Calendar

There is always so much to do in each of our communities. We recommend you check their calendars and Facebook pages (on the links below) for upcoming events on specific dates. For an overview of activities in the Oil Region, please check out our Festivals & Events.

Franklin

• Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce
• City of Franklin Events

Venango County

• Be Here Venango

Oil City

• Oil City Main Street

Titusville

• Titusville Community Calendar
• Chamber Calendar
• Titusville Renaissance, Inc.
• Titusville Council on the Arts

Foxburg

• Go Foxburg

2023 Nominations & Voting

The 2023 complete list of nominees follows:

Best Dish:  

Classic Breakfast Sandwich at Grandview Lookout, Oil City
Dill Pickle Pizza at Trails to Ales, Franklin
Sausage Gravy Wrap at Baked Goods from Heaven, Oil City
Billy’s Philly Cheesesteak at Billy’s, Oil City
Freaky Greek Gyro at Grandview Lookout, Oil City
Crab Cake BLT Sandwich at Bella Cucina, Franklin
Ba’s Homemade Polish Platter at Double Play, Oil City
Low Country Dip appetizer at Fat Chad’s Tap & Steakhouse, Titusville
Dirt Flurry at McGranaghan’s City Limits, Titusville
Duck Egg Rolls at Bella Cucina, Franklin
Breakfast Sandwich at Woods and River, Oil City
Polish Dinner at Scierka’s Tavern, Oil City
Calzone at Leonardo’s, Franklin
Coconut Mango Tilapia at Trails to Ales, Franklin
Reuben Sandwich at Country Grub, Franklin
Lasagna at Leonardo’s, Franklin

Best Drink:

Lemonade with Strawberry Boba at Grandview Lookout, Oil City
Blackberry Bourbon Sidecar at Bella Cucina, Franklin
Ralph’s Ice Cream Slushies at Titusville Iron Works, Titusville
Iced Coffee at Woods and River COffee, Oil City
Espresso at Iron Furnace, Franklin
Beartown Mocha at Woods & River Coffee, Oil City
Frozen Peach Royal, at Otto’s Tavern, Emlenton
Matcha Sunrise at Iron Furnace Coffee, Franklin
Liquid Gold Milk Tea at FrosTEA n’Fusions, The Mercantile, Titusville
Fruit Sangria at Benjamins, Franklin

Best Room:  

Wildcat Mansion, Franklin
Caboose Motel, Titusville
Heron’s Landing (above Woods & River Coffee), Oil City
Holiday Inn Express, Seneca

Best Shop:  

Amy’s Closet & Sassy’s Gifts, Franklin
The Printer’s Cabinet and Curiosities, Franklin
Porch Music Store, Franklin
Stonehouse Jack, Titusville
Cross & Co. Boutique, Seneca
Crismans Little Britches, Franklin
4 Season Cycle, Franklin
Hal Carbaugh’s Barber Shop, Franklin
Olive Vault, Franklin
Daffin’s Candies, Franklin
Olde Liberty, Franklin
Liberty Street Antiques, Franklin

Best Industry Advocate:  

Wendy Thompson
Bob Joyce
Matt Beith
Cathy Kentzel
Leah Carter
Peter Greene
Jodi Baker Lewis

Best Industry Partner:  

National Park Service
Oil City Main Street Program
Titusville Ironworks
Webco Industries
4 Season Cycle
Oil Region Library Association
Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce
Woods and River Coffee

Must See/Do Activity/Attraction:  

Allegheny River
BridgeFest — Oil City Festival in August
Axe Throwing at Allegheny River Retreat Center, Franklin
Oil Heritage Festival—Oil City Festival in July
James A. Nelles Memorial Swimming Pool, Oil City
Oil Creek State Park
Rocky Grove Fireman’s Fair
Rock in River Fest, Franklin
Mountain Bike Trails at Two Mile Run County Park
Sandycreek Recreation Trail
Belmar Bridge
Emlenton Summer Festival
Barrow Civic Theatre, Franklin
May Garden Mart – Franklin Festival in May
Picnic/Activities at Blood Farm, Oil Creek State Park

