CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio — The Clermont County Park District is marking pawpaw season with a week of free public programs, offering foragers a chance to hike, harvest and taste North America’s largest wild fruit at three county parks starting Tuesday.
Pawpaw Palooza week runs Tuesday through Friday, with naturalist-led hikes, a virtual cooking class and an after-dark outing built around the pawpaw, a custard-like fruit that grows wild in Ohio’s forests, according to the park district.
The week opens Tuesday with a pawpaw hike at Pattison Park from 7 to 8 p.m., where a naturalist will lead participants to harvest fruit along the lakeside trail. Wednesday brings a virtual Lunch and Learn from noon to 1 p.m. on ways to eat pawpaws, followed by a shorter hike along the paved loop at Sycamore Park from 5 to 5:45 p.m.
A pawpaw hike at Clingman Park is set for Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m. The week closes Friday with “‘Possums & Pawpaws,” an after-dark hike from 7:30 to 9 p.m. that crosses the suspension bridge into Sycamore Park’s Wilson Nature Preserve.
All of the programs are free and open to all ages. Only the Lunch and Learn requires registration, which the park district said is needed to receive the virtual meeting link. Participants who join the in-person hikes may go home with pawpaws and seeds, depending on how much fruit is available to harvest, the park district said.
A full schedule and details on each program are posted at clermontparks.org/events.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Clermont County Park District.