HARROD — For most of the year, the village of Harrod enjoys relative peace and quiet, nestled unassuming on Napoleon Road just south of Allen East schools. There are days, however, when this unassuming village takes center stage.
“We have three dates that bring a lot of people into town: Memorial Day, the Pork Rind Festival weekend and Labor Day,” Mayor Shannon Rumer said.
Started in 1989, the Pork Rind Heritage Festival brings as many as 3,000 visitors to the village to enjoy such attractions as the yearly parade, free live music, a vintage car show and the festival’s namesake made fresh on site. While it may seem unusual to have a festival dedicated to the carb-free snack, festival committee member Andrea Ellerbrock noted this element was a perfect fit for the area.
“This was originally started to celebrate Auglaize Township,” she said. “It then snowballed into the festival, and to have a festival, you need a sponsor. With Rudolph Foods being here in the township, that’s how it started.”
While people were enjoying the music, color run, bounce houses and other attractions, the greatest concentration of Saturday afternoon attendees were lined up at the village’s new shelter house, waiting for their chance to buy freshly made pork rinds.
“The pork rinds usually sell out,” Ellerbrock said. “The cracklings go first.”
The festival, which began Friday and concluded Saturday, also gave the village the chance to show off a newly built shelter house on Main Street, along with additional parking at Railroad Park.
“Our new pavilion is working out great,” Ellerbrock said. “There’s room for picnic tables, so people can sit. There are two lines set up, so people have faster service, and it’s sheltered, so people are out of the sun. It worked very well.”
Additional attractions included a Cub Cadet lawnmower and ATV giveaway, a bingo event and live music from a variety of groups, culminating in an evening performance by local rock and roll cover band Exploit.
Even with temperatures surpassing 90 degrees Saturday, this year’s festival was very well attended.
“It’s been a good turnout,” Ellerbrock said. “The heat sure hasn’t kept anyone away.”
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