Best Landmark:  

The Barrow Civic Theatre
Drake Well
Historic Pithole City
Murray Scenic Overlook, Oil City
Belmar Bridge on the Allegheny River
McKinney Hall at UPT, Titusville
Confluence of the Allegheny and French Creek
Allegheny River Trail
River Ridge Farm
100 Seneca at Cornplanter Square
St. John’s Episcopal Church Tiffany windows, Franklin
Pithole Stone Arch Bridge, Eagle Rock Road

2022 Nominations & Voting

Nominations were open late August to early September. Winners from 2021 were not eligible to be nominated for 2022. Voting opened Tuesday, September 6 and closed Friday, September 16. Winners were announced the following week.

Here are the 2022 Nominees:

Best Dish
Pecan Crusted Chicken at Bella Cucina in Franklin
BBQ Bacon Burger at Dawndi’s in Franklin
Liberty Street Burger at Trails to Ales in Franklin
Kale Salad at Iron Furnace in Franklin
Brisket & Gouda sandwich at The Well in Titusville
Smashburger at Curbside StrEAT Co. in the Mercantile in Titusville

Best Drink
Shaved Ice from Sprinklez in the Mercantile in Titusville and Seneca
Boba Drink from Sprinklez in the Mercantile in Titusville and Seneca
Brokenspoke Blueberry Beer at Trails to Ales in Franklin
Thai Iced Tea from Homegrown Kitchen in Franklin
Vanilla Iced Latte at Iron Furnace in Franklin

Best Room
The Witherup House in Franklin
Peddler and Paddlers Inn, Franklin
Haggerty Hollow, an airBnB outside of Franklin
Cottage and Farm House at Two Mile Run County Park

Best Shop
The Printer’s Cabinet in Franklin
Franklin Clothing Exchange
Amy’s Closet and Sassy’s Gifts
Core Goods in Oil City
Cali Rae’s Haute Spot in Franklin
Stonehouse Jack in Titusville

Best Industry Advocate
Ashley (Cowels) Sheffer
Ronnie Beith
Maureen James
Wendy Thompson
Luke Kauffman
Chris Fiely
Kim Harris
JC Caton

Best Industry Partner/Organization
The Venango Chamber of Commerce in Oil City
Franklin Retail Association
Oil Region Library Association
Titusville Iron Works

Best Must Do Activity or Attraction
Historic Pithole City
The Venango Museum
Kayaking
Seneca Lanes
Titusville Iron Works
Applefest
Franklin’s Light Up Night
Two Mile Run County Park
Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad
Tattoo from Austin Ink
The Escape Room in Titusville
Ax Throwing at Allegheny River Retreat Center, Franklin
Farm to Fork Event Sponsored by Titusville Renaissance at Drake Well Train Depot

Best Landmark
The War Memorials at the Venango County Courthouse Parks in Franklin
Barrow Civic Theater, Franklin
Morrison Park, Seneca
Pipeline Alley, Oil City
Two Mile Run County Park
The Driller Monument in Woodlawn Cemetery in Titusville
Wildcat Mansion
Allegheny River Retreat Center in Franklin

And the winners are:

Best Dish
Liberty Street Burger at Trails to Ales in Franklin

Best Drink
Brokenspoke Blueberry Beer at Trails to Ales in Franklin
(This beat the Vanilla Iced Latte at Iron Furnace in Franklin by one vote!)

Best Room
Peddlers and Paddlers Inn, Franklin

Best Shop
Core Goods in Oil City

Best Industry Advocate
Ronnie Beith

Best Industry Partner/Organization
The Venango Chamber of Commerce

Best Must Do Activity or Attraction
Applefest

Best Landmark
Two Mile Run County Park
(This beat the Barrow Civic Theater in Franklin by one vote!)

