Celebrating the Melon in Milan

We love to celebrate, we enjoy celebrating holidays with our family and friends. We are always looking for the next opportunity to celebrate something, whether it be a birth, a baptism, a first communion, a confirmation, graduation, anniversary or birthday. Across this great nation we celebrate many things and our towns and cities showcase their local offerings. Here in Ohio practically every town celebrates something in some way or another, big and small alike. Locally we celebrate the bratwurst in Bucyrus, popcorn in Marion, fish in Vermilion, the strawberry in Norwalk, corn in North Ridgeville, pumpkins in Circleville, grapes in Geneva, blossoms in Willard, walleye in Port Clinton, baskets in Berlin Heights but make no mistake about it and in my opinion the greatest small-town celebration is Milan’s homage to melons; cantaloupe and watermelon. Milan, Ohio has been throwing a party in honor of melons for the past 59 years, starting in 1958. Milan is known for being the birthplace of Thomas Edison but it is locally famous for its delicious sweet melons. The Milan Melon Festival is held over Labor Day Weekend, filling the town square with booths of festival food, melon events such as carving, eating and bowling, an antique car show, arts and crafts, rides, concerts, a spectacular Grand Parade and of course the Melon Queen Pageant. In small towns such as Milan this is one of the greatest honors a young lady can achieve, the right and honor to represent her hometown across this great state at festivals, parades and fairs. Every year senior girls that attend Edison High School vie for the coveted title, many dreaming about winning since childhood. They begin the process by

attending meetings with the chairwoman and queen’s organizer and 2007 Queen, Mandi Richards, who is assisted by her mom and my very good friend, Cath. The girls are coached beforehand on what to expect on the Saturday of the festival as they gather at St. Anthony’s Church for interviews with the judges, one of those being me. Yes, I know how am I qualified to judge a queen’s pageant? I asked myself that very same question when I was asked to serve as a judge for the 2016 pageant. Thankfully I was aided by two other judges that had lots of experience in these events – they coached me on questions I should ask and what to look for in clothing (if it met the criteria established by Mrs. Weiss many years ago) articulation in their answers and how well the girls would represent their town across the state. The morning of interviews is filled with nerves for the contestants, each trying their absolute best to put their best melon smiles forward and answering the judges’ questions on pins, not knowing exactly what to expect. Some years there are many girls vying for the title and other years there are fewer girls, in contrast 2016 had eight contestants while 2017 had two. My job as a judge was much easier with eight girls than it was with only two, making that important decision of who would represent Milan so much more difficult. On Saturday evening the pageant is held on the main stage on Main Street with us three judges sitting directly in front of the stage. The girls are escorted to the stage by their Dads and each is dressed in their formal dresses, elbow length white gloves include. The court from the previous year is seated behind the contestants along with the court from the Berlin Height Basket Festival (Milan and Berlin Heights are both included in the Edison School District). The contestants are asked two questions, one that they could prepare for and one that they draw from a fishbowl – testing their ability to answer on the spot. Following the questions, the judges retire to Jim’s Pizza Box to deliberate on a choice, with only two girls, both were of course winners. We discussed both morning interviews and the way the girls conducted themselves with their answers just minutes before. Deliberations on who to choose was a very serious matter at that table in Jim’s as we knew we had made the right choice. To the village and the families of the girls, they both were winners no matter how it was looked at or viewed. Congratulations to both girls, Queen Brooke and 1st Attendant Grace, you both showed extreme style, class and a love for Milan, you will represent your village with extreme pride over the next year as you travel across Ohio, from town to town as Milan ambassadors. Now for me the melon festival is about three things, 1: melon (cantaloupe) ice cream – produced by Tofts Dairy in Sandusky and ONLY sold during the Melon Festival, along with watermelon sherbet. They even serve a half a cantaloupe filled with ice cream! 2: the cheese on a stick sold annually by the Edison High School Music Boosters and 3: a taco from the Jim’s Pizza Box stand. I make my annual pilgrimage to Milan for those three things and now I guess I have a fourth, serving as a melon queen judge – for as long they ask me to do so. This year I met a new friend in a beautiful big dog named, Winston – who when I started to pet him laid down on my feet and begged to be petted, who could resist? If you are ever in north central Ohio during Labor Day weekend, plan to make a visit to the Milan Melon Festival for the best melons in the state, the most delicious tacos, oozing cheese on a stick and yes, the most royal of royalty, the Milan Melon Queen and her court.

Over the summer my daughter Mallory and I visited the Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas – one of the most delectable offerings from the food trucks lining the lawn there were these watermelon coolers served in the melon! I think this needs to be added to the Melon Festival food lineup in Milan, I would have a fifth reason to go! Try the recipe I developed for my version of this Cooler in a Melon.