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Meet with other local people who invest in mutual funds to exchange ideas on which funds and strategies investors should look for.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Check out startup funding events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.

Discover all the startup funding events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.

Absolutely! Find startup funding events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.

Startup Funding Events Today

Join in-person Startup Funding events happening right now

Founders Running Club :: Brussels
Founders Running Club :: Brussels
**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 50+ cities 📅 Running + Networking events + Community **Join the community** [http://foundersrc.com/chats](http://foundersrc.com/chats) **Instagram** [https://www.instagram.com/frc_brussels](https://www.instagram.com/frc_brussels) **Global FRC**: Instagram [http://instagram.com/foundersrc/](http://instagram.com/foundersrc/) 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/)
Fun social interactions games @ Pestana
Fun social interactions games @ Pestana
**🃏 WHAT WE PLAY** We focus on **social interaction games** that are **fun, easy to learn, and engaging**. * **Thursdays** and Saturday nights are for **fun, social games** like Dixit, Coup, Skull, Codenames, Colt Express, Secret Hitler, Exploding Kittens, Bang and more!… Easy to learn, quick to laugh! * **Mondays** are for **deeper strategic games**, for players who love to plan and outthink opponents. Of course, these are just guidelines — you’re always welcome to bring and play whatever game you love! *** **🕖 SCHEDULE** * We meet at **7:00 PM**, with an **intro round at 7:15 PM**. * Arriving later? No problem! Just see a host — we’ll do our best to find you a seat. You might need to wait for a game to finish before joining the next one. **🎉 Good News! BFG is Free Again** As of July 1st, 2025, BFG is once again **free to join**, just like last year! The costs of running the group are now shared by the hosts. If you enjoy the events and want to say thanks, you're very welcome to **offer a drink (or two 😉) to a host** during the evening. A huge thank you to everyone who supported us financially earlier this year — you helped keep the group going, and we truly appreciate it. 🙏 *** **🎒 WHAT TO BRING** * Bring your favorite games and feel free to mention them in the comments. * If we’re meeting in a **park**, bring snacks, drinks, and something comfy to sit on — the grass can be damp even in summer! *** **☕ IF THE VENUE IS A CAFÉ** Please order **at least one drink** to support the venue, and pay directly at the bar. *** **✅ REGISTRATION** Please RSVP to help us plan for space and group sizes. **⌛ WAITLIST ETIQUETTE** * If you can’t make it, cancel **before 7 PM the day before** to give someone else a chance. * If you're **on the waitlist** and your plans change, cancel your RSVP so others aren't left hanging. *** **🤝 WANT TO HOST?** Interested in becoming a host or helping out? Let us know — we’d love to have you on board! *** **💬 FEEDBACK WELCOME** Suggestions or ideas? Drop us a message anytime — we’re always looking to make BFG even better. *** ### **🌟 Let’s have fun, discover great** **games, and build and make new friends** *** ###
Saturday Morning Coffee - 10:00 @MIR Concept Coffee Store
Saturday Morning Coffee - 10:00 @MIR Concept Coffee Store
Hi everyone, This coffee morning event is @MIR Concept Coffee Store! Saturday, 23 May 2026, from 10:00 - 13:00. MIR opened its doors 4 years ago, right off Place Jourdan. Doriana, the owner, is a super nice host, and is excited to have our group as her café. The café is very beautiful and has great coffee, and many yummy food options. Their Instagram channel: https://www.instagram.com/mirconceptstore/ **The address is:** MIR Concept Coffee Store Rue Gray 4A 1040 Etterbeek *** 1. The **prime time** of the event is **10:30 - 12:30**. That's when most people will be there. 2. When you enter the gallery, it's either on the right-hand side or left-hand side of its hallway, depending which entrance you take. 3. If you intend **to join past 12:00** (high noon), then there is no need to register. Just come and join! 4. **DON'T forget to cancel** if you can't join! 5. **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** **As always, feel free to follow us on INSTAGRAM!** [https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==](https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==) **THE STRUCTURE of THE EVENT:** * I will post the event on Saturday/Sunday evening for the following Saturday. * I send out a reminder to everyone on Friday. * There is sometimes a waiting list. * In case RSVP is closed (once there are 10-15 people on the waiting list), I might reopen it on Friday, depending on the number of cancellations in the meantime. * **For everyone on the waiting,** please check your status and messages on Friday evening the latest. I message everyone on the waiting list on Friday. * **Please, move to "not going" AS SOON AS you know that you can't come anymore, that includes everyone who is on the waiting list.