Data Lakes

**Ven 1Sab 9 Mag 2026** **TREK SUL LAGO MAGGIORE. CASCATA DELLA FRODA 596 m (VA)** \- Lunghezza: 10 km \- Dislivello: 550 m \- Difficoltà: Media \- Pranzo al sacco Il trek è in prov. di Varese, a 85 km da Milano. Iscrizione [https://t.me/TrekMI/82327](https://t.me/TrekMI/82327) Youtube https://youtu.be/O9QXBhkkqXM **LUOGO DI RITROVO** Per sapere il luogo di ritrovo, cliccare sul link Iscrizione. Si apre una chat Telegram che contiene tutte le informazioni. **GRATUITÀ** Tutti i trek sono gratuiti **CHI SIAMO** Ogni weekend portiamo in montagna 100 persone. Siamo la più grande associazione escursionista d'Italia [https://t.me/TrekMI](https://t.me/TrekMI) **COME RAGGIUNGERE LA FELICITÀ** con la filosofia TTP [https://t.me/TrekMI/79617](https://t.me/TrekMI/79617) .

**Sabato 09 maggio** **FARINAMI GARDEN🥂🥂** **Una location così gradevole con un atmosfera da “non ti annoi mai”, gente che si alza a cantare,e a ballare.** **Start ore 20:00 con un ottimo buffet più drink 20€ fino alle 22:30** **Dopo le 22:30 entrata 15€** **Entrata in LISTA ELIO** **EVENTO PERFETTO PER NUOVI INCONTRI** **Musica Dj set si BALLA tutta la notte 🤩per tutti coloro che in pista,balleranno saranno omaggiati di un meraviglioso GADGET 😍** **X parcheggiare c’è uno spazio ampio fatto a lisca di pesce in VIA FRATELLI BANDIERA a 200 MT dal locale** **Farinami via Nino bixio 1 Sesto San Giovanni** **Come arrivare? Clicca il link qui sotto** **https://maps.app.goo.gl/6yymPBT1yKwinMxp8?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy** **Se non hai l’auto scaricati, WAYLA e registrati. Un trasporto economico milanese per tutta la notte.** **https://apps.apple.com/it/app/wayla/id6479307130**

**Sab 9 Mag 2026** **TREK SUL LAGO DI COMO. MONTE BREGAGNO 2107 m (CO)** \- Lunghezza: 12 km \- Dislivello: 1020 m \- Difficoltà: Medio alta \(tanto dislivello\) \- Pranzo al sacco\. Il trek è in prov. di Como, a 84 km da Milano. Iscrizione[ https://t.me/TrekMI/82344]( https://t.me/TrekMI/82344) Youtube https://youtu.be/LlfTvFfLvBI **LUOGO DI RITROVO** Per sapere il luogo di ritrovo, cliccare sul link Iscrizione. Si apre una chat Telegram che contiene tutte le informazioni. **GRATUITÀ** Tutti i trek sono gratuiti **CHI SIAMO** Ogni weekend portiamo in montagna 100 persone. Siamo la più grande associazione escursionista d'Italia [https://t.me/TrekMI](https://t.me/TrekMI) **COME RAGGIUNGERE LA FELICITÀ** con la filosofia TTP [https://t.me/TrekMI/79617](https://t.me/TrekMI/79617) .

