Pintura al óleo

✨ Ела на вечер, в която изключваме телефоните и се включваме в реалността. ❗️Още на входа ги прибираме на сигурно място - за да ти подарим качествено време тук и сега. Очакват те три часа спокойствие и смислена споделеност - без дигитален шум, без бързане, без екрани. 🌿 Програмата: ✨Регистрация: 20:00 - 20:20 (Пристигащите оставят телефоните си на сигурно място под наш надзор, регистрират се и се потапят в офлайн атмосферата) ✨Уединение: 20:20 - 21:10 Време само за теб. Без разговори, без уведомления - само тишина и присъствие. Можеш да си вземеш книга, дневник, скицник или нещо, което все отлагаш за „когато имаш време“. Ще има и подготвени материали, които да вдъхновят уединението ти. ✨Споделеност: 21:10 – 22:40 Истински разговори с истински хора. В малки групи, с подбрани въпроси, които отключват автентични диалози - без маски, без напрежение. Просто човешко присъствие и смислено общуване. ✨Свобода: 22:40 – 23:30 Оставаш колкото ти е приятно. Можеш да продължиш разговорите, да споделиш впечатления, да обмениш контакти (на хартия 😉) или просто да се насладиш на спокойствието. ⚠️ВАЖНО Билети се закупуват само онлайн предварително. Ако разполагате с подаръчен ваучер, моля пишете ни за да ви запазим място. Местата са ограничени. Моля, носете си пари в брой или физическа карта, за да можете, ако искате, да си купувате неща на място, когато телефоните ви не са у вас. 📍 Място: Bar Singles (НДК) 💛 15 EUR (в цената са включени подбрани вкусотии от нашия разкошен партньор Хармоника) 🎟️ Регистрация (задължителна): в Luma (https://luma.com/sg4iafsx) 📅 Дата: 23.04.2026 🕖 Начало: 20:00ч. (събиране до 20:20) Доведи приятел или ела сам - най-хубавите вечери се случват офлайн. ✨ #TheOfflineSociety #SpringEdition #OfflineIsTheNewLuxury

​At Progress, interns don't just shadow or observe. They own tasks, contribute to real projects and work alongside experienced teams from day one. 🚀 In this event with ***four former Progress interns***, the conversation will focus on what the experience actually looks like from the inside: 👉 What it means to do real work and make a tangible impact from early on 👉 How interns are trusted with their own responsibilities and what that feels like 👉 The mentorship and ongoing support that helps you grow with confidence 👉 How teams welcome interns and make them feel like they truly belong You'll also hear how the internship program is structured, what the recruitment process looks like and a few tips to help you put your best foot forward in interviews. This year Progress offers **13 internship opportunities** across a wide range of functions - Software Engineering, Product Management, Sales, Marketing, Business Operations and IT Security & Compliance, making this event relevant whether you're studying a technical or business discipline. **Applications open on April 20th**. ​ **Agenda** 1️⃣ Program Overview, Interview Insights and Internship Stories - 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. 2️⃣ Q&A & Networking - 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. ​**Our Speakers** **Valentina Petrova** \- Junior Software Engineer\, former 2025 Intern **Diana Evtimova** \- Junior Sales Representative\, former 2025 Intern **Tsvetilin Tsvetilov** \- Junior Software Engineer\, former 2024 Intern **Zhuliyan Penkov** \- Software Engineer\, former 2023 Intern ​ **Who Should Attend** Business and technical students who are curious about what a real internship looks like and want to hear it straight from people who've lived it. **To avoid duplicate registrations across platforms, we’re collecting all requests [here](https://luma.com/avn6uve7) (Request to join).** ​We look forward to seeing you there! 👋

