Events in Milford Center Ohio: Festivals, Markets & Seasonal Fun
Looking for events in Milford Center, Ohio? This Union County village packs its calendar with the Labor Day Darby Dash Festival, a summer farmers market, fall fun at The Maize, and the Union County Covered Bridge Festival. For a statewide view, browse our guide to annual festivals in Ohio.
Milford Center’s Signature Event: The Darby Dash Festival
The biggest event on Milford Center’s calendar is the Labor Day Darby Dash Festival, a weekend-long (in recent years, day-long) celebration that takes over the village around Labor Day. The inaugural festival ran September 1–3, 2023, and the third annual edition was held August 31, 2025, at the Fairbanks Ball Fields, 153 E. State St.
The Darby Dash packs a remarkable amount into one day: a 5K run kicks things off in the morning, followed by a cornhole tournament, the Darby Splash Kayak Race and Darby Dash Canoe Race on Big Darby Creek, a horseshoe tournament, and the Daryl Ingram Memorial Car Show in the afternoon. Between competitions, festival-goers enjoy live music, kids’ games, a craft show, a baked goods auction, food vendors, and a beer garden — all closing with a fireworks display organizers bill as “the best fireworks display in Union County.”
Check the Village of Milford Center website for the current year’s Darby Dash schedule and registration details for the races and tournaments.
Milford Center Farmers Market
Every summer, the Milford Center Farmers Market brings local growers and shoppers together at Bicentennial Park, 91 Railroad St. The market typically runs Wednesday afternoons (3–6 p.m.) from early July through mid-September, offering seasonal produce grown right in Union County: sweet corn, peppers, tomatoes, green beans, honey, pork and beef products, potatoes, and more. The market has also participated in the Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program, making fresh local food accessible to eligible seniors. Confirm the current season’s hours with the village before visiting.
Fall Fun: The Maize at Little Darby Creek
Just outside the village at 8657 Axehandle Rd, The Maize at Little Darby Creek has been a Central Ohio fall tradition for over two decades. Set on a 160-acre century farm along Little Darby Creek — about 10 miles south of Marysville and 8 miles west of Plain City — it offers a corn maze, pumpkin patch, flower patch, and rustic farm weddings each fall. It’s one of the easiest and most rewarding autumn outings near Milford Center for families.
Union County Covered Bridge Festival
In early September, the Union County Covered Bridge Festival celebrates the county’s historic covered bridges with activities across Marysville, Milford Center, North Lewisburg, Plain City, and Unionville Center. Milford Center’s own Bigelow Covered Bridge, just north of SR 161 at Axe Handle Rd, is one of the stops — a lovely reason to pair the festival with a scenic drive through the countryside.
Nearby Events Worth the Short Drive
- Union County Farmers Market (Marysville): Saturdays, 8:30–11:30 a.m., mid-May through early October at 125 E. 6th St — about 5 miles from Milford Center.
- All Ohio Balloon Fest (Marysville): Hot air balloons, live entertainment, and food at the Union County Airport each mid-August.
- Union County Fair (Marysville): A week of rides, entertainment, and fair food each summer at the Union County Fairgrounds.
- Events in Plain City, Ohio: Just minutes away, Plain City hosts its own farmers market and the revived Corn Carnival each September.
- Events in Richwood, Ohio: Head north for the Richwood Independent Fair, one of Ohio’s last independent fairs, every Labor Day week.
Planning a visit? See our full roundup of things to do in Milford Center, Ohio for more ideas, and check events in nearby Raymond, Ohio for more small-town Union County happenings.
A Brief History of the Darby Dash
The Darby Dash Festival is young but ambitious. The inaugural edition in September 2023 stretched across three days (September 1–3) with live music, a craft fair, softball, cornhole, and horseshoe tournaments, a 5K run, a classic car show, a beer garden, an ox roast, a covered bridge bike tour, and the first-ever Darby Splash Kayak Race — all capped by a fireworks finale. The 2025 edition condensed the celebration into a single action-packed Sunday, August 31, at the Fairbanks Ball Fields. However the format evolves, the formula stays the same: land races, water races, live music, good food, and fireworks over Big Darby Creek country.
Making a Day of It in Milford Center
Milford Center pairs well with its neighbors for a full Union County day trip. Start with the Plain City farmers market or a morning walk along the covered-bridge country roads, spend the afternoon at the Darby Dash or The Maize, and finish with dinner in Marysville or Plain City, both minutes away. If you’re visiting from Columbus, the village is an easy 30-minute drive northwest — close enough for a spontaneous Saturday.
For a broader look at what the village offers beyond events, see our guide to things to do in Milford Center, Ohio.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Darby Dash Festival in Milford Center?
The Darby Dash Festival is held annually around Labor Day weekend at the Fairbanks Ball Fields, 153 E. State St. in Milford Center. Check the village website for the current year’s date and schedule.
Does Milford Center have a farmers market?
Yes. The Milford Center Farmers Market typically runs Wednesday afternoons from early July through mid-September at Bicentennial Park, 91 Railroad St.
What is there to do in Milford Center in the fall?
Visit The Maize at Little Darby Creek for its corn maze and pumpkin patch, tour the Bigelow Covered Bridge during the Union County Covered Bridge Festival in early September, and catch the Darby Dash Festival’s fireworks over Labor Day weekend.
Where is Milford Center, Ohio?
Milford Center is a village in Union County, Ohio, roughly between Marysville and Plain City along State Route 161, about 30 minutes northwest of Columbus.