**🇮🇹 𝙐𝙉𝘼𝙈𝘼𝙎 𝙎𝙋𝙀𝙏𝙏𝘼𝘾𝙊𝙇𝘼𝙍𝙀** 💛 📅 **Ogni sabato** \- Salsa & Bachata 360° 🎶🔥 🔸 **22:00** Stage o gare in preserata 🎭 🔸 **Durante la serata** Show spettacolari! ✨ 🔸 **Tavolo Campus Latino riservato** – Dillo all’ingresso! 🎁 📍 **Location:** UnaMas Club, Via Adamello 21 - Bareggio (MI) 🎟️ **Evento a pagamento** ⚠ **IMPORTANTE**: Ricordati di compilare il modulo di adesione all’UnaMas prima di venire! La tessera è **gratuita ma obbligatoria** 👉 [www.unamasclub.it/tesseramento](http://www.unamasclub.it/tesseramento) 📲 **Unisciti al nostro gruppo WhatsApp** per restare aggiornato e organizzare passaggi in auto! 👉 [https://chat.whatsapp.com/K9c3dd5Hd2t2uhgbF9rauQ](https://chat.whatsapp.com/K9c3dd5Hd2t2uhgbF9rauQ) **🇬🇧** **𝙐𝙉𝘼𝙈𝘼𝙎 𝙎𝙋𝙀𝙏𝙏𝘼𝘾𝙊𝙇𝘼𝙍𝙀** 💛 📅 **Every Saturday** \- Salsa & Bachata 360° 🎶🔥 🔸 **10:00 PM** Pre-party stages or dance competitions 🎭 🔸 **During the night** Spectacular dance shows! ✨ 🔸 **Reserved table for Campus Latino** – Mention it at the entrance! 🎁 📍 **Location:** UnaMas Club, Via Adamello 21 - Bareggio (MI) 🎟️ **Paid event** ⚠ **IMPORTANT**: Register for your UnaMas membership before coming! It’s **free but mandatory** 👉 [www.unamasclub.it/tesseramento](http://www.unamasclub.it/tesseramento) 📲 **Join our WhatsApp group** to stay updated and arrange carpooling! 👉 [https://chat.whatsapp.com/K9c3dd5Hd2t2uhgbF9rauQ](https://chat.whatsapp.com/K9c3dd5Hd2t2uhgbF9rauQ)

**Sab 9 Mag 2026** **TREK IN VALSASSINA. RIFUGIO TAVECCHIA 1495 m (LC)** \- Lunghezza: 15 km \- Dislivello: 900 m \- Difficoltà: Media \- Pranzo al sacco o al rifugio\. Il trek è in prov. di Lecco, a 67 km da Milano. Iscrizione [https://t.me/TrekMI/82341](https://t.me/TrekMI/82341) Youtube https://youtu.be/iXUJ1sUAruQ **LUOGO DI RITROVO** Per sapere il luogo di ritrovo, cliccare sul link Iscrizione. Si apre una chat Telegram che contiene tutte le informazioni. **GRATUITÀ** Tutti i trek sono gratuiti **CHI SIAMO** Ogni weekend portiamo in montagna 100 persone. Siamo la più grande associazione escursionista d'Italia [https://t.me/TrekMI](https://t.me/TrekMI) **COME RAGGIUNGERE LA FELICITÀ** con la filosofia TTP [https://t.me/TrekMI/79617](https://t.me/TrekMI/79617) .

The Soap Making Workshop is ready for launch!!!! :D Explore cold process soap making and take home your own handcrafted soap! Come and learn the technique of **Cold Process Soap Making**! This traditional soap making method transforms simple ingredients into beautiful, handcrafted soap. **This 2-hour workshop includes:** * Tuition from a bilingual qualified teacher and experienced cold process soap maker * A range of colours, fragrances, and additives to design your own soap * Your own handcrafted soap bar to take home * A copy of the course teaching materials and resources * Unlimited tisane, caffè, and biscuits 🍪 Take time out of your busy schedule to relax, unwind, and create something truly unique! :D **Limited Places!!** Adele 🌺 Scopri la saponificazione a freddo e porta a casa il tuo sapone! Vieni a imparare la tecnica della **Saponificazione a Metodo Freddo**! Questo metodo tradizionale trasforma ingredienti semplici in splendidi saponi artigianali. **Il workshop di 2 ore include:** * Insegnamento da parte di un’insegnante qualificata, bilingue e con esperienza nella saponificazione a freddo * Una selezione di colori, fragranze e ingredienti per creare il tuo sapone * Il tuo sapone artigianale da portare a casa * Materiale didattico e risorse del corso * Tisane, caffè e biscotti illimitati 🍪 Prenditi del tempo lontano dalla tua routine frenetica per rilassarti, staccare e creare qualcosa di davvero unico! :D **Posti limitati!** Adele 🌺

