5 June Food Festivals in Ohio

Ohio’s June festivals know how to bring the flavor, whether we’re talking pork rinds or pickles, fresh fruit or a famous chicken dinner. These five, including Bolivar’s Strawberry Festival and Versailles Poultry Days, offer a taste of what the Buckeye State has to offer once the temperatures start to rise and serve as a welcome kickoff to the bounty of food festivals that can be found across our state this time of year.  

Bolivar Strawberry Festival | June 5-7
With such a short window of being in season, strawberries are a hot commodity during June in Ohio. From 1974 to 1980, Bolivar dedicated a whole festival to the fruit, before disappearing for over two decades. Organizers brought back to life in 2005. This year’s event includes a 5K, which is directly followed by the Seedling Scamper Fun Run for kids. Festival-goers can enjoy entertainment, fun foods and and the Strawberry Festival Queen pageant. 

Chicken & Beer Festival | June 7
Visit Columbus’ Franklinton neighborhood for the annual Chicken & Beer Festival, which supports support music-related education. Held at Dodge Park, food trucks at this one-day-only festival curate specialty chicken dishes for the event, and local breweries will also be serving on-site. Some of the proceeds from this annual event go to the nonprofit organization, Use Your Ears, which connects children to learning opportunities about music writing and recording.

Pork Rind Heritage Festival | June 13-14
Celebrated in the Allen County village of Harrod since 1989, the Pork Rind Heritage Festival is back for its 35th year. This beloved event has classic festival food but mostly notably fresh pork rinds, with the local Rudolph’s producing them in nearby Lima since 1955. Festival-goers can enjoy two days of activities including live music, a parade, car cruise-in, a craft show and more.

Versailles Poultry Days | June 13-15
Since 1952, Versailles Poultry Days has celebrated Darke County’s rich history as a leading poultry and egg producer in the region. Billing itself as a home for World Famous Chicken Dinners, the festival, which is held at Heritage Park in Versailles, also offers a kiddie tractor pull, chicken-eating contest, flower show and more. More than 35,000 chicken dinners were sold during last year’s festival. 

Canton Pickle Fest | June 21
A hot summer day calls for ice-cold lemonade. And if you’re near Canton’s Centennial Plaza on June 21, you can get this summer treat with a pickle-infused twist. The Canton Pickle Fest is a great stop for everyone, whether you’re a pickle fanatic or not. Visitors to the festival can compete in a pickleball tournament and enjoy pickle beer and cocktails and munch on crunchy gourmet pickles too. There will also be live music, family-friendly activities and plenty of pickle-themed merch for sale, including everything from T-shirts to plush pillows.

For more Ohio food and drink inspiration, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters. 

Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to the beauty, adventure and fun across our state.