The 45th annual Harvest Festival in the historic village of Zoar, located in rural east-central Ohio, was held July 28 and 29. There were 62 dealers in two large tents for the Antiques Show and 26 craftspeople set-up for the seperate Artisan Show.
The festival, run by the Zoar Community Association, used to be held the first weekend of August, but two years ago, the group moved the event up one week to not conflict with the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. This was a wise move. The Hall of Fame stadium and facilities are 18 miles north in Canton, and the annual inductions get bigger and bigger every year, drawing huge crowds that inflate hotel prices throughout the region.
The village of Zoar is in Tuscarawas County, and the community was founded in 1817 by a German religious group of dissenters or separatists. The Society of Separatists thrived, in large part, during the second quarter of the 19th century until the mid-1800s.
They had emigrated from southwestern Germany because of religious oppression from the Lutheran Church. Zoarites are viewed as among the most successful communal settlements in our nation’s history, and as of 2016, the town has been designated a National Historic Landmark District. The majority of the town has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1969.
Among the largest 21st century concerns for the area are the health and integrity of the levee built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1936. Zoar is situated at the base of the levee along the Tuscarawas River and the once Ohio and Erie Canal.
Thanks to ideal perfect weather and the show managers, exhibitors, and volunteers with the community association, this year’s event was a true success.
As of now, the show is a well-supported regional event, but it has great potential to become a draw for attendees from outside the immediate area. More shoppers from Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Michigan should have the Zoar show on their calendars. There is plenty to do to make it a fun weekend trip. Some people come to the Harvest Festival strictly with the intent to shop the Antiques Show, some for the Artisan Show, and others for smaller auxiliary events. There are antique car displays, food and craft vendors around town, and various buildings in the village are open for tours. The Antique Show is top-notch, and the dealers and collectors who shopped this show were not disappointed. This is not strictly a country show. Some fine formal material found new homes during the show. Bob Conrad sold a nice tiger maple Sheraton chest of drawers, Tom Heisey sold a fancy paint-decorated chest, and Frank Swala sold a miniature curly maple Empire chest of drawers.
There were 2,100 paid show goers this year, according to manager Steve Sherhag. There were another 400 to 600 association members and town residents who attended free of charge. The photos show just a small portion of what the show had to offer. Mark your calendars for the last weekend in July, and make the trip to this worthwhile event.
For additional information, visit www.HistoricZoarVillage.com.