Having had the chance to rest a couple days, I have taken the liberty to think and reflect on my memorable vacation. Twins Day Festival 2023 was an unforgettable experience for me. But don’t just take my word for it. Instead, gaze upon the 11,782 word account and all the words and pictures that really made this convention a memorable one. I will do more than just describe everything to you. Instead, I am taking you back to the event, and you are going to relive all of my memorable moments with me again. Sound good? Then follow me, as I take you through the recap of Twins Days Festival 2023.
6:31 a.m. Thursday morning. I get out of bed and turn on the coffee. Well, not quite. The coffee wasn’t ready, so I filled the carafe with water and I put four scoops of Starbucks Mocha Coffee into the rewashable coffee filter. I pour the carafe of water into Mr. Coffee and let it do it’s magic.
Sadly, I couldn’t leave for Twins Days right away, since my brother had to work a half shift at the post office. So, what do I do to kill the time? I go for a practice 5K walk, of course! Not run, mind you. I will be doing that on Sunday with my brother. Over the course of the week, both of us managed to get some good times. Our best practice time was a 25:51. My practice WALK, however, clocked in at a leisurely 45 minutes flat.
After my practice 5K walk, I had my breakfast. My probiotic with 20 raw almonds, a strawberry Ratio Keto Yogurt, and a Mint Quest Bar. I washed that down with the Starbucks Mocha coffee in a Super Mario Bros. Pipe Mug with a Truvia packet and a splash of MCT Oil. I drank it black, since I’m still on Keto.
I then took a shower and did my devotionals afterward. I packed up everything for Twins Days 2023. Toiletries? Check. Matching clothes for the weekend? Check. I packed everything up and put it in the car.
I then did a fluid check on my car. Oil? Check. There’s plenty of oil, since it’s past the full mark. After checking the windshield wiper fluid, I realized that I really needed some. So, I went to the gas station and bought a gallon of wiper fluid. I put nearly a gallon in the reservoir and it was full.
With that done, all that remained was to have my lunch. I ate my lunch, and spent the rest of my time waiting for my brother to come back home.
My brother finally came home around 12:43. After he got home, I went and put my laptop in my car. My brother then had a request: get his charger from his car. So I fulfilled his request while he went and got a shower.
After he got a shower, it was time to get going. For his things, everything needed to get into the car – fast. We get everything in there just in time for us to capture the perfect Kodak moment. Me and my brother stood there in matching shirts from last year’s Twins Days Theme, shorts, socks, and red shoes, and I took a selfie before driving down to Twinsburg, Ohio for the Twins Days Festival.
After the pictures were taken, we were off at around 1:36 in the afternoon. I got onto US-10 and we were Twinsburg bound, jamming to BZRK by Family Force 5.
After Auburn, I merged onto I-75 South, towards Flint. After that, I took the right fork onto US-23 South, towards Ann Arbor. When we go towards Ann Arbor, we ended up going the wrong way down I-94. After that, we were routed onto I-275. Then I-75.
Finally, we crossed the Ohio border.
Ohio’s slogan was “Find it Here”. What I found was the speed limit going down to 65 miles per hour. After I-75, we went down I-280. We then went on the I-80/I-90 Ohio Turnpike.
The Turnpike was an enjoyable ride. With the speed limit at 70 miles per hour, I felt right at home. I cruised down it, listening to John Reuben.
And then at 4:38, we stopped at a Service Plaza. Time for the first rest stop. After some Instagramming, it was time to resume the trip.
After exiting the Turnpike, I paid $7.25 for it. Finally, we were on I-480 East. We got off on the Great Northern Boulevard exit, because it was time for some dinner.
We entered North Olmstead and stopped at a Chick-Fil-A. I was so happy there that I took a selfie.
After that, it was time to order my food! The food you ask? It was a mouthwatering spicy crispy chicken deluxe, three chick-n strips, and a medium order of waffle fries. And why don’t we include every single kind of dipping sauce that they have? There we go!
Now Midland has committed a terrible sin in not including one of these wonderful restaurants there. I mean, we have plenty of burger places, but how many chicken places do we have? Instead of getting this place, Midland gets a Popeye’s, and Flint gets a Chick-fil-A? That makes no sense. It’s true that just about every fast food place serves chicken, but not like this. I would consider this place Colonel Sanders’ cousin. But no buckets. No biscuits. No wedges. No mashed potatoes. Just the waffle fries will do. Plus we’re on our way to Twinsburg. We don’t have time to sit down for a home-cooked meal.
And what do we do with the trash? Let’s not forget to throw it away. In a regular dispenser this year, since those fancy automatic disposals were too expensive. I’m going to miss those ones a lot.
The Automatic Dispenser from 2022 and earlier. You will be missed!
The ordinary dispenser today
After we got our fill of Chick-Fil-A, we left North Olmstead, Ohio and got back on I-480 East.
Before long, we arrived at Twinsburg and got off on Aurora Road. Since this was Thursday night, we went right to the hotel. We got off on Aurora Road, and turned right onto Wilcox Drive.
Upon entering the Hilton Garden Inn, this is what i saw.
After checking in, we took the elevators to Room 522. Inside was a very nice room, as you can see here.
I loved this room. There was two queen beds, a sitting chair and a desk for the computer. There was even a Keurig coffee machine. I unpacked everything and I went downstairs to get my glasses out of my car. That’s when I met the very first set of twins for the whole trip. Tess & Tabitha, identical twins from Austin, Texas.
This set of twins were talking to Karen & Sharon, identical twins from Cincinnati, Ohio.
After that, Ronald & Donald, identical twins that I met last year from Baltimore, Maryland. They took everyone’s picture. I also met Sara & Anna, identical twins from Duluth, Minnesota. We all got a picture together. A’s on one side, and B’s on the other.
After going back up to my room, I decided to take a short swim. So I went down to the pool and checked it out. While I did this, I saw a set of twins come in to use the exercise room across from the pool. I ended up swimming with my brother and then using the hot tub afterward.
After that, I went back upstairs, hoping to catch some more action in the lobby. When I went downstairs, I found some more twins. This was Heather & Christina, identical twins from Charlotte, North Carolina and Cincinnati, Ohio. They were the same twins that I saw when I was swimming! They ended up talking to Karen & Sharon. They wanted to take Tess & Tabitha to the Bertram Inn (which I found out is still standing, as of this year). As fun as the Bertram Inn was in 2019, I was tired tonight. I had some other plans for tomorrow morning. A nice hearty breakfast at the Fresh Start Diner! I got a Life Water and went back up to my room.
Now tired, I put on my pajamas, brushed my teeth, and went to bed. This was a good first night to unwind. But Twins Days hasn’t even begun yet. Can’t wait for the festivities to begin tomorrow…
6:00 a.m. Friday morning. I spring out of bed at the sound of my 6:00 alarm. With Fresh Start Diner opening at 7 a.m., it was high time that I got ready.
It didn’t take too long. I got a shower and it was then time for some breakfast. Since my mom and dad wanted to go, I decided to wait a little longer. I got all my devotionals done and we all went in my car to the Fresh Start Diner.
Before we get to the Fresh Start Diner, let me provide you with my history with this place. For two different Twins Days Festivals, I have been trying to eat at this place, but was unsuccessful. At my first Twins Days Festival in 2019, I couldn’t go since I was supposed to meet my aunt, uncle, and cousins at the Cheesecake Factory. Last year, I couldn’t go since the Fresh Start Diner was CLOSED on Monday. That brings us to this year. Will the Fresh Start Diner be open? Is third time the charm?
Very excited, I drove my brother and parents there in my 2017 Toyota Camry. On the way there, something didn’t sound quite right.. I checked all of the my tire pressure on the digital display and the rear passenger side tire was reading 0! So, I finally get to eat at the Fresh Start Diner, and I get a flat tire as a result?
Very upset, I manage to take a few pictures of the place before entering with my brother and parents.
Upon entering, it seemed like a pretty simple diner. Old style style seats with a long counter. Or your standard booths if you prefer. Still distraught, I order my food. A coffee for the drink. The meal? A Leisy’s South of the Border Omelette with cinnamon toast and a side of potatoes.
