Altered Art
Meet other local people interested in Altered Art: share experiences, inspire and encourage each other! Join a Altered Art group.
0
members
0
groups
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out altered art events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the altered art events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find altered art events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Altered Art Events Today
Join in-person Altered Art events happening right now
Argentine Tango for Absolute Beginners – January Start
Indítsd 2026-ot argentin tangóval!
Nincs szükséged semmilyen előzetes tánctudásra, és egyedül vagy párban is jelentkezhetsz!
Várunk szeretettel minden tangózni vágyót!
Oktató: Szeghalmi Endre
Kezdés: 2026. jan. 12., hétfő 20:00 – 21:00. Az órák minden hétfőn ugyanebben az időpontban folytatódnak.
Helyszín: Roxy Stúdió, Tátra u. 4.
Jelentkezés és további infók:
A [www.tangolibre.hu/tango-tanfolyam/](http://www.tangolibre.hu/tango-tanfolyam/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExbDFsUmtNd2dIQVpmSHY3TXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR50fTXksGSsXPYTo3IYigrZIXxtxdytBSer6v-jm9Y7HrcgPGLXn9R-dfaPCg_aem_0misiL79POQIY53C46m1Mw) oldalon találsz minden részletet, és itt tudsz regisztrálni.
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Start 2026 with Argentine tango!
No prior dance experience is required, and you can sign up either alone or with a partner.
We warmly welcome everyone who would like to dance tango!
Instructor: Endre Szeghalmi
Start: Monday, January 12, 2026, 8:00–9:00 PM
Classes will continue every Monday at the same time.
Venue: Roxy Studio, Tátra u. 4.
Registration and more information:
[www.tangolibre.hu/en/tango-classes-for-totally-beginners/](http://www.tangolibre.hu/en/tango-classes-for-totally-beginners/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExbDFsUmtNd2dIQVpmSHY3TXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR50fTXksGSsXPYTo3IYigrZIXxtxdytBSer6v-jm9Y7HrcgPGLXn9R-dfaPCg_aem_0misiL79POQIY53C46m1Mw)
Hungarian Road Trip: Volcanic Hills, Secret Forests & Craft Beer 🚗🌲🍻
📍 Where: Hungary 🇭🇺
📅 When: May 18 -> May 25
📩 How to join: Feel free to contact me via Meetup chat or shoot me a DM on Instagram: pangolin_travel 📸
Hey everyone! 👋 Ready for an unforgettable road trip? 🚗✨ I'm organizing an adventure to explore the absolute best of Hungary's nature, lakes, and vibrant city vibes, and I'm looking for travel buddies to share the journey! 🚙💨
What to expect: 🌳🦇 This trip is the perfect mix of nature escapes and urban exploration. We will start our Monday by picking up our rental car in Budapest and hitting the road to discover the country's best-kept secrets. Having a car gives us total freedom to explore at our own pace and find the coolest hidden spots! 🌬️
We will hike through the beautiful, dense beech forests of the Bükk National Park 🌲 and explore the stunning volcanic hills overlooking Lake Balaton 🌋. Don't worry, you don't need to be a hiking pro! 🛑 The trails are intermediate, safe, and super rewarding. Depending on what the group feels like, we can also mix things up with some awesome optional experiences -> like joining a guided exploration of the hidden caves near the capital 🦇 or going for a chilled kayaking session on the lake 🛶.
After all that nature, we will drive back to Budapest for an epic grand finale ✨. Expect an amazing balance of active days on the trail, scenic road trip drives, and relaxing our tired muscles in the famous historic thermal baths 🧖♂️. One of my favorite ways to end a day of exploring is finding a great spot to try new craft beers and traditional local food -> I am always on the hunt for a cold pint and good conversations at the Ruin Pubs! 🍻🍲
What is INCLUDED: ✅
🏡 Accommodation: Top-rated social hostels to rest our legs, hang out, and meet great people!
🚗 Car Rental: Total freedom to reach national parks and lakes without train schedules.
