Situated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the city of Athens, Ohio affords a number of options for outdoor and indoor recreation and entertainment. Two annual favorites that attract participants from across the globe are the Spring Literary Festival and the Athens International Film Festival. Many outdoor enthusiasts enjoy canoeing on the Hocking River or participating in the Columbus-to-Athens Fall Classic Bicycle Marathon. The region is filled with scenic lakes, waterfalls, state parks, and rolling farmland, as well as quaint villages and towns that are home to historic railroads, mines, and ceramic brick factories. Several annual festivals feature a variety of foods to sample, Native American Dancing, chainsaw carving, and a state-wide guitar contest. The night-life in Athens offers opportunities for socializing, movies, and a very active and diverse music scene.
The College of Fine Arts offers entertainment and cultural events during the entire year. The many galleries on campus and the Kennedy Museum of Art offer exhibitions of the best international and regional art. Visiting artists' lectures often accompany these shows. Weekly cultural activities include dance performances, or music concerts, plays, or distinguished speakers at one of our venues, including the recently renovated and historic Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium.
Along with the School of Art, Athens is home to several other art organizations and venues for exhibition. In fact, USA Today named Athens, Ohio one of the top ten arts communities in the United States. Passion Works creates art opportunities for people with developmental disabilities through collaboration with community members. Kids on Campus and the Kennedy Museum of Art offer learning opportunities for very young students to work with our graduates in a museum setting. The Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center hosts regional exhibitions, an international quilt exhibition, and many educational and social opportunities for our community. The Athens Area Art Alliance is a support group of local artists working together to bring art to the community.
Links to Athens:
Our Close Neighbors:
- Wexner Center for the Arts - Columbus, OH (1.5 hr drive)
- Columbus Museum of Art - Columbus, OH
- Huntington Museum - Huntington, WV (2 hr drive)
- Cincinnati Art Museum - Cincinnati, OH (2.5 hr drive)
- Contemporary Arts Center - Cincinnati, OH
- Akron Art Museum - Akron, OH (3 hr drive)
- Cleveland Museum of Art - Cleveland, OH (3.5 hr drive)
- Museum of Contemporary Art - Cleveland, OH
- Carnegie Museum of Art - Pittsburgh, PA (3.5 hr drive)
- Andy Warhol Museum - Pittsburgh, PA
- Matress Factory - Pittsburgh, PA
- Toledo Museum of Art - Toledo, OH (4 hr drive)
Cultural Events:
- Athens International Film + Video Festival
- Athens Halloween Festival
- Athena Movie Theater Art Film Festival
- International Week and Street Fair
- Spring Literary Festival
- Plains Indian Mound Festival
- Ohio Pawpaw Festival
- Paul Bunyan Festival