This year’s Persimmon Festival will offer more events and activities than it ever has throughout its 63-year history. The Persimmon Festival is held September 21 – 26, 2009 in Mitchell, Indiana, located in Lawrence County.
The annual Persimmon Festival is the celebration of Mitchell’s most famous fruit. The persimmon is a part of American culinary history and persimmon trees still grow throughout the Lawrence County area. During the festival, a persimmon pudding contest is held. Persimmon pudding is a baked pudding dessert that resembles pumpkin pie filling and is created with the fruit’s pulp. The festival also features a persimmon pudding eating contest so everyone can try this unique dessert.
The festival also has a week-long schedule of exhibits, attractions, events, and entertainment with new events added to the traditional activities. The festival kicks off with the Candlelight Tour of the Pioneer Village at Spring Mill State Park. Exhibits at the Persimmon Festival feature antique tractors and machinery, historic automobiles, and arts and crafts. In addition, there is an entertainment stage which will host various performers throughout the festival.
On the final day of the festival, the Grand Persimmon Festival Parade is held. This tradition is one of Indiana’s largest parades and is a fitting finale to the 2009 Persimmon Festival. Over 40,000 people are expected to attend and participate in the Persimmon Festival.