* **About the event:** **Continuous Product Discovery & Targeted User Research** Building successful products requires talking to your users, but *how* and *when* you talk to them makes all the difference. Continuous discovery is your 15-minute product "health check." It does not replace proper feature-based user research, it complements it. Join us for a practical meetup where we will break down exactly when to use continuous discovery versus targeted user research, and how the two approaches work together to drive product strategy. We will share actionable frameworks for catching high-level UX feedback, validating direction, and knowing exactly when to transition into deep, area-specific research. **What We’ll Cover:** * **The Core Framework:** Understand the difference between a 15-minute continuous discovery session (a high-level health check) and targeted, feature-based research. Learn when to use which approach and how to prevent your discovery calls from turning into support tickets or therapy sessions. * **Smart Recruitment & Triage:** Stop relying on the loudest customers. Learn how to use Amplitude data, Account Managers, and Community channels to reach your *core* users. We will show you how to use discovery sessions to build a repository of "awesome users" triaged for later, deep-dive research. * **Interviewing Best Practices:** We will share real-life anecdotes on how to ask situational questions rather than leading questions like "would you use this feature?" * **Scaling with Automation & AI:** Learn how to automate your feedback sessions and leverage AI to synthesize notes, spot 80/20 pain points, and write up interview patterns. **Who Should Attend:** Product Managers, UX Researchers, Product Marketers, and Designers who want to optimize their user feedback loops. * **About the speakers:** Krassi is a Senior Product Manager at LucidLink, where she focuses on identity, access, and permissions. Before LucidLink, she spent nearly 8 years at Sitecore, leading product initiatives across identity, developer platforms, and Marketplace, with a strong focus on developer and user experience. She’s particularly passionate about user experience through continuous product discovery - running customer interviews, uncovering real needs, and turning insights into products that solve meaningful problems. Igor is a Senior Staff Product Designer at LucidLink, focused on solving the right problems. Over 20 years of design experience have shaped his belief that listening to customers, separating signal from noise, identifying the pain points that matter most, and addressing them in a timely manner is what helps any company grow and stay ahead. * **About LucidLink:** LucidLink is the storage collaboration platform that frees creative teams to work together from anywhere. With a single shared filespace protected by zero-knowledge encryption, your team can instantly and securely access, edit and share projects of any size. Combining the ease of a local drive with the power of the cloud, LucidLink gives you on-demand access to your files. Now you can get straight to work without downloading, syncing or versioning disasters. Just like its customers, LucidLink's teams work together from anywhere. Privately held and headquartered in San Francisco, California, with an office in Sofia, Bulgaria, LucidLink's hybrid and remote employees work across Europe, North America, and Australia. Discover more at [www.lucidlink.com](http://www.lucidlink.com) **Come join the conversation!** 6:30 PM – Pre-event networking 7:00 PM – Official start

​**🚀 FinOps Bulgaria Meetup #1 - FinOps in a Multi-Cloud AI World** ​Join us for the inaugural FinOps Bulgaria community meetup! Whether you're a FinOps practitioner, cloud architect, finance leader, or just curious about cloud cost optimisation, this is your chance to connect with peers and learn practical strategies. **!!! Reserve your seat** \- https://luma\.com/arwwaj1h ​**📅 Agenda:** ​**18:45** - **Doors Open & Registration** ​**19:00** - **Building the FinOps Community in Bulgaria** (\~15 min) Speakers: Ivaylo Vrabchev, Yordan Dabov ​**19:20** - **FinOps in a Multi-Cloud AI World: How to Control Costs When Value Lives Across Azure, Google Cloud and AWS** (\~30 min) Speaker: Yordan Dabov ​**20:00** - **Open Discussion** Speakers: all ​**What to Expect:** ​**🎯 Building the FinOps Community in Bulgaria** (15 min) Ivaylo Vrabchev and Yordan Dabov will share the vision behind FinOps Bulgaria and why now is the perfect time to build this community together. ​**☁️ FinOps in a Multi-Cloud AI World** (30 min) Speaker: Yordan Dabov will dive into the real challenges of controlling costs when your AI workloads span Azure, Google Cloud, and AWS. Learn practical approaches to visibility, allocation, and optimisation across multiple cloud providers. ​**🤝 Open Discussion** Let's talk about what matters to YOU and connect with fellow practitioners, share experiences, and build relationships over drinks and snacks: * ​What are your biggest FinOps challenges? * ​How does cost optimisation work in your company? * ​What dashboards and tools are you using ​**Who Should Attend:** * ​FinOps practitioners and cloud cost managers * ​DevOps and Platform engineers * ​CTOs, CFOs, and technical leaders * ​Anyone interested in Cloud & AI cost optimisation ​**Language:** The event will be conducted mainly in Bulgarian with some English here and there. ​**What to Bring:** Your questions, your challenges, and your curiosity! ​Looking forward to seeing you there! 🇧🇬

