Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau was approached by our park district to collaborate on an event to celebrate The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Clean Ohio Trails Fund grant funding the completion of the last remaining section of the Ohio to Erie Trail in Knox County. This completion now links Delaware, Licking and Knox. To mark this momentous occasion, we joined efforts with the Knox County Park District, Licking County Park District, Delaware County Park District, and many other Knox community partners to create an afternoon celebrating and welcoming guests to our trail system. Our target audience for this event was the local community and avid trail users in Ohio, many of whom travel the Ohio to Erie Trail frequently. This event was important to bring awareness to our county (and partners) that our local leaders have invested in the “trail town” initiatives that state agencies (MORPC/COG) are leading and we want to be in the forefront of that celebration.
Trailapalooza took place Saturday, June 25th, starting with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Newell Recreation Preserve (5866 N County Line Road Centerburg) to recognize the completed trail extension. Representatives from the Great American Rail-Trail (Washington, DC), Ohio To Erie Trail Board, county commissioners and more shared their support at the ribbon cutting ceremony. In Centerburg, Heart of Ohio Trail friends provided children bicycle safety demonstrations and guided rides throughout the day. Knox Area Transit provided cyclists free shuttle service that afternoon to be picked up and dropped off along the trail with their bikes. Food trucks, info tables, music and giveaways were featured the CA&C Visitor Center (KCCVB Office). The Knox Community Hospital partnered with our organizations to create a free water bottle for attendees; over 150 water bottles were given out on the day of the event.
