Nick Ferrante: Good health.

Haylie: Good health?

Absolutely.

It's hard not to keep drinking.

It's so good.

I'm Haylie Robinson and I'm a former fair queen full of wanderlust.

I explore art, culture, community, heritage, history and more.

One festival at a time.

I invite you to join me in finding festivals.

Finding festivals is brought to you in part by Find some Lake Erie Love?

It's a SHORE thing!

Learn how at SHORESandISLANDS.com and start an adventure today.

Toledo.

More than you ever imagined.

Learn more at visittoledo.org.

toward the end of September, the city of Geneva comes together to celebrate the grape harvest during the annual grape jamboree, and the streets are flooded with plenty of fun.

Some might say it's a great time because of the amount of Concord grapes the area was producing.

Geneva, Ohio began celebrating its annual grape harvest in 1964.

Local vineyards have expanded their harvest to include wine grapes and put Geneva on the map as part of Ohio's wine country.

To get the scoop on all the Geneva Grape Jamboree has to offer, I connected with the festival president Brian Kelly.

Now, Brian.

This is the first year the grape Jamboree has come back since 2019.

Brian Kelley: 2019 was our last one.

Haylie: Wow.

So what is that like?

Just seeing everything come back for the first time?

Brian Kelley: You know, as somebody who loves this town and loves what's this jamboree itself, it's amazing.

It truly is.

I unfortunately had to be the president of said we had to cancel due to COVID.

But I tell you, it's amazing to come back.

It's amazing to be back with friends, family.

We get to be with our vendors and our other coworkers here.

They become family.

I mean, it's amazing how close you get.

Haylie: How did the group jamboree come about?

Brian Kelley: In 1964, there was a local farmers wanted to show off the harvest in the area.

At that time we were known for the concord grapes, which is the grapes, you know, for more like wine and stuff like that.

And they got together and they expected, like, you know, 5000 people to show up.

They were really real happy.

But they were at 100000 to 200000 people who show up this weekend.

And it's all about celebrating the harvest.

So every year they've added something or, you know, there's been different things throughout the years.

And that was neat.

This is my first year actually being the president of the Jamboree, and I'm getting here on stories, so it's amazing.

Haylie: So how did you get into that role?

Are you a Geneva native?

Brian Kelley: No, I actually live about 20 miles down the road or 20 minutes down the road.

I was a radio deejay here in the area.

I fell in love with the town, to be honest with you.

I love the people here, and it's just truly is amazing.

Haylie: So we get to try wine, we get to shop with crafters, get to ride some rides, and kind of what the grape jamboree is most known for us.

All of the grape.

Everything, right?

Brian Kelley: Grape ice cream.

What?

Pies.

Oh, grape stomping.

And, you know, everything's got to be great.

I mean, we have a thing called a purple cow, which you got to try to.

Haylie: That was a purple.

Brian Kelley: Purple cow is grape juice and vanilla ice cream mixed together.

And it is amazing.

We're the purple people.

Haylie: Are fun people.

It sounds like a grape time.

Brian Kelley: And it's it is a great time here to be in Geneva.

Haylie: Thanks to Brian.

My mind is now fixated on this famous purple cow.

Of course, I wanted to learn more about the people who bring this.

Must try treat to the event.

So, Pam, we were told earlier by Brian that a purple cow is the thing to do.

I have one in my hands right now.

Yes.

Where did this come from?

Pam Wooding: I don't know who originally thought the recipe at the grape Jamboree is based on grapes.

It's grape season.

It's harvest season, and the grapes are all in, and they're bringing them in and make them wine and.

And everything that sort of related in town needs to be linked to grapes somehow.

So someone came up with this grape during.

It's just concord grape juice and vanilla ice cream.

It's a grape float, basically.

But people come back year after year after year for their purple cow, and we see them all day long.

They say, I've got to have my purple cow.

It's not the grape jamboree without a purple cow.

Haylie: How long were you a part of the purple cow here at the festival?

Pam Wooding: I have been doing this for I never stopped to count the years.

Haylie: This is the first year we're back.

And you've been frequenting this festival, obviously, to.

To host the stand.

I mean, what does it mean for you to see this fact, to be back out?

Pam Wooding: It feels really good.

It feels really good.

And I just pray that we all stay safe and everybody has a good time, you know.

Haylie: And drinks purple.

Pam Wooding: Cow and drinks the purple cow.

Haylie: I'm really excited to try it, but I did want to ask.

So you said it's just concord grape juice with ice cream.

But there's a reason why people think it just tastes different at the festival.

