AUTHOR’S NOTE: There is an updated 2015 Review here – https://ohiofestivals.net/geneva-grape-jamboree-revisited/
This post documents my experience on September 26, 2009.
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Geneva, Ohio, not to be confused with Geneva-on-the-Lake, seems a rather quaint city. Surrounded by wineries and country roads, one wouldn’t expect a festival all that big.
I mean, when you’re passing this…
…how big a festival would you expect?
But I was REALLY happily surprised.
I entered the festival from the south and came across a decent opening with some craft booths, signs for a photo exhibit and some food booths.
But notice how you really can’t see a big purple stage down the street. That’s because it’s a decent ways down….
…with a helicopter next to it…
.
…a corn hole event on the other side…
…another row of food vendors behind it…
…and a street of rides and games that branches off the north entrance.
In short, this festival was big. Bigger than I expected with pretzels, corn dogs, cheese on a stick, gyros, italian-esque products, pastries, nuts, fried veggies and even two trailers selling sausages from this place (can’t find if it’s local or not)..
.And what’s more is that they had grape products!.
Grape Ice Cream – Yummy.
Grape Pie – Delicious!
Grape Candy Apples – for the nephew.
Grapes and Grape Juice!
And, with purple booths…
…and other things…
…there were constant reminders that it was a grape festival.
And then there was him…
As I walked back and forth along the festival, seeking various grape treasures, I was fortunate enough not to get rained on (no matter how threatening the sky seemed at times). Armed with a small $1 umbrella, I was fortunate enough to only have to use it when walking back to the car. My shoes and lower jeans got wet, but not horribly so. And, once I got in the car, the buckets poured..
So I was lucky.
And with some nice souvenirs to bring to family and friends, I promised myself that I could come back to this festival again!