Last summer at the Ohio GeoClash & Festival in Trumbull County, Seneca County was announced as the 2023 host for this exciting event! The Ohio GeoClash & Festival is an annual event put on by the Ohio Geocaching Association in partnership with local communities throughout the state. The Ohio Geocaching Association is a non-profit member-led organization created for the sole purpose of promoting the game of geocaching within the State of Ohio and beyond. Their mission is to enrich the experiences of all geocachers by creating unique geocaching opportunities, events, trails and tours, and activities. They accomplish this by leveraging their core values of making the game of geocaching accessible to everyone, and promoting positive land stewardship throughout the state.
Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunt that uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) and online clues to help participants find caches, or hidden containers. Seneca County was put on the geocaching map when the first ever geocaching trail in Northwest Ohio was launched. The Seneca County Geo Trail received more than 200 completes and had more than 20,000 miles traveled by cachers to participate in the fun. Destination Seneca County and the whole community is so excited to have cachers in town to explore everything there is to do while finding the geocaches all throughout the county!
Historically, the Ohio Geoclash & Festival draws in more than 500 geocachers into the host community throughout the week. The 2023 Ohio GeoClash & Festival will be taking place from May 31, 2023-June 4, 2023, with different activities happening each day.
Please be aware that the increase in geocachers to the area may result in result in more geocachers than normal being spotted around the area finding geocache locations. Although geocaching is a harmless, family-friendly activity, occasionally, this may result in additional concerns of ‘suspicious’ activity from those that may not be familiar with what the geocaching game entails.
The full schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, May 31, 2023 | 6pm-10pm: Check in at Carmie’s BBQ & Grill (2460 OH-231, Tiffin, OH 44883)
Founded in 1998, Carmie’s BBQ & Grill follows the tradition of their namesake Carmella Fabrizio, whose love of family, unity, and a life well-lived is their guiding star. In 2015 they added the distinct flavor of smoked BBQ to their menu along with the great burgers, salads, and entrees that they’re known for. Cachers will be able to check in for the event in the hallway where the Ohio Geocaching Association will have a table set up and get their merchandise they purchased. Destination Seneca County will put together welcome bags for those who check in. Carmie’s will be open and available for those who would like to order food and also have a full bar.
Thursday, June 1, 2023 | 9am-11am: Event Kick-Off and Opening Ceremonies at Hedges-Boyer Park Band Shell (491 Coe St, Tiffin, OH 44883)
Learn the rules and how the competition between the different teams works! You will also have the opportunity to hear from local dignitaries, the Ohio Geocaching Association, and Destination Seneca County. Looking for swag and merchandise? You can find it here! There will be tables set up for you to pick up new coins, caches, event merchandise, and more!
Thursday, June 1, 2023 | 10am-5pm: Teams Caching for event throughout Seneca County!
Thursday, June 1, 2023 | 6pm-8pm: Evening Gathering at The Barn at Hedges Boyer Park (491 Coe St, Tiffin, OH 44883)
The Barn is a great gathering place for large groups of people. There are picnic tables, a sink, and restroom for cachers. We will have cornhole set up, live music by Mimi Lange Johnston, local musician, and people are welcome to bring in their own food and drink!
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 9am-11am: Event Check In and Send Off at Hedges-Boyer Park Band Shell (491 Coe St, Tiffin, OH 44883)
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 11am-5pm: Teams Caching for event throughout Seneca County!
Friday, June 2, 2023 | 6pm-8pm: Evening Gathering at Garlo Nature Preserve/Shelter House (6777 South SR 19, Bloomville, OH 44818)
Garlo Nature Preserve will take cachers to a different part of Seneca County! Garlo offers beautiful views of nature, walking paths, and the shelter house complete with picnic tables, electricity, charcoal grill, and vault restroom. Cachers can bring their own food and drink and we will have lawn games to enjoy!
Saturday, June 3, 2023 | 9am-5pm: The Main Event! at Hedges-Boyer Park Band Shell (491 Coe St, Tiffin, OH 44883)
Everything will be set up all day (DSC table, merch tables, Ohio Geocaching Assoc, etc.) and this will serve as the HQ for the event. During this time, the Tiffin Art Festival will also be taking place at the park. This includes musical entertainment, food vendors, art vendors, and activities for guests. While cachers aren’t caching, it will be a nice opportunity for them to stroll through the Art Festival!
Saturday, June 3, 2023 | 5pm-7pm: Closing Ceremonies at Hedges-Boyer Park Band Shell (491 Coe St, Tiffin, OH 44883)
After closing ceremonies, cachers are invited to explore Seneca County on their own! Check out the Community Guide to see the best places to eat, shop, and check out!
Sunday, June 4, 2023 | 9am-11am: CITO Community Clean Up along Rock Creek Trail and Roger Young Fields (491 Coe St, Tiffin, OH 44883)
This is part of Hedges-Boyer Park (it is the path that runs along the river and then baseball fields and greenspace) is enjoyed my residents and guests of Seneca County, especially in the warmer months! Tiffin Parks & Rec will be providing gloves and trash bags to collect trash and then having volunteers help collect sticks that may be blocking the path or be dangerous.
Registration to join in any of the events throughout the Ohio GeoClash & Festival is not required and all are welcome! Whether you are long time geocacher or someone who doesn’t even have the app downloaded, we invite you to join in and see everything the geocaching community and Seneca County has to offer you. For more information, visit: ohgeo.org.
