Romeo Peach Festival celebrates peach-themed foods and products

Peach donuts, peach crisps, peach cider and just about every other peach-inspired treat imaginable were on display Monday as the Romeo Peach Festival wrapped up its 95th year.

While peaches remain the centerpiece of the annual Labor Day tradition, many festivalgoers say it's the memories and family traditions that keep them coming back year after year. Vendors spent the weekend serving up a variety of peach-themed foods and products for visitors looking to celebrate one of Romeo's signature events.

"We have our peach cider, peach honey, peach jams, peach salsa, peach donuts and more," festival vendor Kristen DeVol said.

The annual Children's Parade brought families to downtown Romeo Monday morning, with many participants continuing traditions that stretch back decades.

Among them was Corey Goldbaum, whose family has been taking part in the parade for more than 30 years.

"We've been marching in the parade for over 30 years since I was one," Goldbaum said. "And now I'm marching with my children, so the tradition lives on."

His family represents multiple generations who have called Romeo home, including 90-year-old matriarch Vickie Klein.

Klein recalled one of her favorite festival memories from years past - getting mentioned in a local newspaper. 

"It was really, really cool," she said about the attention.

For Jesi Foltz-Goike, the festival is also an opportunity to connect with friends and neighbors while supporting local youth organizations.

"It was fun to have a good group of them out here today in the parade and get to see lots of friends and family as you're going by," Foltz-Goike said. "So it was really exciting."

The Children's Parade marked the beginning of the festival's final day, with carnival rides, food vendors, live entertainment and the annual Hometown Parade still drawing crowds throughout the afternoon.

From longtime residents to first-time visitors, families spent the day enjoying everything the Peach Festival has to offer before another year of memories came to a close.