The Pawpaw Festival to return with beer, food, entertainment and more.
For Athens natives, the buckeye is not the symbol for Ohio that comes to mind.
As southeastern Ohioans know, the pawpaw is at the heart of the region’s native plants, and to celebrate, the 17th Annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival will be back at Lake Snowden this weekend.
Along with the festival comes more beer, food, entertainment and educational opportunities than ever before. The pawpaw, a tropical indigenous tree fruit, tastes like a mixture of a banana and a mango, allowing for the creation of many diverse foods and drinks.
The festival begins Friday and will end Sunday afternoon. Various tents will be set up from vendors all over the state along with activities for children and adults.
Chris Chmiel, the Athens County commissioner and creator of the festival, is excited for this year’s festivities.
“We think we may have the biggest festival with the most beers focused on a single ingredient in the country,” Chmiel said.
There will be 11 microbreweries from around Ohio boasting their best pawpaw brews and countless food vendors at the festival. Staples like pawpaw ice cream and baked goods will also return this year.
Alex Rosen, a senior studying English, said he goes back to the festival every year because it’s the only place he can eat pawpaw fruit.
Rosen said he only eats the fruit and has never expanded beyond other baked goods, beer or ice cream.
There will be live music and performances throughout the weekend. Performers include Carlos Jones and the PLUS Band, The Ark Band, MojoFlo and many others. Festival traditions like the pawpaw eating contest and cook-off will also occur.
This year, the festival is emphasizing sustainability, conservation and Native American culture in Ohio. The UpGrade Athens Energy Village will educate attendees about the goal for clean energy in Athens and how they can participate. The Pollinator/Butterfly tent is a new segment for the weekend highlighting the importance of pollinators and the effect humans have on their populations.
“I have never been to the Pawpaw Festival before,” said Sarah Vaughn, a sophomore studying integrated social studies education. “I’m curious, and I want to experience what Athens and the town has to offer.”
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Even the logo this year, the Zebra Swallowtail, highlights conservation efforts and the ecological nature of the festival. The only food of the swallowtail is the young foliage of the pawpaw tree, according to the pawpaw festival website.
One of the keynote speakers this year is David Wilhelm, an Ohio University graduate and international energy expert. He will speak about the economic benefits of efficient energy through local generation projects and distribution of those strategies. Also, Gary Paul Nabhan, a celebrated nature writer, activist and conservationist will speak about farming and local food.
“We want to have fun, educate people and eat pawpaws,” Chmiel said.
Chmiel said his favorite part of the festival is the “fire walk,” a time at the end of the festivities on Saturday when he and his friends walk from fire to fire throughout the campgrounds.
Vendors, campers and tourists alike all congregate at Lake Snowden to celebrate the beauty of Ohio and the mysterious fruit.
“It’s really just an educational party,” Chmiel said.
Tickets are $15 for a one-day pass and $30 for all three days. Transportation will be available from Baker Center throughout the weekend.
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