BARBERTON: The Magic City turned 125 this year, but you don’t need a party invitation to celebrate what this town offers.
The one-time industrial community still boasts an old-fashioned downtown and rich ethnic culture and recently has been pursuing a modern-day vision centered on arts and theater.
Still, without a highway or major state route bringing random traffic through town, most folks need a specific destination in mind.
To help our readers take better advantage of the amenities in our region, the Beacon Journal is spotlighting a different community each week. We’ve made some obvious picks, but also enlisted local officials, residents, Facebook fans and our own expert staff writers to round out our list.
This week: 10 things to do in Barberton.
• Mayor’s Choice, by William Judge: Why, Lake Anna Park, of course. The city’s jewel, a perfectly round lake across from City Hall, features upper and lower sidewalks, a war memorial, a gazebo and picnic tables. “It’s a beautiful and peaceful area that provides opportunity for individuals and families to relax, walk or jog, have a picnic and just enjoy the outdoors.” Visit it this weekend for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival (May 20-22); in September for the Mum Fest; or for Wednesday and Friday concerts starting July 1. See http://www.cityofbarberton.com/oc/parks_concerts.shtml for the concert lineup.
• Food Fix, by our food columnist Katie Byard: Leach’s Meats & Sweets (256 31st St. S.W.) and Al’s Quality Market (155 2nd St. N.W.) are popular destinations for the region’s sausage lovers. At Al’s, you don’t even have to wait to get home to try some of its authentic Eastern European flare. They have an adjacent restaurant serving up cabbage rolls, dumplings, chicken paprikash and pierogis on most days from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Magical Theatre Co. moved here in the 1980s and has been entertaining young audiences and families ever since. The professional troupe recently completed a $1.8 million makeover of its historic downtown building at 565 W. Tuscarawas Ave. In addition to stage plays, it’s been known to occasionally offer trivia nights and musical concerts. Visit http://www.magicaltheatre.org.
• Shop Hop, by our home writer Mary Beth Breckenridge: Real Gone Daddy. “The whimsical, wacky mind of artist Damon Drummond is on full display at this fun art studio in a renovated tire store. It’s filled with the sculpture Drummond creates from found objects, from functional pieces such as one-of-a-kind desk lamps to the robots and spaceships that are his calling cards. Bring your sense of humor.” Located at 600 W. Tuscarawas Ave., it is open by chance or appointment. Visit http://realgonedaddy.com.
• Lake 8 Movies, 588 W. Tuscarawas Ave., turned a historic downtown building into a multi-movie complex, tucking screens into every corner. The experience can range from a big-screen showing in its original century-old theater to cozy nooks that more resemble large home theaters. Find the schedule at http://lake8movies.com.
• Downtown Barberton is a collection of historic century-old buildings that are home to antique stores, speciality shops, art-themed businesses and restaurants. Among the more popular destinations are Snowball Bookshop for used-book lovers, the Stars-N-Stripes military surplus store, and Kave Coffee Bar, featuring open-mic nights and art shows in its adjacent Nine Muses Art Gallery. To sample it all, visit during Barberton Fourth Friday — next held from 5 to 8 p.m. May 27 — when merchants along Tuscarawas keep late hours and add live-performing artists. Check out “Barberton Fourth Friday” on Facebook for announcements.
• Date Night, by residents Emily and Adam Cunningham: “We do like to stay local when possible and have done a lot of dates in town. We’ve enjoyed sitting at the bar or on the bar side of the Green Diamond. I order their Parmesan-crusted salad and my husband gets their jalapeño chicken sandwich. We play keno and drink beer.” The evening can be extended with a movie at Lake 8 Theatre or a stroll around Lake Anna. Visit Green Diamond Grille & Pub at 125 2nd St. N.W.; find the menu at http://www.greendiamondgrille.com.
• Only eight buildings remain of the 35 erected by town founder O.C. Barber on his original Anna Dean Farm, but their unique architecture stands out on the east side of town. The Barberton Historical Society received a grant to create maps, which will be placed in kiosks on the city’s segment of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Or take a rare opportunity to go inside during the annual walking tour on May 29. Visit http://www.annadeanfarm.com. Starting late June, a weekly farmer’s market operates at the “piggery” at 248 E. Robinson Ave. Visit http://www.annadeanfarmersmarket.com for a schedule and list of vendors.
• Social Media Shout-out: Facebook fans say they love their Angie’s Pizza, a mainstay at 343 4th St. N.W. since the 1960s. Lots of locals have memories of jukeboxes, after-football gatherings and casual meet-ups, but making new memories as well. The region’s Parasson’s Italian restaurant chain also started in Barberton. Find the original at 234 Wooster Road N.
• Barberton has fondly been called the Chicken Capital because of its Serbian-influenced fried chicken houses (some of which are actually across the border in Norton.) If you need to be reminded, here they are: White House Chicken, 180 Wooster Road N. in downtown Barberton; Belgrade Gardens, 401 E. State St. in Barberton; Village Inn, 4444 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road in Norton, and Hopocan Gardens, 4396 W. Hopocan Ave. in Norton.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.