Pickle Fest extends hours
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on March 30, 2004 2:01 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- The N.C. Pickle Festival's hours will be extended by three hours on April 24 in downtown Mount Olive.
The festival's Saturday hours were 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., said Gina Knode, chairman of the Pickle Festival Committee. This year, the event will end at 8 p.m.
Ms. Knode said a lot of people had already been extending the hours themselves by coming early for breakfast. The vendors have to be in place by 8 a.m., she noted.
Monday is the deadline to become a festival sponsor. An appreciation reception for sponsors will be held at 6 p.m. on April 22 at the Southern Wayne Country Club. Sponsors' names will appear in the festival program.
Sponsors can send their tax deductible contributions to the Waylin Area Foundation, 123 N. Center St., Mount Olive, N.C. 28365. For more information call 658-3113 or e-mail [email protected].
The festival is sponsored by the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce.
The events begin at 1 p.m. on April 22 with a golf tournament at the Southern Wayne Country Club.
Children will find some new carnival rides on Friday, April 23, opening the festival downtown at 5 p.m. and continuing until 9 p.m.
The gate opens at the Mount Olive Municipal Airport at 6 p.m. for the events, beginning with the "Death Defying Dill Dive." Music will be provided by a D.J. until 8 p.m. Then the concert begins featuring the Band of Oz. No coolers allowed. A "beer garden" and food will be available. Tickets are $7 if they're bought in advance and $10 if purchased at the gate.
This will be the 18th annual N.C. Pickle Festival. Events on Saturday begin with the Tour de Pickle and the Cucumber Patch 5K Run.
The activities downtown on Saturday usually draw about 15,000 people. A feature for many years has been the Classic Car Show. This year's festival will also feature its first motorcycle show, sponsored by the Harley Owners Group in Goldsboro.
There will be lots of vendors, carnival rides, pig and duck races, a juggling stilt walker, a mechanical bull, free pickles from Mt. Olive Pickle Co., a DWI simulator and a "fatal vision goggles" course.
In the children's area, there will be an art exhibit, a student art exhibit and the Hands-On Art Walk. There will also be a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting and the Pickle Derby.
Beauty queens will be at the two stages, including Miss United States and the N.C. Pickle Princesses. The Andy's Band will perform.
Other features include N.C. Pickle Festival T-shirts and caps, the results of the photography contest and the Red Hat Society Hat Contest. The festival will also have the Bike Stunt Team, the Red Cross Van, the Friends of the Library Book Sale, and the costumed characters Mr. Crisp, Andyman, Mr. Pig and J.P. Carolina Turkey.
On Sunday, April 25, at 2 p.m., there will be a "walk-a-thon" at Westbrook Park's new walking trail, which will be followed by an interdenominational worship service at 5:30 p.m.