1116 The Columbus Rose Festival

When we moved here 38 years ago, we went around to see all the local sights and sites--Old Man's Cave, German Village, Park of Roses, and some of the state parks. But then regular life set in and I think I'd only been back to Whetstone Park where the Festival of Roses is held a few times to watch my kids play soccer.

This week-end is the 19th Annual Festival of Roses at the Park of Roses, which was established in the early 1950s, in the Clintonville area of Columbus. Although it was a little overcast and drizzled a few times, it was a perfect morning for Bev and me to browse the lovely rose gardens and many floral memorials. There are 11,000 rose bushes and 350 varieties of roses. There were numerous vendors of community action groups, local restaurants, artists and clubs in tents along the brick sidewalks. The Festival is today and tomorrow, but the roses will continue to be on view. The two day event is free and draws 25,000 visitors. We spent about two hours oooing and aaahing, bought a sandwich and drink from a vendor which we ate under a tree on a picnic bench, and then Bev drove me through some of her favorite neighborhoods in Clintonville.

One of my favorite rose bushes was next to the guys in the Dixieland Band where we stopped to chat (I like a good trombone). I noticed the plaque said, "Forth of July." I asked Bev if she thought it was misspelled or if it meant "forth" in another meaning "out in view" or "out of." We meant to ask a guide, but forgot. The Dispatch gallery of photos of the roses lists a "Fourth of July" variegated that looks just like the one we admired, however.


Fourth of July