Though the daylight is shortening and the kids are back in school, there’s still time to enjoy Ohio festivals before winter sets in.
Around Ohio
Poppin’ Fresh
This year’s Marion Popcorn Festival, Sept. 5-7, has an extra “pop” to it with a music line-up featuring the Village People and Jo Dee Messina. This is the largest popcorn festival in the world, attracting crowds of more than 250,000 people to take part in festival fun and such associated activities as a charity 5K and a golf outing.
Big Twists
The pretzel is among Germany’s contributions to global cuisine, so it’s only fitting that pretzels be the theme of Germantown’s annual festival. The 34-year-old Germantown Pretzel Festival, set for Sept. 28-29, also features palate cleansers such as unique crafts and live entertainment.
Sweet and Sauer
The Ohio Sauerkraut Festival in Waynesville hosts more 450 vendors, with products ranging from sauerkraut pizza to sauerkraut fudge. The 43-year-old festival is a Midwest staple and will be hosted Oct. 12-13.
For the Love of Pumpkins
The annual Circleville Pumpkin Show will showcase multiple pumpkin contests, arts and crafts, a flower show, live concerts, amusement rides and more for all ages from Oct. 16-19. And that’s not to mention the food; vendors find ways to incorporate pumpkin into all sorts of recipes, from cream puffs and milkshakes to pizza and sloppy joes.
Around Columbus
Feel the Heat
The Hot Times Community Music and Arts Festival brings its usual flair and flash back to Main Street and Parsons Avenue, just east of downtown Columbus, Sept. 6-8. Visual performers, nationally and locally known musicians and the largest gathering of art cars in central Ohio will be showcased.
Just Talkin’ ’Bout Craft
More than 150 vendors will converge on Uptown Marysville for the Festifair Arts & Crafts Festival, slated for Sept. 7. Uptown streets will close for the 33rd annual festival, which also features a variety of food vendors.
Fall Fair
The 163-year-old Fairfield County Fair brings two country music stars, Casey James and the Henningsens, to kick off Ohio’s last county fair of the year, set for Oct. 6-12. In addition to the concerts, there are truck pulls and rodeos at the county fairgrounds in Lancaster.
Fall in Love with Fall
Whether it’s arts and crafts shows, storytelling, pumpkin painting, folk music or local nourishment, there’s something for almost any audience at the Worthington Fall Festival on Oct. 12. The eighth annual festival will be held on the Worthington Village Green.
David Allen is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
