2026 Events—Celebrating 150 Years of Woodlawn
In 2026, Woodlawn Cemetery marks a remarkable milestone—150 years of remembrance, reflection, and community. For a century and a half, Woodlawn has been more than a resting place. It has been a sacred landscape where stories live on, where families return generation after generation, and where history quietly unfolds beneath the shade of enduring trees.
Throughout the year, we will celebrate this journey through 150 Years, 150 Stories—a tribute shared through guided tours and storytelling on social media, honoring the lives, legacies, and moments that have shaped our community.
We will also commemorate 150 Years of the Trees of Woodlawn, recognizing the majestic trees that have stood as silent witnesses to changing seasons and generations past. As we honor those who have rooted this place in history, we will also plant for the future—ensuring that Woodlawn continues to offer beauty, comfort, and reflection for years to come.
Nature has always been part of Woodlawn’s story. From its peaceful pathways to the 213 documented bird species that call this landscape home, Woodlawn is a living sanctuary—rich with history, memory, and life.
A special community celebration is planned for the fall, bringing us together to reflect on where we have been and look ahead to the future we are building together.
We invite you to be part of this meaningful journey—to share in the stories, the history, the beauty, and the next chapter of Woodlawn’s legacy.
Birds of Woodlawn
Each Friday from 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Join us each week as we document the Birds of Woodlawn. From migrating to nesting birds, we will explore many natural habitats. From beginners to experienced birders, all our welcome. Please bring binoculars and bird guides, if you have them. Meet us at the Hillcrest Entrance.
Woodlawn Walkers
Wednesday, May 6th – September 9th
9:00 – 10:00 am
Whether you’re interested in a stroll or a power walk, join us each Wednesday on a two mile path around Woodlawn. Get healthy and rejuvenated as you walk among the beautiful arboretum and the historical architectural features. Each participant will get a walking log to keep track of your progress and document the tree of the week. Join us this year as we walk together to reach 9,000 miles walked throughout the programs ten years. Meet at the Main entrance off W. Central.
Spring Tree and Tombstone Tour: 150 Years of Blooms and History
Sunday, May 17th
1:00 – 2:30 PM
Each spring, Woodlawn awakens in color and quiet beauty—but its heart has always been alive with stories.
Within these gates rest generations of families whose lives shaped our community. Their names are etched in stone, but their legacies live on in the paths we walk and the memories we share. During this 90-minute, leisurely guided tour, our naturalist and historians will lead you through our nationally recognized arboretum, where history and nature intertwine.
As hundreds of blossoms line the pathways, we will journey through 150 Years, 150 Stories—honoring the lives, love, resilience, and moments that have defined our shared past. Along the way, we will pause beneath the majestic trees that have stood as silent witnesses to changing seasons, tender farewells, and generations gone by.
Join us for an afternoon of reflection, remembrance, and renewal—where blooms and history meet, and every step tells a story.
Memorial Day: Walk With Flags
Monday May 25th
10 – 11:00am
On Memorial Day morning, we invite you to join us for a meaningful walk of remembrance and gratitude. With flags in hand, we will walk together to the two main Veterans Sections for a time of reflection, honoring, and dedication. Surrounded by nearly 6,000 flags placed throughout the cemetery, we will pause to remember the brave men and women who answered the call to serve our country. Docent Tedd Long will share the personal stories of several veterans—stories of courage, sacrifice, and quiet heroism that remind us why we gather and why we remember.
Come walk with us. Stand with us. Remember with us.
Together, we honor their service, their sacrifice, and their enduring legacy.
Meet at the Hillcrest entrance
Gunckel Monument Restoration Dedication
Wednesday, June 3rd
6:00 – 7:30pm
Honoring the enduring legacy of John Gunckel.
Standing 26 feet tall and constructed from more than 30,000 cobblestones and rocks donated by Toledo’s newsboys, schoolchildren, and citizens in 1915, this remarkable pyramid honors John Gunckel, founder of the Old Newsboys Association and a beloved figure in our city’s history.
The Monument has been restored to its former grandeur—preserving a cherished Toledo landmark and honoring the enduring legacy of John Gunckel.
Evening Strolls
June 11th - July 9th - August 20th
6:00 – 7:30pm
Join us for a twilight walking tour across the sacred grounds of Woodlawn Cemetery, where history, art, and nature come together in quiet reflection and discovery. As the evening light settles gently over the landscape, our knowledgeable guides will lead you along winding paths, sharing stories that illuminate the lives and legacies woven into this remarkable place.
Each month, we will explore a new theme as part of our 150 Years, 150 Stories journey—honoring the individuals, families, and defining moments that have shaped our community for generations. Through these stories, we remember not only the past, but the enduring spirit that continues to inspire us today.
On June 11th, we are proud to launch the Treasures of Woodlawn Audio Walking Tour. Docents Tedd Long and Ligibel will guide us through the histories of several prominent families laid to rest here. With care and insight, they will weave together narratives that reveal how these families became part of the very fabric of our community’s foundation and legacy.
We invite you to walk with us, to listen, to reflect, and to rediscover the stories that connect us all.
Forest Cemetery: Tree and Tombstones
Fridays at Forest
11:00 – Noon
June 18th - July 10 - August 14 - September 11
Join docents Robin Haye and Amy Stone for a meaningful journey through Trees and Tombstones at Forest Cemetery. Within the gates of Toledo’s oldest cemetery, founded in 1840, the stories of the city’s earliest pioneers and builders are quite literally etched in stone.
As we walk together, you will hear the lives and legacies of the individuals who laid the foundation of Toledo—men and women whose vision and determination shaped the community we know today. Along the way, we will also discover the remarkable diversity of trees that grace the grounds, each one adding depth and beauty to the landscape and telling its own story about the enduring presence of nature at Forest Cemetery.
We invite you to join us for this reflective and enriching tour, where history and nature intertwine, and where the roots of Toledo’s past continue to grow.