(ST. JOE) – Pickle races, factory tours, live music, food, games and fireworks take over St. Joe beginning Thursday as the annual St. Joe Pickle Festival returns for three days.
The festival runs through Saturday with pickle-themed competitions, children’s activities, entertainment and community meals scheduled throughout the weekend.
Craft and food vendors open at 10 a.m. Thursday. Games and bounce houses will operate from noon to 10 p.m. each day.
Sechler’s Pickles will offer factory tours from 9 to 11 a.m. and 12:30 to 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Visitors must wear clothing approved for the factory. Additional tour information is available at sechlerspickles.com or 337-5461.
Thursday
Thursday’s events begin with music from D.J. Daisy from 3 to 7 p.m.
Children can decorate entries for the Pickle People Contest at 4 p.m. Free face painting runs from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
At 5 p.m., children can prepare cucumbers for the Pickle Derby. The decorated cucumbers will race down an inclined track beginning at 7 p.m., similar to a pinewood derby.
Magician and comedian Jim Barron performs at 5:30 p.m. The Royal Pickle Court will be announced at 6:45 p.m.
An all-ages talent show closes the evening from 8 to 10 p.m.
Friday
St. Mark Lutheran Church will hold a bake sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Indiana Wild presents an exotic animal show at 11 a.m., followed by a pickle spoon race at noon.
Jim Barron returns at 12:30 p.m. Kids’ bingo begins at 2 p.m., followed by adult bingo at 3:30 p.m.
The Spoon Man will perform at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Free laser tag runs from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The Concord Township Fire Department will serve a pulled pork dinner from 5 to 7 p.m., while Fleetwood Party of 2 performs during the same hours.
Mason Dixon Line will give a free concert from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. A blue light parade led by the fire department begins at 9:30 p.m.
Saturday
Concord Township firefighters will serve a pancake and sausage breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m.
The St. Mark Lutheran Church bake sale returns from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday’s schedule includes a pickle scavenger hunt and an Indiana Wild exotic animal show at 11 a.m. Jim Barron performs at 1 p.m., followed by the festival parade.
Sechler’s Pickles will sponsor an adult pickle-eating contest at 1:30 p.m.
Registration for the children’s tractor pull begins at 2 p.m., with competition starting at 3 p.m. Indiana Wild returns for a second animal show at 3 p.m.
Children ages 7 to 13 can compete in a pickle juice drinking contest at 4:15 p.m. The annual cruise-in car show runs from 4 to 8 p.m.
An adult pickle juice drinking contest begins at 7 p.m.
Terry Lee and his Million Dollar Band will perform at 8 p.m. The festival ends Saturday night with a fireworks show by American Fireworks.