The first Pawpaw Festival held in Paw Paw, West Virginia had great weather and big crowds on Saturday, September 14. Todd McCree, (pictured) owner of Great Escape Farms in Romney, and Neal Peterson, owner of Peterson Pawpaws in Harpers Ferry, both gave presentations about pawpaws at the festival in a pavillion packed with visitors. Peterson grows multiple varieties of pawpaw trees that are sold worldwide.
Special kids’ activities at Saturday’s Pawpaw Festival at Paw Paw Municipal Park included a bounce house, face painting, a balloon twister, a sack race, 3-legged race, pawpaw spoon race and a pawpaw coloring contest. Seen coloring with their great-grandmother Elaine Blum are Melody Martin-age 9, Adaline Martin-age 5 as their mom Nikki Martin looks on. Seated are festival volunteers Staci Kline and Angie Newlon. Nikki Martin said they are from Carroll County, Maryland and heard about the festival. “We love pawpaws,” Martin said.
Crowds enjoyed the music at Saturday’s Pawpaw Festival at Paw Paw Municipal Park which included local favorites and internationally renowned Critton Hollow String Band. The band performed traditional and oldtime music that featured fiddle, banjo, hammered dulcimer, guitar and mandolin with foot-tapping instrumental tunes and stirring three-part harmonies. Songs included “John Henry,” Jim Ringer’s “Granny’s Song” and Ola Belle Reed’s “I’ve Endured.” Pictured are band members (left to right) Joe Fallon, Sam Herrmann and Joe Herrmann.
Peterson’s Pawpaws offered lots of pawpaw fruits and pawpaw trees for people to purchase at the Pawpaw Festival. Seen filling customers’ bags with pawpaws are Rodney Dever from the West Virginia University Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research and Education Center (right) and Rob Glenn. (left)
Chad and Teresa Welker delighted children and adults alike with their balloon twisting fun at Saturday’s Pawpaw Festival. Chad Welker performs as “A Balloon Twister Named Chad.”
People could get little samples of different pawpaws to taste before deciding on what variety of pawpaws or pawpaw tree to buy at the Pawpaw Festival.
Festival attendees could also purchase small, medium or large pawpaw trees at the festival. Many were seen carrying their pawpaw trees around the festival grounds as they took in the sights.
Teri Bellows, Morgan County Observatory Foundation Director of Educational Outreach, and her husband Ron Bellows man the foundation’s booth at the Pawpaw Festival. John Hrubec, foundation vice-president-technical operations, had his telescope there and was talking with festival attendees about astronomy and the observatory. Teri Bellows said she does astronomy classes with Paw Paw sixth grade teacher Anne Helmick’s class and also visits middle school sixth grade science teacher Brittany Cockrell’s class.
Mountaineer Community Health Center business manager Stephanie Miller and registered nurse (RN) Renee Ballerstadt provided information about the health center services and health tips to families and individuals that attended the Pawpaw Festival. They also had a ring toss game for people to play. Miler said the festival had a really nice turnout. Other community organizations also had information booths.
Snowballs and other cold treats were a big hit in the heat at Saturday’s Pawpaw Festival.
People stood in long lines to get pawpaw fruits from Peterson’s Pawpaws.
Pawpaw Festival goers explored a multitude of crafts and other vendors that offered wares ranging from jewelry and woodworking to baked goods. Several food vendors were also on site.
Oldtime musician Ben Townsend played a haunting fiddle and banjo while performing solo at the Pawpaw Festival. Other entertainment was the Critton Hollow String Bands, Mary Hott with the soulful Carpenter Ants and the Paw Paw Community Band directed by Diana Burkhart.
photos by Kate Evans