⛽ Gas / Fuel: Covered for our whole road trip route.
If you love active travels, sharing good vibes, and ending the day with a cold craft beer and lots of laughs, this adventure is for you! 🙌
Let’s go explore Hungary! 🇭🇺🔥
Reunión de juntaletras.
El objetivo de este encuentro es romper el hielo, hablar de las historias que nos gusta escribir, de por qué escribimos, de los libros que nos gusta leer, de qué dificultades encontramos al enfrentarnos al folio en blanco y de qué esperamos del grupo. En definitiva, se trata de conocernos como personas para entendernos como escritores.
No importa si has escrito diez novelas, cuatro cuentos o el precioso título de un poema sin versos. Aquí todo aspirante a juntaletras es bienvenido.
Budapest Toastmasters - In Person!
Enjoy your time learning and practicing public speaking with Budapest Toastmasters! There is no need to speak or any previous experience in Public Speaking.
---
👉Keycode: 12, 3rd Floor. Please arrive by 6:20 PM, the meeting starts at 6:30 PM👉No registration or dress code is needed, the event is FREE.👉NOTE: We will have signs in the place so you can locate easily the Toastmasters Meeting room.
---
Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development. Our membership is 313,000 strong. Members improve their speaking and leadership skills by attending one of the 14,650 clubs in 126 countries that make up our global network of meeting locations.
The world needs leaders. Leaders head families, coach teams, run businesses, and mentor others. These leaders must not only accomplish but must also communicate. By regularly giving speeches, gaining feedback, leading teams, and guiding others to achieve their goals in a supportive atmosphere, leaders emerge from the Toastmasters program. Every Toastmaster's journey begins with a single speech. During their journey, they learn to tell their stories. They listen and answer. They plan and lead. They give feedback—and accept it. Through our community of learners, they find their path to leadership.
Altered Art Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
A Night With… Odysseus: the Challenge of Return in a Changing World.
Join us for the new session of our discussion series **“A Night With…”**, where we dive into timeless myths and their universal messages.
Following our last session, where we explored the journey of Orpheus, this the time to delve into the *nostos* (gr. "homecoming") of Odysseus, and moreover into this complex but manifold character.
**What to expect:**
* I will open the meetup with a short introduction to Odysseus’ myth and share (or suggest) a few possible interpretations and connections.
* After that, the floor is yours! Bring your thoughts, reflections, and any links you see between this myth and other domains, e.g. literature, art, philosophy, psychology, history or even your own creative work.
* If you’re an artist and your work resonates with the divine twins' story, feel free to share it with the group.
**Before the event:**
Take 5 minutes to read the quick snippet of Odysseus’ myth (provided below👇🏽) and think of:
* A book, artwork, or personal reflection that relates to her story.
* Any modern parallels or insights you’d like to discuss.
This is a space for **open dialogue, creativity, and shared exploration**.
###
### **🌊The story of Odysseus in Brief**
**🏛️ Chaper 1. Before Troy – The Mind of Odysseus**
Odysseus, king of Ithaca, is not the strongest Greek hero—that is Achilles—but he is the most intelligent, strategic, and persuasive.
His defining traits:
**Metis**
**Persuasion and diplomacy**
**Pragmatism:**
Key early acts of wit:
1\. Avoiding the war \(feigned madness\)
When Helen is taken to Troy, Odysseus tries to avoid joining the war. He pretends to be insane—ploughing the fields and sowing salt.
But Palamedes tests him by placing his infant son Telemachus in front of the plough. Odysseus swerves to avoid harming him, revealing his sanity.
2\. Recruiting Achilles
Odysseus is sent to find Achilles, who is hidden among women to avoid war.
Odysseus cleverly lays out jewels and weapons; Achilles instinctively chooses the weapons, revealing himself.
3\. The Oath of Tyndareus
Before Helen’s marriage, Odysseus had proposed a solution to avoid conflict: all suitors swear to defend the chosen husband.
This idea later binds the Greek kings together in the Trojan War.
