Foodways: Festive

Celebrations, rituals, and holidays often involve distinct foods: special cookies at Christmas, birthday cake, pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day, paczkis (fried pastries similar to jelly doughnuts) to mark the beginning of Lent. These festive foods do more than just fill the stomach, they evoke memories and emotions. We often spend more money on purchasing ingredients and take extra time to prepare those foods.

FAIRS
County fairs in Northwest Ohio are celebrations of local agriculture and rural achievements. Beginning in the mid-1800s, families gathered to socialize as local farmers showcased their agricultural triumphs. Fairs today are still vital community events, featuring hearty livestock, beautifully grown fruits and vegetables, and a variety of food contests and traditions.
FESTIVALS
Festivals often focus on a local staple crop such as apples, applebutter, pumpkins, corn, cherries, melons, or radishes. Many towns have a heritage day or town festival with demonstrations on pioneer cooking such as stew, deer jerky, or groundhog. Ethnic organizations celebrate with foods that educate about their culture: Hispanic festivals offer tacos and tamales; German festivals offer a variety of sausages and beer; the international festival at the Islamic Mosque features foods from middle eastern cultures.
FOOD GATHERINGS
Socializing in Northwest Ohio often revolves around food. Church suppers draw together congregations; business groups and friends have “pot-luck” meals; VFW halls and churches host fish fries. Even events such as family reunions, tailgating before a football game, a Superbowl party, or a graduation tend to be accompanied by food and have certain expected dishes. TRADITIONS
In the scenic Canal Town of Grand Rapids, the Apple Butter Festival is a living history event surrounding three 50-gallon copper kettles cooking over 2,300 pints of Apple Butter in the village park. You can even join in on the fun of giving a kettle a stir and experiencing the camaraderie as neighbors did years ago.

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	Celebrations, rituals, and holidays often involve distinct foods: special cookies at Christmas, birthday cake, pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day, paczkis (fried pastries similar to jelly doughnuts) to mark the beginning of Lent. These festive foods do more than just fill the stomach, they evoke memories and emotions. We often spend more money on purchasing ingredients and take extra time to prepare those foods.


FAIRS County fairs in Northwest Ohio are celebrations of local agriculture and rural achievements. Beginning in the mid-1800s, families gathered to socialize as local farmers showcased their agricultural triumphs. Fairs today are still vital community events, featuring hearty livestock, beautifully grown fruits and vegetables, and a variety of food contests and traditions.	FESTIVALS Festivals often focus on a local staple crop such as apples, applebutter, pumpkins, corn, cherries, melons, or radishes. Many towns have a heritage day or town festival with demonstrations on pioneer cooking such as stew, deer jerky, or groundhog. Ethnic organizations celebrate with foods that educate about their culture: Hispanic festivals offer tacos and tamales; German festivals offer a variety of sausages and beer; the international festival at the Islamic Mosque features foods from middle eastern cultures.	FOOD GATHERINGS Socializing in Northwest Ohio often revolves around food. Church suppers draw together congregations; business groups and friends have “pot-luck” meals; VFW halls and churches host fish fries. Even events such as family reunions, tailgating before a football game, a Superbowl party, or a graduation tend to be accompanied by food and have certain expected dishes.	TRADITIONS In the scenic Canal Town of Grand Rapids, the Apple Butter Festival is a living history event surrounding three 50-gallon copper kettles cooking over 2,300 pints of Apple Butter in the village park. You can even join in on the fun of giving a kettle a stir and experiencing the camaraderie as neighbors did years ago.