** **IMPORTANT:** * **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** * When you register yourself, be careful not to register accidentally a +1 guest (unless you bring a guest). It happens very often. * If you have any questions then, message me. *** **A MESSAGE FOR NEWCOMERS:** *In the three years of hosting this coffee group, I have met many people who struggle with anxieties when coming to an event for the first time. Sometimes, it took them more than one attempt before being able to join.* *Occasionally, people reach out to me before the event, and I have always been grateful for that as it offers the opportunity to communicate with each other and to find the best and most gentle way for that person to join the group.* *I would like to encourage everyone who struggles with this to contact me before. It would really be too bad if you can't join us, as it mostly gets better the second or third time you come.* *In addition to that, if you arrive and notice any signs of nervousness or fear, you can always let me know right then.* **THANK YOU AND SEE YOU ALL ON Saturday!**
Write Together!
Write Together!
Spend time in the company of other writers putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard. Work on your current project or start something new. If you are fresh out of inspiration a member of the Wordcraft Collective will be ready with a prompt to get you going. You can use that to unlock your creative brain before moving back to your own project or run with it. Who knows where the story will take you? Arrive when you like, leave when you like, or join us for a drink in the bar downstairs afterwards. Location: Pianofabriek, Rue du Fort 35, 1060 Saint-Gilles.
Founders Running Club :: Antwerp
Founders Running Club :: Antwerp
**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/)
Functional Vinyasa Flow
Functional Vinyasa Flow
Enjoy weekly Vinyasa Flow classes and connect to your potential of strength, balance, flexibility, and stability. The flows are sequenced creatively to add variety to your practice. This 90 min class offers a wide range of postures combined with pranayama to contribute towards inner space and peaceful mind. Expect a playful and functional approach with grounding, soothing and energizing flows to create more strength, stability, mobility, and flexibility. All classes include pranayama, meditation and inspirational insights to strengthen your physical and spiritual practice. Classes are suitable for all levels, but a prior knowledge of the basics is appropriate (different options are presented). \- Prices: Trial = 12€\, Drop in = 20€\, 5\-pass card = 80€\, 10\-pass card = 150€ all valid for 6 months\. If you live in 1190 Forest, your first session with me is for free. Please carefully read the instructions before booking your class: \- This is not a standard yoga studio\, but a private venue \- Changing corner is available \- Online Registration for each class is mandatory because of the limited participants per class \- Payment with registration or cash on the spot \- Yoga Mats\, bolsters\, blocks\, straps\, blankets\, eye pillows are on the spot \- Herbal tea and positive vibes Style: Functional Vinyasa Yoga Flow I’m so excited to practice with you, X
Cinema Flagey : Amrum
Cinema Flagey : Amrum
**Cinema Flagey : Amrum** 23/05 @ 15h00 De twaalfjarige Nanning beleeft het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog op een eiland aan de uiterste rand van het Duitse Rijk. Zijn wereld stort in, terwijl het leven doorgaat. De gefictionaliseerde jeugdherinneringen van Neuer Deutscher Film-meester Hark Bohm – en een belangrijke bron voor zijn latere werk. Amrum, in de lente van 1945. De twaalfjarige Nanning woont met zijn familie op de Duitse Waddeneilanden. Zijn moeder is een fervente nazi-aanhanger; zijn vader een Obersturmbannführer die altijd aan het front is. Het Duitse Rijk van de nazi’s is de enige wereld die Nanning ooit heeft gekend, dus als de Tweede Wereldoorlog bijna voorbij is, stort zijn wereld in. In het laatste shot van de film kijkt een oude man uit over de zee. Hark Bohm, op wiens jeugd Amrum is gebaseerd, overleed op 14 november 2025. Dit is een passend slotakkoord van zijn filmografie, want Bohm begon in de jaren zeventig met het maken van films voor kinderen (Tschetan, derIndianerjunge, 1973) en jongvolwassenen (Nordsee ist Mordsee, IFFR 2026), wat hij altijd is blijven doen. Amrum laat zien welke ervaringen de basis vormden voor zijn kijk op de kindertijd – en het verleden, het heden en de toekomst van Duitsland. – Olaf Möller [Cinema Flagey](https://www.flagey.be/fr/activity/14082-amrum-fatih-akin) [Internationale Film Festival Rotterdam](https://iffr.com/nl/iffr/2026/films/amrum) **For Dreamers, Coffee shots, Orezza, eau de Saint-Georges !**