While I’m sure that all the food that I ate was pretty good, it was hardly enjoyable for me at that point. The only thing that I could think of was how to fix my flat tire in Twinsburg, Ohio. Our waiter suggested that we take it to Goodyear to get it done. After doing some searching, I found a Discount Tire located in Macedonia, just 4.1 miles away. I wolfed down my breakfast and hurried outside to call Discount Tire to schedule an emergency appointment.
When I called them, I needed the earliest appointment possible. Registration for Twins Days begins at 2:00. They could get me in at 12:15. I had no other choice so I took the appointment. After my dad and brother finished breakfast, we proceeded to change the flat tire and put on the spare tire. To make a long story short, we got that done…at the expense of my red tank top getting all covered in tire grime.
I take my brother and parents back to the Hilton Garden Inn and change into a different shirt. A 2019 Twins Days Festival shirt (Home for the Holidays). My brother does the same so that we can match. I drive over to Discount Tire and my dad follows me in his 4Runner. We drop off the car and make our way back to the hotel. For some quick details, I bought new tires a year ago and had hazard protection on all four of them. This meant that they could replace the entire tire at no extra charge. The estimated time to complete it? 1:00 p.m.
We make a brief stop at GetGo so that I could get some waters for the weekend. I buy three 1 liter Aquafinas and one Twix bar. After that, I make my way back to the hotel and take some pictures. My mom tries to remove the tire stains from my red tank top by washing it and drying it.
At 12:31 p.m., I get a text from Discount Tire. My car was already done a half hour early! My tank top was also done, but still a little damp. My brother and I put our tank tops on and we pile into the 4Runner with our parents. Since the Friday events were closed to the public, mom and dad would explore Twinsburg and the parade route while my brother and I would go to Twinsburg High School for all the fun.
We get to Discount Tire in Macedonia and I pick up my car. I drive back to the hotel to get my stainless steel water bottle (remember that for later….). I check the digital display to make sure the new tire was displaying 35 instead of 0. It was.
After getting my water bottle and everything that I needed, my brother and I go to the high school. We cruise down Aurora road and approach the turn.
Unlike 2019, we did not miss the Twin Hills Highway. That took us to Ravenna Road. We turned left on Ravenna Road and then left on the Joshua T. Miktarian Memorial Parkway. We arrived at Twinsburg High School, only there was one problem. Like last year, we were super early. It was 1:32. Registration didn’t begin until 2:00! To kill time, me and my brother took another awesome selfie.
After that, I went with my twin to a line that was forming in front of the high school. A line of twins from all over the country and world. A line of twins all waiting to check in for registration. While we waited in line, I met some familiar twins that I met last year! This was Hrefna & Hrönn, identical twins from Hveragerði, Iceland. Next to them were Hafsteinn & Kristjen, identical twins from Hveragerði, Iceland. Here’s a shot of both of them!
After that, I met some more twins. I met Aislinn & Leah, identical twins from Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Another set that I met from last year! After that was Brittany & Brooklyn, fraternal twins from Eddyville, Iowa.
A few minutes later, they let everyone in a little late. It was after 2:00 when the doors opened. Learning that the pre-registration was at the auditorium this year (like last year), We all followed the line of twins that were headed there. I waited until registration before I met any more twins.
After registration, it was time to meet some more twins. I met Remington & Reagan, fraternal twins from Wilmington, Pennsylvania. I then met Conner & Cooper, identical twins from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
After that, we met the following twins:
Geneva & Lena, fraternal twins from Wooster, Ohio.
Isaac & Joseph, fraternal twins from Greensboro, North Carolina.
After that, I met a set of twins that made me star struck. This was Skylar & Spencer, identical twins from Chicago, Illinois.
When it comes to Twins Days Festivals, Skylar and Spencer don’t miss a single one. For this year alone, it will be their 29th consecutive convention! Even during COVID when Twins Days wasn’t held in person, this dedicated duo made their pilgrimage to Twinsburg to keep their streak of attendance unbroken. They are well known among the regulars that attend and they consider the annual congregation of twins meeting at the beginning of every August to be their family. After saying hi to Skylar and Spencer, my brother and I continued meeting more twins. We met the following sets of twins with my brother:
- Jerry & John, identical twins from Massillon, Ohio
- Nicole & Natalie, fraternal twins from Port Huron, Michigan
- Isabella & Austin, fraternal twins from Bowling Green, Ohio
- Micah & Mira, fraternal twins from Twinsburg, Ohio.
- Dawn & Denise, identical twins from Houston, Texas
- Missy & Mindy, fraternal twins from Terre Haute, Indiana
- Wesley & Sloan, fraternal twins from Sheffield, Ohio
After that set of twins, I met three more sets of twins with my twin before leaving Twinsburg High School:
Jessica & Miranda, identical twins from Charleston, North Carolina
Maura & Hannah, identical twins from Kenah, Texas and Marlene & Darlene, identical twins from Arlington, Virginia.
Why was I leaving Twinsburg High School so early? After all, it was only 3:15! This was because I had reservations for four, on the 4th, at 4:00! And my, is that a lot of 4’s…
My brother and I make it back to the Hilton Garden Inn, and we walk to our reservation with our parents. Well, my brother and I run to it so that we could make the 4:00 deadline.
Phew! Just made it!
Now, if you have read any of these entries in the past, let me review. The Blue Canyon is an upscale restaurant that I had reservations for. The restaurant was situated on a bluff, which overlooked the hotel.
We had a wonderful waiter that assisted us that night. His name was Michael, and he would be looking out for us. I wanted to order something similar to the Lobster Linguine from 2019, but they had the Lobster Cannelloni listed as a special instead. I ordered that with a bowl of Lobster Bisque.
The soup came first, of course.
After that was the delicious dish I was waiting for. The Lobster Cannelloni.
The lobster was pretty good. When it was gone, I shared dessert with my brother. A Chocolate Bomb. A layered chocolate dessert with filling, cake and covered in chocolate. A round, delicious chocolatey ball of goodness.
After the food was done, and 20 minutes of waiting, the scary part came. The bill. But that’s nothing that my Meijer Mastercard can’t handle, right?
When the bill was paid, I said goodbye to the restaurant with my brother and parents. Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern, you fed us well tonight. You will be missed.
After we left the Blue Canyon Grill & Tavern, it was time to head back to Twinsburg High School. Remember the water bottle that I mentioned earlier? When I left for the reservation, I seemed to have left it at the high school.
After getting back to the high school, the rest of the night turned into a full blown search for it. It was a Takeya 24 ounce stainless steel water bottle with an air tight rubber top. I searched high and low for it, but alas. I could not find the water bottle anywhere.
When I finally gave up my search for the water bottle, I managed to meet a few more twins. Meet Sunnie & Bonnie, identical twins from Los Angeles, California. They were dressed up as school girls and were a lot of fun to be around!
After that came Tom & Tim, identical twins from Munich, Germany. I joined them with Sunnie & Bonnie for another shot:
Ken & Kris were next. They are identical twins from Anaheim, California. One of them gushed about the 2022 blog that I posted. Here is another kodak moment with them! (With Sunnie & Bonnie, of course!)
It was now time to leave Twinsburg High School to get ready for Saturday. I met Taunasha & Jaunesh, fraternal twins from Hanover Park, Illinois before leaving:
After getting back to the Hilton Garden Inn, I did a costume rehearsal with my parents in my room. I found that notches needed to be added to all my belts for the costume to work. With my dad’s trusty knife, he added those notches and the costume was perfect.
I then went downstairs, hoping to met a few more twins. I met the following before calling it a night:
- Natalie & Michele, identical twins from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Mike & Chad, identical twins from Nashville, Tennessee
- Kendra & Brenda, identical twins from Greenville/Belding, Michigan
After meeting all the sets of twins, I went with my twin to Room 522. We brushed our teeth and got ready for bed. It was going to be a long and fun day for both of us tomorrow.
6:00 a.m. Saturday morning. I spring out of bed at the sound of my 6:00 alarm. Having done most of my routine last night, all that remained was my devotionals. I put on yesterday’s clothes, quickly grabbed my almonds and white chocolate raspberry quest bar, and went downstairs for a delicious breakfast buffet. I didn’t want to get my costume all messed up so I ate first. Time for the buffet!