Why do you think that is?

Pam Wooding: It's because we we mix up our grape juice and we put it in this and this juicing machine, and it rates the juice and it puts it puts I don't know exactly what an aerator does.

It circulates it and bubbles it and makes it taste different.

You can make them at home, but they never taste the same as they do from that machine.

Haylie: So it's not just that they're immersed in the festival, but you do have a little trick to make it taste extra special, right?

Pam Wooding: it's unique.

It's unique.

Haylie: All right.

I'm going to here we go.

I want to try to taste.

Pam Wooding: Oh, it's grape juice.

Nice.

Very good.

It's.

It's simple, but it's something that people want Every year.

They come for the purple cow.

Haylie: I mean, I can see why it definitely.

It's starting off my experience.

Very well.

Thank you.

Back up for a great time.

Pam Wooding: Yes.

Haylie: Have a grape time, right?

Pam Wooding: A grape time.

Have a grape time and come for your purple cow.

Haylie: Sweet treats are the only creations found at the Geneva grape Jamboree.

Local artists get the opportunity to submit their work in the art show to be judged in various categories, including people's choice.

As you can see, there is art everywhere.

And when you come to visit the art show, you can pick your favorite for the People's Choice Award.

And I'm being honest.

Really hard tasks to fulfill.

I love like the the patterns are used to use the background.

They look like little bubbles.

This is really hard to pick them.

The voting for people's choice was such a hard task.

I can't be the only one serving as the art show coordinator for ten years, Diandra Wanta shared.

She too has a hard time picking favorites.

Lucky for her, she doesn't have to cast a vote for people's choice.

Now, on this particular set up, I mean, do you have a favorite piece or a few favorite pieces that stick out to you?

Diane Trawatha: Yes, this one behind me.

I just think I wanted to eat that as soon as I saw it.

The I need you piece over there and the youth category really stands out to me.

There's a photo of dark trees.

So, yeah, I. I have my favorites.

I try not to play favoritism, like when I'm hanging the show, but it's really hard.

It's really hard not to.

I mean.

Haylie: Plus, you're putting the gallery together, so a little bit of you is kind of curating it and being part of that creation.

Right.

You've seen this town, obviously, when Grape Jamboree was at its peak, as far as like before the past two years.

Yeah.

What is it like seeing it come back for the first time?

Diane Trawatha: Thrilling.

Oh.

Yeah.

It's good to get a little bit worked up on that.

Just happy because it's a family affair.

You know, I've got my niece and nephew come and actually nieces come into town.

They work here.

My brother in law works here.

So if my sister comes in from Florida.

So, yeah, it's a family.

Haylie: It almost doubles.

It's like a family reunion for.

Oh.

Diane Trawatha: Oh, my gosh.

Oh, yeah.

In the evenings when you're walking downtown, say the bands are playing, you can't usually get ten or 15 feet without saying, Oh, my gosh, you're going to big hugs.

And, you know.

Haylie: So you're a Geneva native, so you've kind of been part of this has been part of your experience from years.

Diane Trawatha: Yes, my dad was part of the fire department.

So, you know, he was always not always, but he was on the fire trucks in the parade, you know, that kind of stuff.

So, yeah, it's always been a big part.

Haylie: Was just like some art projects.

I'm about to get really messy because I'm trying to create something for the very first time and was told to change my clothes and I'm running late.

Let's go.

All right.

Jeff Tanchak: Here we go.

It.

Three, two, one.

Go!

Haylie.

Comeon thisis going to be on TV Haylie!

you got to do it to do.

Well, I had no idea that you're over three feet.

I know that.

Jeff Tanchak: That was your first time brainstorming, I'm assuming, right?

Haylie: It was.

Could you tell?

Jeff Tanchak: She has the mic on.

Give it up for...you guys.

Jeff Tanchak: Third place Haylie.

Haylie: Oh, wow.

Haylie: That was a really fun experience, but it's just really gushing.

And now I'm just really sticky from all the grips, So I am ready to get this cleaned up and get back into my normal car.

Keeping crowds engaged is a big task, but local meteorologist Jeff Dan check makes it look easy.

Jeff Tanchak: I am the spokesperson for the Geneva grape jamboree.

It's my 14th year doing it.

Haylie: Yeah, but you're kind of the voice of the festival, right?

You and Brian?

Jeff Tanchak: Yes, I am.

I am the voice of the festival.

I think.

You know, I promoted a lot on TV in the days leading up to it, the weeks leading up to it.

And I also see that the pageant, the Miss Great Pageant, which was held the week before the Jamboree.