**⚔️ Chapter 2. The Trojan War – Strategy Over Strength**
During the ten-year war, Odysseus becomes indispensable not for combat, but for turning points.
Key contributions:
1\. The theft of the Palladium
2\. The Trojan Horse \(his greatest invention\)
**🌊 Chapter 3. The *Nostos ***
After victory, Odysseus’ journey home takes another 10 years. This is where his intelligence is constantly tested, but also where his flaws emerge.
Main episodes:
**🧠 The Cyclops (Polyphemus)**
**👉 This triggers Poseidon’s curse**
**🍃 The Bag of Winds**
**🧙 Circe**
**⚰️ The Underworld**
**🎶 The Sirens**
**⚖️ Scylla and Charybdis**
**🏝️ Calypso**
**🏠Chapter 4. Return to Ithaca**
After 20 years, Odysseus returns, but does not reveal himself.
His palace is overrun by suitors. They consume his wealth and pressure Penelope to remarry.
He returns as a beggar, observes before acting, thus testing loyalty (servants, son Telemachus, wife).
Gradually reveals himself only to trusted individuals:
Telemachus and a few loyal servants
Penelope in her final attempt to stop the suitors, launches a challenge:
only the man who can string Odysseus’ bow can marry her.
None succeed. Odysseus (in disguise) strings it effortlessly. He reveals himself and kills them.
**⚖️ Chapter 5. After Ithaca: Beyond the Happy Ending**
The story doesn’t simply end with victory.
Families of the suitors seek revenge, and civil conflict threatens Ithaca.
Athena intervenes by imposing peace
Ends the cycle of violence.
📃📜**Principal ancient sources:**
* Homer, *Iliad*
* Homer, *Odyssey*
* Sophokles, *Ajax*, *Philoktetes*
* Euripides, *Hecuba*, *Cyclops*
* Ovid, *Metamorphoses*
* Virgil, *Aeneid*
* Dante Alighieri, *Divina Commedia - Inferno*
| |
| --- |
|
Breathing Therapy in the Salt Cave
Improving the quality of our breathing can powerfully support our lives. Practicing in the Salt Cave, with the support of 8 tons of salt, is a truly special experience. Everyone knows that during a cold or flu, salt can provide quick support.
And of course, we all know how to breathe, because we are alive. Learning proper breathing takes time and a little perseverance. Even one breathing therapy session can bring us a lot of understanding, but for more reliable results, a greater number of repetitions is helpful.
What can you expect at such a breathing therapy class in the Salt Cave? After settling into a comfortable seated position, we will go over the basics of proper breathing together, then step by step we will practice these gentle and slow movements with every breath.
We warmly welcome you.
The group leader:
Ganga (Anikó Szabó) Child, Teen, and Adult Lead Yoga Instructor, Women’s Yoga Therapist, Breathing Coach, Certified Chemical Engineer, PhD in Environmental Sciences, Materials Structure Researcher
Price: 8000 HUF/person
Alkalom #7 - A jövő szervezeti kultúrái I. — a Tealia
*“Egy erdőben nincs egyetlen uralkodó fa sem, amely megtervezné és diktálná a változást, amikor elmarad az eső vagy túl korán érkezik a tavasz. Az egész ökoszisztéma kreatívan, az adott pillanatban reagál.”*
*―* **Frederic Laloux**, Útmutató a szervezetek létrehozásához, amelyeket az emberi tudat fejlődésének következő szintje inspirál
**(A beszélgetés magyar nyelven zajlik!)**
Frederic Laloux *A jövő szervezetei* című könyvében azt állítja, hogy a társadalmak - és a bennük levő szervezetek - fejlődési szinteken mennek keresztül. Minden szint egy-egy szerveződési formát jelent, és egy új választ ad az előző szint problémáira. Minden szintnek megvan a jellegzetessége: mit jutalmaz, mit büntet, ki dönt, és miért.
Ez alkalommal megvizsgáljuk a Laloux által egyes szervezeteknél felfedezett és általánosan felvázolt szerveződési formákat, köztük az egyelőre legritkább és leginkább jövőbe mutatónak tűnő Tealia szerveződési formával.
