Visit Grove City 2026 Annual Adventure & Trailblazer Awards
Every year, Visit Grove City celebrates the Trailblazer Awards and Grove City Tourism. We couldn't do this without the great partners and experiences in Grove City, Ohio!
The theme for the 2026 Annual Adventure is "Grove City Goes to the Fair". This was a fun theme that also celebrates America's 250th Anniversary!
The Visit Grove City Annual Adventure was another successful and fun event! This year, we hosted our party at the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, which is a great space to host an event, volunteer, and get resources if you need them. The Mid-Ohio Food Collective is a place that collects food and personal items and helps thousands of people across 20 counties in Ohio. Take a tour and learn more!
The Annual Adventure is an event where we present the Visit Grove City Annual Report. Visit Grove City is dedicated to promoting tourism in Grove City, Ohio. We also celebrate the Trailblazer Award nominees and winners. There are 4 categories of the Trailblazer Awards: Business/Attraction, Individual, Community Event, and Altogether Adventure. There were many great nominations, and the public took part in choosing this year’s winners.
We asked each winner the following questions:
1. What does being a Trailblazer Award Winner mean to you?
2. As a recognized leader in Grove City, what advice would you give to aspiring leaders in our community?
3. What excites you most about the future of Grove City?
Here are the winners and what they have to say:
Mona’s Eats N Treats
Mona’s Eats N Treats has been a Grove City tradition for more than 70 years, serving generations of families with soft serve, sandwiches, coneys, and plenty of local memories. Today, Mona’s continues to honor that history while bringing fresh energy through creative seasonal specials, community events, local partnerships, and a welcoming atmosphere for guests and employees alike. More than just a place to grab a cone, Mona’s is a gathering place where Grove City families can slow down, enjoy a treat, and make new memories together.
1. What does being a Trailblazer Award winner mean to you?
+ It means a lot to us because Mona’s has been part of Grove City since 1953, long before we came along. We feel like we’re taking care of a small piece of Grove City history. We want to respect what generations before us built while continuing to try new things, improve, and make sure Mona’s is still part of this community for generations to come.
2. As a recognized leader in Grove City, what advice would you give to aspiring leaders in our community?
+ Get involved, listen to people, and don’t be afraid to try something new. You don’t have to have a big title or a huge organization to make a difference. We also have the privilege of employing a lot of young people at their first job, and we try to remind them that leadership starts with simple things: show up, work hard, treat people well, and take pride in what you do.
3. What excites you most about the future of Grove City?
+ Grove City is growing and changing, but there’s still a strong sense of community here. It’s exciting to see new businesses, events, and ideas coming to the city while longtime local places and traditions continue to be part of its identity. We’re excited to see where Grove City goes next, and we’re happy that Mona’s gets to be a small part of it.
Vicki Palka - Broadway Plates & Pints, Owner
Vicki is a devoted wife, mother of three beautiful daughters, and co-owner of Broadway Plates & Pints in historic Downtown Grove City. Whether she’s supporting her staff, welcoming guests, or planning the next event, Vicki approaches everything she does with a smile, genuine compassion, and a commitment to making every experience better than the last. Her dedication to her family, her business, her employees, and the Grove City community is what makes her a true Trailblazer.
1. What does being a Trailblazer Award winner mean to you?
+ Honestly, it means a lot to me. I love Grove City, and being recognized by the community that I’m so invested in is pretty special. When we opened Plates & Pints, we really wanted it to be more than just a restaurant. We wanted it to be a place where people could come together, celebrate, support local causes, listen to music, watch their kids grow up, and just feel like they belong. I’m proud of what we’ve built, but I’m even more proud of the relationships and connections we’ve made along the way. To me, being a Trailblazer is about being willing to show up, get involved, and care about your community.
2. As a recognized leader in Grove City, what advice would you give to aspiring leaders in our community?
+ Just get involved. You don’t have to wait until you have the perfect idea, the perfect business, or the perfect opportunity to make a difference. Show up, volunteer, support other people and businesses, and be willing to help wherever you can. And don’t be afraid to take a chance on something you’re passionate about. I’ve definitely learned along the way that you don’t have to have everything figured out before you start. Sometimes you just have to jump in and figure it out as you go.
3. What excites you most about the future of Grove City?
+ The people. I love seeing how much Grove City continues to grow, but what excites me most is that it still feels like a community where people care about each other. There are so many people who want to see Grove City succeed and are willing to put in the work to make that happen. I’m excited about all the new businesses, events, and opportunities coming to our area, but I’m especially excited to see what we can accomplish when we all continue to support each other. I really feel like Grove City is just getting started, and I’m excited to be along for the ride.