At the buffet, I grabbed four strips of bacon, two sausage links, one pancake, a little bit of eggs, and a small bit of potatoes. There was no room for fruit, so I would get that on the second round. While I was eating breakfast, I met Natalie & Rebecca, identical twins from Troy, Ohio. As I was finishing, I met Esperanza & Susana, identical twins from Mesa, Arizona. I met them last year, but this time, they knew what kind of twin they were. They were identical. I managed to get a picture of them before I hurried up to my room to change into my costume for the day:
I hurried up to room 522 with my coffee that I got from breakfast. I added my Truvia packet and began to change into my costume. Who was I going to be this year? With this year’s theme being “Shiver Me TWINbers!”, I was going to be none other than Captain Jack Sparrow. This costume had a lot to put on, so I hurried, putting on all the layers. After I had the costume on, it was time to go downstairs. I grabbed my laptop bag filled with my essentials (this would serve as my pockets today, since my costume had no pockets!) and went downstairs with my brother. There were some other pirates downstairs, so we took some pictures with them.
My parents then got a shot with me and my brother. Splendid!
After the picture, it was time to board a bus for the Twins Days Double Take Parade. And not a moment too soon! It was already after 8:00 so we needed to get down there, and fast! My brother and I boarded the bus and we had the whole bus to ourselves. As we approached the the parade site, I heard “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi playing on the radio.
Minutes later, the shuttle dropped us off at the town square for the parade lineup. Now in this new port of call, I had a mission. Having already secured the Black Pearl, I now needed a crew to help serve on it. And with 34 sets of twins, I already had quite the crew! But the more, the merrier, right?
My brother and I walked around and we the following twins:
Gina & Tina, identical twins from San Francisco, California
Anthony & Elijah, fraternal twins from Hudson, Ohio, Riley & Emily, identical twins from Cincinnati, Ohio, and Pam & Barbie, identical twins from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In the middle of all that, I also met Kanna & Kara, identical twins from Twinsburg, Ohio. My brother and I then recruited three more pairs of twins to serve on the Black Pearl:
Emily & Erica, identical twins from Utica, New York
Aaron & Chris, identical twins from Los Angeles, California
Kathy & Karen, identical twins from Elmore/Norfolk, Ohio/Virginia (right)
So far, the recruitment was going great! With this much crew, I had enough for two ships! But the recruiting continued. My brother and I continued meeting some more twins. We met the following twins as the time inched nearer toward the Double Take Parade:
- Daniel & Sam, identical twins from San Antonio/Colcord, Texas/Oklahoma
- Mark & Eric, identical twins from Spring Green/Colorado Springs, Wisconsin/Colorado
- Kathy & Karyn, identical twins from Buffalo, New York
- Lorrina & Karla, identical twins from Kent, Ohio
- Lessa & Ivy, identical twins from Detroit, Michigan (Triplets, third one didn’t come)
- Eva & Johanna, identical twins from Howell, Michigan
I then met another set of twins. Sophia & Alexia, identical twins from Hocking Hills, Ohio.
After that, I found another Jack Sparrow! A third one? Where was the fourth one? Anyway, I gathered the information from the person who was guilty of being innocent of being Captain Jack Sparrow. This was Scott, and his brother was Jason. Both of them was from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. We found two women posing as giant bottles of Captain Morgan rum. One of them “poured” their contents onto the one who called himself “Captain Jack Sparrow”. This was the result:
Why is all the rum gone?
While I let that Jack Sparrow recover, I had to continue meeting some more twins. I met the following with my twin:
- Jody & Jenny, identical twins from Kansas City, Missouri
- Katie & Maddie, identical twins from Indianapolis, Indiana
- Morgan & Courtney, identical twins from Rochester, New York
- Adam & Zachary, identical twins from Asheville, North Carolina
- Paige & Bailey, identical twins from Grand Rapids, Michigan
After those twins (or new recruits for the Pearl), I met Rajvi & Rijul, identical twins from San Francisco, California, Michelle & Mindy, identical twins from Akron Ohio, and Alex & Ted, identical twins from East Rutherford, New Jersey. For posterity, I got another picture with them:
Following that, the recruitment continues! Check the new recruits (new twins I met) below, my mateys…
- Lauren & Megan, identical twins from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Brook & Beth, identical twins from Finger Lakes, New York
- Jane & Janet, identical twins from Ames, Iowa
- Avery & Elina, fraternal twins from Chardon, Ohio
- Claudia & Luzilie, identical twins from Lady Lake/Yeadon, Florida/Pennsylvania
At this point, the parade was about to start! I met Victoria & Claire, fraternal twins from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
I then met two more sets of twins after that. Tommy & Timmy, identical twins from Canton, Ohio and Jay & Neil, identical twins from Boston, Massachusetts.
I then met Ruby & Willow, identical twins from Rochester, New York. I got a picture with them next. Only two minutes left…
I then managed to meet five more sets of twins before the parade started. The twins that my brother and I met included the following:
- Nathan & Scott, identical twins from Moore, Oklahoma
- Matt & Chris, identical twins from Topeka, Kansas
- Laura & Rebecca, identical twins from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Margaret & Monica, identical twins from Columbus, Ohio
- Carolyn & Marilyn, fraternal twins from Hartford, Connecticut
With that, the parade was now officially underway. It was time to set sail! We followed directions and began our march behind the large ship float. I then got these shots as I walked down the parade route with my twin brother.
As I walked the parade route, I heard Daft Punk’s “One More Time”. But for Captain Jack Sparrow, this song needed the perfect parody. The solution? “One More Rum”, of course! In a merry tone, I sung “One More Rum”, and The Lonely Island’s “Jack Sparrow”.
One More Rum!
And a selfie with my First Mate, of course!
As we were continuing down the parade route, I saw what looked like two Wendy’s from Peter Pan. It turned out to be Shannon & Shelby, the identical twins from Lancaster, Pennsylvania that I met in 2019, and last year! While the parade was still moving, I managed to get a shot of them. And no, they can’t fly since they don’t have any pixie dust!
The parade started at 9:00 and lasted about 45 minutes (longer for all the other bystanders watching the entire parade). It was fun watching all the people on the street smile as we walked on by. We waved at all the onlookers and smiled, since the weather was a lot nicer. No rain this time!
When the parade was over, we marched into the Festival Grounds. But first, a group wanted to take a picture of us with a few twins. But, of course! Captain Jack Sparrow would be more than happy to do this! So this is how it turned out:
After the picture, my brother and I went right to the festival grounds. Since I had everything that I needed, no trip back to the car was necessary. My wristband wasn’t too tight, so no trip to the registration was necessary, either. I then entered the festival gates…
What was the first thing on the agenda? Before Twin Pops, I wanted to take care of the things that I didn’t do last year until the end of the festival:
1. Play with the mirror with my twin.
2. Put a pin on the U.S. map where I’m from and the world map at “Put a Pin on It!”
Number 1 was first. After waiting in line, my brother and I played did some different poses at the Twins Days mirror:
Number 2 was next: Put a Pin on It! I placed my pins and I was good to go!
Put a Pin on It! at a glance!
Number 3 was next: Twin Pops! My brother and I looked everywhere for the coolers but we couldn’t find any. My excitement was deflated when I found out that there wouldn’t be any Twin Pops this year. To this, I have a message for the committee: Bring back Twin Pops for next year! I know the company had some problems but I surely hope it’s worked out next year.
Twin Pops Circa 2022 – Hopefully, we’ll get them in 2024!
Maybe…next year?
My brother and I bought our 2023 souvenir shirts and my brother heard the breaking news from the information booth. He also heard that there wasn’t going to be any Fried Oreo’s, either. Since the amusement companies want longer bookings, two days is not long enough for them.
While we couldn’t get Twin Pops or Fried Oreo’s, we did have Sunnie and Bonnie! No longer schoolgirls, they were now dressed in their pirate garb now.
My brother and I then met our parents at the festival gate. With the festival having just started, there was plenty to see. We walked around and found the Captain Jack Sparrow copycat once again, but he was hanging out with fool’s gold!