✨ Ела на вечер, в която изключваме телефоните и се включваме в реалността. ❗️Още на входа ги прибираме на сигурно място - за да ти подарим качествено време тук и сега. Очакват те три часа спокойствие и смислена споделеност - без дигитален шум, без бързане, без екрани. 🌿 Програмата: ✨Регистрация: 20:00 - 20:20 (Пристигащите оставят телефоните си на сигурно място под наш надзор, регистрират се и се потапят в офлайн атмосферата) ✨Уединение: 20:20 - 21:10 Време само за теб. Без разговори, без уведомления - само тишина и присъствие. Можеш да си вземеш книга, дневник, скицник или нещо, което все отлагаш за „когато имаш време“. Ще има и подготвени материали, които да вдъхновят уединението ти. ✨Споделеност: 21:10 – 22:40 Истински разговори с истински хора. В малки групи, с подбрани въпроси, които отключват автентични диалози - без маски, без напрежение. Просто човешко присъствие и смислено общуване. ✨Свобода: 22:40 – 23:30 Оставаш колкото ти е приятно. Можеш да продължиш разговорите, да споделиш впечатления, да обмениш контакти (на хартия 😉) или просто да се насладиш на спокойствието. ⚠️ВАЖНО Билети се закупуват само онлайн предварително. Ако разполагате с подаръчен ваучер, моля пишете ни за да ви запазим място. Местата са ограничени. Моля, носете си пари в брой или физическа карта, за да можете, ако искате, да си купувате неща на място, когато телефоните ви не са у вас. 📍 Място: Bar Singles (НДК) 💛 15 EUR (в цената са включени подбрани вкусотии от нашия разкошен партньор Хармоника) 🎟️ Регистрация (задължителна): в Luma (https://luma.com/sg4iafsx) 📅 Дата: 23.04.2026 🕖 Начало: 20:00ч. (събиране до 20:20) Доведи приятел или ела сам - най-хубавите вечери се случват офлайн. ✨ #TheOfflineSociety #SpringEdition #OfflineIsTheNewLuxury

​At Progress, interns don't just shadow or observe. They own tasks, contribute to real projects and work alongside experienced teams from day one. 🚀 In this event with ***four former Progress interns***, the conversation will focus on what the experience actually looks like from the inside: 👉 What it means to do real work and make a tangible impact from early on 👉 How interns are trusted with their own responsibilities and what that feels like 👉 The mentorship and ongoing support that helps you grow with confidence 👉 How teams welcome interns and make them feel like they truly belong You'll also hear how the internship program is structured, what the recruitment process looks like and a few tips to help you put your best foot forward in interviews. This year Progress offers **13 internship opportunities** across a wide range of functions - Software Engineering, Product Management, Sales, Marketing, Business Operations and IT Security & Compliance, making this event relevant whether you're studying a technical or business discipline. **Applications open on April 20th**. ​ **Agenda** 1️⃣ Program Overview, Interview Insights and Internship Stories - 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. 2️⃣ Q&A & Networking - 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. ​**Our Speakers** **Valentina Petrova** \- Junior Software Engineer\, former 2025 Intern **Diana Evtimova** \- Junior Sales Representative\, former 2025 Intern **Tsvetilin Tsvetilov** \- Junior Software Engineer\, former 2024 Intern **Zhuliyan Penkov** \- Software Engineer\, former 2023 Intern ​ **Who Should Attend** Business and technical students who are curious about what a real internship looks like and want to hear it straight from people who've lived it. **To avoid duplicate registrations across platforms, we’re collecting all requests [here](https://luma.com/avn6uve7) (Request to join).** ​We look forward to seeing you there! 👋