**Sab 9 Mag 2026** **TREK IN PIEMONTE. VAL BOGNANCO. LAGHI DEL PAIONE 2270 m (VB)** \- Lunghezza: 9 km \- Dislivello: 1000 m \- Difficoltà: Media \- Pranzo al sacco Il trek è in prov. di Verbania, a 140 km da Milano. Iscrizione [https://t.me/TrekMI/82352](https://t.me/TrekMI/82352) Youtube https://youtu.be/kyCm-eaSSmE **LUOGO DI RITROVO** Per sapere il luogo di ritrovo, cliccare sul link Iscrizione. Si apre una chat Telegram che contiene tutte le informazioni. **GRATUITÀ** Tutti i trek sono gratuiti **CHI SIAMO** Ogni weekend portiamo in montagna 100 persone. Siamo la più grande associazione escursionista d'Italia [https://t.me/TrekMI](https://t.me/TrekMI) **COME RAGGIUNGERE LA FELICITÀ** con la filosofia TTP [https://t.me/TrekMI/79617](https://t.me/TrekMI/79617) .

ITALIANO Evento gratuito Ciao a tutti, questa volta vi propongo una passeggiata al parco Nord, situato a nord di Milano. Con una superficie di 640 ettari, è il parco più grande della città e si estende in 7 comuni. Comprende vasti boschi, prati, colline, viali alberati e aiuole: un parco moderno e bellissimo. Dopo la passeggiata, per chi vuole, possiamo bere qualcosa o fare aperitivo. Ci troveremo all'uscita della metro gialla Affori Centro M3. Programma Ore 15.30-15.40: Raduno dei partecipanti Ore 15.45: Partenza Vi aspetto! Trovate altre info nei gruppi Telegram e Facebook: Telegram: https://t.me/+ImpLzLM9vRcyODQ8 Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/groups/1185913102643016/?ref=share ‐----------------- ENGLISH Free event Hi all, this time I propose a walk in North Park, located in the north of Milan. With an area of ​​640 hectares, it is the largest Park of the city and it reaches 7 municipalities. It includes vast forests, meadows, hills, tree-lined avenues and flowerbeds: that's a modern and beautiful park. After the walk, if you want, we can have a drink or happy hour. We will meet at the exit of Affori Centro M3 Station of the yellow subway. Program 3.30-3.40pm: Meeting 3.45pm: Departure See you! You can find other info on Telegram and Facebook groups: Telegram: https://t.me/+ImpLzLM9vRcyODQ8 Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/groups/1185913102643016/?ref=share

**Dom 10 Mag 2026** **TREK IN VALSASSINA. RIFUGIO BUZZONI da Introbio 1590 m (LC)** \- Lunghezza: 15 km \- Dislivello: 1000 m \- Difficoltà: Medio alta \(tanto dislivello\) \- Pranzo al sacco o al rifugio\. Il trek è in prov. di Lecco a 68 km da Milano. Iscrizione [https://t.me/TrekMI/82369](https://t.me/TrekMI/82369) Youtube https://youtu.be/MhMc-Wfo898 **LUOGO DI RITROVO** Per sapere il luogo di ritrovo, cliccare sul link Iscrizione. Si apre una chat Telegram che contiene tutte le informazioni. **GRATUITÀ** Tutti i trek sono gratuiti **CHI SIAMO** Ogni weekend portiamo in montagna 100 persone. Siamo la più grande associazione escursionista d'Italia [https://t.me/TrekMI](https://t.me/TrekMI) **COME RAGGIUNGERE LA FELICITÀ** con la filosofia TTP [https://t.me/TrekMI/79617](https://t.me/TrekMI/79617) .

