The 56th Waynesville Sauerkraut Fetival Is Happening This Weekend

WAYNESVILLE, OH -- A tradition that began more than five decades ago with a sauerkraut dinner added to a sidewalk sale will once again bring thousands of visitors to downtown Waynesville this weekend.

The 56th Annual Ohio Sauerkraut Festival will take over historic Main Street Saturday, Oct. 10, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 11, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free.

The festival has grown into one of the largest events of its kind in the Midwest, drawing visitors to a village of about 2,900 residents for a weekend filled with food, arts and crafts, live entertainment and community traditions.

Festivities will officially begin at 10 a.m. Saturday with an opening ceremony on the Main Stage at Main and North streets.

The Waynesville High School Choir will perform the national anthem, festival organizers will recognize longtime contributors to the event, a scholarship recipient will be introduced and longtime festival sponsor Frank’s Kraut will be honored.

One of the highlights of this year’s ceremony will take place overhead when Emerson Stewart, grandson of Red Stewart, flies a vintage Stearman biplane over the festival. The flyover will recognize the community’s connection to Red Stewart Airfield and its aviation history. Red Stewart Airfield was established south of Waynesville in 1946 by pilot Emerson “Red” Stewart, who built the grass airstrip after leaving his job at Frigidaire. Stewart went on to operate a flight school there and became known for his skill in Piper Cubs. Nearly 80 years later, the field remains in the Stewart family and continues its tradition of vintage aircraft, tailwheel flying and aerobatics. Stewart’s grandson is continuing that family legacy with Saturday’s Stearman biplane flyover.

A German documentary crew is also expected to attend the festival this year to film a program about small-town American food traditions.

While sauerkraut remains at the center of the celebration, festival organizers say the food booths also serve a larger community purpose.

Every food booth is operated by a local school organization, church or nonprofit group, with proceeds helping support programs ranging from athletics and scouting to bands and church missions.

More than 10,000 pounds of Frank’s Sauerkraut have been ordered for this year’s festival. Organizers estimate festival booths have served about 125,000 pounds of sauerkraut during the past decade.

Festival favorites will include cabbage rolls from St. Augustine Church, sauerkraut balls supporting the Wayne Township Fire Department, sauerkraut pizza from the Order of Eastern Star and the Sons of the American Legion’s German Sundae.

Crossview Church will serve pork, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes, while the Band Boosters will once again offer one of the festival’s more unusual specialties — sauerkraut fudge.

Visitors will also find goetta, fried bologna sandwiches, bean soup and cornbread, cream puffs, caramel apples, kettle corn and other traditional festival foods.

Beyond the food, more than 300 juried artisans from more than 25 states are expected to line the streets with handmade items. Sunshine Artist magazine has ranked the Ohio Sauerkraut Festival No. 29 among its 200 best craft shows in the United States.

Free live entertainment will be featured throughout the weekend on the Main Stage.

On Sunday afternoon, the festival will also recognize this year’s senior scholarship recipients. Festival proceeds have helped fund scholarships for graduating local seniors for decades.

Waynesville Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lacie Sims said the festival is also important to the village’s year-round businesses, introducing visitors to the shops and restaurants that line Main Street.

“Every visitor who walks Main Street in October is a potential customer who comes back in December, or in May, or next summer,” Sims said in announcing this year’s festival. “The festival is our village’s handshake with the region.”

Festival Chair Curt Day and hundreds of volunteers help organize and operate the annual event.

Visitors wanting to take part of the festival home can stop by the Chamber Bakery for pies, breads and two-pound buckets of sauerkraut. Official 2026 festival shirts, caps, tumblers and tote bags will also be available.

Shuttle service will be available from Wayne Local High School, 735 Dayton Road, for $5 cash or $6 when paying by card.

Pets are not permitted at the festival, with the exception of service animals.

The complete festival program, including food and vendor listings and a festival map, is available at sauerkrautfestival.com. Additional information is available from the Waynesville Area Chamber of Commerce at 513-897-8855.

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