* **About the event:** **Continuous Product Discovery & Targeted User Research** Building successful products requires talking to your users, but *how* and *when* you talk to them makes all the difference. Continuous discovery is your 15-minute product "health check." It does not replace proper feature-based user research, it complements it. Join us for a practical meetup where we will break down exactly when to use continuous discovery versus targeted user research, and how the two approaches work together to drive product strategy. We will share actionable frameworks for catching high-level UX feedback, validating direction, and knowing exactly when to transition into deep, area-specific research. **What We’ll Cover:** * **The Core Framework:** Understand the difference between a 15-minute continuous discovery session (a high-level health check) and targeted, feature-based research. Learn when to use which approach and how to prevent your discovery calls from turning into support tickets or therapy sessions. * **Smart Recruitment & Triage:** Stop relying on the loudest customers. Learn how to use Amplitude data, Account Managers, and Community channels to reach your *core* users. We will show you how to use discovery sessions to build a repository of "awesome users" triaged for later, deep-dive research. * **Interviewing Best Practices:** We will share real-life anecdotes on how to ask situational questions rather than leading questions like "would you use this feature?" * **Scaling with Automation & AI:** Learn how to automate your feedback sessions and leverage AI to synthesize notes, spot 80/20 pain points, and write up interview patterns. **Who Should Attend:** Product Managers, UX Researchers, Product Marketers, and Designers who want to optimize their user feedback loops. * **About the speakers:** Krassi is a Senior Product Manager at LucidLink, where she focuses on identity, access, and permissions. Before LucidLink, she spent nearly 8 years at Sitecore, leading product initiatives across identity, developer platforms, and Marketplace, with a strong focus on developer and user experience. She’s particularly passionate about user experience through continuous product discovery - running customer interviews, uncovering real needs, and turning insights into products that solve meaningful problems. Igor is a Senior Staff Product Designer at LucidLink, focused on solving the right problems. Over 20 years of design experience have shaped his belief that listening to customers, separating signal from noise, identifying the pain points that matter most, and addressing them in a timely manner is what helps any company grow and stay ahead. * **About LucidLink:** LucidLink is the storage collaboration platform that frees creative teams to work together from anywhere. With a single shared filespace protected by zero-knowledge encryption, your team can instantly and securely access, edit and share projects of any size. Combining the ease of a local drive with the power of the cloud, LucidLink gives you on-demand access to your files. Now you can get straight to work without downloading, syncing or versioning disasters. Just like its customers, LucidLink's teams work together from anywhere. Privately held and headquartered in San Francisco, California, with an office in Sofia, Bulgaria, LucidLink's hybrid and remote employees work across Europe, North America, and Australia. Discover more at [www.lucidlink.com](http://www.lucidlink.com) **Come join the conversation!** 6:30 PM – Pre-event networking 7:00 PM – Official start

