Playoff Clashes and Fall Festivals Anchor the Weekend
Kalida, OH · October 30, 2026
Tossing an extra fleece in the backseat is non-negotiable if you’re heading out for tonight’s kickoff. Between chilly bleachers and a jam-packed tournament weekend, there is no shortage of reasons to bundle up.
The Lead
The autumn calendar reaches a boiling point this weekend as Putnam County’s sports landscape shifts entirely into elimination territory. Friday evening brings the opening round of the OHSAA high school football playoffs, sending local fans across county lines to Clymer Stadium and regional venues under the lights. By Saturday morning, attention swings to the grass at Hedges-Boyer Park in Tiffin, where Putnam County League distance runners toe the line at the Northwest Regional cross-country meet eyeing berths at the state finals in Obetz. Meanwhile, the region's storied boys soccer powerhouses collide Saturday in the Division V Northwest district finals, battling for survival in one of the state's most competitive soccer brackets. For families mapping out the next 48 hours, digital tickets via the OHSAA portal remain mandatory before arriving at the gate.
Local Pulse
Junior Class Launches Annual Fruit Fundraiser Schools Students take orders through mid-November to fund spring prom and senior class travel, with deliveries arriving in early December.
Extended Weekend Hours Open for Early Ballots Community Registered county voters can cast ballots in person this Saturday and Sunday at the Board of Elections on Ottawa-Glandorf Road.
Today's Outlook
- High 62°F · Low 43°F — Overcast
- Keep a warm layer handy today as thick cloud cover keeps the afternoon cool.
What's On Around Town
Today
Fall Fest at Taylor Automotive Taylor Kia (3785 Speedway Dr), Findlay, 9:00 AM–6:00 PM · Free Pumpkin painting, bounce houses, and family games to kick off the weekend.
OHSAA Regional Football Playoff Opener Clymer Stadium (201 W Cross St), Columbus Grove, 7:00 PM · Paid High-stakes Friday night postseason action under the lights to open Week 11.
Stage Comedy: "Blithe Spirit" Fort Findlay Playhouse (300 W Sandusky St), Findlay, 8:00 PM · Paid Noël Coward’s spirited ghostly comedy live on the community playhouse stage.
Tomorrow
- Lima Noon Sertoma Pancake Day Lima Senior High School (1 Spartan Way), Lima, 6:00 AM–1:00 PM · Paid
- OHSAA Regional Cross Country Championships Hedges-Boyer Park, Tiffin, 10:00 AM · Paid
- OHSAA Division V Boys Soccer District Final Shawnee High School (3333 Zurmehly Rd), Lima, 3:00 PM · Paid
Sunday
- The Athena Art Society Fall Juried Show Fisher/Wall Art Gallery (200 W Main Cross St), Findlay, 11:00 AM–4:00 PM · Free
- Author Symposium & Panel Discussion Brumback Library (215 W Main St), Van Wert, 1:00 PM · Free
Spotlight & Story
- The Ottawa River
- Winding silently along the village's western boundary, this waterway behaves unlike most rivers by flowing northward toward Lake Erie—a parting gift from ancient glacial retreats. Tucked near the bridge approach, USGS station 04188000 has gauged that unusual northward push since 1930.
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