Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where is the Ox Roast Fair located?
A: The beautiful grounds of the Parish Community of St. Joseph can be found in northern Portage County off Pioneer Trail, 1/4 mile west of S.R. 44, that's south of S.R. 82, just north of Mantua Village. Mantua is located on S.R. 44, 10 miles north of Ravenna, 20 miles northeast of Akron, and 27 miles southeast of Cleveland, Ohio. Look for the parish sign at St. Joseph Blvd. approximately 1/4 mi. west of S.R. 44, south of S.R. 82, just north of Mantua Village
(accessible from U.S. Rt. 422 just 7 miles north or Ohio Turnpike Exit 193 just 2 miles south). If using a street map program, use the rectory address, 4534 Pioneer Trail, Mantua, Ohio 44255 (St. Joseph Blvd. is not a dedicated road but there is a road sign and a beautiful, lighted church sign!). Click here for a map or go to MapQuest.

Q: Is it really Ox?!
A: That famous Ox Roast beef has always been a part of the Fair & the question is always asked. Actually, sirloin roasts are specially prepared to result in that delicious, slow-cooked Ox Roast beef sandwich or dinner that melts in your mouth. For more details, check out the Ox & More page.

Q: Where is Fr. Hughes Hall?
A: Our Parish Hall is located in the school facility. During the fair weekend, you must enter through the east side doors (that's between the large white Casino Tent & the Soft Serve Booth). You'll find air-conditioned comfort as you enjoy our delicious Ox Roast Dinners or take a chance at our Indoor Casino Card Games.

Q: How much is admission?
A: Admission is free! The only cost is the $3.00 per vehicle parking fee as you enter the parking areas located right on the grounds of St. Joseph's. You'll enjoy live entertainment, truck & tractor pulls, trade booths, games & events at this wonderful community event. Purchase some great food, add a few rides & games for the kids (and the kids at heart!), and you've got the makings for a marvelous weekend for the whole family! Would you like to save a buck & help out those less fortunate? Click here & find out how.

Q: Is the Ox Roast Fair always held in July?
A: Yes, you can just about count on St. Joseph's Ox Roast Fair usually being held the third full weekend in July most years (just find the third Friday of July & that's most likely the kickoff date!).

Q: Where can I get an Ox Roast Fair T-shirt?
A: Ox Roast Fair T-shirts are available at the Fair for just $12 each for adults sizes & $8 each for kids sizes. Click here for details on this year's design. Classic T-shirts from past years are also available at reduced rates in limited sizes.
OX ROAST FAIR HATS with a patriotic theme are available this year, too! Caps feature stripes and embroidered stars & Ox logo and sell for $12 each. Visors are available in red or blue with that famous Ox logo embroidered on the front and sell for $8 each.

Q: Where can I purchase a raffle ticket for a chance at $7,000 in prizes?
A: Tickets for the Ox Roast Fair's Raffle are available through all St. Joseph parishioners, the Parish Office (beginning early Spring), and at the Raffle Ticket Booth during fair hours. Check out all the details.

Q: Can I have a food booth or group come to the Ox Roast?
A: It pretty amazing but the majority of the Fair is run by volunteers!!! Except for the carnival rides & games, part of the tractor/truck pull events, and security, ALL booths & events are operated by St. Joseph VOLUNTEER families & friends. All profits go directly to the parish, school, and it's organizations. A great community effort! However, we do rent space to local businesses & organizations to get their message out. Just click here for Trade Booth information.

Q: How can my band or group be part of the Ox Roast Fair entertainment?
A: We have a limited number of groups for the fair's entertainment. Local talent is welcome to submit a tape, video and/or upcoming performance dates to our Entertainment Chairperson via the Parish Office (call 330.274.2253 for more information).

Q: Does St. Joseph also host the Mantua Potato Festival?
A: No, the two are not related except that they both take place in Mantua. The idea may come from the fact that many St. Joseph parishioners are or were involved with Mantua's Potato Festival.
F.Y.I. - The Mantua Potato Festival is held the weekend after Labor Day in Mantua's Buchert Park on East High St. The Potato Festival features many food items made from potatoes: candy, doughnuts, pierogies, pancakes, bread, cookies and more. There is something for everyone: kid's games, rides, live entertainment on two stages, craft tent, antique tractors, 15k Potato Stomp, potato bake-off, raffle, presentation of visiting queens and crowning of our queen on Sunday. Parade is Sunday @ 2 p.m. Roads close for parade at 1:45 p.m. HOURS: Friday-6-11 p.m.; Saturday-11 a.m.-Midnight; Sunday-Noon-7 p.m. For more information, please call 330.274.0770.

Q: Do I have to pay the parking fee when I come to Mass?
A: Of course not! Parishioners & visitors are most welcome to come to St. Joseph's weekend Masses without paying to park. Our Mass times are the same as other summer weekends (between Memorial Day & Labor Day) - 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 8:30 & 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. By the way, our pastor usually stays up to celebrate a midnight Mass on Saturday for fair workers, parishioners & visitors who wish to attend.

Didn't find an answer ?????
. . . just click around our website or
check out the Feedback section below.

