Johnny Appleseed Festival begins Saturday

LISBON -- The 2023 Johnny Appleseed Festival this weekend features a return of the Great JAF Duck Race, an auction of apple pies from the baking contest, the Grand Parade, JAF royalty and Johnny Appleseed and his expanded log cabin.

There's also a pancake breakfast at the Lisbon Fire Department, a car show, a talent show, pet show/contest, quilt show, a kid zone and lots of entertainment, rides and games.

Then there are the apple desserts of every kind -- apple ice cream, apple butter, apple fritters, candy apples and, of course, the ever popular apple dumplings.

"I'm excited about the Johnny Appleseed," Lisbon Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Angela Benner said.

This is Benner's first JAF as executive director, just two weeks after her first day on the job. In that time, she said she's learned "it really takes a village to pull this off."

One of those villagers is Jerry Tyson, a lifelong resident who assumes the role of Johnny Appleseed every September and even at times when he's visiting other festivals in costume.

He'll be assembling his homemade log cabin on the southeast section of the square to the east of the gazebo starting at 4:30 p.m. today. This will be the second year for the cabin, but he made some improvements to give him more room, such as a full front porch with pillars, a taller roof and a loft for his bed.

"This is the same construction they used back then," he said, in the time of his namesake, using the half-stop dovetail method and no nails.

He even sleeps in it during the festival and said the response to the cabin last year was overwhelming. This is his third year as Johnny Appleseed, a man he described as a missionary.

"If God has asked me to play the part of Johnny Appleseed, all I have to do is act with all my heart and he will make up the difference," Tyson said.

Benner said she's blown away by his dedication. Lots of organizations in the village are involved in making the festival the success that it is, all playing a part .

A comeback event at the JAF is the Great JAF Duck Race, which will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday. Participants can get a rubber duck for a $5 donation, with tickets available at the chamber office on North Market Street and Geronimo Supply Co. on North Park Avenue. Prizes are $250 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place. Tyson created a platform for the races and the fire department will flood the street on North Nelson Street from Chestnut Street, with possibly up to 300 ducks racing.

Also new this year will be an auction of the pies from the apple pie baking contest which starts at 4 p.m. Saturday, with McGovern Auctioneers taking the bids. Registration is from 3 to 4 p.m. at the gazebo. Last year, the pie contest included 28 pies. Benner said the chamber will have apple pies for sale for $20 each at the chamber tent, where chances can be taken on raffle baskets.

The Grand Parade line up begins at 9:45 a.m. Saturday at McKinley school and steps off at 10:45 a.m., moving west on Lincoln Way from Pritchard Avenue to Beaver Street. The Grand Marshal will be Fred Gromley, accompanied by his wife Jodie, on the float with the Johnny Appleseed statue he carved with a chainsaw 16 years ago.

This year's crowning of JAF royalty will begin at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, with the selection of the 2023 Little Miss Apple Blossom, Little Mr. Apple Bud and then the 2023-2024 JAF Queen. Last year's queen was Mickenzie Shaffer. The candidates for queen include Elizabeth Siembida of Leetonia, and Gretchen Miller and Kyrstin Reckner, both of Lisbon. There are 23 candidates for Little Mr. Apple Bud and Little Miss Apple Blossom.

Both of Benner's daughters participated in the Little Miss Apple Blossom contest when they were young.

The festival will kick off at 7 a.m. when the Lisbon Fire Department hosts the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at the fire hall on South Jefferson Street until 11 a.m. The cost is $8 for adults and children 5 and under are free. Across the street at JMullen will be a car show from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The Main Stage will be located next to the courthouse on South Market Street, with the Washington Street Stage located on Washington Street near South Jefferson Street.

Stage Left will be making apple butter, a quilt show will take place at the train station, a Kids' Zone at South Market and Washington will include some free fun, with a rock climbing wall, inflatable ax throwing, inflatable basketball, plink, and large yard games.

McGinnis Amusements is handling the rides and the festival will include 100 vendors.