The pawpaw (Asimina triloba) has a long history in the eastern United States and was consumed by Native Americans and early European settlers. Even our first presidents found the creamy fruit irresistible; George Washington indulged in them after meals and Thomas Jefferson grew them at Monticello. These days they flourish in groves along riverbanks and serve as tasty snacks to kayakers and hikers. Commercial grocery chains and big agriculture have yet to jump on the pawpaw bandwagon, so the best places to get a sample outside the wild are at in-season farmers' markets, specialty stores and festivals like the one held in Albany, Ohio, each year.
Dance and sing along the shore of Lake Snowden to musical entertainment by local, regional and national bands. The festival is known for its spectacular lineup of live bands and performers and has featured the zydeco music of C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band; rhythm and blues group, The Royales; and the local Word of Mouth Jazz, to name a few. Two stages are required to accommodate the musical acts and the smaller stage, adjacent to the beer tent, is actually named the "Beer Tent Stage."
Pawpaws on the menu include such treats as pawpaw ice cream, sushi, pizza and chili during the annual cook-off and eating contest. Food vendors from the greater Athens area converge on the grounds for the weekend, serving up pawpaw-inspired dishes and traditional fair food as well as unique culinary offerings like Caribbean cuisine and goat milk fudge. Don't forget to sample the large selection of local pawpaw beers and sodas that are available from vendors.
Visit the "Pawpaw Tent" to learn more about this elusive fruit, taste samples from local growers and even purchase fresh fruit and pawpaw cultivars. Daily presentations discuss pawpaw growing, cooking, medicinal uses and sustainable agriculture. The tent also hosts the "Best Pawpaw" competition, a pawpaw cook-off and pawpaw eating contest. Other activities include the Pawpaw Double Nickel Bicycle Ride, horse-drawn wagon rides, atlatl throwing competition and a 1790s frontier encampment. The East of the River Shawnee Tribe presents demonstrations and performs traditional music.
Camp near the festival action at Lake Snowden campgrounds. There are 95 electric hookup sites and 30 primitive sites, with running water available throughout the grounds. Campsites are rented on a first-come, first-served basis, but limited reservations are available with advance payment. The electric sites typically sell out months in advance, so make your reservations early. Overflow camping areas are set up for those without reservations, but these are primitive, tent-only sites. For those lodging outside the campgrounds, there is a free shuttle service from Ohio University in Athens to the festival grounds, with multiple arrivals and departures every day. There is a festival admission charge for adults, with one-, two- and three-day passes available. Children 12 and under are admitted free.
