Best of Butler County 2023 winners: Recreation

We have our Best of Butler County winners for 2023.

The Journal-News this year held its first annual Best of Butler County to celebrate the longtime favorites and new selections for eating, drinking, shopping and living life in the region. This year, we had 131 contests and hundreds of thousands of votes.

Here are the winners and placers in the Recreation category:

Winners and placers

Best Annual Festival

First place: Operation Pumpkin, Hamilton

operation-pumpkin.org

Second place: Harvest Fest at Garver Family Farm Market

garverfarmmarket.com

Third place: Sacred Heart Festival

shjs.org

Best Arcade/Gaming

First place: Pinball Garage

113 N. 3rd St., Hamilton

513-805-7367

Second place: Champion Mill Arcade

601 North B St., Hamilton

513-275-9896

Best Art Gallery

First place: Fitton Center For Creative Arts

101 S. Monument Ave., Hamilton

513-863-8873

Second place: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum

1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton

513-868-8336

Third place: Artspace Hamilton Lofts and The Strauss Gallery

222 High St., Hamilton

513-291-4030

Best Bowling Alley

First place: Pohlman Lanes & Family Entertainment Complex

954 Pyramid Hill Blvd., Hamilton

513-795-7694

Second place: Eastern Lanes

6943 Coles Road, Middletown

513-422-6359

Third place: Oxford Lanes

4340 Oxford Reily Road, Oxford

513-523-9054

Best Campgrounds

First place: Hueston Woods State Park Campground

6301 Park Office Road, College Corner

513-523-1060

Second place: Rentschler Forest MetroPark

5701 Reigart Road, Hamilton

513-867-5835

Third place: Governor Bebb MetroPark

1979 Bebb Park Lane, Okeana

513-867-5835

Best Comedy Club

First place: Funny Bone

7518 Bales St., Liberty Twp.

513-779-5233

Second place: Lounge 24

24 S. 2nd St., Hamilton

513-892-2111

Best Concert Venue

First place: RiversEdge at Marcum Park

116 Dayton St., Hamilton

513-785-7055

Second place: Sorg Opera House

63 S. Main St., Middletown

513-428-5529

Third place: Pohlman Lanes & Family Entertainment Complex

954 Pyramid Hill Blvd., Hamilton

513-795-7694

Best Dance School/Studio

First place: Next Generation Dance School

1023 Millville Oxford Road, Hamilton

513-863-7329

Second place: Mpower Dance Company

226 Court St., Hamilton

513-737-2056

Third place: Miami Valley Ballet Theatre

175 Market St., Hamilton

513-737-1780

Best Family Fun Destination

First place: Pinball Garage

113 N. 3rd St., Hamilton

513-805-7367

Second place: EnterTRAINment Junction

7379 Squire Court, West Chester Twp.

513-898-8000

Third place: Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill

501 North B St., Hamilton

513-273-8200

Best Golf Course

First place: Potters Park Golf Course

417 Hamilton New London Road, Hamilton

513-868-5983

Second place: Twin Run Golf Course

2505 Eaton Road, Hamilton

513-868-5833

Third place: Brown’s Run Country Club

6855 Sloebig Road, Middletown

513-423-9401

Best Movie Theater

First place: AMC West Chester 18

9415 Civic Centre Blvd., West Chester Twp.

513-463-2324

Second place: CMX Liberty Luxury 15 & Cinébistro

7514 Bales St., Liberty Twp.

513-463-0470

Third place: Cobb 15 Luxury Theatres

Warehouse Row, Liberty Twp. (Liberty Center)

Best Museum

First place: Butler County Historical Society/Benninghofen House

527 N. Second St., Hamilton

513-896-9930

Second place: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum

1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton

513-868-8336

Third place: EnterTRAINment Junction

7379 Squire Court, West Chester Twp.

513-898-8000

Best Park/Walking Path

First place: Rentschler Forest MetroPark

5701 Reigart Road, Hamilton

513-867-5835

Second place: Joyce Park

25 Joe Nuxhall Way, Fairfield

513-785-7060

Third place: Voice of America MetroPark

7850 VOA Park Drive, West Chester Twp.

513-867-5835