Pawpaw Festival celebrates fruit, culture

By Gretchen Keen, Assistant Behind the Scenes Editor

September 25, 2007 | 12:12 p.m.

Maybe you’ve never heard of the pawpaw, but in Albany, Ohio, this little fruit is reason for a big celebration.

An oblong fruit with a thick skin and creamy texture, the pawpaw’s taste can be described as a sweet combination of bananas and mangoes. Many pawpaws grow in Appalachian Ohio, where locals hold a yearly gala in its name.

The annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival in Albany, Ohio, (located about ten minutes outside of Athens), has praised the pawpaw for nine years. The festival exists on the grassy fields by the banks of Lake Snowden and offers a refreshingly earthy change from the bustling bar scene of uptown Athens. Area businesses and organizations gather to celebrate not only the pawpaw but also the local culture.

Upon entering the festival, banjoes and folk music ring out from acts like the Rabbit Hash String Band and J.D. Hutchison. If it just feels right to listen with a drink in hand, look no further than the Pawpaw Beer Garden, where the Marietta Brewing Company’s Pawpaw Wheat beer always comes out of the tap cold, strong and faintly fruity.

Down the gravel road from the music stage and beer garden are pawpaws and their products, waiting to be taste tested by curious newcomers and dedicated veterans. This festival is anything but a corny carnival: Vendors dress in flowing paisley dresses and self-dyed T-shirts, and some even camp on-site after the festival.

Don’t fret if you aren’t sporting dreadlocks and bare feet. The Pawpaw Festival sees just about everyone -- college students, toddlers, hippies, senior citizens -- all looking for some pawpaw products and a good time. The vendors are happy to talk off any ear while customers sample their jam, pastries, popsicles, lip balm and body lotion. If you get a little pawpawed-out, look for the jewelry, clothing and food booths, as well as local volunteer groups. Other booths offer massages, tarot readings, educational lectures and cookoffs.

For such a little-known fruit, the pawpaw and its festival make quite a lasting impression on anyone willing to give them a taste.