Wadsworth, Ohio: World's Largest Matchstick
Erected one week a year, with a flaming torch match head, as part of the town's annual Blue Stick Match Festival, celebrating Wadsworth's (former) top employer.
- Address:
- Broad St., Wadsworth, OH
- Directions:
- Midtown. The match is erected and lit only during the Blue Stick Match Festival, which is the third week in June. During the festival the matchstick stands in the median of Broad St. just east of its intersection with Hwy 94/Main St.
- Hours:
- Third week in June. Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Admission:
- Free
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Visited here on March 15, 2022. The matchstick is not on display. Apparently it's displayed for only three weeks a year.
[Wendy, 03/15/2022]
In Wadsworth, the World's Largest Matchstick is now on permanent display! Street parking is right next to it.
[Stephen Francia, 07/03/2021]Even though we were missing the Blue Tip Match Festival by about a week, we thought it would still be fun to see the World's Largest Matchstick. Unfortunately, not only is the matchstick not LIT during non-festival dates... it's not even out for display! We thought it was in the Memorial Park (we later learned it actually is set up in the town square), so we at least got to let the kids out for a much needed leg-stretch. Cute town. People were very nice... it's just disappointing that the matchstick wasn't there.
[Liz, 06/19/2014]
Ohio Match Company was one of four Ohio companies that helped move Wadsworth from a coal mining town to an industrial community. Established in 1893, the company made the world famous "Ohio Blue Tip" strike anywhere matches. The company was the largest employer in Wadsworth, employing 1,600 people, more than 600 of them women, but demand for matches declined significantly in the late 1960s when disposable pocket lighters became common. The company closed in the 1980s.
The annual Blue Tip Festival every June starts with the lighting of a 17 ft. tall match during the Blue Tip Parade. The match burns 24 hrs a day for the duration of the festival.
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Fans of giant burning matchsticks: the Blue Tip Match Festival is usually held the third week of June.