Of course, now that fall is upon us, the days are getting shorter and the festivals sometimes only last a day, usually ending by 5. Throw in some rainy weather and it can make scheduling a festival trip rather frustrating.
This last weekend, I decided to check out 5 festivals, traveling all day Saturday to see them. I knew it was ambitious, but it seemed doable.
The festivals were in the following cities:
1.) Huntsburg
2.) Mesopotamia
3.) Hartville
4.) Mineral City
5.) Shreve
And, on a map, it looked like this...
Ambitious, but doable.
I made for an early start and drove into Amish Country, arriving first in Huntsburg by 10:30 while some vendors were still setting up.
It was rainy, windy and chilly, but there was still a decent amount of people at this small town festival.
I took my photos, talked with some people and everything seemed to be going well.
With some pumpkin goodies in hand, I headed off to festival #2...
...with that old-fashioned facade...
...Amish buggy sign...
...a world's record (largest) horse and buggy...
It was rainy, windy and chilly, but there was still a decent amount of people at this small town festival.
I took my photos, talked with some people and everything seemed to be going well.
With some pumpkin goodies in hand, I headed off to festival #2...
...driving 15 minutes further to Mesopotamia.
Here, I loved the town's touristy charm...
...with that old-fashioned facade...
...Amish buggy sign...
...a world's record (largest) horse and buggy...
...and a general store...
..with more cute stuff inside...
...quirky entertainment...
...and tons of (soda) pop.
But after my tour around the store, I directed my attention back to why I was here. There had been no obvious sign of a festival here...no huge banners or vendors or rides for the kids. All the cars I saw in the town parking lot were owned by shoppers, not festival-goers.
So where was the festival?
I asked a girl at the ice cream counter where Mesopotamia Heritage Day was taking place...
So where was the festival?
I asked a girl at the ice cream counter where Mesopotamia Heritage Day was taking place...
...and she directed me to Town Hall...
...where a craft fair took place.
Even with the fry pies and the musical entertainer (who sold CD's) in the lobby...
...it still wasn't a festival...
...so I hung my head and continued on to Hartville where a festival was taking place in the parking lot of...
...the Hartville Market Place (a huge flea market type mall).
But I didn't see a festival taking place here either.
I walked inside for information and eventually checked the website on my phone...
...only to read this.
I walked inside for information and eventually checked the website on my phone...
...only to read this.
My spirits were suddenly draining and I was getting hungry.
Now passed two o'clock, I had originally planned on eating lunch in Mesopotamia when I realized there was no festival, only to continue on to eat in Hartville. By the time I was looking at the menu in the Market Place, I was telling myself that there was a huge Amish restaurant outside that I could check out instead.
But, of course, when I went to that restaurant, the line was absolutely long and overwhelming...
So I got back on the road, searching for some quick fast food before going on to Mineral City...
...and I drove to the Portage Road exit in North Canton for some Wendy's.
This was a mighty mistake!
Now passed two o'clock, I had originally planned on eating lunch in Mesopotamia when I realized there was no festival, only to continue on to eat in Hartville. By the time I was looking at the menu in the Market Place, I was telling myself that there was a huge Amish restaurant outside that I could check out instead.
But, of course, when I went to that restaurant, the line was absolutely long and overwhelming...
...especially for someone on a schedule to check out two more festivals and drive a few hours back home!
So I got back on the road, searching for some quick fast food before going on to Mineral City...
...and I drove to the Portage Road exit in North Canton for some Wendy's.
This was a mighty mistake!
Not only was it rainy, but it was traffic-filled, thanks to a huge shopping area.
Now really hungry as I first headed toward Wendy's, I suddenly changed my mind and headed toward Giant Eagle (grocery) for the possibility that they might be grocery store sushi in this North Canton location.
But I switched lanes too late and had to turn around before waiting in traffic again until I found the correct entrance. I wasted valuable time in the process...
...but was lucky enough to find some decent grocery store sushi.
Now really hungry as I first headed toward Wendy's, I suddenly changed my mind and headed toward Giant Eagle (grocery) for the possibility that they might be grocery store sushi in this North Canton location.
But I switched lanes too late and had to turn around before waiting in traffic again until I found the correct entrance. I wasted valuable time in the process...
...but was lucky enough to find some decent grocery store sushi.
While eating quickly in the car, I now faced a dilemma: it was 3 o'clock, my enthusiasm was gone, I knew I wouldn't make the Shreve festival in time (they ended at 5), and the Mineral City festival was an hour further away still (and with a $5 admission).
I sat there in the car, thought for a few minutes and initially drove toward Mineral City...
...only to change directions and wander aimlessly down country roads.
I passed through Navarre and Wooster along 250, enjoying the winding roads, green hills and occasional family of ducks and ducklings that waddled along the side of the road.
I stopped at Grandpa's Cheese Barn in Ashland, getting some cheese and learning that they stopped making their delicious pies.
I then decided to cut up 511, until I was eventually stopped in Nova...
...by a passing train.
As this moving obstacle ran before my car, I thought about my day and how nothing seemed to go right.
Rain, cancellations, traffic and indecision turned my 5-festival day into a 1-festival day and, although I felt that I had accomplished nothing, I knew that my disappointment was created only by myself.
Only I had put such an obligation upon myself...no one else had.
I had to remember that I had already done more than enough with my festival documentation. I didn't have to prove myself to anyone.
Instead, I just needed to remember why I was doing this in the first place: to visit these Ohio communities, meet new interesting people and enjoy my adventures (sharing them was secondary).
Sometimes I forget this.
I sat there in the car, thought for a few minutes and initially drove toward Mineral City...
...only to change directions and wander aimlessly down country roads.
I passed through Navarre and Wooster along 250, enjoying the winding roads, green hills and occasional family of ducks and ducklings that waddled along the side of the road.
I stopped at Grandpa's Cheese Barn in Ashland, getting some cheese and learning that they stopped making their delicious pies.
I then decided to cut up 511, until I was eventually stopped in Nova...
...by a passing train.
As this moving obstacle ran before my car, I thought about my day and how nothing seemed to go right.
Rain, cancellations, traffic and indecision turned my 5-festival day into a 1-festival day and, although I felt that I had accomplished nothing, I knew that my disappointment was created only by myself.
Only I had put such an obligation upon myself...no one else had.
I had to remember that I had already done more than enough with my festival documentation. I didn't have to prove myself to anyone.
Instead, I just needed to remember why I was doing this in the first place: to visit these Ohio communities, meet new interesting people and enjoy my adventures (sharing them was secondary).
Sometimes I forget this.
Of course, life has a way of reminding you of what's important, as it did me...
That next morning, when I got in my car, the tire pressure warning light came on and I found one of my tires almost completely flat.
Later on, as my father and I changed the tire...
...we found that the thread had separated.
That next morning, when I got in my car, the tire pressure warning light came on and I found one of my tires almost completely flat.
Later on, as my father and I changed the tire...
...we found that the thread had separated.
Thinking of my long drive the day before and the various horrible endings that could have resulted from that tire, I thought less of the festivals that I missed and more on how fortunate I really was.
Suddenly, the day seemed like a really fortunate one...
...and I felt truly blessed.
I still do.
...and I felt truly blessed.
I still do.
