The Annual North Carolina Pickle Festival Belongs On Your Springtime Bucket List
While winter in North Carolina just may be one of our favorite seasons, we can’t help but begin to look ahead to spring once those cold months start to get a hold of us with their icy grip. If you need a little pick-me-up to get you through the winter doldrums, start planning a visit to the 2023 North Carolina Pickle Festival. This dill-lightful event is taking place in person again this year, and you’ll want to go. We know our pickle jokes are a little jarring, but we think they are a little sweet.
This full-day family event is set for April 29, 2023, as downtown Mount Olive and the company Mt. Olive Pickles stage the biggest pickle party around.
You might have recognized the name Mt. Olive while shopping at your local grocery store. But did you know that this massive company actually calls North Carolina home? In fact, their headquarters sits on the corner of Cucumber and Vine. They are the largest independently-owned distributor of pickles all over the country. I guess you can say pickles are really their bread and butter...
You're sure to relish all the fun events at this year's extravaganza, which will definitely be a big dill.
Various categories of contestants will show you how to dill with a great big pile of pickles in the challenge to see who can eat the most in the allotted time. This is one of the highlights of the event, and winners will receive $100, a year's supply of Mt. Olive pickles, and a shiny new North Carolina Pickle Eating Champion trophy. Are you a potential challenger?
There's also the Cuke Patch 5K or the Tour de Pickle in which to participate.
The Cuke Patch 5K also has a prized award for the best costume, so you are sure to see a couple of pickled individuals dressed in fun and ridiculous outfits.
Scarf down loads of Mt. Olive pickles at the event, too, along with other fair foods as well. There is also a recipe contest, so make sure to work on your best pickle dishes and see if you get crowned a winner.
The North Carolina Pickle Festival takes place in downtown Mount Olive on April 29, 2023. Admission is free. Learn more about the event with a visit to the official website. And for additional information, follow along on the official North Carolina Pickle Festival Facebook page. Don’t be a sour pickle and stay home; this is one event you will want to attend.
Robin Jarvis is a travel writer and editor for OnlyInYourState.com with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. She's lived in the Carolinas for nearly three decades and currently resides in Charleston. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. General questions and FAM tours: rjarvis@onlyinyourstate.com.
