Having children is often called the “miracle of birth.” Not surprisingly, it has also been said that sometimes miracles come in pairs—twins. Much has been studied about these closer-than-usual siblings over the years, but outside of an occasional gum commercial or Schwarzenegger comedy, not as much has been celebrated about them.
A glorious exception is the Twins Days Festival, a beloved tradition that’s been held for the past fifty years in northern Ohio. Every August, pairs and other multiples from around the country descend onto the city of Twinsburg for the event, which encourages participants to connect with their brethren, share experiences, and celebrate the unique bond between twins.
Photos courtesy of Twins Days, Inc.
The history
The roots of Twinsburg began, appropriately, in 1818. Connecticut-based identical twins Moses and Aaron Wilcox bought 4,000 acres of land in Ohio that year and then began divvying it out to settlers at bargain prices. In one such transaction with the town of Millsville, a town to which they had relocated, the brothers threw in six acres for a public square and some cash with one condition: that the town change its name to Twinsburg.
Today, the festival reportedly holds the official title of the largest annual gathering of twins in the world per Guinness World Records. What began in 1976 as a mere add-on to a local bicentennial celebration has welcomed over 88,000 sets of identical twins, fraternal twins, and other multiples, including an estimated 2,560 last year.
“Many of the twins who have been coming for a long time really look at the festival as more of a family reunion—an opportunity to meet up with other twins they have developed friendships with over the years,” says Twins Days Inc. executive director Andy Miller. “It’s a place to celebrate their twinship. They often tell us, ‘Twins Days is the only place where we don’t feel out of place.’”
Photos courtesy of Twins Days, Inc.
The festival
This celebration takes place at Glen Chamberlin Park during the first full weekend of August, which falls on August 7–9 this year. To add to the fun, themes were introduced to the festival beginning in 1994, with last year’s being “Cheers to 50 Years!” Attendees can enjoy activities such as bingo games, volleyball, golfing, a 5K run and fun walk, and cornhole as well as music, food, photo ops, fireworks, and a twin-focused parade.
The weekend’s centerpiece is the Double Take Parade, held on Saturday morning. The procession travels from Twinsburg’s town square to the park and features floats, vehicles, and, of course, the stars of the show: twins and multiples wearing themed or matching outfits to show off their sibling spirit.
Photo courtesy of Jessica Fitzpatrick
The festival is also a boon for the local economy, generating millions of dollars for the area. In addition, its organizers give back, having awarded over $100,000 in scholarships in total. “Having organized this festival for fifty years, the Twins Days Committee is thrilled that the event not only brings a financial benefit to the Twinsburg community but also provides fundraising dollars and opportunities to local school and nonprofit groups,” Miller shares. “To see and hear the happiness it brings to so many makes all of the hard work worth it.”
But perhaps the greatest gift is the experience itself. For five decades, the Twins Days Festival has brought together people from around the world to create memories and celebrate the joy, camaraderie, and identity that come with being a twin.
For more info, visit twinsdays.org
