This North Carolina Pickle Festival Is a Dill-Flavored Dream

Who doesn’t love a good pickle? These briny treats go great on a burger, next to a deli sandwich, as a standalone fried snack, or even as a chaser to a shot of whiskey. If you’re one of the many wise people who finds any form of pickle to be an appealing one, then an annual festival held in North Carolina will probably register as a pretty big dill.

I’m talking about the North Carolina Pickle Festival, a briny bacchanal held in Mount Olive, North Carolina, home to the major pickle company that bears its name. For one glorious weekend in April, fans of various jarred vegetables descend upon the town to feast on all manner of exotic pickles and pickle-flavored treats that truly defy expectations.

WATCH: How to Make Air-Fried Dill Pickle Fries With Ranch Breadcrumbs

According to Narcity, some of the oddities offered in years past have included snacks like pickle-flavored peanuts and popcorn, as one does. Beyond that, you’ll find stuff like a pickle-flavored snow cone for dessert, and—most surprisingly of all—a pickle doughnut. You simply cannot make this stuff up.

In addition to a packed lineup of snacks, festival events include a pickle eating contest, where participants will try to stuff as many Mt. Olive Kosher Dills down their gullets as possible in the hopes of earning a trophy as well as endless bragging rights. There’s also a chili cookoff for whatever reason, but you can bet that whoever wins the thing will have found a way to put pickles in their chili.

Though you won’t be able to snag your tickets for the 2020 Pickle Festival taking place on April 24th and 25th just yet, you can still book your flights and make plans for what’s sure to be the pickle party of the year. Don’t wait too long, or you’ll end up feeling pretty salty.