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This year marks the 26th year recognizing October as National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, first declared by the Secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman, in 1999.   

You butter believe it, popcorn is here to stay. Indiana is one of the world’s largest producers of popcorn! The Hoosier state also is home to several leading popcorn companies and brands, including Cousin Willie’s, Pop Weaver, Gutwein Popcorn, and Yoder Popcorn.   

Local Hoosiers are also making a name for themselves in the popcorn industry, like Purdue alumni Jacob and Amanda Baird in their creation of Groomsville Popcorn. To learn more about the Tipton small business, check out their story here!  

Looking for an activity that is POP-ular with all ages?  

The northern Indiana city of Valparaiso proudly celebrates Indiana’s popcorn producing records with its annual Valparaiso Popcorn Festival. The festival is an all-day event for folks of all ages! This year’s celebration consisted of a Popcorn Parade, over 320 hand-made goods for sale, food vendors, fine arts booths and more! After nearly 50 impressive years of celebrations, the Valparaiso Popcorn Festival is sure to be poppin’ with fun.   

The tiny town of Van Buren, Indiana is “Poppin’ Up Aces” this year with its 53rd annual popcorn festival! This devoted community celebrated all weekend long with bounce houses, local bands, parades, a car show and more. To conclude the four-day festival, the close-knit community comes together for a firework show!  

Are you hungry yet?  

Salted or sweet, popcorn can’t be beat! If you are looking for a salty snack or a sweet treat, Indiana’s official state snack has you covered. If you want a relatively healthy snack to munch on, air-popped and lightly seasoned popcorn has a low-calorie count and has ample dietary fiber according to the American Heart Association. If you are looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, you can’t go wrong with classic caramel corn or its dozens of yummy variations!  

Check out these yummy variations of the classic popcorn snack from a few of our American Farm Bureau Federation partners across the U.S.  
 
 

• Alabama Farmers Federation offers a delicious recipe for honey-glazed popcorn.  

• Illinois Farm Bureau’s Partners publishes many resources and recipes, including an article “ Pop Star: Popcorn Farmer Shares His Favorite Popcorn Recipes.”  

• Check out Texas Table Top’s Chocolate Delight Popcorn recipe, brought to you by Texas Farm Bureau.  

Popcorn creates memories  

Popcorn pops up at the best times. One of the greatest parts of having popcorn is sharing it with your friends and family during life’s most memorable moments! Whether it is watching your favorite team score a homerun, going on a first date to the movie theatre, or taking your kids to the Indiana State Fair it likely that the buttery snack is not far from reach.   

To create even more memories with Indiana’s beloved snack, try these hands-on activities with your kids!  
 
 

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