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Trivia

• In 2004, the parish website received 14,755 hits on Friday of the Fair, 8, 663 hits on Saturday, and 8,185 hits on Sunday.
• Fr. John Wirtz, Associate Pastor under Fr. Hughes began the Ox Roast Fair in 1964 to help pay for the new school. Visit our Ox History page for a glimpse at past fairs. It continues to raise funds for the support of the educational and sacramental ministries of St. Joseph's Parish and School.
• Did you know that 5% of each year's final profits are put back into the operation of future fairs? Not only do these upgrades & purchases enhance our wonderful event, they also ease in the setup & running of the fair for everyone involved.
• Our beautiful pavilion was Chris Walters' Boy Scout Eagle Project in 1998. Thanks to T.J. Dick's 1999 Eagle Project, lighting/electrical service is now provided there as well.
• Ox Roast surplus is donated to The Center of Hope in Ravenna.
• In 1967, the main raffle prize was a gold Pontiac Firebird. For a look at this year's raffle, click here.
• "Thoroughly Roasted" was the catch phrase of Ox Roast Fair weekend in 1996. During our 33rd Annual, our Ox Roast Barn burned down (most likely an electrical short). Luckily, most everything was on the fairgrounds & no one was injured.
• Did you know . . . that three of our Ox Roast Fair T-shirts are original designs by our parish's very own artist, Ken Zander. In 2000, the five-color cartoon depicting an ox & tractor puller battling it out is on the back & our ox logo is on the front. He also lent his talents to the 2003 Ox Roast Fair T-shirt design (we still have some available for sale so stop by the T-shirt Booth near the school). In 2005, Ken created a unique Ox Fair-goers design plus an ORF workers' shirt design.
• For many years, local Girl Scouts have collected non-perishables for the Crestwood area's food cupboard, the 4C's, on Sunday of the fair. The parking fee is reduced for each vehicle who makes a donation as they enter. To learn all the details, visit our Ox Schedule page or the Ox Groups page.

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Feedback

Following our commitment
to provide a quality festival,
we welcome your questions,
comments & suggestions.

Please feel free to contact us:

• By Mail @ St. Joseph Church,
  11045 St. Joseph Blvd.,
  Mantua, OH 44255-9457
  
  
• By Phone @ 330.274.2253
  
  
• By Fax @ 330.274.2254
  
  
• By E-mail @ ktrares@stjosephmantua.com
  or parishoffice@stjosephmantua.com

The information will be forwarded
to the Ox Roast Fair Committee.
Thank you.

Just Curious . . .

• Where did you hear about
  the Ox Roast Fair?
  
  
• Where are you from?
  
  
• How long have you been coming?

Just drop us an e-mail
to the address above.

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Publicity

You've found one of our newest ways
to publicize our parish's biggest event
of the year right here at www.stjosephmantua.com
Please help us spread the word!

Tri-Fold Flyers & Posters
Our colorful, informational flyers are available as soon as our schedule is set (usually late May). Pick them up at the Parish Office, local businesses & visitor's centers, and as you enter the fairgrounds. Large colorful posters are distributed to parishioners & posted at businesses & throughout the local community.

Newspapers, Radio & TV Stations, Churches, Magazines & Internet
Advertising & lots of promotional information goes out to area media & churches. Look for our press releases & ads in the Record Courier, Good News, Farm & Dairy, Record Publishing local papers, and your church bulletin.

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OX ROAST T-SHIRTS

2008's shirt design features
our Parish's 85th Anniversary & the
Ox Roast Fair's 45th Anniversary in
an original design by Ken Zander
on a "Hunter Green" shirt

T-Shirt Prices:
$12 for Adults / $8 for Kids
$10 for past year's shirts
(limited sizes)
Pre-sale offers for parishioners

Workers' Shirts:
$10 for T-shirts (2X & 3X - $12)
$15 for Hoodies (2X - $18 / 3X & 4X - $22)

Pre-Ordered/Pre-Paid Only
Please order through narthex sales
or the Parish Office (330.274.2253)

PATRIOTIC OX ROAST HATS
We also have red, white & blue hats and
visors embroidered with the Ox Roast logo!

Hats - $12 & Visors - $8
Look for them in the T-Shirt Booth.

VISITING THE AREA?
Check out these resources . . .

Streetsboro's Visitors & Convention Bureau > www.streetsborovcb.com

Aurora Convention & Visitor's Bureau > www.auroracvb.com

Central Portage County Visitor's & Convention Bureau > www.centralportage.com

Portage County, Ohio's Website > www.co,portage.oh.us

Akron-Summit Convention & Visitor's Bureau > www.vistakron-summit.org

Village of Mantua Cable Channel 25

Crestwood High School's Cable Access > Adelphia Cable Channel 2

Ohio Division of Travel & Tourism > www.discoverohio.com

Travel Ohio Internet Guide > www.travelohio.com

Ohio Travel Assoc. > www.ohiotravel.org

www.festivals.com > Nice website for all you festival goers.

www.DiscoverOhio.com > Ohio's most comprehensive travel planning website. This site is designed to provide you with tools to plan a memorable trip to the "Buckeye State." 1-800-BUCKEYE

www.ohiomagazine.com > Features Articles, Activities, Events, News, Travel, Restaurant Guides relevant to Ohio

Aurora Chamber of Commerce > www. auroraohiochamber.com

Brimfield Area Chamber of Commerce > www.brimfieldchamber.com

Garrettsville-Hiram Area Chamber of Commerce > ww.garrettsvillehiramarea.com

Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce > www.greaterakronchamber.org

Hudson Chamber of Commerce > www.hudsoncoc.org

Kent Area Chamber of Commerce > www.kentbiz.com

Mantua-Shalersville Chamber of Commerce > www.mantuashalersvillechamber.org

Ravenna Chamber of Commerce > www.ravennaareachamber.com

Rootstown Chamber of Commerce > www.rootstownchamber.org

Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce > www.smfcc.com

Streetsboro Chamber of Commerce > www.streetsborochamber.org

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