So we we just crowned our Miss Great back in her court.

This is the biggest thing that I do all year.

The Grape Jamboree.

Haylie: Aside from being on TV every morning.

Right.

Jeff Tanchak: Aside from being on TV, this is the biggest thing I do outside of doing the TV thing.

You know, this little town in Geneva, the sleepy little town of Geneva.

And then all of a sudden in the last week of September, you get, you know, potentially up to 200,000 people for both Saturday and Sunday here.

Haylie: I will say to your point, it is kind of a smaller town, but truly it's just blown up and it's phenomenal to see everyone here, especially after the two year hiatus we've had.

Jeff Tanchak: Right?

Yeah, There's pent up demand for everything, right?

Yeah, and including festivals.

In fact, Bryan, our president was telling me that all the festivals in Ohio this year had seen about a 20 to 25% increase in attendance because of, you know, people didn't have these festivals for a long time.

So, you know, it's time to get all festivals up again and have some fun.

Yes, communities.

Haylie: Need to celebrate.

That's what brought us together.

Yeah, you got it.

Yes.

Haylie: There's a little throwback to my humble beginnings in the festival world.

We are attending the annual Queen's Brunch, visiting royalty courts from all over the state come together to connect and celebrate.

And it's the perfect excuse to wear a gown and crown.

Networking among other royalty members, was by far my favorite part of being a queen.

Who better to share experiences than Ms. Crepe at her court and the director?

So how long has Ms.. Grape been part of the Grape Jamboree?

Chrissy Jeppe: Since 1963, with our first Ms. group at Queen was actually crowned in the center of town.

Things have changed since then.

Haylie: What does the court do for the grape Jamboree?

Chrissy Jeppe: Well, actually, a lot of people are not aware of it because Grape Jamboree is a two day festival for the weekend that's held in town.

But after that, the girls spend the entire year traveling the state of Ohio, representing the community at Festival Girls.

We do a lot of community service work, so even though you don't really hear about Grape Jamboree, we are throughout the state.

It's a different festivals make it friends still promoting our festival in this area around here.

It's really exciting to hear the people, you know, how excited they are about our area up here.

Haylie: You kind of get to tour Ohio to all the different festivals.

I mean, is there one that really sticks out in your mind?

Allahah Burkholder: I love the Asheville County Coverage Festival.

The Queens are amazing and they are so nice.

Haylie: Aside from your own festival, what is your favorite one you've been to over the years?

Teagan Gilbert: The Circleville Pumpkin Festival Just because it's like the first festival that we get to do is like a big group and it's always nice to bond with.

The girls and then you can't.

Haylie: So I'm assuming you're a pro at the wave at this point.

Yes.

Teagan Gilbert: Yes.

Yeah.

After seven years, maybe when you grow.

Haylie: And how long have you been serving as a director?

Chrissy Jeppe: For 15 years.

I have been on the group Jamboree for 19 years.

I started out just helping with the parade and then I got into the mystery.

But part of it.

Haylie: How so?

What kind of what got you kind of sucked into that.

Well, that's comical, too, in a way.

My whole family used to own a business on Main Street and we would all get together and watch the parade.

And I thought, Gee, you never really see much of the girls.

Like after the festival.

You always kind of wondered what they did and whatnot.

But my husband worked really far from the area and we had two little kids and I didn't work because we, you know, plan on me being a stay at home mom.

So I looked for something that I could do that could actually, you know, involve the kids that I was able to take them everywhere.

And that's how it all began.

Haylie: Wow.

Yeah.

So it's like a family of fellows.

It is my husband.

We all get involved in the group jamboree.

Haylie: And you were sharing off camera how, you know, as a family, the great Jamboree traditions continue all throughout the year.

You do a great stomping just for fun at parties.

Aimee Dieffenbacher: You'll see people will group some.

It's part of like what we do and as families, we.

Picked grapes together.

Haylie: Because many of the local families own vines.

So we got the great pickin grape something and then of course going to all the festivals and having rain here.

Haylie: So I've been asking everyone this.

I got to ask you to Geneva Grape Jamboree.

What is your absolute favorite part of the festival?

Chrissy Jeppe: Oh, the festival, the parade.

Allahah Burkholder: My favorite part of the Geneva Grape Jamboree is the parade.

Haylie: The votes are in and the parade is a must.

You poor Miss Grape herself.

Let's go now.

It was so much fun.

But now it's wine o'clock featuring wines throughout the area.

Visitors can get a taste of local vineyards without leaving the festival.

