N.C. Pickle Festival April 25-26
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on April 14, 2008 1:46 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Organizers of the 22st annual North Carolina Pickle Festival say they expect a big crowd for the annual event, that will be held Friday and Saturday, April 25-26.
The fun begins April 24, with the Pickle Festival Golf Classic at the Southern Wayne Country Club.
On Friday, events start at 5 p.m. with carnival rides until 9. People can pay $10 and ride all rides all evening. Also on Friday, the Band of Oz will perform at the Mount Olive Airport, from 8 p.m. until midnight.
A shagging contest will be held before the concert. Admission to the show is $10 in advance and $12 at the gate, with children 3 and under admitted free. Attendees are invited to bring a lawn chair and enjoy the music. Gates open at 7.
On Saturday, a full day of activities are planned, including carnival rides, pig and duck races, food and commercial vendors, a mechanical bull, climbing wall, car show sponsored by the Wayne County Cruisers, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle show, art exhibits, children's petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, a bicycle stunt team and plenty of entertainment, including an appearance by the North Carolina Pickle Princess.
Events start at 9 a.m. downtown and will last until 5 p.m.
Two athletic competitions will be held, the Tour de Pickle bicycle ride and the Cucumber Patch 5-kilometer run. Also there will be a pickle-packing challenge, "pickleball" tournament and adult tricycle races. The weekend will culminate with a choirfest at First Baptist Church on Sunday evening at 6 p.m.
A shuttle bus from Mount Olive College will be available so that attendees can avoid downtown traffic.
Registration for the the Tour de Pickle's 75-, 50-, 25- and 14-mile rides will start at 8 a.m. at Mt. Olive Pickle Co.
For more information on the festival, call the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce at 658-3113 or visit www.ncpicklefest.org.