OFEA Photo by Kristi Crawford Photography
December’s Mount Angel Hazelnut Festival & German Holiday Market sponsored by the Mount Angel Chamber of Commerce received the Ovation award for “Best New Festival” by the Oregon Festival & Events Association. The OFEA members represent more than 1,200 Festivals & Events in Oregon.
The event, held at the Mount Angel Festhalle, featured more than 30 arts and crafts booths, food booths, refreshments and entertainment. Many of the booths featured hazelnut products. The German Holiday Market included authentic and traditional German Christmas decorations and crafts.
“The history of the hazelnut in the Willamette Valley of Oregon dates back to the settlement of the valley by early French pioneers. Today, more than 600 growers are located in the Willamette Valley – the prime growing region for hazelnuts in the United States. There were 9,000 new acres of hazelnuts planted in 2013 and 90% of the country’s hazelnuts are grown right here in Oregon,” said Maureen Ernst; co-chair of the event with Mary Grant.
