N.C. Pickle Festival Co-Chair Julie Beck takes photos as Southern Trouble performs Friday night to help kick off the festival weekend. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Olivia Messer, 13, of Southport, was plays air drums with the drumsticks the Southern Trouble drummer gave her during the band’s free Friday night concert. The concert was one of the Friday night events that kicked off the 37th annual N.C. Pickle Festival. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Sisters Cassie Bush, left, and Cora Bush wait for the start of the Friday night Cuke Patch 5K Glow Run during opening festivities for the 37th annual N.C. Pickle Fedstival. Cassie wore a pickle costume while Cora wore pickle-related clothing. They drove for more than four hours from their home in Virginia to attend the festival that continues all day Saturday. Check mountolivetribune.com on Monday for the Tribune’s complete coverage of the Pickle Festival. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Mt. Olive Pickle Co. mascot Ollie Q. Cumber leads off particpants in the Friday night Cuke Patch 5K Glow Run. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Now that’s something you don’t see every day — a giant pickle running in a 5K led by another giant pickle. You don’t see it, that is, unless you are a part of the N.C. Pickle Festival, which kicked off last night here in Mount Olive.
Along with the Cuke Patch 5K Glow Run, Friday night’s opening round of pickle-inspired events included a free concert by Southern Trouble and pay-one-price carnival rides.
The 37th annual N.C. Pickle Festival moves into full gear today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with free entertainment, a large classic car show, events and activities, food and arts and crafts vendors, pickle-centric events such as a pickle-eating contest and pickle-packing competition and of course, free Mt. Olive pickles.
Mt. Olive Pickle Co. mascot Ollie Q. Cumber helped start the Cuke Patch that attracted close to 100 participants including sisters Cassie Bush, 22, and Cora Bush, 24, of Virginia, with Cassie resplendent in her mail-order pickle costume.
It was the second year in a row the sisters have made the nearly four-and-a-hour drive from their home near Charlottesville, Virginia, to attend the festival, but it was the first time they have competed in the 5K.
“My sister found out about the festival a year ago,” Cassie said. “She found out about the 5K this year. We saw it was a costume contest and I said I am going to have to dress up as a whole pickle. We came up for both days.”
Cassie said she does not run many 5Ks.
“I do some locally like to support things — I usually walk or run a little bit,” she said.
Cora said she runs pretty often.
Cassie said her costume had plenty of room so that it should not hamper her ability to run.
Cora said she did not mind sitting next to her sister even though she was dressed as a pickle.
“I am so excited about it,” she added. “I’ve got my little costume, too. I’ve got all the different pickle brands right here (on her shirt). I have green shorts and pickle socks. Next year I am going to try to convince her to dress up as a jar of pickles.
“We’ve had pickle Snow Cones and want those again. They have the whole (pickle-flavored foods) list put out like pickle energy drinks and pickle nachos. We really want to try the pickle nachos.”
Cora said she had attempted to sign up for Saturday’s pickle-eating contest, but had not done as good on her entry essay as she normally would because of her college work.
“So I didn’t get in this year, but next year one of my main priorities is that essay,” she said. “I did watch it last year because we weren’t exactly sure how to sign up last year. We had just heard about it, and all we wanted to do was just come here.
“So we found out about everything else while we were here.”
The predicted Friday rain and storms that organizers had been concerned about did not materialize.
“Julie Beck be living right — look at the weather we’ve got tonight,” said Beck, festival co-chairman. “You know it is so funny because we were sure that we were going to have bad weather tonight. We were trying to figure out what we could feasibly do in this weather. I thought we can probably have the Cuke Patch, but not the concert or the carnival rides and here we are having everything. Amazing.
“It is a good way to kick off the 37th annual N.C. Pickle Festival. I think we are supposed to have good weather tomorrow so I am expecting a big crowd. I have already had people here tonight from Washington, D.C., Missouri, West Virginia. So I am getting people coming to town so I think we are going to be a big crowd.”
All of the rooms at the Sleep Inn were sold out in February so that is a great sign that people are wanting to come to the event, Beck said.
