Pawpaw Festival 2025 – Event Schedule
Pawpaw Festival 2025 Schedule
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Paw Paw Municipal Park, 699 Winchester St, Paw Paw, WV
All Day Fun
- 10:00 AM – Festival Opens! Kick off a day of fresh pawpaw treats, local vendors, and community fun.
- 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Vendor Village Handmade goods, delicious food, and pawpaw-themed treasures.
- Throughout the Day – Kids’ Activities Bounce house, crafts, games, and hands-on fun.
- Music Lineup – TBD Enjoy live tunes throughout the day. Stay tuned for amazing artists bringing the festival to life!
Presentation Tent Schedule
| Time | Title/Presenter |
|---|---|
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Introduction to Pawpaw – Todd McCree |
| 11:15 – 11:45 | A Guided “Walking” Tour of Historic Paw Paw (no walking required!) – David Abruzzi |
| 12:00 – 12:30 | Ask the Experts Q&A – Presentation Speakers |
| 12:45 – 1:15 | For the Love of Pawpaws: From Seed to Table – Michael Judd |
| 1:30 – 2:00 | The Ketter Pawpaw Story – Rodney Dever |
| 2:15 – 2:45 | A Guided “Walking” Tour of Historic Paw Paw (no walking required!) – David Abruzzi |
| 3:00 – 3:30 | Introduction to Pawpaw – Todd McCree |
| 3:45 – 4:15 | From Floods to Fertility: Keyline Agroforestry for a Resilient Appalachia – Greg Sherbert |
| 4:30 – 5:00 | Native Edible Trees and Shrubs – Todd McCree |
Plant Walks (Meet at the Presentation Tent)
- 11:00 AM – With Osier Blackthumb
- 1:00 PM – With Osier Blackthumb
- 3:00 PM – With Osier Blackthumb
Festival Wrap-Up
- 5:00 PM – Farewell until next year!
Presentation & Activity Descriptions (Alphabetical)
Ask the Experts Q & A – Presentation Speakers
Bring your pawpaw and plant-related questions! You can also ask about the history and life of Paw Paw, WV. This session gathers as many presenters as possible to answer your questions — and you might even meet a special guest pawpaw breeder.
For the Love of Pawpaws: From Seed to Table – Michael Judd
Author of For the Love of Pawpaws, Michael shares his experience growing pawpaws and creative ways to enjoy this unique fruit. Book signings available before and after the session.
From Floods to Fertility: Keyline Agroforestry for a Resilient Appalachia – Greg Sherbert
Flooding isn’t the problem — it’s the symptom. Learn how keyline agroforestry designs farms to capture water, build healthy soil, reduce floods, and create farm income. Using pawpaws and other tree crops, Greg explains how this system can transform Appalachian watersheds.
A Guided “Walking” Tour of Historic Paw Paw – Without Leaving Your Seat – David Abruzzi
Take a “built history” tour through Paw Paw’s fascinating past. Hear about the shooting of the “circus man,” a jailbreak from the local lockup, Harry Houdini’s visit, the train depot shootout, and more — all from your seat.
Introduction to Pawpaw – Todd McCree
Your crash course in all things pawpaw! Learn about planting, growing, harvesting, and enjoying this native fruit in a fast-paced “Pawpaw 101” presentation.
The Ketter Pawpaw Story – Rodney Dever
Step back to 1916 to explore the pawpaw breeding programs that led to the famous Peterson Pawpaw cultivars. Rodney shares rare historical details from this important chapter in pawpaw history.
Native Edible Trees and Shrubs – Todd McCree
Discover other native edible plants, from persimmon to hazelnut. You might be surprised which trees and shrubs have delicious (and nutritious) parts you can harvest.
Plant Walks – Osier Blackthumb
Join Osier for a guided walk along the park’s edge and learn about wild edible plants. You’ll discover that many “weeds” are actually edible treasures.
For more information about our guests, click here.