Following that, I met some more twins and we watched some contests at the amphitheater. My brother and I participated in one, but like 2019, we didn’t make the cut. We did get white ribbons for participating!
After some contests, I met some more twins and we watched some talent shows. After a few numbers, I met some more twins. Since the beginning of the festival, here were all the twins that I met so far:
- Tara & Jordan, identical twins from Columbus, Ohio
- Karen & Cassy, identical twins from Cincinnati, Ohio
- Julia & Maria, identical twins from Los Angeles/New York, California/New York
- Hailey & Tiffany, fraternal twins from Whitehouse, Ohio
- Christie & Katie , identical twins from New York, New York
- Charlotte & Bridget, identical twins from Eatonville, Washington
- Alexis & Emma, identical twins from Houston, Texas
- Lexi & Laci, identical twins from Bullhead City, Arizona
- Marley & Coral, identical twins from Los Angeles, California
- Ronna & Donna, identical twins from Dallas, Texas
- John & Jack, identical twins from Las Vegas/Rockford, Nevada/Illinois
- Stephanie & Monica, identical twins from Seattle, Washington
- Denise & Deanne, identical twins from Buffalo/Toledo, New York/Ohio
- Asher & Rylan, identical twins from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Emmitt & Owen, fraternal twins from Geneva/Wilmington, Ohio
- Sarah & Bonnie, identical twins from Greensboro, North Carolina
- Garrett & Stefan, fraternal twins from Howell, Michigan
- Julie & Amy, identical twins from Rockford/Beloit, Illinois/Wisconsin
- Elva & Elsie, identical twins from Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Natalie & Nicole, identical twins from Wananchee, Washington
- Kevin & Ken, identical twins from Los Angeles, California
- Celeste & Cierra, fraternal twins from Gambier, Ohio
- Andrea & Laura, identical twins from Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Jo & Jackie, identical twins from Wilmington/Ocean City, Delaware/Maryland
- Lenore & Pauline, fraternal twins from Hudson, Ohio
- Assia & Daja, identical twins from Cleveland, Ohio
After meeting all those twins over the course of the late morning and afternoon, it was time to meet my 100th set of twins. Who were they? They were Hannah & Haley, identical twins from Buffalo New York! Erin & Kerry and Stephanie & Bridget, identical twins both from Chicago, Illinois were were all there, too so we all got a picture. This was the result:
Since my parents wanted to see a few more shows, I went with my brother to look for the Royal Court. From what I gathered from the information booth, they moved into the woods by the ampitheater.
Since it was between 1:30 and 2:30, we were within the time that we could see the Royal Court. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the 2023 Twins Days Royal Court!
First up is the king and queen. The kings for this year’s royal court are Rich & Dave, identical twins from East Brunswick and Hillsborough, New Jersey. The queens? Dana & Delanie, identical twins from Toledo, Ohio.
Next up are the prince and princesses, who are both fraternal twins this year! Max & Rose from North Ridgeville, Ohio are the first set of prince and princesses for this year. Grace & Noah from Middlebranch, Ohio are the second prince and princesses for this year.
And let’s not forget the grand marshals! The grand marshals for Twins Days 2023 are Hannah & Sarah, identical twins from Twinsburg, Ohio. Let’s give it up for our 2023 Royal Court!
After that, the plan was to head towards the beer garden with my brother and parents, but it was getting close to 3:00 by the time we did this. After all, we couldn’t miss “We’re Twins”, or Skylar and Spencer’s “You Got a Friend in Me”.
With a slight change of plans, I got to the football field where the picture was being taken and I met a BUNCH of twins. I was meeting them up until the appointed time to take the group picture: 3:30.
Meanwhile, my mom and dad were having a drink with another set of twins. This was Foster & Clark, first timers and identical twins from Columbia, South Carolina.
Back at the football field, the picture was being taken. Is everyone ready? You better be! They’re about to take it!
Everybody say cheese!
After the group picture, it was time to shed the Captain Jack Sparrow costume. We started getting pictures on the way out. I had to check the “Put a Pin on It!” before leaving. With it being almost 4:00 in the afternoon, how many pins do we have now?
With my last moments in the Captain Jack Sparrow costume, I had to take a few more pictures with my twin. We took another one in front of the Twins Days sign.
And let’s not forget the attendance! Just how many have registered so far?
2005?! Not bad for 4:00!
After getting some more pictures, we left the festival grounds and went back to the 4Runner. My parents drove back to the Hilton Garden Inn. I went to Room 522 and shed most of my Captain Jack Sparrow costume: the coat, the vest, the sash, the wig, the mustache, the belts, and the sword. All that remained were the shorts, the white shirt, the tricorn hat, and the boots.
With my reduced costume, I went back out with my brother and we drove back to Twinsburg High School. I paid the $5 in parking and we took a shuttle back out to the festival grounds.
My first mission was to have something that would serve as a replacement for the fried Oreos. The next best thing was a chocolate funnel cake. Before we get to that, I give you the Fried Oreos from last year!
Can you PLEASE bring these back in 2024?!
And now, the yummy (and not so exciting) chocolate funnelcake from this year!
(Psst! I’m pretending it’s a Fried Oreo!)
After I ate the funnelcake, I carefully washed my hands and then met some more twins, up to the point where it was time to leave to meet mom and dad at Sushi En for dinner. Since the Royal Court from earlier, I met the following twins this afternoon/evening:
- Aven & Jaren, identical twins from Parker, Pennsylvania
- Garrett & Michael, identical twins from San Jose, California
- Kim & Melissa, identical twins from Richmond, Kentucky
- Lorene & Lora identical twins from Chicago/Nashville, Illinois/Tennessee
- Jackie & Jenna, identical twins from West Palm Beach/Flint, Florida/Michigan
- Austin & Aaron, identical twins from Louisville, Kentucky
- Lukyan & Dante, identical twins from Middletown, Ohio
- Ashleigh & Brianna, identical twins from Streetsboro, Ohio
- Sarah & Emily, identical twins from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Courtney & Brittany, identical twins from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
- Brooke & Taylor, identical twins from Cleveland, Ohio
- Daniel & Samuel, identical twins from Houston, Texas
- Abi & Katelin, fraternal twins from North Bend, Ohio
- Ned & Fred, identical twins from Hollywood, South Carolina
- Cathy & Mandy, fraternal twins from Warren, Ohio
- Tyler & Cruz, identical twins from Twinsburg, Ohio
- Maryanne & Trish, identical twins from Melbourne, Australia
- Emily & Allison, identical twins from Buffalo, New York
- Alison & Margaret, identical twins from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Maggie & Dorrie, identical twins from Saratoga Springs, New York
- Kristin & Meagan, identical twins from Indianapolis, Indiana
- Katie & Liz, fraternal twins from Royal Oak, Michigan
- Sandra & Heather, identical twins from Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Michael & David, identical twins from Louisville, Kentucky
- Emma & Jessa, identical twins from Cleveland, Ohio
- Caitlyn & Jessica, identical twins from Cleveland, Ohio
- Isaiah, Kaiden, and Trevor, identical triplets from Lancaster, Ohio
- James & Oli, identical twins from London, England
- Auden & Everett, fraternal twins from Liberty, New York
- Grace & Carol, identical twins from Philadelphia/Manhattan, Pennsylvania/New York
- Harley & Markeith, fraternal twins from Akron, Ohio
- Matt & Mark, fraternal twins from Cleveland, Ohio
- Jason & Austin, identical twins from Tampa Bay, Florida
- Lauren & Emily, identical twins from Chicago, Illinois
- Alexandria & Alexis, identical twins from Louisville, Kentucky
- Bridget & Brooke, identical twins from Seattle, Washington
After meeting many twins, my brother spotted a set of quadruplets! Their names were Mina, Ally, Claire, and Lauren, half identical and half fraternal quadruplets from Pepper Pike, Ohio. Here’s a shot of the Fantastic Four!
After taking a picture of the quads, it was time to call it a day and have dinner with my parents. I left the festival grounds with my brother and we met them at the Hilton Garden Inn. I then drove them to Sushi En. When we got there, we got a table. We then sat down and ate. I split a shrimp and vegetable tempura with my brother.
