Upper Arlington: Art and History

Upper Arlington offers several ways to explore local history and art during a stay. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between an annual event and the named history and art attractions. The Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival takes place annually; the Upper Arlington History Trail, Centennial Plaza & History Walk, Bill Moose Memorial, and sculptures have different focuses.

History in Different Formats

The Upper Arlington History Trail is a joint project of the City of Upper Arlington and the Upper Arlington Historical Society. It consists of physical markers and signs throughout the community that help tell the story of Upper Arlington. The trail therefore highlights both the collaboration between the two organizations and the use of markers and signs to share local history.

The Centennial Plaza & History Walk comprises a series of markers on important topics from Upper Arlington’s past. The History Walk is part of the larger Centennial Legacy Project, which also includes the adjacent Centennial Plaza. The Centennial Legacy Project was dedicated to and given to the community on July 4, 2018. Compared with the History Trail, the historical context here also includes the History Walk’s connection to the larger project and adjacent plaza.

The Bill Moose Memorial is located in Wyandot Park. A granite tipi-shaped monument was dedicated at Bill Moose’s grave on October 17, 1937. Thus, alongside markers on local history, there is also a monument commemorating a specific historical event and date.

Sculptures at Named Locations

Celebration of Humanity comprises three life-size sculptures by Alfred Tibor: Free, Movement, and Ribbon Dancer. The works are located at the Miller Park Library and the adjacent roundabout. This group is identified by the artist, the names of the individual sculptures, and their locations.

Three more sculptures are located in the reading garden at the Upper Arlington Mall Public Library: Hope, Father/Daughter, and Tomorrow’s Hope. The two groups can be distinguished by their names and the locations given for each: Celebration of Humanity is associated with the Miller Park Library and the adjacent roundabout, while the three other works are in the reading garden at the Upper Arlington Mall Public Library.

The Annual Labor Day Arts Festival

The Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival takes place every year on Labor Day. Visitors can take part in hands-on art activities, enjoy live music, and explore and buy visual art. The festival has been held since 1966 and celebrates and shares art within the community. Its program combines hands-on activities and music with opportunities to explore and buy visual art. If this event is the reason for your trip, the annual Labor Day date is the most important point of reference for timing.

For getting your bearings, it is important to know that the festival takes place in the parking lot next to Northam Park. The parking lot is between the UA Public Library, Tremont Elementary School, and Tremont Pool. These three named facilities and the adjacent park describe the event location more precisely than the park’s name alone.

When looking for a hotel in Upper Arlington, you can first decide whether your stay will be connected to this annual arts event or to the area’s history and art attractions. This helps you distinguish a specific festival day from the other cultural highlights without trying to fit every place mentioned into a single itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Whitehall, Obetz, Columbus, Gahanna, Grove City, Groveport, Worthington, Lockbourne.

For the broader travel overview: Franklin.