Columbus, Ohio: Animatronic Smokey Bear
Public safety awareness brought to life. He's outdoors and he talks (sometimes) and he's 14 feet tall.- Address:
- 670 E. 11th Ave., Columbus, OH
- Directions:
- Only visible during the annual State Fair. Smokey stands in "Natural Resources Park," which is on the southeast corner of the Ohio State Fairgrounds. I-71 exit 110B, then west one block on E.11th Ave. Just west of Clara Ave., on the north side.
- Hours:
- Smokey only comes out of storage for the State Fair.
Visitor Tips and News About Animatronic Smokey Bear
Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.
Inside the Ohio State fairgrounds there stands the friendly talking bear who taught all us kids not to drop burning matches on dry forest litter.
He stands about ten feet tall, but he must have been 100 feet when I used to see him every summer as a kid. I'm not sure if he was still moving and talking when I last saw him a few years ago, but he is an impressive sight nonetheless, with his broad rimmed park ranger's hat, luxurious pelt and smartly starched denim overalls.
[Ross Wootton, 10/08/2000]Nearby Offbeat Places
- Ohio Historical Society's Two-Headed Calf, Columbus, OH - < 1 mi.
- (F) A-R-T Sculpture, Columbus, OH - 2 mi.
- Topiary French People, Columbus, OH - 2 mi.
- In the region: Victoria Woodhull Clock, Granville, OH - 25 mi.
Latest Tips Across Roadside America
Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.
Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!
Unique destinations in the US and Canada are our special obsession. Start here.
Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip.
October 2008: Smokey is still here and he still talks (at least when someone's around to turn him on). He stands an impressive 14 feet tall.