After that, I had a Hot Mama roll and a Drunken Tiger roll. The food was amazing!
Hot Mama (left) and Drunken Tiger (right)
And let’s not forget dessert! They didn’t do a free dessert this year, but my brother and I wanted to get one anyway. We settled for the mochi ice cream. Two chocolate and two strawberry. That too was yummy.
After that, I took us all back to the Hilton Garden Inn. My parents retired to the room for the night. My brother and I on the other hand decided to get ready to go to the fireworks that would be at the festival grounds.
To kill some time, I met some more twins. I saw who I thought was Esperanza and Susana. Instead, it turned out to be Cassandra & Clarissa, identical twins from Billing, Montana. They were both wearing their Doodlebob shirts!
Me Hoy Minoy!
After that, it was time to go to the fireworks. There was only one problem. My brother couldn’t find his wallet! When this happened, I prayed that we would be able to find his wallet. I prayed that it would be in the car. When Ryan searched the room and then called Sushi En, I told him that I would check the car again.
I went out to the car, and carefully searched it. I then saw it! It was sitting tucked in the cubby on the front passenger door! I thanked God and called my brother from my car and told him that I found it. Minutes later, my brother came out and we were on our way to the fireworks.
We got to the high school around 8:40. We went to the festival grounds on a shuttle and met some more twins. I met Alexa & Cailey, fraternal twins from Mandiville, Louisiana and Alexandria & Selene, identical twins from Chicago, Illinois. After meeting those twins, I hurried to the vendors with my twin. We got a mini size cookies and cream Dippin’ Dots. After that, I saw some triplets! It was Hannah, Laurena, and Casey, fraternal triplets from Ashtabula, Ohio. Here is a shot of them, enjoying their Dippin’ Dots:
After talking to them, it was time to go to the Twinless Twins lantern lighting ceremony. 25 lanterns were lit, each representing a twin that is no longer with us (but will always be with their twin!) I teared up as I heard all the names read. The lanterns were all lit and would stay lit all night until they go out. Here is a shot of the lanterns.
Right after that, the firework show started immediately. It was put on by Meijer and the show was spectacular.
The fireworks show ran from 9:30 to 9:45. When the show was over, I walked the parkway back to the high school. With the firework show over, it’s now time to live it up at the Bertram Inn right?
Wrong! With there being a 5K to run in the morning, there was no way that I was going to head to party central when I had a race that I wanted to be rested up for with my twin.
We drove right back to the hotel and I called it a night. It was 10:00 when I got back. I managed to meet one more set of twins before I turned in for the night. I met Gianna & Dera, identical twins from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I then got ready for bed. The fourth day awaited us, starting with a 5K race tomorrow morning. Having that said, the recap is not done yet…
5:30 a.m. Sunday morning. I spring out of bed, waking up a half hour before my alarm. Fortunately, everything was done the night before. Except for my devotionals and the dream that I needed to record. I got ready for the race and ate my almonds, Fage Yogurt, Quest Bar, and Kind Bar. I put on my running clothes and did my devotionals. I then went down to breakfast and prepared a small plate of fruit. My brother did the same. I then saw Esperanza and Susana again. They too were running the 5K race (as the Tammy Twins, as I later found out). I wished them luck and left with my brother to go to the race.
There was, however, one problem as I went to the parking lot of the Hilton Garden Inn. I couldn’t find my car keys! I searched everywhere for them! I searched my room, and then I went down to the front desk. When I told them that I was missing keys to a Toyota Camry, they opened the drawer and handed me my keys! Phew!
Now with my keys, my brother and I went over to Dodge Intermediate School for the 5K race. With all the practices that I have been doing with my brother, I should be ready for this race. I saw Hrefna & Hrönn (pronounced Schefna & Trenn), the identical twins from Iceland also running the race. My brother and I were the team the Waterfaring Walkers. Hrefna & Hrönn were Fire and Ice.
Finally, the race began and I was off with my twin. Throughout the race, my pace was pretty good, since my brother was tracking it with his Strava app. We managed a 5:30-something as we started, which I knew was unsustainable. As the race continued, the pace was more familiar. A 7:50-something. That was more like it. Eventually, the pace evened out to a 8:30-something, and then an 8:40-something. This was the normal pace that we had. After the halfway point, I saw Hrönn passing both my brother and I. Moments later, Hrönn slowed down and my brother and I passed her. Ice was starting to melt. I started feeling sick towards the end of the race, but it wasn’t as bad as last year. It was cooler and we were getting onto the track. Only a quarter mile to go…
Then I crossed the finish line with my brother on the race track. I finished with a time of 26:15. For my age group, I placed 6th out of 8 and my brother placed 7th out of 8. I placed 61 out of 173 and my brother placed 62. My pace averaged 8:27 per mile, a 27 second improvement from last year. Upon finishing the race, I was doing my cool downs for a few minutes. Here are a few photos from the race.
Before the race!
After the race!
And let’s not forget the results!
With the race over, I got a group picture with all the other runners and saw the awards ceremony with my twin. That’s when I found out my competition for next year. For my age group, 3rd place was a Jordan. 2nd place was a Jordan. 1st place was a Jason. With that knowledge, I have two Jordans and one Jason to beat for next year. We then got one more group picture with everyone else that was wearing the 5K shirts for this year.
Before leaving, I got a picture with Hrefna & Hrönn and Hafsteinn & Kristjen. I found out that Hrönn also got 6th place for her age group. Hafsteinn got 3rd place with a time around 22 or 23 minutes. Kristjen finished a little after my brother and I with a time of 27 minutes. Here is a picture of them after the ceremony.
After that, it was time to clean up! I drove back to the Hilton Garden inn with my twin brother, cleaned up in the shower, and said goodbye to our parents, since they were checking out today. During that time, I met few more twins. I met the following in the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn:
- Lesline & Pauline, identical twins from Toledo, Ohio
- Claire & Greta, twins from Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Constantine & Max, identical twins from Stuttgart, Germany
- Paige & Charlotte, identical twins from Chardon, Ohio
After meeting the twins, it was time to say goodbye to my parents.
A set of twins (which will remain nameless) offered to take a picture of me with my brother and parents in front of the entrance of the hotel using my mom’s cell phone, my cell phone, and my brother’s cell phone.
After seeing my parents off, I wanted to back up to my room and clean things up. Having spent the entire weekend there, things were pretty messy. I also wanted to spend an hour working on the post you are currently reading right now. I didn’t really do anything with the content, but was processing all of the names.
After that hour was up, it was time to go back to the festival grounds. But first, we decided to have a nice lunch at Sheetz Made to Order (MTO).
Once at Sheetz, we entered and made our orders. At Sheetz, there’s something that you should know about their food when you order it. Whatever food you get, you have to say it in autotune. It’s just for fun! So, what did my brother and I get?
For starters, we wanted something that was already put together for the most part. We both got a Big Moooozzzzzz…We got that with Boom Boom sauce, guacamole, jalapeños, and bacon. What did we get with that? Some jalapeño popporzzzzzzz…(Mr. TalkBox, eat your heart out!) Why? Because we wanted to hack the Big Moz and make it a Big Poppa. Two jalapeño poppers instead of two mozzarella sticks right inside the burgery goodness.
But we’re not done. What to drink? A frozen caramel brownie mochaaaaaaa….of course! Sadly, they didn’t have the frozen hot chocolate, so this was the next best thing. This delicious drink was made with Peruvian coffee beans, and it was good! Need proof? These pictures speak for themselves…in autotune, of course!
It likes it when I call it “Big Poppa”!
And some Caramel Brownie mocha goodness!
While I was waiting for my food, I bought another bottle of water. While I was waiting in line at the register, I saw a bearded man buying a couple cans of Campbell’s soup. The man looked intrigued at the sight of me and my brother and introduced himself as “Georgie”, a manchild that told me that he was like Peter Pan. He was very friendly and he wanted a picture, only his flip phone had a dead battery. After talking to “Georgie”, he left and I got my order.
