Akron holds a unique place in the histories of rubber, basketball and oats. This Saturday from noon until 5 p.m., the city is celebrating the latter with the 2nd Annual Akron Oatmeal Festival.
Megan Moreland, executive director for the Cascade Locks Park Association, said it's a way "to celebrate the fun, weird history of oatmeal for Akronites."
"We're not taking ourselves too seriously," she said. "We have a pop-up Quaker Oats exhibit at the Mustill Store. We're bringing back the original oatmeal cookie from Quaker Station for people to enjoy. We have oatmeal tasting. We're going to have stilt walkers, magicians ... you name it."
The festivities also include a parade and lookalike contest saluting Ferdinand Schumacher, the man Moreland called "King of Oatmeal."
"[He] was a German immigrant, moved to Akron, and missed his oatmeal,"
Moreland said. "So, he developed the technology to roll oats in our park in Cascade Valley. And eventually it grew into a business that we know today as Quaker Oats."
Built in 1872, the facilities were rebuilt after an 1886 fire. The grain silos, which later became circular hotel rooms, were added in 1932. By 1970, though, Quaker Oats ended production in Akron. The complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and subsequently used as retail space and offices. Most recently, it served as dorms and storage for the University of Akron. Today, it's being reconverted into retail. Moreland said that’s one reason they’ll be at the Mustill Store and also at Lock 14, with two entertainment stages, a petting zoo and face painting.
There’s also historical presentations by “Inventing Akron” author Kally Mavromatis, and a live re-creation of a Ferdinand Schumacher interview.
