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The Swiss Community Historical Society of Bluffton and Pandora will host its second Summer Saturday event at the Schumacher Homestead, 8350 Bixel Rd., on Saturday, July 1, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. The special activity will feature Van Risser demonstrating and sharing some examples of hearth cooking.

During the early years Swiss Settlement cooks used a back fire and pulled hot coals forward under a cast iron pot. They learned to control their fire and plan what kind of heat was needed for different tasks—roasting, boiling, frying, stewing, heating water for washing, etc. A steady supply of firewood was essential and was probably logged, cut up, and carried into the house by the men and boys.

The public is invited to attend this event. Docents in period costumes will be on hand for guided tours of the air-conditioned house, as well as the summer kitchen, garden, workshop and barn. 

Private tours may be arranged for Mondays-Saturdays by contacting Susie Gratz at [email protected] or calling 419-358-4822 and leaving a message.

July 1, 2023
Schumacher House 8350 Bixel Road, Bluffton
1:00-4:00 p.m.

Admission is $5, free for those under age 17 and members.

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Autism Life Center, a local nonprofit, will host an Autism "Rocks!" rock painting event from 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 8 at Ottawa Metro Park, Wyandot shelter house.

Organizers note, "This is our largest family friendly community event of the year!  Our goal is to bring the community together to raise Autism awareness and acceptance by painting rocks with autism information on the back. 

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By Paula Scott

There is less than one month until the 9th annual Ride to Remember, the Bluffton Lions event that celebrates and raises funds for cycling (and pedestrian) pathways in Bluffton. The July 15 event is prepared to provide the first 275 registered riders with gifts from local businesses as well as a lunch coupon.

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Can't get enough of collectible and classic cars? The next monthly installment of Bluffton Cars & Coffee is:

  • Saturday, June 24 from 8:00-11:00 a.m.
  • The Twisted Whisk wil be serving coffee, donuts, and more
  • Door prizes from local businesses
  • 50/50 drawing

Bluffton Cars & Coffee is an informal gathering for enthusiasts and their cars. Shows are the 4th Saturday of the month and run from May to October.

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Upcoming Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park district opportunities include the following ampitheater, archery, youth fishing derby, firebugs and critter feeding events.

BEGINNING ARCHERY PROGRAM - ALLEN COUNTY FARM PARK
June 21 - 6:00-7:00 p.m. or 7:00-8:00 p.m. 
1582 Slabtown Rd., Lima

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By Paula Scott

The Bluffton Lions Club has a pretty good recipe for its Festival of Wheels, one that they’ve tinkered with for 55 years. On June 16, the Lions cooked up a show that attracted 266 entries to downtown Bluffton. The main ingredients are vehicles—cars, trucks, motorcycles and tractors—that under the hands of an ordinary owner would be past their expiration date. From time to time the head chef changes. The special sauce—the weather—is a little unpredictable. Food, music and raffle tickets are sprinkled on for extra flavor.

Here’s the Icon’s sampling of the show, which spanned the afternoon and evening of the Friday before Father’s Day:

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