After the food was eaten, with one-third of the drink consumed, it was time to head to the festival grounds. To my surprise, the high school was available for parking this year! I paid the $5 in parking and parked at a spot at the very end, since someone was just taking off. Perfect timing!
We took the shuttle down the Officer Joshua T. Miktarian Memorial Parkway to the festival grounds. Once there, it was time to meet some more twins. I met Jenna & Jessi, identical twins from Cleveland, Ohio. We all had our sunglasses, so a picture was needed. Here’s how it turned out!
After that, I met Julian & Manuel, identical twins from Weinfeiden, Switzerland.
After that, I saw Spongebob with his buddy Patrick! Actually, Spongebob and Patrick ATE a pair of twins! Their names? Maddy & Naomi, identical twins from Buffalo, New York. Poor ladies! I’ll see if I can get them out, but here’s a picture of the twin-eating monsters…
Spit them out!
After Spongebob and Patrick spit Maddy and Naomi out, I captured them and sent them to Shell City to teach them a lesson. That will teach you to mess with twins at the Twins Days Festival!
After that misadventure with a sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea, my brother and I wanted to get our $45 from the research booth. We took a survey and answered all the questions. All we got was a 20 ounce bottle of Cetaphil skin lotion!
With it approaching the time for the Sunday group picture, I noticed two other sets of twins. near the research tent. The first one was Autumn & Rachel Read, identical twins from Fort Wayne, Indiana. They own an Instagram account called thereadtwins with over 75,000 followers. So if you haven’t already, follow @thereadtwins on Instagram, and enjoy this picture that I got with them!
Following that was Dana & Grace, identical twins from Cleveland, Ohio. They seem to know the Read Twins too, so we got a picture with them as well!
After that, it was time for the line up for the Sunday group picture at 3:30. There was no “darn rain” this time, so it looks like we’ll get a nice shot. I met all these twins before the picture at 3:30:
- Amelia & Madison, identical twins from Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Mallory & Maddie, identical twins from Bellevue, Ohio
- Emily & Makayla, fraternal twins from Augusta, Maine
- Sarah & Tina, identical twins from Toledo, Ohio
- Grace & Sophia, identical twins from Huron, Ohio
- Hope & Faith, identical twins from Nashville, Tennessee
- Terra & Karrah, twins from Prescott, Arizona
Before the Sunday group picture was taken, a couple of fun things happened. While I was standing in the line up next to Skylar and Spencer, I overheard a set of twins talking about Breath of the Wild. Anyway, I started talking to them about The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. One of them then goes on to tell me about his favorite way to torture a korok: Use three flame emitters. Poor koroks! I wouldn’t ever imagine torturing those poor things! I mean, would you torture a cute little forest creature like this?
Don’t hurt me!
Anyway, I had a fun conversation with that twin about Tears of the Kingdom. Now for the second fun thing that happened. Sunnie and Bonnie were here again! This time as Mario and Luigi! While they don’t play the video games, they did see the movie. Here’s another shot of the LA fun girls!
MAMMA MIA!
After that, it was time to take the picture. Is everyone ready?
No “darn rain” this time!
Right after the picture, I found out the names of the twins in the cherry-pickers that took the picture every year. They were none other than John & Charles, identical twins from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Shortly after that, I met Keisha & Erika, identical twins from Providence, Rhode Island. I met them in 2022 so it was nice to see them again!
About 15 minutes after the picture, I met Kelsey & Riley, fraternal twins from Atlanta, Georgia. Here’s a picture of them!
I talked with Kelsey for while, and it was a fun conversation. They lived in a smaller community that was out of the hustle and bustle of Atlanta, so I could relate to that. It’s good to live in a small town, but close enough to drive to a city.
I then talked to Kelsey & Courtney, identical twins from South Bend, Indiana. And from their shirts, they were die hard Twilight fans. I took a picture of them and Isaac & Enoc, identical twins from Warner Robbins, Georgia (Kelsey & Riley also joined in):
After that, it was time to get our twin pins. But before we could, it started raining really hard. Despite the rain, my brother and I were still able to get our twin pins.
When the rain stopped, My brother and I got some food at the vendors. We decided on a gyro. After we ate the gyro, we got a mega sized Blueberry ICE-E Dippin’ Dots. We took that to the entertainment tent and ate it there.
After the Dippin’ Dots, my brother and I got a picture in front of the 2023 sign. Here is how it turned out.
After that, I walked around and met some more twins. I saw a cute set of twins that were fraternal. They were the same age as my niece (four) so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Their names were Elliot & Maya from Twinsburg, Ohio.
After that, I met another set of twins that looked like woodland animals. Their names were Glen “eddy” & Lynn “marty”, identical twins from Oakley, Illinois.
After that, I met Leyna & Klaira, identical twins from Dansville, Michigan. I couldn’t pass up a picture from a fellow Michigander, so I got their picture in front of the 2023 sign:
And let’s check that attendance again, shall we?
A little behind last year!
After that, I decided to meet a few more twins. As the festival was winding down, I met the following twins with my twin:
- Rachel & Matthew, fraternal twins from Twinsburg, Ohio
- Elijah & Aiden, identical twins from Lorain, Ohio
- Filipp & Krill, identical twins from Siberia, Russia (They have a YouTube Channel called TwinsFromRussia)
- Natalie & Nicole, fraternal twins from Champion, Ohio
After that, we were nearing the end of the festival, so I decided to go to one more contest. My brother and I went to the amphitheater, and that’s when I heard the names “Etienne & Enya” announced. So they were here after all! I wouldn’t know since they probably stayed at a different hotel this time!
I hurried to the amphitheater and sat down. Etienne and Enya got first place in the least look alike contest. To recap from last year, Etienne and Enya are kind of regulars when it comes to attending Twins Days Festivals. By kind of, I mean that the father has been taking them to these events every year since they were babies. With them being adults now, it’s now just a fun reunion with their father every year. Etienne & Enya are identical twins from Corona, California and Orlando, Florida. Etienne & Enya have participated in a few contests over the years and have won the “look alike” contest before (including this year!). Both have gotten similar jobs. Etienne works at Universal and Enya works at Disney. This year, Etienne and Enya will be 29, and it’s their 29th Twins Days Festival! Here is a picture that I got with them.
Congrats for the Least Look Alike!
After the contests, the Twins Days Festival was pretty much starting to wind down. As my brother and I were leaving the festival grounds, I managed to meet one more set of twins. Ryder & Xander, identical twins from East Liverpool, Ohio.
So does that mean we’re going to go bowling now? Not at all! My brother and I were tired from the long day, so we caught a shuttle that took us back down the Officer Joshua T. Miktarian Memorial Parkway, back to Twinsburg High School.
My brother and I got in my Toyota Camry, conveniently parked on the end and left the high school. It was a fun Twins Days Festival. I turned onto Ravenna Road and followed it to the Twin Hills Parkway. We turned onto the Twin Hills Parkway and followed it all the way to East Aurora Road. Finally, we turned onto Wilcox Drive and pulled into the parking lot of the Hilton Garden Inn. There was nothing else left for my brother and I to do than just relax.
We entered the hotel and went back up to the fifth floor. We entered 522 and lightened our load. It was time for another swim. We got our suits on and went down to the pool.
This time, there was just a family down there. No twins. Just a younger sister with two older brothers. And a young dad carefully supervising the kids at the hot tub.
I didn’t want to be rude, so I carefully waited for my turn at the hot tub. When the little sister and older brothers left the hot tub, my brother and I entered it. We enjoyed the 103 degree water, while the jets pumped fresh bubbles into the heavily chlorinated water. After a short while, we left the hot tub.
After we went back up to the room, I spent the remainder of the evening working on the entry that you are currently reading. Most of it was typing all the remaining names at the end of this post. I stopped at almost 11:00, since I didn’t want to stay up too late. I had to safely get back home.
Having worked on this entry in the lobby, I went back up to Room 522 and turned in for the night. All the festivities were over, and all that remained was the trip home. I took a shower and then plopped right into bed to rest myself for the trip home…
6:00 a.m. We didn’t sleep in this time. I wanted to get everything to the car and work on the entry for a little bit longer. I got up, and ordered a Takeya Stainless Steel Graphite colored Water Bottle on Amazon, trying their FREE same-day delivery. I then had my almonds, yogurt, quest bar, and coffee, and we both packed up our bags and got ready to leave the hotel. I met no new twins this time.