Because of the anticipated turnout, the best bet is for festival-goers to park at the University of Mount Olive on Henderson Street or the Bobby Denning Shopping Center on North Breazeale Avenue (U.S. 117 Business) and take a shuttle to and from the festival, beck said.
Shuttles will run about every 20 minutes.
Riders will be dropped off and picked up on North Center Street near R&R Brewing, the festival’s official welcome center.
“It is free parking, free shuttle,” Beck said. “This way you don’t have to try to figure out where to park. And if you take the shuttle bus, as soon as you get off the shuttle bus you are going to get your first taste of a pickle right there at the shuttle stop.”
Parking will be allowed on certain side streets on Saturday, but parking spots near downtown will still be at a premium. Also, on streets were parking is allowed, it will limited to one side only. Signs have been erected to show where parking is prohibited.
The set-up for vendors was different this year. To help avoid congestion downtown during check in the check-in location was moved to Mount Olive Family Medicine which is outside the festival footprint.
It has been the easiest and smoothest check-in in years, Beck added.
The Friday night events are open to everyone, but is more for local residents, she said.
As Southern Trouble performed a free Friday night concert, Olivia Messer, 13, of Southport, was playing air drums with the drumsticks the band’s drummer had given to her.
She was with her grandmother Paula Roney of Shallotte, both of whom are attending the festival for the first time.
“We are pickle fanatics,” Roney said.
Olivia said she found out about the Pickle Festival from her grandmother, who said she found about it on the internet.
“I love pickles,” Olivia exclaimed. “And some of my favorite pickles are from here actually. Well, I was imitating the drummer without the drumsticks. He kept looking over at me. We kept smiling at each other and waving. When he stopped during one of the songs he ushered me over there, grabbed a pair of drumsticks and gave them to me.
“He pointed to these little ridge marks, and I just started copying him with the drumsticks.”
Olivia does not play the drums, but said she wants to learn.
“We like it,” Roney said. “We got here this (Friday) morning and have just been wandering around all morning just waiting for things to happen.”
Both said they would be downtown Saturday for a full festival day.
“I am really looking forward to everything,” Olivia said. “I am a very enthusiastic person, but I hope I can see the band again. They seem like really nice people. One actually gave me a guitar pick earlier.
“It is amazing. This is one of the best experiences I have ever had. The people are super nice. I won a (stuffed) mouse I named pickles. This is an amazing experience for me.”
QR codes will be located around downtown Saturday so that festival-goers will be able to scan the codes to get a digital map and schedules of right where they are.
A highlight will be the Pickle Eating Contest at noon at the main stage area located in the Southern Bank Parklet on South Center Street.
Each participant will receive a tray of 20 Mt. Olive whole Kosher Dills. Participants will be given 5 minutes to eat as many as they can.
A winner in each category, male and female, will be declared based on the number of pickles eaten. Winners will receive $100 in prize money and a North Carolina Pickle Eating Champion trophy.
The festival’s first-ever pickle costume contest will start 1:30 p.m. at the same location.
Take photos and tag the festival and use the hashtag #ncpicklefest during festival weekend for a chance to be featured on its social media.
Company mascots will race each other at 3 p.m. at the corner of East James and North Center Street.
Carnival rides will be set up in the Steele Memorial Library parking lot at the corner of North Chestnut and West Main Streets.
Youths and adults can ride the Pickle Train, and the Children’s Activities Area sponsored by PBS and the Wayne County Partnership for Children will be located at the corner of South Center and East Pollock.
North Center Street will be lined with nearly 200 classic vehicles in the Wayne County Cruisers car show.
Vendors will be selling a variety of carnival-favorite foods and treats including pickle-flavored foods and drinks.
R&R Brewing will have a beer garden and Country Squire Winery will have a wine garden.
The dancers stage will be located at the corner of North Center and West College streets and bands will perform from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the main stage at the Southern Bank parklet.
The praise stage, located in the alleyway behinds the Chamber of Commerce office, will feature performances from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The bands will perform from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For a bird’s-eye view, helicopter rides will be taking off from the University of Mount Olive.
Check mountolivetribune.com on Monday for the Tribune’s complete festival coverage.