**Sab 9 Mag 2026** **TREK IN VALSASSINA. MONTE DUE MANI 1620 m (LC)** \- Lunghezza: 12 km \- Dislivello: 830 m \- Difficoltà: Media \- Pranzo al sacco\. Il trek è in prov. di Lecco, a 68 km da Milano. Iscrizione [https://t.me/TrekMI/82360](https://t.me/TrekMI/82360) Youtube https://youtu.be/f3AsRkvzR4w **LUOGO DI RITROVO** Per sapere il luogo di ritrovo, cliccare sul link Iscrizione. Si apre una chat Telegram che contiene tutte le informazioni. **GRATUITÀ** Tutti i trek sono gratuiti **CHI SIAMO** Ogni weekend portiamo in montagna 100 persone. Siamo la più grande associazione escursionista d'Italia [https://t.me/TrekMI](https://t.me/TrekMI) **COME RAGGIUNGERE LA FELICITÀ** con la filosofia TTP [https://t.me/TrekMI/79617](https://t.me/TrekMI/79617) .

**GDG AI HACK 2026 — AI Hackathon in Milan** Three days. 160 builders. €15K+ in prizes. GDG AI HACK is back for its third edition — a free AI hackathon organised by Google Developer Group PoliMi and GDG Cloud Milano. Build, ship, and compete alongside real mentors and industry sponsors at Randstad Box in Milan. **⚠️ This is not an open event. Attendance is by application only.** Apply at [gdgaihack.com](https://gdgaihack.com/) — applications close April 17. Spots are limited to 160 and reviewed on a rolling basis. *** **THE TRACKS** Three focused challenge tracks, each built around a sponsor bringing real hardware and a problem worth solving. Full briefs revealed at kickoff. * **Learn Different** (Braynr): AI for education. Cross-disciplinary teams — designers, engineers, domain experts. * **See Beyond** (Luxonis): spatial AI and computer vision with OAK camera hardware. On-device, no cloud. * **Cut the Cord** (MSI): on-device AI. What can you build when the internet is optional? Plus 10 side challenges open to all teams. *** **THE DETAILS** * 📅 May 8 — Networking night at Google Milan (Via Federico Confalonieri 4) * 📅 May 9-10 — 24h+ hackathon at Randstad Box (Via S. Vigilio 5) * 💰 €15K+ in prizes * 🍕 Free to attend — everything included * 🏆 Backed by MSI, Luxonis, Braynr, Google, GitHub Education, Corsair, Elgato, ENHANCE and many more *** **WHO SHOULD APPLY** GDG AI HACK is open to a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels. You don't need to be a CS major or a seasoned developer to apply. * **University students** of all years (bachelor's, master's, PhD) and recent graduates * **All backgrounds welcome** — not just engineers. UI/UX designers, business students, humanities majors, domain experts: if you bring a perspective, you belong here * **Diverse teams win** — heterogeneous teams consistently outperform homogeneous ones. We actively encourage mixed skill sets and disciplines Apply solo or as a team of up to 4. If you apply solo and get selected, we'll help you find your people before the event. → Apply now at [gdgaihack.com](https://gdgaihack.com/) → Questions? [hack@gdgpolimi.com](mailto:hack@gdgpolimi.com)

