Small town atmosphere with big city cultural experiences is what Lima/Allen County has to offer.

Culture/Entertainment
The Veteran’s Memorial Civic and Convention Center stands in Lima's Town Square and is the hub of the community's cultural life. An Exhibit Hall, meeting rooms and the Crouse Performance Hall is the performance home for the Lima Symphony Orchestra, and the Lima Area Concert Band. Along with hosting Broadway and professional touring companies, Sesame Street Live, illusionist David Copperfield, and a variety of theatre, concert, dance and lecture events.

Lima is one of the few cities its size to support its own full time symphony orchestra. The Friends of Music of Northwest Ohio attract nationally-known guest artists. Encore Theatre is another area performance center.

Lima is also home to two art network organizations.
ArtSpace/Lima displays work in the Ellen Nelson Art Gallery along with The Loft Gallery and Time Warner Cable ArtZone, a children’s gallery. They also represent the works of local area and regional artists in the newly renovated Gallery Shoppe, which carries original, had-crafted artist creations. They also operate an art education center in West Central Ohio that promotes the arts through educational arts programming classes, lectures, workshops, school tours, along with many community, civic and social functions. Council for the Arts of Greater Lima offers children's theater, dance, artists-in-residence, and an award-winning art in education program.

The community hosts several unique festivals Downtown Lima’s art festival Square Fair, Maple Syrup Festival, Delphos Canal Days, Welsh Festival of Song, Once Upon a Sunday, Christmas Tree Festival and Bluffton's Holiday Blaze of Lights are a few of the community's seasonal events. Summer evenings are often spent enjoying concerts in Faurot Park and each Friday evening in the summer ArtSpace/Lima hosts Rally's in the Town Square, with live entertainment. Along with these events Allen County has one of the state's best county historical museums, as well as the MacDonnell House, an oil-boom mansion. Public Libraries are in Lima, Delphos, and Bluffton.

Recreation
Allen County is number one in Ohio for above-ground reservoir fishing at four different sites. Eight city parks serve residents in Lima along with a recreation area and river corridor. The Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District provides six park locations and a river access park, education center; state memorial and river walk throughout the county. In addition there is a handful of village park areas.

Allen County boasts outstanding public and private golf facilities at eight different sites. Enthusiasts of hunting, cross country skiing, tennis, racquetball and other sporting activities all have their own niche in Lima/Allen County. The area also hosts three municipal swimming pools, two indoor skating rinks, six bowling establishments and four indoor movie theaters. The new YMCA facility houses the largest aquatics facility in Ohio and is the 2nd largest YMCA in the state.

Dining
Allen County's eateries will satisfy any appetite with a wide array of selection and ambience. Choose from American, Chinese, Mexican, Homestyle, Eclectic, Italian, Thai and many more; choose from well recognized chain restaurants along with locally owned restaurants.

Please visit the Lima/Allen County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau for more detailed information and a schedule of events www.lima-allencvb.com or visit the VMCCC at www.limaciviccenter.com.