Ohio University Lancaster celebrates 70 years of education, service, regional impact

Ohio University Lancaster will celebrate 70 years of education, service and community partnership with a public anniversary event titled “Honoring 70 Years! One Shared Future,” on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The celebration will take place on the Ohio University Lancaster campus at 1570 Granville Pike, Lancaster, Ohio, with activities located in the North Lobby Parking Lot and South Yard Area.

Early planning for the milestone event is underway, and the campus is inviting alumni, students, faculty, staff, community partners and friends of Ohio University Lancaster to join in celebrating seven decades of connection, opportunity and shared success.

The event will take place rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, activities will be moved indoors to the campus gymnasium.

Guests attending “Honoring 70 Years! One Shared Future” will enjoy a day filled with activities, entertainment, and opportunities to reconnect while celebrating the people and partnerships that have shaped Ohio University Lancaster.

The community is encouraged to contribute to a digital time capsule containing memories of those impacted by the OHIO Lancaster faculty, staff and events at ohio.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2tQ5CBYdjtKZj2S. 

The celebration will offer something for guests of all ages, including face painting, caricature artworks, music from a local DJ and a cornhole drawing with tickets available for participants. Guests can also enjoy a variety of refreshments throughout the celebration.

At noon,  a special anniversary program will feature remarks from Ohio University Lancaster Dean Dr. Martha Kline and local dignitaries including Lancaster Mayor Don McDaniel and Fairfield County Commissioner Steve Davis.

Food trucks, including Little Italy and Gypsy Joe’s, will also be on site offering additional food options for purchase.

As part of the anniversary celebration, guests will have the opportunity to receive special commemorative items. Limited-edition 70th anniversary T-shirts will be available to the first 70 guests in attendance and other anniversary giveaways will be available. Some special guests will receive a limited-edition glass piece created by Gay Fad Studios, a Lancaster company known for preserving the community’s rich glassmaking heritage. 

“Honoring 70 Years! One Shared Future” is a celebration of community. The event invites alumni, students, employees, neighbors and friends of Ohio University Lancaster to come together, reconnect and celebrate the shared history that continues to shape the campus and the communities it serves.

Founded in 1956, the Ohio University Lancaster campus is one of Ohio University’s five regional campuses, created to expand access to higher education across Central and Southeastern Ohio. 

You can find more information on the anniversary celebration here.