Startup Funding Events This Week

Discover what is happening in the next few days

FREELANCING IN BELGIUM, UN MUST?
FREELANCING IN BELGIUM, UN MUST?
**FRANCAIS**: Je démarre une **rotation thématique** tous les mois autour du domaine de l'entrepreneuriat. Pour ce mois, d'août, je propose: **Le freelancing en Belgique** (avantages et désavantages). Etes-vous un freelanceur ou non? Partagez vos avis avec le groupe. On prendra aussi le temps nécessaire pour apprendre à se connaître via une session de réseautage! Si vous souhaitez apporter/partager quelque chose pour manger/boire, n'hésitez pas! Rendez-vous au Cinquantenaire en-dessous de l'arc: [Cinquantenaire (Bruxelles)](https://goo.gl/maps/B4hEv3uyDVKD1Uap6) **ENGLISH**: I am starting **each month a topic** related to entrepreneurship. This month of august, the topic will be : **Freelancing in Belgium** (advantages and disadvantages). Are you a freelance or not? Share your insights with the group. We will take this time for getting to know each other throughout a networking! If you feel like bringing/sharing something to eat, don't hesitate! See you at 50naire next to the arch: [Cinquantenaire (Brussels)](https://goo.gl/maps/B4hEv3uyDVKD1Uap6)
🌊 Zwin Coastal Escape — Nature Walk & Beach Picnic from Brussels
🌊 Zwin Coastal Escape — Nature Walk & Beach Picnic from Brussels
## Escape Brussels for a Sunny Coastal Sunday 🌿 Need a break from the city routine? Join Sunday Vacations for a relaxed coastal escape to the beautiful Zwin nature area near Knokke-Heist — one of Belgium’s most scenic seaside landscapes. This experience is all about slowing down, enjoying nature, meeting new people, and spending a meaningful Sunday outdoors with an international community of expats, locals, and solo joiners. We’ll follow the shorter 9.2 km Zwin walking loop, a beginner-friendly route surrounded by dunes, coastal scenery, peaceful walking paths, and fresh sea air. During the walk, we’ll enjoy a relaxed beach picnic and social time by the sea. Sunny weather is expected — perfect for a spring nature escape. ☀️ ## Event Type 🌿 Curated Experience ## Highlights - Scenic 9.2 km coastal nature walk - Beginner-friendly hiking pace - Beach picnic & seaside relaxation - International & expat-friendly community - Solo joiners welcome - Nature escape from Brussels - Meaningful conversations & relaxed social vibe - Slow Sunday outdoors ## Plan / Itinerary ### Morning 📍 Meet at Brussels Central Station (in front of Starbucks) ⏰ Meeting time: 08:30 🚆 Train departure: 08:43 We’ll travel together toward the Zwin coastal area near Knokke-Heist. ### During the Day - Start of the 9.2 km Zwin walking route - Relaxed social hiking pace - Coastal scenery & nature viewpoints - Beach picnic stop - Free time to relax, connect, and enjoy the sea atmosphere ### Evening Return to Brussels by train after the beach stop and group relaxation time. (Exact return timing may vary slightly depending on the group pace and weather conditions.) ## Meeting Point 📍 Brussels Central Station In front of Starbucks Please arrive on time — trains will not wait. ## Price / Contribution ### Sunday Vacations Member Pricing - Ambassador Members → Free - Voyager Members → Free - Explorer Members → €5 contribution 🚆 Train tickets are paid individually by participants. We strongly recommend checking SNCB weekend discounts and Train+ offers before booking. VAT not applicable – small business exemption scheme, Article 56bis Belgian VAT Code. ## Membership ### Sunday Vacations Memberships - Explorer → starting at €5/year - Voyager → starting at €50/year - Ambassador → starting at €150/year Sunday Vacations is a community for internationals, expats, and locals who want to discover Belgium and beyond through meaningful shared experiences. ## Who This Is For This experience is ideal for: - Nature lovers - People looking to meet new people naturally - Anyone wanting a peaceful Sunday away from the city No hiking experience required. ## What to Bring - Comfortable walking shoes - Picnic/snacks - Water - Sunscreen - Light wind/rain layer - Portable charger (recommended) - Positive energy ✨ Please check your preferred weather forecast source before departure and dress accordingly. ## Important Notes - Beginner-friendly experience - Distance: approximately 9.2 km - Dogs are not allowed - Participants are responsible for booking their own train tickets - WhatsApp coordination group will be shared before departure - Sunny weather is expected, but conditions may still change - Respect for nature and group atmosphere is important ## Legal Disclaimer Sunday Vacations / UJAMAA ASBL acts as a community organiser and not as a travel agency. Participants remain individually responsible for: - transportation, - personal insurance, - physical condition, - and personal belongings during the activity. Activities are organised by volunteers and covered under the Belgian legal volunteer insurance framework. This experience may involve third-party transport providers including SNCB. ## Call to Action Ready for sea air, nature, and good company? Come spend your Sunday exploring one of Belgium’s most beautiful coastal areas with a welcoming international community. 🌊🌿 Solo joiners are always welcome. RSVP early so we can coordinate the group smoothly.
Healing sessions - donation-based
