How to Live Like a Local in Licking County, OH

Brian and Jenny Morehead

Jenny Morehead grew up in Licking County and works at Park National Bank. Her husband, Brian, is an engineer for the City of Newark, who moved to the area in 1989. Together, they have one son who recently graduated high school. Read on to find out what they love about living in Licking County. 

What are some of your favorite things to do in Licking County? 
Jenny: I’m a cyclist, and I’ve participated in Pelotonia, a fundraiser to raise money for cancer research, for the past 10 years. About 6,500 people participate, and the trails cover between 20 and 180 miles over a weekend. I use the bike paths a lot and will go all the way to downtown or to Buckeye Lake. We have a great network of bike paths throughout the county. 

Brian: We’ve always been a very sporty family, and we were involved in our son’s sports teams, especially basketball. Some friends of ours have gotten into playing pickleball, so we’ve been doing that, which is a lot of fun. The city parks have a great setup for volleyball, and I’ll often go to the YMCA here and exercise. 

What are a few can’t-miss annual events in the area? 
Jenny: Granville has a great farmers market, and Newark started a downtown market about five years ago. Around Thanksgiving, Granville hosts a Turkey Trot 5K, and Newark’s Courthouse Christmas lighting is a “must see” on Black Friday. We love to listen to live music, so Brian and I attend events at the Midland Theatre downtown. Union Square Music Hall has a lot of performances, too. 

What are some of the best family-friendly activities in Licking County? 
Jenny: When our son was little, and even into his teenage years, we would go to The Works, which has a lot of hands-on activities. He also did day camp at the YMCA during the summer, and he played several sports, so we were involved in his sporting events and teams. 

Brian: The Works has grown a lot over the years. In the spring, they host National Engineers Week. Also, they have a STEMfest, where schools send teams to solve science problems, so I’m usually a judge for that. 

What are some of your favorite local restaurants? 
Jenny: Oh, boy – that’s a long list! We try to visit a lot of different places and try new things. Downtown Newark has many new places. 

Brian: We also like to go down to Buckeye Lake, where we enjoy the Buckeye Lake Brewery, Buckeye Lake Winery and Chef Shack, too. 

What are some good ways for newcomers to get connected in the community?
Brian: There’s a Young Leaders of Licking County group for professionals under 40. A lot of younger folks get involved in that because they organize a lot of events. If you have kids, you can get involved through their schools, through sporting events, and fundraising events–especially those that are at The Works. I think just getting out there and doing those things will help broaden your friendships outside of work.