The second day of the 38th annual N.C. Pickle Festival will boast four stages of entertainment this year instead of three. The award-winning festival will be held in downtown Mount Olive from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, April 26, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 27. Festival-goers dance in front of the main stage during the 2023 festival. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Some changes are in store for the 38th annual N.C. Pickle Festival classic car show. Vehicles that normally would be located on the east side of the 200 block of North Center Street will instead be located in the parking lot of the First Baptist Church Christian Life Center and along East John and North Chestnut streets. Vehicles will continue to be located on the west side of the 200 block of North Center Street. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The 38th annual N.C. Pickle Festival vendor application period has been closed out more than a month early following a deluge of applications.
The vendor deadline had been March 15 with late applications, and a $75 late fee, being accepted between March 16 and April 1.
However, with 273 applications already in hand — 90 percent of which are from new vendors — the N.C. Pickle Festival Planning Committee closed out the application period effective Tuesday, Feb. 27.
The committee has agreed as well to hold the number of confirmed application at about 140 for the time being until it could be determined if enough vendor space will be available to add more from the applications already submitted.
Coordinated by the North Carolina Pickle Festival, Inc. in partnership with the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce, the award-winning festival will be held in downtown Mount Olive from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, April 26, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 27.
Expanding the festival footprint and increasing the number of vendors has been a goal of the committee for the past few years.
That expansion will be realized this year by moving vehicles in the festival-favorite car show that normally would be located from the east side of the 200 block of North Center Street to the parking lot of the First Baptist Church’s Christian Life Center, 202 N. Chestnut St.
The decision to close the vendor application period was among the festival updates discussed Monday, Feb. 26, during the second meeting of the N.C. Pickle Festival Planning Committee held at the Mt. Olive Pickle Co.
The 2023 festival featured about 150 vendors.
During Monday’s meeting, Lauren Branch, vendors committee chairman, suggested that this year’s edition could boast about 175 vendors.
Additional vendors would be located on the east side of the 200 block of North Center Street where vehicles in the car show normally would be located, she said.
However, festival co-chairwoman Lynn Williams suggested the number of vendors be held at 140 until the layout is firmed up. Once that is accomplished, a decision can be made as to if more vendors can be accommodated, she added.
The committee agreed.
Williams also noted that arts and crafts and similar vendors would be best suited for that area because of the lack of water and electricity.
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The committee is continuing efforts to firm up parking and shuttle bus plans.
Parking will once again be located at the University of Mount Olive and Bobby Denning Shopping Center.
However, expected changes in street closures would eliminate parking along some downtown side streets. Also, parking could be an issue at UMO because the university’s graduation is that Saturday.
A lacrosse tournament is being held on campus that day as well.
An effort is under way to secure additional parking at the Walmart and Roses parking lots.
The Pickle Ball tournament will be played in Goldsboro instead of on the UMO tennis courts with indoor court play at the Carver Cultural Center gym on South Breazeale Avenue in Mount Olive.
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The festival theme this year is based on James Bond — an idea Festival Co-chairman Julie Beck came up with following her trip to England this past year.
During the Monday session, Beck announced that she had increased the amount and variety of Pickle Festival merchandise that will be sold.
The items include Pickle Festival T-shirts, James Bond-themed “lick-and-stick” tattoos, Pickle Festival stickers, Stanley-like cups, pickle socks, James Bond black sunglasses sporting the Pickle Festival printed on the sides, Pickle Festival posters and garden flags.
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In prior years, entertainment was spread across three stages on Saturday. A fourth stage is planned for this year at the vacant lot on the corner of North Center and East James streets.
The three traditional stages will remain at their usual locations: the dance stage in the vacant lot at the corner of North Center and West College streets; the praise stage in the alleyway behind the Chamber office; and the main stage at the Southern Bank Parklet at South Center and East James streets.
The Saturday morning ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. on the main stage.
Bands confirmed for the main stage for Saturday are: Wood & Steele at 9:10 a.m.; Southern Trouble at 11:25 a.m.; Riggsbee Road at 1:40 p.m.; and The Island Time Band (a Jimmy Buffet tribute band) at 4 p.m.
The Saturday schedule for the dance stage is still being finalized.
Scheduled thus far are: Abigayle Abrams, Miss N.C. Junior High School America and Joyanna Greenup, Miss N.C. Elementary America, 9:45 a.m. to 10 a.m.; Mrs. Robins Academy of Dance and Gymnastics, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.; 3 Dancing Sisters & Co., 11 a.m. to noon; N.C. Pickle Festival Court, noon to 12:30 p.m.; The Arts Co. of Faison, 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m.; Charles B. Aycock High School Falconette Dance Team, 1:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Miss Goldsboro and OT, 1:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Dance Ascension, 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The remainder of the schedule has yet to be announced.
The praise stage schedule has yet to be announced. It will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
New roaming entertainment will include Rick Hubbard will be perform three 30-minute Kazoobie Shows.
Hubbard will play the kazoo and will give away 100 kazoos during each show.
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Steel Country Express will perform from 7 to 10 Friday night in front of Ribeyes Steakhouse on North Center Street.
Other Friday night events will include the Cuke Patch 5K Glow Run from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.; butterfly garden (that will be open Saturday as well); and pay one-price ($15 wrist band, up from $12 last year) carnival rides from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Steele Memorial Library parking lot at the corner of West Main and north Chestnut streets.
The committee will meet several more times leading up to the festival as it works to finalize plans.
For more information and/or registration, visit ncpicklefest.org.
