed Heidestein** near Zeist. Think dreamy forest paths, shimmering fens, a peaceful forest pond, and heather fields - a lot of diversity for such a short walk :) We’re teaming up with **Cocktail (COC’s group for LGBTQIA+ refugees & asylum seekers)** for this event, so besides soaking up nature, we’re creating space for connection, sharing stories, and learning from each other’s journeys and experiences. Expect a vibe that’s part hike, part picknick, part wholesome community exchange. 🌈 Bring your snacks and blankets, as we’ll pause along the way for a relaxed picnic moment together. Because queer joy isn’t just about where we go, but who we walk with. 💖 **Practical info** 📏 **Distance:** 5 or 7 km (loop walk) 📍 **Start:** Bus stop Prinses Margrietlaan, Zeist (5km option) Driebergen-Zeist station (7km option) 🏁 **End:** Back at the starting point 🥾 **Level:** easy - chill pace 🤝 **Meeting point:** outside the train station **Driebergen-Zeist at 13:45** or bus stop **Prinses Margrietlaan (Zeist) at 14:20** ❗You’re welcome to join from another direction. If you come by car you can park at P+R Driebergen-Zeist. Please note: we published this hike with Cocktail simultaneously, which is also why we lowered the participant number from Hiking Queer NL's side. Pack your: 🍱 snacks 🚰 water 🧥 rain coat/umbrella ☀️ sun screen 🏳️‍🌈 anything else you might need ❌ If you signed up and cannot make it in the end, please cancel your RSVP attendance so we know how many people will show up and someone else can take your place instead. 💗 A voluntary donation helps us to keep the Meetup group up and running :) you can either pay via a Tikkie or in cash after we finish the hike. *Hiking Queers Netherlands & Cocktail (COC)*

Donderdag 21 mei 2026 is het weer tijd voor onze Techday: hét vaste moment waarop we kennis delen, elkaar inspireren en nieuwe ideeën direct in de praktijk brengen. Deze editie pakken we het aan als een conferentie in het klein. Drie sprekers, drie verhalen, één middag – drie verhalen voor de prijs van één. Wat kun je verwachten? **Dirk neemt een kijkje onder de motorkap van AI** AI voelt voor veel mensen als magie. In deze talk probeer ik de magie weg te nemen door een kijkje te nemen onder de motorkap. Een essentieel bouwblok van moderne AI is een neuraal netwerk. Als je begrijpt hoe een neuraal netwerk werkt, is het een stuk makkelijker om te begrijpen hoe en waarom een LLM werkt. De beste manier om iets te begrijpen is door het te bouwen, vanaf scratch. Dus dat gaan we in deze talk doen. Door dat te doen leren we over artificial neurons, activation functions, backpropagation en meer. **George vertelt hoe AI Cyberaanvallen verandert** George Schizas (extern), voormalig IT Manager, nu werkzaam als CISO, vertelt over zijn ervaringen in de Cloud Cyber Security en hoe hackers met behulp van AI nieuwe aanvalsmethoden kunnen gebruiken om kwetsbaarheden op te sporen en te exploiteren. Hij geeft voorbeelden van manieren om in Kubernetes omgevingen in te breken en noemt manieren om dit tegen te gaan. **Roland duikt in de wereld van de fraude fabriek** Als ontwikkelaar kom je dagelijks in contact met technologie en de laatste jaren natuurlijk ook vaak met AI. JIJ snapt heel goed wat de voordelen en de gevaren zijn, maar hoe leg je complexe onderwerpen als AI gegenereerde afbeeldingen, Voice Phishing en Hallucinaties uit aan je ouders, de buurvrouw, of je kinderen? Ik neem jullie mee in een realistische situatie waarin Anna en haar familie opgelicht wordt met behulp van verschillende technieken en hoe dit oplichters-landschap met behulp van AI verandert. **Wanneer:** Donderdag 21 mei 2026 **Wat:** Techday – conferentie-editie “AI kansen en valkuilen” **Voor wie:** Iedereen (!) die nieuwsgierig is en wil leren **Agenda** 14:45 - 15:00 - Inloop 15:00 - 16:00 - Neurale netwerken 16:15 - 17:15 - AI risico’s en kansen 17:15 - 18:00 - Eten 18:00 - 18:45 - Fraude fabriek We zien je graag op de Techday!

Art in the Park: DIY Garden Mosaic Stepping Stone Saturday, May 30, 2026 In this fun hands-on workshop, let your creativity flow as you design and craft your own mosaic stepping stone, perfect for adding a personal touch to your outdoor space! You will use concrete, colorful tiles, and your imagination to create a unique piece of garden art. No experience needed! We will provide the concrete, molds, tiles, and some inspiration patterns. If you have any ceramic pieces, glass, or stones of your own that you would like to add to your mosaic, feel free to bring them, but we will also have plenty on hand. Your mosaic stepping stone will need to set and dry, so we will create them on this day and you will pick yours up within the next week. * Ages 16+. * Registration required by May 26. * Yard ReWild discount applies. Class Fee: $20 1PM - 3PM Location: Shelter 6, Infirmary Mound Park Register here [https://www.lickingparkdistrict.com/269/May-2026](https://www.lickingparkdistrict.com/269/May-2026)

