By Randy McNutt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Tall Ships, Lake Erie's equivalent to Tall Stacks and a signature event of the Ohio bicentennial, will continue through July 20 at various northern port cities, including Toledo.

Sailing ships will take visitors for rides, and military re-enactors will hold cannon battles. A festival will follow the ships' arrival.

Organizers say that not since the War of 1812 has Lake Erie welcomed such a group of tall ships - 17 to 20 of them at the Port of Toledo alone on Wednesday for the Parade of Sails.

The fleet will be led by the state flagship, Red Witch, which will carry the bicentennial sails into International Park.

The Caledonia, Toledo's queen of the fleet, will participate. Also scheduled are the HMS Bounty, a full-rigged ship; the Highlander Sea, a topsail schooner; and Nina, a 15th-century caravel.

The festival site at the park is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday through July 20. Historic ships will be open for on-deck public tours noon-5 p.m. Thursday (dockside viewing available after 5 p.m.) and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday through July 20 (dockside viewing after 5 p.m.).

Other Tall Ships events include:

Historic Downtown Sandusky Tall Ships Festival, July 18-20; Lorain Port Fest 2003, July 18-20; Port Clinton Maritime Festival, July 18-20; and the Vermilion Tall Ships River Walk, July 18-20.

For times, fees and other details, visit www.tallshipsohio2003.com and linked sites such as www.tallshipstoledo.com.

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At the old Taft home at 2 p.m. today, Gov. Bob Taft will dedicate an Ohio historical marker commemorating President William Howard Taft and Sen. Robert A. Taft.

The governor - their great-grandson and grandson, respectively - will be the guest speaker.

The event will be held at the William Howard Taft National Historic Site, 2038 Auburn Ave., Mount Auburn. The house, operated by the National Park Service, is the birthplace and boyhood home of the 27th president and 10th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The site is now hosting the Ohio bicentennial's "State of Eight" presidential exhibit. Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Information: 684-3262.

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The Ohio heritage sports marker will be dedicated Aug. 12 at the site of Riverfront Stadium, downtown.

The bicentennial historical marker will commemorate some firsts: the first-ever professional baseball game and, 60 years later, the first night game, played at Cincinnati's Crosley Field.

A dedication time has yet to be announced.

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Pioneer Days will be held Sept. 27-28 at Governor Bebb Preserve and Pioneer Village, 1979 Bebb Park Lane, Okeana, just off Ohio 126, nine miles west of Ross in Butler County.

Guests will demonstrate traveling medicine and magic shows, perform traditional music, stroll the 1812 village in costume and present other demonstrations of life in the early 1800s.

Information: MetroParks, 877-PARKFUN.

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State of the Arts: A Celebration of Ohio's Rich Artistic Heritage will be held through July 26 at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts, 101 S. Monument Ave., Hamilton.

One hundred masterworks by Ohio artists have been drawn from public and private collections, representing the years 1788 to 2003.

Gallery hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. Closed Sunday.

For more details, visit www.fittoncenter.org.

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Bicentennial Notebook appears periodically. Send news items to Randy McNutt, the Enquirer, 7700 Service Center Drive, West Chester OH 45069. Telephone: 755-4158. Fax: 755-4150. E-mail: rmcnutt@enquirer.com.