Arra a kérdésre keressük a választ, hogy lehet-e olyan szervezeti kultúrát - akár egész társadalmi struktúrát - kialakítani, amiben nincs szükség politikára és belharcokra, nem okoz kiégést, viszont kielégítő, értelmes, sőt, kiteljesítő munkát illetve szerepeket ad a tagjainak.
**Bevezetés (15 perc)**
Kezdésként röviden bemutatjuk a témát és a résztvevőket.
- Milyen típusú szervezeteknek voltál eddig a tagja?
- Volt valami közös abban, ahogyan működtek?
**A Tealia koncepciójának bemutatása után kikezdjük azt és alapvetéseit olyan kérdésekkel, mint (1 óra 45 perc):**
- Van egyáltalán értelme a szervezeteket szintekre bekategorizálni?
- Amikor szervezetben gondolkodunk, a hatékonyságnak vagy a harmonikus működésnek kellene elsődleges célnak lennie?
- A személyes kiteljesedés jó alapcélja és iránytűje egy szervezetnek?
- Tud működni hosszú távon a dinamikusan elosztott autoritás?
- Mennyire jó alap a sikerességhez a szerepek (kivívott tekintély és bizalom alapú) önszerveződése?
- Önszerveződés mellett (azaz átfogó kontroll nélkül) garantálható-e, hogy minden szükséges szerepkörre jut elegendő kompetens tag?
- Fenntartható-e a teljes átláthatóság a pénzügyekben és a döntéshozatalban?
- A bizalom alapú delegálás biztosan jobb-e az objektív kompetencia alapúnál?
- Nem veszélyes-e a kellemességre optimalizálni, mikor veszélyes versenytársakkal kellhet szembenézni?
- Lehet-e igaz az a propaganda, ami azt hangoztatja: “nem az a kérdés, elég jó vagy-e”?
- Mérhető-e a tényleges életminőség visszajelzésekkel arról, hogy hogy érzi magát az ember? A boldogságérzet mennyire hű tükre az életminőségnek?
- Elegendő érintettség alapján súlyozni egy ötlet megítélését
- Lehet-e kompetens egy olyan parlament, amely tagjai nem kompetencia, hanem népszerűség alapján kerülnek be?
- Lehet-e olyan jó egy közösségi visszajelzés alapú kompetencia-értékelés, mint egy objektív teszt alapú?
- Van-e értelme kollektívan az emberek kiteljesedéséről beszélni?
- Ha az AI által adott eredményekre támaszkodva hozzák az emberek a döntéseket, akkor azokat valóban ők hozzák?
- Ha ma egy ország áttérne a Tealia modellre, hogyan tartathatná be a törvényeket?
- A Zappos példája inkább jó vagy rossz kezdeményezés volt?
**RSVP**: Kérjük, itt a Meetupon erősítsd meg a részvételedet, hogy biztosítsd a helyed! Ha mégsem tudsz részt venni, kérjük add át a helyedet a várólistán lévőknek!
Adományokat 1.000 Ft-ig (minimum 400 Ft) szívesen fogadunk a meetup költségeinek fedezésére.
**Ha ételt vagy alkoholmentes bort fogyasztasz, nem szükséges adományoznod a csoport számára**. Köszönjük!
Haladó Tangó Szerdánként | Tango Libre
Haladó argentin tangó óra heti rendszerességgel januártól!
Várunk szeretettel!
**Időpont**: Szerda, 20:15 - 21:30 (első alkalom 2026-ban: **január 6.)**
**Helyszín**: Shift Stúdió, Andrássy út 35., 2. em., 12-es kapucsengő
**Oktatók**
Serbán Andrea és Szeghalmi Endre
Órarend: [https://tangolibre.hu/orarend/](https://tangolibre.hu/orarend/)
✦✦✦
Advanced Argentine tango class held on a **weekly basis**.
