Nelson is Turning ONE!!

Celebrate with us on Saturday, April 12th at Noon as we sing Happy Birthday

to our friendly giant!

CELINA, OH – Mercer County is celebrating a unique milestone, and everyone is invited. Join us at

the Mercer County Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 12th at 12:00 PM as we sing Happy Birthday to

Nelson, the beloved wooden Sasquatch sculpture, who turns one year old this month.

Nelson, a larger-than-life wooden carving, was created during the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse by the

talented Bear Hollow Wood Carvers. The project involved 9 carvers from 5 different states and

took 5.5 days to complete. Nelson is the second carving in a developing trail of giants, with the first,

Otis, located at Patoka Lake in Indiana.

Measuring 27 feet tall and 18 feet across from shoulder to shoulder, Nelson has a foot size of 7 feet

long—equivalent to a shoe size of 98. His structure includes 300 feet of treated 2x4s and 5,000

board feet of poplar wood. His head alone weighs between 600 and 700 pounds. The base of the

sculpture incorporates a tractor and plow, symbolizing Mercer County’s deep agricultural heritage.

To celebrate his first birthday, Nelson will be wearing a new birthday sash, proudly sponsored by

the Greater Grand Lake Visitors Region. The public is encouraged to attend the noon sing-along and

help us mark this special occasion.

In addition to Saturday’s public celebration, a full weekend of activities will be taking place

during Nelson’s Birthday Bash, exclusively for campers staying at the fairgrounds. Campers can

enjoy a weekend filled with fun, including a full event schedule and Nelson’s Lucky Shot Bingo on

Saturday evening.

Additional public events happening Saturday include Nelson’s Vendor Market in the Junior Fair

Building from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM and the Mercer County Farmers Market in the Multi-Purpose

Building from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

For the full weekend schedule and more updates, please visit the Mercer County Fairgrounds

Facebook page.

We look forward to celebrating with the community and honoring the first birthday of our favorite

wooden icon.