Ohio Mart (Akron, Ohio)

This one is special.

For nearly 60 years, Ohio Mart has brought some of the region’s best fine artists together for four days on the grounds of one of Ohio’s most spectacular historic estates.

And honestly? You should come explore the Stan Hywet estate even if you don’t think you’re a art-show person. The 70-acre estate is absolutely gorgeous in October. You’ll shop among the gardens and historic grounds with the 64,500-square-foot Tudor Revival Manor House as the backdrop. More than 150 juried artisans are selected for the show, so you’re not walking through row after row of the same stuff. There’s fine art, jewelry, pottery, glass, textiles, home and garden pieces, specialty foods and some genuinely beautiful work. Your admission also includes a self-guided tour of the Manor House. The house was built more than a century ago for Goodyear co-founder F.A. Seiberling and his family, and it is extraordinary. Even after a full day of shopping, don’t look at the house and say, “We’ll do it next time.”

Go inside. Then wander the gardens. Eat the famous Ohio Mart gingerbread. Stop for lunch. Have a glass of wine. Buy the mums. This is not an event I would rush through.

And while you’re wandering, come find me. Trisha’s Elderberries is located at the end of the arbor trellis, toward the woods. We’ll have the elderberry syrups, sipping vinegars, culinary concentrates and seasonal favorites with us, and we’ll be pouring samples throughout the weekend. If you’ve never tried our products, come taste them.

You can read everything I’ve written about ingredients, sourcing and how we make our products, but there is a point where I need to stop talking and just hand you the cup. Taste it.

If elderberry syrup in your head is thick, sticky and overly sweet, ours is going to surprise you. And if you aren’t sure where to start, tell me what you like. We’ll figure it out. If you’ve been buying from us for years, you already know what to do. Find the arbor trellis. Walk toward the woods. We’re at the end. Come say hello. Stock up. Then go enjoy the rest of the estate.

Ohio Mart is absolutely worth making a day of.

Can’t make it to Ohio Mart? You can always shop Trisha’s Elderberries at www.trishaselderberries.com.