Pickle Festival organizers seeking sponsors, vendors
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on March 6, 2006 1:47 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- The N.C. Pickle Festival Committee is taking vendor applications and gathering sponsors for the upcoming festival April 28-29.
The annual event is sponored by the Mount Olive Chamber of Commerce.
Kicking off the festival will be the Tour de Pickle on April 22, with registration beginning at 8 a.m. at the Mt. Olive Pickle Co.'s distribution center and the N.C. Pickle Festival Golf Classic on April 27 at the Goldsboro Country Club. The Pickle Pete Shopping Spree is set for April 28 and 29 with downtown merchants staying open until 8 p.m.
Downtown carnival rides begin at 5 p.m. on April 28. Children pay one price of $9 each and ride all evening.
Gates open at 7 p.m. at the Mount Olive Municipal Airport with the Coastline Band performing at 8 p.m. Admission is $7 in advance and $10 at the gate. Children 3 and under get in free. Attendees are urged to bring lawn chairs. Coolers will be prohibited, but a beer garden and food will be available.
Saturday's events begin at 8 a.m. with more downtown carnival rides, pig and duck races, crafts, vendors, a mechanical bull, a climbing wall and the Wayne County Cruisers Car Show. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle show and art exhibits will be on display.
Activities for children include a hands-on art walk, petting zoo, pony rides, face painting and a pickle "derby." Other events will include a pickle recipe contest, bicycle stunt team demonstrations and tours of the Red Cross van. Runners can compete in the Cucumber Patch 5K foot race. There will be a Friends of the Library book sale and costumed characters such as Mr. Crisp, Andyman, Mr. Pig and J.P. Carolina Turkey.
For information about the festival, call the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce at 658-3113, e-mail moacc@earthlink.net or visit the Web site at www.ncpicklefest.org.