Check out videos of all the 2022 winners using this link.

2021 Nominees & Winners

Best Dish

Nominees:

Dill Pickle Pizza from Trails to Ales, Franklin

Trail Boss Burger from Trails to Ales, Franklin

Fried Shrimp Taco from Taco Shack, Oil City

Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich from Curbside StrEAT Co., Titusville

Smashburger from Curbside StrEAT Co., Titusville

Pecan Crusted Chicken from Bella Cucina, Franklin

Wild Mushroom Pizza from Trails to Ales, Franklin

Shrueben Sandwich from Trails to Ales, Franklin

Italian Sub from Villa Italia Restaurant, Oil City

Fettucine Alfredo from Leonard’s, Franklin

Flat Iron Steak from Fat Chad’s, Titusville

Eggplant Parmesan from Maria’s, Titusville

Rise & Shine Breakfast from Sam’s Restaurant, Titusville

Chicken Parmesan Sub from Bud’s Pizza, Oil City

Winner: Italian Sub from Villa Italia Restaurant, Oil City

Best Drink

Nominees:

Iced Latte from Karma Coffee Company, Oil City

Holiday Cookie IPA from Scierka’s Tavern, Oil City

Razzmanian Devil from Trails to Ales, Franklin

Smoked Old Fashioned at Trails to Ales, Franklin

Peanut Butter Milkshake from Villa Restaurant, Oil City

Coffee from Sam’s Restaurant, Titusville

Winner: Peanut Butter Milkshake from Villa Restaurant, Oil City

Best Guest Room

Nominees:

Caboose Motel, Titusville

The Crawford Suite at the Barnard House B&B, Emlenton

Peddlers & Paddlers Inn, Franklin

Winner: Caboose Motel, Titusville

Best Shop

Nominees:

Stonehouse Jack, Titusville

Core Goods, Oil City

Olive Vault, Franklin

Cali Rae’s Haute Spot, Franklin

The Printer’s Cabinet and Curiosities, Franklin

Something Clever, Franklin

Liberty Street Antiques, Franklin

Amy’s Closet, Emlenton

Crisman’s Little Britches, Franklin

Titusville Market Square, Titusville

Cross & Co. Boutique, Seneca

Winner: Cross & Co. Boutique, Seneca

Best Advocate

Nominees:

Ashley Zaccari Smith

Diane Harrison

Leah Carter

Kim Harris

Winner: Ashley Zaccari Smith

Best Industry Partner

Nominees:

Be Here (Program of the Venango Chamber)

Friends of the Railroad

Oil City Main Street Program

Winner: Be Here 

Best Must Do Activity

Nominees:

Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad

A Bite of History Food Tours, Franklin

Barnard House B&B, Emlenton

BridgeFest — Oil City Festival in August

Tiffany Window Tours at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Franklin

DeBence Antique Music World, Franklin

Venango Museum of Art, Science and Industry, Oil City

Kayaking with O.A.R.S., Franklin

Unlock the Adventure Escape Experience, Titusville

Oil Creek State Park

Drake Well Museum & Park

Bike Trails, throughout the Region

Oil Valley Film Festival, Oil City

Winner: Bike Trails

Best Landmark

Nominees:

Drake Well Museum and Park, Titusville

Driller Monument at Woodlawn Cemetery, Titusville

Belmar Bridge on the Allegheny River

Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korean and Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Monuments near the Venango County Courthouse in Franklin

Venango County Courthouse courtrooms 1, 2, and 3 with Deac Mong murals (Riding into Fort Machault, Looking over Franklin, and Drake Well)

Freedom Falls, Kennerdell

Kennerdell Overlook, Kennerdell

Murray Scenic Overlook, Oil City

National Transit Building, Oil City

Heisman Monument, Titusville

Winner: Drake Well Museum and Park, Titusville