Squeal on the Eel 2024 to have new club for car show, variety of vendors, two stages and much more
May 22—The third annual Squeal on the Eel is less than a month away, and the organizers have been hard at work on securing vendors and activities. This year will see a variety of food vendors, a revamped car show and several other updates to make this year even bigger than the last.
Festival director and organizer Stephanie Helton said while they still have a lot to do, planning is going well and everything is falling into place for the festival set for June 15 at Riverside Park. So far, she said they have about 15 food vendors and about 20 art and craft vendors. In total, they plan to have between 40 to 45 vendors between the food and the art and craft vendors.
"We're kind of trending to what we had last year, but there is, I'd say, a better variety of food this year," Helton said. "You can get a turkey leg, you can get gyros, you can get barbecue, nachos, premium hot dogs... fruit stand, taco trucks. So, there's a wide range."
In addition to expanding the food offerings, Helton said they have expanded the adult beverage options as well. The Roosters and the Science Project will be serving beer, while the Whyte Horse Winery and the Indian Trail Winery will be serving wine, she said. They also hope to have about 30 teams for the barbecue competition, and right now they are at 25.
Other changes include two stages, three entry points, the Logansport State Hospital bringing their doodle bug to help transport people from an entry point to their cars and a dunk tank. All proceeds from the event will go to four local charities: Reading Railroad, the Shrine Club, Area Five and Young America Volunteer Fire Department.
"We'll have the carousel and putt putt, but we will not have the train running this year because the second stage we're bringing in is going to go right there across the lawn," organizer Jason Snyder said.
The car show this year will also be run by MOPAR Outlaws of Northern Indiana, which Helton said they did not have any club run the car show the past two years. It will also take place at the new Vibrant Events Center's paved lot instead of a gravel lot like previous years, Snyder said.
Shad Clements, president of MOPAR Outlaws of Northern Indiana, said they were asked by Tyson to take over the car and bike show this year. He said they want to make this the biggest year for the car show, and they have done that by advertising it in cities across the state.
The car and bike show will feature raffles, door prizes and over 50 awards to be handed out, Clements said. There will be an Anything with Wheels kids show, and other offerings include food trucks like Logan Rico's Tacos, a toy drive, games and a DJ. Dash plaques will also be given out for the first 50 entries.
"It sounds about four different bike clubs that could possibly be coming," Clements said. "We have quite a few cars that sounds like they'll be coming. We have a guy that got a hold of us yesterday from Iowa."
The money raised from the car and bike show will be donated to the Camelot Care Center Foundation. This money raised will also be combined with the money they raise at another car and bike show they plan to host at the airport in September, he said. Clements said they will then see if they can find any local businesses that would like to match that amount.
"I hope we pack the place, because if we pack the place, then that means we have at least probably close to 125, 150 cars and bikes that are there together," Clements said. "And if it goes out onto the road, then you're looking up to 150 to 175 or more. And if you look at, you know, 150 people show up with the car show, everybody brings at least one, two people with them. So, there's three, four hundred people that are going to see the festival. So, it does benefit the festival."
When planning the festival, Helton said there are always challenges such as gathering donations. Snyder said another challenge comes with limiting food vendors to ensure there are not multiple vendors serving the same kind of food.
"I'd say one of the biggest challenges once the festival actually comes is the Friday before the festival, we get together and we figure out how to place all the vendors," Helton said. "That's a challenge every year to make sure, you know, you're separating, putting certain vendors in certain places so that they aren't doubled and it's kind of spreading the love."
This year's festival will also be the first since Squeal on the Eel received 501©(3) status back in January. In previous years, the festival was run through Emmaus Mission Center, but Snyder said it was always their goal to receive this status. Becoming a 501©(3) also helped with another challenge they have faced, that being that the festival is a Tyson-run event, Snyder and Helton said.
"The conception of the public is that this is a Tyson-ran event, and it's not by any means a Tyson-run event," Snyder said. "Tyson is our largest sponsor, but now we're a 501©(3). This is our own event. We happen to both work for Tyson, but it's not [a] Tyson event."
Helton said she is excited for the two stages, and both she and Snyder are looking forward to music being played all day. She said the goal of Squeal on the Eel is to be a barbecue and music festival, but up until this year, they did not have music all day. This year's musical performances include Saliva, Levi Riggs, The Hype, River Road and Twisted Riddlers.
Snyder said he is hoping they raise more money for the charities than the first two years, and Helton said they keep the momentum going for the fourth Squeal on the Eel. She said the more money they raise this year, the more they will have to start with for next year's festival.
"I mean, that's the goal, to keep it going, something Cass County can depend on," Snyder said.
The festival is still looking for more arts and craft vendors, as well as competitors for the barbecue competition. To sign up to be a vendor, barbecue competitor or volunteer, visit www.squealontheeel.org. Tickets are $10 or $15 at the gate the day of the event.