**How to Get Off-Market Deals With Direct-to-Seller Marketing** Want to learn how to get off-market deals through direct-to-seller marketing without relying on agents, wholesalers, or the MLS for consistent deal flow? That is exactly what we are covering at this next Columbus Investors Club Meetup. Get Your Free Ticket **[HERE](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-get-off-market-deals-with-direct-to-seller-marketing-tickets-1987845260686?aff=cicmeetupapp)**[ ](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-get-off-market-deals-with-direct-to-seller-marketing-tickets-1987845260686?aff=cicmeetupapp)🎟️ Most investors who try to do off-market deals make the same mistake: they throw money into a marketing channel, pray that it works, and hope a deal comes out the other side. There is no real strategy, no clear math, no tracking, and no process to know what is actually working. At this meetup, we are going to break down how to reverse engineer direct-to-seller marketing using our SCALE framework so you can approach your marketing with more clarity, confidence, and consistency. We will cover how to think through inbound, outbound, and free marketing channels, how to choose the right channel for your goals, how to run the numbers before you spend, how to allocate the right budget, how to launch the campaign correctly, and how to evaluate and track performance so you can make better decisions moving forward. **SCALE Framework:** **S –** Select the right channel **C –** Calculate the numbers **A –** Allocate the budget **L –** Launch the campaign **E –** Evaluate and track it **What We’ll Cover** * How to get off-market deals through direct-to-seller marketing * How to stop guessing and start reverse engineering your marketing * The difference between inbound, outbound, and free marketing channels * How to choose the right channel for your business and market * How to calculate the numbers before launching * How to allocate a budget based on goals, not emotion * How to launch and track a campaign the right way * How to create more consistent and predictable deal flow **Date:** May 28, 2026 (Thursday) **Time:** 6 - 8pm EST **Location:** Ohio Brewing Company, 421 E 2nd Ave, Columbus, OH 43201 **Save Your Seat** → https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-get-off-market-deals-with-direct-to-seller-marketing-tickets-1987845260686?aff=cicmeetupapp **FREE DRINKS & FOOD PROVIDED!** **About Columbus Investors Club** The Columbus Investors Club is a local meetup for real estate investors, aspiring investors, contractors, vendors, lenders, realtors, and other professionals who want to grow in the Columbus market. The goal is to create real connection, real opportunity, and real growth by getting the right people in the room. Whether you are brand new or already doing deals, this is a place to build relationships, learn from others in the business, find opportunities, and grow your presence in the local real estate community.

This is a free, in person meeting. Burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse. Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well. Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship. Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action? Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships! Break free from self imposed limitations Here we will discuss: • How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes. • Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you? • Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it? • Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love? • Fights & arguments - what's really behind them? • What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others? • How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change? • Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them? • How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about? • How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career? Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general. Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person. Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life. We look forward to having you join us! This class is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

[ECDI Pop-Up Market Official Registration Site --> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ecdi-pop-up-market-tickets-1986071755083](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ecdi-pop-up-market-tickets-1986071755083) Celebrate Small Business Month by shopping local for food, drinks, and handcrafted gifts! Join us for the ECDI Pop‑Up Market, a celebration of local entrepreneurs during Small Business Month. Explore delicious food and drinks, discover handcrafted goods, and shop unique items from small businesses in your community. Whether you’re looking to support local makers, discover new favorites, or pick up a thoughtful gift, this market has something for everyone. **What you’ll find at the market:** * Local food and beverage vendors * Handcrafted goods and unique gifts * A chance to meet and support small business owners in your community * An easy, fun way to discover new local favorites [SCORE Central Ohio](https://www.score.org/ "https://www.score.org/") will also be on site to talk about their small business mentorship program. **Market Vendors:** Baked Goods * Shante Makes Body Care * [Bellas Natural Beauty Products](https://www.facebook.com/Bellasnaturalbeautyprod/ "https://www.facebook.com/Bellasnaturalbeautyprod/") Clothing & Accessories * [The Krafted Kollection](https://www.thekraftedkollection.com/ "https://www.thekraftedkollection.com") * [Loayza Elegant Jewelry](https://www.loayzaelegantjewelry.com/ "https://www.loayzaelegantjewelry.com/") * [Swahili House 254](https://www.swahilihouse254.com/ "https://www.swahilihouse254.com") Food/Beverage * [Aqua Pure Central Ohio](https://aquapurecentralohio.com/ "https://aquapurecentralohio.com") * [Better Beverage](https://betterbevshop.com/ "https://betterbevshop.com") * [Cherays Banana Pudding](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567527322952 "https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567527322952") * [Dr. May's Thai Kitchen](https://www.drmaysthaikitchen.com/menu "https://www.drmaysthaikitchen.com/menu") * [Kronchy LLC](https://www.kronchys.com/ "https://www.kronchys.com") * [Terra Mezcal Mexican Grill](https://terra%20mezcal%20mexican%20grill/ "https://Terra Mezcal Mexican Grill") Packaged Food * [Grow to Eat, Eat to Live](https://growtoeattolive.com/ "https://growtoeattolive.com/") * [Underworld Feast](https://underworldfeast.com/ "https://underworldfeast.com/")  Since 2004, ECDI has assisted Ohio’s entrepreneurs through their one-stop-shop business services model, suited to meet the needs of all entrepreneurs, regardless of what business stage they’re in. From providing capital to entrepreneurs looking to expand their businesses, to providing focused, business-specific educational opportunities to enhance entrepreneurial skill sets, ECDI works with their clients to meet their specific needs. Whether you merely have a business idea or are opening up your fifth location, we have helped more than 15,000 entrepreneurs to take advantage of the services we provide.

