Upper Arlington residents can join a free conversation on mental health Tuesday, Sept. 29, and a family fall festival on Sunday, Oct. 25, both hosted by the Upper Arlington Community Foundation.

The Big Table conversation runs from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Amelita Mirolo Barn in Sunny 95 Park. The Big Table is a program of The Columbus Foundation that encourages communities across the region to hold small-group conversations each fall.

This year's topic is "Cultivating Healthy Communities." Participants will discuss mental well-being and what it means to build a healthier community, according to the city's announcement. Registration is open through the foundation's website.

Less than a month later, the foundation hosts its Green Apple Fest on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Edwards Green, a 0.8-acre pocket park at 2491 Abington Road in the Canterbury neighborhood. The fest is free and will feature music, pumpkin decorating and fall activities for families.

Edwards Green opened to the public in October 2024 after Michael and Phaedra Edwards gifted the land at Abington and Sherwin roads to the foundation in honor of their parents, Peter and Suzie Edwards. The park includes floral gardens, walking paths, a stacked stone wall and a bench.

"This gift celebrates our parents' love of the outdoors and their commitment to their treasured Upper Arlington community," Michael and Phaedra Edwards said when the park was announced in October 2024. "We hope Edwards Green inspires neighbors to unplug, go outside, and play as we did as children."

Executive Director Jessica Grisez leads the foundation, which has organized both events. Residents can register for the Big Table conversation or find details on the Apple Fest at uacommunityfoundation.com.

Upcoming UA Community Foundation events

  • Tuesday, Sept. 29: Big Table conversation, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Amelita Mirolo Barn, Sunny 95 Park
  • Tuesday, Oct. 13: Annual Meeting, 8 a.m., Bob Crane Community Center
  • Sunday, Oct. 25: Green Apple Fest, 3 to 5 p.m., Edwards Green, 2491 Abington Road