After I got everything out to the car, I continued to work on the entry that you are reading right now. In the middle of this, I saw Esperanza and Susana checking out, wearing their Spongebob shirts. I never saw their costume and they they never saw my Jack Sparrow one. So, we traded pictures and I saw one of them at the parade. Since they had a flight to catch at 11:00, I bid them farewell.
At around 10:00, I wrapped things up and my brother and I checked out of the Hilton Garden Inn. It was now officially time to leave Twinsburg. We left the Hilton Garden Inn at 10:10 a.m.
But not without refueling my tank of gas first. We took our car to none other than the Sheetz gas station and filled up the tank.
Since the Fresh Start Diner was closed, we had Sheetz for breakfast instead. I couldn’t get a Walker Breakfast Rangerrrrrr this year, so my brother and I settled for something different. Remember: this is Sheetz Made to Order (MTO), so all food that you order needs to be said in autotune! I got a sausage, egg, and cheese, breakfast burrrrito….and some Hashbrownzzzzzzzz and ranch dressingggggg… Here’s a nice shot of that food in autotune:
Right before I left Sheetz, I saw someone wearing a Twins Days shirt! It turned out to be one last twin! This twin was half of what made up Richard & Robert, identical twins from Owensboro, Kentucky.
After saying goodbye to the last twin, it was time to say goodbye to Twinsburg. Enjoy these pictures from last year as we all say a sad goodbye to Twinsburg for 2023.
Over the course of this trip, there was definitely some highs and lows. There were even things that were lost. But this is what I learned. Sometimes, we have to lose things that are important to us. It is only through that where we end up finding what is the most important. I lost a water bottle and almost lost my car keys. My brother almost lost his wallet. But we all lost ourselves in Twinsburg this weekend. And what did we find? Each other. One of the largest family of twins that you will ever find in the world. Our annual home, right here in northeastern Ohio. And now, as we all say goodbye to Twinsburg together, I give you the list of all the wonderful twins that I have met over the course of the weekend (also Jack Sparrow’s crew for the Black Pearl). Here is the list of 181 twins (and the one that my parents met):
Captain Jack Sparrow’s Crew for the Black Pearl
Thursday, August 3, 2023
- Tess & Tabitha – Austin, TX
- Karen & Sharon – Cincinnati, OH
- Sara & Anna – Duluth, MN
- Donald & Ronald – Baltimore, MD (Met in 2019)
- Lorraine & Loretta – Pittsburgh, PA
- Heather & Christina – Charlotte/Cincinnati, NC/OH
Friday, August 4, 2023
7. Hrefna & Hrönn – Hveragerði, Iceland
8. Hafsteinn & Kristjen – Hveragerði, Iceland
9. Aislinn & Leah – Dartmouth, MA
10. Brittany & Brooklyn – Eddyville, IA
11. Remington & Reagan – Wilmington – PA
12. Connor & Cooper – Green Bay, WI
13. Geneva & Lena – Wooster, OH
14. Isaac & Joseph – Greensboro, NC
15. Skylar & Spencer – Chicago, IL
16. Jerry & John – Massillon, OH
17. Nicole & Natalie – Port Huron, MI
18. Isabella & Austin – Bowling Green, OH
19. Micah & Mira – Twinsburg, OH
20. Dawn & Denise – Houston, TX
21. Missy & Mindy – Terre Haute, IN
22. Wesley & Sloan – Sheffield, OH
23. Jessica & Miranda – Charleston, NC
24. Maura & Hannah – Kenah, TX
25. Marlene & Darlene – Arlington, VA
26. Sunnie & Bonnie – Los Angeles, CA
27. Tom & Tim – Munich, Germany
28. Ken & Kris – Anaheim, CA
29. Taunasha & Jaunesh – Hanover Park, IL
30. Natalie & Michele – Pittsburgh, PA
31. Mike & Chad – Nashville, TN
32. Kendra & Brenda – Greenville/Belding, MI
Saturday, August 5, 2022
33. Natalie & Rebecca – Troy, OH
34. Esperanza & Susana – Mesa, AZ (Met in 2022)
35. Gina & Tina – San Francisco, CA
36. Anthony & Elijah – Hudson, OH
37. Riley & Emily – Cincinnati, OH
38. Pam & Barbie – Minneapolis, MN
39. Kanna & Kara – Twinsburg, OH
40. Emily & Erica – Utica, NY
41. Aaron & Chris – Los Angeles, CA
42. Kathy & Karen – Elmore/Norfolk, OH/VA
43. Daniel & Sam -San Antonio/Colcord, TX/OK
44. Mark & Eric – Spring Green/Colorado Springs, WI/CO
45. Kathy & Karyn – Buffalo, NY
46. Lorrina & Karla – Kent, OH
47. Lessa & Ivy – Detroit, MI (Triplets, third one didn’t come)
48. Eva & Johanna – Howell, MI
49. Sophie & Aleria – Hocking Hills, OH
50. Jason & Scott – Cuyahoga Falls, OH
51. Jody & Jenny – Kansas City, MO
52. Katie & Maddie – Indianapolis, IN
53. Morgan & Courtney – Rochester, NY
54. Adam & Zachary – Asheville, NC
55. Paige & Bailey – Grand Rapids, MI
56. Rajivi & Rijul – San Francisco, CA
57. Michelle & Mindy – Akron, OH
58. Alex & Ted – East Rutherford, NJ
59. Lauren & Megan – Milwaukee, WI
60. Brook & Beth – Finger Lakes, NY
61. Jane & Janet – Ames, IA
62. Avery & Elina – Chardon, OH
63. Claudia & Luzilie – Lady Lake/Yeadon, FL/PA
64. Victoria & Claire – Pittsburgh, PA
65. Tommy & Timmy – Canton, OH
66. Jay & Neil – Boston, MA
67. Ruby & Willow – Rochester, NY
68. Nathan & Scott – Moore, OK
69. Matt & Chris – Topeka, KS
70. Laura & Rebecca – Pittsburgh, PA
71. Margaret & Monica – Columbus, OH
72. Carolyn & Marilyn – Hartford, CT
73. Shannon & Shelby – Lancaster, PA (Met in 2019 and 2022)
74. Tara & Jordan – Columbus, OH
75. Karen & Cassy – Cincinnati, OH
76. Julia & Maria – Los Angeles/New York, CA/NY
77. Hailey & Tiffany – Whitehouse, OH
78. Christie & Katie – New York, NY
79. Charlotte & Bridget – Eatonville, WA
80. Alexis & Emma – Houston, TX
81. Lexi & Laci – Bullhead City, AZ
82. Marley & Coral – Los Angeles, CA
83. Ronna & Donna – Dallas, TX
84. John & Jack – Las Vegas/Rockford, NV/IL
85. Stephanie & Monica – Seattle, WA
86. Denise & Deanne – Buffalo/Toledo, NY/OH
87. Asher & Rylan – Milwaukee, WI
88. Emmitt & Owen – Geneva/Wilmington, OH
89. Sarah & Bonnie – Greensboro, NC
90. Garrett & Stefan – Howell, MI
91. Julie & Amy – Rockford/Beloit, IL/WI
92. Elva & Elsie – Lancaster, PA
93. Natalie & Nicole – Wananchee, WA
94. Kevin & Ken – Los Angeles, CA
95. Celeste & Cierra – Gambier, OH
96. Andrea & Laura – Windsor, Ontario, Canada
97. Jo & Jackie – Wilmington/Ocean City, DE/MD
98. Lenore & Pauline – Hudson, OH
99. Assia & Daja – Cleveland, OH
100. Hannah & Haley – Buffalo, NY
101. Erin & Kerry – Chicago, IL
102. Stephanie & Bridget – Chicago, IL
103. Rich & Dave – East Brunswick/Hillsborough, NJ
104. Dana & Delanie – Toledo, OH
105. Max & Rose – North Ridgeville, OH
106. Grace & Noah – Middlebranch, OH
107. Hannah & Sarah – Twinsburg, OH
108. Aven & Jaren – Parker, PA
109. Garrett & Michael – San Jose, CA
110. Kim & Melissa – Richmond, KY
111. Lorene & Lora – Chicago/Nashville, IL/TN
112. Jackie & Jenna – West Palm Beach/Flint, FL/MI
113. Austin & Aaron – Louisville, KY
114. Lukyan & Dante – Middletown, OH
115. Ashleigh & Brianna – Streetsboro, OH
116. Sarah & Emily – Pittsburgh, PA
117. Courtney & Brittany – Mechanicsburg, PA
118. Brooke & Taylor – Cleveland, OH
119. Daniel & Samuel – Houston, TX
120. Abi & Katelin – North Bend, OH
121. Ned & Fred – Hollywood, SC
122. Cathy & Mandy – Warren, OH
123. Tyler & Cruz – Twinsburg, OH
124. Maryanne & Trish – Melbourne, Australia
125. Emily & Allison – Buffalo, NY
