Things to Do in Westerville

Brady Konya and Ryan Lang aren't from Ohio, but they loved the area for its business-friendly community and rich natural resources, and decided Columbus was where they had to build their distillery. The duo's passion for the Midwest colors everything about Middle West Spirits, from the name down to the Ohio-grown soft red winter wheat in their whiskey and award-winning vodka, which they also infuse with honey and vanilla beans or stone fruit. Inside the distillery, which sprawls over 3,200 square feet of open air, Brady and Ryan craft these artisan OYO spirits—named after the original word for the Ohio River Valley, pronounced o-y-o_—in 600-liter pot-and-column stills. Hand-built onsite by German craftsmen using copper, stainless steel, and bits of Saturn's rings, these stills earned Middle West Spirits a place on _Popular Mechanics' 5 of the World's Most-High-Tech Distilleries list.

Dispatch Events knows how Columbus residents cook, exercise, and flounce their kitchen curtains. Its quartet of annual expos and other special events draws from the worldly media prowess of The Dispatch Printing Company, which tailors each sprawling festival to the tastes and trends of the city and beyond. The Columbus Dispatch Home & Garden Show lures celebrities from HGTV and other outlets as guests take in home-improvement and gardening ideas, such as which shrubs best lend themselves to topiaries of neighbors' faces.

From his home base at Scioto Reserve Country Club, The Powell Golf Academy's director of instruction, Brent Kalb, helps students of all ages and skill levels improve their golf skills. Each of Brent's private lessons, youth camps, and group clinics takes a step-by-step approach to instruction, allowing for the development of a dependable swing. On-course instruction helps players formulate sound mental strategy, which can include decisions on club selection and whether to attack the pin head on or sneak up on it in a camouflage jacket.

Upon crossing the threshold at United Skates of America, a barrage of shimmering lights and colors assault the senses. A disco ball scatters rainbow shards of light across metallic streamers and low barriers striped with colorful lights. A glossy wooden rink acts as the centerpiece of the whimsical decor, packed with roller skaters during public hours. The vibe of open sessions evolves throughout the week in stride with rotating jams, from Top 40 hits to the hip-hop and R & B of the '80s, '90s, and 1890s. Frequent cameos by childhood icons, such as Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants, captivate kids, who can grab hold of supportive Skate Mates as they round the rink. Novice rollers glide like pros after skating lessons, held in five-week sessions by a team of veteran rollers, and partygoers zoom around the oval track during birthday bashes. An arcade and snack area offer safe haven for the athletically averse or those still mastering bipedality.:m]]