A Festival with Roots; Ellisville Sassafras Festival
By: Forgottonia Times™ Report
The Ellisville Opera House may be small, but it is far from quiet. Up next on their busy schedule of events is their annual Ellisville Sassafras Festival on April 26, a celebration that, like the trees, will bring the town to life.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., visitors can enjoy an all-you-can-eat spread of ham, beans, and cornbread for just $7 and a separate dessert assortment available for purchase, served alongside free drinks and the star of the show: sassafras tea! Brewed from the root of the sassafras tree, a plant native to Illinois and much of eastern North America, the tea carries a flavor often likened to licorice, or, some even say, root beer—familiar, yet delightfully unexpected.
The festival’s origins are as folksy as the event itself. “How did it start? Funny story,” recalls Paula Helle, one of the festival’s longtime organizers. “After the Opera House was originally renovated in the early ’90s, I got a grant to have Chris Vallillo perform. I wanted to serve dessert and coffee/tea. So, I thought, since it was the right time of year, why not serve sassafra tea?” Though other organizers gave Helle some weird looks, the crowd couldn’t have enjoyed the tea more! Not a drop was left in the pot by the end of the night. From that tea came a festival that was beloved and unique to the town.
Traditionally, sassafras were enjoyed in the spring to “thin the blood,” an old belief that sassafras would restore energy after long winter months indoors. Beyond the food and tea, the festival will host local vendors, including Becky and Friends, Hickory Ridge Homestead, Hellewood Honey, and a petting zoo from Haggerty Equine. A raffle for a wood chest adds to the small-town magic.
With its mix of comforting flavors, local crafts, and a taste of Illinois history, the Sassafras Festival offers a compelling reason to make the drive to Ellisville. Visitors may just find themselves sipping on something both old-fashioned and unexpectedly refreshing.