The Paul Bunyan Show is one of the largest and oldest forest-industry shows in the country with 140 vendors, many live equipment demonstrations and a nice selection of food.
2024 DATE: TBD
Location: Guernsey County Fairgrounds
335 Old National Rd
Old Washington, OH 43768
Website: https://www.ohioforest.org/page/pbsshowfacts
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This post documents my experience on October 8, 2023.
The Paul Bunyan Show, put on by the Ohio Forestry Association, takes place at the Guernsey County Fairgrounds in Old Washington (Cambridge) and is “one of the largest and oldest forest-industry shows in the country” (as per the festival literature).
Each day, as lumberjacks get an early start with a pancake breakfast…
…vendors set up their booths inside several exhibit buildings…
…not only with industry necessities like guide bars, tools…
…track saw systems and lumber…
…but also with all sorts of fine hand-carved wooden crafts…
…and industry literature.
In the Education Hall…
…lectures were given on topics that included invasive species and other threats…
…and various industry-related organizations were ready to provide helpful information to those who needed it.
More vendors, either in the buildings or on the grounds, offered industry-related items like and rope and clothing…
…industry services, such as chainsaw sharpening…
…but you could also find yourself some Eastern Logger calendars and tee shirts…
…a wooden toy for your child or grandchild…
…some education about Guernsey County events and trapping in Ohio…
…or even some delicious homemade cookies.
The Paul Bunyan Show had nearly 140 vendors…
…but many of them needed more space than a building booth to display their products.
The center of the fairgrounds became a field of industry equipment…
…filled with plows, log splitters…
…saws, furnaces…
…and all sorts of equipment.
At any point of the show, visitors could catch machinery demonstrations as they sawed wood…
…split wood…
…and cut wood with precision.
And, when they weren’t watching machines operating, they were watching Youtube celebrities, like Buckin’ Billy Ray Smith, demonstrate a product…
…or they were getting tips from safety experts…
…taking in a show with axe throwing, log rolling and wood chopping…
…or just appreciating the work as one of the many chainsaw artists create…
…one of many incredible…
…works of art.
In terms of food, the show was well prepared…
…offering a variety of dishes that included tenderloin, BBQ…
…fish and chips, and bourbon chicken.
Of course, a fan favorite is the Paul Bunyan Burger…
…and it is pretty tasty.