A peck of pickle fun
By Steve Herring
Published in News on April 26, 2015 1:50 AM
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Friends Demarcus Eason, 10, left, and Alex Ferrell, 9, of Mount Olive race pickle cars at the children's area of the N.C. Pickle Festival on Saturday afternoon.
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Savannah Moore, 3, karaokes "Let it Go" from the movie "Frozen" at the festival. The rain, which was pretty heavy for part of the afternoon, did not stop the pickle faithful.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Professional competitive eater Molly Schuyler uses both hands to complete the Highway 55 Five Five Challenge, eating her way to victory and setting a new record.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Mark Madden shows Charlie West, 18 months, how to rope a steer. Madden began learning how to trick rope while he was working with a rodeo 25 years ago, but has always been interested in cowboy culture.
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Kelvin Holland, 10, polishes a 1964 Ford Galaxie Starliner in preparation for the car show. Kelvin, from Micro, has been helping his family prepare and show cars for three years.
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Lance Westpfahl watches as his daughter Laela, 1, samples a bread and butter pickle at the North Carolina Pickle Festival Saturday. Laela's mother, Emily, says that they often eat dill pickle spears together, but Laela didn't like the taste of the bread and butter pickle. The Wayne County family was one of hundreds who braved the rainy weather to enjoy the annual festival.
MOUNT OLIVE -- One question finally answered after nearly three decades is whether rain would stop the annual North Carolina Pickle Festival.
For nearly 30 years, the festival has enjoyed fair weather. When it did rain, it rained only a little or late in the day.
But Saturday's rain didn't stop the festivities of the 29th edition. Festival-goers brought out umbrellas and rain gear and kept right on going.
Harley Evans and her mother, Cathy, from Chinquapin, both said the rain wasn't bothering them.
"We are prepared," Mrs. Evans said.
Mrs. Evans said they had arrived at 9 a.m. so they could walk around before the rain.
"In case of rain, we figured people would be packing up, but they seem to be hanging tough," she said. "Most people were prepared for it I think."
"It rained, but you know we had a wonderful crowd this morning," said Lynn Williams, co-chairman of the festival.
Entertainment on the three stages stopped, but as the rain tapered off in the early afternoon, bands struck up again on the Center Street Stage.
"We still may clear up yet this afternoon," Mrs. Williams said near midday. "People are still serving, and I think we will stay as long as there are crowds walking around buying and eating. I have been amazed at the number of people who have stayed this afternoon."
And stay they did. The rain started as a light drizzle after noon, just as the festival was getting into full swing. But the rain lasted only a couple of hours and people walked the streets until late in the afternoon.
The classic car show and antique farm equipment display was gone by 2 p.m., but there was still plenty to see and do, and plenty of food to eat.
Even the helicopter rides that had been grounded by the rain started back up after the rain stopped.
While it wasn't noticeable just by looking at the packed streets, there were a few less vendors than last year, Mrs. Williams said.
However, the committee turned that into advantage by letting the remaining ones spread out a bit, creating more walking around room.
There was an area especially for children where they could play games. There was a petting zoo and even a camel ride.
And of course, there were plenty of free pickles.
The festival got under way Friday night with a concert by the LaGrange-based band Spare Change at the airport and carnival rides downtown.
Saturday's events began with the Cuke Run 5K and the Tour de Pickle bike ride.
The threat of weather forced the 9 a.m. naturalization service into the Mount Olive courtroom, where 28 people representing 15 different countries became naturalized U.S. citizens.
Vilamon Carroll, a native of Laos, led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance following the ceremony.
She and her husband, Jason, had come from their home in Clayton for the ceremony.
"I have been here since I was 4 years old -- that has been 34 years," she said. "I lived in Indiana and grew up in Indiana. I migrated here with my parents when I was 4 as a refugee. We came in 1980. I moved here (to North Carolina) 13 years ago.
"My mother is getting up in age and I would like to travel back to Thailand with her. I haven't been since I came here as a refugee. I wanted to be a U.S. citizen and have my U.S. passport and belong somewhere."
Mrs. Carroll said her mother, who still lives in Indiana, became a citizen at age 63.
"I am so honored," Mrs. Carroll said about being selected to lead the pledge. "Since I was a refugee. I didn't belong to any country. So this is very special to me."
"My mother is really proud. She is flying in tomorrow so we are going to celebrate.We have never been to Mount Olive so this is a special treat for us."
Just minutes later, the Carrolls were sitting on the bleachers in front of the main music stage on North Center Street and eating hot dogs.
The highlight of the festival might have been the eating contest.
Festival-goers got to see the record for the popular Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes and Fries' annual 55 Challenge eating contest shattered by Molly Schuyler.
The 120-pound Ms. Schuyler inhaled a 55-ounce cheeseburger with four toppings and an order of fries in two minutes and 12 seconds, destroying the previous record of three minutes and 27 seconds.
Three-time champion "Gentleman" Joe Menchetti competed, as did three champs from the local University of Mount Olive -- men's volleyball player Alex Palmatier, Hope Perry of the women's soccer team, and professor of biology Dr. Dave Dommer, who had eaten the most after seven minutes.
The start of the eating competition was delayed for a few minutes in order to add pickles to Ms. Schuyler's plate. Afterward, she ate a honey bun for dessert.