Just off to the side of Barberton’s Lake Anna…
…a street of roped off lawns…
…was filled with rides and food…
…in preparation of Barberton’s Cherry Blossom Festival.
Put on by the Barberton Area Jaycees, the Cherry Blossom Festival served as a fundraiser for projects in the community. And although the name suggests what a first-time festival goer might see at the festival, it was not nearly as floral as Barberton’s autumnal Mum Festival.
In fact, I didn’t see any cherry blossoms during my visit.
But for what it lacked in flowers…
…it made up for in rides…
…games…
…activities…
…and stuff for the kids (there are petting zoos and horse rides on Saturday).
And although it seemed like your standard community festival…
…with your general fair food of gyros, fries and so forth (I wanted Barberton Chicken!)…
…there was an area of local vendors set up by the Jaycees…
…where festival goers could shop the local ceramic art (Bob Barrett)…
…and sweet smelling handmade soaps (Paige Avenue Soap Co.)…
…which happened to sell bars of cherry blossom.