​**🚀 FinOps Bulgaria Meetup #1 - FinOps in a Multi-Cloud AI World** ​Join us for the inaugural FinOps Bulgaria community meetup! Whether you're a FinOps practitioner, cloud architect, finance leader, or just curious about cloud cost optimisation, this is your chance to connect with peers and learn practical strategies. **!!! Reserve your seat** \- https://luma\.com/arwwaj1h ​**📅 Agenda:** ​**18:45** - **Doors Open & Registration** ​**19:00** - **Building the FinOps Community in Bulgaria** (\~15 min) Speakers: Ivaylo Vrabchev, Yordan Dabov ​**19:20** - **FinOps in a Multi-Cloud AI World: How to Control Costs When Value Lives Across Azure, Google Cloud and AWS** (\~30 min) Speaker: Yordan Dabov ​**20:00** - **Open Discussion** Speakers: all ​**What to Expect:** ​**🎯 Building the FinOps Community in Bulgaria** (15 min) Ivaylo Vrabchev and Yordan Dabov will share the vision behind FinOps Bulgaria and why now is the perfect time to build this community together. ​**☁️ FinOps in a Multi-Cloud AI World** (30 min) Speaker: Yordan Dabov will dive into the real challenges of controlling costs when your AI workloads span Azure, Google Cloud, and AWS. Learn practical approaches to visibility, allocation, and optimisation across multiple cloud providers. ​**🤝 Open Discussion** Let's talk about what matters to YOU and connect with fellow practitioners, share experiences, and build relationships over drinks and snacks: * ​What are your biggest FinOps challenges? * ​How does cost optimisation work in your company? * ​What dashboards and tools are you using ​**Who Should Attend:** * ​FinOps practitioners and cloud cost managers * ​DevOps and Platform engineers * ​CTOs, CFOs, and technical leaders * ​Anyone interested in Cloud & AI cost optimisation ​**Language:** The event will be conducted mainly in Bulgarian with some English here and there. ​**What to Bring:** Your questions, your challenges, and your curiosity! ​Looking forward to seeing you there! 🇧🇬

**Founders Running Club** (FRC) brings founders, investors, tech, creative people and startup enthusiasts together for weekly easy runs and networking. We like to be comfortable when we run and finish with coffee and conversations. Choose your pace or follow a pacer—pets, friends, family, are welcome. 🗓️ Launched in San Francisco, July 16, 2022 🌍 Now in 35+ cities 📅 Running + Networking events + Community **Join the community** [http://foundersrc.com/chats](http://foundersrc.com/chats) **Stay updated**: Instagram [http://instagram.com/foundersrc/](http://instagram.com/foundersrc/) Podcast [http://podcast.foundersrc.com/](http://podcast.foundersrc.com/) LinkedIn [http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/](http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/) Strava [http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC](http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC) Website [http://foundersrc.com/](http://foundersrc.com/)

**💥 Join us THIS Saturday and EVERY Saturday!** **💥 At Columbus’ Hottest New Salsa Venue!** **.** Lincoln Street Salsa THIS Saturday and EVERY Saturday! 8 pm – 1 am **.** **💥 Gorgeously Renovated Studio!** **💥 Free Parking!** **💥 BYOB!** **💥 Easy Access from Highway!** **.** Lincoln Street Salsa 1717 Brice Rd Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43215 **.** **ENTRANCE IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING** **Behind Anthony’s Pharmacy!** **.** **PLEASE SHARE and help get the word out!** **.** **🟣 Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue Dancing!** **.** **🟣** 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm **𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻** **.** **🟣** 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm **𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Class!** **.** **🟣** 9:30 pm – 1 am **𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆!** **.** **✅ Questions?** **Visit [LincolnStreetSalsa.com](https://columbussalsadancing.com/)** Or Text Todd: 614-774-8146 **.** **✅ No Experience Necessary!** **✅ No Partner Required!** **✅ Plenty of People to Dance With!** **.** **✅ $15 Cash / $16 Card** **✅ College Students $5 Off with Valid ID!** **✅ BYOB** **✅ Age 18+** **.** **✅ Lincoln Street Salsa is the perfect place for…** **.** **👉 Learning to Dance** **👉** Social Dancing **👉 Birthday Celebration** **👉** Bachelorette Parties **👉 Girl’s Night Out** **👉 Date Night** **👉** Getting Fit / Burning Calories **👉 Meeting New People** **👉** Having Fun, Fun, Fun! **.** ✅ **Questions?** Visit [LincolnStreetSalsa.com](https://columbussalsadancing.com/) Or Text Todd: 614-774-8146

