MOTHER EARTH NEWS and the Ohio Pawpaw Festival, a popular educational community event focused on the pawpaw fruit, have announced a new partnership to promote consumer education around agriculture and strengthen local food systems.
The 26th Ohio Pawpaw Festival is a vibrant community event taking place at Lake Snowden in Albany, Ohio, Sept. 13 through 15, 2024. The festival is dedicated to celebrating the unique pawpaw fruit, Ohio’s official state native fruit. A member of the custard apple family, this tropical fruit has been enjoyed for over 30,000 years. It’s also playfully known as the Kentucky banana, hillbilly mango, or Indiana banana.

This weekend-long, family-friendly extravaganza offers a delicious and informative experience exploring the pawpaw’s history, potential, and sustainable cultivation. From mouthwatering pawpaw-infused dishes and drinks to expert talks on growing, cooking, and the fruit’s medicinal benefits, there’s something for everyone. Festival highlights include spirited competitions for the best and largest pawpaw, creative pawpaw-themed art, and the thrilling pawpaw-eating contest.
The partnership will focus on:
- Joint educational programming: MOTHER EARTH NEWS is collaborating with Ohio Pawpaw Festival staff to develop engaging workshops and activities at the 2024 Ohio Pawpaw Festival. The MOTHER EARTH NEWS tent will serve as a hub for these educational programs, which will include presentations on growing mushrooms, preserving food, and making DIY natural beauty products.
- Resources from MOTHER EARTH NEWS: A tent offering hundreds of books, tools, and other sustainability supplies curated by the staff of MOTHER EARTH NEWS will be available to attendees during the weekend of the 2024 Ohio Pawpaw Festival.
- Scenes from the Ohio Pawpaw Festival: MOTHER EARTH NEWS will share a series of stories from the Ohio Pawpaw Festival, including an interview with Chris Chmiel, social media posts, and a mention in the August/September issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS.
Josh Wilder, Content Director of MOTHER EARTH NEWS, is a former resident of nearby Athens, Ohio, as well as a graduate of Ohio University in Athens. MOTHER EARTH NEWS has been partnering with a number of different events around the country in 2024 including the Central Michigan Seed Swap and the Energy Fair, produced by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association in Wisconsin. Wilder reached out to Chris Chmiel, co-founder of the Ohio Pawpaw Festival about partnering in 2024 as he had attended the festival during his time in the region and knew their audiences share many commonalities.
“MOTHER EARTH NEWS is thrilled to partner with the Ohio Pawpaw Festival,” said Wilder. “The pawpaw is a unique and underutilized fruit with a fascinating history. This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to educate and inspire a sustainable lifestyle.”
“We’re honored to have MOTHER EARTH NEWS coming to and contributing to this year’s festival,” said Chmiel. “The mission of MOTHER EARTH NEWS coincides nicely with our festival’s educational focus on sustainability and country living. Hopefully some of our visitors will get acquainted or reacquainted with this important resource for having a more sustainable lifestyle.”
This partnership marks the beginning of an ongoing cooperative relationship between MOTHER EARTH NEWS and the Ohio Pawpaw Festival. Both organizations are committed to working together to promote sustainable agriculture and support local food systems.
About MOTHER EARTH NEWS
MOTHER EARTH NEWS is a leading media organization dedicated to sharing resources to build and inspire sustainable lifestyles. Through its magazine, website, and events, MOTHER EARTH NEWS provides information on a wide range of topics related to sustainable living, including organic food, renewable energy, natural health, and green building. Explore articles, videos, podcasts, and more at www.motherearthnews.com.
About the Ohio Pawpaw Festival
The Ohio Pawpaw Festival is an educational community event dedicated to the pawpaw, a native North American fruit. The festival features delectable food and beverages made with pawpaw, workshops and activities on pawpaw growing, cooking, genetics, medicinal uses, and other sustainability-related topics. Learn more at www.ohiopawpawfest.com.