New for 2024, Wild & Uncommon Weekend is an expansion of the Horn Farm’s annual Pawpaw Festival.

Thanks to partnerships with local businesses and nonprofits, a variety of special tastings, educational experiences, and other activities will be offered across the Lower Susquehanna Region from September 26-29, 2024. Many of these satellite events feature the pawpaw fruit, while others spotlight additional unique foods and experiences characteristic of the region. Head to the Wild & Uncommon main page to see how you can participate in our first Wild & Uncommon Weekend!

Like the steady-growing pawpaw tree, the Pawpaw Festival has flourished exponentially over the past twenty years. It has transformed from a humble seedling planted by curious local foodies to a sprawling grove attracting people from across the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.

The Pawpaw Festival has surely helped to uplift “America’s Forgotten Fruit,” but as the land teaches us, resilient ecosystems need biodiversity to thrive. It’s part of the Horn Farm Center’s mission to seek nature’s inspiration in many aspects of what we do; from land stewardship to community engagement, we’re always asking, “what would nature do?”–challenging ourselves to “think like an ecosystem.” That’s why we’re excited to move toward a more lush and diversified event–one that captures the richness of our local resources by celebrating not just the pawpaw, but the abundant ecosystem of local foods, makers, and nature-based experiences that characterize the Lower Susquehanna Region. Pawpaws live naturally in community–they are networked understory trees within layered, dynamic forests–so we too are striving to create a “networked” event. It’s important for us not just to highlight the unique and alluring pawpaw fruit, but to create enjoyable, fun, and educational experiences rooted in the greater landscape that the pawpaw calls home. Indeed, the festival has naturally tended in this direction over its 20-year history, involving a wider array of vendors and classes with each year it has grown.

If there’s one major message we hope to share through the renewed focus of Wild & Uncommon Weekend, it’s this: pawpaw is far more than a fleeting fruit with a funky taste. It’s an invitation for us to connect more deeply with the natural world, to learn how we can live in gratitude for the gifts and limits of the seasons, and to explore the special offerings of our Place, strengthening both community and care for the land.

Some satellite events of Wild & Uncommon Weekend require pre-registration while others do not. Many events are free or request a nominal fee or donation. For a map of regional events and details about whether or not you’ll need to register, visit the Wild & Uncommon Weekend Guide (link coming soon). The flyer below also details which events require pre-registration to attend. Registrations for many events are currently open on the main landing page for Wild & Uncommon Weekend. With limited capacities at most events, we encourage you to register soon!

Yes–just make sure to plan! The signature Pawpaw Festival is taking place all day on Saturday, September 28th (9am to 5pm), so there should be time for you to join us for a portion of the festival while also attending concurrent satellite events, like guided hikes at nearby preserves, tours of a neighboring biodynamic farm, and kid-friendly programs across the area.

The most important factor to keep in mind as you plan for Saturday is transportation. For general admission ticket-holders, parking takes place off-site (see details below). Attendees will board a shuttle to travel to and from the festival grounds. Three shuttles will run consistently throughout the day, and we’re anticipating between 15- and 30-minute wait times between shuttles and 7 minutes per trip (subject to change). If you purchase a general admission ticket to the festival, you will need to factor in this “travel cushion” to determine when you will depart the festival for another event.

Please be considerate of variable wait times, as this is our first year moving the bulk of parking off-site and deploying numerous shuttles. Below is a listing of satellite events occurring on Saturday, September 28th that begin at specific times and require pre-registration:

• 9AM-12PM // Guided Morning Hike with the Lancaster Conservancy: Buzzards Roost & Wildcat Run
  • 6-minute drive from on-site parking; 9 minute drive from off-site parking
• 9AM, 11AM, 2PM, and 4PM tours // Biodynamic Explorations at Dark Hollow Biodynamic
  • 8-minute drive from on-site parking; 10-minute drive from off-site parking
• 10:30AM-11:30AM // Weird Fish & Fishing Weirs: youth program with Susquehanna National Heritage Area
  • 12-minute drive from on-site parking; 14-minute drive from off-site parking
• 1PM-3PM // Guided Afternoon Hike with the Lancaster Conservancy: Eco Restoration at Wizard Ranch
  • 6-minute drive from on-site parking; 10-minute drive from off-site parking
• 2PM // River Discovery Boat Tour with the Susquehanna National Heritage Area
  • 15-minute drive from on-site parking; 18-minute drive from off-site parking
• 7-8:30PM // Wild & Uncommon After Party: Pawpaw Desserts & Mocktails with Firefly Hollow Wellness
  • 25-minute drive from on-site parking; 20-minute drive from off-site parking