**🕒 Time**
Wednesday, 8:15–9:30 PM
**📍 Location**
Shift Studio, Andrássy út 35., 2nd floor
**Teachers**
Andrea Serban & Endre Szeghalmi
Prices: [https://tangolibre.hu/en/prices/](https://tangolibre.hu/en/prices/)
Új esélyek, közös hozzáférés
The language of this workshop is Hungarian.
A program a **Budapest Accessibility Meetup**, a **UX Budapest** és az **Appy** közös szervezésű eseménye.
Az akadálymentesség új lendületet kaphat Magyarországon.
Új szereplők, új intézményi keretek és nagyobb társadalmi figyelem formálják a következő időszakot.
De mit tudunk ehhez hozzátenni mi?
Azok a szakemberek és érintettek, akik már több mint egy éve havonta együtt gondolkodunk az akadálymentesség jövőjéről, most közös workshopra hívunk mindenkit.
**Időpont:** 2026\. május 21\. csütörtök\, 16:00
**Helyszín:** Appy iroda, 1061 Budapest, Nyugati tér 1. 6. em.
A helyszín a "Régi Skála" épületében található, ez a nagy, fekete üvegezett, sokemeletes épület a Nyugati pályaudvarral szemben, a körút túloldalán.
Ha szemben állsz vele, akkor az épület bal szélén találod a bejáratot: a Starbucks-tól balra keress egy fotocellás ajtót az épület legszélén.
A recepciónál a nevedet és az eseményt add meg, kapsz egy belépőt, amivel át tudsz jönni a beléptető rendszeren.
**Facilitátorok:**
\*\*\*Daniss-Bodó Eszter - \*\*neuroinkluzív tervező (Blue)
\*\* \*Nagy Árpád - \*\*lead ux designer, akadálymentességi szakértő (OTP)
\*\*\* Klein Péter - \*\*design strategist & leadership advisor (Blue)
\*\* \*Szántai Károly - \*\*tanúsított web akadálymentességi szakértő, szakoktató
Miről fogunk beszélgetni?
– milyen változásokra lenne szükség,
– hol látunk valódi lehetőségeket,
– és miben tudunk hatást gyakorolni egyénként és közösségként.
Témáink többek között:
– autonómia és önállóság,
– neuroinkluzív szolgáltatások,
– érintetti bevonás,
– AI és akadálymentesség,
– digitális és fizikai hozzáférés,
– az EAA utáni korszak.
**Workshop:**
– Rövid felvezetés
– Kiscsoportos gondolkodás
– „Mi hiányzik ma Magyarországon?”
– Közös jövőképek és ötletek
– Következő lépések
Az eseményt a GAAD (Global Accessibility Awareness Day) keretében rendezzük meg.
Várunk minden érintettet, szakembert és érdeklődőt, aki szeretne részt venni egy hozzáférhetőbb jövő alakításában.
**RSVP**
Kérjük, használd az RSVP-t! Ha bármilyen okból nem tudsz eljönni, kérjük, frissítsd foglalásodat, hogy más számára felszabaduljon a hely.
**A helyszín akadálymentessége:**
A helyszín akadálymentes. Lift és akadálymentes mosdó található az épületben. Segítőkutyádat természetesen szeretettel várjuk.
Kérjük jelezd, ha bármivel tudjuk támogatni a részvételed.
**Fotózás**
Készíts te is fotókat, és töltsd fel ide az eseményhez. Örökítsük meg együtt eseményeinket.
**Van Meetup ötleted?**
Folyamatosan szeretnénk javítani eseményeinket a te hozzájárulásoddal is. Ha van egy téma a fejedben, vagy ha szeretnéd, hogy a céged szponzoráljon egy eseményt, esetleg segítenél a szervezésben, jelezd nekünk.
Thursday Morning Flow
[Please register via this link if you’d like to join!✨](https://www.sanctuary.hu/service-page/thursday-morning-flow-08-15-en?referral=service_list_widget)
This morning Flow class is a light, continuous practice designed to gently awaken and energize the body for the day ahead. We don’t stay in one pose for too long — movement is guided by the breath, creating a steady rhythm and a sense of flow throughout the class. The pace is soft and seamless, helping the mind settle while gradually building warmth, strength, and mobility.
