The International Pickle Festival started out as a pickle party, suggested by Eri Yamaguchi, that highlighted the Japanese art of pickling fruits, vegetables and fish. It was billed as an opportunity for locals to be introduced to an expanded realm of pickles, pickling spices and the cultures and customs of people who practice the culinary art of preserving with salt and vinegary brine. The expectation that first year was for a couple of hundred people to show up. A thousand did; and the event has been growing steadily ever since. It isn’t unusual for more than 5,000 people to come to the Rosendale Community Center to join the fun.
This Sunday, in addition to an old fashioned countyfair-style pickle-judging, there will be pickle-coloring, pickle-eating, pickle-brinedrinking and pickle-tossing contests. Commercial pickle companies will be on hand to offer free tastings and door prizes. The live, international music and dance entertainment lineup includes the Rosendale Fantastics (with hula hoops), Super Fire Woman (on roller skates), Greek bouzouki, the Picklefest All-Star Band, Irish dance, the bluegrass band Two Dollar Goat, German dancers, African drummers and other strolling musicians all afternoon.
With crafts and souvenir vendors on hand, and of course a variety of homemade pickles for sale, the afternoon promises to be a raucous and jolly puckerfest. With the continued sponsorship of the Rosendale Chamber of Commerce, many local groups are able to benefit from the proceeds of the Pickle Festival, including the Rosendale Youth Center, the Women’s Club Spring Clean Sweep projects, the Food Pantry and other civic projects.
The 12th annual International Pickle Festival will be held at the Community Center on Route 32 in Rosendale this Sunday, November 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For further information, see www.picklefest.com or call Bill and Cathy Brooks at (845) 658-9649.