If you said pawpaw, you might want to check out Horn Farm Center’s 21st annual Pawpaw Festival on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For those who scratched their heads at the words ‘tropical’ and ‘Pennsylvania’ in the same sentence, the pawpaw is the only member of the mostly tropical plant family Annonaceae grown in the state, according to the National Park Service.

The Park Service describes the flavor of pawpaw as similar to bananas but with hints of mango, vanilla, and citrus. However, the local fruit is not cultivated on the same scale as its popular cousins.

The fruit has no shelf life and matures in late August through mid-September. For many, the only opportunity to try a pawpaw comes on a hike through central PA’s many forests or at the pawpaw festival.

This year’s festival includes:

• Wild and cultivated pawpaw varieties
• Fresh pawpaw fruit and trees for sale
• Pawpaw-themed products and merchandise
• Food trucks, plant nurseries, and local craft vendors
• Environmental nonprofits and educational booths
• Free tours of the pawpaw orchard 
• Free walking tours of the Horn Farm Center’s demonstration projects

Tickets cost $7 and include off-site parking with a shuttle. They go on sale Sunday, June 15, at hornfarmcenter.org/pawpawfest.