This is from Ferrante Winery.

It is a Riesling.

And you know what?

I'm not a big white wine person, but I've heard wonderful things about them.

So here we go.

Haylie: That's really good.

Here's.

Okay, now I want to learn more about that.

Riesling Ferrante Winery is more than a location to dine and sample wine.

It's a destination.

This family vineyard has been part of the community since 1942.

I'll meet with the winemaker Nick Ferrante very soon.

But first I wanted to get to know the co-owner, Mary Jo Ferrante.

Mary Jo Ferrante: Grape Jamboree Festival is just one of the festivals that we have in the area that people can enjoy.

Yeah.

Haylie: I know.

I'm having fun.

Good.

Mary Jo Ferrante: You can hear everybody else having fun too.

Haylie: I'm sure that you were sharing that.

Five out of the eight siblings are actually part of running this winery.

I mean, what is it like working side by side with your brothers and sisters?

Mary Jo Ferrante: Oh, it's quite the honor to have a relationship with.

We're very close.

And my parents had five girls and three boys, and my oldest brother is the winemaker and there's three sisters that help run the restaurant.

And it's really a good feeling and it's not like coming to work.

It's like coming home and just enjoying life.

So it's all good.

It's really good.

Haylie: I mean, just coming in here, there's such a vibe and ambiance and I think you guys do such a great job doing that.

I mean, what is your favorite part of your job.

Mary Jo Ferrante: Might have a part is seeing other people have fun and just the smiles and people enjoyment because our family always had food and wine and we came from a very modest family.

But my parents always had food and we always had our large gatherings and our family.

So it's kind of like just having family every weekend and having a party.

Haylie: Yeah, it definitely feels that way.

You just have a big block party all the time and a wonderful place with delicious wine.

Mary Jo Ferrante: Of course we got to have the vino.

Haylie: Cheers.

So how long has Ferrante been part of Geneva?

Nick Ferrante: Well, our roots go back.

Our grandparents bought this farm in 1942, and it was all concord grapes back then.

And now it's all the refrigerators that are made into wine.

So that's our third.

Haylie: What is your favorite part about making wine?

Nick Ferrante: I like the blending aspect.

Winemaking is like a lot of our it's a process driven process.

I guess there's a lot of different things we have to do.

The art of blending is when we take all these different wines and we start to taste them.

When we just start taking little bits of this and a little bit of that one and we run them together and we see what works and what doesn't work.

But we could really it's really fun, it's really creative and that's what I like about the start of it.

Haylie: I sounds like, I mean, the creative process is kind of the fun part, right?

Nick Ferrante: Yeah.

Haylie: Nick shared with me some of his favorite wines and also gave me some tips on how to properly conduct the tasting.

Now, this one had a few awards over on the wine stands over there.

Yes.

Nick Ferrante: Yeah, quite a few.

This is our golden bunch.

It's dry, dry Riesling.

Haylie: What all goes into this wine?

Nick Ferrante: Well, it starts in a vineyard.

So that's a good start.

Nick Ferrante: So the key is growing.

Really nice.

Riesling grapes.

Okay.

And a little bit of a try this.

A little bit of noble rot, as we called it.

Detritus, flavors, this wine really, really nice.

Haylie: So you're going to so we're going to taste it and you're going to kind of walk us through the flavor profile, right?

Oh, yeah, very.

Nick Ferrante: Yeah, I will.

The first thing we're going to do is we're going to open the wine.

This is a screw cap, so we're just going to take the screw cap off very easily.

I'm going to pour a little bit of the golden branches now, pour myself a little, but really give you a glass now.

Haylie: Thank you very much.

Nick Ferrante: You want to do is just swirl the wine all the way and take it like this and then bring it up to your nose.

Smell it.

So you're going to get you're going to get some Riesling flavors, some like peach, some apricot, and there's a lot of minerality in this wine.

So that really adds to the the aroma profile.

And then you're going to just take a little step.

Oh, wow, That's really tasty.

Haylie: is.

Nick Ferrante: Marvelous.

Lot of nice Riesling flavors like green apple and some peaches.

And the finish is really nice and it's not harsh, it's really smooth and it finishes in the leaves.

You want a nice aftertaste?

Yeah, Very, very enjoyable.

Haylie: It's hard not to keep drinking it so good.

I'm sure I know it started with the grapes, but what was kind of your inspiration behind this particular wine?

Nick Ferrante: Well, Riesling is probably the main grape in this area as far as the whites are concerned.

So it really grows well and we're able to bring it in and really make some really high quality wine.

That's one of my favorites.