Other Saturday events that do not require registration and are taking place throughout the day (no specific arrival time) are listed here:

• Market Shopping & A Taste of Apple Schnitz at Flinchbaugh’s Orchard & Farm Market (9am-4pm)
• Pawpaw Baked Goods & Elderberry Jam at White Clover Family Farm (9am-5pm)
• Let’s Eat More Local Food! at Leg Up Farmers Market (9am-7pm)
• Pawpaw Cocktails, Lavender Indulgences, & Locally-Made Wine at Lavender Acres Winery (11am-6pm)

Yes, advance-purchased tickets are REQUIRED to attend the Pawpaw Festival. There will be no tickets available at the door. Any day-of purchases will be online only. Festival-goers must have an electronic or printed ticket to be admitted to the festival.

Tickets are available ONLINE ONLY. Here’s the link to purchase tickets: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/horn-farm-center/pawpaw-festival

Your ticket includes full-day admission to the pawpaw festival and, for general admission ticket-holders, access to the shuttle service to and from the parking lot (see parking details below). Ticket does not include pawpaw fruit or merchandise.

All ticket tiers are sold per-person, not per-car. For example, if three people will be arriving together in one vehicle and wish to park on-site, each individual will need to have their own VIP ticket. The three tickets can be purchased separately by each inidividual or as a group (as with families). If a couple is attending together and wishes to park in our off-site general admissions lot, they will need to purchase two general admissions tickets.

To help manage traffic throughout the day, you will select an “arrival window” when purchasing your festival tickets. We ask that you plan to arrive at the parking area associated with your ticket within the window of time you’ve selected. You do not need to arrive right at the beginning of your time slot!–in fact, it’s good to note that the busiest times will likely be at the beginning of each arrival window, so we encourage you to consider that when planning your travel.

Timed tickets do not influence how long you are allowed to stay at the festival. Once you are at the Horn Farm, you are welcome to stay until the festival closes at 5PM. NOTE to general admission ticket holders that the last shuttle departs at TIME TBA.

No refunds will be provided; all ticket sales are final. The Pawpaw Festival is a fundraiser for the Horn Farm Center, a 501c3 non-profit organization. All ticket proceeds support regenerative land stewardship and educational programs at the Horn Farm Center.

The event will be held rain or shine. Only under severe circumstances will the event be canceled. These include severe weather conditions, emergency situations, or catastrophic events. In the event of a cancelation, attendees will be notified by email and public announcements on Horn Farm Center’s website and social media.

The Pawpaw Festival will be held rain or shine.

Ticket purchasers will have the option to choose between general admission and VIP tickets, which include different parking arrangements:

General Admission: Parking will take place off-site at the Church of the Open Door, located seven minutes from the Horn Farm Center. The lot address will be provided with your ticket. From the parking lot, school bus shuttles will run throughout the day to transport attendees to and from the festival grounds.

VIP: A limited number of tickets are available for parking on-site at the Horn Farm Center. Parking at the farm will take place in a grass field with a slight grade.

Premium VIP Tickets: A limited number of Premium VIP Tickets are available for exclusive access to the first hour of the festival. For pawpaw fanatics, a Premium Ticket includes on-site festival parking at the Horn Farm Center as well as exclusive access to the festival grounds, vendors, and pawpaw sales before the crowds arrive.

Handicapped: All handicapped attendees with a disabled parking permit placard will automatically be granted on-site parking with a general admission ticket.

Three school bus shuttles will run at regular intervals throughout the day to transport general admission ticket-holders to and from the festival grounds. The travel time from the parking area to the festival (and vice-versa) is about 7 minutes. We’ll provide more information on anticipated shuttle wait times as details are solidified.

The pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is America’s largest edible native fruit, and it grows in abundance across the forested hillsides and fertile valleys of the Lower Susquehanna Region where the Horn Farm resides!

