A longtime resident of the Eastern United States has stepped back into the limelight.
The pawpaw, a tree fruit native to the Pittsburgh area is undergoing a foodie renaissance. Once a favorite fruit of Native Americans, pawpaws were relatively forgotten until as of late. Having been cultivated privately for several decades, pawpaws are now receiving more and more public attention.
So what exactly is a pawpaw?
In the simplest terms, pawpaws are the largest edible fruit native to the United States. The texture of the pawpaw is rich and creamy, and many compare it to bananas and mangos. For those who taste it, it can be surprising that a fruit so seemingly tropical grows wildly in a northern climate.
To celebrate and help spread the word about this delicious, local fruit, Tree Pittsburgh is hosting Pittsburgh’s first ever Pawpaw Festival at the end of September.
Pawpaw festivals are common in northeast and midwest regions of the country, but this is the first festival of its kind in Pittsburgh. The event promises to serve all things pawpaw.
The festival will also have a stage sponsored by Spirit Airlines, with over ten musical acts.
Those set to perform include:
- KIDS
- Lyndsey Smith & Soul Distribution
- Byron Nash/guitarist and Plan B
- Melinda Colaizzi
- Same – band
- City Dwelling Nature Seekers
- The Turpentiners
- Timbeleza
- Colonel Eagleburger’s Highstepping Good Time Band
There will also be kid’s activities, food trucks and local beer.
The event will take place on Saturday, September 23. Tickets start at $40 and are available online.
Leave a Reply