The Albany, Ohio Pawpaw Festival

Head to Lake Snowden near Albany, Ohio, in mid-September for the state's three-day celebration of all things pawpaw. This delicious fruit is considered Ohio's "first fruit," and the area is home to some of the largest and most productive wild pawpaw groves in the United States. Sample pawpaw dishes, groove to local music, take part in friendly contests and learn about sustainable living from the many workshops. Don't miss out on this opportunity to taste and learn about this tropical fruit that grows naturally in Ohio's temperate climate.

The Pawpaw

• 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.

Entertainment

• 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."