2023 DATE: June 15-17, 2023
This post documents my experience on June 15, 2018.
Logan, Ohio is home to the Columbus Washboard Company…
…the only manufacturer of handmade washboards in the United States…
…and they really are handmade!
I came here not only to learn how washboards were made…
…but to see how they were used musically…
…through a celebration called the Washboard Music Festival.
As I walked along W. Main Street under lines of clothing…
…and waving washboards…
…I passed vendors selling everything from rugs and dream catchers…
…to trailer treasures…
…and there were wood workings…
…leather belts…
…Amish goodies (Weaver’s)…
…and even henna faeries (The Henna Faerie).
And while the festival info booth offered the opportunity to purchase your own washboard at the festival…
…you could also find yourself a nice harmonica (New Harmonica)…
…or a custom made cigar box guitar (Blues Box Guitar) as an alternative instrument.
Many booths were also hosted by local organizations, such as churches (Ebenezer Baptist/First Baptist)…
…local producers of alcohol (Brewery 33 Hocking Hills/Hocking Hills Moonshine)
…emergency services (Hocking County EMS)…
…and a local riding club (Chrome Angelz) raising money for the Humane Society.
And, of course, there were food trucks and trailers offering hot dogs and drinks on the western edge of the festival…
…while the eastern end had an entire food island…
…making everything from grilled cheese sandwiches (Our Melt Bar) to Mexican food…
…not-to-mention the rather popular Madison’s with their “famous fish sandwiches.”
Finally, it wasn’t hard to find something to do at the festival.
If you didn’t want to take a free shuttle to see the Columbus Washboard Company…
…you could ride a train down W. Main Street…
…jump on some inflatables…
…get envious at the car show…
…learn from the mobile Military Museum…
…or take in some music from three stages (Steel City Rovers)…
…where I was happy to see a washboard taking part (The Sodbusters).