Happy 614 Day Columbus!
Alison Pegg
View from the Rich Street bridge.
Happy 614 Day Columbus!
Move over flag day, Columbusites are always looking for a reason to celebrate the area code we call home. So when the calendar turns to June 14 you can bet this city will have some sort of celebration that suits your fancy. Here are just some of the reasons I love living in the 6-1-4.
Food & Drink Fabulousness
You can’t have a celebration without a libation, right? Luckily enough, Columbus is home to some great ones. They say we eat with our hearts, and the food and drink in this town are pretty fab. Some of my favourite local gems include Watershed Kitchen & Bar, Third & Hollywood, and Wolfs Ridge Brewing, beers at breweries Land Grant, Seventh Son or Rockmill, and of course you can’t mention Columbus without mentioning Jeni’s Ice Cream. BRB, I’m off to find a scoop of salty caramel…
Columbus = Charity
You can’t talk about Columbus without talking about its heart. And at the center of its heart is its charitable spirit. As a relatively young city, the core of philanthropy in Columbus is its community, and it’s that collective spirit that gives the city it’s heart. From Pelotonia to the Arts, Pride to the Foodbank, the support for the institutions and people that educate, advocate and provide a helping hand is second to none.
The Sports Scene
Even though all of my major league loyalties remain up North, the sports scene here is incredible. The fans are full of passion, and the in-game experiences are second to none. This summer I’m looking forward to some brews and baseball at Huntington Park, checking out the brand-new downtown Crew Stadium (home of the MLS Champs!), and later on this fall, making it back to Nationwide Arena for what I hope is the start of an almost-normal NHL season. And of course, I can’t forget my beloved Buckeyes, there’s nothing like the roar of the Shoe on a football Saturday.
Midwestern Nature
Even though we’re currently under a supersonic cicada invasion (Brood X in the house!), I couldn’t complete a love letter to the 614 without mentioning the Metro Parks. What Columbus lacks in beaches or mountains, it more than makes up for in forests. No matter where you are in the city, there’s a park within 20 minutes to escape to. And what an escape they are. One step onto the paths and a tree canopy is awaiting to envelop you, to wipe all the stresses of the day away.
My Alma Mater
A mention of Columbus by me wouldn’t be complete without a mention of my alma mater, The Ohio State University. The experience and community I created at Ohio State is a big reason why I still remain here, the university gave me my education, but it also helped give me my sense of self. I entered my freshman year at OSU a meek and introverted seedling, and through my classes and extracurriculars, bloomed into a part of the person I’ve since become today.
Summer's heat or winter's cold
The seasons pass the years will roll
Time and change will surely show
How firm thy friendship ... OHIO!
Need another reason to love this place? It’s in proximity to all of my favourite locations. We’re an hour-and-a-half flight (or less) to Toronto, Chicago, New York, Nashville, and DC, and since we’re about the farthest west place of the Eastern Time Zone, an early flight out of CMH can put you on the ground by noon when trekking out west. Wherever you’re going, you’re never far from getting home.
Happy 614 Day, Columbus!