And I enjoy making it and I enjoy I enjoy drinking it.

Haylie: Fair enough.

Cheers to that.

Nick Ferrante: And it's also my signature series Wine because it has my name on the label.

So that's a nice, nice thing there, isn't that.

Haylie: Hats off to you.

Nick Ferrante: Thank you.

Haylie: Good partner after sharing it.

Cheers with the winemaker Nick Ferrante.

It's time to head back to the festival to catch some live entertainment.

On my way to the stage, I bumped into Nick Walker.

You just picked up a guitar four years ago.

Nick Walker: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It's been kind of crazy.

I was playing an open mic night, so I just started playing.

I'm like, Wow, this is fun.

I try to write a song for a girl to try and get her back.

Okay?

And then exactly right.

And then figure out that I can.

I could do it, you know?

All right, You offered me a gig, and it just turned into a test that summer I was playing up here.

And then that summer, some of these are the end of the summer because you got on a quest.

You know, you can play there year round.

I'm like, okay.

So my boss basically told me he's like, You want me to fire you?

Or like, put in your two weeks, I'll give it to him.

And if it doesn't work to come back.

So and I did stay down.

There has been full time for years.

Haylie: That's incredible.

I mean, for even your boss to believe in your talent enough to be like, you know, I mean, if it doesn't, like, come back, but like, I'm pretty sure.

Nick Walker: Yeah, exactly.

But as long as you work like you did with me, then you'll be good.

So what is your best advice for aspiring artists?

Nick Walker: Any.

I mean, art artists can be anything.

Okay?

I just think if you have a passion for something, do it.

Because that's something that it's easy to work when you're doing something that you love and keep saying, Yes, you guys, I think back to the reason I was key was because I said yes to going to meet this person on a Wednesday night.

And she's like, I'm going on a quest next week.

You want to go?

And I said, Yes.

So it was just kind of on a whim.

You you said, Well, almost kind of on a whim you said, yes.

Nick Walker: Oh, 100%.

Sure you are.

Nick Walker: Like everything.

In me wanted to say no, but it was like, Oh, go, let's do it.

Haylie: You're a native to the area.

What is the one must do here?

And the great.

Nick Walker: Jamboree has a great jamboree.

I'd say the great, but it's going to have my best ice cream.

I'll get that anywhere else.

You know, there's ice cream in.

Guys only here.

Nick Walker: Yeah, And they make it.

I think they make special matches every year.

Haylie: Nick is one of many locals who insist we can't leave without trying.

The famous grape ice cream.

To be honest, I'm quite curious how this will turn out.

We'll trying.

The grape ice cream is the must do at the jamboree.

So here's my first go.

Let's try it.

That's definitely a unique experience.

It definitely has that grape taste, but it follows with like the smooth silkiness from the cream of the ice cream to come here.

I do suggest you try it for yourself, but it's so fun.

It's purple and it tastes good.

It's ice cream, everything good.

One, which started as a celebration of the local harvest, has now cultivated community traditions, connection and hospital ities.

When visiting Geneva for the annual Grape Jamboree, you are sure to have a great time, but don't just take my word for it.

Pam Wooding: Grape time.

Have a great time.

Brian Kelley: It is.

It is a great time here to be in Geneva.

Nick Walker: All the grape stuff.

It's a great time here.

It's a great time.

It's a great time.

I squeeze that joke dry.

I did.

I did.

Haylie: You're making it amazing.

I look forward to the next festival.

We find you can visit final festivals dot com to learn more about the series, get updates to the digital newsletter and connect with me on social media where you can access more content on festival fun.

I am rihere it's a little chilly in the shorts.

Off Cmera: Pie for you.

Brian Kelley: look here.

Hailey: We already have a pie!

All right.

Jeff Tanack: Show off the pie.

You can edit that out.

Haylie: I did you like hit your waves down when you were up on the slopes?

Mary Jo Ferrante: We tried.

We tried to do the queens wave and the and kind of have fun, and.

Haylie: It looks really good.

Oh, gooey.

Okay.

Oh, I want to be great again.

You know.

Diane Trawatha: His name is Derp.

I mean, come on, derp.

The dragons, right?

Exactly.

That's correct.

Haylie: The hands are all purple.

Did you go to Great Jamboree?

If your hands aren't purple, I want you.

Finding festivals is brought to you in part by Find some Lake Erie Love?

It's a SHORE thing!

Learn how at SHORESandISLANDS.com and start an adventure today.

Toledo.

More than you ever imagined.

Learn more at visittoledo.org.