10/10/2026
✨ From its very first year in 1970, when Waynesville’s merchants gathered for a simple sidewalk sale and decided to serve sauerkraut dinners to draw a crowd, the Sauerkraut Festival has always been about community at its heart.
That first weekend, just 528 pounds of sauerkraut was served, and 1,500 visitors filled our little village streets. There were checkers contests, spelling bees, and even prizes for the largest cabbage, a celebration full of laughter and small-town pride.
Fifty-six years later, the heart of it all remains the same. The merchants and volunteers still pour their time, creativity, and love into making this weekend something truly special.
Families continue to travel from near and far, returning year after year to walk these familiar streets, share favorite treats, and relive the memories made long ago. Old friends find each other in the crowd, children follow in their parents’ footsteps, and new stories are written beside the old. It is a tradition stitched together with love, laughter, and the kind of moments that linger long after the weekend fades.
Tucked just behind the tents, the heart and soul of Main Street quietly shines. These little shops, filled with stories, laughter, and generations of dreams, are what make Waynesville feel like a page pulled from a storybook, a place where every window tells a tale and every visit becomes part of the story. 💛 See you soon!
We would love to see your favorite Festival moments. Share your photos this weekend or a favorite from years past.
Follow Ohio Sauerkraut Festival - Waynesville, OH. for more info! 🥬
