6 Ohio Food Festivals in September

Founded in 1981, the Marion Popcorn Festival has been an end-of-summer celebration for more than four decades. Business owners and local officials came up with the idea for a weekend-long festival honoring the favorite snack after looking for a way to promote the city and its popcorn heritage (leading popcorn exporter Wyandot is based in town). Always held the weekend after Labor Day, the event is a perfect place to enjoy entertainment paired with popcorn. It’s also just one of the many food festivals happening in Ohio this month.

Marion Popcorn Festival | Sept. 4-6
Celebrating 44 years in 2025, this locally loved festival is popping back into Marion the weekend after Labor Day. Since 1981, this festival has taken over the city’s downtown with popcorn and great entertainment. Carnival rides contribute to the festival feel, as does the Popcorn Festival Parade, happening on Thursday, Sept. 4. Pick up popcorn from the vendor booths to enjoy while catching local and national acts, including Chayce Beckham (Sept. 5) and Quiet Riot (Sept. 6).

Ohio Mushroom Festival | Sept. 4-7
Mushroom hunting has become more mainstream in recent years, and visitors have the chance to expand their knowledge on the subject at this newer event. The third annual Ohio Mushroom Festival returns to celebrate our fascination with fungi. Held at the Joe Bottoms Campground in Hammondsville, visitors to this four-day festival will find knowledgeable presenters and guides on-site, as well as workshops, lectures, cooking demonstrations and guided hikes. Craft vendors, food trucks, live music, kids activities add to the fun, and the chance to camp for the weekend makes for a unique experience. 

Ohio Fish & Shrimp Music Festival | Sept. 6, 10 and 13
Visit Freshwater Farms of Ohio in Urbana for this festival that has been around since 2003. Over the course of three Saturdays in September, find live music, games and vendors, as well as a fish market where items like smoked trout are available. Adults can enjoy wines from the on-site bar, and everyone can enjoy the Trout Feeding Frenzy or a stop at the sturgeon pool to get a glimpse of Ohio’s largest native fish.

Ohio Pawpaw Festival | Sept. 12-14
The pawpaw is North America’s largest native tree fruit and can be found in southern Ohio. To get your hands on this sweet fruit, which boasts a tropical taste, head to Lake Snowden in Albany for a three-day festival filled with plenty of entertainment, as well as education about this fruity giant. Be sure to catch the pawpaw cookoff (Sept. 14) to see how the fruit is used in dishes both savory and sweet. Don’t miss events such as yoga, pawpaw talks, demonstrations, live music and much more.

Jackson Apple Festival | Sept. 16-20
Since 1937, the southeast Ohio community of Jackson has hosted this annual fall festival in celebration of the region’s apple-growing heritage and as a means for bringing the community together. Today, the festival in downtown Jackson includes plenty for attendees to enjoy, such as parades, rides and vendors. It wouldn’t be an apple festival without apple eats either, so be sure not to leave without a taste of apple-themed goodies.

Defiance Rib Fest | Sept. 27
Dig in at the annual Rib Fest held in downtown Defiance. Since 2007, this smokey, savory food festival has invited visitors to this northwest Ohio city to enjoy the fall-off-the-bone goodness of barbecue ribs. Along with mountains of barbecue, there’s also live music during the day-long event. Plus, cold beer is available for attendees 21 and over. 

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