Ohio Bat Festival

12 - 5 pm, Oct 29, 2022

Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center

(2201 Fred Taylor Dr, Columbus, OH 43210)

We are excited to invite you to the FIRST annual Ohio Bat Festival!

As a part of International Bat Week, on October 29, 2022 we will come together to celebrate our bat neighbors. Learn about the astounding diversity of the >1,400 bat species with which we share the Earth, dispel popular misconceptions about bats, and explore the ways that bats and humans can help each other!

The Ohio Bat Fest is a FREE event for all ages. We'll have multimedia presentations, a kids activity room, and interesting exhibits highlighting the ecology, diversity, and conservation of bats in Ohio and worldwide. We look forward to seeing you there!

Sponsors:

  • Carter Lab at The Ohio State University

  • The Ohio State University Ecology and Evolution Club

  • Photos courtesy of MerlinTuttle.org

  • National Science Foundation

Photo by Taegan McMahon

Multimedia presentations by invited bat biologists:

  • 12:15 Welcome, introduction, and overview by Dr. Gerry Carter, The Ohio State University

  • 12:30 Bats around the world by Dr. Bryan Carstens, The Ohio State University

  • 12:45 Meet Ohio's bats by Dr. Joe Johnson, University of Cincinnati

  • 1:00 Panel discussion: Bat diversity

  • 1:45 What is it like to be bat? by Dr. May Dixon, The Ohio State University

  • 2:00 The real story of the vampire bat! by Dr. Gerry Carter, The Ohio State University

  • 2:15 The social lives of bats by Dr. Gerry Carter, The Ohio State University

  • 2:30 Panel discussion: bat behavior

  • 3:15 The ecology and conservation of Ohio's bats by Dr. Joe Johnson, University of Cincinnati

  • 3:30 How to help Ohio's bats by Marne Titchenell, The Ohio State University

  • 3:45 Global conservation of bats by Dr. May Dixon, The Ohio State University

  • 4:00 Panel discussion: Ecology and conservation of bats

Family friendly activities:

  • Come take a picture at our costume contest booth!

  • Play the echolocation game!

  • Color your own bat!

  • Explore a bat tree roost!

  • And more!

Photo by Imran Razik

Photo by Gregg Cohen

Interesting exhibits highlighting the ecology, diversity, and conservation of bats:

  • Learn how to build a bat box

  • See specimens from the OSU museum collection

  • Meet a live bat! (3-5pm)

  • Enjoy bat artwork

  • And more, including tables from:

    • OSU Evolution and Ecology Club

    • Ohio Woodland Stewards

    • KCherryArts

    • Columbus and Franklin Metro Parks table

    • Ohio Division of Wildlife

    • Ohio Wildlife Center

    • Midwest Bat Working Group