Hi, I’m **Ozzy**. I’ve been teaching yoga in Milan for 5 years, bringing together internationals and locals. **How to Join?** Add your name on Meetup. [Message me on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/393500966059?text=Hi%20I%20saw%20your%20weekend%20park%20yoga%20classes%20on%20Meetup%20and%20would%20like%20to%20join) to receive payment details: **Drop-in or discounted class packs available** Your spot is confirmed once payment is completed. **You can see the vibe of the classes here:** Instagram: @ozzyoga.milano **Weekend Park Yoga in Sempione with Ozzy** Join us for a mindful yoga session in the park **Time:** 11:30 **Duration:** 60 minutes **Language:** English **Level:** All levels Beginner-friendly **Location:** Parco Sempione Exact meeting point will be shared via WhatsApp after booking **Pricing** **Drop-in:** €15 **2 classes:** €28 **4 classes:** €50 All prices are final and include VAT All packs are valid until the end of July Valid for all regular group classes (weekend & future weekday sessions) Packs can be used for classes as they are released on Meetup **Before you come** Bring your mat (or a towel), wear layers for changing weather, and consider water, sun cream, and insect spray. **Cancellation policy** – **More than 24 hours before:** Cancel directly on Meetup → no charge – **Up to 1 hour before the class:** Please message me on WhatsApp → your credit is kept – **Less than 1 hour before, no-show, or no notice:** The class is counted → no refund or credit (no exceptions) *If a class is cancelled due to weather or by the organizer, your credit will not be lost and can be used for another class.* **Safety & Notes** Please listen to your body and practice at your own pace. This class is not suitable for pregnant women. If you have any health concerns, please consult a doctor before joining. By attending, you take responsibility for your own practice. **About me** I’m Ozzy, a certified and Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher. 👉 https://linktr.ee/ozzyoga.milano

La domenica ormai è appuntamento fisso per il nostro gruppo al Just me (ex Just Cavalli). Ci incontriamo alle 20:00 per socializzare al nostro tavolo riservato e gustare un ottimo buffet con la prima consumazione inclusa al costo di soli 10€. Alle 22:30 faremo un brindisi di prosecco offerto dagli organizzatori e chi vuole può rimanere a ballare. Serata dedicata a un pubblico di tutte le età, divertimento assicurato! È gradita conferma via whatsapp ai nostri numeri: Enrico 3930134920 melissa 3755058482

Unlock the secrets of natural fragrance creation in this immersive, hands-on workshop dedicated to the art of botanical perfumery. Whether you're a curious beginner or a wellness enthusiast, The Scents Of Well-Being will guide you through the fundamentals of crafting your own unique, all-natural perfumes using essential oils and botanical extracts. Combines the therapeutic power of essential oils with the charm of perfumes! You'll learn: The basics of fragrance structure: top, middle, and base notes How to blend essential oils harmoniously using scent families and following your emotions The therapeutic properties of popular essential oils How to create a balanced, long-lasting natural perfume, toxin-free alternative to synthetic fragrances How to design your signature scent and take it home! I'll wait for you at the event! Giulia **Les Amis** is a women-only community of friendly souls. We provide access to hundreds of experiences that explore your passions and connect you with other event participants. **Check our website to learn more, and apply to join our community and events**: [lesamis.cc/apply](https://www.lesamis.cc/apply)

Practical AI for Power BI Developers A year ago, “agentic AI” was mostly hype for Power BI teams. Today, it deserves your undivided attention. For Power BI pros, there is now a real opportunity to reduce repetitive development work, accelerate delivery, and help developers do more, but only when strong DataOps practices are in place to make AI workflows effective. This session is a no-nonsense introduction to effective AI patterns for Power BI and Fabric development. Along the way, we will make sense of the growing pile of terminology, including skills, plugins, hooks, and MCP. You will see examples of how modern AI tooling can help with development tasks across Power BI and Fabric, along with the prerequisites, guardrails, and DataOps principles needed to use it responsibly. Whether you're burned out on AI hype or already using Copilot CLI daily, this session will show you the foundations that are finally making AI-assisted development genuinely useful.

**Total Eclipse of the Chart: School Redistricting Dashboards** In this presentation, we will explore the utilization of maps, sets, and SQL within a Tableau dashboard to help provide “what-if” analyses generated through the use of a mapped dashboard, providing different scenarios and the potential implications of these. While in this use case we are focused on a large school district, the concepts of utilizing existing data to explore the future impacts of modifying different geographic boundaries can be useful to many industries, balancing the mix of maps with visual analytics. **About Our Speaker** Robert Kramer is the Data Systems and State Reporting Coordinator at South Western City Schools in Grove City. He has worked there for 17 years, serving previously in the roles of Data Analyst, Programmer, and Operations Coordinator. Prior to working at South Western, he worked as a Systems Engineer at Pinnacle Data Systems in Groveport. He graduated in 2005 from The University of Toledo with his Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Engineering, and a minor in Mathematics. Robert resides in Obetz with his wife, and their 15 and 12 year-old daughters. He was also just elected to his 3rd four-year term on the Obetz City Council. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