**History** The history of [Blendon Woods Metro Park](https://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/blendon-woods/) began long before its 1951 opening, rooted in a landscape of rugged ridges and deep ravines that made the land unsuitable for traditional farming. In 1945, a report proposing a metropolitan park system for Franklin County specifically highlighted these cliffs of Bedford Shale as some of the "wildest land in the vicinity". Following this recommendation, the recently formed park district purchased the first 229 acres in early 1949. Because the terrain was so uneven, developers had to cut a mile-and-a-half-long roadway through dense woods just to bring in heavy equipment. This initial preservation effort ensured that the mature second-growth hardwood forests remained largely untouched by the urban expansion spreading toward Westerville. Opening day arrived on Labor Day, September 3, 1951, marking Blendon Woods as the second park in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system. The final push to open was a frantic race; the State Highway Department only finished the primary gravel access road four days before the gates opened. Early staff members, consisting of just four full-time employees, had to hand-dig pit toilets and learn construction skills on the fly to build the first picnic shelters. Despite the dusty conditions and limited facilities, the park was an immediate success, drawing massive crowds from across Central Ohio. By the end of the 1950s, annual visitation had already climbed to over 190,000 people. As the surrounding suburbs grew in the 1960s, the park faced severe overcrowding that threatened its natural habitats. In response, Franklin County voters passed the first Metro Parks levy in 1960, providing the funds necessary for a decade of steady expansion. During this era, the park nearly doubled in size, growing from 264 acres to over 570 acres by 1968. Planners also addressed a critical water shortage by collaborating with the U.S. Soil and Conservation Service to build a lake in 1964. This body of water originally served as a temporary reservoir before its role shifted toward conservation and wildlife support. The 1970s marked a transition toward the specialized wildlife and educational focus for which the park is known today. In 1971, the Walden Waterfowl Refuge was established around the 11-acre Thoreau Lake, creating a sanctuary that remains restricted to provide a quiet habitat for migratory birds. A formal nature center was also developed during this period, expanding on the guided Sunday walks that had been a park staple since the early 1950s. The park’s famous "Monarch Mansion" also became a prominent fixture, starting a long tradition of raising and releasing thousands of monarch butterflies each September. These initiatives cemented the park’s reputation as a premier destination for birders and nature enthusiasts. In more recent decades, Blendon Woods has continued to modernize while maintaining its wilderness character. The 10-acre Natural Play Area was added in 2017, encouraging kids to explore the ravines and woods off-trail. This was followed by the opening of a $1.5 million inclusive playground in April 2025, designed to accommodate children of all physical abilities. The nature center also underwent major renovations to include immersive, three-dimensional exhibits and a new butterfly house. Today, the park encompasses 653 acres, preserving a unique geologic and biological corridor amidst the bustling Westerville and Northeast Columbus area. **Map of the Park** Here is a map of [Blendon Woods](https://www.metroparks.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/BLN_map_Inclusive-Playground-and-Butterfly-Trail_May-2025_1980px.png). **Summary** For this event, we will hike the Lake View, Hickory Ridge, Ripple Rock, Overlook, Brookside, and Sugarbush Trails. This sounds like a lot, but it will really be only a little over five miles. Blendon Woods has a few hills here and there, but it's not one of the more strenuous metro parks. **Where We'll Meet** We'll meet just in front of the Nature Center. This is about a mile into the park from the main entrance. You have to go past the Ranger Station and the Shadblow Reservable Area to get to it, so don't stop too early at the Ranger Station and get it confused with the Nature Center. **After the Hike** Afterward, we will head over to [Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery](https://forbiddenroot.com/restaurants/columbus-ohio/) at Easton for [drinks](https://forbiddenroot.com/restaurants/columbus-ohio/#dinner-menu) and [food](https://forbiddenroot.com/wp-content/uploads/Cbus-Food.pdf). We should be there by 5 if you can't make the hike and just want to join us for drinks. The brewery's actual address is [4080 Worth Ave, Columbus, OH 43219](https://www.google.com/maps/place/4080+Worth+Ave,+Columbus,+OH+43219/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88388a86d10b6619:0x4d42b470a5cf11d3?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111); however, I recommend pointing your GPS to the [Worth Garage](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worth+Garage/@40.0542293,-82.9137962,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x88388b4df6082825:0x17582f0eccd9dda1!8m2!3d40.0542293!4d-82.9137962!16s%2Fg%2F11rzfvvv8b?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) across the street. Parking in this garage is free as long as you're not on the first floor, and it is literally right next to the brewery.

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