Grove City Book Festival - Grove City Parks & Recreation
The Grove City Book Festival was an event that will continue to be an annual experience! The engagement with indie authors and favorite local bookish businesses drew in an engaged crowd starting right when the festival opened at 10 am. Paired with the farmers market, it was great to see Grove City establish itself as a literary hub in the larger Columbus Metro area, which already prides itself on a rich literary history and landscape. With multiple literary attractions in the Columbus area and over 15 independently owned bookstores (with one located in Grove City's Town Center), Grove City should be a part of the conversation and literary tourism.
1. What does being a Trailblazer Award winner mean to you?
+ Being named a Visit Grove City Trailblazer Award recipient is incredibly meaningful to the Grove City Parks and Recreation Events team, especially because this recognition comes directly from the community we’re so proud to call home. It’s an honor to have our team’s efforts recognized by the very community we work to serve, celebrate, and bring together. It’s a reminder that the work we do is making a difference and having a positive impact, not only in Grove City, but beyond.
To us, being a trailblazer means being willing to try something new, take an idea and run with it, and hopefully create something that brings people together and contributes to making Grove City an even better place to live, work, and visit. We also know better than anyone that none of this happens alone. Behind every idea, event, and initiative are people who lend their time, talents, encouragement, and support to help turn a vision into something meaningful. We’re incredibly grateful for the many partners, volunteers, businesses, organizations, friends and community members who have helped along the way. This recognition belongs to all of them, too! Receiving this award is both an honor and an encouragement to keep dreaming up new ideas, building meaningful partnerships, and finding new ways to showcase the people, places, and spirit that make Grove City such a special community.
2. As a recognized leader in Grove City, what advice would you give to aspiring leaders in our community?
+ One of the most valuable lessons in leadership is understanding the importance of listening. Effective leaders don’t need to have every answer; they need to ask thoughtful questions, seek out different perspectives, and remain open to learning from the people around them. Leadership is also built on consistency and dependability. A lot of the work that makes a meaningful difference happens behind the scenes, without recognition or applause. In a community like ours, leadership isn’t defined by a title - it’s demonstrated by showing up, following through, and being someone others know they can count on. Finally, be willing to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new. Not every idea will work the first time perfectly, and that’s part of the process. Growth comes from being willing to take initiative, learn from the experience, and continue moving forward.
3. What excites you most about the future of Grove City?
+ What excites me most about the future of Grove City is seeing how much our community continues to grow while still holding on to what makes it feel like Grove City. There are so many opportunities to bring people together through new parks, programs, events, and community spaces. We’re especially excited to see new ideas come to life and to find new ways to give residents reasons to get out, get involved, and connect with one another. Grove City has a strong sense of community, and we believe there are a lot of opportunities to build on that as we continue to grow.
Trapper John's Canoe Livery
Emily and Nick are the new owners of Trapper John's & Creekside Cafe and have helped evolve the business with a fresh energy to attract visitors and remain a key spot for locals. With a focus on community partnerships and conservation, Emily and Nick are actively working with Grove City, Pleasant Township, local parks, and larger Columbus organizations like the Columbus Zoo and COSI to help further education and collect research on the Big Darby. Creekside Cafe has opened in a newly renovated space, focused on working with Columbus-area vendors like Jennings Java and Bakes by Lo to bring something new to Grove City and the surrounding rural area. Nick and Emily are bringing a legacy attraction into a new generation with their commitment to conversation and connection.
1. What does being a Trailblazer Award winner mean to you?
+ It is incredibly meaningful to be recognized by our community for both where Trapper Johns has been and where we hope to take it. It represents the people who have shown up, supported us, encouraged us, and helped us breathe new life into a place that means so much to this community. We’re proud to preserve a piece of Grove City history that brings our community together!
2. As a recognized leader in Grove City, what advice would you give to aspiring leaders in our community?
+ You rise by lifting others. Some of the best leadership happens when you stop worrying about being the person in the spotlight and start looking for ways to support the people around you. Build relationships, celebrate other local businesses, help when you can, and remember that a stronger community benefits all of us.
3. What excites you most about the future of Grove City?
+ We’re especially excited about the opportunity to continue connecting both residents and visitors with everything Grove City has to offer — including its natural spaces. Big Darby Creek is such an incredible resource, and we love introducing more families and visitors to something this special right in our backyard.
Thank You
At Visit Grove City, our team is dedicated to promoting all of the great things to do and see in Grove City, Ohio. Just minutes from downtown Columbus, Grove City is an unexpected natural paradise where there is adventure for everyone. We could not do that without the businesses and organizations in our community. Thank you to the Visit Grove City Board for your time and dedication.
Thank you to the following for sponsoring the event:
+ City of Grove City + Experience Columbus + Great Lakes Studios/Ohio Magazine + Flyer's Pizza & Subs + Minuteman Press + Stark & Associates + Grove City Town Center + Hayden Valley Foods + Pontone's Music + Brightr Travel + Broadway Plates & Pints + KKP Bakery + The Chandler + Holiday Inn Express & Suites + City Express by Marriott + Fairfield Inn & Suites
Here is to more Altogether Adventure® in Grove City, Ohio.
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