Calvin Hoffman, Apple Butter Hall of Fame

Ask most festival goers why they come and the answer is usually “for the food.” That truth makes creating a safe, convenient food court area in the center of the downtown festival a huge job each year. And, each year, this essential task is accomplished by a team of seasoned volunteers. Since we cannot imagine a successful festival without festival food, we recognize Calvin Hoffman, one of the food lot team.

Hoffman has been working with the festival since the 1982 beginning of the gravel lot food court. Each year, he is there on Friday morning, bright and early, helping to lay out and locate all the food trailers and get them settled neatly into the snug spaces, hooked up to water and set-up to serve the public. His gentle and friendly manner keeps vendors happy and helps turn a big headache of a job into another task that gets checked off the list.

He is a Hancock, Maryland man. After serving in the Korean War, he returned home to Hancock working as the vice-president of Fulton Petroleum Sales until retirement in 1992. A committed volunteer, he was active in the community, serving as president of Hancock’s health center, public library, Lions Club and treasurer/elder of the Warfordsburg-Hancock Presbyterian Church. When
he and his wife Velda relocated to Berkeley Springs the Chamber knew the Hoffmans were a prize. Recently, they were honored as volunteers by Foxglove Garden Club.

Hoffman smiles as he tells his favorite festival memory. His city-raised granddaughter, Lauren, got excited about entering the Hog Calling contest. He enlisted friend Paul Hendershot, who had grown up on a farm, as her tutor. She learned well, came in second and regaled her city friends with hog calls and the priceless ribbon.

Dependable, cheerful and doing a great job every festival, Friday, he has earned the appreciation of all connected to the event. You’ll find him putting a smile on hundreds of faces as they taste his hot, fresh Hoffman’s Pennsylvania Dutch funnel cakes.