126. Alison & Margaret – Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
127. Maggie & Dorrie – Saratoga Springs, NY
128. Kristin & Meagan – Indianapolis, IN
129. Katie & Liz – Royal Oak, MI
130. Sandra & Heather – Scranton, PA
131. Michael & David – Louisville, KY
132. Emma & Jessa – Cleveland, OH
133. Caitlyn & Jessica – Cleveland, OH
134. Isaiah, Kaiden, and Trevor – Lancaster, OH
135. James & Oli – London, England
136. Auden & Everett – Liberty, NY
137. Grace & Carol – Philadelphia/Manhattan, PA/NY
138. Harley & Markeith – Akron, OH
139. Matt & Mark – Cleveland, OH
140. Jason & Austin – Tampa Bay, FL
141. Lauren & Emily – Chicago, IL
142. Alexandria & Alexis – Louisville, KY
143. Bridget & Brooke – Seattle, WA
144. Mina, Ally, Claire, and Lauren – Pepper Pike, OH
145. Sheila & Lauren – Cincinnati, OH
146. Cassandra & Clarissa – Billings, MT
147. Alexa & Cailey – Mandiville, LA
148. Alexandria & Selene – Chicago, IL
149. Hannah, Laurena, and Casey – Ashtabula, OH
150. Gianna & Dera – Pittsburgh, PA
Saturday, August 5, 2022 (Mom and Dad)
- Foster & Clark – Columbia, SC
Sunday, August 6, 2022
151. Lesline & Pauline – Toledo, OH
152. Claire & Greta – Fort Wayne, IN
153. Constantine & Max – Stuttgart, Germany
154. Paige & Charlotte – Chardon, OH
155. Jenna & Jessi – Cleveland, OH
156. Julian & Manuel – Weinfelden, Switzerland
157. Maddy & Naomi – Buffalo, NY
158. Autumn & Rachel – Augusta, ME
159. Dana & Grace – Cleveland, OH
160. Amelia & Madison – Fort Wayne, IN
161. Mallory & Maddie – Bellevue, OH
162. Emily & Makayla – Augusta, ME
163. Sarah & Tina – Toledo, OH
164. Grace & Sophia – Huron, OH
165. Hope & Faith – Nashville, TN
166. Terra & Karrah – Prescott, AZ
167. John & Charles – Minneapolis, MN
168. Keisha & Erika – Providence, RI (Met in 2022)
169. Kelsey & Riley – Atlanta, GA
170. Kelsey & Courtney – South Bend, IN
171. Isaac & Enoc – Warner Robbins, GA
172. Elliot & Maya – Twingburg, OH
173. Glen & Lynn – Oakley, IL
174. Leyna & Klaira – Dansville, MI
175. Rachel & Matthew – Twinsburg, OH
176. Elijah & Aiden – Lorain, OH
177. Filipp & Krill – Siberia, Russia
178. Natalie & Nicole – Champion, OH
179. Etienne & Enya – Corona/Orlando, CA/FL
180. Ryder & Xander – East Liverpool, OH
Monday, August 7, 2022
181. Richard & Robert – Owensboro, KY
After twin 181, we left Sheetz. It was now time to have cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory with grandma and Aunt Kari. This would be at the Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi. We left Twinsburg around 10:51. I took the same way back. I went down I-480 and I-80 on the Turnpike. I paid $7.25 after leaving the turnpike to go on I-280 North. After driving into Michigan, it was a little cloudy. It was official. We were back in Michigan.
We continued into Monroe County on I-75 North. Eventually, we passed through Wayne County and got onto I-696 West. Unlike 2019 and 2022, we actually took the right way! We kept left at the fork, in the right lane of two lanes that took us onto M-5. From there, we followed it to the exit for 12 Mile Road. We then followed 12 Mile Road all the way to Twelve Oaks Mall and eventually found a parking space. We got out and entered the Cheesecake Factory, and met grandma and Aunt Kari there. Even though it was a Monday, there was a half hour wait, so I used the bathroom and then talked to my aunt and grandma about the trip. I shared with them my favorite part of the festival, which was the Double Take Parade, and shared my favorite pictures. What did I get? Well, after studying the only menu in the world that’s still a little bit like a novel, I found what I was looking for. I was hungry so I helped myself to some Fried Mac and Cheese and some Tex Mex Egg Rolls, since the Spicy Tuna wasn’t available.
I then looked at the novel…I mean, menu. With 34 different cheesecakes, which two will I eat?
Fortunately, I already had in mind what I wanted. I decided on the Godiva Cheesecake and to be different this year, I got the Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake.
Eventually, the appetizers came, and my do they look good!
Some fried mac goodness!
And some Tex Mex food that’s on a roll!
While I waited for my food, I reflected on the Twins Days Festival with my grandma and aunt. All in all, it was a fun trip to Twinburg.
After eating the appetizers, we reflected on our trip some more while they prepared the cheesecakes. When they arrived, they were enormous. Just look at them!
Lady Godiva!
And a delicious Chocolate Mousse!
Now this was a tough battle. If you were here for 2019, you should know this by now. Whenever you’re faced up against two slices of multi-layered cheesecake, the cheesecake is going to win every time. EXCEPT for this year. Having eaten no bread like I did in 2019, I was prepared. Despite the richness of the Godiva chocolate, I took small and careful bites. I drank water to dilute the sweetness. And in the end, I conquered the Godiva Cheesecake! In the battle of Man versus Cheesecake, Man won this time! For next year, I will pick two totally different cheesecakes. What will I pick? Find out in 2024!
After having our cheesecake and getting my take home one packaged by my grandma, it was time to head home. Since my grandma was going home with my brother and I, my aunt carefully packed everything that my grandma brought into the trunk of my car like a jigsaw puzzle. After everything was packed and my grandma was situated, it was time to head home. I took I-96 West toward Brighton, where US-23 North merges. With that, I merged onto Brighton and continued north, through Linden and Fenton. After that, I drove through Flint.
There is not much more to say here, besides navigating familiar territory. Vienna Township, Birch Run, Buena Vista Township, Zilwaukee Bridge, Exit 162B to get onto US-10 West. Very straightforward. I also made a detour in Midland to drop grandma off. Besides that, it was a very straightforward trip home.
And with that, I have given you every memory that I could think of from one of the most memorable trips that I’ve been on. You’ve relived it with me and the trip is over. If you want to relive it again, go ahead. Scroll all the way up to the top and re-read this entire recap. It’s really one of those trips that’s worth reliving, and if I could do that, I would totally relive it. But the best that I can do is capture time, put it into words, and let the words create a wonderful picture. A picture of a wonderful land full of twins for just one weekend. A land where every twin gets to be an honorary Twinsburg citizen for the weekend. This land was truly special and totally unique and it’s something that I don’t ever want to forget. I’m glad that I shared it with you and I hope to share a different version of this picture with you next year, because it’s something that I will truly never forget.
With the recap over, it is time to eat. Farewell everyone!
Today’s high is going to be 86 degrees and the silver lining is getting this recap done.
To those of you who like retelling stories about your trips, I hope that you all have a fantastic day.
Muse: *yawn* That was fun…My twin had to go home. I’m going to miss her…
