A scavenger hunt for the whole family in Berlin
The idea of the Barnstorm is simple. A 6-inch-by-5-inch wood plaque in the shape of a barn is hidden in each participating store. When the customer finds it, they tell the clerk in the store where they saw it and receive a ticket.
The Berlin Barnstorm is back and in its 12th consecutive year. On April 28, Berlin Main Street Merchants will host the popular event that includes participation from a variety of different independently owned shops. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at all participating merchants in the village.
The idea of the Barnstorm is simple. A 6-inch-by-5-inch wood plaque in the shape of a barn is hidden in each participating store. When the customer finds it, they tell the clerk in the store where they saw it. The customer is given an entry ticket that they can fill out for a prize drawing to be held at 4 p.m. at German Village. It’s a scavenger hunt the whole family can enjoy.
The original wooden plaques used in the event were created by artist Darlene Shell of Sun Bonnet Originals of Indiana. Shell has sold her artwork in Ohio's Amish Country for many years.
Prizes include more than thirty $20 gift cards from participating merchants. The grand prize is a locally made basket overflowing with more than $1,000 worth of items provided by participating merchants. The more stores where shoppers see the barn, the more entry tickets they will have entered in the drawing.
“We stop taking tickets around 3 p.m.,” said Nancy Ward, a member of the Berlin Main Street Merchants and the manager at The Farmstead Restaurant. “At about 3:30 p.m. we take them all down to German Village, where we begin announcing the winners around 4 p.m.”
Winners need not be present to win. A list of winners will be posted at German Village after the event. Winners will be mailed their gift cards if they are not present. The grand prize winner will have to pick up the basket as it is too heavy to ship.
The event has grown each year and attracts local residents as well as out-of-towners anxious to get their spring shopping underway.
“This is Berlin Main Street Merchants' biggest event of the year,” Ward said. “We have so many merchants participating this year. It is a great family event. Kids and adults both get a kick out of searching for the barn plaques as they visit the many different shops in Berlin, and everybody loves it when they win."
“People come from all over to attend the event each year," said Andrea Povick, a Berlin Main Street Merchant member and an employee at the Gospel Book Store. "At first it would be couples, but now I am starting to see those same couples returning with their children in strollers. I get to see their families grow when they visit.”
Participating merchants include Sol's, Gospel Book Store, North Market Variety Store, Old Thyme Homespun, Boyd & Wurthmann, Holmes County Flea Market, Berlin Grande, Heini's Cheese, Helping Hands Quilt Shop, Kauffman's Country Accents, Share N Care Thrift Store, Schrock's Heritage Furniture, Sommer's General Store, Wendell August Forge and Berlin Fabrics, all of which will offer sales and specials for customers during the event.
“There are a handful of businesses that donate to the grand prize basket but do not hide a barn in their business,” Povick said. “We would like to thank all the businesses that participate to make this such a great event.”
For more information about the Berlin Barnstorm, call Ward at 330-893-4600.