2023 DATE: September 23-24, 2023
This post documents my experience on September 25, 2011.
Lake Anna Park, named after the daughter of Barberton’s curiously named founder…
…Ohio Columbus Barber (I kid you not)…
…is not only a beautiful natural spring lake…
…that’s enjoyed by people and critters alike…
…it’s also the centerpiece of a beautiful celebration…
…known as the Barberton Mum Fest.
Celebrating its 20th year…
…Lake Anna Park was decorated with 20,000 chrysanthemums…
…involving 21 varieties set up in colorful patterns.
Wherever I looked, there were mums to be seen…
…along the sidewalks…
…overhead…
…at local businesses…
…around festival vendors…
…and even as part of a sand sculpture.
With rows of vendors set up all around the park…
…festival goers crammed counters for crafted items…
…holiday decor…
…flowery decor for your home…
…flowery decor for your head…
…and even some flowery decorated cupcakes for your tummy (Lofty Cupcake).
Food-wise, the festival had a nice variety with basic festival fare…
…famous Barberton fried chicken (Devore’s Hopocan Gardens)…
…and a huge fried bologna sandwich booth at the Masonic Temple…
…which also turned out to be famous.
Between all the shopping and eating, there were plenty of activities to take part in or enjoy…
…like Pat Catan’s mum arts and crafts tent…
…a variety of jump houses…
…musical entertainment…
…various forms of sculpting…
…and even a water ski show.
Then, when you completed your trip around the park….
…you could stop at the mum sale…
…to pick a souvenir or two before going back home.
Fortunately for me…
…I was there during the 100th birthday celebration of Chief Hopocan‘s statue…
…where I took my souvenir in the form of birthday cake.
But since the first piece of cake…
…didn’t have a flower to commemorate my experience at the Mum Fest…
…I admit that I greedily went back for a second with not only a flower, but an extra smearing of frosting.
And it was soooo worth it!