**💖 Meet Toledo Singles Tonight – Hosted Speed Dating on Zoom** Meet Toledo singles from home. We sort the matching, you just turn up. Join from home, get paired with Toledo singles your age, and have real conversations on Zoom. A host manages everything so you can just relax and enjoy. **Register under your age group:** - 🌍 **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=476.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Toledo&groupurlname=dynamic-local-singles-speed-dating-meetup&ar=18-32&face_v=3.0) - **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=476.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Toledo&groupurlname=dynamic-local-singles-speed-dating-meetup&ar=30-46&face_v=3.0) **⚠️ Heads up — RSVPing here isn't enough.** Register through your age group link below and complete the quiz. Capacity is limited. --- 👥 **Best for:** - Singles in Toledo who want to meet people from home - People fed up with swiping who want actual conversation **At a glance** - **Format:** Live on Zoom – guided rounds from your home - **Location:** Your space – couch, desk, wherever suits you 🧭 **How the session runs** 1. **Pick your age group** – Register through your link above. 2. **Take the personality quiz** – We use it to pair you with compatible Toledo singles. 3. **Hop on Zoom** – Join the call and your host will walk you through it. 💡 **Tip:** Just be yourself. That's always the best approach. **Frequently Asked Questions** **What's the personality quiz for?** It helps us match you with compatible people. **Do I need experience?** **Do I need anything besides Zoom?** --- ✨ Speed dating from home — easy, fun, and personality matched. 💗 ✨ Quick version: this one gets straight to the point. Concise by design so people can decide quickly.

Let’s meet, wander the exhibits and open galleries, and enjoy an evening out in the Franklinton Arts District. (Nearby pay parking is available in the garage on McDowell, right around the corner from One Line Coffee, and, past it along the curb as McDowell dead ends.)

**💥 Join us THIS Saturday and EVERY Saturday!** **💥 At Columbus’ Hottest New Salsa Venue!** **.** Lincoln Street Salsa THIS Saturday and EVERY Saturday! 8 pm – 1 am **.** **💥 Gorgeously Renovated Studio!** **💥 Free Parking!** **💥 BYOB!** **💥 Easy Access from Highway!** **.** Lincoln Street Salsa 1717 Brice Rd Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43215 **.** **ENTRANCE IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING** **Behind Anthony’s Pharmacy!** **.** **PLEASE SHARE and help get the word out!** **.** **🟣 Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue Dancing!** **.** **🟣** 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm **𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻** **.** **🟣** 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm **𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Class!** **.** **🟣** 9:30 pm – 1 am **𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆!** **.** **✅ Questions?** **Visit [LincolnStreetSalsa.com](https://columbussalsadancing.com/)** Or Text Todd: 614-774-8146 **.** **✅ No Experience Necessary!** **✅ No Partner Required!** **✅ Plenty of People to Dance With!** **.** **✅ $15 Cash / $16 Card** **✅ College Students $5 Off with Valid ID!** **✅ BYOB** **✅ Age 18+** **.** **✅ Lincoln Street Salsa is the perfect place for…** **.** **👉 Learning to Dance** **👉** Social Dancing **👉 Birthday Celebration** **👉** Bachelorette Parties **👉 Girl’s Night Out** **👉 Date Night** **👉** Getting Fit / Burning Calories **👉 Meeting New People** **👉** Having Fun, Fun, Fun! **.** ✅ **Questions?** Visit [LincolnStreetSalsa.com](https://columbussalsadancing.com/ "https://columbussalsadancing.com/") Or Text Todd: 614-774-8146 .

