Are You in a Pickle?

The day kicks off with an appearance by “Mr. Pickle” (also known as former N.H. State Representative Henry Parkhurst) leading the Pickle Parade, back this year after a two-year hiatus due to COVID. The parade has been a feature of the festival since the beginning. At noon, Mr. Pickle will be available for picture-taking at the town gazebo. Mr. Pickle also walks around the festival throughout the day and leads the parade down Main Street.

According to planning committee member Kevin Bazan, the festival was founded by longtime Winchester resident Gary O’Neal. O’Neal wanted to start a fall harvest festival, but found he had a lot of local competition (including the Keene Pumpkin Festival).

There were a lot of cucumber farmers in the area at the time and people who did their own canning. O’Neal ran the first couple of festivals until town selectboard member, Roberta Heinonen, took it over and organized it for many years.

In recent years, the festival – always held the fourth Saturday in September – was organized and hosted by a local group, Winchester Proud. The 20th festival in 2017 marked the first run by The Winchester Pickle Festival Committee, which is applying for status as a 501(c)3.

The event now attracts between 4,000 and 5,000 people each year, said Bazan, many from out of state. Each and every attendee receives a free pickle from one of the 27 five-gallon pails at the corner of Main Street and Route 119. 

The pickles—in varieties such as kosher dill, half-sours, red hots and candied bread-and-butter pickles—come from the Patriot Pickle Company of Wayne, N.J. Each year the pickles have been funded by vote at the town meeting.

A major event-within-the-event, the canning contest, returns to the festival this year after two years without it. 

Those who want to stack their own recipes against the competition can enter a canning contest, the winners of which will be announced at noon at the “pickle store” at the town hall. Entries will be accepted starting at 9 a.m.

Entries will be scored in such areas as quality of product (appearance, natural color); quality of pack (good proportion of product to juice); and quality of liquid (clear and free of sediment). Bazan said the canning contest was recently reintroduced after a five-year hiatus.

Yet another returning feature since 2019 is the pickle-eating contest. There will be two at the gazebo at 1 p.m. (entrants can pick up an application until noon at the “pickle store” on Main Street, also the location of the pickle gift shop and information booth). Contests are in two age categories and winners of each receive a trophy. 

A farmers market and food and merchandise vendors will be set up on the lawn at the town gazebo and vendors will also be located throughout the festival all day—there will be about 80 vendors. Judges will select winners in food and craft categories and winners will receive free vendor space for next year’s festival. One year, said Bazan, a winner in the food category sold pickle-flavored fudge.

Other day-long activities include Peter Auchmoody doing a chainsaw carving demonstration on the lawn at the town hall; and a bounce house for the kids will be set up at the United Church of Winchester parking lot. 

Live music (starting this year at noon) has always been a centerpiece of the festival, and this year will be no exception.

Classic rock cover band Steel Rail kicks this off at the Durkee Street main stage; and rock/blues/jazz artist Charlie Brady starts his set at the same time on the steps of the town hall. 

Starting at 10:30 a.m. at the United Church parking lot will be the Nelson Town Band; followed by festival first-timers, the Shelburne Falls Military Band. 

“It’s nice to bring back everything the festival is known for on the fourth Saturday in September,” said Bazan. “The town of Winchester deserves this stage and I hope people come to see everything we have to offer, and of course, enjoy a tasty pickle.”

The 24th annual Winchester Pickle Festival happens this Saturday, September 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Main Street. Parking is available at the Winchester School, with a shuttle bus taking people to the event. It is a short walk as well. For a full schedule of events and more information, visit www.winchesterpicklefestival.org.