Why Wild Turkey?? You mean like the whiskey?
The Eastern Wild Turkey, once prevalent throughout Ohio, had disappeared from the state by 1900. Efforts by the Ohio Division of Wildlife to reintroduce the bird began after World War II. Early attempts with farm-raised birds were unsuccessful--they weren't "wild" enough and lacked the instinct to avoid humans and natural predators. Then, in the mid-1950's the first live-captured wild birds arrived from West Virginia, with the rugged terrain of sparsely-populated Vinton County as their destination. These birds survived, thrived, and within a few years eastern wild turkeys from Vinton County were being captured and transplanted to other locations throughout Ohio.
Fast forward to the early 1980's. A group of community-minded citizens, looking for a theme to build a county-wide celebration around, settled on "Wild Turkey Festival" to commemorate the vital role played by Vinton County in re-establishing this beautiful animal to our state. And every year, thousands of hunters, hikers, and vacationers visit our county hoping for a glimpse of this magnificent bird.
And maybe a shot of whiskey.
The Wild Turkey Festival has been held at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and State Route 93 every year (except 2020) since 1985. The festival features free nightly entertainment on the main stage, a car show, karaoke contest, baby contest, parade, amusement rides, and of course, what would a festival be without food, glorious food!
