Each year since 1946, the town of Mitchell, Indiana has hosted a Persimmon Festival of particular interest at the Mitchell Persimmon Festival is the annual Persimmon Pudding eating contest, and Persimmon Pudding Contest. 

In 2005, the Persimmon Festival lasted for NINE days and included a long list of events such as a parade down Main Street, ball, pageants, candlelight tour,

roadrally, various dinners and breakfasts, golf scramble, tennis tournament, horseshoe tournament, 3 on 3 basketball competition, soccer games,  carnival, various serv ices, musical acts, blood drive, antique farm equipment show, antique car show, historic walk, and various food cookoffs

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I went to school in Southern Indiana, a place of rolling hills, covered bridges, small towns, stone quarries and the Mitchell Persimmon Festival. Before living there, I had heard of persimmons only in passing, filing them away in my mind with such fruit oddities as paw paws.

But in Southern Indiana, the persimmon -- ripe and bright orange -- is not only remembered, it is revered.

Last year’s Pudding Contest winner at the Persimmon Festival used buttermilk, heavy cream, butter and eggs, a little vanilla and a touch of cinnamon.  What’s that, you say?  You’ve never had persimmon pudding?  You’ve never had persimmons?  Well, that’s as good a reason as any to hasten to Mitchell, IN for the 62nd Annual Persimmon Festival.

The Persimmon Pudding contest takes place on Saturday the 27^th.  There’s also a Persimmon Novelty Dessert category; last year, the winner made Persimmon Gooey Butter Cake. 

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