The Mantua Potato Festival offers plenty of potato-themed contests and such potato-based dishes as pierogi, fresh fries and potato pancakes. Of course, there are also vendors, live entertainment and a Potato Sack Race.
2023 DATE: September 8-10, 2023
Location: Buchert Memorial Park
Mantua, OH 44255
Website: https://www.facebook.com/MantuaPotatoFest
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This post documents my experience on September 10, 2017.
This spud in Mantua was smiling because, just the day before…
…the pierogi cooked here…
…ended up weighing more than any other pierogi before it…
…breaking a new world record!
Congrats, Mantua!
This was my first official time at the Mantua Potato Festival…
…and things were still getting setup when I arrived.
A carnival area…
…with food, rides and games…
…seemed to be waiting a bit for Duke’s K-9 Dash N’ Splash to finish…
…a dunk tank girl was motivating herself…
…a technician was checking the sound…
…early arrivals got a head start at the beer…
…and vendors manned their stations with windows (Universal Windows)…
…crafted rocking horses…
…excursion possibilities (Breakaway Excursions)…
…local organic maple syrup (Goodell), homemade jellies (Netta)…
…and cupcakes to help provide weekend meals to kids (Kids’ Weekend Meals).
I continued walking around the grounds…
…smelling potatoes frying all around me…
…and nearly eating the potato decorating submissions.
I first stopped at the Rotary Club…
…and started with a pierogi…
…before venturing on to the Christ Lutheran booth for a scrumptious potato pancake.
With only so much stomach space left, I had to decide between the pork-tato (Mantua Corners) and the potato pizza.
I decided on the latter…
…and I couldn’t believe how chock full of potatoes it actually was.