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| Annual Honey Festival a sweet treat for Ohioans |
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By JOLENE CRAIG
Ohio Correspondent PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Parkersburg City Park will host its 2007 West Virginia Honey Festival Aug. 25-26. The festival will run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. this Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, with an admission of $3 for adults and $2 for students.
In its 27th year, Carol Gaydac, one of the organizers, said the main purpose of the event has not changed.
“We are really here to promote the honey industry, as well as having crafts, entertainment and the big thing, the West Virginia Honey Princess Pageant,” she said.
It will feature the honey and wax show, honey and beeswax products and honey extraction and live beehive demonstrations.
Gaydac said there will also be a honey baking contest and sale, as
well as cooking demonstrations and historical presentations.
“One of the most popular things we have will be the bee beards by Steve Conlon,” Gaydac said. “Everybody really likes to see him do those.” Conlon will have live “bee beards” both days of the festival.
Entertainment Saturday will include the West Virginia Honey Car Show by Pioneer Antique Auto Club, with registration beginning a 9 a.m., as well as performers Josh Oldaker at 1 p.m., Shhh Bang at 3 p.m. and Elvis impersonator Dwight Isenhower at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
“Dwight Isenhower really is a fantastic performer, and we’re more than happy to have him,” Gaydac said.
Organizers will also have a “kids zone” on one section of the festival grounds with games and prizes. The area will include face painting, children’s games, art projects and an air-filled jumping station and slide.
The Honey Festival will include a visit by 2007 American Honey Princess Katie Klett of Jamestown, N.D., who will be in attendance all weekend. Klett attends the University of North Dakota and is pursuing a degree in Modern Foreign Language.
Her family are migratory beekeepers, operating in Texas and Minnesota. As Honey Princess, Klett is spending the year promoting the beekeeping industry throughout the United States in a wide variety of venues.
The festival will host its annual West Virginia Honey Princess pageant for girls from ages 9-12 at 11 a.m. Sunday at the festival. The reigning 2006 West Virginia Honey court will turn over their titles to successors at the pageants.
For the third year, the festival will bring back the Little Mister and Miss West Virginia Honey Bee pageant at noon Sunday for boys and girls ages 4-6. Attire will be jeans and Honey Bee t-shirts (provided).
The schedule of main entertainment and activities for the 2007 West Virginia Honey Festival is as follows:
Saturday
10 a.m. – Opening Ceremonies and registration for the Honey Baking Contest and Honey and Wax Show
Noon – Beekeeper of the Year and bee beard demonstration
2 p.m. – Honey Baking Contest winners announced
4 p.m. – Baking Contest Auction
Sunday
11 a.m. – Jesse Debarr (variety music)
12:30 p.m. – Bee beard demonstration
2:30 p.m. – Cooking demonstration presented by the American Honey Princess and the West Virginia Honey Princess
3:30 p.m. – Honey and Wax Auction
Parkersburg is a 15-minute drive from southeastern Ohio. Take Interstate 77 south to the Downtown exit and follow the signs to Seventh Street. Turn right onto Seventh and follow it to Park Avenue; City Park is on the right. For more festival information, contact Gaydac at 304-485-6437.
This farm news was published in the Aug. 22, 2007 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. |
| 8/22/2007 |
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