**History** [Prairie Oaks Metro Park](https://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/prairie-oaks/) sits along the Franklin and Madison County border, west of Columbus near areas like Hilliard and West Jefferson. The land was part of the broader push in the late 1990s and early 2000s to expand the Metro Parks system into the northwest and western quadrants of the county. Metro Parks began acquiring parcels for what would become Prairie Oaks during the millennium era, as part of a wave of new parks aimed at protecting natural features around Big Darby Creek. Much of the property had been altered by past uses, including farming and quarrying, which left behind pits that later became the Darby Bend Lakes. The park's creation reflected growing interest in preserving remnants of the Darby Plains ecosystem, one of Ohio's original prairie regions that had largely disappeared after European settlement. The park officially opened to the public in 2000, making it one of the newer additions to the Metro Parks lineup at the time. As the 12th park in the system, it joined others acquired around the turn of the century, like Glacier Ridge. Initial access focused on basic trails and the scenic Big Darby Creek, a State and National Scenic River that winds through the property. Restoration efforts kicked off soon after opening, with crews using seeds native to the Darby Plains to replant nearly 500 acres of tallgrass prairie and grasslands. These plantings aimed to revive the open oak savannas that once characterized the area before widespread agriculture in the 1800s. Over the first decade, Prairie Oaks grew in popularity for its mix of restored habitats and recreational features. The former quarry in the eastern section transformed into the Darby Bend Lakes area, where four connected lakes now offer boating, fishing, and a dedicated dog swim spot. Trails expanded to showcase the prairie blooms, especially in summer and fall when asters and goldenrods light up the fields. Partnerships with groups like The Nature Conservancy highlighted the park's role in protecting the Darby Creek watershed, often called one of the "Last Great Places" for its water quality and biodiversity. Visitors from around central Ohio started discovering it as a quieter alternative to busier spots closer in. Restoration work continued into the 2010s, including wet prairie projects on about 190 acres to enhance hydrology and native plant diversity. The park's size reached over 2,200 acres, incorporating more floodplain along Big Darby Creek for flood storage and wildlife habitat. Amenities like parking at Sycamore Plains and Darby Bend Lakes improved access, drawing hikers, kayakers, and birders. Events and programs began emphasizing the prairie theme, from guided walks on blooming seasons to educational talks about pre-settlement landscapes. These efforts helped solidify Prairie Oaks as a showcase for ecological recovery in the Metro Parks system. Today, Prairie Oaks stands out for blending restored prairie with creek-side adventure, just a short drive from the west side. Its history mirrors the Metro Parks' shift toward large-scale habitat restoration in the 21st century. The park continues to evolve with ongoing stewardship, protecting what remains of the Darby Plains while offering locals a place to experience tallgrass vistas and oak openings. Whether paddling the lakes or walking the trails, it's a reminder of how much the region has changed since settlement — and how intentional work can bring some of it back. **Map of the Park** Here is a [map of Prairie Oaks](https://www.metroparks.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/POK_map_1980.jpg). **Summary** For this event, we will hike the Coneflower, Alder, and Sycamore Plains Trails, and, depending on conditions, the Osage Opening and Tall Grass Trails, or Lake View, Mound, Darby Creek Greenway, and River Rock Trails around the lakes. Either way, we'll go around 4.5 to 5 miles. For the most part, this won't be a terribly strenuous hike; Prairie Oaks tends to be flat. However, some of the hike won't be shaded, so be prepared for the possibility of some sun. Parts of the trails may also be muddy or wet, so I recommend [hiking shoes](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D972KN3W) and a change of socks. **Where We'll Meet** * Enter the Park at the main entrance at 3225 NE Plain City-Georgesville Rd. If you put "Prairie Oaks Metro Parks" into your Google Maps, it should default to this main address (but double-check to be sure). * After you enter the Park, the first parking lot on your right is the Park Office. Keep driving past this lot. * Enter the second parking lot you come to (which is also on your right). There's a picnic area, playground, and latrine here. There's no water fountain, though, so I recommend you bring water of your own, at least for after the hike. * I've included a screen shot in the Photos, below, where I've circled in blue the main Park entrance as well as the picnic area we're meeting at. **After the Hike** After we're done surveying the prairie grasses, we'll head over to [Crooked Can Brewing](https://crookedcanohio.com/) for [drinks](https://www.crookedcanohio.com/beer) and [food](https://www.crookedcanohio.com/center-street-market). The brewery has an entire food court, and they have a large free parking lot next to the [Early Television Museum](https://www.earlytelevision.org/). The actual address of the brewery is [5354 Center St, Hilliard, OH 43026](https://www.google.com/maps/place/5354+Center+St,+Hilliard,+OH+43026/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x883893f9ede6d5fb:0xbecf42d7055d9006?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111). We should be there by 5 if you can't make the hike and just want to join us for drinks.