The Black Swamp Arts Festival is usually held every Labor Day Weekend in downtown Bowling Green, Ohio, which is just twenty miles south of Toledo. This is a celebration of many forms of art as well as the people who create it. The underlying purpose of this multifaceted event is to ultimately connect these talented artisans and creators with other artists as well as the public who are given the chance to purchase many of the paintings, sculptures and other pieces on display over the course of this three-day event. There is also live music, food and plenty of family-friendly activities that practically guarantee a splendid time for all.
The Toledo Botanical Garden is a benchmark against which similar gardens are measured throughout the country, and with good reason. This is considered to be one of the pioneering gardens because of its dramatically beautiful visual and natural presentation. Fragrant meadows of sunflowers and wildflowers, rose gardens, herb gardens and sharply manicured walkways make spending time here something special for the entire family. Also, the kids will especially love visiting the recreated pioneer garden which many consider to be one of the site's main attractions.
The Blair Museum of Lithophanes in Toledo is a multifaceted experience in both history and art. A lithophane is a three-dimensional translucent porcelain plaque that was first created in Europe in the 1820s. When backlit, these works feature several intricately etched images and are nothing less than stunning. The largest collection of these pieces can be found at the Blair Museum, as it is home to works that that were created as far back as the 19th century.
Toledo's Libbey Glass Factory Outlet Store is known by many as "The Glass Capital of the World." When you walk into this stunning compendium of glass, you will be able to get a brief history of the company that was founded in 1870 by William L. Libbey who developed the first glass-making machine. Today, this company is the leading producer of glass tableware and ceramic dinnerware for the North American food service industry, as well as exporting glass to over 100 countries. In addition to offering an incredible number of items for sale, there are historically significant displays and even tours available upon request.