The Columbus Coffee Festival returned this weekend after a year-long hiatus, giving coffee drinkers in Greater Columbus the chance to sample some of the area’s most well-known java, and possibly some that they don’t. ‘ve never heard of it.
The festival in Ohio Village, across from the Ohio State Fairgrounds on the north side, also gave dozens of vendors the chance to reach new customers.
Organizers suspended the festival in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This year’s festival has 27 vendors spread across the Ohio village, along with a handful of food trucks and a few dairy stations.
Jennings Java debuted at the annual gathering before opening a brick and mortar store in Merion Village.
Owner Daniel Jennings roasted and brewed coffee for his friends and family before meeting his business partner AJ Kazmierczak in 2016. Kazmierczak persuaded him to turn his hobby into a business.
“We met and literally two weeks later we were setting ourselves up at the Columbus Coffee Festival, way above our heads,†Jennings said of the event’s first year.
From there, they attended other events, such as farmers’ markets, and built a strong following. The duo opened their Merion Village store last year.
Gatherings like the Coffee Festival give them the opportunity to chat with regulars, present their products to potential customers and interact with other roasters.
“We love the Columbus coffee culture,†Jennings said. “I was a huge fan of (some of the other vendors at the festival) before I even ran this business. It’s fun meeting all of these guys. Community is very important in the cafe.”
And the annual event lets roasters know which beers are popular.
Silverbridge Coffee, which is based in Gallipolis along the Ohio River, sells its product in coffee shops in Greater Columbus and grocery stores in Ohio, but has no physical location. The festival gives owners the chance to ask customers what they like and don’t like.
“This is a great opportunity to meet people from the Columbus area who are passionate about local coffee,†said Lorraine Walker, owner of Silverbridge. “It’s like a huge focus group. We get a lot of one-on-one feedback.”
“I have the chance to try flavors that I wouldn’t have the chance to try elsewhere,†said Kim Coolidge, 54, of Grove City.
Others were grateful that they had the chance to taste coffee from their favorite stores in one convenient location.
Stephanie Castine, who lives in Vassar Village on the South Side, came with her mother, Carol Mielke, who lives in Powell.
The Columbus woman said she was happy to see her favorite roasters set up next to each other.
“I’m excited to try out some of my regulars, like Roosevelt and Stauf’s,†Castine said, referring to two popular Columbus brands. “I am a big fan of Stauf.”
The festival also gave coffee vendors and coffee drinkers the opportunity to bond around their mutual love for the caffeinated drink.
“It’s good to go out and meet people from the community,†said Jason Thomas, co-owner of Roaming Goat Coffee in Short North. “It’s something very social.”
The Columbus area has more coffee shops than ever and the festivals give roasters the chance to see longtime customers who don’t come as often because they try other stores, he said.
“The coffee community is growing now,†said Thomas. “It’s nice to meet people who you might only see once a year or just in passing.”
The festival continues on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Day tickets start at $ 20.
@PatrickACooley