An outlier among native fruits, the pawpaw is a member of the Annonaceae, or custard apple, fruit family, which is otherwise exclusively tropical. In fact, the pawpaw is the only fruit of its kind to grow in temperate regions like ours. Pawpaws ripen for a short window from late September to early October each year, and resist commodification because of their very short shelf life. To learn more about the biology and culture of “America’s forgotten fruit,” click here.

All pawpaw fruits, trees, merchandise, and vendor products will be available the day of the event while supplies last. In order to ensure that all attendees can enjoy the pawpaw fruit that we have available, pawpaw fruit purchases may be limited. It’s also important to note that pawpaw fruit is bound by natural limitations and a short growing season, so fruit availability for purchase is very likely but not guaranteed.

We encourage you to BYOS (Bring Your Own Spoon) if you’re interested in sampling pawpaw fruit purchased at the event. Ripe pawpaw fruit has a soft exterior skin and a custardy interior, so it can easily be “sliced” down the middle with a spoon. Remember–only the fruit flesh is edible! Do not eat the skin or the seeds.

BYOS is not only encouraged so you can try pawpaw on-site–it also helps to keep our event earth-conscious. Single-use disposable spoons will NOT be provided. You can also hold onto the skin and seeds to compost at home or deposit in a natural area where pawpaws grow, helping steward this unique natural resource.

First things first: only the yellow, custardy inner fruit is edible. The outer skin contains toxins that can cause an upset stomach, so it should not be consumed. For obvious reasons (they are large and solid), you should not ingest the seeds either.

Pawpaw should also be consumed only in moderation. Perhaps it’s fitting that the fruit has such a short shelf life and limited season: consuming large quantities of pawpaws can lead to considerable gastrointestinal upset, even nausea and vomiting. Refrain from eating more than a reasonable amount of pawpaw fruit in a sitting–with its rich and complex flavor, just one to two fruits in a day is sufficient. Pawpaw is a treat, not a meal.

It’s important to note that pawpaw is a new food for many people. Just like anything we introduce to our bodies for the first time, we may react or adjust in unexpected ways. Some people have reported minor stomach upset and nausea after trying pawpaw, which may be a sign of sensitivity. If you are experiencing the fruit for the first time, we recommend taking one taste and waiting to see how your body feels. Allergic reactions are uncommon, but it’s better to play it safe when trying any new food–especially one as robust as pawpaw. Interestingly, experiences of digestive irritation are higher in cases where pawpaw is incorporated into prepared foods like baked goods.

The last thing to consider with pawpaws is their appearance. Ripe pawpaws show bruising–this means they are ready to eat. Pawpaws with unblemished skin may look more appealing, but the correct way to harvest pawpaws is when they are soft to the touch and bruised. In fact, most pawpaw growers and foragers harvest pawpaw fruit from the ground, not directly from the tree, since dropped fruit indicates ripeness. Unlike common groceries like pears and tomatoes, unripe pawpaws will not ripen over time on the counter–they only ripen on the tree. This is another reason why pawpaws resist easy commercialization: fruits picked prematurely are a lost cause, and the best fruits aren’t exactly the most attractive.

As for the taste, the only way to get an impression is to try a pawpaw yourself! There are so many descriptors for the flavor, which can vary from fruit to fruit based on its ripeness, habitat, or cultivar (if trying a “cultivated variety”). The flavor is often described as broadly tropical–a combination of mango, banana, and pineapple with tangy, sunny, champagne-y, sometimes “funky” hints.

Yes! Children under the age of 12 can attend for free. The event includes a children’s activity corner with a coloring contest, educational activities, and a festival scavenger hunt. Guided youth tours are also provided.

The Horn Farm is a working farm with variable accessibility. Accessible parking will be available at the event. However, many surfaces on site are grass, gravel, unpaved, uneven, and can present difficulty to those with limited mobility. Please plan accordingly.

No. For safety, we do not permit dogs at the festival. We appreciate your consideration!

There are no indoor restroom facilities available. Portable toilets with hand sanitizer units will be stationed near the pick-up and drop-off area for the parking shuttle.

No outside food or drinks – refillable water bottles are permitted. We hope you enjoy the diverse offerings of our community vendors.

The consumption of alcoholic beverages or illegal substances is not permitted at the event. The Pawpaw Festival is a family-friendly event. Anyone consuming alcohol or illegal substances will be asked to leave the premises immediately with no ticket refund.