Customer identity resolution becomes increasingly complex as organizations scale across multiple systems, regions, and data formats. Traditional rule-based approaches often fail to keep up with data variability, require constant manual tuning, and struggle with real-time processing needs. This session presents a practical approach to building a scalable identity resolution pipeline using AWS services and modern AI techniques. The architecture combines data ingestion through Amazon S3 and AWS Glue, transformation pipelines using Spark on EMR, and machine learning models deployed via SageMaker for entity matching and standardization. Graph-based relationship modeling is implemented using Amazon Neptune to improve resolution accuracy by incorporating household and shared attribute context. We will walk through how machine learning models can be used for name and address normalization, how intelligent blocking strategies improve matching efficiency, and how feedback loops can be introduced to continuously improve accuracy. The session also highlights how serverless components such as AWS Lambda can be used for orchestration and real-time processing. **SPEAKER BIO** Mosaic Syed is a Senior Data Engineering and Cloud Solutions Architect with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions across global enterprise environments. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaic-basha-syed-92300856 **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: [https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/](https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/) **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: [https://www.veeam.com/](https://www.veeam.com/) **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

**Abstract:** This is a practical playbook for building a production-grade data lakehouse. It walks through foundational principles — naming conventions, least-privilege access, automated CI/CD testing — before diving into medallion architecture. Furthermore, metadata-driven design patterns show how configuration tables and dynamic notebook orchestration eliminates hard-coded pipelines. The deck covers star schema modeling, guidance on choosing between Spark, Pandas, and SQL, and data quality enforcement using DQX with YAML data contracts. Finally, we dive into security best practices and performance optimizations. **Host:** Justin Shea, Mehdi Jeddi, Erik Pak, and Sou-Cheng Choi **Talk Format:** This is a hybrid event. To attend online, join us on Zoom here at 6pm: https://iit-edu.zoom.us/j/89379230295?pwd=NdETyE5sdYuSrvsrBZXSBFkUESBVkg.1 Meeting ID: 893 7923 0295 Passcode: 5t5WYn **Sponsor:** Adyen, UIC College of Business, and PyData Chicago co-host this event. UIC will provide the meeting site. Adyen will sponsor pizza and soft drinks for the onsite participants. **Address:** University of Illinois - Chicago, Douglass Hall, Room 220, 705 S Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607 **Logistics:** “UIC Douglass Hall” is recognized on Google Maps, which can guide you through campus. Once you arrive, proceed to the second floor, room number 220

Join the Columbus AI community for our quarterly gathering — a casual, community-focused evening where everyone has a chance to share, learn, and connect. These open mic–style events give anyone in the community up to **5 minutes** to present a project, share a tool, pose a question, or offer a perspective on the evolving AI space. No slides required — just a welcoming space to exchange ideas and keep the local AI conversation moving. If you’d like to take the stage, message \*\*Chris (the organizer)\*\*with a **title and short description** of what you’d like to share. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.linkedin.com/company/transformlabs/) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/transformlabshq)

**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.

**Latest Dojo Location!** **Knotty Pine Brewing** 1765 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 We're going to try a new dojo location for a few weeks and see how it works Dojos are informal Python group study sessions where everyone interested in Python gathers to learn about Python, help others with Python, or just hang out. Everyone is welcome from Python beginners to experts. Bringing a laptop is encouraged (we'll have extension cords and power strips). If there's something you want to learn leave a comment on this invite so we can plan ahead. We're looking for speakers for our Monthly Meetups! Fill out the form if you are interested in presenting to the Python Community. https://forms.gle/ehSfUAC2WgR34Crq9