This post documents my experience on September 21, 2013.
Author’s Note: I was invited to the Pork Festival and given a meal voucher.
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Preble County in Southwestern Ohio has long been known as a major pork producer…
…and, since 1971, they’ve been celebrating and promoting the industry by means of a festival.
When I arrived at the Preble County Pork Festival, the night’s rain well-prepped the grounds for the event…
…at least for the pigs.
Fortunately, for the people, there was plenty of concrete…
…roofed buildings…
…and enclosed buildings…
…which were mostly lined with the 350 gift vendors…
…selling everything from sports team pride…
…John Deere products…
…outdoor furniture…
…crafts galore…
…microwave heating pads…
…mums and tombstones (joking)…
…western wear (Rodeo Shop)…
…and the occasional pig item.
It was a shopper’s paradise to be exposed to the quantity of vendors scattered through the festival grounds…
…but since I go crazy in passageways with crowds, strollers and electric buggies…
…I decided to go and get myself some food.
When first arriving at the fairgrounds, it was a little jarring to see all the buildings and not know where anything was…
…that why it’s helpful to notice the balloons floating overhead.
Here at the information booth, there wasn’t only a map of the area…
…there was a legend on what each balloon meant.
From there, you could follow the signs…
…and line up for some breakfast.
After going to the serving table and getting my plate…
…I enjoyed a delicious (light) pancake and (delicious) sausage breakfast…
…after which I could have taken my plate…
…for seconds, thirds, and more.
But it’s the pork chops that the festival is particularly known for…
…as well as the other pork products you can find at the short order line…
…the various trailers…
…the serving stations in the Expo Center…
…and, here, in the County Store…
…where the crowds came in…
…for all types of pork products…
…that were prepped and ready to go.
Of course, there were non-pork food delights…
…with the most well-known being the 4-H ice cream…
…and apple butter from the West Alexandria Lions.
Various attractions at the Pork Festival included pig racing…
…tons of photo-ops…
…and demonstrations in the Bruner Building…
…on how to make sausage…
…which was only across the room from the pig-petting pen…
…but they didn’t seem to notice.
Also in this room was a corner of children’s art work…
…which included drawings…
…sculpture…
… and a nod to popular culture (Pikachu).
Finally, the festival did offer musical entertainment in one of the tents…
…but I must have been distracted…
…by the lemurs, kangaroos…
…and all those adorable goats.
.