Healing sessions - donation-based
Please [register yourself on the website ](https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/7QLiiTnqLMxNg6Bdm5Bm)to receive the details of how to join. This powerful healing technique removes the negative energies and blockages to then nbe replaced by life energy or prana. Organized by Juliana Cruz, a Pranic Healing practitioner for over 10 years. These donation-based sessions are in a group session, done by different practitioners who have learned Pranic Healing. The sessions take from 20 to 30 minutes. * **Sunday** **From 11:30 to 12:50** 20 - 30 min session per person First-come, first-served. This practice comes after a meditation (from 10:30 to 11:30) to receive and share energies of loving-kindness to the entire Earth. You can join by [registering yourself here](https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/j5YTbU6YaGLgGOXyvMNn). With love, Juliana
How can karma help you + Meditation
How can karma help you + Meditation
Register yourself on the [website to receive the full details](https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/j5YTbU6YaGLgGOXyvMNn). How can you benefit from learning more about karma and YOUR karma? Join us to learn more about karma and practices that you can use to improve your own life! The talk will be followed by a guided meditation to bless ourselves and the Earth, called Twin Hearts Meditation. WE NEED LOVE, THE WORLD NEEDS LOVE Sunday 10:30 - 11:30 Av Louise 505, Brussel Donation-based. There is a box at the entrance to receive your donation Register yourself on the link a the top to receive all the details This talk + meditation is followed by a Pranic Healing session, a powerful healing system to bring more inner peace, self-connection, and emotional and physical healing. You can register yourself the [healing session that follows here](https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/7QLiiTnqLMxNg6Bdm5Bm). With love, Juliana
Let's Write!
Let's Write!
Let's meet to write ! Schedule : 11:00 - 11:30 am : Presentation tour. Share briefly with the group about your project and your "goal of the day". 11:30 - 13:30 : Let's write ! 13:30 : Conclusion tour. Did you achieve your goal of the day ? See you soon !
Brunch and Connect: Make New Friends
Brunch and Connect: Make New Friends
⚠️ **IMPORTANT: You must sign up and buy a ticket here to attend:** [https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/) **This is a curated, small-group meetup make new friends in Brussels.** Each meetup brings together 4–6 like-minded people for casual conversations over brunch. We use the Groupvibe platform to organize and ensure everyone’s a good fit. 👉 **To attend, you’ll need to complete registration via this link:** [https://groupvibe.com](https://groupvibe.com) Once you register, and **buy a ticket or become a Groupvibe member**, we’ll share the exact location and match you with your group. **Why this works:** \* Smaller groups make real conversations easier \* Matching helps avoid awkward dynamics **Note:** RSVPs here on Meetup don’t reflect total attendance. Many attendees register directly via our website. This meetup is organized by **Groupvibe**, a small team passionate about helping people form meaningful friendships offline.
Deep Conversation - Question Chosen in Session
Deep Conversation - Question Chosen in Session
Welcome to our weekly event in the upstairs room of The Sister Café, rue Chair et Pain 3, one block from the Grand Place. Please get there early enough to order your drink at the bar first. Thank you! After introductions we will collect questions from the group participants, choose one by voting then discuss it for an hour. Then most of us stay for drinks and bizarre conversations. Past questions have been wide and not confined to academic philosophy: What is a genuine friend? Is social media turning us into emotional zombies? Do we lose some of the experience of things by defining them? Are we driven by sex? Is loneliness a personal failure? Is morality relative? **Crucially, be kind and respectful and generous** in your disagreements; remember how much you personally enjoy someone else proving you wrong before celebrating your cutting counterexamples.