The practice supports releasing stiffness, increasing circulation, and creating space for clarity, focus, and a grounded start to the morning. We close the class with soothing stretches after the dynamic sequence, allowing both the body and nervous system to soften and reset before moving into the rest of the day.
Each class follows a weekly changing theme, offering a fresh focus and a new experience every time you step onto the mat.
Szerdai Középhaladó Csoportos Óra | Tango Libre
Középhaladó argentin tangó óra heti rendszerességgel januártól!
Várunk szeretettel!
**Időpont**: Szerda, 19.00 - 20.15 (első alkalom 2026-ban: **január 6.)**
**Helyszín**: Shift Stúdió, Andrássy út 35., 2. em., 12-es kapucsengő
**Oktatók**
Serbán Andrea és Szeghalmi Endre
[További részletek és órarend](www.tangolibre.hu)
✦✦✦
Intermediate Argentine tango class held on a **weekly basis**.
**🕒 Time**
Wednesday, 7:00–8:15 PM
**📍 Location**
Shift Studio, Andrássy út 35., 2nd floor
**Teachers**
Andrea Serban & Endre Szeghalmi
Prices: [https://tangolibre.hu/en/prices/](https://tangolibre.hu/en/prices/)
Altered Art Events Near You
Connect with your local Altered Art community
Columbus Museum of Art, Free Admission Sundays
Let’s meet and wander the galleries! General admission on Sundays is free.
Fundamentals: by do Jung Ishu/ the art of fighting
We are a real world Martial arts group. \
Called DO JUNG ISHU (the art of fighting) \
Based off of Jeet kune do we just continued where Bruce Lee left off. \
We have been around a while. \
Every week we get together and work technical skills and full contact spar. \
Almost all of the instructors have been in everything from street fights to the ring and some still compete in cage fighting. \
If you want to take your skills up, improve your confidence, gain self defense skills, get in better shape, test yourself or just want to kill some time and possibly get hit a bit come on down. \
We will be located at 3923 N High St, Columbus, OH 43214 Outside in the grass between the playground and horseshoe area. our instructors are normally in a black and red art of fighting shirt \ if you can not find us call or text me at 6143570295
Saturday 1:30pm Wednesday 5:45pm
From Age 16 and up. attendees under the age of 18 must have a guardian with them. \
Wear workout clothes. \
Bring a MOUTHPIECE! \
WE HAVE GLOVES. \
$10 per class
$5 per class if you are wearing a club shirt
Club shirts are $25
Hope to see you soon. \
let me know if you have any questions :)
NFT AI ART Columbus
NFT's are here to stay folks!
This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more.
**PLUS**
This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.
Ohio Fight club
We are a real world Martial arts group. \
Called DO JUNG ISHU (the art of fighting) \
Based off of Jeet kune do we just continued where Bruce Lee left off. \
We have been around a while. \
Every week we get together and work technical skills and full contact spar. \
Almost all of the instructors have been in everything from street fights to the ring and some still compete in cage fighting. \
If you want to take your skills up, improve your confidence, gain self defense skills, get in better shape, test yourself or just want to kill some time and possibly get hit a bit come on down. \
We will be located at 3923 N High St, Columbus, OH 43214 Outside in the grass between the playground and horseshoe area. our instructors are normally in a black and red art of fighting shirt \ if you can not find us call or text me at 6143570295
Saturday 1:30pm Wednesday 5:45pm
From Age 16 and up. attendees under the age of 18 must have a guardian with them. \
Wear workout clothes. \
Bring a MOUTHPIECE! \
WE HAVE GLOVES. \
$10 per class
$5 per class if you are wearing a club shirt
Club shirts are $25
Hope to see you soon. \
let me know if you have any questions :)
Trails & Ales! Blendon Woods Metro Park / Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery
**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.

