Startup Funding Events Near You

Connect with your local Startup Funding community

In-Person Meeting: How I Get Private Lenders and Partners to Fund My Deals
In-Person Meeting: How I Get Private Lenders and Partners to Fund My Deals
(Note: RSVPing here on meetup does NOT reserve your seat. To do that, you’ll need to register at our website, **[HERE](https://www.coreerocks.com/Events.aspx?ID=In-Person-Columbus-Meeting-How-I-Get-Private-Lenders-and-Partners-to-Fund-My-Deals-14-6-2-2026)**.) Tuesday, June 2nd, 5:00–8:30 PM Eastern Central Ohio Chapter Meeting IN PERSON IN COLUMBUS How I Get Private Lenders and Partners to Fund My Deals If you can’t fund it, you don’t have a deal. And right now, funding is where more investors are getting stuck. Private lenders are more cautious. Partners are asking better questions. And deals that look good on paper still fall apart when the money doesn’t show up. That’s why we’re bringing in a panel of investors who are actually getting their deals funded right now. You’ll hear how they’re finding money, structuring deals, and building relationships that lead to repeat funding. Here’s what you’ll learn: * Where they’re finding private lenders today * How they start conversations that lead to funding * What makes lenders and partners say YES * How they structure deals to be fundable * The biggest mistakes investors make when raising money * How to build repeat funding relationships **Early Session (6:00–7:00 PM Eastern):** **Having Trouble Finding Tenants? How Community Shelter Board Can Help** Nicholas Brenner will walk you through programs designed to help rapidly rehouse tenants, including financial support that can stabilize your rentals. **The Deal Room (7:00–7:30 PM Eastern)** Bring deals, funding needs, buyers, and problems. This is where connections turn into action. This meeting is for serious real estate investors nationwide, and we’re known for our high-content, real-life education and our nationwide community of dealmakers. Members and non-members at all levels are welcome. Register below to reserve your seat. Remember, to actually reserve your seat, you have to go **[HERE](https://www.coreerocks.com/Events.aspx?ID=In-Person-Columbus-Meeting-How-I-Get-Private-Lenders-and-Partners-to-Fund-My-Deals-14-6-2-2026)** and register on our website!
Join Biggest Community | Investors Founders | Columbus | Online
Join Biggest Community | Investors Founders | Columbus | Online
Please reserve your spot by registering on the below link : **Reserve** https://www.eventbrite.com/e/join-biggest-community-investors-founders-columbus-online-tickets-1988563717610?aff=meetup **QUESTIONS ?** Pls Reach out to; Ridhi - +971504724873 ( WhatsApp Only)
Sunday Arts & Crafternoon: Launch Event! 🎉
Sunday Arts & Crafternoon: Launch Event! 🎉
**Let’s kick off our very first CBUS Maker Meetup!** Whether you are looking to carve out dedicated creative time, wanting to get a lingering project across the finish line, or just looking to chat with fellow local makers—this is the space for you. 🧵 **What to Bring** Bring any art or craft project you are currently working on, as long as it is portable and quiet. Think: * **Yarn & Thread:** Knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch, hand-sewing, mending. * **Paper & Sketching:** Sketchbooks, adult coloring books, watercolors, bullet journaling. * **Digital:** Tablets, iPad drawing, laptop writing/design. * *Please note: Because we are meeting in a shared public space, no power tools, sewing machines, or high-odor materials (like strong solvents or spray glues), please!* **📍 Where to Find Us** * We will be meeting at **Columbus Metropolitan Library - Karl Road Branch** in **Meeting Room 1**. Room is reserved under **CBUS Maker Meetup.** **⏱️ Timeline** * **1:00 PM:** Arrive, grab a seat, get settled, and do a quick round of introductions so we can see what everyone is working on. * **1:15 PM - 3:00 PM:** Open maker time! Chat, craft, relax, and swap creative ideas. **⚠️ A Note on RSVPs** Space for this first meetup is strictly limited to 10 spots. If your plans change and you can no longer attend, please update your RSVP to "Not Going" as soon as possible so someone on the waitlist can grab your spot. We ask that you try to give at least 48 hours' notice if you need to cancel. *** **We can't wait to meet you and see what you're making! All skill levels welcome.**
Trails & Ales! Blendon Woods Metro Park / Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery
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.
Gold Star Business Networking
Gold Star Business Networking
Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!